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!Test-Taking Review: Mini-Passages with Questions
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! to Review Vocabulary, Main Idea and Inferences
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Thank you for your download!
Testing season is difficult. Teacher and student stress mounts as the day of the test looms ever
nearer. One way to relieve some of that stress is by incorporating group and partner work
into test prep in order to lighten the load on individual students. These cards review main
idea, character inferences, context clues and choosing the correct multiple-meaning word.
While working, groups or partners can discuss their chosen answer and defend it with text
evidence. While monitoring, the teacher can step in to assist students or make clarifications. I
have used these in the classroom and in tutoring before having students complete a full-length
passage independently. I’ve found them useful in fostering conversation between students
which gives me a window into their thinking.
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Each pair of cards is a sample of a larger product that I have for sale in my TPT store. If you
found this useful, take a look at my store for larger versions of the same product:
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http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Janille-Stephens
Main Idea
A Brief History of Chewing Gum
It isn’t surprising to see people chewing gum, but what might be surprising is that
people have been chewing gum since ancient times. Scientists have found birch bark
tar with teeth marks in it that has led them to conclude that people were chewing
gum 5,000 years ago. Throughout time gum has been a material that has been
meant to be chewed and not swallowed. The ingredients in gum, however, have
undergone many changes over time. A material that was popular in the 1800s was a
substance called Chicle. Modern gums are made with several different materials
including certain types of waxes and rubbers.
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What is the main idea of this selection?
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A People like to chew gum more now than they used to
B Scientists have concluded that people have been chewing gum since ancient times
C While people have enjoyed chewing gum for a long time, the materials used to
make gum have undergone several changes
D Chicle was used to make gum in the 1800s
Main Idea
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Bird Poop Helps the Plants Go ‘Round
It isn’t pleasant to look at, but bird poop plays an important role in plant growth.
Birds that eat berries end up pooping out berry seeds, which helps the plant to
grow somewhere far from its parent plant. It is important that these seeds be
dropped far away from their parent plant. If several seeds fall next to an existing
plant they have less of a chance of growing because they have to share space with
the adult plant. The adult plant often shades the seedling from the sun, which
means the small plant may not get enough sunlight. Birds help prevent this
problem by dropping seeds far away from their parent plant.
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What is the main idea of this paragraph?
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A An adult plant may prevent a young plant from getting enough sunlight
B Birds help begin new plant life by eating and pooping seeds
C Too many seeds dropped in one area may not grow into healthy plants
D Bird poop is not pleasant to look at
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Character Inferences
Character Inferences
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!“You’ve never had Hot Fries? They are the best!” Red powder covered Isaiah’s
!fingers as he popped yet another chip into his mouth. “Come on,” Isaiah
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!continued, “You’ve got to try them!”
!Todd made sure that he had a glass of water nearby. Unlike Isaiah, who seemed
!to live on spicy food, Todd seldom ate things that were hot. After hearing Isaiah
!go on and on about how good hot fries were, Todd decided to give them a try.
!“All right, let me see one,” Todd said, reaching out his hand. He popped the chip
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!into his mouth.
!“WHOA! It burns!” Todd began to guzzle his glass of water, He decided that
!spicy food was not for him.
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!Which sentence from the passage best shows that Todd did not enjoy the spicy
!food?
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!A He popped the chip into his mouth.
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!B Todd began to guzzle his glass of water.
!C Todd decided to give them a try.
!D “You’ve got to try them!”
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Jasmine climbed into the car, holding her pillow in one hand and her backpack in
the other.
“How was the sleepover?” her mom asked.
“It was good,” Jasmine replied. The sleepover had been more than just good,
Jasmine had stayed up most of the night with her best friends—she had had a
great time. However, a sleepless night had left her feeling too tired to talk.
Jasmine leaned her head against the car door, feeling sluggish.
“Are you alright?” her mother asked, putting her hand on Jasmine’s forehead,
“You’re not acting like yourself.”
“Yeah I’m fine, just really tired,” Jasmine responded. Her mother was not
convinced. She watched Jasmine with a worried look on her face.
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What does Jasmine’s mother think has happened?
A She thinks that someone at the sleepover was mean to Jasmine.
B She thinks that Jasmine is very tired.
C She thinks that Jasmine may be sick.
D She thinks that Jasmine is mad at her.
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Vocabulary- Context Clues
Vocabulary- Context Clues
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“I’m late! I am going to be tardy!” Shemeah yelled as she ran into
the living room.
“Relax,” her mother said, “if we leave now you’ll get to school in
plenty of time. Grab your backpack and let’s go.”
“My backpack!” Shemeah exclaimed, “Where is it?”
“I don’t know for sure, but I assume it’s by the door like it usually is,”
her mother said calmly.
Shemeah rushed to the door and pulled her backpack out from under
a large coat.
“Here it is! Let’s go!”
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What does the word assume mean?
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Sarah heard the sound of paws running across the kitchen floor.
Her cat, Checkers, was bounding toward her. A few minutes ago
Checkers had been sleeping on his favorite chair. The cat had
been so asleep that he hadn’t even noticed Sarah walk past him
on her way to the kitchen.
When Sarah peeled off the lid of Checkers’ cat food, the aroma of
canned chicken filled the air. Sarah laughed to herself and
thought, “Nothing gets Checker’s attention faster than the
smell of his favorite food!”.
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What is the meaning of the word aroma?
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Vocabulary- Multiple Meaning
Vocabulary- Multiple Meaning
Abraham Lincoln is often referred to as ‘Honest Abe.’ There are many ideas about how this
nickname originated. When Lincoln worked at a store he accidentally took 6 cents more from a
customer than he should have. When Lincoln realized his mistake he walked a long distance to
return the customer’s money. Another possibility is that the nickname comes from the fact that
when Lincoln was a lawyer he wouldn’t charge his clients that were very poor. Still others say
that the nickname came about because Lincoln was known for judging horse races fairly.
However Lincoln came by his nickname, people seem to agree that he was man with
originated. When Lincoln worked at a store he accidentally took 6 cents more from a customer
than he should have. When Lincoln realized his mistake he walked a long distance to return the
customer’s money. Another possibility is that the nickname comes from the fact that when
Lincoln was a lawyer he wouldn’t charge his clients that were very poor. Still others say that
the nickname came about because Lincoln was known for judging horse races fairly. However
Lincoln came by his nickname, people seem to agree that he was man with character.
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Which of the above definitions best fits the way that the word character is used in the
passage?
A. Definition 1
B. Definition 2
C. Definition 3
D. Definition 4
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Jerry Spinelli is the author of over 25 children’s books. Some of his most popular
works include Maniac Magee, Stargirl, and Wringer. Most of Spinelli’s characters are
around middle-school age and are often people who stand apart from their peers. For
example, in Maniac Magee the main character Jeffrey is one of the only characters
who ignores the segregation of the town he lives in and makes friends with people of
all races. Readers get lost in Spinelli’s vivid writing, which enables them to imagine
what it is like to be in the characters’ shoes.
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Read the following dictionary entry for the word vivid:
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Which definition best represents the meaning of the word vivid as it is used in the
passage?
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A. definition 1
B. definition 2
C. definition 3
D. definition 4
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Student Record Sheet
Key
1. ___ 5.
Unknown Word
What I infer it means
Words that helped
me figure it out
2. ___ 6.
Unknown Word
What I infer it means
Words that helped
me figure it out
3. ___ 7. ___
4. ___ 8. ___
1. C
5. Various Answers
2. B
6. Various Answers
3. B
7. A
4. B
8. C