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NAVIGATORS Assessment Handbook • Grade 3 SET B
© 2010 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
COMPREHENSION
STRATEGY
A S S E S S M E N T
5
Grade
Benchmark Education Company
629 Fifth Avenue • Pelham, NY 10803
Copyright © 2006 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved.Teachers may photocopy the reproducible assessments in this book for
classroom use. No other part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-4108-5056-0
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Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Directions for Administering and Scoring Assessments . . . . . . 5
Pretest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Comprehension Skills
1–2 Analyze Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
3–4 Analyze Story Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
5–6 Analyze Text Structure and Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
7–8 Compare and Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
9–10 Draw Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
11–12 Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
13–14 Evaluate Fact and Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
15–16 Identify Cause and Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
17–18 Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
19–20 Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
21–22 Interpret Figurative Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
23–24 Make Inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
25–26 Make Judgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
27–28 Make Predictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
29–30 Summarize or Paraphrase Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
31–32 Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
33–34 Use Text Features to Locate Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Word Solving Skills
35–36 Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
37–38 Understand Denotation and Connotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
39–40 Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
41–42 Use Knowledge of Word Structure to Determine Word Meaning . . . 118
Posttest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Answer Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Individual Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Group Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Ongoing Strategy Assessment Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
© 2010 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Introduction
Comprehension Strategy Assessment provides assessments for measuring students’
grasp of comprehension strategies in both reading and listening. Information from
these assessments can be used to support instruction.
This book contains three types of assessments:
• The Pretest is designed to assess students’ reading comprehension strategies at
the beginning of the school year. It provides a series of seven reading passages,
both fiction and nonfiction, with a total of thirty-six multiple-choice items.
Information from the Pretest can be used to plan instruction, make
curriculum decisions, and select reading materials to match students’ needs.
Pretest scores can also be used as baseline data for evaluating students’ progress
from the beginning of the school year to the end.
• Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessments are focused, two-page
assessments to be administered periodically during the school year. Each
assessment has a reading passage and a set of five test items to measure one
specific strategy. There are two assessments per strategy, and they are intended
to be used to monitor students’ progress. They may be administered after
completing instruction in particular strategies or at other appropriate times,
such as the end of each grading period. These pages may be used as reading
assessments or listening assessments.
• The Posttest is parallel to the Pretest. It has the same number of reading
passages and items as the Pretest, and it tests the same strategies. The Posttest
is designed to be administered at the end of the school year as a final evaluation
of students’ progress in comparison to their performance at the beginning of
the year.
The next few pages in this book provide directions for administering and scoring
the assessments and using the assessment results. Answer keys for the Pretest,
Ongoing Assessments, and Posttest can be found at the beginning of each section
in this book. Scoring Charts for scoring the assessments and recording results can
be found on pages 139 to 141.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2010 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
DIRECTIONS FOR
ADMINISTERING AND SCORING ASSESSMENTS
All the assessments in this book may be administered to students individually
or in a group. We recommend administering the Pretest and Posttest to all
students at the same time. The Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessments
may be administered in the same way, or they may be administered individually
or in small groups to different students at different times. Detailed guidelines for
administering and scoring each type of assessment are presented below.
GUIDELINES FOR USING THE PRETEST
The Pretest is fourteen pages long. It includes seven one-page reading passages and
a set of multiple-choice questions for each passage: thirty-six items total. These
thirty-six items measure nine “clusters” of strategies and skills (as listed on the
Scoring Chart, page 139) with four items per cluster. Each cluster has two or three
strategies grouped by similarities. For example, “Identify Main Idea” and
“Summarize or Paraphrase Information” are grouped together in one cluster
because they involve similar thinking skills (distinguishing essential from
inessential information). Each cluster has been labeled with a title that reflects the
key thinking skill, such as “Distinguishing Important Information.”
Plan for about an hour to administer the Pretest, but allow more time if needed.
Students should be allowed to finish answering every question. Depending on the
students and your situation, you may want to administer the Pretest in two parts
in different sittings.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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To Administer the Pretest:
1. Make a copy of the test for each student.
2. Tell students to write their names and the date at the top of each test page.
3. Read the directions on the first page and make sure students understand what
to do.
4. Instruct students to read each passage and answer the questions that go with
it.
5. For each multiple-choice question, instruct students to choose the best answer
and fill in the bubble beside the answer they choose.
6. Option: If you prefer, you may copy the answer sheet on page 138 of this book
and instruct students to fill in the answers on the answer sheet.
7. When students have finished, collect the tests.
To Score the Pretest:
1. Make a copy of the Individual Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart (see page 139)
for each student.
2. Refer to the Pretest Answer Key on page 13. The Answer Key gives the letter
of the correct response to each question.
3. Mark each question correct or incorrect on the test page (or on the answer
sheet).
4. To find the total test score, count the number of items answered correctly.
5. To score by cluster, use the Individual Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart.
At the top of the chart, circle the number of each item answered correctly.
The item numbers are organized by clusters of tested skills.
6. For each cluster on the scoring chart, add the number of items answered
correctly (for example, three out of four). Write the number correct in the
right-hand column under Pretest.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Using the Results:
1. Use the results of the Pretest to determine each student’s current level of
reading ability, as well as his or her proficiencies in the strategies being tested.
2. As explained above, the items in the Pretest measure strategies in particular
clusters. A student’s score on a particular cluster can pinpoint specific
instructional needs. A student who answers correctly fewer than three of the
four items in each cluster may need focused instructional attention on those
particular strategies.
3. Plotting scores on the Individual and Group Pretest/Posttest Scoring Charts
provides a handy reference for monitoring students’ growth and development.
Such information can be used to identify the skills and strategies to be
reinforced for a whole group, small group, or individual.
4. Store the Pretest/Posttest Scoring Charts in an appropriate location for referral
during the school year and for end-of-year comparison of the Pretest and
Posttest scores.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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GUIDELINES FOR USING THE ONGOING
C O M P R E H E N S I O N S T R AT E GY A S S E S S M E N T S
In this program, Grade 5 covers twenty-one comprehension and word solving
strategies. In this book you will find two assessments for each strategy (arranged
in alphabetical order by strategy within Comprehension Skills and Word Solving
Skills). The assessments are numbered 1 to 42, and each assessment is two pages
long.
The purpose of these assessments is to determine how well students have learned
each strategy. You may want to administer the two strategy-based assessments at
set times of the year (such as during the second and third quarters), or you can
administer an assessment for a specific strategy just after teaching the strategy in
the classroom. Although the assessments are numbered sequentially 1 through
42, they do not need to be administered in any set order. You may choose to
assess any strategy in whatever order you teach them.
Each Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment comprises a one-page reading
passage and a set of five questions. For comprehension and vocabulary strategies,
three of the items are multiple-choice questions; the other two are short-answer
questions that require students to write their own answers. Most of these
responses will be one to three sentences long. For assessments of word solving
skills, all five items are multiple choice.
Plan for fifteen to twenty minutes to administer an Ongoing Comprehension
Strategy Assessment, but allow more time if needed.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
To Administer an Ongoing Assessment:
1. Make a copy of the assessment for each student.
2. Tell students to write their names and the date at the top of each test page.
3. Direct students to read each passage and answer the questions that go with it.
4. For each multiple-choice question, instruct students to choose the best answer
and fill in the bubble beside the answer they choose.
5. For short-answer questions, instruct students to write their responses (in
phrases or complete sentences) on the lines provided.
Listening Comprehension
Ongoing Assessments 1 to 34 are intended primarily for use as written
assessments of reading comprehension. However, they may also be used as
measures of listening comprehension. To use them for listening purposes, read the
passage aloud and instruct the students to answer the questions. Students may
respond by marking and writing their answers on the test page or by giving oral
responses. If preferred, you may use one of the two Ongoing Assessments for
reading comprehension and the other for listening.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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To Score the Ongoing Assessment:
6. Refer to the appropriate Answer Key (on pages 30–37). The answer key gives
the letter of the correct response for each multiple-choice question. It gives a
sample correct response for each short-answer question.
7. Mark each question correct or incorrect on the test page. You may need to
interpret the student’s written responses and decide whether they are correct
or incorrect, based on the sample answers in the answer key.
8. To find the total score, count the number of items answered correctly.
Using the Results:
9. Use the results of the Ongoing Assessment to evaluate each student’s
understanding of the tested strategy or skill.
10. A student who understands and applies a given strategy should answer at
least four of the five items correctly. A student who answers correctly fewer
than four items may need additional instruction on a particular strategy.
11. Use the Ongoing Strategy Assessment Record to keep track of a student’s
scores on the assessments during the school year. The record provides space
for writing the score on each of the two strategy assessments.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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GUIDELINES FOR USING THE POSTTEST
The Posttest has the same number of reading passages and items as the Pretest and
should be administered and scored in the same way. The test items on the Posttest
measure the same skills as the Pretest and in the same order. Thus, the item
numbers on the Individual Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart are the same for
both tests.
Use the results of the Posttest to determine each student’s current level of reading
ability, as well as his or her proficiencies in the strategies being tested. Compare
the student’s scores on the Pretest and Posttest—and on each strategy cluster
within the tests—to evaluate the student’s progress since the beginning of the year.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Pretest
Spider and the Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Jenny’s Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Gary Paulsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Space Clothes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Honoring William T. Handy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
How to Make Maple Syrup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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1. C
19. B
2. D
20. C
3. C
21. B
4. A
22. C
5. B
23. C
6. B
24. A
7. D
25. D
8. C
26. B
9. A
27. C
10. B
28. D
11. C
29. D
12. B
30. C
13. A
31. B
14. C
32. C
15. D
33. A
16. A
34. A
17. D
35. B
18. D
36. D
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Pretest Answers
Answer Key
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Spider and the Sun
Long ago, before there was day and night, the animals had no fire and there
was no light. There was so little food that their stomachs shriveled up like
raisins. Finally, they decided that someone must find Sun, which only shone on
the other side of the mountain.
Skunk volunteered to go first. He found Sun and took a tiny, glowing piece of
him in his paw. However, on the way back home, the piece of Sun slipped out of
his paw, slid down his back, and disappeared. Skunk returned home with a white
streak down his back.
Eagle went next. She flew up and nipped a minuscule piece of Sun in her
beak. On the way back home, the tiny bit flew out of her beak and landed on her
head. That’s why the eagle has a bald spot on the top of its head.
Spider volunteered next. She took a clay pot with her and climbed slowly up
into the sky, her web trailing behind her. When she reached Sun, she trapped a
bit of him in her pot and quickly closed the lid. Then she wrapped the pot in
silky threads so that it would not burn her. When she returned to her friends,
everyone rejoiced, for now they had fire and heat!
Sun became angry when he realized he had lost his fire to Spider, and so he
set off to find her. He began traveling around the world from east to west,
searching for Spider. The animals were delighted by Sun’s movement, for now
they could enjoy regular periods of light and heat.
Sun never found Spider because she hid beneath a rock each time he shone
overhead. Before long, Sun forgot all about Spider but continued traveling
around Earth, making almost exactly the same trip every day.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which words best describe Spider?
A energetic and witty
B dangerous and mean
C courageous and smart
D fearful and worried
2. What was the main problem in this story?
A Sun could not find Spider.
B Skunk lost a piece of Sun.
C Eagle burned the top of her head.
D The animals had no heat or light.
3. The passage says that Eagle “nipped a minuscule piece of
Sun in her beak.” What does the word minuscule mean?
A round
B square
C very small
D very hot
4. According to this story, Sun began to travel around the world
because __________.
A he was looking for Spider
B the animals needed light and heat
C he could not find the animals
D the animals asked him to do so
5. The passage says, “There was so little food that their stomachs
shriveled up like raisins.” This sentence means that __________.
A the animals turned brown and wrinkled
B their stomachs became very small
C the animals ate nothing but raisins
D their stomachs were filled with raisins
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 6–10.
Voting
Can you vote? If you are 18 years or older and a United States citizen,
then you can.
Americans could not always vote. Until 1776, Great Britain made all decisions
concerning the American colonies. The British set the taxes and made the laws.
Then Americans decided to fight for freedom. In 1776, they declared their
independence. After the Revolutionary War, voting became possible—at least, for
some.
The first people allowed to vote were wealthy men who were at least 21 years
old and owned property. Then in 1820, the law was changed to give any white
males 21 years and older the right to vote. In 1872, the law was changed again.
Black American males were given the right to vote.
Women wanted the right to vote, too. They marched in the streets and
struggled for many years to gain equal rights. Finally, in 1920, women got the right
to vote. Of course, they had to be over 21 years old.
In 1924, Native Americans gained the right to vote. In 1972, the law
was reformed to lower the voting age to 18. Now male and female teenagers could
vote!
Over the years, more people earned the right to vote. Does that mean that we
have more and more voters? Not really. Many people don’t bother to vote. In the
2000 election, only 51% of the people registered to vote actually did so. Almost half
of the people stayed at home!
Why don’t people vote? Some people say that they don’t think their vote counts
for much. Other people forget or don’t think that voting is important.
Actually, voting is very important because it is how we choose our leaders. We
also vote to make new laws. When we vote, we decide how to govern our town, our
state, and our country.
Voting is not only a right. It is a privilege. Many people fought long and hard so
that Americans could vote. It’s our responsibility to honor that fight. What will you
do when you’re old enough to vote?
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
6. What is the main idea of this passage?
A If you are 18 or older and a U.S. citizen, you can vote.
B Voting is an important right and a privilege for all Americans.
C The first people allowed to vote were men over 21 who owned property.
D Women wanted the right to vote, too.
7. Which detail supports the idea that many people fought long and hard for
Americans’ right to vote?
A
B
C
D
The voting age was lowered to 18.
It’s our responsibility to honor that fight.
Now male and female teenagers could vote.
Women struggled for many years to gain equal rights.
8. The passage says, “In 1972, the law was reformed.” What does the word
reformed mean?
A canceled
B passed
C changed
D approved
9. In the author’s view, what is probably the most important thing that voters do?
A choose our leaders
B register to vote
C learn about new laws D support our government
10. The passage says, “In 1924, Native Americans gained the right to vote.” Which
word from the passage is a synonym for gained?
A
C
allowed
decided
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B
D
earned
struggled
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 11–15.
Jenny’s Journal
June 17
Okay, so my mom is the captain of a tall ship, and I’m finally allowed to sail with her to
find out what she does when she goes away. Dad takes good care of us kids at home, but I do
wonder why Mom loves being at sea. We left Bermuda today and are heading toward Canada.
We’re sailing on a 135-foot boat called a brigantine, but what’s special about being on a boat
that weighs 158 tons? I don’t know!
June 19
I’m so sick. Mom says that I won’t be seasick once I get my sea legs, but it’s been two
days now and I feel awful. The ship goes up and down and rocks from side to side, and it goes
forward. That’s a lot of movement! All I can eat is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
June 20
I must finally have my sea legs because I don’t feel sick today. The first mate let me climb
up to the crow’s nest, and I could see for miles. But the only thing I saw was water!
June 21
There are several scientists on the boat conducting experiments. Last night we cast a large
net and skimmed the water as we moved along, capturing tiny zooplankton. Zooplankton
glow in the dark, so they lit up the outline of the net. It was fascinating. This morning we
studied some plankton under a microscope. Plankton are so small you can’t see them with
the naked eye.
June 23
Today I learned how to coil rope in three overlapping circles, almost like a sculpture!
Coiling the rope makes it easy to get when the sailors need it.
This morning we saw basking sharks swimming beside us, apparently eating the plankton.
They are giants but are harmless. Then later we watched some dolphins as they escorted the
ship for over an hour! They swam right beside the ship, jumping in and out of the water.
June 25
Land ho! We’re back to reality today. I have learned a lot about sea creatures, the ocean, and
tall ships, but most of all I learned that Mom loves sailing because it’s so much fun!
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
11. What will Jenny most likely say the next time she is invited to go sailing?
A No, thank you, I don’t like being seasick.
B Sailing is okay, but I’d rather stay home.
C Yes, of course, I would love to go.
D I’ll go, but only if I can be the captain.
12. Which detail from the passage describes the setting of the story?
A Dad takes good care of us kids at home, but I do wonder why
Mom loves being at sea.
B
C
D
We’re sailing on a 135-foot boat called a brigantine, but what’s
special about being on a boat that weighs 158 tons?
Mom says that I won’t be seasick once I get my sea legs,
but it’s been two days now and I feel awful.
Today I learned how to coil rope in three overlapping circles,
almost like a sculpture!
13. What probably made Jenny feel seasick?
A the rocking of the boat
B peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
C seeing nothing but water D watching sharks eat the plankton
14. For Jenny, how was June 20 different from the other days in the trip?
A It was the first day she saw any sea animals.
B She could only eat peanut butter and jelly that day.
C It was the first day she did not feel sick.
D She finally spotted land that day.
15. The passage says, “Then later we watched some dolphins as they escorted
the ship for over an hour!” What does escorted mean?
A attacked
B circled around
C observed
D traveled with
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 16–20.
Gary Paulsen
Gary Paulsen writes stories that young people love to read. You might know
some of his most popular books: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. All of
them were named Newbery Honor Books.
Gary’s love of books began early in his life. He was born in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, in 1939. Winters there can be very bitter, and one day Gary walked
into a library to escape the cold. That’s when he discovered books. Not only was
he warm, but he also had fun reading.
When Gary was 15, he got his first job—as a construction worker. Over the
years he worked as a farmhand, a truck driver, and a sailor. Then he got a job
as a magazine editor. That’s when he really learned the craft of writing. He
published his first book in 1966.
In 1983, Gary’s life changed when he started racing with a dogsled team.
Training the dogs and racing was hard work. Often he worked 18 to 20 hours
a day. Then he entered the Iditarod, a famous dogsled race in Alaska. The
1,200-mile race was the most challenging experience of his life, and he loved it.
However, after the second race, he had to stop racing due to poor health. That’s
when he turned to full-time writing.
Many of Paulsen’s books tell of young people overcoming great odds to
survive. The main character in Hatchet, for example, survives a plane crash.
He lives alone in the Canadian wilderness until he is rescued. Paulsen fills his
book with details that make the story come alive. He uses his knowledge of
the outdoors to create his settings. He uses what he knows about people
to create real-life characters.
Paulsen has won many awards for his books. He’s a masterful storyteller
and a wonderful writer.
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
16. The passage says that Gary Paulsen got a job as a construction worker.
The word construction means __________.
A the act of building
B a person who builds
C a place where something is built D after building
17. Information in this passage is organized mainly by __________.
A comparison and contrast
B questions and answers
C problems and solutions
D time order
18. Which sentence from the passage states an opinion?
A When Gary was 15, he got his first job—as a construction worker.
B Then he got a job as a magazine editor.
C However, after the second race, he had to stop racing due to poor health.
D He’s a masterful storyteller and a wonderful writer.
19. What can you conclude from this passage about how Paulsen’s real-life
experiences influenced his writing?
A Writing was the only job he kept for more than a few months.
B Racing in the Iditarod helped him write about surviving in the wilderness.
C He grew up in Minnesota and, as a result, always wrote about being cold.
D His jobs on farms and ranches convinced him to become a writer.
20. The author’s main purpose in this passage was to __________.
A tell an entertaining story about survival
B teach a lesson about dogsledding
C give information about Gary Paulsen
D convince people to read Paulsen’s books
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
21
Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 21–25.
Space Clothes
What would you wear in space? There is no oxygen in space and no
atmosphere. That means there is little pressure on the body. Also, space is either
very hot or very cold. The suit you would wear in space has to protect you from
all these dangerous conditions.
Inside the Shuttle
Astronauts don’t wear spacesuits all the time in space. On the space
shuttle, they often wear comfortable clothes. Astronauts might put on sweat
suits, T-shirts, or shorts while they’re inside the shuttle.
Spacewalking
When the astronaut goes outside the shuttle,
he or she must be
protected by wearing a
arm assembly
suit called an EMU. One
part of the suit is a
hard upper torso
garment made of spandex
liquid cooling
to keep the astronaut
and ventilation
garment
cool. The suit also holds
a water bag and an
oxygen supply.
EMU electrical
communications
carrier assembly
helmet/
extravehicular visor
assembly
display and
control
module
primary life
support subsystem
gloves
harness
lower torso
assembly
Getting Around
When astronauts go on
spacewalks, they wear a
special backpack to help them move.
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
insuit
drink
bag
service and
cooling umbilical
battery
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
21. Which sentence best summarizes the information in the first paragraph?
A A person who goes into space might get hot or cold and will need a spacesuit.
B Spacesuits must protect people from the temperature, lack of oxygen, and air
pressure in space.
C The clothes you would wear in space are different from the clothes you wear
on Earth.
D Spacesuits have no oxygen and little pressure, so the body must be protected
in space.
22. Which part of the spacesuit would an astronaut put on first?
A hard upper torso
B helmet/extravehicular visor assembly
C liquid cooling and
D lower torso assembly
ventilation garment
23. In which part of the passage should you look to find out what the astronauts
use to help them move when outside the shuttle?
A Inside the Shuttle
B Spacewalking
C Getting Around
D the diagram
24. Which part of the spacesuit probably contains oxygen?
A primary life support subsystem
B liquid cooling and ventilation garment
C hard upper torso
D EMU electrical harness
25. The author wrote this passage mainly to __________.
A compare spacesuits with regular clothes
B share personal experiences in space
C explain how to survive in space
D give information about spacesuits
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
23
Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 26–30.
Honoring William T. Handy
The trees have been planted, and the grass has been sown. Flowers will soon
sprout from the flowerbeds, and our newest city park needs a name.
Many people have worked for the good of our town. We have no shortage of
people whom we might honor, but one citizen’s head stands higher than others.
That person is Dr. William Handy.
William was born here in South City and, after college, he returned to his
roots and made his home here. Since that time, William Handy has worked hard
to improve the lives of people who live and work in South City.
Dr. Handy opened his dental practice on Main Street in 1956. He has cared
for the teeth of his neighbors and friends ever since and has never turned away a
patient who could not pay. He has spent countless hours teaching schoolchildren
how to take care of their teeth.
In 1986, Dr. Handy went far past South City when he traveled to Central
America and spent his vacation helping others. Many people there had never
seen a dentist. Dr. Handy treated over 200 patients in two weeks!
Dr. Handy retired this year. He closed his dental practice but not his heart.
Now he volunteers at the city shelter, helping the homeless and poor.
Dr. Handy does not ask for praise and never has. He has worked tirelessly for
the people of this city all his life, and now we can pay him the respect he
deserves. We should name the new park “The William Handy Park.”
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
26. Which words best describe the character of Dr. Handy?
A patient and wise
B generous and hard working
C ambitious and wealthy
D honorable and witty
27. According to this passage, Dr. Handy traveled to Central America because
he wanted to __________.
A
B
C
D
train students to become dentists
see a new part of the world
provide dental care to people there
go on vacation
28. Which phrase from this passage has a positive connotation?
A born here
B on Main Street in 1956
C had never seen a dentist D has worked tirelessly
29. In the author’s view, what is probably the most unselfish thing Dr. Handy
has done?
A teaching children how to care for their teeth
B opening a dental practice in 1956
C caring for the teeth of his neighbors and friends
D treating more than 200 patients in Central America
30. You can tell that the people in South City like to name parks after people
who __________.
A remember the history of the city
B live near the park
C do good things for the city
D donate money for the park
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
25
Pretest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 31–36.
How to Make Maple Syrup
When the first settlers lived in America, they could not readily find any sugar,
which generally comes from sugarcane. How did the colonists satisfy their sweet
tooth? They made maple syrup. People still make this delicious treat today, and in
much the same way it was done long ago.
In the late winter months, maple trees are tapped. That is, small holes are drilled
about two and a half inches deep into the tree and a metal tap, or spout, is inserted
into each hole. One tap can produce 10 to 12 gallons of sap in a season. Trees have to
be at least ten inches in diameter to be tapped. The younger and smaller trees might
be harmed if they are tapped too early.
Then, buckets are attached to each tree. Most people cover the buckets to keep out
anything that might fall into the sap. When the temperature rises above freezing, the
sap begins to run. It drips slowly into the buckets.
It takes 40 to 60 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup! Sap must be
gathered every two to three days.
After the sap is collected, it is filtered to remove any wood, bugs, sand, or other
debris that might have fallen into the bucket. Then the sap is boiled. As the sap
gradually boils down, more sap is added. The boiling removes any water from the
sap. Usually, the sap boils for about two hours.
Many syrup makers use a cooking thermometer to decide when the syrup is ready.
As the syrup boils, it gets hotter. When it reaches a blistering 219°F, it is ready. Then
the syrup is filtered once again. Very carefully, the hot syrup is poured into bottles or
cans that have been cleaned and heated.
As the mixture cools, it’s a good time to make the pancakes or waffles. There is
nothing quite as tasty as fresh maple syrup!
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
31. The passage asks, “How did the colonists satisfy their sweet tooth?”
What is a sweet tooth?
A something sweet to eat
B a craving for something sweet
C a tooth that has chewed
D a tooth-size serving of
too many sweets
sugar
32. The passage says, “When it reaches a blistering 219°F, it is ready.”
If one of these words were used to replace the underlined word, which
would have a negative connotation?
A tempting
B steamy
C punishing
D syrupy
33. What should the syrup maker do just after removing the wood, bugs, sand, or
other debris from the sap?
A Boil the sap for about two hours. B Pour the sap into bottles.
C Clean and heat some bottles.
D Make pancakes or waffles.
34. Which sentence from the passage states a fact?
A It takes 40 to 60 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup!
B People still make this delicious treat today.
C As the mixture cools, it’s a good time to make the pancakes.
D There is nothing quite as tasty as fresh maple syrup.
35. The passage says, “A metal tap, or spout, is inserted into each hole.” Which
sentence uses the word hole in the same way?
A Grady ate the hole pile of pancakes.
B Stuart made a small hole in the wall.
C On the hole, the yard sale was a success.
D Each teammate is a small part of the hole.
36. Which is the best paraphrase of this sentence from the passage?
When the first settlers lived in America, they could not readily find any sugar,
which generally comes from sugarcane.
A When the first settlers wanted sugar in America, they made it from sugarcane.
B The first settlers in America readily made sugar from sugarcane.
C When the first settlers in America found sugar, it was generally made from
sugarcane.
D The first settlers in America could not get sugar, which is made from sugarcane.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
27
Ongoing Assessments
Assessment 1:
Rather Retires (biography) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Analyze Character
Assessment 2:
The “No Pets” Problem (realistic fiction). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Analyze Character
Assessment 3:
Making Yippee (science fiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Analyze Story Elements
Assessment 4:
Double Take (play) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Analyze Story Elements
Assessment 5:
Getting Energy from the Sun (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . 46
Analyze Text Structure and Organization
Assessment 6:
Robot Cars Aren’t Up to the Challenge (science nonfiction) . 48
Analyze Text Structure and Organization
Assessment 7:
Elephant Songs (science nonfiction). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Compare and Contrast
Assessment 8:
Kayaks (informational article) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Compare and Contrast
Assessment 9:
Etna Blows Its Top (science nonfiction). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Draw Conclusions
Assessment 10: Solving
Problems (social studies nonfiction). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Draw Conclusions
Assessment 11: Two
Sisters (biography) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View
Assessment 12: Pigs
or Plants? (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View
Assessment 13: Two
Native American Peoples (social studies nonfiction) . . . 62
Evaluate Fact and Opinion
Assessment 14: Having
It Both Ways (informational article) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Evaluate Fact and Opinion
Assessment 15: Amphibian
Population Declining (science nonfiction) . . . . . . 66
Identify Cause and Effect
Assessment 16: Explaining
Earthquakes (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Identify Cause and Effect
Assessment 17: Picture
This! (math nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details
Assessment 18: Mollusks
(science nonfiction). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details
Assessment 19: An
Experiment with Light (how-to article). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process
Assessment 20: Ben
Franklin (biography) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process
Assessment 21: My
Small Town’s Big Day (realistic fiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Interpret Figurative Language
28
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Ongoing Assessments
Assessment 22:
Clean-Up Crew (realistic fiction). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Interpret Figurative Language
Assessment 23:
A New Fin for Fuji (informational article) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Make Inferences
Assessment 24:
The Statue of Helios (social studies nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Make Inferences
Assessment 25:
Mushrooms (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Make Judgments
Assessment 26:
Reconstruction (social studies nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Make Judgments
Assessment 27:
An Afternoon in Wilmington (historical fiction) . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Make Predictions
Assessment 28:
On the Bus (realistic fiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Make Predictions
Assessment 29:
From Smoke Signals to Satellites (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . 94
Summarize or Paraphrase Information
Assessment 30:
White House Animals (informational article) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Summarize or Paraphrase Information
Assessment 31:
What’s That Sound? (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information
Assessment 32:
The Chain of Life (science nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information
Assessment 33:
Old Man River (math nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Use Text Features to Locate Information
Assessment 34:
News and Notes (newsletter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Use Text Features to Locate Information
Assessment 35:
The Articles of Confederation (social studies nonfiction) . . . . 106
Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
Assessment 36:
Balboa, Prince of the Salty Seas (biography) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
Assessment 37:
Nikola Tesla (biography) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Understand Denotation and Connotation
Assessment 38:
The Case for Space Travel (informational article) . . . . . . . . 112
Understand Denotation and Connotation
Assessment 39:
Stonehenge (social studies nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning
Assessment 40:
The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum (informational article) . . . 116
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning
Assessment 41:
Buffalo Herds (social studies nonfiction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Use Knowledge of Word Structure to Determine Word Meaning
Assessment 42:
Shaking Things Up (biography). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Use Knowledge of Word Structure to Determine Word Meaning
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
29
Answer Key
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessments
Assessment 1: Rather Retires
(Analyze Character)
1. B
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. D
Assessment 2: The “No Pets” Problem
(Analyze Character)
1. C
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. D
Assessment 3: Making Yippee
(Analyze Story Elements)
1. D
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. D
Assessment 4: Double Take
(Analyze Story Elements)
1. A
2. C
3. D
4. C
5. A
Assessment 5: Getting Energy from the Sun
(Analyze Text Structure and Organization)
1. D
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. B
30
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Assessment 6: Robot Cars Aren’t Up to the Challenge
(Analyze Text Structure and Organization)
1. C
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. D
Assessment 7: Elephant Songs
(Compare and Contrast)
1. C
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. C
Assessment 8: Kayaks
(Compare and Contrast)
1. D
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. B
Assessment 9: Etna Blows Its Top
(Draw Conclusions)
1. C
2. B
3. A
4. D
5. A
Assessment 10: Solving Problems
(Draw Conclusions)
1. B
2. A
3. A
4. D
5. C
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
31
Assessment 11: Two Sisters
(Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View)
1. C
2. B
3. A
4. D
5. C
Assessment 12: Pigs or Plants?
(Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View)
1. A
2. C
3. C
4. D
5. A
Assessment 13: Two Native American Peoples: The Iroquois and the Zuni
(Evaluate Fact and Opinion)
1. C
2. C
3. D
4. B
5. A
Assessment 14: Having It Both Ways
(Evaluate Fact and Opinion)
1. D
2. C
3. D
4. B
5. B
Assessment 15: Amphibian Population Declining
(Identify Cause and Effect)
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. C
5. A
32
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Assessment 16: Explaining Earthquakes
(Identify Cause and Effect)
1. A
2. C
3. D
4. B
5. C
Assessment 17: Picture This!
(Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details)
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. C
Assessment 18: Mollusks
(Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details)
1. B
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. C
Assessment 19: An Experiment with Light
(Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process)
1. D
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. D
Assessment 20: Ben Franklin
(Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process)
1. B
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. D
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
33
Assessment 21: My Small Town’s Big Day
(Interpret Figurative Language)
1. B
2. A
3. D
4. C
5. B
Assessment 22: Clean-Up Crew
(Interpret Figurative Language)
1. A
2. C
3. B
4. C
5. D
Assessment 23: A New Fin for Fuji
(Make Inferences)
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. A
5. C
Assessment 24: The Statue of Helios
(Make Inferences)
1. A
2. B.
3. C
4. B
5. D
Assessment 25: Mushrooms
(Make Judgments)
1. C
2. B
3. D
4. B
5. D
34
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Assessment 26: Reconstruction
(Make Judgments)
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. D
Assessment 27: An Afternoon in Wilmington
(Make Predictions)
1. C
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. A
Assessment 28: On the Bus (Make Predictions)
1. A
2. C
3. D
4. B
5. A
Assessment 29: From Smoke Signals to Satellites
(Summarize or Paraphrase Information)
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. A
5. D
Assessment 30: White House Animals
(Summarize or Paraphrase Information)
1. A
2. B
3. D
4. A
5. C.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
35
Assessment 31: What’s That Sound?
(Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information)
1. B
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. D
Assessment 32: The Chain of Life
(Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information)
1. D
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. D
Assessment 33: Old Man River
(Use Text Features to Locate Information)
1. B
2. A
3. C
4. B
5. A
Assessment 34: News and Notes
(Use Text Features to Locate Information)
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. B
Assessment 35: The Articles of Confederation
(Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms)
1. B 4. C
2. A 5. D
3. B
36
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Assessment 36: Balboa, Prince of the Salty Seas
(Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms)
1. D 4. B
2. A 5. C
3. C
Assessment 37: Nikola Tesla
(Understand Denotation and Connotation)
1. D 4. A
2. C 5. B
3. B
Assessment 38: The Case for Space Travel
(Understand Denotation and Connotation)
1. A 4. B
2. C 5. D
3. A
Assessment 39: Stonehenge
(Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning)
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. C
5. A
Assessment 40: The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum
(Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning)
1. C
2. B
3. D
4. A
5. B
Assessment 41: Buffalo Herds
(Use Knowledge of Word Structure to Determine Word Meaning)
1. C 4. D
2. A 5. A
3. B
Assessment 42: Shaking Things Up
(Use Knowledge of Word Structure to Determine Word Meaning)
1. B 4. C
2. A 5. C
3. D
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
37
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Rather Retires
On March 9, 2005, Dan Rather gave his
last broadcast as the anchor of CBS News.
Rather was the face and voice of CBS
Evening News for 24 years. His first love,
though, was never the news desk. More
than anything, Rather loves reporting. His
background as a field reporter shaped his
work as an anchor.
As a child, Rather’s heroes were radio
newsmen. He listened to their broadcasts
and noticed how their voices brought
people together. He wanted to do what
those newsmen did.
Rather got his big break in 1961 when
Hurricane Carla headed for Galveston,
Texas, and he was the only reporter in the
area. During the storm, he tied himself to
a tree to show how strong the wind and
rain were. Rather loved being right where
the news was really happening.
CBS News liked Rather’s work in
Galveston and soon asked him to cover
the national news. He was the first to
report that President John F. Kennedy had
been shot and killed in November 1963.
He covered the civil rights movement
during the 1960s. It was a hard job. He got
called names and spat on, but he wouldn’t
give up because he knew how important
the civil rights movement was.
38
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
The TV news brought the struggle into
people’s homes, and his reports had to
show people what black Americans were
fighting for and why.
During the Vietnam War, Rather went
to Vietnam and traveled with a Marine
unit on its missions. He saw for himself
what the soldiers went through. He also
made sure Americans at home saw. Film
from that time shows Rather on the
ground with the soldiers as he describes
what he sees.
On March 9, 1981, Dan Rather became
the anchor of CBS Evening News. He often
felt tied down by having to be in the
studio at the anchor desk instead of being
in the field.
Partly, Rather handled his struggles by
changing how a news anchor worked.
When something big happened in the
world, he anchored the news from the
field. He broadcast from China, Bosnia,
Indonesia, and Iraq, among other places.
Other anchors soon had to follow his lead.
Today, anchors often travel where the
news is and then broadcast from there.
Rather says he’s not retiring. At age 78,
Dan Rather is going back to his first love,
working as a reporter.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which sentence best describes Dan Rather?
A He enjoys being around people.
B He is both determined and brave.
C He gets bored very easily.
D He generally gets his way.
2. Why was Dan Rather such a good field reporter?
A He understood how to tell people what they wanted to hear.
B He felt tied down when he had to broadcast from the studio.
C He believed that listening to the news brought people together.
D He loved reporting the news live from the middle of the action.
3. How did Dan Rather feel about the radio newsmen he listened
to as a child?
A He admired them and their work very much.
B He believed they had too much power over people.
C He thought they should do more live reporting.
D He found their broadcasts fun and entertaining.
4. Why did Dan Rather sometimes struggle with being a news anchor?
A He got tired of reporting the news.
B He did not like being on TV.
C He missed being in the field.
D He wanted to be on the morning news.
5. You can tell that Dan Rather ________________________________.
A likes sitting at a desk
B likes to report on the weather
C would rather work in radio
D likes to be where the action is
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
39
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
The “No Pets” Problem
Anthony Lester adored animals, but unfortunately he could not own a dog, cat,
guinea pig, hamster, or even a white mouse. Anthony was allergic to animal fur.
“Mom, how about a snake?” Anthony wondered aloud.
“Sorry,” said Mrs. Lester. “You know snakes eat mice.”
“How about a parrot?” Anthony persisted.
“No feathers allowed,” Mr. Lester said.
To every pet suggestion Anthony made, Mr. and Mrs. Lester replied “no pets”
with heavy hearts. They did have some good news, though. Anthony would soon
be visiting Grandpa Lester for a vacation.
Grandpa Lester lived on the west coast of Florida. Anthony loved the warm
waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the sandy beaches there. He swam in the gulf
and went fishing with his grandfather.
One night at bedtime, Grandfather Lester said to Anthony, “Get a flashlight
from the garage while I get some snacks from the kitchen.” With their supplies,
the two walked out the back door and toward the beach.
At Grandpa’s direction, they settled down beneath a tall palm tree. “Wait, be
quiet, and be patient,” said Grandpa Lester.
An hour later, Grandpa Lester’s eyes lit up as he pointed down the beach.
There Anthony saw an army of large loggerhead turtles climb out of the water
onto the beach. They dug holes in the sand and laid eggs in the holes before
heading back to the water. “Incredible!” Anthony whispered.
Grandpa Lester explained that these turtles climbed onto the beach only one
night each year to lay their eggs.
At home a few days later, Anthony brought up the “no pets” problem
once again.
“Just about every pet you would like has fur, or eats something with fur,”
Mr. Lester said.
Then Anthony told his parents about the night on the beach with the
loggerhead turtles. “How about a turtle?” he nervously asked.
His parents looked at each other and grinned. “Perfect!” they replied.
40
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. How did Anthony’s parents feel when they had to keep saying “no pets”?
A pleased
B relieved
C sorry
D impatient
2. Why couldn’t Anthony have a cat or a dog for a pet?
A His apartment was too small.
B
C
D
He was not old enough.
His parents did not like animals.
He was allergic to animal fur.
3. Which sentence best describes Anthony?
A He does not give up easily.
B He likes to whine and complain.
C He is used to getting his own way.
D He does not get along with his parents.
4. Which detail shows that Anthony liked being with his grandfather?
A He had to be patient at the beach.
B He enjoyed activities he and his grandfather did together.
C His grandfather explained why the turtles climbed onto the beach once a year.
D He loved the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
5. Which detail is a clue to how Anthony's parents feel about the idea of
a turtle for a pet?
A Anthony told his parents about the night on the beach.
B His parents looked at each other.
C His parents replied, “No pets."
D His parents grinned and said, "Perfect!"
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
41
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Making Yippee
Krista Thirsten lived on Zanos, the rainiest, loneliest, most boring planet
in the universe. Because of her father’s job, she would be a prisoner on Zanos
without her Earth friends for all 365 days of one whole year.
“Think of it as a challenge,” Mr. Thirsten told Krista on day 300. “I think
you pass muster.”
“I’ll give it a try,” Krista mumbled as she slumped in her chair.
“Learn to be your own best friend if no one else is around,” said her father
cheerfully. “We’ll be home before you know it.”
Krista promised her father she would try her best to enjoy Zanos, although
she couldn’t help but feel sorry for herself. It rained almost every minute of
every day, and she had no friends on Zanos.
On the morning of day 315, something peculiar happened. The sun shone for
the first time! Krista dashed outside. Beautiful blue grass that felt like cool velvet
covered the field. She sprinted to the crest of a hill and rolled down, shouting,
“Yippee!” in delight.
“Yipp-yeeep-yee!” she heard in response from a squeaky voice. Krista stopped
and looked up as an odd-looking creature with four legs crawled over the hill
toward her. It looked at Krista with its three sparkling eyes and said, “Earth
person, what was that you said? It is not an Earth word I comprehend.”
Krista was so surprised she didn’t know what to say. The creature said,
“Today is Sun Day on Zanos. This day is a special day. We who live on Zanos
make friends with those from Earth, so I will be your friend.”
Odd as the creature sounded and appeared, Krista smiled and became its
friend for Sun Day.
By the time the sun finally went down at the end of the day, Krista had
almost forgotten that she was on another planet. Now she could see the light
at the end of the tunnel. She had found a new friend, and there were only
forty-nine days left before she and her father would go home to Earth. Zanos
wasn’t such a bad place after all.
42
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. How did Krista feel at the beginning of the story?
A adventurous
B happy
C spoiled
D lonely
2. Where does this story take place?
A on a spaceship
B
C
D
in a prison
on another planet
in a school
3. What was Krista’s main problem?
A She did not have any friends on Zanos.
B She was afraid of the creatures she saw.
C She did not like being with her father.
D She had an argument with her best friend.
4. What event made Krista suddenly feel happier?
A moving to Zanos for the year
B the sun shining for the first time
C a rainy day
D the sun setting
5. Why did Krista decide that Zanos wasn't such a bad place after all?
A She realized she enjoyed the rain.
B She found out she liked being alone.
C She learned about Sun Day.
D She made a new friend.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
43
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Double Take
Setting: Felix and Edwin are identical twins. They were adopted by two different families as babies, but
neither boy nor his adopted family knows about the other twin. Felix lives in Houston, Texas. He is on a
family vacation in New York City, where Edwin lives. Edwin is on a class trip to Ellis Island. The play
begins in the main building of Ellis Island, where immigrants entered the United States between 1892 and
1954. Felix and Sally are walking one way around a display of photographs in the center of a room.
Edwin and Jeremy are walking around the same display in the opposite direction.
JEREMY (to Edwin and pointing at a photograph): Look at that kid in the funny
cap. He could be my cousin Seth on a bad clothes day!
EDWIN: That cap is not funny. That’s what kids wore in 1901. Read the captions,
Jeremy. Get with the history program. (He chuckles and pushes his friend along. Then
as he moves to the left he accidentally bumps into Sally and Felix Redon.) Oh, sorry.
SALLY: No problem. (As Sally glances up at Edwin, she looks shocked. She turns to her
brother and whispers.) Felix, do you see those two boys?
FELIX: Sure. (When Felix sees the resemblance between himself and Edwin, he stops.) Do
you see what I see?
SALLY: I see you. I mean, two of you!
JEREMY (in a shaky voice): Edwin, do you see what I see?
EDWIN: It can’t be. (He slowly walks up to Felix.) Excuse me, what’s your name? (Both
boys stare at each other.)
FELIX: Felix. Felix Redon. Who are you?
EDWIN: Edwin. Edwin Hart.
SALLY (excited but shocked): You even have the same voice, but Mom and Dad never
said anything about a twin.
JEREMY (to Sally): I don’t mean to pry into your family business, but how could a
twin be a secret?
FELIX: Well, I was adopted when I was a baby, so my parents were not actually my
first parents.
EDWIN (gulps): I was adopted, too! (The boys check each other over, smiling at the
thought that they may have uncovered an amazing family mystery.) Are your parents
here with you, Felix?
FELIX: They’re down the hall. Let’s go. (The boys run off together, side by side.)
(Curtain closes.)
44
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Where does this scene take place?
A in a building on Ellis Island
B on a boat in New York Harbor
C at the Statue of Liberty
D at a baseball game in New York
2. In this scene, who is Jeremy?
A Edwin’s brother
B
C
D
Sally’s brother
a friend of Edwin
a friend of Felix
3. Which sentence best describes the plot?
A Ellis Island is a place that many tourists visit.
B People long ago dressed differently from people today.
C Families from different parts of the country visit Ellis Island.
D Twin boys discover each other while visiting Ellis Island.
4. How did Edwin meet Felix?
A Edwin noticed Felix across the room.
B Their parents introduced them.
C Edwin bumped into Sally, and Felix noticed Edwin.
D Edwin met Felix on a class trip.
5. Why did Edwin and Felix run off at the end of the scene?
A They wanted to talk to Felix's parents about whether they were twins.
B They wanted to see some more photographs.
C They wanted to see the rest of Ellis Island.
D They wanted to find Edwin's teacher.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
45
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Getting Energy from the Sun
You probably realize that without the sun, there would be no life on Earth.
Earth would most likely be a dark, frozen, lifeless piece of rock. All life on Earth
depends on the sun’s light and heat, but just how does the sun produce energy
to create light and heat? How does the sun really work?
What is the sun?
You may already know that the sun is a star. A star is a huge ball of burning gas
held together by gravity. If you could travel to the center of the sun, you would
find its core, which is the densest part of the sun. Gravity is strongest at the
core. That is where the process that produces light and heat begins.
What happens in the sun’s core?
Inside the sun’s core, a process called fusion takes place. Fusion happens when
two or more parts of one thing join together to make something else. Inside the
sun, atoms of hydrogen gas join together to make another gas called helium.
Fusion creates energy. The energy then travels out of the core toward the surface
of the sun.
What happens on the sun’s surface?
Closer to the surface, the gases that make up the sun are not as densely packed
as they are at the core. The energy from the core heats up the gas. Think about
what happens when you heat a pot of water on the stove. The burner on the
stove produces heat. The heat travels through the pot and into the water. As the
water heats up, little bubbles form. Finally, the water boils and you can see and
hear the bubbles. This is what happens on the sun’s surface. The bubbles
“burst,” sending their energy into space as light and heat. In time they cool and
the gas sinks back into the sun. There, the gas heats back up and forms new
bubbles. Then it goes through the process of giving off energy again. Some of
that energy travels 93 million miles to Earth and brings us the light and heat we
need to live.
46
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Most of the information in this passage is organized by __________.
A comparison and contrast
B causes and effects
C time order
D questions and answers
2. In paragraphs three and four, the author presents information as __________.
A events in history
B
C
D
steps in a process
facts and opinions
problems and solutions
3. What happens inside the sun when fusion takes place?
A Atoms of hydrogen gas join to make helium, creating energy.
B Gravity pulls gases inside the sun together into a dense ball.
C Energy travels out of the core toward the surface of the sun.
D Helium gas inside the sun heats up and becomes less dense.
4. When does the sun release energy into space?
A during fusion
B when atoms of hydrogen gas join together to make helium
C when gas bubbles burst on the surface of the sun
D when the energy travels from the sun’s core to its surface
5. Why does the author use bold type in some parts of this passage?
A to identify words that only apply to the sun
B to call attention to important words
C to show which words readers need to look up in the dictionary
D to point out words the author defines in the passage
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
47
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Robot Cars Aren’t Up to the Challenge
No one knew when the day began that the Grand Challenge would have no
winner. No one really had any idea what would happen.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) sponsored the race.
DARPA wanted to find ways to solve the problem of building a robot that could move
and navigate by itself. Many teams had been working on their bots for months. Over
100 groups wanted to enter the Challenge. Only 25 came up with working vehicles.
On the morning of the race, only 15 vehicles lined up at the start.
On the day of the Grand Challenge, team members checked their bot cars over
one last time. They tested the brakes, the steering, and the tires. The course stretched
142 miles through the Mojave Desert. The robots had to find their way along rocky
paths, up hills, and along steep ridges. They had to get through open desert and
across paved highways. Once they left the starting area, their teams could not help
them. The prize for completing the course was $1 million.
At last someone signaled that the first bot should begin the course. That’s when
the real fun started! One bot started the race by slamming into a wall. One bot’s
brakes locked up in the starting area, and it couldn’t go anywhere. Next, one went off
in the wrong direction and would not come back. One flipped upside down. Another
just drove around in circles, getting in the way of all the other cars.
A few vehicles got out of the start area. The first traveled 1.2 miles before it got
“scared” by a bush and drove off the course. Another got about the same distance
before slamming into a fence. A bot that traveled 5.2 miles stopped for no reason on a
steep hill. A mile and a half down the road, a bot got stuck on a rock. The vehicle
that traveled the farthest went 7.4 miles before it ran into a small ridge and its wheels
caught on fire.
DARPA hoped the Challenge would result in many new ideas and solutions for
building robots. By 2015, the army plans to replace soldiers with bots on some
dangerous missions, and DARPA is working to help meet that goal. Though the
Challenge seemed like a failure, DARPA and the teams learned a lot. Now DARPA has
to take the best ideas from each robot car and put them together. The teams want to
help too when they return for the next Grand Challenge.
48
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What is the main type of structure the author uses to organize this passage?
A comparison and contrast
B order of importance
C problems and solution
D cause and effect
2. Which sentence from the passage gives the best clue to the way
the text is organized?
A
B
C
D
Many teams had been working on their bots for months.
DARPA wanted to find ways to solve the problem of building a robot that
could move and navigate by itself.
Next, one went off in the wrong direction and would not come back.
On the morning of the race, only 15 vehicles lined up at the start.
3. What happened just before the race began?
A
B
C
D
Over 100 groups decided to enter the Challenge.
Each team checked its robot’s parts and systems carefully.
One robot car’s brakes locked up in the starting area.
The army asked DARPA to develop working robot cars.
4. What information does the author provide in the third paragraph?
A
B
C
D
what the race course is like
how robot cars work
how many robot cars were in the race
solutions to problems the cars faced
5. What was the result, or effect, of the Grand Challenge?
A
B
C
D
The race was a failure.
The winner got $1 million.
DARPA decided to quit making robot cars.
DARPA learned a lot about robot cars.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
49
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Elephant Songs
At first glance, it might not seem as though elephants and whales have much in
common. Elephants live on land in Africa and Asia. Whales live in the world’s oceans.
Still, whales and elephants are both large mammals. Both live in family groups made
up of females and young males, while adult males tend to live alone. Both animals take
care of their young. Now researchers have found another way in which they are alike.
Elephants and whales use the same kinds of sounds to “talk” to each other.
Scientists have been listening to “whale songs” for many years. Whales communicate
using low-frequency sounds. These “infrasonic” sounds are too low for people to hear.
Whales use the sounds to tell each other many things. Some sounds warn of danger.
Other sounds mean that one group has found food. Whales send out sounds when they
are hurt or need help. Females call males to mate. Whales also use ultrasonic sounds,
which are too high for people to hear. The high sounds help them determine where
they are in the ocean.
In 1990, a scientist named Katy Payne discovered that elephants use infrasonic
sounds, too. Payne spent the first part of her career studying whales and already knew a
lot about their sounds. One day Payne was standing next to the elephant cage at a zoo.
She felt as if the air around her was vibrating a little. She wondered if the elephants
were making infrasonic calls. She and two other scientists tested her idea. Sure enough,
the elephants were making the sounds.
Many people have since studied elephant communication. Like whales, elephants
use low-frequency sounds to talk to each other “long-distance.” They use sounds as
warning calls and to pass on information. Unlike whales, elephants have limited space
to live in. Their calls help them coordinate their movements and send mating calls at
the right times.
While whales’ calls travel through water, elephants’ calls must travel through the
air. Most whale calls can be heard up to 6 miles away. Through the air, most elephant
calls travel up to 6 miles. But they also travel through the ground. A call makes the
earth vibrate. Elephants feel these vibrations through their feet and “hear” the messages.
Sounds traveling as ground waves go much farther than sounds traveling through air.
50
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. In what way are whales and elephants different?
A Elephants are large mammals.
B Whales live in family groups.
C Elephants have limited space to live in.
D Whale songs are too low for people to hear.
2. In what way are whales and elephants alike?
A Their calls travel through the ground as vibrations.
B
C
D
They “hear” through their bodies as well as their ears.
Some of their calls are too high for people to hear.
They like to stay in contact with others of their kind.
3. Unlike whales, elephants __________.
A send signals through the air
B take care of their young
C use sounds to warn of danger
D make sounds that can be heard for several miles
4. Whales and elephants both use what kind of sounds to communicate?
A ultrasonic sounds
B infrasonic sounds
C whale songs
D elephant songs
5. What did Katy Payne discover that no one knew before?
A whales communicate using low-frequency sounds
B whales communicate using high-frequency sounds
C elephants use low-frequency sounds to pass on information
D elephants use high-frequency sounds to pass on information
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
51
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Kayaks
Today many people like to go kayaking for fun. For the Inuit people, kayaks
were once an essential part of life. The Inuit, once called “Eskimos,” live in the
Arctic region. They used kayaks and boats called umiaks for traveling, carrying
goods, hunting, and fishing.
Inuit kayaks had wooden frames with sealskins stretched over them to make the
boats watertight. These kayaks were long, slender, and low in the water. Their shape
made them easy to paddle quickly and quietly. They were also light enough for one
person to carry easily.
Inuit kayaks had a cockpit just behind the center of the boat. Kayakers sat in
the cockpit and stretched their legs out below the deck. They used a double-bladed
paddle and paddled from side to side. Sometimes a kayaker wore a waterproof jacket
and hooked the bottom of the jacket to the rim of the cockpit to keep water out.
The Inuit stretched rawhide thongs along the decks of their kayaks. They could
slide their weapons, such as harpoons, or other tools under the thongs. The thongs
kept the weapons in place and easy to reach.
The umiak was similar to the kayak in some ways. It too had a wooden frame
covered with animal skins. But umiaks were open boats. They were larger, wider, and
higher than kayaks. They could hold up to 30 people as well as gear. Umiaks were
used mainly for transporting people and goods. When the Inuit traveled, the women
rowed the umiaks while the men followed in their kayaks.
Today most of the Inuit use motorboats. A few people build umiaks as a hobby.
But kayaking has become a popular sport. Most modern kayaks are made of plastic
or fiberglass and are heavier than Inuit kayaks.
Many kayaks still have a cockpit where paddlers sit on a plastic seat. As the Inuit
did, paddlers stretch their legs out under the deck. Today, a waterproof spray skirt
attaches to the cockpit to keep the water out. Kayakers still use double-bladed
paddles. Most of them are made of metal or plastic now, though, not wood. Instead
of rawhide thongs, strong elastic bands stretch across the deck. Kayakers store things
like extra paddles or backpacks under the bands.
52
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. In what way were umiaks like kayaks?
A They were open boats.
B The Inuit used them for hunting and fishing.
C They held up to 30 people.
D They had wooden frames covered by animal skins.
2. An Inuit kayaker’s waterproof jacket served much the same purpose as the
modern kayak’s __________.
A fiberglass shell
B elastic bands
C spray skirt
D plastic seat
3. Inuit kayaks were different from umiaks in that they __________.
A were used to transport goods
B were long, slender, and low
C could be either paddled or rowed
D often were paddled by women
4. In what way are the elastic bands on modern kayaks similar to the rawhide
thongs on Inuit kayaks?
A They hold tools or supplies in place.
B They are stretched across the seat.
C They hold the paddle blades together.
D They help more people fit into the kayak.
5. How are kayaks today different from kayaks the Inuit built long ago?
A they have wooden frames
B they are made of plastic or fiberglass
C they are lighter
D they are covered with animal skins
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
53
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Etna Blows Its Top
On July 17, 2001, Mount Etna blew its top. Lava and ash started to pour
out of the mountain from four different places. Both the tourist area and cable car
at the mountain were closed. Visits to Mount Etna were restricted to government
officials and scientists only. But officials were not taking any chances with
people’s lives.
Mount Etna is located on the island of Sicily, which is part of Italy. It is Italy’s
highest peak at about 10,958 feet (3,340 meters). It is also Europe’s tallest active
volcano. The first known eruption of Mount Etna took place around 475 B.C.
Many eruptions have occurred since then. Since 1971, there have been at least
14 small eruptions from the sides of the mountain.
The people who live near Mount Etna seem to have become used to the
eruptions. Local farmers still grow crops, such as grapes and olives, on the
mountainside. The people on the island might be happier if this volcano became
dormant and stopped erupting. But there is no sign of that happening yet.
Italy
Mount Etna L
Sicily
54
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What can you conclude from the fact that scientists and
government officials went to Mount Etna on July 17, 2001?
A They knew there was no danger.
B They lived near the mountain.
C They wanted to study the volcano.
D They had become used to eruptions.
2. What can you conclude from the fact that the tourist area and cable car at
Mount Etna were closed in July 2001?
A
B
C
D
The cable cars were stuck in the lava and ash.
An eruption made the area unsafe.
Tourists were not interested in seeing a volcano.
The workers go on vacation in the summer.
3. From the information in the passage, you can conclude that __________.
A Mount Etna will continue to erupt for many years to come
B the people of Sicily live in constant danger
C one of the three volcanoes on Sicily erupts every day
D lava from Mount Etna is helpful to the farmers
4. What can you tell about Sicily from this passage?
A It has a large population.
B No one lives there for very long.
C It used to be part of Greece.
D Tourists like to visit Mount Etna.
5. How do the people of Sicily feel about Mount Etna?
A They are not too worried.
B They are very worried.
C They are angry.
D They plan to move soon.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
55
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Solving Problems
Calvin’s friend Sonya is running for class president. She orders Calvin to vote
for her, threatening she will no longer walk to school with him if he doesn’t.
Calvin enjoys walking to school with Sonya. But he prefers to cast his vote for
the person with the best ideas for the job. One of the other candidates is Danita.
Calvin thinks that she has some excellent ideas about what she would do as
class president.
What can Calvin do? He comes up with three possible choices. One, he can
vote for Sonya so he can continue to walk to school with her. Two, he can vote
for Danita but keep his vote a secret from Sonya. Three, he can tell Sonya he
thinks it is important for each person to make a choice based on who presents
the best ideas.
Next, Calvin thinks about what will happen as a result of each choice. If he
votes for Sonya, he will not be voting for the candidate he feels has the best
ideas. If he votes for Danita but keeps his vote a secret, he will not feel
comfortable around Sonya. If he tells Sonya he believes a person should choose
the best candidate, he will be telling the truth about a subject important to him.
Calvin decides that the third choice is the best one for him. Now he has to
figure out how to put his plan into action. He decides to talk to Sonya when
they walk to school the next day.
The next morning, Calvin explains what he has been thinking and what
he has decided. In response, Sonya says, “You know, you’re right. You should
make up your own mind. I shouldn’t make your choice for you just because
we’re friends. If I come up with some great ideas, though, I hope you will vote
for me.”
The election is only a week away. Calvin decides to listen carefully to
everything Sonya, Danita, and the other candidates have to say. Now he knows
he can vote with confidence. He also knows that he will still enjoy his walks to
school with Sonya.
56
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. At the beginning of this passage, how does Calvin feel about
Sonya and Danita as candidates for class president?
A He plans to vote for Sonya.
B He thinks Danita is the best candidate.
C He does not like either of the candidates.
D He is sure that Sonya will win.
2. What detail from the passage helps you conclude that Calvin does not like to
keep secrets from his friends?
A
B
C
D
He tells Sonya the truth instead of keeping his vote a secret.
He thinks about voting for Danita and keeping his vote a secret.
He feels comfortable around both Danita and Sonya.
He listens carefully to what the candidates have to say.
3. What conclusion about Calvin can be drawn from this passage?
A
B
C
D
He tries to be honest with others.
He will do whatever it takes to keep Sonya as a friend.
He thinks that school elections are unfair.
He often makes rash decisions without thinking first.
4.What detail from the passage helps you conclude that Calvin and Sonya will
stay friends?
A
B
C
D
He comes up with three possible choices.
He figures out how to put his plan into action.
He thinks Danita has excellent ideas about what she would do as class
president.
He will still enjoy his walks to school with Sonya.
5. From the passage, what can you conclude about Calvin and Sonya?
A
B
C
D
They have not been friends for very long.
They have worked together on many school projects.
Both believe that people have to make their own choices.
Both of them think that class president is a silly job.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
57
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Two Sisters
After the Civil War ended in 1865, an ex-slave named Henry Beard Delany
worked hard to become a bishop of the Episcopal Church. He and his wife
Martha then raised ten children. They gave their children good educations. They
also taught them an important rule: “Your job is to help somebody.”
Two of the Delany children lived by that rule and became famous. They were
Sarah “Sadie” Louise and Annie Elizabeth “Bessie” Delany. Sadie and Bessie
became teachers in their home state of North Carolina. Later, they moved
together to Harlem in New York City. Both went to Columbia University. Sadie
earned degrees in science and education. Bessie became a dentist. Sadie was the
first African American home economics teacher in New York City. Bessie became
the second African American dentist to earn a license in New York.
Sadie and Bessie never forgot the family motto. Through their jobs, they
helped many people in Harlem.
The Delany sisters were remarkable in several ways. They lived very long
lives. They often defied rules and laws that were unfair. They also lived through
many historic events. For example, their father had been a slave who lived
through the Civil War. Both sisters lived to see the Civil Rights Act become law
100 years later. This act made it unlawful to treat any American unfairly. The
Delany sisters also knew many famous people in Harlem.
Why do people today know of the Delany sisters? In 1991, a reporter from
the New York Times wrote an interesting article about the sisters. The article
led to a book, Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years. It became a
best seller. Later, it was turned into a play and a film.
In 1995, Bessie died at the age of 104. Sadie wrote a second book when she
was 107. She lived to the grand old age of 109. Both sisters certainly had long
and exciting lives.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage?
A to tell about the effects of Civil War
B to tell how an African-American bishop helped people
C to give information about the Delany sisters
D to describe the book and film about the Delany sisters
2. Which sentence from the passage best indicates the author’s
view of the Delany sisters?
A
B
C
D
Later, they moved together to Harlem in New York City.
The Delany sisters were remarkable in several ways.
They also lived through many historic events.
The Delany sisters also knew many famous people in Harlem.
3. Which sentence from the passage sums up the author's view on the
Delany sisters?
A
B
C
D
“Both sisters certainly had long and exciting lives.”
“Sadie and Bessie became teachers in their home state of North Carolina.”
“Sadie and Bessie never forgot the family motto.”
“Through their jobs, they helped many people in Harlem.”
4. Which sentence from the passage states the author’s opinion?
A
B
C
D
Bessie became a dentist.
Sadie earned degrees in science and education.
In 1995, Bessie died at the age of 104.
In 1991, a reporter from the New York Times wrote an interesting article
about the sisters.
5. The author probably mentioned that both sisters became teachers because he
wanted to __________.
A
B
C
D
explain why they moved to New York City
prove that they were very smart
show that they really did help others
suggest that they could have done better
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
59
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Pigs or Plants?
Hawaii is a land of beautiful plants, but it is also a place with a great number
of endangered plants. Pigs are the reason for this problem.
People from Europe brought wild pigs to Hawaii. Before long, there were
many pigs running wild on the islands. They ate many native Hawaiian plants.
They also dug in the underbrush, and this digging uprooted delicate plants. It
also made the soil better for alien plants to grow. Some of the new plants became
a threat to Hawaii’s native plant life.
There has been another side effect of the pigs’ digging. When it rains, pools
of water form where the pigs have dug. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in the pools.
Because of the pigs, mosquitoes have become a huge problem. Some of them
carry diseases that affect native birds and other animals.
Hawaiians have been trying to stop the spread of wild pigs. They have put up
fences and have encouraged hunting and trapping. But many people have spoken
out against hunting the pigs. They feel that since people are responsible for
bringing the pigs to Hawaii, they should not kill them now that they are there.
Hawaiians must decide whether their forests are more important than the
pigs. To save the native plants and many of the native animals as well, the pigs
must go. It is now a race against time. Twenty-five percent of Hawaii’s forests
have disappeared. Will the Hawaiians choose the pigs or the plants?
60
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. The author’s main purpose in the first four paragraphs of this passage
is to __________.
A inform readers about Hawaii’s problem
B entertain readers with a funny story
C persuade readers to visit Hawaii
D explain how readers can help Hawaii
2. How does the author’s purpose change in the last paragraph?
A
B
C
D
She tries to tell a story to entertain readers.
She stops trying to persuade and just informs.
She tries to persuade readers to think a certain way.
Her purpose does not change.
3. What is the author’s point of view on the wild pigs?
A She thinks they should not be hunted.
B She thinks they are an important part of the Hawaiian ecosystem.
C She thinks they are a threat to Hawaii’s native plants.
D She thinks they should be tamed.
4. Why does the author mention mosquitoes in this passage?
A to explain why the wild pigs should be killed
B to show how mosquitoes grow
C to show how plants and mosquitoes are related
D to give an example of one of the problems caused by the wild pigs
5. What detail reveals the author’s point of view about the wild pigs?
A Pigs are the reason for the problem of endangered plants.
B Many pigs run wild on the island.
C Hawaiians have been trying to stop the spread of wild pigs.
D People from Europe brought wild pigs to Europe.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
61
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Two Native American Peoples:
The Iroquois and the Zuni
Hundreds of Native American tribes lived in North America long before the
Europeans arrived. The Iroquois League and the Zuni tribe were two of these
groups. They were also two of the most interesting. Although they lived in
different parts of North America, they had much in common.
Most of the people of the Iroquois League came from tribes, such as the
Mohawk, that lived in what is now New York State. The Iroquois lived mainly in
large wooden houses called longhouses. The houses were quite roomy and
comfortable. In each longhouse, more than one family lived as a group. The
group was run by women. The most important part of Iroquois life was farming.
This was also run by women. The women grew corn, beans, and squash. The
men were hunters and warriors. Fifty male chiefs, or sachems, ruled the Iroquois
League. But those men were chosen by the women.
The Zuni tribe lived in the Southwest along the Zuni River. Their lands were
near the border between what are now Arizona and New Mexico. Unlike the
Iroquois, the Zuni built houses of clay, or adobe. Each family had its own house.
Like the Iroquois, farming lay at the center of Zuni life. Zuni women cared for
gardens near their villages. They grew corn, chilis, herbs, and spices. The Zuni
men were skilled hunters. Zuni men also became chiefs and religious leaders
called shamans. Long ago, Zuni women made beautiful clay pots, for which the
Zuni are still famous.
Today, the Iroquois people live on eight reservations set aside for them. These
lands are in New York, Canada, and Oklahoma. Most of these lands are not
where their Iroquois ancestors lived. The reservation set aside for the Zuni in
New Mexico, however, is different. It includes land that Zuni ancestors lived on
long ago. The Zuni people still live in adobe houses. But the Iroquois no longer
live in wooden longhouses.
62
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which sentence from the passage states an opinion?
A Hundreds of Native American tribes lived in North America.
B The Iroquois League and the Zuni tribe were two of these groups.
C They were also two of the most interesting.
D They lived in different parts of North America.
2. Which sentence from the second paragraph states an opinion?
A Most of the people of the Iroquois League came from tribes, such as the
Mohawk, that lived in what is now New York State.
B The Iroquois lived mainly in large wooden houses called longhouses.
C The houses were quite roomy and comfortable.
D In each longhouse, more than one family lived as a group.
3. The sentence "Fifty male chiefs, or sachems, ruled the Iroquois League" is a
fact. How do you know?
A The author believes the statement is true.
B The statement makes sense.
C The statement has numbers.
D The statement can be proven.
4. Which detail from the third paragraph states an opinion?
A The Zuni tribe lived in the Southwest along the Zuni River.
B Zuni women made beautiful clay pots.
C The Zuni built houses of clay, or adobe.
D Each family had its own house.
5. Which sentence states an opinion?
A Women were the most important people in every tribe.
B Today, the Iroquois live on eight reservations.
C The Zuni reservation is located in New Mexico.
D Iroquois reservations are in New York, Canada, and Oklahoma.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
63
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Having It Both Ways
One day in 1920, a boy walked into Christian K. Nelson’s ice cream and
candy store. He asked for a chocolate bar. Then he changed his mind and asked
for an ice cream sandwich. Ice cream and chocolate are both wonderful treats,
Nelson reasoned. Wouldn’t it be great to find a way to put them together?
Nelson began experimenting with ways to make a chocolate and ice cream
treat. His idea was to coat a slab of ice cream with melted chocolate. Then he
would cool it so the chocolate hardened into a thin skin. Nelson was not very
good at making chocolate, though. He had little luck until he got a tip from a
candy salesman. The salesman explained that candy bar makers changed the
amount of cocoa butter in their chocolate based on the filling inside.
With this advice in mind, Nelson worked long and hard until he found a
formula that worked. Then he started selling the chocolate-covered ice cream
bars to his customers. The bars were a huge hit. Nelson’s creations were
delicious, and people loved them. He went into business making and selling his
new treat, which he named “Eskimo Pie.”
Before long, Eskimo Pies were being sold all over the country. Customers
were eating more than one million a day! Nelson himself became rich and
famous, thanks to a lot of hard work. That little boy who could not make up his
mind was a great help, too.
64
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which sentence from the passage states an opinion?
A One day in 1920, a boy walked into Christian K. Nelson’s ice cream
and candy store.
B He asked for a chocolate bar.
C Then he changed his mind and asked for an ice cream sandwich.
D Ice cream and chocolate are both wonderful treats.
2. Which sentence from the second paragraph states an opinion?
A Nelson began experimenting with ways to make a chocolate and
ice cream treat.
B Then he would cool it so the chocolate hardened into a thin skin.
C Nelson was not very good at making chocolate, though.
D The salesman explained that candy bar makers changed the amount of cocoa
butter in their chocolate based on the filling inside.
3. Which sentence from the third paragraph states a fact?
A
B
C
D
With this advice in mind, Nelson worked long and hard until
he found a formula that worked.
Nelson’s creations were delicious, and people loved them.
The bars were a huge hit.
He went into business making and selling his new treat,
which he named “Eskimo Pie.”
4. The sentence "Customers were eating more than one million a day!" is a fact.
How do you know?
A
B
C
D
The statement has numbers.
The statement can be proven.
The statement ends with an exclamation point.
Everyone likes Eskimo Pies.
5. Which detail from the last paragraph states an opinion?
A
B
C
D
Eskimo Pies were being sold all over the country.
The boy who could not make up his mind was a great help.
Nelson became rich and famous.
Nelson put in a lot of work.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
65
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Amphibian Population Declining:
Scientists Concerned
What’s happening to the world’s frogs, toads, and other amphibians?
Amphibians are cold-blooded, and they tend to live near water. Thousands of
species of amphibians live all over the world. But studies show that their
numbers have declined very suddenly. Hundreds of species now face extinction.
Scientists aren’t sure why this is happening, but they are worried. They fear
that it may signal trouble that could affect other living things on Earth,
including people.
Some scientists blame pesticides for these problems. Farmers use these
poisons to keep bugs from eating their crops. Amphibians have very thin skin.
They absorb poisons quickly. Pesticides cause problems with the way frogs
develop. For example, the back legs of some frogs do not grow long enough.
Their short legs make it hard for them to swim. Also, some frogs can’t breed.
Fewer babies mean fewer frogs.
Amphibians are also disappearing, though, in places where pesticides are not
used. Some people blame the problem on loss of habitat. For example, people
have been cutting down the rain forests in South America for the past 25 years.
The amphibians that once lived there now have no place to live. Amphibians
have also been forced out by cities and towns. As more people move into an
area, they use up more of the land.
Pollution may also be hurting amphibians. Air pollution allows more
radiation from the sun to reach Earth. Once again, amphibians’ thin skin hurts
them. The radiation gets through their skin more easily than it does the skin of
other animals.
Scientists warn that big problems with the environment would affect
amphibians first. Because of this, the death of so many amphibians is like
a red flag to the rest of us. We must figure out what is killing Earth’s
amphibians before it’s too late.
66
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What effect do some pesticides have on frogs?
A They cause the frogs’ skin to become thinner.
B They change the way that frogs behave.
C They cause frogs to develop abnormally.
D They damage the brains of baby frogs.
2. What happens when frogs cannot breed normally?
A Their population begins to decline.
B Other animals can catch them more easily.
C Certain species begin to grow faster.
D They get sick more often.
3. What characteristic of amphibians makes them less able than other animals
to deal with certain changes in their environment?
A their need to be near water
B the fact that they are cold-blooded
C their breeding habits
D the thinness of their skins
4. How does the growth of cities and towns affect frogs and other amphibians?
A Radiation from pollution gets through amphibians' skin.
B Amphibians absorb poisons from pesticides.
C The growth destroys their habitat and leaves them with no place to live.
D The amphibians are unable to swim.
5. Why are scientists concerned about the sudden decline in
amphibian populations?
A They fear it is a sign of problems that will affect other species.
B They fear that the amphibians will have fewer homes.
C They fear that farmers will stop using pesticides.
D They fear that more people will cut down rain forests.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
67
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Explaining Earthquakes
Somewhere in the world an earthquake occurs every day. Some of them are very
small and can hardly be felt. Other quakes, like the one that occurred in the Indian
Ocean in December 2004, are huge. People thousands of miles away feel the earth
shake. Large earthquakes cause terrible destruction, but what are they and why do
they occur?
Earthquakes happen because of sudden bursts of energy released from below
Earth’s surface. Earth’s outer crust is divided into a number of huge pieces called
tectonic plates. These plates “float” on the molten rock below the surface. A fault
line, or crack, occurs where two plates meet.
Earth’s tectonic plates are always moving. Sometimes they move against each
other along a fault line. The grinding of one plate against another causes stress in the
rock. The stress builds and builds until the rock cannot hold anymore. It bends,
stretches, and finally cracks. When the rock around a fault cracks, it releases energy.
The energy travels through the rock in waves. These waves cause the earth to shake.
The size of an earthquake depends partly on how much strain has built up
along the fault line. If the rock has been under stress for a long time, then a large
earthquake may occur. Sometimes a number of small earthquakes occur along a
fault in a short time. These relieve stress on the rock and, as a result, make a large
earthquake less likely.
When the ground shakes under buildings, roads, and bridges, it can cause much
damage. Buildings and roads may crack or collapse. Sometimes gas lines break, and
this can result in huge fires. Water lines burst and power lines fall.
Earthquakes can lead to other disasters, too. Mud or rock slides can bury
buildings, roads, and people. Volcanoes may erupt. Perhaps the worst result of an
earthquake is a tsunami. Tsunamis are series of huge waves that can wash away
whole towns and change coastlines. In fact, the earthquake in the Indian Ocean in
2004 did not cause much damage itself. It was the tsunami caused by the earthquake
that really did the damage. The giant wave wiped out hundreds of villages and killed
over 200,000 people.
68
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Fault lines occur because __________.
A Earth is made up of separate plates that run into each other
B rocks below the surface of Earth crack
C Earth’s tectonic plates float on a layer of liquid rock
D earthquakes cause the ground to shake and crack
2. What is the effect of tectonic plates grinding against each other?
A Energy waves travel through Earth’s crust.
B New fault lines form along the edges of the plates.
C Stress builds up in the rock where the plates meet.
D Molten rock rises through cracks to Earth’s surface.
3. Which of these was caused by the earthquake that struck in the
Indian Ocean in 2004?
A A new fault line was formed.
B Rock slides buried thousands of people.
C Several small volcanoes erupted.
D A tsunami wiped out hundreds of villages.
4. What happens when too much stress causes the rock along a fault line to crack?
A The rock floats below the surface.
B The rock releases energy and makes the ground shake.
C Two tectonic plates meet.
D The rock bends and stretches.
5. What is another problem earthquakes can cause?
A sudden bursts of energy
B more molten rock
C mud slides
D new fault lines
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
69
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Picture This!
Photographs are part of your everyday life. You see them almost everywhere.
In the early 1800s, there were no photographs. Can you imagine a world
without photographs?
The first photograph was made in 1826 by a Frenchman named Joseph
Niépce. It was called a “heliograph” because the images were made by exposure
to sunlight.
In 1839, the Frenchman Louis Daguerre created a new kind of photo called a
“daguerreotype.” It took only 30 minutes to create a picture in black and white.
These pictures became very popular. More important was the fact that for the
first time, people, places, and events could be preserved in images.
Photography developed quickly after that. In 1841, William Talbot of
England invented a way to print pictures from a “negative.” We still do that
today. In 1888, the Kodak company made the first camera for people to buy. It
cost $25. By 1900, Kodak’s cardboard “Brownie” camera was selling
for one dollar!
Many changes in photographic equipment took place during the 1900s. A
color film was invented in 1904. The flashbulb was first used in 1925. In 1947,
Edwin Land invented the Polaroid camera which produced instant pictures. The
first digital camera was introduced in 1989. It enabled people to take pictures
and display them on computers.
70
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What is the stated main idea of the first paragraph?
A Photographs are seldom seen.
B No one can imagine a world without pictures.
C Photography had not been invented in the early 1800s.
D A man named Joseph Niépce made the first photograph.
2. What would be another good title for this passage?
A “The Development of Photography”
B “A Man Named Niépce”
C “Important French Investors”
D “The Kodak Company”
3. What detail from the passage supports the idea that there were many changes in
photographic equipment during the 1900s?
A The Frenchman Louis Daguerre created a new kind of photo.
B William Talbot invented a way to print pictures from a "negative."
C The Kodak company made the first camera for people to buy.
D The flashbulb was first used.
4. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
A Photography had not been invented in the early 1800s.
B Louis Daguerre made it possible to preserve images of people, places, and
events.
C Black and white pictures were very popular.
D It took only 30 minutes to create a picture in black and white.
5. If the author wanted to add that the Leica camera was invented in 1925,
in which paragraph would this detail belong?
A paragraph 3
B paragraph 4
C paragraph 5
D paragraph 6
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
71
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Mollusks
Many animals have internal skeletons. Some creatures, such as insects,
have skeletons on the outside. Animals in a third group carry their skeletons
around as shells. They live inside their shells as if they were caves, and their
shells protect them. These creatures, called mollusks, include clams, oysters,
snails, and others.
How do these soft creatures make such strong homes for themselves?
Mollusks are covered by a thick layer of skin called a mantle. This mantle oozes
out layers of lime, a rocklike material. These layers are smooth and shiny, and
sometimes they are colored, too. The layers overlap like the shingles on a roof,
which makes them stronger and harder to break. These smooth, shiny layers are
called mother-of-pearl.
Some mollusks, such as snails, have one shell. They are called univalves.
Others, such as clams and oysters, have two shells and are called bivalves.
Bivalves eat by opening their shells and letting water pass through. The water
brings tiny animals and plants for them to feed on, and it brings more lime for
their shells.
Sometimes the water brings a grain of sand or a small chunk of shell. This
grit hurts the mollusk like a speck of dirt hurts your eye. A mollusk will coat the
piece of grit with mother-of-pearl. That is how pearls are made. Clams and even
snails make pearls, but oyster pearls are the most beautiful. Divers collect them,
and people buy them to wear as jewelry.
Mollusks can be found in oceans, in rivers, and on land. When they die,
many of them leave behind beautiful shells.
72
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which would be another good title for this passage?
A “So Many Skeletons”
B “Animals That Live in Shells”
C “Snails and Tails”
D “How to Make a Pearl”
2. What is the stated main idea of the first paragraph?
A Many animals have internal skeletons.
B Some creatures, such as insects, have skeletons on the outside.
C Mollusks include clams, oysters, and snails.
D Some animals, called mollusks, carry their skeletons around.
3. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
A Mollusks make their own shells by oozing layers of lime.
B Mollusks have a thick layer of skin.
C The strongest layers are called mother-of-pearl.
D Mollusks make shells to protect themselves.
4. Which detail from the passage supports the idea that many kinds of mollusks
are beautiful?
A Clams and even snails make pearls.
B People buy pearls to wear as jewelry.
C When they die, many of them leave behind beautiful shells.
D The layers overlap like shingles on a roof.
5. Suppose the author wants to add this sentence to the passage:
Most univalves have one foot that they can use to move themselves around.
In which paragraph does this sentence fit?
A paragraph 1
B paragraph 2
C paragraph 3
D paragraph 4
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
73
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
An Experiment with Light
“I see the light” is an expression that means “I understand.” But is it actually
possible to see light? Light is a form of energy that comes from the sun or other
sources. Light travels in invisible waves called light waves. If you know how to
look for one, you can discover a rainbow in an otherwise invisible light wave.
What you need:
• clear glass half-filled with water
• sheet of white paper
What to do:
1. Away from a window, hold up the clear glass half-filled with water.
You won’t see anything unusual.
2. Now place the glass near a window or on a windowsill so that a beam of light
shines through it. You should see a rainbow.
3. Hold the white paper under the rainbow. The colors will become brighter and
clearer. Look for seven colors.
How it works:
When a beam of light (a light wave) passes through the clear glass half-filled
with water, the light bends because it changes speed. The water acts like a prism.
The light in the beam bends again as it leaves the glass. The bending of light two
times causes the light in the beam to separate. In science, this bending of light is
called refraction. Each separate band of light is a color of the rainbow, and every
rainbow has seven colors. From the top band to the bottom band, the colors are
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. You can remember these
colors by using the name ROY G BIV.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What is the first step in this experiment?
A Watch the light bend.
B Look for a rainbow.
C Find the top band.
D Hold the glass away from the window.
2. To make a rainbow, which step should come next?
A Place a piece of paper underneath the glass.
B Hold the glass where there are no sunbeams.
C Place the glass near a window or on a windowsill.
D Fill a clear glass with water.
3. What should you do in step 3?
A Hold a white paper under the rainbow.
B Finish filling the glass with water.
C Try a different color of paper.
D See if the light changes speed.
4. When you see a rainbow on the paper, you should __________.
A fold the paper
B look for seven colors
C write ROY G BIV
D tape the paper down
5. This experiment would probably not be successful on a cloudy day
because __________.
A the glass could fill up with rain
B light does not bend when the air is cool
C light travels in invisible waves
D there would not be enough sunlight
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
75
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Ben Franklin
Have you ever been caught in a thunderstorm? If so, then you know how
scary the rain, thunder, and lightning can be. Imagine how frightening these
storms were to people in the early 1700s. In those days, people had no
understanding of lightning at all. Ben Franklin grew up during those times.
In 1718, 12-year-old Ben worked as an apprentice, or trainee, in his brother
James’s printing shop. In 1728, he opened his own printing office in
Philadelphia. Three years later, he founded the city’s first public library. Franklin
continued in the printing business until 1748. It was in 1752 that he turned his
attention to electricity and lightning.
Many people of his time believed that lightning was a strange and punishing
force sent from heaven. Ben Franklin thought otherwise. He believed that
lightning was a form of electricity. He set out to prove it.
One stormy night, he gathered a small piece of metal, a kite, string, and a
metal key. He attached the piece of metal to the top of the kite. Then he tied the
string to the kite. Next, he secured the key near the bottom of the string. With
help from his son William, he launched the kite into the dark sky. Lightning
struck the piece of metal at the top of the kite. It traveled down the string to
the key. Franklin touched the key and there was a spark. He had proved that
lightning was a form of electricity. Later, he invented the lightning rod. This
device, which is still used today, protects buildings from lightning.
76
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. When did Ben Franklin introduce the first public library?
A before he opened a printing office in Philadelphia
B in the beginning of the 1730s
C at the end of the 1740s
D after his lightning experiment
2. What did Ben do before he opened his own printing office?
A He built a kite to use for experiments.
B He worked as an apprentice in his brother's printing shop.
C He learned to protect himself from lightning.
D He learned about electricity at the library.
3. In his experiment, what did Ben Franklin do just before he tied the string
to the kite?
A He turned his attention to electricity and lightning.
B He secured the key near the bottom of the string.
C He attached the metal piece to the top of the kite.
D He set out to prove lightning was a form of electricity.
4. What was the last thing to happen in Ben Franklin’s experiment?
A There was a spark.
B Franklin touched the key.
C Lightning struck the metal piece.
D The key was secured to the string.
5. What did Ben Franklin do after his experiment with the kite?
A He invented many printing tools.
B He experimented with electricity.
C He experimented with metal.
D He invented the lightning rod.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
77
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
My Small Town’s Big Day
I live in the small town of Randolph. You’ve probably never heard of it
because not much ever happens here. Most of the time, living in Randolph is
about as thrilling as watching a puddle dry up.
However, all that changed last Saturday, the day Hugh Lawrence turned
Randolph on its ear. Yes, I’m talking about Hugh Lawrence, the famous
movie star.
I can describe exactly what happened because I was there. Dad took me
to Fran’s Diner for breakfast that morning. The place was crowded and loud,
customers were talking and laughing, and waitresses were shouting their orders.
Dad and I were just digging into our pancakes when Hugh Lawrence ambled
through the door.
He wasn’t dressed like a movie star, but everyone recognized him
immediately, and everyone froze right where they were. At that moment,
you could have heard a pin drop in the diner.
Just then Fran emerged from the kitchen, as cool as a cucumber. To watch
her, you might think celebrities stroll into her diner every day. She took Hugh
Lawrence’s order—a bran muffin and a coffee to go. She put them together in a
bag and handed it to him with a smile.
“That’ll be $2.75, please,” said Fran calmly.
Hugh Lawrence pulled a ten from his wallet, handed it to Fran, and told her
to keep the change. Then he turned to go. As he pushed the door open, he looked
over his shoulder and gave us all a friendly nod. Then he walked out the door.
Randolph has been buzzing ever since, and it will be a long time before the
buzzing stops.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. The passage says, “Most of the time, living in Randolph is about as thrilling as
watching a puddle dry up.” What does this expression suggest about Randolph?
A
B
C
D
It hardly ever rains in Randolph.
Randolph is a boring place to live.
There were many puddles in Randolph that day.
People find lots of ways to have fun in Randolph.
2. The passage says, “Dad and I were just digging into our pancakes.”
Which of these sentences has the same meaning?
A We were starting to eat our pancakes.
B We were waiting for our pancakes.
C We were ordering some pancakes.
D We were making our own pancakes.
3. The passage says, “You could have heard a pin drop in the diner.” What does
this expression mean?
A The diner was very loud.
B The diner was stuffy and hot.
C The diner was very narrow, like a pin.
D The diner was completely silent.
4. What does it mean to say that Fran was “as cool as a cucumber”?
A
B
C
D
She seemed unfriendly.
Her skin was green.
She was calm.
She looked strange.
5. The passage says, "Hugh Lawrence turned Randolph on its ear." What does this
expression mean?
A A man named Randolph listened to Hugh Lawrence.
B Hugh Lawrence's visit caused a lot of excitement in Randolph.
C The diners all turned their ears toward Hugh Lawrence.
D Hugh Lawrence turned around so people could hear him.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
79
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Clean-Up Crew
Mrs. Watts and her students looked up and down the roadside at the
bottles, cans, and paper scraps strewn everywhere. The littered ground was
like a beautiful tablecloth covered with stains.
“All right, everyone, put on your gloves,” instructed Mrs. Watts. “Then find
your companion and select a place to get started. We’ve obviously got our work
cut out for us today.”
In groups of two, the students spread out along the road and soon looked like
squirrels running everywhere collecting nuts. As they filled large, plastic bags
with trash, Mrs. Watts cheered them on with words of encouragement. A few
people gave thumbs-up signs as they drove by.
After about 40 minutes, Mrs. Watts called for a break. The students rested
and ate some snacks. When the break was over, a few students grumbled about
having to work so hard.
“Yes, it’s hard work,” Mrs. Watts replied, “but we’re beginning to see the light
at the end of the tunnel.”
An hour later, the clean-up was over. The students were dirty, hungry, and
tired, but they had filled 25 bags with trash. Everyone felt rather proud and
impressed to see how clean the roadside was now.
“I take my hat off to all of you,” Mrs. Watts told the students. “You’ve
contributed something important to the world today.”
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. In this passage, the author compares littered ground to __________.
A a stained tablecloth
B a bag of trash
C a thumbs-up sign
D paper scraps
2. What does Mrs. Watts mean when she says, “We’ve obviously got our work
cut out for us”?
A We can cut our work time in half.
B We can’t do as much as we planned.
C We have a lot of work to do.
D We need tools for cutting.
3. The passage says that the students “looked like squirrels running everywhere
collecting nuts.” What does this expression mean?
A
B
C
D
Their hair looked like fur.
They were working very hard.
They were running fast.
They liked to eat nuts.
4. What did Mrs. Watts mean when she said, “I take my hat off to all of you”?
A
B
C
D
It’s nice to meet you.
It’s time to go home.
I admire what you have done.
You can get cleaned up now.
5. Mrs. Watts said, "We're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel."
What does this mean?
A Cleaning up garbage is like walking through a tunnel.
B The students are picking up garbage in a tunnel
C The students can walk through a tunnel during their break.
D The students are getting close to finishing a big job.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
81
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
A New Fin for Fuji
Fuji didn’t have a flat tire, exactly, but it was a tire company that came to her
rescue when she was in trouble.
Fuji is a dolphin at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. A few years
ago, Fuji became very ill. She had a disease that was causing her tail to rot away.
Veterinarians decided that they could save Fuji but not her tail.
After a veterinarian operated on Fuji, the dolphin became healthy again. But
now she had a new challenge. It was difficult for her to swim. She swam much
slower than before, and she could no longer jump out of the water—not even a
little bit.
The veterinarian contacted a friend who worked at a tire company. He asked
if the company could create a rubber fin for Fuji. It was an unusual request, but
the people at the tire company agreed to try.
The company made ten fins that did not work. Some were too heavy, and
some did not fit properly. Finally the
company made a fin that seemed just the
right weight, but there was still a major
problem. Fuji refused to wear it.
Fuji’s keepers did not give up. They
let Fuji wear the fin for 20 minutes at a
time. After five months she became
accustomed to swimming with it. But
then, something even better happened.
Fuji used her new fin to jump out of the
water. That was a big day for Fuji, her
keepers, and the people at the tire
company.
She’s been swimming and jumping
ever since.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What other animals are you likely to see at the Okinawa Churaumi
Aquarium?
A bears
B sharks
C elephants
D horses
2. A veterinarian saved Fuji’s life by __________.
A
B
C
D
giving her medicine
changing her diet
calling a tire company
removing her tail
3. Why does a dolphin need a fin?
A
B
C
D
to breathe
to wear
to swim fast and jump out of water
to stay healthy
4. Which detail from the passage supports the inference that people at the tire
company really wanted to help Fuji?
A They made ten fins that did not work.
B It was an unusual request.
C A vet asked the company to create a rubber fin.
D Fuji’s keepers did not give up.
5. Why was rubber a good material for Fuji’s new fin?
A
B
C
D
Rubber is the same color as a dolphin.
The person at the tire company was the veterinarian’s friend.
Rubber is waterproof and flexible, just like a dolphin's fin.
Rubber is the same shape as a fin.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
83
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
The Statue of Helios
In the year 305 B.C., the Greek island of Rhodes was attacked. An army of
40,000 soldiers tried to conquer Rhodes, but Rhodes did not fall. After nearly a
year of conflict, the invading army gave up the fight and departed from the
island.
The people of Rhodes were sure they had won the war with the help of
Helios, the sun god. They decided to build a statue of Helios to stand near their
harbor. It would greet ships from other lands as they sailed to Rhodes.
The huge statue took 12 years to build. It had an iron frame covered with
bronze, which came from the losing army’s war machines. The statue stood on a
stone base. From the top of Helios’s head to his feet, the statue was 110 feet tall.
Experts believe that Helios held a fiery torch in his right hand.
For 56 years, the huge Helios looked out over the sea—until a strong
earthquake struck in 226 B.C. The statue snapped at the knees and crashed
to the ground.
An Egyptian king offered money to rebuild the statue, but the people of
Rhodes said no. They believed the statue fell
because the god Helios did not like it. The
people did not want to offend Helios again.
In a way, though, the statue of Helios lives
on. One of the modern world’s most famous
statues is a reminder of the Colossus of Rhodes.
The Statue of Liberty stands just a few feet taller
than the ancient Helios, and she too holds a
torch. From her spot in New York Harbor, the
Statue of Liberty greets ships from other lands
as they sail toward the shore.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. When the invading army departed from Rhodes, what did they leave behind?
A war machines and weapons
B a statue of Helios
C fiery torches
D an Egyptian king
2. Why did it take 12 years to build the statue of Helios?
A It was hard to find iron and bronze.
B
C
D
The statue was huge.
People could not agree about what the statue would look like.
There were not enough workers on the island of Rhodes.
3. The weakest part of the statue of Helios must have been its __________.
A head
B neck
C knees
D feet
4. About how tall is the Statue of Liberty?
A 60 feet
B 120 feet
C 200 feet
D 250 feet
5. What detail tells you that the people of Rhodes feared the sun god Helios?
A They were afraid Helios would attack them.
B They had many statues of Helios.
C They were afraid of the torch Helios held.
D They did not want to offend Helios by rebuilding the statue after it fell.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
85
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Mushrooms
What do you think of when you see or hear the word “fungus”? A fungus
(plural, “fungi”) is a sort of plant, but it does not produce seeds or flowers.
There are about 100,000 different kinds of fungi. They include mushrooms,
toadstools, and puffballs.
Unlike green plants, fungi cannot make their own food. They also cannot
move around, as animals do, to find food. As a result, fungi live off other
plants as parasites, or they take food from decaying plant matter, such as dead
trees. Many kinds of fungi are helpful because they break down dead plants.
Others, such as the bracket fungi, are harmful because they kill trees.
If you walk in the woods, especially when the ground is damp, you may
see many kinds of mushrooms and other fungi. Some kinds of mushrooms can
be eaten. Fairy ring mushrooms, for example, are often used to flavor soup.
Chanterelles, morels, and elephant ear mushrooms are also edible. They are
cooked and served with many different kinds of foods.
Other kinds of mushrooms should not be eaten. They are poisonous. One
of the most toxic is the death cap. It usually grows under oak and beech trees.
Yellow staining mushrooms, earth balls, and the red-capped fly agaric are also
poisonous and should be avoided.
Many kinds of mushrooms are difficult to identify. Some that are poisonous
look much like those that are safe to eat. Thus, it is best to remember two
rules about mushrooms: (1) Do not eat any mushrooms you are not absolutely
sure about, and (2) ask an expert before you nibble on a mushroom.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which mushroom probably tastes the best?
A a fungus, because there are about 100,000 different kinds
B a chanterelle, because it is edible
C a fairy ring mushroom, because it is used to flavor soups
D an elephant ear mushroom, because people cook it
2. Which detail from the passage best supports the judgment that
eating some mushrooms could be fatal to people?
A
B
C
D
One type of mushroom is named elephant ear.
One of the most toxic is called death cap.
Some kinds of fungi break down dead plants.
Some mushrooms grow under oak and beech trees.
3. Which is the best reason to think that fungi are an important part of
the natural world?
A
B
C
D
Many kinds of fungi can be eaten.
Some fungi grow only under beech or oak trees.
Many kinds of fungi are hard to identify.
Some fungi break down dead plants.
4. Suppose you are walking in the woods and are very hungry. You see
some brown mushrooms growing under a tree. What should you do?
A
B
C
D
Take the mushrooms home and cook them.
Don’t eat any of the mushrooms.
Eat only the tops of the mushrooms.
Use the mushrooms to flavor a soup.
5. What is the best reason for you to avoid eating any kind of fungi you see
in the woods?
A
B
C
D
They may not taste good.
They may really be flowers.
They may be damp.
They may be poisonous.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
87
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Reconstruction
Between l865 and l877, Congress made an effort to rebuild the war-torn
South after the Civil War. This period was called Reconstruction.
President Lincoln wanted the North and South to be one nation again.
Lincoln insisted that the South free all the slaves and return to the Union. He
wanted to make it as easy as possible for the South to rebuild.
Sadly, Lincoln was killed just after the war and his ideas were not followed.
Vice President Andrew Johnson became president. He tried to follow Lincoln’s
ideas, but he was not successful.
Some people in the North wanted to punish the South and not help to
rebuild it. Congress passed laws that made it very hard for people in the South.
Though the slaves were freed, people in the South passed laws against former
slaves. These laws kept former slaves from voting, owning land, or going to
school. Laws were also passed to keep them from working in many jobs.
Some people went from the North to the South to make money and gain
power. They were called carpetbaggers. These people had only their own
interests at heart. They were not really trying to help the South but wanted
to become rich quickly. To do so, they took advantage of many Southerners.
People in the South became very angry at these people from the North. This
anger lasted for many decades after the war.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which of these is a judgment you could make about the first paragraph?
A Life in the South was not strongly affected by the Civil War.
B Most of the homes in the South were not destroyed.
C After the Civil War, Congress had an important job.
D Land in the South was worth more after the Civil War.
2. Which of these is a judgment you could make about the second paragraph?
A Lincoln was very angry with the South for starting the war.
B Lincoln was trying hard to bring the country back together.
C Lincoln wanted to punish the people in the South.
D Lincoln had not thought much about what would happen after the war.
3. Which is a judgment you could make about the fifth paragraph?
A Most former slaves led better lives after the Civil War.
B Many greedy people moved to the South to make money.
C People in the South were wrong to pass laws against former slaves.
D Former slaves in the South were able to work and go to school.
4. Had President Lincoln lived longer, how do you think he would have
felt about what happened during Reconstruction?
A discouraged
B proud
C afraid
D excited
5. On what information from the passage do you base your judgment about
question 4?
A Andrew Johnson tried to follow Lincoln's ideas.
B Congress made an effort to rebuild the war-torn South.
C The slaves were freed.
D Lincoln wanted to make it as easy as possible for the South to rebuild.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
89
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
An Afternoon in Wilmington
It was a beautiful day in 1848 when William Keen and his father drove their
wagon into Wilmington, Delaware. The Keen family had recently moved to the
area from Vermont. While the wagon was being filled with supplies, Mr. Keen
suggested that William take a walk. “Wilmington is a fine place, son,” he said.
“Explore a little bit and meet me back here.”
William walked past houses and shops until he got to the courthouse. Voices
and people streamed out of the building as a handsome couple walked down the
steps. Buzzing with excitement, a crowd of people followed the couple.
The two people were Thomas Garrett and his wife. Mr. Garrett had been on
trial. Slave owners had used an old law from 1793 to sue for money they had
lost when their slaves ran away. They claimed that Mr. Garrett ran the busiest
station on the Underground Railroad and had helped many slaves escape.
William listened to people talk about Mr. Garrett. They strongly supported
him and his efforts to help runaway slaves. They did not think the $5,400 fine
was fair, and they hoped the laws would soon change. They talked about a
famous runaway slave that Mr. Garrett had helped. Her name was Harriet
Tubman. She returned to the South many times to help other slaves escape, often
with Mr. Garrett’s help.
As William watched Mr. and Mrs. Garrett walk down the street, he noticed a
wagon filled with hay. A farmer tipped his hat from the driver’s seat when the
Garretts passed by, and Mr. Garrett tipped his hat back to the farmer. Thomas
Garrett stopped at the back of the wagon for a minute and then moved on.
William walked past the wagon, too. He stopped suddenly because he
thought he saw the hay shake and quiver. His heart raced, but he dared not
call attention to the farmer. Instead, he turned quickly and walked back
through town.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What will William most likely do next?
A He will tell the farmer to move his wagon.
B He will call the police.
C He will go back to his father.
D He will talk to Mr. Garrett.
2. When Mr. Keen told William to take a walk in Wilmington,
you could predict that __________.
A Mr. Keen would get into trouble
B William would find some adventure
C Mr. Keen would be arrested
D William would go straight to the courthouse
3. What would most likely happen if William called attention to the
farmer and his hay wagon?
A Someone might search the wagon and find a runaway slave hidden in the hay.
B People would not find anything in the wagon.
C Nothing would happen because William is a child.
D The farmer would admit that a slave was hiding in his wagon.
4. From the passage, you can predict that __________________________.
A the farmer will turn in the slave
B the slave in the hay will escape
C William will turn in the slave
D William's father will turn in the slave
5. When William rejoins his father, they most likely will __________.
A return home with their supplies
B go and find Mr. Garrett
C try to catch the farmer with the hay wagon
D pay the fine of $5,400
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
91
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
On the Bus
After breakfast, Rick quickly put on his coat and grabbed his backpack. He
sprinted outside just as the school bus pulled up at the corner. As he made his
way to the only empty seat, Rick noticed Greg Ranier sitting across the aisle.
Rick’s stomach knotted up.
Rick sat low in his seat and turned his face toward the window, but Greg had
already spotted him.
“If it isn’t the boy genius,” Greg said in a mocking tone. “I’ll bet you’ve got all
your homework done like a good boy!” Just then Greg yanked Rick’s backpack
out of his hands and laughed. “Now I’ve got your homework—all that hard
work, and nothing to show for it.”
Fuming, Rick looked around. Greg and his friends were laughing and
elbowing one another, but no one else seemed to notice what had happened.
But then Rick caught a glimpse of the bus driver’s face in the rearview mirror.
Mrs. Mota was staring back at Greg, and apparently she’d seen the whole thing.
Ten minutes later, Rick got off the bus carrying his backpack. Greg got off,
too, but he was carrying a note from Mrs. Mota to the school principal. As Greg
walked into the school, the expression on his face was pretty grim.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. When Rick grabs his backpack and sprints outside, you can
predict that he is about to __________.
A
B
C
D
go to school
run away from home
go to a friend’s house
go for a long run
2. The story says, “As he made his way to the only empty seat, Rick
noticed Greg Ranier sitting across the aisle. Rick’s stomach knotted up.”
What can you predict based on this information?
A Greg and Rick are friends.
B Greg and Rick are brothers.
C There will be trouble between Greg and Rick.
D Greg and Rick don't like to ride the bus to school.
3. What probably happened next after Rick saw Mrs. Mota’s face in the
rearview mirror?
A Rick and Greg sat together.
B Mrs. Mota started laughing.
C Rick teased Greg.
D Mrs. Mota spoke to Greg.
4. What will Rick probably do next in the story?
A
B
C
D
do his homework again
go to his classroom
talk to Greg’s friends
take the bus home
5. What do you predict will happen to Greg in school?
A
B
C
D
Greg will have to explain his actions to the principal.
Greg will turn in Rick’s homework as his own.
Greg will lose the note from Mrs. Mota.
Greg will ask for a new bus driver.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
93
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
From Smoke Signals to Satellites
Long ago, people communicated from a distance in many ways. Some Native
Americans used smoke signals to send messages. Some Africans beat drums. South
Americans and Asians who lived near the ocean blew into seashells. People from many
parts of the world have used stones, wood, or other objects to show directions. For
example, when stones were stacked in a pile by a trail with one extra stone on the right
or left, a traveler knew which way to turn.
For larger ideas, people needed new ways to communicate. Until the 1400s, books
were slowly made by hand, one at a time. Around 1454 in Germany, Johannes
Gutenberg printed the first book with a mechanical printing press. The press used
movable type. With this press, many copies of the same book could be made faster and
for less money. More and more people could buy and read books. As a result, ideas,
information, and stories spread to people in all directions.
Printing books on paper was a major feat. The next breakthrough was getting
rid of paper.
Telecommunications
Alexander Graham Bell was an early pioneer in communicating at a distance. He
invented the first working telephone in 1876. In 1897, Guglielmo Marconi built the
first wireless telegraph. Since then, technology has evolved at an amazing pace. Today,
people page each other, send faxes, use cell phones, and send e-mail. Satellites in space
receive signals from anywhere on Earth (and beyond). In an instant, they send the
messages to other places.
Future Communications
How else might people communicate in the future? In 1998, Dr. Kevin Warwick
tested an idea. He had tiny microchips placed in his arm for one week. A microchip
can run computers. The microchips in his arm matched those in the building where he
worked. When Dr. Warwick approached a door, the door opened. In the same way, his
computer turned on. His hands never touched the objects.
How do you think you might send messages in the future?
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Long ago, people used drums, seashells, or smoke signals to __________.
A eliminate the use of paper
B send messages to one another
C invent secret codes and languages
D find sources of food and water
2. "When stones were stacked in a pile by a trail with one extra stone on the right
or left, a traveler knew which way to turn." Which is another way to write this
sentence?
A
B
C
D
Piles of stones were placed by trails to give directions to travelers.
Trails had many stones to the left and right.
Stones were the only way to communicate on trails.
People always carried stones when they traveled on trails.
3. What happened as a result of Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press?
A
B
C
D
Books could be printed without paper.
People immediately wanted to have telephones.
Many people in different places could read the same books.
Messages were sent instantly to distant places.
4. Which sentence is the best summary of this passage?
A
B
C
D
Communication tools have changed a lot over the centuries.
People use smoke signals long ago, but people use microchips today.
People communicate in many different ways.
Dr. Kevin Warwick is one of the most important inventors of all time.
5. Which sentence could be included in a summary of the Telecommunications section?
A
B
C
D
People have communicated from the beginning of time.
Johannes Gutenberg printed the first book with his printing press around
1454.
The future holds new ways to communicate.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
95
Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
White House Animals
Presidents have lived in the White House for more than 200 years. In that
time there have been many White House animals. The most common pets have
been dogs and cats, as you would expect. But a few White House animals seem
better suited to a barnyard than our country’s grandest home.
Two of these animals were goats named Nanny and Nanko. They belonged to
Abraham Lincoln’s sons, Tad and Willie. Nanny and Nanko were allowed inside
the White House, and the boys found ways to amuse themselves with the goats.
They sometimes hitched the goats to carts and drove them through the White
House. One time Nanko pulled Tad right into a fancy White House party!
President Theodore Roosevelt’s six children had many pets. One was a pony
named Algonquin. When young Archie Roosevelt was sick in bed, his brothers
brought Algonquin to visit him. Getting the pony to Archie’s second-floor
bedroom wasn’t difficult for the boys. They simply put Algonquin in the elevator
and rode upstairs!
Probably the strangest White House animals ever were sheep. President
Woodrow Wilson brought sheep to the White House during World War I. It
was a time when everyone tried to save money to help pay for things our troops
needed. Instead of paying workers to cut the White House lawn, President
Wilson let the sheep graze there. What a funny sight that must have been!
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which is the best summary of the first paragraph?
A Most animals that have lived at the White House in the last 200 years
have been dogs and cats. But there have been farm animals, too.
B Barnyard animals don’t belong at the White House. It is too grand
for animals like these.
C The White House has had many different kinds of animals. Dogs, cats,
and other animals have been kept in a barnyard.
D Dogs and cats are not barnyard animals. Some dogs and cats
have lived at the White House.
2. The passage says, "Nanny and Nanko were allowed inside the White House, and the
boys found ways to amuse themselves with the goats." Which is the best paraphrase
of this sentence?
A Nanny and Nanko were goats.
B The boys had fun with their goats inside the White House.
C Goats make fun pets for boys.
D Some goats are allowed indoors to play.
3. Which of these sentences should be included in a summary of the third paragraph?
A Some White House animals include sheep, goats, and a pony.
B Both Lincoln and Roosevelt had young children while they were president.
C The Lincoln boys’ pets were named Nanny and Nanko.
D The Roosevelt children once took their pony up a White House elevator.
4. Which is the best paraphrase of this sentence? “Instead of paying workers to cut the
White House lawn, President Wilson let the sheep graze there.”
A President Wilson saved money by using sheep instead of workers to cut the lawn.
B Workers are paid to cut the lawn where President Wilson’s sheep used to graze.
C President Wilson thought workers could do other jobs while sheep kept the lawn cut.
D President Wilson thought sheep were better at keeping the lawn cut than the
workers.
5. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?
A Animals such as goats and sheep belong in a barn, not in the White House.
B Barnyard animals can be useful at the White House.
C Some barnyard animals have lived at the White House, including goats, a pony, and
sheep.
D Presidents often have children and pets.
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
What’s That Sound?
The human ear is a remarkable organ. It is like a machine that collects
sounds and sends them to your brain. Sound travels at about 760 miles per
hour, so your ear has to function quickly. This is how it works.
Have you ever seen the way a funnel is used to pour liquid into something
with a small opening? Your outer ear works like a funnel. It catches sound
waves and “pours” them into your middle ear. The sound waves travel along
until they strike the eardrum, which is a tightly stretched piece of skin. The
sound waves cause the eardrum to vibrate, or move back and forth quickly, like
the drum a musician plays in a band. The vibrating eardrum in turn causes
vibrations in the ossicles. These are tiny bones in your middle ear.
Beyond the ossicles in the inner ear is the cochlea. This is a spiral-shaped
tube filled with fluid and lined with tiny hairs. The vibrating ossicles cause the
fluid, as well as the tiny hairs, to move around. The tiny hairs are attached to
nerves, which then send messages to your brain. Your brain figures out what
these sounds are. If your ear was not connected to your brain, you might feel
vibrations from the sound waves, but you would not understand what the
sounds mean.
ear drum ossicles
semicircular canals
organs of balance
nerves
sound
waves
cochlea
outer
ear
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
middle
ear
inner
ear
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Based on the labeled diagram, which sentence best describes how the ear works?
A The funnel is a wonderful tool. It is very much like an ear.
B Sound travels from the outer ear through the middle ear and inner ear to
the brain.
C The ear contains an eardrum and many other parts.
D The eardrum, ossicles, and cochlea all end up vibrating.
2. What shape is the cochlea?
A spiral-shaped
B wave-shaped
C funnel-shaped
D drum-shaped
3. Which of these is the smallest?
A eardrum
B ossicles
C cochlea
D outer ear
4. What are two parts of the inner ear?
A nerves and ossicles
B cochlea and ear drum
C cochlea and nerves
D ear drum and semicircular canals
5. The “semicircular canals” in the middle ear help the body to __________.
A hear sounds from far away
B regulate the brain
C keep the ear passage clean
D maintain balance
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
The Chain of Life
Although it might strike you as a strange concept, you are a link in a chain.
This chain is made up of large animals, like you, the smaller animals that they
(and you) eat, and the plants that those smaller animals eat. You’ve probably
guessed that this chain is the food chain.
Food chains exist in all kinds of habitats. There are food chains in oceans,
lakes, and rivers. There are food chains in rain forests and on grassy plains.
Wherever plants and animals live and grow, there are food chains.
Let’s use an ocean habitat to discover how a food chain works. The first link
is made up of ocean plants. The second link includes the tiny fish that feed on
these plants. These tiny fish are food for larger fish, such as tuna and swordfish.
What eats these larger fish? Sharks and dolphins do, and so do many people! It
is our need for food that links us to these ocean creatures and plants.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which creature is the highest link on the food chain shown in the pictures?
A snake
B toad
C grasshopper
D hawk
2. What does a snake eat?
A toads
B
C
D
baby hawks
grasshoppers
smaller snakes
3. Which creature is eaten by a toad?
A snake
B grasshopper
C smaller toad
D hawk
4. Which creature on this food chain does not eat another creature?
A toad
B snake
C grasshopper
D hawk
5. What is the lowest link on this food chain shown in this picture?
A hawk
B toad
C grasshopper
D grass
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Old Man River
The largest river in North America is the Mississippi River. It is sometimes
called “Old Man River” or “Big Muddy.” Ships, barges, and tugboats move up
and down the river. They carry raw materials, agricultural goods, and
other products.
Source
The mighty Mississippi River starts as a stream flowing out of Lake Itasca in
Minnesota. From there, the river flows 2,340 miles (3,765 kilometers) to empty
into the Gulf of Mexico. At its widest point in Clinton, Iowa, the river is 3.5
miles (5.6 kilometers) wide. Its depth ranges from 9 feet (2.7 meters) to 100 feet
(30 meters). As it approaches the gulf, the river slows down. Just south of New
Orleans, Louisiana, is the mouth of the river.
History
The first European explorer to see the Mississippi River was Hernando de
Soto in 1541. In 1682, the French explorer René Robert La Salle claimed the
entire Mississippi River Valley for France.
The United States bought the valley and
the river from France in 1803. The
Mississippi became an important supply
route for settlers moving to the West in
the 1800s. It was also a key transportation
route between the North and the South
during the Civil War.
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. In which part of the passage should you look to find out how
long the Mississippi River is?
A first paragraph
B Source
C History
D the map
2. What is the source of the Mississippi River?
A Lake Itasca
B Gulf of Mexico
C Red River
D New Orleans, Louisiana
3. In which part of the passage should you look to find out who
the first French explorer of the Mississippi River was?
A first paragraph
B Source
C History
D the map
4. Why was the Mississippi River an important waterway in the 1800s?
A It was the largest river in North America.
B It was an important supply route for settlers moving west.
C It had just been discovered.
D Its widest point was in Iowa.
5. What did Hernando de Soto do?
A He was the first European explorer to see the Mississippi River.
B He claimed the entire Mississippi River Valley for France.
C He bought the valley and river from France.
D He took people from the North to the South during the Civil War.
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment •4
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Herbert Elementary School
Fifth Grade News and Notes
Week of May 2–6
We have just one more month of school, and everyone is looking forward to
summer. But our fifth graders are as busy as ever! Here’s some news about
what’s been happening, and what’s coming up.
We’ve Been Learning:
Reading What makes science fiction special?
Writing How do you write a description?
Math How are graphs used to show information?
Science What do plants need to grow?
Social Studies Who were the first Americans?
Dates to Remember:
May 9
Gardening Day: We will plant flowers outside the front
doors of the school. Students should wear old clothes, a
hat, and sunscreen.
May 13
Field Trip: We will take an all-day trip to the Colonial
Village in Lewisburg. Students should bring a bag lunch
and a snack. The bus will leave at 9:15 A.M. and return by
2:50 P.M.
May 18
Middle School Visit: Students will visit Blair Middle
School from 12:30 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. They will meet the
principal and visit some classrooms. Important Reminder:
We will be walking to and from Blair Middle School.
Students should wear comfortable shoes and dress for the
weather!
May 21
School Fair: Come for the games and prizes, or come for
the music and great food. Just make sure you come! The
fair will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. on the playground.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. What grade are the students in?
A third grade
B fourth grade
C fifth grade
D sixth grade
2. On what day will the students take a field trip?
A
B
C
D
May 6
May 13
May 18
May 21
3. What have the students been doing in science class?
A
B
C
D
reading science fiction
making and using graphs
learning how plants grow
learning about the weather
4. What will the students do on May 9?
A
B
C
D
plant flowers
visit Colonial Village
take a walk
have a school fair
5. What important reminder is included in the information about the middle
school visit?
A They will visit from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
B They will be walking so they should wear comfortable shoes and the right
clothes for the weather.
C The name of the school is Blair Middle School.
D They will plant flowers outside the front door of the school.
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 35
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
The Articles of Confederation
Before the Declaration of Independence was written, Richard Henry Lee
suggested a plan of action for the colonies. He wrote that the colonies “are, and of
right ought to be, free and independent states.” He also suggested that a “plan of
confederation,” or union, be drawn up.
In July 1776, the Continental Congress read the first draft of the Articles
of Confederation. This plan outlined the role of government in the new union.
The articles allowed each state to elect a member to the Congress. The
Congress could make war or sign treaties. It could admit new states to the Union.
It could print money and set up post
offices. It could not collect taxes.
It could not raise an army. These jobs were
left to the states.
It took a long time to ratify the articles.
The states fought over one big issue. Some
states wanted to claim western lands for
themselves. Maryland, New Jersey, and
Delaware disagreed. They wanted land
claims to go to the United States as a whole.
At last, the other states gave in.
In 1781, the articles were approved.
They would not last long. It became clear
that a union of states was not the same
thing as a country. The U.S. Constitution
would soon replace the Articles of
Confederation.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which word from the passage is a synonym for confederation?
A independent
B union
C declaration
D constitution
2. The passage says, “The articles allowed each state to elect a member
to the Congress.” Which word is an antonym for allowed?
A denied
B permitted
C wanted
D replaced
3. “The states fought over one big issue.” Which word means the
opposite of fought?
A scored
B agreed
C wrestled
D debated
4. The passage says, “This plan outlined the role of government.”
Which of these sentences uses the word role correctly?
A The ball began to role down the hill.
B After answering six questions correctly, Maxine was on a role.
C The teacher’s assistant has an important role in the classroom.
D Chet placed a role on his plate and reached for the butter.
5. Which word from the passage means about the same as ratify?
A suggest
B collect
C admit
D approve
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 36
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Balboa, Prince of the Salty Seas
After the historic voyage of Columbus in 1492, many sailors tried the
perilous trip. Balboa was one of them. The young Balboa listened to stories of
the sailors who made it back to Spain alive. Many of them had gained wealth
and fame. He dreamed of making the trip himself. He, too, wanted to become
rich and famous.
In 1501, when he was about 25 years old, Balboa had his chance. He joined
an expedition to the north coast of South America. The ship landed on the
island of Hispaniola. Balboa was determined to depart from there and continue
his journey.
He hid on a ship bound for what is today the country of Panama. Conditions
in Panama were very tough. Many of the Spaniards who had settled there had
starved. Others had been killed by Indians. Balboa took over as leader and
founded a town he called Darien. The people told him there was gold across the
mountains. There was also another great ocean.
Balboa made a dangerous trip through the jungle and over the mountains. He
reached the seashore of an ocean that had never been seen by Europeans. The
explorer Magellan would later name this body of water the Pacific Ocean.
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© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which word from the passage is a synonym for voyage?
A country
B explorer
C seashore
D expedition
2. The passage says, “Many of them had gained wealth and fame.”
Which word means the opposite of wealth?
A poverty
B riches
C knowledge
D money
3. “Balboa was determined to depart from there.” Which word means
the opposite of depart?
A leave
B return
C arrive
D retreat
4. “He hid on a ship bound for what is today the country of Panama.”
Which word means about the same as bound as in this sentence?
A tied
B headed
C limited
D bought
5. “There was also another great ocean.” Which is a homonym for great?
A small
B huge
C grate
D vast
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 37
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was born in 1856. He was a bold thinker with a mind like
lightning. When he was still a student, he was inspired by an idea for a better
electric motor. His idea was to replace direct current (DC) with alternating
current (AC). Alternating current flows in one direction and then another. It
moves like the tide. This makes it easier to control and distribute electric power.
Tesla came to America in 1884. He was full of ideas. He went to work for
Thomas Edison. But the two inventors were unable to agree about their theories.
They fought like soldiers in opposing armies. The cocky Edison was sure that
direct current was better. Tesla disagreed. In the end, he was right. Alternating
current is the kind of electricity used today.
In the 1890s, Tesla built the world’s first large generating system for
electricity. He was also one of the first scientists to have groundbreaking ideas
about solar power.
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which word used in the first paragraph has a positive connotation?
A born
B another
C still
D bold
2. The passage says, “But the two inventors were unable to agree about their
theories.” Which word, when used in place of the underlined phrase, would
add a negative connotation to this sentence?
A debated
B communicated
C bickered
D talked
3. Which of these phrases is used to describe alternating current?
A
B
C
D
“full of ideas”
“like the tide”
“inspired by an idea”
“like lightning”
4. Which word in the second paragraph has a negative connotation?
A
B
C
D
cocky
today
better
sure
5. In the last paragraph, the word groundbreaking is an example of __________.
A denotation
B positive connotation
C negative connotation
D understatement
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 38
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
The Case for Space Travel
Are you the fussy type who likes everything just so? Then you’d better not
become a space shuttle astronaut. In outer space, it’s hard to stay organized and
neat. Anything that’s not tied down floats around the shuttle, and we’re not just
talking about pencils and clipboards. Food crumbs, strands of hair, and other
yucky things also float by.
But if you can stand the mess, space travel offers great rewards, including a
magnificent view of Earth. From 250 miles up, it’s an awesome sight. Through
the shuttle window, astronauts can clearly see the continents and oceans. They
can pick up the lights of cities. With binoculars, astronauts get an even sharper
view. They’ve seen roads, airports, and large ships. They’ve identified the Great
Wall of China and the Egyptian pyramids!
Any astronaut will tell you it’s worth putting up with the annoying parts of
space travel. Back on Earth, those
petty concerns are easy to forget.
But those views of Earth are just
unforgettable.
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which word used in the first paragraph has a negative connotation?
A fussy
B everything
C organized
D neat
2. In the passage, the phrase “awesome sight” is an example of __________.
A negative connotation
B denotation
C positive connotation
D factual information
3. Which word used in the second paragraph has a negative connotation?
A mess
B great
C sharper
D clearly
4. The passage says, “They’ve identified the Great Wall of China and the
Egyptian pyramids!” When used in place of the underlined word, which
phrase adds a positive connotation to this sentence?
A
B
C
D
often located
even seen
once noticed
sometimes eyed
5. Which word used in the last paragraph has a negative connotation?
A worth
B travel
C unforgettable
D petty
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 39
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Stonehenge
If you happen to be near Wiltshire on the Salisbury Plain in England, you
will see an amazing sight. It is called Stonehenge. It is a group of standing stones
set in four circles. The stones in the outer circle are sandstones and are quite
large (13.5 feet, or 4.1 meters, high). They are connected by lintels, which sit on
the standing stones like the top of a doorway. The stones in the second circle
stand alone. They are made of bluestone. (Interestingly, the kind of bluestone
used in Stonehenge is found only in one part of Wales. That is hundreds of miles
from Salisbury.) The third circle of stones is shaped like a horseshoe. The
innermost ring is an oval with an altar in the middle.
For hundreds of years, people have pondered about who built Stonehenge
and why. We know now that it was built about 4,000 years ago. But we’re still
not sure why.
In the 1650s, the English architect Inigo Jones drew a picture of Stonehenge.
He decided that it was a temple built by the Romans who conquered England in
the first century. Soon after, another scholar studied Stonehenge. He thought it
was built by Vikings from Denmark. Later scholars said it was a religious
monument. They thought it was constructed by either the Saxons or the Britons.
They were groups of people who lived in England many centuries ago. In the
1690s, it was decided that Stonehenge was a temple erected by the Druids. The
Druids were mysterious priests who lived in England long ago. They might have
built such a place.
Perhaps the most plausible theory was put forth in 1963 by the British
astronomer Gerald Hawkins. He stated that Stonehenge was built as a tool, like a
calendar. It was used to measure the movements of the sun and the moon. He
then proved that certain pairs of stones lined up exactly with points on the
horizon where the sun and moon rise and set on different days of the year. This
kind of information would have been very important to ancient peoples who
depended on the seasons.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. The passage says that the standing stones are “connected by lintels.”
What are lintels?
A long pieces of rope
B horizontal beams or stones resting on upright supports
C iron bolts used to fasten steel beams
D scientific instruments used to measure the positions of stars and planets
2. Which detail from the passage helps you know the word pondered means
"thought deeply"?
A "an amazing sight"
B "4,000 years ago"
C "found only in one part"
D "still not sure why"
3. “Another scholar studied Stonehenge.” What is a scholar?
A a religious leader
B a farmer
C a learned person
D a sailor
4. What detail in the passage helps you figure out what erected means?
A "drew a picture of"
B "decided that"
C "constructed by"
D "a place"
5. “The most plausible theory of all was put forth.” What does plausible mean?
A believable
B ridiculous
C complicated
D foolish
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 40
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum
If you have an avid interest in American history, you will enjoy a trip to the
Kentucky Coal Mining Museum. The museum is housed in an old coal company
store in Benham, Kentucky.
Inside, you’ll see a 1940s model train. A train resembling this one carried
miners inside the mine. A video tells all about the early days of coal mining in
America.
You can see items from the company hospital and from the commissary, a
store where miners bought goods from the coal company, often at high prices.
There is even a scale model of a coal tipple that once sifted coal and loaded it for
shipping.
The museum has a fine collection of photographs. The pictures show miners
and their families. The pictures show the buildings where the miners lived and
worked. The photos also show the hardships that the miners endured. They
worked long, hard hours. They survived in danger. They worked in darkness.
The coal they dug kept America warm.
You can picture the world of the miners as you walk through the museum.
Don’t miss the mock mine in the basement. After a few hours, you may walk out
into the sunshine feeling as though you’ve traveled through time.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. The passage mentions “an avid interest in American history.”
What does avid mean?
A minor; unimportant
B childish
C keen; eager
D financial
2. “A train resembling this one carried miners.” What does resembling mean?
A
B
C
D
following
looking like
replacing
coming before
3. What is a commissary?
A a miner
B a model train
C a museum
D a store
4. Which is the best definition of tipple?
A a machine that sifted and loaded coal
B a scale model
C the train that carried miners underground
D a shipping process for coal
5. Which clue from the passage helps you figure out the meaning of endured?
A “pictures of miners”
B "hardships”
C “lived and worked”
D “kept America warm”
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 41
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Buffalo Herds
The immense buffalo herds of the Great Plains were a natural resource for
Native Americans. Buffalo provided food, clothing, and shelter. The tribes
followed them through their wanderings.
Small herds consisted of only a few hundred bulls, cows, and calves. They
moved along with hundreds of other smaller groups. They slowly grazed on the
grass and drank available water. One of the oldest females would lead them. If
she detected a strange sound or smell, she might cause a stampede. This was a
terrifying, mad rush of fast-moving hooves and massive bodies. Small groups
would form oceans of running animals. As a result, Native American hunters
had very strict rules about approaching the herd. The sight or scent of humans
was often enough to set a herd running for days.
Generally, there was a southern herd and a northern herd. They often
intermingled. They “followed the feed,” as the hunters used to say. These large,
loose groups could take a day to cross a river.
It has been estimated that there were as many as 20 million buffalo at one
time. But they were never properly studied by scientists. When the Easterners
came, they killed many animals in this huge population.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. “The immense buffalo herds of the Great Plains were a natural resource.”
The word immense means __________.
A widespread
B scarce
C very large
D hidden
2. “Small herds consisted of only a few hundred bulls, cows, and calves.”
The word consisted means __________.
A
B
C
D
were made up
produced
closed in
allowed
3. “She detected a strange sound or smell.” The word detected
means __________.
A repeated
B sensed
C followed
D enjoyed
4. “Hunters had very strict rules about approaching the herd.” The word
approaching means __________.
A shooting at
B passing through
C talking about
D going near
5. “They often intermingled.” The word intermingled means __________.
A mixed together
B shared food
C traded places
D communicated
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Ongoing Comprehension Strategy Assessment • 42
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Shaking Things Up
You may not have heard of John Milne, but everyone who studies
earthquakes knows his name. Milne was born in England. When he was 25
years old, he took a job in Japan as a professor of geology and mining. The
year was 1875, and the journey took several months. Milne traveled by train,
by carriage, and even by camel. He wrote about this trip in his autobiography.
Milne’s main interest was earthquakes. He gathered information about
Japanese earthquakes. He invented a new kind of seismograph to measure
vibrations in the earth. He founded the Seismological Society of Japan. It
was the first group of its kind in the world. Milne could have been the group’s
president, but he felt the honor should go to a Japanese official.
After a fire destroyed his home in Japan in 1895, Milne returned to England.
Soon, he had talked the Royal Society into paying for twenty new earthquake
centers around the world. His own lab became the hub of world earthquake
study. He became known as “Earthquake Milne.”
Besides his love for geology, Milne had many other interests. He adored music
and books. He wrote stories and took pictures. He shook up the world with his
energy and passion for life.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. The word professor means __________.
A a lifelong job
B a person who teaches
C a place for teaching
D a book used for teaching
2. If geo means “earth,” what is geology?
A the study of the earth
B a person on Earth
C the center of Earth
D writing about the earth
3. The root word seism means “shake.” What does a seismograph measure?
A salt shakers
B the shaking of one’s body
C milk shakes
D the shaking of the earth
4. If auto means “self,” what does autobiography mean?
A self-confidence
B a self-centered person
C writing about one’s own life
D a place where one lives
5. “He felt the honor should go to a Japanese official.” What is an official?
A an office where people work
B someone who fishes
C a person who holds office
D a museum
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121
Posttest
Davy Crockett and the Frozen Morning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
The Shot Heard Around the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Ravi’s Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Rowling’s Train Ride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Bug Sense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Campaign Speech: July 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
An Interview With Erin’s Grandmother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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1. C
19. A
2. C
20. C
3. D
21. B
4. B
22. A
5. A
23. B
6. B
24. B
7. D
25. D
8. C
26. C
9. D
27. C
10. A
28. D
11. A
29. A
12. C
30. D
13. B
31. C
14. A
32. B
15. B
33. A
16. D
34. D
17. A
35. C
18. D
36. A
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Posttest Answers
Answer Key
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
123
Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 1–5.
Davy Crockett and the Frozen Morning
Early one wintry morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise, Davy
Crockett headed home with ten bearskins on his back. He had been hunting
bears all night, and he was plumb tired. As he emerged from the forest, he
looked up at the horizon and got a bit of a shock. Lo and behold, the sun was
stuck fast between two large blocks of ice! Sunrays reached him, but barely, as
they were frozen solid, too. It was so cold that Earth had stopped spinning.
Now Davy Crockett was a bright sort of individual, and he knew that a frozen
sun would mean big trouble for all of Earth’s people and critters. So he climbed a
tree and very gingerly planted his boots down on one of the sunrays. The rays
were frozen so solid that they held him, and he began climbing toward the sun.
Once he got there and had studied the problem, Davy put his load of
bearskins over the sun like blankets over a newborn. That seemed to help a little
bit. Then Davy took out his axe and chopped the blocks of ice that were stuck
fast to the sun. Finally, he removed the skins and gave the sun a quick, hard
kick, and that seemed to get it shining once again. Soon the sun’s heat thawed
Earth and started it spinning again.
Davy gathered the bearskins and slung them on his back. Then he quickly
slid down the sunrays before they melted. When he got to the ground,
he reached inside his pocket and felt something warm. His discovery made
him smile as wide as the Mississippi. He had carried a piece of sunrise home
as a souvenir.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
1. Which words best describe the character of Davy Crockett?
A thoughtful and sympathetic
B dangerous and skillful
C intelligent and resourceful
D witty and creative
2. What was the main problem in this story?
A Earth was too far from the sun.
B Davy Crockett was very tired after a long night of hunting.
C The weather was so cold that the sun froze.
D Sunrays were not strong enough to hold Davy Crockett.
3. Davy Crockett had been hunting bears all night, and he was plumb tired.
What is the meaning of plumb?
A a kind of fruit
B almost
C in a funny way
D completely
4. Davy Crockett climbed up the sunrays to __________.
A warm himself near the sun
B try to get the sun to shine again
C find some sunshine so he could see to get home
D dry his bearskins before he put them away
5. The passage says, “He put his load of bearskins over the sun like
blankets over a newborn.” What does this sentence mean?
A He put his bearskins on the sun to warm it.
B The sun looked like a newborn baby in a blanket.
C He put some blankets on the sun’s bare skin.
D The sun looked like a bear covered with blankets.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 6–10.
The Shot Heard Around the World
In the early evening of April 18, 1775, two riders named Paul Revere and
William Dawes mounted horses in Boston, Massachusetts. They rode west toward
Lexington, their horses galloping as fast as they could. The riders traveled through
the night to warn every house and village that British soldiers were on their way.
The British knew that the colonists were preparing for war. On the morning
of April 19, the British infantry marched west to Lexington to stop them. Its job
was to seize all of the colonists’ arms and supplies. The colonists had organized a
militia to face the Redcoats. Seeing the British soldiers, the colonists scattered,
but not quickly enough. The British shot and killed eight colonists and wounded
ten more.
Then the British marched further west to Concord. There the American militia
had gathered at the Old North Bridge. They were ready and armed. When the
British arrived, someone fired a shot at them. No one was ever sure who fired, but
that was an important shot. For the first time, the colonists had fought back.
The battle lasted about five minutes before the British retreated. The British
were trained to march in formation, and that’s what they did on the way back to
Boston. They marched right down the middle of the dirt road, wearing bright red
coats. The colonists, on the other hand, hid in the woods. They shot from behind
trees and fences. Then they scattered and ran ahead to the next spot. By the time
the British got to Boston, they had lost 273 soldiers. The Americans had lost 95.
The British army was huge and well trained. It was probably the finest army in
the world. The American militia was made up of farmers who were untrained.
They were organized in small units. Still, on April 19th, both sides learned an
important lesson. The militia could attack swiftly and cause harm to the British.
Then they could escape without great loss.
Two months later, George Washington was named General of the Army. He
understood why small fights were successful. He used them many times.
The first shot at Concord changed the course of history. An army of farmers
eventually led the colonists to victory. Soon afterward, a new country was born.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
6. Which would be another good title for this passage?
A “Standing on the Bridge”
B “The Battle That Changed History”
C “Behind Trees and Fences”
D “The Greatest Army in the World”
7. Which detail supports the idea that the militia’s way of fighting was effective?
A The battle at Concord lasted only five minutes.
B When the British arrived, someone fired a shot.
C Both sides learned an important lesson that day.
D The British lost 273 soldiers on the way back to Boston.
8. “The British were trained to march in formation.” The word
formation means __________.
A without any form
B before forming
C a set pattern or form
D a person who forms
9. What was probably the most serious mistake the British soldiers made
that day?
A
B
C
D
They shot at the militia men in Lexington.
They let Dawes and Revere warn the colonists.
They marched from Lexington to Concord.
They marched down the middle of the road back to Boston.
10. “There the American militia had gathered at the Old North Bridge.” Which
word is an antonym for gathered?
A scattered
B joined
C retreated
D shot
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
127
Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 11–15.
Ravi’s Journal
August 14: Last night’s game was the Braves versus the Mets, and we were there! The
Mets played hard against the Braves, but the home team won. Not only that, but Liza
snagged a foul ball! Chipper Jones fouled a line drive right at us, and my sister
caught it with her glove!
August 21: Summer vacation’s over, and I can’t believe I have to go to school
tomorrow. I wish I could take that baseball to school and show it to my two best
friends, but that’s not going to happen. My best buddies are back in Denver where we
used to live, and I’m sure Liza will want to take the baseball to school herself.
August 28: School has been perfectly miserable so far. I don’t know anybody, and
everything about this school feels uncomfortable. Liza has all kinds of friends already,
but I feel like I’m visiting another planet.
August 30: Tomorrow I’m going to take the baseball to school, even though I haven’t
asked Liza’s permission. I don’t even want to mention it to her, just in case she wants
to refuse. Maybe when I show the ball to the kids in my class they’ll be impressed.
September 1: The worst thing has happened. I took the baseball to school and
showed it off to everybody, but I was so excited that day that I forgot my lunch
money! Everybody thought the ball was so cool, but then disaster struck. After lunch,
the ball disappeared from the teacher’s desk. What am I going to tell Liza?
September 3: Liza will never forgive me for what I did, but I suspect she knows by
now that the ball is gone, so I should say something.
September 4: The infamous souvenir baseball is not lost after all! I confessed to Liza,
and she admitted that she had the ball all along. The day I brought the ball to school,
she had visited my classroom to bring me some lunch money, and the teacher told
her how impressed he was that Liza had caught the foul ball. Liza took the ball home
that day and then waited patiently to see how long it would take for me to tell her
what had happened. She wasn’t really that mad, but she said that next time I should
ask for permission first. I couldn’t argue with that.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
11. What will Ravi most likely do the next time he wants to borrow something
that belongs to Liza?
A He will ask for permission to use it.
B He will tell her that he took it after he borrows it.
C He will borrow it without asking.
D He will lose it on purpose to see how she reacts.
12. What was Ravi’s problem at the end of August?
A He did not catch a foul ball at the game.
B He was not very good at playing baseball.
C He did not have any friends at his new school.
D He had lost Liza’s special baseball.
13. When Ravi went to school in August, he felt like __________.
A baseball player
B an outsider
C hero
D an honors student
14. How was Liza’s situation different from Ravi’s?
A She made new friends quickly.
B She went to the baseball game.
C She was going to a new school.
D She moved from Denver during the summer.
15. “Last night’s game was the Braves versus the Mets.” The word versus
means __________.
A
C
and
for
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B
D
against
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Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 16–20.
Rowling’s Train Ride
Harry Potter came into J. K. Rowling’s life much like the train for Hogwarts—out of
thin air. Like the characters in the Harry Potter books who travel on the Hogwarts
Express, she was riding on a train when Harry first appeared. J. K. Rowling did not have
a pen, and she was too shy to ask a stranger for one. Instead, she sat and thought about
Harry. By the time she got to London, she had begun her first novel in her head.
Joanne Rowling (pronounced “rolling”) was born near Bristol, England. She grew up
with a younger sister named Di. Joanne told her sister long, involved stories to entertain
her, and she also wrote plays. Together the sisters acted them out. To persuade Di to
cooperate, Joanne wrote large parts for her sister.
The Rowlings lived near a family called the Potters. Joanne always liked the family
name, but she didn’t like the boy in the Potter family. However, she denies that he was
the model for the character of Harry Potter—or for his nasty cousin Dudley Dursley.
When Joanne Rowling was eleven, she met a boy named Sean Harris. Sean became
very important to her. Joanne told him of her dream to become a writer, and Sean
encouraged her. When he later learned to drive, he took her places in his car. It was
turquoise and white. Readers might recall a similar car in her book, Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets.
In 1983, Joanne Rowling went to college, and in 1990, she moved to Manchester,
England. That was about the time she took the fateful train ride to London and met
Harry. Soon after that, Rowling moved to Portugal. She got married there and gave birth
to a daughter, Jessica.
In 1994, Rowling moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, with her infant daughter. She has
been writing almost nonstop ever since. When her daughter was very young, Rowling
often waited until she fell asleep and then rushed her by pram to a nearby café. There
she would quickly scrawl down her story. At night, she typed it out.
In 1996, a publisher accepted Rowling’s first manuscript. Since then, her life has
changed quite a lot. In America alone, there are now more than 80 million copies of her
books in print. They have been translated into 61 languages. She has become one of the
most popular writers of all time, and it all began on a four-hour train ride.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
16. “She has been writing almost nonstop ever since.” The word nonstop
means __________.
A stopping often
B after stopping
C person who stops
D without stopping
17. Information in this passage is organized mainly by __________.
A time order
B questions and answers
C problems and solutions
D comparison and contrast
18. Which sentence from the passage states an opinion?
A
B
C
D
In 1996, a publisher accepted Rowling’s first manuscript.”
In America alone, there are now more than 80 million
copies of her books in print.”
They have been translated into 61 languages.”
She has become one of the most popular writers of all time.”
19. Why was Sean Harris important to J. K. Rowling?
A He believed in her dreams and encouraged her.
B She made up stories and plays to entertain him.
C He had a car that appeared in one of her books.
D Sean liked hearing stories about Harry Potter.
20. The author’s main purpose in this passage was to __________.
A persuade readers to buy J. K. Rowling’s books
B tell an entertaining story about J. K. Rowling
C give information about J. K. Rowling
D compare the Harry Potter books with other works
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131
Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 21–25.
Bug Sense
Insects don’t have noses, ears, eyes, and skin like we do, so how do they smell,
touch, see, and hear?
Taste
Insects can taste with their mouthparts, but they also use their antennae.
Some insects can even taste with their feet!
Hearing
Insects don’t have ears, but they do have eardrums. This drum is a thin
membrane stretched over an air pocket. It vibrates when sound hits it. The
insect’s brain senses the movement and moves the bug either toward the sound or
away from it.
Smell
Most insects smell very keenly with their antennae and mouthparts. Some
insects have hundreds of tiny hairs that help them smell.
Sight
Insects don’t have eyes like we do, but they can see. They have compound eyes,
which are made up of several thousand units with lenses.
Hairs sense
touch and smell.
Eyes are made up
of compound eyes
and three ocelli.
Antennae sense touch,
smell, and vibration.
They might also sense
sound and flight speed.
Tarsi sense touch
and taste.
Mouthparts
sense taste
(under antennae).
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
21. According to this passage, how do insects pick up sounds?
A The antennae pick up sounds and pass them along to the brain.
B Insects have thin membranes that act like eardrums and vibrate when sound
hits them.
C Insects have ears that work much the same way as human ears.
D The insect’s brain senses movement and moves the bug toward or away from
the sound.
22. Which parts of an insect sense taste?
A
B
C
D
mouthparts
eyes
eardrums
hairs
23. Under which heading in the passage should you look for information about
how the insect sees?
A
B
C
D
Taste
Sight
Smell
Hearing
24. What do the tarsi do?
A
B
C
D
They enable the insect to see and smell.
They sense touch and taste.
They enable the insect to keep in balance.
They sense sound and flight speed.
25. The author’s main purpose in this passage is to __________.
A compare insects and humans
B persuade the reader to study insects
C tell an entertaining story about insects
D give information about insects and their senses
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
133
Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 26–30.
Campaign Speech: July 20
It is my great pleasure to announce today that I will be running for governor
of this great state. For the past three years I have worked hard for the state.
I have worked tirelessly in your judicial system, and I have learned a lot. In
my work as a district attorney, I have seen many families torn apart by the cruel
reality of prison. I have seen victims suffer financially and emotionally. Our state
has a problem with crime. I want to solve it.
Now my opponent says that we need more prisons. I say, that’s the last
thing we need. Now I’ll tell you what we need. And listen carefully, because it’s
something that you want.
We need to change the way we think about crime. Instead of fixing the prison
system, let’s fix the criminal system. How can we do that? It’s easy. We stop the
criminal before he or she gets into trouble. We make living a clean, useful life a
better one than a life of crime.
There is only one way to do that. We must improve education. We need
classrooms with fewer students. We need more teachers. Smaller classes make
for better learning, and our youth needs to learn. Education brings competence,
and competence brings jobs.
We need to spend more money for each pupil. We need better teachers and
we need to pay them more.
We need to fully fund our athletic programs. We need more gyms and more
playing fields. We need music and art programs in schools. We need after-school
programs to keep our kids busy. Busy kids don’t get into trouble after school.
I know this costs money, but it is much cheaper than housing criminals. I say,
let’s make our prisons smaller and make our schools larger! We can do this
together! I will work hard for you! You have my promise. All I need is your vote
on November 2. You won’t regret voting for Eleanor Peterson!
Thank you for coming and if I don’t talk to you personally today, I’ll see
you all soon!
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
26. Read this sentence: “I have worked tirelessly in your judicial system, and I have
learned a lot.” Why did Eleanor use the word tirelessly instead of hard?
A because it is not as strong a word as hard
B to let people know more about her
C because tirelessly is a stronger way to say that she worked hard
D because she is tired of working hard
27. What can you tell about Eleanor Peterson by the speech she made?
A
B
C
D
She likes to work in the prison system.
She is very popular with the voters.
She believes in education and helping the youth of her state.
She disliked her previous job.
28. What would be a good reason why a voter would vote for Eleanor Peterson?
A
B
C
D
She would work to make the schools better.
She would make the prisons better.
She would win the election.
She knows the judicial system and how it works.
29.Why does Eleanor Peterson believe that after-school programs help keep
children busy?
A
B
C
D
Because children enjoy sports.
Because sports help children stay healthy.
Because when children are busy, they don’t get into trouble.
Because children learn more and become more competent.
30. Why are classrooms with fewer students better for learning?
A
B
C
D
Because fewer students need less instruction.
Because there are more textbooks for each child.
Because there is more money to spend on each child.
Because children get more attention from the teacher and learn more.
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
135
Posttest
Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
Directions: Read the passage. Then use the information from the passage
to answer questions 31–36.
An Interview with Erin’s Grandmother
Erin saw a photo of her great-grandmother. Her nanna wore a white dress with bows
and stood smiling beside a Model T car. Erin decided to find out what life was like when
her great-grandmother was young.
Erin: What was it like when you were my age?
Nanna: I was born in 1928. When I was 10, we lived way out in the country. There was
no electricity where I lived, because there were no electrical lines out to our house. A
well provided our water, which we had to draw up with a bucket.
Erin: Did you have television when you were young?
Nanna: Goodness, no, but we had a battery-operated radio. We didn’t have television
until I was about 18.
Erin: What did you do at night?
Nanna: I read a lot. Before we got electricity, I read by lamplight. We had a kerosene
lamp, and I read right beside it.
Erin: What did you do for fun?
Nanna: We played hopscotch. We built playhouses in the yard. In the wintertime, we
played checkers and other games. I had two brothers and a sister, so we listened to the
radio and records on a record player. You had to wind up the record player! After we
got electricity, we played one song at a time with a needle that went round and round
on that record.
Erin: Did you have a school bus?
Nanna: Yes, and it picked me up in the morning. The school bus driver was kindly.
When I was little, if there was bad weather, he came to the door. He picked me up in
his arms and carried me to the bus.
Erin: What is the biggest difference in the way you live today?
Nanna: Oh, goodness! It is like night and day! Everything was so simple when I was
little. You depended on your mind to have fun. Today we use technology to entertain
ourselves. I wouldn’t have dreamed of things we have now.
Erin: What was your favorite thing about being a little girl?
Nanna: I think being loved by my sister and brothers. That much hasn’t changed at all!
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
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Name ___________________________________ Date ____________
31. Nanna said her life is like night and day as compared to life long ago. What
does like night and day mean?
A
C
twenty-four hours difference
a huge change
32. When was television available?
A in 1928
C after the invention of the radio
B
D
new technology
a large time gap
B
D
around 1946
before the invention of the record player
33. “You depended on your mind to have fun. Today we use technology to
entertain ourselves.” What word would BEST replace the word mind?
A
C
imagination
head
B
D
books
brain
34. What sentence best tells what Nanna did for fun instead of
watching television?
A She played hopscotch and listened to records on a record player that she
had to wind up.
B She listened to the radio and played records.
C She played hopscotch, checkers, and other games.
D She read, played hopscotch and other games, listened to the radio,
and played records.
35. Which sentence states an opinion?
A There was no electricity where I lived, because there were no
electrical lines out to our house.”
B “I had two brothers and a sister, so we listened to the radio and to records
on a record player.”
C Everything was so simple when I was little.”
D Before we got electricity, I read by lamplight.”
36. What word means almost the same as kindly?
A considerate
B intelligent
C simple
D reasonable
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Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
137
Answer Sheet
Student Name
Date
Teacher Name
Grade
Pretest Posttest
(Circle one.)
1. A
2. A
3. A
4. A
5. A
6. A
7. A
8. A
9. A
10.A
11.A
12.A
13.A
14.A
15.A
16.A
17.A
18.A
138
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Individual Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart
Student Name
Date
Teacher Name
Grade
Tested Skills
Cluster
Comprehension and
Word Solving Skills
Pretest
Score
Item Numbers
1 Literary Elements
Analyze Character
Analyze Story Elements
1
12
26
/4
/4
17 22
23
24
/4
/4
4
14
27
33
/4
/4
11 13
19
30
/4
/4
5 Interpreting Author’s Views
Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View
Interpret Figurative Language
5
20
25
31
/4
/4
6 Making Judgments
Evaluate Fact and Opinion
Make Judgments
9
18
29
34
/4
/4
7 Distinguishing Important Information
Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details
Summarize or Paraphrase Information
6
7
21
36
/4
/4
8 Context Clues
Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meaning
Understand Denotation and Connotation
3
15
28
32
/4
/4
9 Word Families and Structures
Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
Use Knowledge of Word Structure to Determine
Word Meaning
8
10
16
35
/4
/4
/36
/36
2 Text Structure and Features
Analyze Text Structure and Organization
Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information
Use Text Features to Locate Information
3 Relating Ideas
Compare and Contrast
Identify Cause and Effect
Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process
4 Inferences and Conclusions
Draw Conclusions
Make Inferences
Make Predictions
2
Posttest
Score
Total
Pretest Score
Number Correct/Total
Percent Score
/36
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
%
Posttest Score
Number Correct/Total
/36
Percent Score
%
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
139
Group Pretest/Posttest Scoring Chart
Teacher Name
Pretest
Student
Name
140
Total No.
Correct
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
Percent
Score
Grade
Posttest
Total No.
Correct
Percent
Score
Comparison/
Notes
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Ongoing Strategy Assessment Record
Student Name
Teacher Name
Grade
Reading or Listening
Assessments
Comprehension/
Word Solving Skills
1–2
Analyze Character
3–4
Analyze Story Elements
5–6
Analyze Text Structure and Organization
7–8
Compare and Contrast
Date of 1st
Assessment
Score
Reading or Listening
Date of 2nd
Assessment
Score
9–10 Draw Conclusions
11–12 Evaluate Author’s Purpose and Point of View
13–14 Evaluate Fact and Opinion
15–16 Identify Cause and Effect
17–18 Identify Main Idea and Supporting Details
19–20 Identify Sequence or Steps in a Process
21–22 Interpret Figurative Language
23–24 Make Inferences
25–26 Make Judgments
27–28 Make Predictions
29–30 Summarize or Paraphrase Information
31–32 Use Graphic Features to Interpret Information
33–34 Use Text Features to Locate Information
35–36 Identify Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
37–38 Understand Denotation and Connotation
39–40 Use Context Clues to Determine Word
Meaning
41–42 Use Knowledge of Word Structure to
Determine Word Meaning
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
141
Notes
142
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Notes
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
143
Notes
144
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Notes
© 2 0 1 0 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Comprehension Strategy Assessment • Grade 5
145