Reading Vocabulary Student Team Literature Standardized Reading Practice Test ego-tripping (Lawrence Hill Books, 1993) DIRECTIONS Choose the word that means the same, or about the same, as the underlined word. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE A Ancient means A very valuable B very surprising C very wise D very old 1. Another word for construction is A destroying B teaching C building D learning 4. An illusion is F an upsetting idea G a terrible disappointment H a false impression or appearance J a careful explanation or description 5. To ramble is to A delay B walk briskly C reach a goal D wander 6. To suspect is to F deny or refuse G criticize or complain H think or believe J request or demand 2. Offensive means F very unpleasant G very strong H very fast J very enjoyable 3. To do something effectively is to do it A poorly B well C harshly D gently Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 1
DIRECTIONS Read the excerpt in the box, then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE B they ll probably talk about my hard childhood In which sentence does the word hard mean the same thing as in the line above? A The wooden bench was very hard, and I felt sore after sitting there for an hour. B My aunt found it very hard to go through another painful experience so soon after her illness. C I had to repeat everything for Grandpa, who is very hard of hearing. D Mr. Jones worked very hard in the steel mill to put himself through college. 7. if i could weave an ancient rope and tie myself to history In which sentence does the word tie mean the same thing as in the line above? F Mom told me to put my finger on the string so she could tie a knot in it. G Dad didn t want to wear a tie to the party, but Mom insisted that he should. H The Cougars made another touchdown to tie the score with just two more minutes of play remaining. J Mrs. Ofocho came to America from Nigeria many years ago, but she still feels a strong tie to her homeland. 8. i d spring like daylight out of night In which sentence does the word spring mean the same thing as in the line above? A Aunt Rosa planted bulbs last fall so that she would have flowers coming up in the spring. B I tried to fix Dad s old watch, but I did not succeed because the spring was broken. C The source of this great river is a small spring high up on the mountainside. D The cat hid behind the chair, waiting to spring out at the mouse when it crossed the floor. 9. i d sprint across the grassy plain In which sentence does the word plain mean the same thing as in the line above? F My favorite kind of ice cream is plain vanilla. G The battle took place on a vast plain just outside the city. H I had left my wallet on the car seat in plain view, so I was relieved to see it was still there when I returned. J The students still seemed confused, so the teacher tried to think of a way to make his meaning plain. 10. your biographers never understand your father s pain as he sells his stock In which sentence does the word stock mean the same thing as in the lines above? A Mr. Thomas used to stock his shelves with products that the people in the neighborhood liked to buy. B My grandma doesn t put much stock in the weather forecast; instead, she predicts the weather by the aches and pains she feels. C Mrs. Tindley bought stock in hi-tech companies as an investment for her retirement. D After she boiled the meat, Mom saved the cooking water as stock to use in soup the next day. 2 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012
Reading Comprehension DIRECTIONS Read each passage, then read each question about the passage. Decide which is the best answer to the question. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE C from for the masai warriors (of don miller) if i could weave an ancient rope and tie myself to history i d spring like daylight out of night into the future of our land 1 The theme of this excerpt might be restated as follows: A The best way forward is to forget everything that lies in the past. B Honoring the heritage of the past prepares people to build for the future. C History is a downward path, and life just keeps on getting worse and worse. D History is doomed to always repeat itself. 2 This selection includes all of the following poetic devices except F simile G rhythm H sensory images J personification Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 3
from a poem (for langston hughes) diamonds are mined oil is discovered gold is found but thoughts are uncovered wool is sheared silk is spun weaving is hard but words are fun highways span bridges connect country roads ramble but i suspect if i took a rainbow ride i could be there by your side ( ) 1. Which stanza of this selection is different from the others in structure and rhythm? A stanza 1 B stanza 2 C stanza 3 D stanza 4 2. Which of the following is not mentioned here in an analogy to poetry-writing? F making cloth G mining treasures from the ground H painting pictures J building roads 4. To whom do you think the poet might be speaking in this excerpt? F Langston Hughes G someone she knows H the reader J any of the above 5. The expression a rainbow ride probably refers to A forecasting the weather B writing poetry C flying in an airplane D writing a letter 3. Which of the following poetic devices is most noticeable in this excerpt? A rhyme B personification C verbal irony D allusion GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE 4 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012
from a poem for carol (may she always wear red ribbons) one day from the sewer a little kitten with one eye gone came crawling out though she never really came into our yard but just sort of hung by to watch the folk my sister who was always softhearted but able to act effectively started taking milk out to her while our father would only say don t bring him home and everyday after school i would rush home to see if she was still there and if gary had fed her but I could never bring myself to go near her she was so loving and so hurt and so singularly beautiful and i knew i had nothing to give that would replace her one gone eye and if i had named her which i didn t i m sure I would have called her carol 6. This selection is an example of F figurative language G narrative poetry H parallel structure J extended metaphor 7. Gary is A the speaker s father B the speaker s sister C the kitten D none of the above 8. Which of the following words best describes the tone of this selection? F angry G regretful H joyful J disrespectful 9. The comment if i had named her which i didn t i m sure can be considered very A symbolic B alliterative C thematic D ironic 10. This poem illustrates the different ways people respond to the suffering and pain of others. In this view, the kitten can be seen as a symbol of F all Americans. G white Americans. H African Americans. J civil rights activists. GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 5
from nikki-rosa [ ] And though you re poor it isn t poverty that concerns you and though they fought a lot it isn t your father s drinking that makes any difference but only that everybody is together and you and your sister have happy birthdays and very good Christmases and I really hope no white person ever has cause to write about me because they never understand Black love is Black wealth and they ll probably talk about my hard childhood and never understand that all the while I was quite happy 11. We can infer from this excerpt that A the speaker had a happy childhood because her family was financially well off. B the speaker had a happy childhood because her family was strong and stable. C the speaker had a happy childhood because she knew she was well loved. D the speaker had a terrible childhood because her family was so poor. 12. The words Black love is Black wealth F state the theme of this selection. G are an example of verbal irony. H are an extended metaphor. J create parallel structure in the selection. 14. The speaker does not want white people to write about her life because F she doesn t think they write well. G she thinks all white people are racists. H she doesn t think they research their topics carefully. J she doesn t think they can understand her experience as an African-American. 15. The lines they ll/ probably talk about my hard childhood/ and never understand that/ all the while I was quite happy are an example of A alliteration B onomatopoeia C situational irony D verbal irony 13. The pronoun you in the first seven lines is used to A describe the experience of the readers. B help readers identify with the experience of the speaker. C show that the poem is only speaking to people from troubled families. D suggest that all black families are just like the speaker s family. 6 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012