Study Island
Copyright © 2014 Edmentum - All rights reserved.
Generation Date: 04/03/2014
Generated By: Cheryl Shelton
Title: Grade 9 Literature
A Happy Place
With my eyes closed, the smell of lavender is especially potent. I lie on my stomach,
enjoying the feel of the plush cushions. Soft music plays from the other side of the
room. A flute trills and a gentle bass guitar adds a lazy rhythm.
“Try to relax,” a woman’s voice says.
I don’t have to try—relaxing is effortless. Her hands knead the back of my scalp, and
I feel all the pressure leaving me. I can hear a few of the other clients in the hallway
outside the room where they are awaiting their turn, but they do not bother me.
“Imagine you are a white hot ball of light,” the voice says.
It seems like an odd idea, but the voice is so kind and comforting that I give it a try.
Her hands move to my neck. All of the tight muscles dissolve instantly under her touch.
“Think of a place when you were happy, and go there,” the voice whispers. The
lavender and the music make me think of an outdoor concert I attended as a little girl. It
was almost 50 years ago, and yet the memory is still vivid. I remember the enraptured
concert-goers, singing along to every word. I remember the feel of the warm sunlight on
my face and the breeze in my hair.
And then I open my eyes. I’m back on the cushioned-bench, with the muscles in my
back feeling especially loose. And I’m looking into the kind, smiling face of Dr. Jackson.
“Flip onto your back,” Dr. Jackson says.
I see the stick of lavender incense in the corner burn out with a last poof of smoke.
The flute song transitions to one with a soothing saxophone. I roll over onto my back
and await the next treatment.
1. What is the setting for this passage?
A. a waiting room
B. a concert hall
C. a therapist's office
D. a sunny meadow
2. What best describes the mood the setting creates for the audience?
A. tranquil
B. puzzling
C. impatient
D. uneasy
Tryouts for the school jazz ensemble had finally arrived, and I
scrambled up the steps to the music room, saxophone case banging
against my knee. I knew my audition piece nearly by heart, and our
music director, Mrs. Wilkie, said she thought I had a great chance.
Since Mrs. Wilkie was also the director of the jazz ensemble, I
figured I had this audition made—until I walked into the music room.
There, facing the stage, sat an entire row of teachers and older
students, all with notebooks in front of them and pens poised. A
trumpet player was just finishing his audition, and I caught sight of
Mrs. Wilkie, standing at the back of the room with her arms folded.
“Thank you, William,” she trilled in her operatic speaking voice,
“we’ll let you know by Friday.” Then she turned to greet me as I stood just inside the
door, my legs shaky and my confidence quickly draining out of me.
“Um, Mrs. Wilkie,” I whispered desperately, “I thought it was just going to be you
making the selections!”
The music director smiled sweetly and ushered me into the room. “Oh, no, Jessica,
as you can see, I have lots of help from other musicians and teachers. That way the
decision will be less biased. Now come along and warm up your instrument. You’ll be
playing next.”
I sat down heavily in the nearest chair and flipped open my saxophone case. This
little room normally felt so welcoming and warm when it was just me and my friends at
band practice, but today the ancient wooden chairs and old black music stands seemed
to mock me. As I climbed the steps to the stage and set up my music, I tried not to look
at the row of judges, but I felt the coldness of their stares as I played a couple of
squeaky scales. Think about how much you love this instrument, I told myself. You
know you can do this! But as the first off-key notes of the piece left my horn, I could only
wish for a miracle.
3. Which sentence best describes the setting?
A. The setting is a band concert in front of high school students.
B. The setting is a music room where an audition is taking place.
C. The setting is a music room where a band class is taking place.
D. The setting is a teacher–student conference in the teacher's office.
4. How does the setting at the end of the story affect the narrator?
A. It makes her lose her confidence.
B. It encourages her to take more risks.
C. It makes her seem older than she is.
D. It increases her feelings of competence.
Tomatoes Unbound
by T. Herlinger
Just a slight turn of the wrist
By the delivery boy that day
Would've steered the clunky metal dolly,
Over which the boy could hardly see,
So loaded down it was with crates of sweet dates
Around the produce stand,
Ripe with luscious red tomatoes
But alas, the dolly's front left wheel had other plans,
Catching the corner of the stand,
And the pyramid of carefully stacked fruit
Rolled and tumbled under the surprised feet of customers
Much to the delight of a gaggle of giggling children
Who gathered them up like so much summer loot
5. The line "Catching the corner of the stand" contains an example of which sound device?
A. consonance
B. onomatopoeia
C. alliteration
D. end rhyme
6. Which line contains an example of internal rhyme?
A. Who gathered them up like so much summer loot
B. Would've steered the clunky metal dolly
C. But alas, the dolly's front left wheel had other plans
D. So loaded down it was with crates of sweet dates
Stealing the Day
by Samantha G.
I achieved the unofficial "smart kid" designation in elementary school, and it was not
until years later that I met someone who threatened to depose me from my reign.
His name was George, after our nation's first president, and he had been the
smartest kid in school during his early academic career as well; but George grew up on
the other side of town, so we had really never crossed paths. We were introduced in our
biology class, seated at opposite ends of the first row of desks. When our teacher
began asking basic questions to test our science knowledge, George and I had not
even noticed each other's existence.
But when Mr. Hartley inquired about the aardvark's natural habitat, both of us shot a
hand into the air.
"Africa!" exploded the dual shout, followed by snickering from the rest of the class. I
peeked in the direction of the other voice, to see George gazing directly ahead, as
though he was oblivious to anyone else. Surely, he perceived the awkwardness of this
circumstance, and had the abrupt comprehension that there was another "smart kid" in
the school! But no acknowledgment crossed his face, and I stared back at my own desk
as class continued.
When the bell rang and students began jostling out the door, I hung back, thinking
that I should at least introduce myself to George. He had waited for everyone else to
push out of the classroom as well, and I extended my hand toward him with a smile.
"I just wanted to let you know that I plan to outdo you in every class we have
together this semester, and every semester until graduation."
Without glancing in my direction, George dashed out the door and down the hall
toward his locker. I was left in shock at his words, at the audacity of his confidence and
conceit. After standing immobile for a few moments, I ducked out the side door of the
classroom into the late summer sunshine to comprehend what had just transpired.
Ultimately, I came to the apparent explanation to his immature attack: George perceived
me as a threat.
When the regional science fair was announced, I knew George had already begun
working on his entry, as I had. On the day of presentations, as professors from the local
university strolled among poster board displays and homemade volcanoes, I had a clear
view of George's project. When he detected my surveillance, George began sauntering
toward me and I planted my feet firmly, steeling myself for the verbal assault.
"Is this your first science fair?" he inquired, observing my display critically. "I want to
make you aware that I'm going to . . . "
"I know, I know. You're going to beat me at everything." George smirked, selfsatisfied and headed back toward his own project. Anger surged through me for his
haughty conduct, his readiness to belittle me at every opportunity. But it was imperative
that George not divert me, and I regained my composure as I spied a science fair judge
in my peripheral vision.
By November, George was plainly exhausted by his one-sided antagonism, and I
scarcely saw him after Thanksgiving. When report cards were distributed before
Christmas, he never approached me to compare grades, and I knew that he had
relinquished the battle.
7. How does Samantha's calm tone impact the plot of the passage?
A. It causes George to change schools in the middle of the semester.
B. It causes George to stop competing with her in school.
C. It causes Samantha and George to begin a lasting friendship.
D. It causes her to become frustrated with George's behavior.
8. Read this dialogue from the story.
"I just wanted to let you know that I plan to outdo you in every class we have together
this semester, and every semester until graduation."
What impact does George's arrogant tone have on Samantha?
A. It makes her concentrate harder and not become distracted.
B. It causes Samantha and George to fight at every meeting.
C. It makes her feel like her work is no longer good enough.
D. It causes Samantha to withdraw her entry from the science fair.
Killing Them With Kindness
by T. Herlinger
Marla generally loved her job at the tiny library branch, but some days, she wished
that she were cooking burgers at a fast-food joint instead. At least then she wouldn’t
have to deal with the public. The library patron whose books she was checking out at
the moment was a tall, haughty-looking businesswoman Marla had dealt with many
times before. As usual, the woman had flung her library card across the desk as if she
couldn’t be bothered. Marla gritted her teeth and tried her best to smile through them.
She could feel her boss’ eyes boring into her from across the room. The haughty
woman sighed deeply after a few moments.
“Aren’t you done yet?” she asked rudely, and Marla could barely contain herself.
“Actually,” Marla answered as politely as she could, turning the computer screen
around so that the woman could see it, “I’m not able to check these out to you. I’m
afraid you’ve reached the $20 maximum allowed for fines. Would you like to pay some
of that today?”
“What?” the woman stammered. “But that’s impossible! I’m in here all the time—
you’ve seen me! I always bring my books back on time. This is an outrage!” she yelled
as people all around the branch began to stare and whisper among themselves.
Marla felt herself go beet red. “Um, here are all the dates and stuff,” she pointed at
the screen, but the woman was too busy fuming to listen. “Shall I print this out for you?”
Marla asked.
The woman gave a grunt that sounded like “Umph,” which Marla took to be yes, and
she hit the print button. As soon as she’d handed the woman the printout, she snatched
it away and narrowed her eyes right at Marla.
“I knew you’d do something like this, knew it from the first moment I saw you. Well,
you’ll never get away with it. I’ll have your job!” And with that, she was gone.
Marla’s legs shook, but she pressed her feet into the floor to steady them. Then, she
timidly raised her eyes to meet her boss’ gaze. To her amazement, she was smiling
straight at her and nodding. Around the branch, a few people actually applauded, and
someone even whistled. Maybe Marla’s job—which right now she wouldn’t have traded
for anything—would be safe after all.
9. Which line from the story shows that Marla is determined not to let the library patron upset
her?
A. Marla gritted her teeth and tried her best to smile through them.
B. At least then she wouldn't have to deal with the public.
C. Around the branch, a few people actually applauded, and someone even whistled.
D. She could feel her boss' eyes boring into her from across the room.
10. How does the reader know that Marla values her job?
A. She comes to work even when she does not feel like it.
B. She holds back her true feelings toward the patron.
C. She gets bawled out by an angry library patron.
D. She can tell that her boss is keeping an eye on her.
Winning Shot
by T. Herlinger
I mulled it over for weeks after that night—trying to comprehend why Carla had
passed the ball to me to make the winning shot. I mean she was our star player, the one
who never missed—at least not when it really counted! The other team had been
double-teaming her, trying everything in the book to block her shot. But Carla broke free
and was on her way to the basket to victory. What a way to go out that would have
been, finishing off her high school career with the winning shot in the city championship
game. But no, at the last second, she passed it off to little old me—a sophomore with
two more years of playing time ahead. Funny part is that she grinned when she did it,
like she’d been planning it all along. I made the shot, thank goodness—a short jump
shot from just outside the key that anyone could’ve made—and the crowd roared. I had
never heard such a deafening and wonderful sound. My life hasn’t been the same since,
frankly. Coach wants me to start next year. He says that he’s starting to think I’ve got
potential. Guess I have Carla to thank for that.
11. By passing the ball to the narrator at the last second, Carla shows that
A. she wants to go out in a blaze of glory.
B. she is trying to impress the crowd.
C. she does not think she can make the shot.
D. she is willing to let someone else be a star.
12. From the information in the passage, the reader can tell that the narrator is
A. angry.
B. conceited.
C. humble.
D. jealous.
Passage 1
Dear Editor:
It saddened me greatly to read that historic Smith Library will soon be closing and
that the building will be torn down to make way for a mini-mall. I grew up using that
great old library. My children and grandchildren have attended countless Saturday story
programs and enjoyed untold hours engrossed in Smith’s many treasures. It is the only
library in the Sunnyside neighborhood, and its loss will be felt by everyone—especially
by the children. I’m old enough to know it can be impossible to stop the wheels of
progress, but in this case, I believe it will be worth the fight. A mini-mall will profit a few
business owners, but it will offer no cultural value—nothing that will enrich the lives and
minds of our young. With every breath left in me, I will speak out to save our library.
Some things are just too important to stay quiet about.
Sincerely,
Francis F. Brandt
Sunnyside resident
Passage 2
from The Music Maker
A one-act play by T. Herlinger
(The scene is Jack Harding’s office at Harding’s Music
Company. Jack owns the company, and Marlene manages
it.)
MARLENE: I didn’t come here to argue with you, Jack.
JACK: (kindly, but firmly) I know that, you just don’t want to lose a
good employee.
MARLENE: (her anger rising) Tim Sherman is more than a “good
employee,” and you know it. You’ve seen him with the
customers! He’s the reason they keep coming back! He can
play every instrument in the store with his eyes closed, and
the kids love him.
JACK: (getting more agitated now) I’m not blind, Marlene, but it’s
out of my hands! It’s my son’s company now, and if he
thinks the company should tighten its belt. . .
MARLENE: (interrupting) James is a numbskull. He doesn’t know a
clarinet from a bassoon. All he cares about is making a
profit so he can finance his trips to Bermuda.
JACK: Now, now. . .
MARLENE: I’m sorry, Jack, but there’s more at stake here than
someone’s job. Me, I’ve always liked working here, but I
basically put in my time and leave it all behind each night.
Tim is different. He comes in early on Saturdays to polish
the brass instruments before he’s even on the clock! And
when he helps a child choose an instrument, well, he’s like
a father helping his kid choose a baseball mitt. I tell you,
that boy is Harding’s Music Company—he’s its heart and
soul. Without him, we’re just another storefront, just another
business, out to make a profit.
13. What is a common problem that seems apparent in both pieces?
A. Individuals must fight to save something of value.
B. The boss has more power than the employee.
C. The younger generation does not respect the older generation.
D. A building of historical value is about to be torn down.
14.
Jacqueline flipped the shiny penny over in her hand. Rolling it from her fingers to
her palm and back again, Jacqueline thought of the night she found it at the Randolph
Music Hall in Copperfield. It was five minutes before she was scheduled to go on
stage—to make her debut performance with the Cambridge County Orchestra at only
17 years old—and she was absolutely terrified. Her debut would include a violin solo,
which was both an honor and an intimidation. She had not played her solo successfully
in any rehearsal (unless playing all by herself in front of her bedroom mirror counted),
but Mr. Vincent still insisted that the solo belonged to her. Then, Jacqueline found the
shiny penny dated 1992—the year she had been born. Suddenly and inexplicably, she
felt calm. She aced her solo, and every newspaper for 10 counties wrote about "the
Cambridge County farm girl with the bright future ahead of her."
Now, as the plane descended onto the runway at LaGuardia, Jacqueline rubbed the
penny over and over in her sweaty hands. She had been accepted to Julliard, one of the
most prestigious music schools in the entire world, and she was about to get off the
plane in a brand-new town and begin a brand-new life. As she rubbed the penny,
staring down at the shiny copper image, Jacqueline saw Julliard, and beyond Julliard—
10, 20, 30 years beyond Julliard. She saw everything that was waiting for her and
everything that could be.
What does the penny symbolize?
A. Jacqueline's debut violin solo
B. Jacqueline's feeling of terror
C. Jacqueline's trip to New York
D. Jacqueline's future in music
Thick snowflakes fell silently as Regal sat on the precious egg, guarding it with
15.
his very life. He hoped that Charlotte would come back to the nest soon. He was ready
to get the snow off of his body and stretch out his wings. Regal watched gratefully as
Charlotte approached the nest. She called to him as she landed.
"You look very cozy with that blanket of snow on you. But I'll tend to our egg while
you get some fresh air," Charlotte offered.
"Thank you. I won't be gone long," Regal replied. He was already at the edge of the
nest, prepared to take flight. Then, the eagle stretched his magnificent wings and
soared into the white sky.
"Don't worry about a thing, my darling little egg. Your father and I will take good care
of you," Charlotte said as snow started to accumulate on her thick, brown feathers.
Which sentence from the passage is an example of verbal irony?
A. "Thank you, I won't be gone long," Regal replied.
B. "You look very cozy with that blanket of snow on you."
C. "Don't worry about a thing, my darling little egg."
D. "Your father and I will take good care of you…."
A World Before Time
All I could hear was the beating of my heart and the sound of my breathing. The instructor
had said that relaxed breathing was vital, so, I took long, steady breaths. Each inhalation made a
whooshing sound as oxygen moved from the tank to the rubber tube to my mouth.
Through my airtight mask, I could see entire worlds of exotic and unfamiliar creatures. I
knew none of their names. I didn’t know if they were poisonous or harmless, bold or afraid.
Against the backdrop of endless blue-black waters, everything wriggled and crawled. Several
feet ahead of me were my two companions, who swam gracefully through the waters. I reached
out and touched my friend’s shoulder, just to reassure myself that I was not alone.
We dove under crumbling corral arches. We dove inside caves where lobsters clung to the
ceiling overhead. As we descended, the waters grew colder, blacker. And then, finally, there was
a total absence of light. It seemed that only my thumping heart and the sound of the air in the
tube proved my existence. At these depths, one could imagine a world before time. A world that
existed millions of years ago, when darkness prevailed, and men and women did not exist. It was
a feeling I’ll never forget. It should have paralyzed me. But somehow, the idea that my two
companions were up there, swimming ahead, gave me courage. I was alive, and this was a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. So, when my friend gave me the signal and asked if I wanted to swim
to the surface, I shook my head. I would have to be a fool to stop now.
16. Based on the text, the narrator is most likely
A. swimming in a pool.
B. exploring a sunken ship.
C. scuba diving in the ocean.
D. snorkeling in a lake.
17. How does the narrator respond to the setting of the passage?
A. He or she becomes frantic.
B. He or she becomes relaxed.
C. He or she becomes unhappy.
D. He or she becomes determined.
The last transport had left for Sigma Colony at 10:00 p.m. Michael had not been on
it. Instead, he had sat in the terminal watching everyone else board, munching on a bag
of Chocolate Puffs and thinking that everyone on that transport was a sucker. He would
hear about this stunt the same way he’d heard about the last one—from his manager,
his manager’s manager, the director, and probably his mom. And Hector.
His phone twitched in his jacket pocket. Michael let it twitch three, four, and five
times before he reached for it. “Hey, Hec! I dodged the transport!”
“No kidding. I’m not covering for you this time, Michael. I mean it,” Hector said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Michael replied.
“Yeah, yeah, is right. You can explain it. You can explain how everyone from here to
Sigma to Earth has given you second chances and you throw them back in everyone’s
face.”
“Okay, Hec, I’m sorry. I said I’m sorry, is that what you want to hear?” Michael said.
Michael couldn’t even hear Hector breathe. “No, Michael, that isn’t what I want to
hear, because you don’t mean it. I want to hear that you did what you were supposed to
do for once and followed through on a great opportunity. You know, little brother,
someone with your track record isn’t going to make it unless he . . .”
Michael sighed, holding the phone away from his ear as Hector gave his usual
rehearsed speech. Something about how Michael needed to “straighten up and fly right”
or some such cliché. He shot his empty bag of Chocolate Puffs at the garbage can,
missed, and laid across five or six seats as if nobody else in the terminal needed to sit
down except for him.
When he finally put the phone back to his ear, Hector was still doing his big brother-
tough love routine. “And this is the last time, Michael. I’m not helping you. Whatever
anybody does, you feel the need to do the opposite. And no one—no one, do you hear
me?—is going to give you a pass on this one.”
Michael didn’t care. He didn’t want to live on Sigma Colony with a bunch of stuffed
shirts. He didn’t want to live on Earth with all their rules. He didn’t want to live here at
Delta Base either, where people just thought about money, money, and more money.
Michael didn’t know what he wanted, but whatever it was, he would do it his own way.
18. Which word best describes the relationship between Michael and Hector?
A. distant
B. strained
C. affectionate
D. competitive
19. The author depicts Michael laying across the seats at the terminal to show that
A. Michael is waiting for Hector.
B. Michael works at the terminal.
C. Michael thinks only of himself.
D. Michael is tired from working.
20. Michael and Hector are brothers. However, they are different in that Michael does not care
about his career, while Hector
A. does not work as hard as Michael.
B. is responsible and follows the rules.
C. loves the life he has at Delta Base.
D. cares only about going back to Earth.