CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
Name:_____________________________________________
Date:________________________
1. Which words BEST fill in the blank in the sentence below?
Both comic books and encyclopedias are available at the library, but __________ found on different shelves.
A. them are
B. it is
C. their is
D. they are
2.
Carlos and Scott brought their class a pizza for the end-of-the-year party.
Which word is the indirect object in this sentence?
A. Carlos
B. class
C. pizza
D. party
3. Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
A. Atlanta, a beautiful city, has become a popular place to live.
B. Can you remember, when we went to the park where we stopped for our picnic?
C. Your plan, I have decided is the most reasonable solution to my problem.
D. The paper Janet, pointed out contained many misspelled words.
4.
What does it mean to skim a book?
A. read the book completely from beginning to end
B. glance at the book focusing on key words
C. write down interesting points from the book
D. read the first and last chapters of the book
5. Use the dictionary entry below to answer this question.
familiar (f∂ mil' y∂r) adj. 1. known or reminding one of something 2. happening or found frequently and in various
places. 3. acting well-acquainted; informal. 4. being too presumptuous; bold.
Which dictionary definition BEST fits the meaning of the underlined word in the sentence below?
Mr. Winston disliked the dignified business world because he could not be on familiar terms with his associates.
A. definition 1
B. definition 3
C. definition 2
D. definition 4
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
6. Which word is the subject of the sentence below?
During the night the boys' blankets fell to the floor.
A. night
B. boys'
C. blankets
D. floor
7. How should the sentence below be rewritten?
The woman is our new principal standing in the hallway.
A. Standing in the hallway, our new principal is the woman.
B. The woman standing in the hallway is our new principal.
C. In the hallway standing the woman is our new principal
D. Our new principal the woman is standing in the hallway.
8. In the sentence below, what change must be made to correct the problem with capitalization?
Many children often wonder if President George Washington really said, "i cannot tell a lie."
A. use a small letter p in president
B. use a capital letter C in children
C. use a small letter w in washington
D. use a capital letter I for i
9. Which phrase BEST fills in the blank in the sentence below?
Dad was cooking a _________________.
A. pear of stakes
B. pair of stakes
C. pear of steaks
D. pair of steaks
10.
When you take notes for a research paper, you can summarize, write direct quotations, or you can
paraphrase. Why should you give credit to the author when you copy an author's exact words?
A. to avoid quoting
B. to avoid summarizing
C. to avoid writing
D. to avoid plagiarizing
11. Mark is doing a presentation on the layers of the earth. What resource would give him information on the
temperature of the earth's core?
A. dictionary
B. an encyclopedia
C. a world atlas
D. The Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
12. Andy wants to write a paper about George Washington. Which of the following questions should probably NOT
appear in his research?
A. How did George Washington meet his wife?
B. How did George Washington become the first American President?
C. How did he gain the trust of the people?
D. Why did Washington want to be President?
13. Jane needs to find another word for excitement. What resource would help her the MOST?
A. a dictionary
B. a thesaurus
C. a glossary
D. an index
14. Where would you look if you wanted to see the sources from which the book you were reading was written?
A. glossary
B. bibliography
C. index
D. table of contents
15. Which sentence below is correct?
A. You can wash and dry the dishes, or you can finish your homework.
B. You can wash and dry the dishes, you can finish your homework.
C. You can wash and dry the dishes or, you can finish your homework.
D. You can wash, and dry the dishes, or you can finish, your homework.
16.
Which of the sentences below is an example of an imperative sentence?
A. That play was fantastic!
B. I have twenty-three kids in my class.
C. Do you want another piece of chicken?
D. Turn left at the corner.
17.
Which words BEST fill in the blanks in the sentence below?
The wind _____ and _____, sounding like a lonely ghost seeking a place to rest.
A. whistled, yelled
B. howled, moaned
C. growled, roared
D. blew, blew
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18. Which answer is correctly punctuated and uses the proper connective to combine the sentences below?
Jessie is informed, efficient, and communicative. She will make an excellent student government representative.
A. Although Jessie is informed, efficient, and communicative, she will make an excellent student government
representative.
B. Because Jessie is informed, efficient, and communicative, she will make an excellent student government
representative.
C. Even though Jessie is informed, efficient, and communicative, she will make an excellent student government
representative.
D. Jessie is informed, efficient, and communicative; whereas, she will make an excellent student government
representative.
19. Use the paragraph below to answer this question.
1
Our social studies assignment was to interview someone who lived during World War II. 2I picked my great uncle.
3
I picked my uncle because he was in the army in Europe. 4He had amazing stories to share about those years.
Which two of the sentences above should be combined?
A. sentences 1 and 2
B. sentences 2 and 3
C. sentences 3 and 4
D. sentences 4 and 1
20. Which word(s) BEST fill(s) in the blank in the sentence below?
My sister said my room was the __________ mess she had ever seen.
A. worse
B. worstest
C. worst
D. most worst
21. Which of the following is capitalized correctly?
A. Dr. John q. McMillan
B. Dr. John q. Mcmillan
C. Dr. John Q. McMillan
D. Dr. John Q. Mcmillan
22. Which word(s) BEST fill(s) in the blank in the sentence below?
Several members of our science club ________ at
the water plant on weekends.
A. volunteer
B. volunteers
C. volunteering
D. is volunteering
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23. Which words BEST fill in the blank in the sentence below?
The mail carrier_________ he spoke daily, is retiring.
A. with what
B. with who
C. with which
D. with whom
24.
Which sentence does not support the main idea of the paragraph?
1
In many hurricanes, winds in the wall cloud area blow at speeds of 130 to 150 miles per hour. 2The
winds and rain, combined with the force of the sea, produce huge waves. 3These waves, called a
storm surge, rise several feet above normal and cause floods over land. 4It is very dangerous to go
swimming during a storm surge. 5A storm surge can be especially destructive if it occurs at high tide.
A. sentence 2
B. sentence 3
C. sentence 4
D. sentence 5
25.
How should these sentences be ordered to create a logical paragraph?
1. I told him I was, and we discussed what cards we wanted to trade.
2. He said he collected cards, too, and wanted to know if I was interested in trading any of mine.
3. One of my classmates noticed some baseball cards that I brought into school one day.
4. The next day, he brought in his cards, and we did some trading at lunch.
A. 1,4,3,2
B. 2,3,1,4
C. 3,2,1,4
D. 4,2,1,4
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26.
Which transitional word usage is correct?
A. Temperatures can go as high as 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and carbon dioxide makes up most of the atmosphere.
Next, Venus is not fit for human habitation.
B. Temperatures can go as high as 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and carbon dioxide makes up most of the atmosphere.
Also, Venus is not fit for human habitation.
C. Temperatures can go as high as 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and carbon dioxide makes up most of the atmosphere. For
example, Venus is not fit for human habitation.
D. Temperatures can go as high as 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and carbon dioxide makes up most of the atmosphere.
Clearly, Venus is not fit for human habitation.
27.
In the paragraph, sentence 3 is out of order. Where should it be placed?
1. So far, there have been three major stages in my life.
2. Each one of these stages has been important to me.
3. Then, in high school, we moved back overseas to Germany.
4. Before I started elementary school, my family lived in England.
5. All during elementary school, my family lived in Atlanta, Georgia.
A. before sentence 1
B. before sentence 2
C. after sentence 4
D. after sentence 5
28.
Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson
I remember him as if it were yesterday, as he came plodding to the inn door, his sea-chest following behind him
in a hand-barrow--a tall, strong, heavy, nut-brown man, his tarry pigtail falling over the shoulder of his soiled blue
coat, his hands ragged and scarred, with black, broken nails, and the sabre cut across one cheek, a dirty, livid
white. I remember him looking round the cover and whistling to himself as he did so, and then breaking out in
that old sea-song that he sang so often afterwards:
"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest-- Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
Why is first-person point of view a good way of telling this story?
A. The narrator has a good sense of humor.
B. The narrator knows a lot about sea life.
C. The narrator describes how the man feels.
D. The narrator sees most of the events as they happen.
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29.
What is the author's purpose in writing the paragraph?
In many hurricanes, winds in the wall cloud area blow at speeds of 130 to 150 miles per hour. The
winds and rain, combined with the force of the sea, produce huge waves. These waves, called a storm
surge, rise several feet above normal and cause floods over land. A storm surge can be especially
destructive if it occurs at high tide.
A. to tell a story
B. to report information
C. to entertain the reader
D. to persuade the reader's opinion
30.
Which passage has correct transition word usage?
A. The conductor walked to the piano and played one note on the keyboard. Next, all the instruments tuned to that
tone so that one great sound on the same pitch filled the room.
B. The conductor walked to the piano and played one note on the keyboard. Instead, all the instruments tuned to that
tone so that one great sound on the same pitch filled the room.
C. The conductor walked to the piano and played one note on the keyboard. For example, all the instruments tuned to
that tone so that one great sound on the same pitch filled the room.
D. The conductor walked to the piano and played one note on the keyboard. Although, all the instruments tuned to
that tone so that one great sound on the same pitch filled the room.
31.
What type of organizational structure did the author use in the paragraph?
This binder might look very worn out, but I treasure it because Andre gave it to me. He was my best
friend last year, and he moved to South Carolina. Since the binder is all I have to remember him by, I
will never throw it away.
A. cause and effect
B. chronological order
C. similarity and difference
D. question and answer
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32.
What type of organizational structure did the author use in the paragraph?
In the play The Diary of Anne Frank, Anne comments on the differences between herself and her
sister Margot. She remarks that everything Margot does is right in her parent's eyes, while everything
Anne herself does is wrong. However, both girls are intelligent and sensitive.
A. cause and effect
B. chronological order
C. compare and contrast
D. question and answer
33.
What type of organizational structure did the author use in the paragraph?
The water cycle is the journey water takes as it circulates from the land to the sky and back again.
First, the Sun's heat evaporates water from the Earth's surface. Next, the water vapor eventually
condenses, forming tiny droplets in clouds. Finally, when the clouds meet cool air over land,
precipitation is triggered, and water returns to the land.
A. cause and effect
B. chronological order
C. compare and contrast
D. question and answer
34.
Which sentence would BEST engage the reader's attention in an essay on mold and fungi?
A. Once upon a time there grew a mold.
B. Molds are a member of the fungus family.
C. There are organisms in the world that are new to many human beings.
D. In a nearby forest, a blob of glistening green slime creeps over the surface of a rotting log.
35.
Which sentence is a clear position statement for a persuasive essay about having school uniforms?
A. School uniforms can be cool.
B. A lot of schools have uniforms.
C. Uniforms will benefit students at our school.
D. While they may be uncomfortable, uniforms are never commonplace.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
36.
Which sentence is a clear position statement for a persuasive essay about students using cell phones during
school hours?
A. Cell phones are cool.
B. My favorite thing to do is text my friends.
C. I really hate it when my cell phone battery runs out.
D. Although distracting, cell phones have their benefits.
37.
Which sentence is correct?
A. Esteban has discovered he can learn valuable studying tips from others.
B. Esteban has discovered himself can learn valuable studying tips from others.
C. Esteban has discovered him can learn valuable studying tips from others.
D. Esteban has discovered you can learn valuable studying tips from others.
38.
Which sentence is correct?
A. The most experienced essay writer is she.
B. The most experienced essay writer is her.
C. The most experienced essay writer is their.
D. The most experienced essay writer is herself.
39.
Which sentence is correct?
A. A few students and I talked about the homework problems.
B. A few students and me talked about the homework problems.
C. A few students and we talked about the homework problems.
D. A few students and they talked about the homework problems.
40.
Which sentence is correct?
A. Rachael is known for she cooking expertise.
B. Rachael is known for her cooking expertise.
C. Rachael is known for their cooking expertise.
D. Rachael is known for herself cooking expertise.
41.
Which sentence is correct?
A. She and her brother Ethan lived there for a week.
B. Her and her brother Ethan lived there for a week.
C. Their and her brother Ethan lived there for a week.
D. Herself and her brother Ethan lived there for a week.
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42.
Which sentence is correct?
A. One of the girls got exactly what he asked for.
B. One of the girls got exactly what she asked for.
C. One of the girls got exactly what her asked for.
D. One of the girls got exactly what they asked for.
43.
Which sentence is correct?
A. Jessica showed Michael and I some math problems.
B. Jessica showed Michael and me some math problems.
C. Jessica showed Michael and we some math problems.
D. Jessica showed Michael and they some math problems.
44.
Which sentence is correct?
A. A teacher asked we students to stop talking in the hallway.
B. A teacher asked us students to stop talking in the hallway.
C. A teacher asked them students to stop talking in the hallway.
D. A teacher asked they students to stop talking in the hallway.
45.
Plants in the desert.
Which sentence correctly edits the fragment?
A. Plants in the hot desert.
B. Green plants in the desert.
C. Plants in the desert receive little water.
D. Plants in the desert receive little water not much rain falls in the desert.
46.
Which word is spelled incorrectly?
A. chokeing
B. fishing
C. joking
D. swimming
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
47.
Which underlined word is spelled incorrectly?
I never imagined I would complete this intire project in an hour.
A. imagined
B. complete
C. intire
D. hour
48.
Which underlined word is spelled incorrectly?
We started packing up immediatly after the storm passed.
A. started
B. packing
C. immediatly
D. passed
49.
Which underlined word is spelled incorrectly?
The nurses were worryed that Jonathan had the measles and that the illness might be transmittable.
A. worryed
B. measles
C. illness
D. transmittable
50.
Which sentence is correct?
A. Hummingbirds flap their wings so quick that people can hardly see their wings move.
B. Hummingbirds flap their wings so quickest that people can hardly see their wings move.
C. Hummingbirds flap their wings so quickly that people can hardly see their wings move.
D. Hummingbirds flap their wings so quicker that people can hardly see their wings move.
51.
Which sentence contains an infinitive phrase?
A. To be an actor was Tom's goal.
B. Directing a movie was Tom's goal.
C. Going to Las Vegas was Tom's goal.
D. A successful movie career was Tom's goal.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
52.
Which sentence includes an infinitive phrase?
A. I left my lunch in my locker.
B. I prefer studying after a snack.
C. I transferred my notes to my computer.
D. It is possible to score a 110 on the test.
53.
Which sentence is correct?
A. I sang good in the chorus festival.
B. I felt good when I left the doctor.
C. Angela ran good in yesterday's race.
D. Jennifer felt good when she finished cleaning her room.
54.
Which sentence is correct?
A. I'll take you a glass of water.
B. Will you bring these boxes to Sherry?
C. Would you please take these books to the media center?
D. Could you bring the pencils to the pencil sharpener for Alice?
55.
Which sentence is correct?
A. The news from the war effected her deeply.
B. The actor in the movie effects a British accent.
C. What effect did the rocky soil produce in the plants?
D. The students tried to affect a change in school policy.
56.
Which sentence is correct?
A. The principle wore a suit and tie daily.
B. I dunked our principal at the school fair.
C. The principle of our school gave the award.
D. One of my principals is to always be honest.
57.
Which sentence is correct?
A. We went too the mall.
B. He ran two the emergency room.
C. It's to risky to ride down that hill.
D. Two stores were having wonderful sales.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
58.
Which sentence is correct?
A. Their cars need to be moved.
B. There are going to go camping.
C. They're is the great big teddy bear.
D. They're backpacks are hung on the wall.
59.
Which sentence is correct?
A. When I was ten years old, my dad became a police officer.
B. Walking to the store, the wind blew Bridget's hair around.
C. Looking toward the north, a storm cloud gathered in the distance.
D. Having been packed the night before, Tyler could use the suitcase.
60.
Fire and Ice
by Robert Frost
Some say the world will end in fire;
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
What is the BEST way to find the meaning of the word perish if you do not have a dictionary available?
A. Find a word that rhymes with "perish."
B. Remember the word and look it up later.
C. Ask another student or your teacher to tell you the meaning.
D. Look through the poem for other words or phrases that help you understand the meaning.
61.
If you are reading, and come to a word you are unfamiliar with, which technique would help you understand the
meaning of the word?
A. Think about the spelling of the word.
B. Skip the word and come back to it later.
C. Ignore the prefixes or suffixes in the word.
D. Look for clues to the meaning of the word in the surrounding passage.
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62.
Bill Clinton: First Inaugural Address
by Bill Clinton
Wednesday, January 21, 1993
Raised in unrivaled prosperity, we inherit an economy that is still the world’s strongest, but is weakened by
business failures, stagnant wages, increasing inequality, and deep divisions among our people.
In this excerpt from Bill Clinton's First Inaugural Address, the word prosperity MOST LIKELY means
A. extreme poverty.
B. financial success.
C. international conflict.
D. the future of the nation's youth.
63.
The words Chattahoochee, raccoon, Oklahoma and Etowah most likely originated from
A. French words.
B. Old English words.
C. Native American words.
D. Irish or Scottish words.
64.
A generalization about people or life that is communicated through a literary text is
A. the mood.
B. the tone.
C. the theme.
D. the author's purpose.
65.
The objective of the author of an expository text is called
A. the theme.
B. the exposition.
C. the conclusion.
D. the author's purpose.
66.
Marly is doing a research paper on how advertising affects American teenagers. Which sources would contain
information to help her complete this research?
A. spending habits of teenagers in Europe
B. statistics showing items adults buy most
C. government studies about teenagers' spending habits
D. TV, magazine, and newspaper ads targeting five to eight year olds
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
67.
HYPER/HYPO GLYCEMIA
by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia (hi-poe-gly-SEE-me-uh). This can happen when someone
with diabetes doesn't eat enough, takes too much medicine, or gets too much exercise. Symptoms of
low blood sugar include sweating, shakiness, and confusion, and in extreme cases, a person can faint
or have a seizure. A person with diabetes who has low blood sugar needs to eat sugar - and fast - to
get it under control. In fact, many people with diabetes keep glucose pills with them in case they get
low blood sugar. But, if you are around someone who has diabetes and starts to feel this way, you
can also help him or her out by knowing what else he or she can eat. Good options include a couple
of hard candies or gumdrops, orange juice, soda or pop (not diet!), a spoonful of honey, or some cake
icing. Low blood sugar isn't an excuse to gorge on sweets, though - most people with diabetes only
need a little sugar to get themselves back on track.
Mark's grandfather has diabetes. Using the information in the article, what could Mark do to make sure he can help
his grandfather with a low blood sugar problem while they are at a baseball game?
A. Bring along plenty of ice.
B. Buy some candy at the game.
C. Keep plenty of water on hand.
D. Stay in the shade and wear loose-fitting clothing.
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68.
The use of a picture of an owl in this advertisement reinforces what words?
A. forceful advertising
B. light you to success
C. experience and knowledge
D. strong, forceful and convincing
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
69.
The Ant and the Dove
by Aesop
An ant went to the bank of a river to quench its thirst, and being carried away by the rush of the stream, was on
the point of drowning. A dove sitting on a tree overhanging the water plucked a leaf and let it fall into the stream
close to her. The ant climbed onto it and floated in safety to the bank. Shortly afterwards a bird catcher came and
stood under the tree, and laid his lime-twigs for the dove, which sat in the branches. The ant, perceiving his
design, stung him in the foot. In pain, the bird catcher threw down the twigs, and the noise made the dove take
wing.
One good turn deserves another.
The Crow and the Pitcher
by Aesop
A crow perishing with thirst saw a pitcher, and hoping to find water, flew to it with delight. When he reached it,
he discovered to his grief that it contained so little water that he could not possibly get at it. He tried everything he
could think of to reach the water, but all his efforts were in vain. At last he collected as many stones as he could
carry and dropped them one by one with his beak into the pitcher, until he brought the water within his reach and
thus saved his life.
Necessity is the mother of invention
Which is true of the two passages?
A. They are both Shakespearean sonnets containing satirical literary devices.
B. They are both science fiction pieces set in another universe.
C. They are both fables used to teach lessons or morals about human weaknesses.
D. They are both tall tales combining realism with outrageous exaggeration often to reflect hardships endured by
early settlers.
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70.
For which type of book would the diagram shown be used?
A. a book for children
B. a novel about horses
C. a veterinarian's textbook
D. an instruction manual for people buying saddles
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71.
The diagram shown might be included in which type of research paper?
A. a paper about the anatomy of horses
B. an article about the best type of horse for children
C. an essay about the history of horse racing in America
D. a paper directed at people who are interested in becoming horse owners
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72.
Poor Richard's Almanac
by Benjamin Franklin
For want of a nail the
shoe was lost;
For want of a shoe the
horse was lost;
For want of a horse the
rider was lost;
For want of a rider the
battle was lost;
For want of a battle the
country was lost;
And all for the want of a
twopenny nail.
This poem contains
A. alliteration.
B. internal rhyme.
C. meter.
D. onomatopoeia.
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Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
Salsify Soup
Self-sufficiency is a fine concept in the abstract, but not when it is sitting on the plate in front of you. I
arrived at this insight one morning at my grandparents’ farm while I was digging up supper.
When I was younger, I would often spend a day or two at my grandparents’ farm, but this was the first time I
had come for an extended visit. I think my mother intended this visit to be a learning experience.
“Your grandparents believe in self-sufficiency,” she said, with a certain tone in her voice.
I began discovering exactly what my mother meant by self-sufficiency once I arrived. Grandma was sitting
on the porch, separating thin green onions, and getting them ready to plant. Grandpa was splitting and stacking
firewood, which struck me as odd. “Why are you splitting firewood in spring? It’s warm now.”
He laughed. “No, but it won’t be warm in fall and winter. When it’s cold outside, I won’t want to be out here
splitting wood, will I? I’ll want to be in the house, warming my feet by the fire!”
This was all admirable, and what’s more, I enjoyed helping Grandma and Grandpa with the chores. I actually
looked forward to feeding the chickens and gathering the eggs each day. Because it was spring, one of the hens was
broody and wanted to keep her eggs and hatch them. It required some skill to outwit Henny Penny, as I called her, but
I managed to do so on the first day by throwing some grain in the chicken pen and then snatching the smooth, brown
eggs while she gathered the grain. She tricked me on the third day, however, and ran out of the pen, disappearing into
the shrubs by the house. I didn’t see her again until near the end of my stay, about three weeks later, when she strode
proudly back, beak held high, with five fluffy chicks tumbling after her.
What I liked less, however, was the whole “vegetable thing.” As I said, self-sufficiency is all well and
good—within reason. My support for the concept stops, however, when I’m served a stringy mass of dandelion
greens.
“Have you ever seen dandelion greens before, Alexis?” Grandma inquired sweetly.
“Yes, I think, but I’ve never eaten them. I’ll try them, though,” I just smiled and said.
The dandelion greens were not horrible, but just bitter tasting. The next day we had another serving of them.
Hadn’t my grandma ever heard of carrots? I wondered, deciding to ask her if she had ever considered planting carrots
in her garden.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
“Oh, yes! Later in the season, we should have carrots. We grow enough to store in the root cellar. Those last
us through the winter, but we’re out of them now. By the time Spring rolls around, we’ve eaten most of the fresh
vegetables we grew the previous summer. Instead, we eat what we have left, or the dandelions that pop up here and
there.”
Suddenly, a gleam blossomed in her eye. “You know, Alexis, we do have some fresh vegetables ready in the
garden,” Grandma said. “Really?” I asked, looking excited.
I followed her out to the large plot beside the house, dreaming of fresh lettuce, crunchy radishes, or maybe
even a baby carrot, if one of the seedlings just happened to be a prodigy that sprouted early. Instead, Grandma led me
to the far end of the garden, where she tilted over a bale of straw. Underneath were the crushed tops of some
scraggly-looking plants.
“Salsify,” she said triumphantly.
“What is that?” I asked disappointedly.
That’s how I found myself digging up supper. These “salsify” were a kind of long, thin root, grey-white in
color.
“You grow them in fall and through the winter, and then harvest them in spring. Have you ever had salsify?”
she asked.
I shook my head.
“Perhaps you know it by its other name, Oyster Plant,” she said encouragingly.
“No,” I confessed, “I’ve never heard of it.”
That was enough for Grandma. I found myself digging a pail of salsify so we could make “Salsify Soup,”
which she assured me tastes even better than oyster stew. I could not get over the idea that a vegetable could taste like
shellfish. What’s next—corn that tastes like lobster?
Is this really what my mother meant by wanting me to learn self-sufficiency, eating weeds like dandelions
and botanical misfits like salsify?
I briefly considered not trying the soup, but the empty bowl on my plate stared at me with an accusing eye.
Grandma’s garden and her cooking were so much a part of her, that to reject them was to reject her. I ladled the
chunky soup into the bowl with grim determination.
I began eating, tasting nothing at first because I was seriously holding my breath. I gradually became aware
that the soup was not at all strong, as I feared, but full of mild flavors. Before I knew it, my bowl was empty. I had a
second, and even a bit of a third bowl, too. The soup tasted really good, but it also made me feel good to know that
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
my grandparents had grown the salsify, and that I had harvested it, even if I hadn’t wanted to at the time.
Self-sufficiency can taste pretty good, after all.
“Do you know what would go well with this soup?” Grandpa asked.
I knew right away. “A serving of dandelion greens?” I asked, grinning.
73. Read this analysis by a student who read “Salsify Soup.”
The mother in the story is correct to doubt that Alexis is
self-sufficient, but she is also right in her decision to send her
daughter to the farm. Alexis learns to be self-sufficient while she is
there.
Explain whether you believe the reader’s analysis of the story is accurate. Use details from the story to support your
response.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
74. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
List three details for dandelion greens and three details for salsify that are included in the story that describe how and
where the plants grow.
Part B
Consider how the details in Part A relate to the theme and setting of the story. Explain how the setting and the
descriptions of dandelion greens and salsify contribute to the development of the theme in the story. Use details from
the story to support your response.
Be sure to complete ALL parts of the task.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
75. Which line of dialogue shows that Alexis has changed as a result of her stay on the farm?
A. “Why are you splitting firewood in spring?”
B. “Really?” I asked, looking excited.
C. “What is that?” I asked disappointedly.
D. “A serving of dandelion greens?” I asked, grinning.
76. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
List three details that show what Alexis thinks but does not say when interacting with her grandma in the story.
Part B
Consider how Alexis’s thoughts create humor within the story. Explain how humor contributes to the overall meaning
of the story. Use details from the story to support your response.
Be sure to complete ALL parts of the task.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
77. Read this sentence from the story.
It required some skill to outwit Henny Penny, as I called her, but I
managed to do so on the first day by throwing some grain in the
chicken pen and then snatching the smooth, brown eggs while she
gathered the grain.
What action is meant by the author’s use of gathered in this sentence?
A. The hen is eating the grain.
B. The hen is relocating the grain.
C. The hen is taking notice of the grain.
D. The hen is making a pile with the grain.
78. Read this paragraph from the story.
I briefly considered not trying the soup, but the empty bowl on my
plate stared at me with an accusing eye. Grandma’s garden and her
cooking were so much a part of her, that to reject them was to reject
her. I ladled the chunky soup into the bowl with grim determination.
The underlined portion of this paragraph contains personification. Explain how the author uses personification and
how it relates to the plot of the story. Use details from the story to support your response.
________________________________________________________________________
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
The Best of America is on the Blue Highways
Sure, the interstate will get you there faster. I would never argue that it won’t. But here’s the thing: when you
drive the two-lane highways it does not matter how much time it takes. In fact, you might even want to keep on
driving and driving and driving because you are having so much fun. I have known this for a long time, but it came
back to me fresh this summer.
I live in Kansas City, Missouri, and my family lives in St. Louis. I normally take the train when I visit. This
summer, though, I had to drive because I was helping with a move. One weekend in June, I picked up my rented van
and slid onto Interstate 70 (I-70), which plows through the state, four lanes or six lanes straight across. The speed
limit is 75, people routinely drive 85, and the huge 18-wheelers loom over you as if to say, “Is that a car or a tiny little
bug that I could squish if I wanted to?” Four-and-a-half miserable hours later, I dragged myself into my sister’s
house. I was worn out.
I am not one of those people who think that driving is a chore. I love to drive. I love road trips. In my 20s, I
drove clunky old cars that probably should not have been allowed to leave the neighborhood all over the U.S. But for
me, the interstate takes the fun out of driving. Instead of enjoying the journey, a person is trying to get from Point A
to Point B as fast as possible. The road is flat and straight and all of the interesting stuff is up the exit ramp, a long
way away. Where is the joy in that?
So this summer, I bailed on I-70 and drove Highway 50 back and forth across Missouri. It took an hour
longer but it felt like no time at all because around every corner there was something new and different and
interesting. The highway roughly follows the Missouri River, which winds across the length of the state. From
Kansas City it is divided highway east through medium-sized cities like Warrensburg and Sedalia and on into
Jefferson City, the state capital, which sits right on the river. After that, it’s twisty two-lane roads that wind through
the hills and in to West St. Louis County. It is one gorgeous vista after another.
Highway 50 is what is called a blue highway. A writer named William Least-Heat Moon coined the term to
refer to those smaller, out-of-the-way roads that were drawn in blue on the old road atlases. Blue highways connect
small cities and rural areas that may once have had dreams of becoming big cities before being bypassed by the
interstate. With many of these smaller places, though, you get the sense that they are exactly what they always wanted
to be: warm and human-sized, comfortable places to live.
Driving on blue highways pulls you back in time. You look around, and it is America in the 1940s or 1950s.
There is the town square, with small shops and a courthouse in the place of honor. Most of the businesses are owned
by the people who live there; the corporate headquarters is in the back room. On Highway 50, for example, you can
find the best ever creamy frozen custard at a little shack on a gravel lot outside Tipton, and the best ever fried catfish
in a wee town called Rosebud an hour west of St. Louis. I could drive for days and never find anything else just like
that because it’s only made in that small town by those particular people.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
Right before you get into West St. Louis County, you run into that most famous of historic highways – Route
66. Americans drove Route 66 from Chicago to the Santa Monica, California, way back in the 1920s up until it was
officially removed from the highway system in 1985. It was THE road for people headed for the West Coast of
America.
I was born in a hospital in Rolla, Missouri, right on Route 66, and Route 66 is where I most feel that I belong.
Route 66, to me, represents America before we had the same stores at every mall and the same restaurants along
every Main Street. It represents an America where people could open a diner or a tourist attraction or a store on the
town square and do something unique and interesting and make a living at it. Today, the stretch of Route 66 from
Highway 50 to old Highway 100 in west St. Louis County is a shadow of what it once was, but it is a shadow that still
speaks to me in a way that the interstate never, ever will.
79. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
The author appeals to the emotions of the reader by using precise and descriptive language. How does the author
make interstate travel sound like a negative experience? List at least three examples from the article.
Part B
Write a paragraph that explains how the author used language to compare the travel experiences by using positive
language about the blue highways. Use at least three examples from the article to support your response.
Be sure to complete ALL parts of the task.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
80. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
In the article, the author discusses the joys of driving on the blue highways versus traveling on an interstate. Consider
the points the author makes for and against each type of travel.
• List two reasons for traveling on Interstate 70.
• List two reasons against traveling on the blue highways.
Part B
Use your reasons from Part A to write a paragraph about why the blue highways are not the best way to travel.
Support your response with personal experiences and details from the article.
Be sure to complete ALL parts of the task.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
81. This task has more than one (1) part. Read each part carefully and respond.
Part A
Based on the article, what are three reasons people would most likely want to travel the historical blue highways?
Part B
Explain why it is important to preserve the blue highways throughout the United States. Use your three reasons and
details from the article to support your response.
Be sure to complete ALL parts of the task.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
82. Imagine that this article consists of paragraphs 1-3 only. Based on those three paragraphs, write a fourth
paragraph that functions as a logical and appropriate conclusion.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
83. Read this line from the article.
Route 66, to me, represents America...
Write a three paragraph essay to explain whether the author is effective in proving that Route 66 represents America.
Use details from the article to support your response.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
84. The author uses the interrogative mood verb form in the following sentence.
Where is the joy in that?
Which option correctly rewrites the statement in the subjunctive mood verb form?
A. Who can feel joy in that?
B. Is there ever any joy in that?
C. There is never any joy in that
D. I wish that there were joy in that.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
Please read the selection below and then answer the questions that follow.
An Important Discovery
I stretched my body over the bar, gazing casually into the mirror to catch a glimpse of the other dancers
around me. They were warming up too, a routine we had all followed throughout many years of dance classes in
which we each competed in numerous dance competitions for the position of queen bee. No one could challenge our
pirouettes, our pliés, our arabesques. Our limbs stretched to the ground like weeping willows. For years, we had been
our teacher’s favorites, the ones who had always been asked to teach other students new steps or had always been
seen on center stage.
Now, with our hair swept into buns as tight as helmets, we were preparing for the first real competition many
of us had ever faced. A statewide, week-long dance competition was being sponsored by the Julia Swanson Ballet
Company, the goal of which was to recruit prospective members. To receive an invitation was such an honor; when I
showed my invitation to my dance instructor and classmates, they were green with envy. Most of us were on
scholarship to attend dance class, so being presented with this kind of opportunity was a rare occurrence.
In preparation for the upcoming competition, I worked out as never before—stretching, dancing, rehearsing
until I got new blisters on my already callused feet. We had been instructed which ballet we were to perform, so my
instructor and I went over it time and time again, taking advantage of what little time I had to prepare.
On the day of the competition, there I was among the other premier dancers, steadily stretching my hamstring
against the bar, which had suddenly become my lifeline and my anchor; my heart was racing. When I glanced across
the room, I saw that the judges wore masks with only their eyes visible behind a veil of speculation as they watched
us and waited for the competition to begin.
“Okay, everyone, line up and let’s begin!” announced the instructor. We all moved forward, a short wave of
black leotards and high expectations.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
The dance routine and the music were comfortingly familiar. As the music began, my body took control. Yet,
I found myself watching my reflection in the mirror, which seemed to be looking back at me, mocking my
performance critically.
”Way to go, Alicia. Your arms are the only ones off-center in the whole row,” my reflection sneered
scornfully.
“Who would ever invite you to dance with one of the most famous ballet companies in the country?” my
reflection hissed at me. I stumbled.
In shock over what had just happened, I stood still for a brief moment unable to believe I had made such a
clumsy mistake. In all my years of dancing, I had never once flubbed a performance and could always be counted on
to know the right steps. However, this time, I had stepped out of turn and had bumped into the dancer next to me, who
flashed an irritated look at me, and kept right on dancing.
Taking control of the situation, my feet thankfully began to move again. I began to feel the music carrying
me along like a wave... foot extended... point... arms up... I breathed to myself.
Then, as I looked to my right, I caught sight of the most graceful dancer I had ever seen. She moved like a
swan on water, with a fluid elegance that every dancer hoped to attain. For the rest of the performance, I moved on
autopilot, my eyes continually drawn to the wonderful dancer next to me with jealous admiration.
After the performance, we left the stage and walked down the stairs, entering the dressing room where we
toweled off and prepared for our second performance.
As the graceful girl walked past me, I could not help from saying, “You were fantastic—I can’t believe how
beautifully you move! How do you stay focused when you are dancing?”
She smiled and said with simple sincerity, “I don’t think about or watch myself move. I just listen to the
music and do what it tells me.”
I stood there disappointed in myself, realizing that I had spent the entire afternoon tortured by feelings of
inadequacy, and had missed the chance to dance, to really dance, in the company of some of the best dancers in the
state. Dancers who, like me, had given up other hobbies and other activities to devote themselves to dancing.
Yet, somehow I knew that even if I did not make it into the Julia Swanson Ballet Company...I had made an
important discovery.
As the music began to play again, we rushed out onto the stage. This time, with the pressure to perform
squashed to manageable proportions, I simply closed my eyes and did what the music told me to do.
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CRCT Review ELA (CRCTREVIEWELA)
85. Alicia’s attitude about auditioning changes after her conversation with the graceful dancer. How does her attitude
change by the conclusion of the story?
A. from feeling anxious to feeling self-critical
B. from feeling inadequate to feeling self-confident
C. from experiencing self-doubt to experiencing disappointment
D. from experiencing disappointment to experiencing self-consciousness
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