NAME
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SELECTION TEST
DATE
Student Edition page 243
The Emperor’s New Clothes
SCORE
LITERARY RESPONSE
AND ANALYSIS
Hans Christian Andersen
COMPREHENSION (60 points; 6 points each)
On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.
______ 1. The Emperor spends all his money on —
A his castle
B his soldiers
C new clothes
D a new theater
______ 2. The swindlers claim that clothes made with their special cloth are —
F
invisible to those who are stupid or unfit for office
G the latest fashion from Paris
H in demand by kings and queens all over the world
J
cheaper than other clothes
______ 3. The Emperor sends an honest minister and an honest official to visit the swindlers in
order to —
A judge how the cloth looks and how the work is going
B find out if they are stupid or unfit for office
C arrest the swindlers and close the workshop
D invite the swindlers to a dance in their honor
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
______ 4. How do the people in town react when they view the work of the weavers?
F
They join the weavers and also receive money from the Emperor.
G They scream at the weavers and accuse them of lying.
H They pay the weavers money to weave them fine clothes as well.
J
They lie and pretend to see something so that they don’t appear stupid.
______ 5. Why is the Emperor so upset when he views the cloth with his councilors?
A He doesn’t feel well and won’t be able to show off his clothing.
B He knows his councilors are lying to him.
C He can’t see anything and thinks that he may be unfit for office.
D The weavers ask for more gold, and the Emperor doesn’t have any.
______ 6. What is the Emperor actually wearing when he walks in the procession?
F
His underwear
G Nothing at all
H His bathrobe
J
Clothes made of silk and gold
The Emperor’s New Clothes
67
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______ 7. At first, the citizens greet the Emperor in his special suit of clothes by —
A laughing and pointing
B exclaiming their approval
C stoning the swindlers
D giving the swindlers a medal
______ 8. Who exposes the truth and the swindlers’ scam?
F
The prime minister
G A woman from another town
H A little child
J
The Emperor’s wife
______ 9. What does the Emperor do after everyone cries that “he has nothing on”?
A He runs away.
B He orders the soldiers to seize the swindlers.
C He continues with the procession.
D He hides behind a wagon.
______ 10. Which of the following best explains why the Emperor acts as he does at the end of the
story?
F
He is vain and wants everyone to continue to look at him.
G He is angry and will prove that everyone is wrong.
H He is sad and regrets that he gave the swindlers so much money.
He is proud and won’t show any sign of weakness.
LITERARY FOCUS (20 points; 5 points each)
On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.
______ 11. One theme of this story is —
A Emperors are very easy to fool and deceive.
B Vanity can make you do foolish things.
C Don’t trust people who sell invisible clothes.
D Sometimes kids say things even though they shouldn’t.
______ 12. Which theme is conveyed through the child at the story’s conclusion?
F
People may lie in order not to seem foolish.
G Honest people can always be trusted to tell the truth.
H Never trust a stranger.
J
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Children always tell the truth.
Holt Assessment: Literature, Reading, and Vocabulary
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
J
NAME
CLASS
DATE
SCORE
______ 13. All of the following actions convey the theme that people never want to appear foolish
in front of others except —
A the honest official lies and pretends that he sees a beautiful piece of cloth
B the Emperor keeps marching in his procession
C the swindlers keep showing their invisible work to others
D the Emperor is scared to admit that he doesn’t see anything on the looms
______ 14. The themes in this story reveal truths about —
F
human nature
G the wealth of an emperor
H the status of servants to the Emperor
J
a child’s need to be educated
CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE (20 points)
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
15. This story contains different lessons or themes. What do you think the main
theme of the story is? How do the characters, their actions, and images from
the story convey this theme? On a separate piece of paper, write a paragraph
that explains your answer. Support your ideas with details from the story.
The Emperor’s New Clothes
69
Answer Key
Everybody Is Different,
but the Same Too
by Nilou
Selection Test, page 65
C
H
D
F
B
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
J
C
F
D
G
The Emperor’s New Clothes
by Hans Christian Andersen
Selection Test, page 67
Comprehension
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
1. C
2. F
3. A
4. J
5. C
Literary Focus
11. B
12. J
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
G
B
H
C
J
13. C
14. F
Constructed Response
15. Students’ responses will vary. A sample
response follows:
I think the main theme in this story is
that people hesitate to be honest or truthful if they fear that others will think they
are stupid. For example, the honest old
minister does not see the cloth that the
swindlers are supposedly weaving, but he
pretends to see it so that people will not
think that he is stupid. The second honest
official and everyone else in town also
pretend to see the cloth so that no one will
think that they are stupid. These deceptions continue until an innocent child
speaks the truth. It’s at this point that people feel comfortable enough to finally
admit that they see nothing on the naked
Emperor walking through the town.
Answer Key
by Mara Rockliff
Selection Test, page 70
Comprehension
Comprehension
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Uniform Style
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B
F
C
H
A
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
G
B
F
D
G
Baucis and Philemon
by Olivia Coolidge
Selection Test, page 72
Comprehension
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C
H
B
F
B
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
H
B
G
C
J
Literary Focus
11. B
12. F
13. D
14. J
Constructed Response
15. Students’ responses will vary. A sample
response follows:
Baucis and Philemon clearly show how
important hospitality is. When Zeus and
Hermes come to the humble home of
Baucis and Philemon, the couple don’t have
much to offer but welcome the gods anyway. Where others turned the strangers
away, Baucis and Philemon do not and
even go beyond their means to provide for
their guests. The old couple serve the
strangers generously even though the gods
consume more in this one meal than the old
couple would in a week. We cannot help
but admire Baucis and Philemon for their
actions. They teach us an important lesson
about the importance of hospitality.
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