Assessment
C omprehensive
A ssessment of
R eading
S trategies
Plus
CARS®
series
G
Florida
Name
Table of Contents
For the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Pretest
Part
Part
Part
Part
Part
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Benchmark
Benchmark
Benchmark
Benchmark
Benchmark
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Post Test
Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Part 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Part 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Part 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Pretest Answer Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Self-assessment 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Post Test Answer Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Self-assessment 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Benchmark Answer Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
For the Student
Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies (CARS ® Series) is a reading
program that gives you practice with 12 reading strategies.
In CARS ® Book G you will complete a Pretest and a Post Test. Each test
contains reading passages and questions about the passages. After you read each
passage, you will answer 12 questions. Each question helps you practice a particular
reading strategy.
You will also complete 5 Benchmark tests. Each test contains longer reading
passages, followed by 12 questions for you to answer. These Benchmarks will
help keep your reading skills sharp and allow your teacher to see how well you
are reading.
CARS ® Book G will help you get the most from your reading. You will
understand what important information to look for as you read. You will also
learn to judge your own work and set reading goals. By the time you finish
working with this book, you will be a better reader.
2
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
Pretest
Your teacher will tell you when to take each part of the Pretest. The Pretest
will help your teacher find out how well you understand what you read. Then
your teacher can decide how to best help you to become an even better reader.
After you finish the Pretest, you will complete a self-assessment. This
self-assessment will help you judge your own work. It will also help you set
goals for future reading success.
Part 1..................................................................................... 4
Part 2..................................................................................... 7
Part 3................................................................................... 10
Part 4................................................................................... 13
Part 5................................................................................... 16
Pretest Answer Form............................................................ 57
Self-assessment 1.................................................................. 58
Pretest
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
3
Pretest: Part 1
Read this history article about a war heroine. Then answer questions
about the article. Choose the best answer for Numbers 1 through 12.
Revolutionary Heroine
Paul Revere is best known for his historic midnight ride on horseback during the American
Revolution. In 1775, Paul Revere rode through the streets of Massachusetts towns to warn
colonists that British troops were approaching. Another person made a similar, less-celebrated
ride just two years later. That person was a 16-year-old girl named Sybil Ludington.
Sybil was with her father, Colonel Henry
Ludington, at their home in New York when
a messenger brought distressing news. The
news revealed that British troops had set
fire to the town of Danbury, Connecticut,
which was about 15 miles southeast of
the Ludington house. British troops were
marching toward New York.
The colonel needed to warn his
countrymen about the impending raid.
The men were scattered over a wide area
around the Ludington house. However,
the colonel also needed to stay home
statue honoring Sybil and her horse, Star
to organize the men when they arrived.
Without hesitation, Sybil volunteered to
take her father’s horse, Star, and alert the
colonists. Though he did not want to let his daughter attempt such a dangerous mission,
Colonel Ludington finally relented. Sybil rode off while her father remained at their home
to prepare his men for battle.
Young Sybil rode through the night, battling biting winds and driving rain, shouting, “The
British are burning Danbury. Meet at Ludingtons.’ ” Several hours later, an exhausted Sybil arrived
home after completing the 40-mile ride. Not realizing that she’d performed a heroic deed, Sybil
was surprised to be met by the jubilant cheers of hundreds of colonists who had assembled at
the Ludingtons’ home. By dawn, Colonel Ludington had organized his men and had marched off
to Danbury where they were able to force the British to retreat.
Sybil’s contribution to the war was not forgotten. Visitors to Putnam County, New York
can retrace the path she took during her midnight ride by following markers placed along the
route. A statue of Sybil and Star also stands in Carmel, New York, honoring her courage and
patriotism. In 1975, Sybil was honored with a commemorative stamp to celebrate the United
States Bicentennial.
4
Pretest
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
Finding Main Idea
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?
 Colonel Ludington persuades his
daughter to take his horse to warn
the colonists.
 Sybil successfully completes her 40-mile
ride.
 Colonel Ludington receives distressing
news from a messenger.
 Sybil convinces her father to let her
alert the colonists about the British.
Recognizing Cause and Effect
4. Sybil was surprised to hear the cheers
of hundreds of people because she
 did not expect that the men would
have already gathered at her home.
 did not think she had performed
a task worthy of such praise.
 did not think that she had succeeded
in what she set out to do.
 thought that the men would have
already left to prevent the British from
attacking.
Recalling Facts and Details
2. Which of these can be found in New York
today?
 a statue of Colonel Ludington and
his daughter
 a statue of Sybil and her father’s horse,
Star
 a monument in memory of Sybil and
her father
 a plaque explaining Sybil’s bravery
during the American Revolution
Comparing and Contrasting
5. How were Paul Revere and Sybil Ludington
alike?
 They both began their historic rides
at midnight.
 They both rode on horseback to warn
colonists about British troops.
 They both prevented the British from
entering New York.
 They both completed rides that were
40 miles long.
Understanding Sequence
3. The boxes tell about some things that
happened in the article.
Making Predictions
6. Predict what would have happened if no one
had warned the colonists about the British
advance.
 The British would have taken control
of Connecticut and moved on to
New York.
 The British would have been declared
victors of the revolution.
 The British would have been forced
to retreat eventually.
 The British would have marched
through Connecticut, leaving the
region undisturbed.
Colonel
Ludington
waited at
his home to
organize
his men.
Sybil was met
by jubilant
cheers.
What belongs in the empty box?
A British troops were forced to retreat.
B Colonel Ludington and his men
marched off to Danbury.
C Sybil rode through the night shouting,
“The British are burning Danbury.”
D The colonel received distressing news
from a messenger.
Pretest
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
5
Benchmarks
Your teacher will tell you when to take each test. These Benchmarks will help
you keep your reading skills sharp. They will also help your teacher see how well
you continue to meet your reading goals.
Benchmark 1........................................................................ 20
Benchmark 2........................................................................ 24
Benchmark 3........................................................................ 28
Benchmark 4........................................................................ 32
Benchmark 5........................................................................ 36
Benchmark Answer Form...................................................... 61
Benchmarks
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
19
Benchmark 1
Read this article about the ancient pyramids. Then answer questions
about the article. Choose the best answer for Numbers 1 through 12.
A Glimpse of the Past
Each year, millions of people visit the ancient pyramids of Egypt. Many become awed simply
at the sight of these towering structures. Though they are an impressive tourist attraction, the
pyramids once played a major role in the life of the Egyptians.
The pyramids are the oldest stone structures in the world. They are also among the world’s
largest buildings. The base of a pyramid is square, with four faces that narrow to a point at the top.
Each face is a triangle. The Egyptians designed the pyramid so that each face was directed toward
one of the four cardinal points—north, south, east, and west. The Egyptians did not have the benefit
of a compass to help them determine where each face of the pyramid should be constructed.
Instead, they tracked the rising and setting of the sun.
Pyramids developed out of the ancient Egyptian
belief in the afterlife, or life after death. Egyptians
believed that after death, people began a new life in
another world. In order to enter this world, the person’s
body must be preserved and protected. Egyptian kings,
called pharaohs, wanted their bodies to last forever,
so they had pyramids built as tombs to protect their
bodies after death. Egyptian citizens believed that
burying royalty in this way would bring good luck
to the pharaoh’s people.
Constructing a pyramid was like trying to build a
mountain. It was an enormous undertaking, as well as
a backbreaking one. Laborers spent long hours in the
desert heat, hauling tons of stone blocks. These men
built the pyramids without the help of modern tools or
heavy equipment such as cranes and bulldozers. To make
matters worse, the stones used to build most pyramids
were not close at hand. Limestone and granite had to
be mined in distant quarries. The quarries were located
close to the banks of the Nile River. There, laborers
shaped stone into blocks using stone and copper hand
pyramids at Giza
tools, such as chisels and drills. Then they loaded the
blocks onto barges. Men paddled the barges down the river
to the building site. Sometimes, thousands of men worked
year in, year out, on a single pyramid.
20
Benchmark 1
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
Finding Main Idea
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 4?
 Most pyramids were built as tombs
for pharaohs.
 Laborers often worked on one
pyramid for many years.
 The stones for the pyramids
had to be mined.
 Construction of a pyramid was
a complex task.
Recognizing Cause and Effect
4. The boxes show a cause-and-effect
relationship.
Cause
Effect
Egyptians did not
have the benefit
of a compass to
guide them.
What belongs in the empty box?
 They studied landmarks along the Nile.
 They tracked stars in the night sky.
 They tracked the rising and setting
of the sun.
 They made the base of the pyramid
into a square.
Recalling Facts and Details
2. The pyramids were built without
the benefit of
 barges.
 ramps.
 heavy equipment.
 wooden rollers.
Comparing and Contrasting
5. A pharaoh can best be compared to
 a professor.
 a judge.
 an emperor.
 a carpenter.
Understanding Sequence
3. The boxes tell about some of the steps
in the construction of a pyramid.
Making Predictions
6. A burial chamber is discovered in an ancient
tomb. Predict which of these is discovered
inside.
 a chisel
 a barge
 a radio
 a necklace
Limestone
and
granite are
shaped
into blocks.
1
22
Wooden
rollers
are used
to move
the stone
blocks.
Barges
bring the
stones
to the
building
site.
2
3
4
Which of these belongs in box 3?
 Ramps are made.
 A causeway is built.
 Stone is mined.
 Construction of the pyramid begins.
Benchmark 1
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
Post Test
Your teacher will tell you when to take each part of the Post Test.
The Post Test will help your teacher see how your reading has improved.
After you finish the Post Test, you will complete a self-assessment. This
self-assessment will help you judge your own work. It will also help you see
how well you are meeting your reading goals.
Part 1................................................................................... 41
Part 2................................................................................... 44
Part 3................................................................................... 47
Part 4................................................................................... 50
Part 5................................................................................... 53
Post Test Answer Form......................................................... 59
Self-assessment 2.................................................................. 60
40
Post Test
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
Post Test: Part 1
Read this journal entry written over one hundred years ago. Then answer questions
about the journal entry. Choose the best answer for Numbers 1 through 12.
April 6, 1862
A short time ago, I was wakened by the sound of cannons booming in the distance. To my
surprise, it was our own Union cannons being fired, not those of the Confederate army. I’d barely
rubbed the sleep from my eyes when the sergeant of our unit called for us to assemble. The sun
had yet to even rise over our camp.
After we assembled, we were told that General Grant is preparing for a major battle in this
small town of Pittsburg Landing, which is located in Shiloh. The sergeant explained that we
would soon mount an attack on a Southern unit located just a short distance from here.
This region is a crucial site for us in Tennessee. With Pittsburg Landing being in the southern
part of the state, we might have a chance of chasing the Southern army out of the state for good.
We took control of Fort Donelson in northern Tennessee this past February. It was a horrifying
battle. So many men, and so many boys about my age, lost their lives in the battle. I remember
turning my head so that I would not have to look at the lifeless faces of the young, many of
whom were carrying rifles instead of drums, as I was. Sometimes at night, I still see their faces,
lifelike portraits forever painted in my memory. I would never reveal this to my sergeant, but I
am of two minds about this war. I know it’s important to keep the Union together, but I believe
that the cost is much too high. So many have given their life for the cause.
As I write this, I hear birds beginning to chirp against the background of an exquisite sunrise.
It’s as though nature does not realize the battle that is likely to play out in just a few short hours.
The sergeant is preparing to march the unit out. He’s calling for me to begin playing to signal
the men to fall into formation. I know the sergeant will keep me a safe distance from danger, but
I wonder about the others. I look around at the proud, brave men beyond my tent, and I wonder
which are the faces that I will not see tomorrow.
Post Test
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
41
Finding Main Idea
1. What is the journal entry mostly about?
 a battle in Pittsburg Landing
 morning preparations for a battle
 an army unit under attack
 typical activities in an army camp
Recognizing Cause and Effect
4. The journal writer was wakened by
 the sound of drums in the distance.
 the sound of Confederate gunfire.
 the call of a sergeant’s summoning
the troops.
 the sound of cannons being fired
by the Union army.
Recalling Facts and Details
2. What is the setting for the journal entry?
A a Union camp
B northern Tennessee
C Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
D a bloody battlefield
Comparing and Contrasting
5. The faces of dead soldiers are compared to
 revealing images.
 lifeless photographs.
 exquisite sunrises.
 lifelike portraits.
Understanding Sequence
3. The boxes tell about some events described
in the journal entry.
Making Predictions
6. Predict which of these will most likely
happen to the writer of the journal entry.
 He will lose his life during the battle
at Shiloh.
 He will leave the Union army and
return home to his family.
 He will escape harm and survive
the battle at Shiloh.
 He will request to stay safely behind,
instead of joining the army at Shiloh.
A battle
takes place
at Fort
Donelson.
Union
soldiers
are told of
General
Grant’s plan.
42
What belongs in the empty box?
A A battle begins at Pittsburgh Landing.
B The Union army marches toward
Shiloh.
C The Southern Army is driven out
of northern Tennessee.
D The sergeant prepares to march
the unit out.
Post Test
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248
Self-assessment 1
Date:
Student’s Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Rate your work on the Pretest. Circle your answer.
great good could be better
Think about your work on the Pretest. Then complete the chart.
Yes
Sometimes
No
1. I understood the reading passages.
2. I understood all of the questions.
3. I had no trouble choosing the answers.
4.I did not have to look back at the passage to answer
many of the questions.
5.I found it easy to choose an answer to the questions.
Complete each sentence.
I could have done a better job on the Pretest if
I will work on improving
58
Florida Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies • Curriculum Associates LLC • www.CurriculumAssociates.com • 800-225-0248