Name
Teacher
Test Prep 6
Student Packet
Period
6th Grade Test Prep
Nonfiction
Mentor: What Does the Nervous System Do (720L)
Exploring the Titanic (740L)
Songs of the Sea (820L)
Jump to It! (1120L)
The Incredible Story of China’s Buried Warriors (1220L)
The Bookworm Who Became a Science Fiction Writer (1030L)
p. 3
p. 5
p. 8
p. 11
p. 15
p. 20
Fiction
Mentor: Old Ramon (670L)
The March and the Shepherd (560L)
My Early Home (900L)
The Boggart (990L)
The Incautious Fox and the Foolish Wolf (910L)
Bud Not Buddy (1280L)
p. 24
p. 26
p. 28
p. 30
p. 33
p. 35
Poetry
Mentor: Throwing a Tree
Flight Plan
Big Sandy River
In My Mother’s Kitchen
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet p. 39
p. 41
p. 43
p. 45
2 Read this article and answer the questions that follow.
What Does the Nervous System Do?
1
2
3
4
How does the body know to breathe and move? The central nervous system
tells the body what to do. It is just one of the systems of the human body. This
is a very busy system because it is responsible for all the thinking humans do.
It also controls all the voluntary movements of the body and the involuntary
actions that keep a person alive, such as breathing, sleeping, and digesting food.
Where can people learn more about the central nervous system? There
are many books that people can read to learn more about the central nervous
system. The best book about the skeletal system is Bones, Calcium, and You.
The Internet also offers a lot of information. Of course, people can also talk
with doctors about this amazing body-messaging system.
How does the central nervous system work? Here is one example: if a person
wants to kick a soccerball, the brain sends a message to the foot to kick the ball.
The message is sent from the brain to the foot through nerves in the body. The
spinal cord connects the brain with the nerves to send messages back and forth.
Do people have to think about everything their bodies do? The answer is
no. Kicking a soccerball, jumping, or reading a book, are voluntary actions.
The person knows he or she wants to kick the ball and thinks about it before
it happens. Other actions are involuntary. People do not spend time thinking
about breathing. It happens because of the central nervous system.
1. Choose the most logical order for the paragraphs in this report.
A
B
C
D
1, 3, 4, 2
2, 3, 4, 1
3, 4, 2, 1
4, 2, 1, 3
2. The main purpose of this report is to
A
B
C
D
describe parts of the body that form the nervous system.
provide information about the nervous system.
persuade readers to learn more about the nervous system.
explain how to care for the nervous system.
3. Choose the best thesis statement for this report.
A
B
C
D
The nervous system is a topic that is covered in many publications.
The nervous system is just one of the many systems in the human body.
The nervous system controls voluntary and involuntary responses.
The nervous system controls human thinking, body movement, and functions.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 3 Read Paragraph 2.
Where can people learn more about the central nervous system? (2) There
are many books that people can read to learn more about the central
nervous system. (3) The best book about the skeletal system is Bones,
Calcium, and You. (4) The Internet also offers a lot of information. (5) Of
course, people can also talk with doctors about this amazing bodymessaging system.
4. Choose the sentence that should be deleted from this paragraph.
A
B
C
D
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 5
5. Choose the best concluding sentence for Paragraph 3.
A Though many of our actions are voluntary, the central nervous system also
carries out involuntary actions.
B When a person claps his or her hands, reads a book, or eats dinner, the brain
sends these messages through the central nervous system.
C Other examples of involuntary actions are when the heart beats or when food is
digested after a meal.
D The central nervous system is undeniably the busiest of all the systems
of the body.
6. Steven wants to find more information about the central nervous system. Choose the
source that will give him the most reliable information.
A a medical journal article about the central nervous system
B a diary entry from a person with a disorder affecting the central nervous system
C an Internet article about how poor digestion affects the central nervous
system
D a Web site listing ways to protect the central nervous system
Adapted from TCAP 2009 http://www.state.tn.us/education/assessment/achievement.shtml
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 4 On April 14, 1912, the passenger ship R.M.S. Titanic hit an iceberg in the North
Atlantic Ocean and sank. Robert Ballard led a search for the sunken ship in
1985. At the beginning of this selection, Ballard and his team are nearing the end
of their scheduled time at sea. Read the selection and answer the questions that
follow.
from Exploring the Titanic
by Robert D. Ballard
1
Then we had only five days left to go. The crunch had come. Suddenly the ocean
seemed huge, and our doubts began to grow. Was the Titanic really in our carefully
plotted search area? If so, surely something would have shown up on our monitor
screens by now. Were we looking in the wrong place? Would we return empty-handed? I
began to feel a rising panic.
2
In a last-ditch effort, we decided to check out a tiny portion of ocean bottom
that Jean-Louis and his SAR sonar system had missed because of strong currents. We
headed to that spot ten miles away.
Argo—the underwater vessel that
contained a video camera
3
But as we began to tow Argo back and forth across the new search area, our
hopes really began to fade. There was nothing down there. By now the routine inside
our control room had become mind-numbing: hour after hour of staring at video images
of flat bottom mud. On top of that, we were exhausted. The strain of it all was getting
to us, and the boredom was becoming unbearable. Then, with a bad turn in the weather
and only four days left, we reached our lowest point. I began to face total defeat.
4
Just after midnight, on September 1, I went to my bunk for some rest, and the
night shift led by Jean-Louis manned their stations. About an hour into their watch,
one of the team members asked the others, "What are we going to do to keep ourselves
awake tonight?" All they'd seen so far was mud and more mud, endless miles of
nothing. Stu Harris, who was busy flying Argo, didn't answer. His eyes were glued to
the Argo video monitor.
5
"There's something," he said, pointing to the screen. Suddenly every member of
the sleep watch was alive and alert. No one could believe it wasn't just another false
alarm, or a joke. But, no, there on the screen were clear images of things man-made. Stu
yelled, "Bingo!" The control room echoed with a loud "Yeah!" from the whole team,
and then wild shrieks and war-whoops. All sorts of wreckage began to stream by on
the screen. Then something different appeared — something large and perfectly round.
Jean-Louis checked in a book of pictures of the Titanic. He came across a picture of the
ship's massive boilers, used to burn coal and drive the engines. He couldn't believe his
eyes. He looked from book to video screen and back again. Yes, it was the same kind of
boiler!
6
I scrambled out of my bunk when I got the news and ran to the control room. We
replayed the tape of the boiler. I didn't know what to say. I turned to Jean-Louis. The
look in his eyes said everything. The Titanic had been found. We'd been right all along.
Then he said softly, "It was not luck. We earned it."
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 5 7
Our hunt was almost over. Somewhere very near us lay the R.M.S. Titanic.
8
Word had spread throughout the ship. People were pouring into the control room.
The place was becoming a madhouse. Everyone was shaking hands and hugging and
slapping each other on the back.
9
It was now almost two in the morning, very close to the exact hour of the
Titanic's sinking. Someone pointed to the clock on the wall. All of a sudden the room
became silent.
10
Here at the bottom of the ocean lay not only the graveyard of a great ship, but
of more than 1,500 people who had gone down with her. And we were the very first
people in seventy-three years to come to this spot to pay our respects. Images from the
night of the disaster --- a story I now knew by heart --- flashed through my mind.
11
Out on the stern of the Knorr, people had started to gather for a few moments of
silence in memory of those who had died on the Titanic. The sky was filled with stars;
the sea was calm. We raised the Harland & Wolff flag, the emblem of the shipyard in
Belfast, Ireland, that had built the great liner. Except for the shining moon overhead, it
was just like the night when the Titanic had gone down. I could see her as she slipped
nose first into the glassy water. Around me were the ghostly shapes of lifeboats and the
piercing shouts and screams of passengers and crew freezing to death in the water.
12
Our little memorial service lasted about ten minutes. Then I just said, "Thank
you all. Now let's get back to work."
Knorr—the research ship
used by Robert Ballard
7. According to the selection, how did crew members make certain that they had found
the correct ship?
A
B
C
D
They sent a diver down to explore the wreckage
They compared what they saw to old photographs
They had an expert examine the items they picked up
The saw the name of the ship on a piece of wreckage
8. What is the most likely reason paragraph 7 is so short?
A
B
C
D
to suggest the narrators doubts
to show how little time was left
to show the narrator's exhaustion
to highlight the drama of the event
9. Based on paragraphs 9 and 10, which reason best explains why "the room became
silent"?
A
B
C
D
The crew members realized they had a lot of work left to do.
The crew members were thinking about the tragedy of the Titanic.
The crew members did not want to wake others who were asleep.
The crew members were not certain that they actually found the Titanic.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 6 Read the sentences from paragraph 11 shown below.
. . . it was just like the night when the Titanic had gone down. I could see her as she
slipped nose first into the glassy water. Around me were the ghostly shapes of lifeboats
and the piercing shouts and screams of passengers and crew freezing to death in the water.
10. Which of the following best describes the sentences?
A
B
C
D
The narrator is watching a movie.
The narrator is imagining a scene.
The narrator is remembering his past.
The narrator is reading about an event.
11. Based on paragraphs 1 and 2, what is a "last-ditch effort"?
A
B
C
D
a deep dive into unexplored areas
a plan to do something dangerous
a final try to accomplish something
a way to correct a previous mistake
Based on the selection, describe the narrator's feelings about the search for and the discovery
of the sunken Titanic. Support your answer with important details from the selection.
Adapted from MCAS http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 7 Read this article and answer the questions that follow.
Songs of the Sea
by Catherine Stier
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
You have signed on for months of hard work. You're far from home. The pay
is bad. The food is worse. You find rare comfort in the simple songs that you
and your work mates sing.
This is what a sailor's life was like in the 1800s. The songs sung aboard ships
were called sea shanties (also spelled chanteys). You have probably heard a
shanty or two yourself. Many of these songs have lasted through the years.
They can often be found in surprising places today.
Sea Shanties Then . . .
Sea shanties were valuable friends to sailors. Some shanties, such as "Blow
the Man Down," had lively words and melodies. They broke up the boredom of
long trips. Other shanties, including one called "Oh, Shenandoah," had a sadder
tone. They helped seafarers express longing and loneliness. Still other shanties,
such as "Leave Her, Johnny," let sailors grumble about their hard lives.
But the first job of the sea shanty was to help the men work as a team. Ships
had sails that were controlled by a system of moving ropes. For many jobs, all
of the sailors had to tug on the ropes at once.
When faced with such a job, the shantyman, or song leader, began a tune.
The crew joined in on the chorus, and it might have sounded like a playful singalong. But when the sailors came to a certain beat, they knew it was the signal
to pull together with all their might.
Raising or lowering the anchor called for a rhythm with a slow, steady
motion. Then, the shantyman would choose a shanty with a slow, steady beat
to match the job. Each duty on the sailing ship had its own rhythm and its own
kind of song.
. . . and Sea Shanties Now
Sea shanties have been passed down to us in much the same way as folk
stories. Long ago, someone came up with a memorable idea and melody. Others
repeated the shanty, often adding changes along the way.
Over time, people saw the sea shanty for the treasure it was. Like any
treasure, shanties were collected. Many were written down in books.
Where do the old shanties pop up now? Today's musical artists love the fun,
beauty, and history of these songs. Many musicians, including Bob Dylan and
Harry Belafonte, have their own versions of "Oh, Shenandoah." One group, the
Robert Shaw Chorale, recorded a collection of shanties.
In Hollywood, shanties serve as a symbol of the sea. A fisherman sings
the shanty "Spanish Ladies" in the film Jaws. The cartoon character Woody
Woodpecker whistles "Blow the Man Down" when he finds himself aboard
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 8 11
12
a pirate's ship.
Today, shanties tell us about shipboard life more than one hundred years
ago. They help us understand what the working sailor sang and perhaps
thought about.
So the next time you're doing a boring task, try making up a tune to go along with it.
Time may pass more quickly, and your job may seem easier. Also, you may understand
why sailors loved those old songs of the sea.
12. Today, sea shanties are mainly used
A
B
C
D
to provide material for musical artists to record
to provide a source of music for Hollywood films
to help sailors work together aboard modern ships
to help people understand the lives of sailors of the past
13. The main purpose of the sea shanty in the 1800s was
A
B
C
D
to communicate with passing ships
to help sailors work together as a team
to allow sailors to complain about the food
to give sailors an opportunity to record their music
14. The author uses two subheadings within the article in order to
A
B
C
D
compare sea shanties to modern sailing songs
describe how popular sea shanties are with musicians
compare how sea shanties have used over the years been
describe how sea influenced Hollywood films shanties have
15. Which of these topics would be best to include in this article?
A
B
C
D
the work of sailors today
the cost of sailing ships in the 1800s
other sailing duties that were made easier by sea shanties
some music studios where sea shanties are recorded today
Read these sentences from the article.
Sea shanties have been passed down to us in much the same way as folk stories.
Long ago, someone came up with a memorable idea and melody.
16. In the second sentence, the word "memorable" means
A
B
C
D
easy to find
hard to understand
worth remembering
difficult to remember
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 9 17.
According to information in the article, a movie director today would most likely
use a shanty
A
B
C
D
to make a scene about sailors more realistic
to give a musician a chance to record the song
to make the crew's daily chores pass more quickly
to express the loneliness of making a film away from home
Adapted from NYS Assessment 2011 http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 10 Read these articles and answer the questions that follow.
SELECTION 1: Jump to It!
1. Americans have been frog-wild for jumping contests ever since Mark
Twain's famous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," was
published in the late 1800s.
2. One of the biggest contests is held in Calaveras County, California, the
setting of Twain's original story. "We'll jump frogs about 4,000 times,
about a thousand a day," says Laurie Giannini, an organizer of the Calaveras
County event.
3. Contestants come from all over the country to test their frogs in the home
of frog jumping, partly for the honor, but the prizes draw them, too. Beating the
world three-hop record of 21 feet, 5 3/4 inches will earn some lucky frog jockey
$5,000. Equaling the record will earn $1,000, and each year's winner gets $750.
4. That's big money for some people; how do you get your frog to do its best? Frogs
don't understand about money, and they're not very coachable. "You
can't train a frog," said Giannini. "A frog is going to do what it wants to."
Jump, Frog, Jump!
5. Getting a frog airborne is a very individual thing. "Everybody has their own
method," says Marsha Karley, with the Fair Oaks Fiesta Frog Jump in Fair Oaks,
California. "Some of them stamp behind them; some of them spray water on
them just before they jump." In Kernville, California, where they
hold a frog jump in February as part of the Flats Days celebration, cold
weather can sometimes play a role. "The frogs, they don't want to jump.
Contestants get warm water and put it in squirt guns and sort of encourage
them," says Ann Clements.
6. But according to Calaveras frog catcher Rod Dwelley, it's the call of the wild
that really sets a frog to hopping. "You want to have a really good jumping
frog, it needs to come right out of the wild," says Dwelley. "Frogs we rent to
people are getting used to people. They tend not to jump as far."
Rental Frogs?
7. It turns out that some of the jumping frogs you see at these contests are pros, shipped in
special for the event. Ann Clements concedes that the Flats Days Celebration looks
elsewhere for their jumping stock. "Actually, we get our frogs from Tennessee," she says.
8. Rayne, Louisiana, billed by residents as the Frog Capital of the World, also gets
a lot of their frogs from the frog market, though they are raised locally.
"We rent frogs," says Paul Kedinger, with the Rayne Frog Festival in Rayne,
Louisiana, "but we do have some people who go out and catch their own."
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 11 SELECTION 2: Frogs Help This Family Stay Together
Sam Richards
9. Gabby is learning the finer points of coaxing the frogs to jump by pounding the
ground behind them. It takes open hands, palms to the ground, repeated as
needed to make the frog jump—straight ahead, ideally.
10. Lisa Fasano said that, even last year, baby Gabby was really getting the hang
of it in practice. But she wilted under the glare of the spotlight at last year's
contest in Angels Camp.
11. "She was star-struck, and she just sat there looking at everyone," said Lisa, 32. It's
hoped a more mature Gabby will fare better this year.
12. There are hundreds of children among the 2,300-or-so contestants each year, said
Buck King, manager of the Calaveras County Fair and former longtime manager
of the Jumping Frog Jubilee.
13. In 20 years of jumping jubilees, King said he's seen it all: giant African
bullfrogs, toads "as big as wash tubs" that couldn't jump, a three-legged
overall champion in 1996, even a "circus side show" one year featuring frogs
dressed as circus performers.
14. "Lots of people sign their toddlers in there to make the frogs jump," King
said. "If they win, it's something else."
15. A champion setting a world record wins $5,000; a non-record winner walks
away with $1,500.
16. Frogs aren't really trainable, and the Fasanos and other competitors must
discover raw talent in ponds, canals and swamps. The Fasanos make several
trips a year to their favorite bullfrog breeding ground, canals "somewhere
in the San Joaquin Valley," to catch their jumpers. Frank won't name exact
locations: "It's very competitive out there, and it's kind of a family secret."
17. Between now and May, Frank, Lisa and their relatives will catch at least 150 frogs
for auditions.
18. They won't get names, and almost all eventually get released near where they're
caught.
19. What started in 1959, when Frank's father Gene Fasano and Frank's uncle,
Frank Borrelli, went from their native Gustine to their first Jumping Frog
Jubilee has become a true family affair since then, Frank Fasano said. Gene
has missed only one Calaveras jubilee since then, for his wedding.
20. The frog catching, usually at night with floodlights and nets, is as much
bonding experience as the contest itself, Frank Fasano said. And if it wasn't
frogs that kept the Fasanos close, he said, it would probably be something else.
21. "It's all about the family getting together, and we've got an activity we can
call our own," he said.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 12 18.
In SELECTION 1, what was the author's main purpose?
A
B
C
D
to write a serious historical study of frog jumping C
to write an essay that is critical of frog- jumping contests
to write a scientific analysis of why some frogs jump farther than others
to write an entertaining article that provides details about frog-jumping
contests
19. What was the author's main purpose in writing SELECTION 2?
A
B
C
D
to identify the better locations to find jumping frogs in California
to describe frog-jumping contests from the viewpoint of contestants
to persuade more people to participate in frog-jumping contests
to compare the contest in Calaveras County with other contests around the
country
"Lisa Fasano said that, even last year, baby Gabby was really getting the hang of it
in practice. But she wilted under the glare of the spotlight at last year's contest in
Angels Camp. " 'She was star-struck, and she just sat there looking at everyone ... .' "
20. What does the word wilted mean as it is used in the second sentence above?
A
B
C
D
lost her confidence
became thirsty
lost all strength
became ill
21. The section in SELECTION 1 titled "Rental Frogs?" includes which piece of
information?
A
B
C
D
The Flats Days Celebration is held in February
Wild frogs may jump further than rented frogs
People rent or catch frogs for the Rayne Frog Festival
Contestants use different ways to get their frogs to jump.
22. According to SELECTION 2, why did Gene Fasano miss the Calaveras County
event one year?
A
B
C
D
His granddaughter Gabby was born.
He could not find a good frog
His son entered in his place.
He was getting married
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 13 23.
In SELECTION 2, Frank Fasano claims " 'it's very competitive out there.'
"Which statement from SELECTION 1 supports this claim?
A "Contestants come from all over the country to test their frogs in the home of
frog jumping ...."
B "Frogs don't understand about money, and they're not very coachable."
C "Getting a frog airborne is a very individual thing."
D "'Contestants get warm water and put it in squirt guns and sort of encourage
them ....'"
"Frogs don't understand about money, and they're not very coachable."
24.
In the sentence above, what does the word formed by the root word coach and
the suffix - able mean?
A
B
C
D
having the capacity to be taught
in the manner of a teacher
in a forward direction
showing great ability
In the fifth paragraph of PASSAGE 1, Marsha Karley says, "Everybody has their own
method." Explain what Karley means by "method" and identify an example from either
passage.
Adapted from OAA http://ohio3-8.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 14 Over two thousand years ago, China's first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, had thousands of
life-size clay soldiers created to guard him in his tomb. The first of these statues was
found in 1974, and they are still being unearthed today. Read the passage about these
ancient warriors and answer the questions that follow.
from The Incredible Story of China's Buried Warriors
by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
DISCOVERY
1
One morning in the early spring of 1974, a couple of farmers in the
countryside near Xi'an, a large city in central China, decided to dig a well. As
they turned over the soil, broken pieces of statues began to emerge. It wasn't
the first time people in the area had found such things. Over the years bits of
pottery, the heads and arms of ancient statues, and occasionally even an entire
clay figure had been unearthed. Archaeologists—scientists who study the way
people lived long ago—were fascinated by these findings. So when they heard
about the farmers' new discovery, they were quick to investigate.
2
The archaeologists dug carefully in all directions from the site of the well. As
they worked, they were astonished to find a huge underground vault filled with
thousands of life-size warriors made of terra-cotta, a kind of hard-baked clay.
Along with the very real-looking soldiers were many full-size horses, weapons,
and the remains of wooden chariots. Three smaller pits were also found. Two of
these contained more soldiers and warhorses. Altogether it was an amazing find
—a gigantic army frozen in time for more than two thousand years.
An Underground Empire
3
4
The terra-cotta warriors were buried about a mile east of the tomb of China's
first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi. Shihuangdi lived in the third century b.c. The
location of his tomb, under a large mound of earth that rises 250 feet (76
meters) above the surrounding plains, has been known for centuries. But no one
knew that a huge army lay hidden nearby. What was it doing there?
TO LIVE FOREVER
Qin Shihuangdi had two goals in life. The first was to unite China. The
second was to live forever. He believed that he could achieve his second goal
and become immortal if he could just find a substance called the elixir of life.
During his reign Shihuangdi made five journeys to sacred mountains in search
of that magical potion.
The Eternal City
5
Even as Shihuangdi searched for immortality, he was building his own tomb
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 15 and underground empire. Perhaps he thought that if he could not find eternal
life in the physical world, he might at least live forever in the world of the
spirits.
6
Work on the tomb complex began shortly after the First Emperor came to
power and continued throughout his rule. More than 700,000 people labored on
the project, but it was still not completed by the time the emperor died thirty-six
years later.
7
Shihuangdi's underground city is the largest known tomb complex devoted
to a single ruler. From the giant mound of earth that rises above the tomb itself,
the city stretches for more than nine miles (fifteen kilometers) in all directions.
So far, archaeologists working at the site have uncovered the remains of a
palace as well as miniature bronze chariots, perhaps intended to help the
emperor's soul on its journeys after death. They have uncovered the skeletons
of people, horses, and rare animals. Their most interesting find so far, however,
are the pits holding the First Emperor's clay army. The largest of these pits is
775 feet (236 meters) long and 321 feet (98 meters) wide—about the size of
five football fields.
"A Sea of Warriors"
8
Thousands of warrior statues stand poised for battle in the pits near the
emperor's tomb, ready to protect and defend his fabulous eternal city.
Shihuangdi's real army was reportedly one million strong, "a sea of warriors
with the courage of tigers." The statues were meant to represent these
courageous soldiers as closely as possible.
9
Of the thousands of clay warriors unearthed so far, no two are exactly alike.
Young men eager for battle stand beside older, more thoughtful soldiers. A
general calmly surveys his troops, while a broad-cheeked swordsman glares
fiercely. Because each statue has its own unique personality—and because they
all look so lifelike—some archaeologists believe that soldiers in the emperor's
living army must have posed for them.
10
The Qin army was made up of the tallest, strongest men in the empire. The
terra-cotta warriors are tall, too. On average the figures are 5 feet, 11 inches
(1.8 meters) in height. Some are as tall as 6 feet, 7 inches (2 meters)—probably
taller than any of the emperor's real warriors.
Dressed for War
11
The faces of the statues show that the emperor's army included men
from many different parts of China. Some figures have the facial features of
present-day farmers from China's plains, while others look like shepherds
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 16 from the country's northern grasslands. Altogether the statues represent ten
different head shapes. To the Chinese, each shape indicated a different type of
personality. For example, a person with a broad forehead and pointed chin was
thought to be watchful and alert. Many warriors with these features are found
in the front of the clay army, where a special alertness to approaching danger
would be valuable.
12
The statues' hairstyles vary, too. Most of the warriors have long hair that is
braided and gathered up into a knot on top of the head. Some wear the knots
in the center of the head, others off to a side. Some have a beard or mustache,
while others are clean-shaven.
13
Clothing styles also vary greatly. Armor capes in many different styles
protect the warriors' chests, shoulders, and upper arms. In real life these armor
garments were made of leather with pieces of bronze attached. Some warriors
lack armor, allowing them to move quickly. The army's leaders look different
from the foot soldiers. The generals wear double-layered robes with plates of
armor across the chest, and the tips of their shoes turn up. While most of the
lower-ranking soldiers are bareheaded, those of higher rank may wear flat caps.
14
In some cases clothing style has helped archaeologists identify the regions
the emperor's soldiers came from. For example, the style of clothing and the
skullcaps worn by the cavalrymen (soldiers who ride on horseback) indicate
that these soldiers came from the lands along China's northern borders. The
northern peoples were known as skilled horsemen, so it is not surprising that
they would be chosen to serve in the great army's cavalry.
15
All the many different statues, arrayed in battle formation, form a strong
and balanced force, ready to face any enemy. Like the real army of Qin, the
terra- cotta warriors seem well able to protect an empire.
Warhorses
16
Unlike the warriors, the horses that serve in the First Emperor's clay army
are not unique individuals. More than six hundred chariot and cavalry horses
have been uncovered, all with the same basic form. Each horse is life-size, at
5 feet, 8 inches (1.7 meters) tall. Each is powerfully built, with a sturdy body
and strong legs. The manes are cut short and the forelocks (locks of hair on the
forehead) are divided in half and brushed to the sides. The horses look alert,
with heads raised and ears pricked forward.
17
Four chariot horses stand side by side before each chariot. Their harnesses,
made of golden beads and bronze tubes, have fallen from their bodies. The
cavalry horses wear blankets topped with saddles. The saddles were shaped
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 17 from clay and painted in shades of red, white, brown, and blue. Each
cavalry horse also has a bronze bit as well as a bridle and reins made from
stone tubes strung on wires.
18
Before the pits were discovered, historians thought that the saddle was
invented during a later dynasty. Now we know that the Qin also saddled their horses.
25. In paragraph 2, what does the phrase "frozen in time" suggest about the
figures?
A
B
C
D
They had been buried by accident.
They had been preserved by the cold.
They had been untouched for centuries.
They had been abandoned during a war.
Read the sentences from paragraph 3 below.
But no one knew that a huge army lay hidden nearby. What was it doing there?
26. What is the most likely purpose of the sentences?
A
B
C
D
to question the value of the discovery
to suggest that statues had been moved
to challenge the research of the scientists
to create a sense of mystery about the find
27. Based on the passage, what was the main purpose of the items found in the tomb
complex?
A
B
C
D
to trick the emperor's enemies
to protect the emperor in the afterlife
to show the emperor possessed wealth
to show the skill of the emperor's artists
28. In paragraph 8, the description "a sea of warriors with the courage of tigers" is
meant to suggest
A
B
C
D
the army's size and power.
the soldiers' great independence.
the soldiers' cruelty and suffering.
the army's demanding assignments.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 18 29.
Based on the passage, what is one conclusion archaeologists have reached
about the statues?
A
B
C
D
They were used to deceive enemies.
They may represent individual people.
They were made of a variety of materials.
They may have come from different periods of time.
30. According to the passage, the statues' facial features and clothing provide a clue
to
A
B
C
D
the age ranges of the soldiers.
how healthy the soldiers were.
where the soldiers came from.
the religious beliefs of the soldiers.
31. What is the main purpose of the section "Dressed for War"?
A
B
C
D
to provide historical information about battles
to give details about the appearance of the statues
to describe how the statues have been damaged by weather
to explain how the uniforms are similar to those worn today
32.
According to the section "Warhorses," which detail of the statues most surprised
historians?
A
B
C
D
the saddles
the chariots
the blankets
the harnesses
Read the sentences from paragraph 1 below.
It wasn't the first time people in the area had found such things. Over the years bits
of pottery, the heads and arms of ancient statues, and occasionally even an entire
clay figure had been unearthed.
33. Based on the sentences, what does the word unearthed most likely mean?
A
B
C
D
described
destroyed
enclosed
exposed
Adapted from MCAS 2011 http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 19 Aliens, robots, and time machines. Not everyone is interested in them, but Isaac Asimov
was, from a very early age. Asimov was one of the most creative modern science fiction
authors—you may have seen the movie I, Robot, based on his work. Read the article
about Isaac Asimov's life and answer the questions that follow.
The Bookworm Who Became a Science Fiction Writer
by Marc McCutcheon
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6
7
A microscopic team of humans in a minuscule submarine cruises through
the veins of a sick man's body... A robot takes desperate measures to become
human... Citizens of an alien world panic as they witness their first nightfall in
1,000 years...
These are the plots of just three of the wondrous stories either written or cowritten by Isaac Asimov, one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time.
Asimov, who started writing at the age of 11, wrote in nearly every category —
history, science, language, religion, geography, chemistry, ecology, math,
mystery, reference, juvenile, humor — but it is his science fiction works that he is
most famous for. Chances are good that you or somebody in your family has read a
short story or book by Asimov or seen a movie based on one.
Few authors top him in sheer production, as he wrote nearly 350 books! And his
scientific essays and science fiction stories have inspired numbers of readers to
become either scientists or science fiction writers themselves. So how did the
young Isaac gain the ability and talent necessary to write so many books? What
kind of childhood led him to imagine robots, space travel and life in the future?
Isaac was born in Russia in 1920, then was taken by his parents to America
when he was three. He taught himself how to read at age four and began to
write stories when he was 11. He graduated from high school at 15. Because
his family was too poor to buy books, Isaac went to the local library. In his
autobiography, he recalls himself at age nine:
read omnivorously—read
anything available
I read omnivorously and without guidance. I would stumble on books about
Greek myths and fell in love with that world. When I discovered... the Iliad and
the Odyssey, Itook them out of the library regularly. I enjoyed them and read and
reread them, often beginning again as soon as I had finished, until I had almost
memorized them... I read Dumas and Dickens and Louisa May Alcott
gamut--range
and, indeed, almost the entire gamut of 19th-century fiction.
Isaac read some books as many as 26 times! As most bookworms do, he
preferred reading to any other activity. Because of this and because his parents
needed him to work long hours in their candy store in New York, he spent little
time with friends or playing like other kids. But it was in the candy store that he
found the time to read. You might feel sorry for Isaac, but he didn't feel sorry for
himself.
Although Isaac was a voracious reader, meaning no matter how many books he
read it just wasn't enough, he didn't discover science fiction until he was 10.
He stumbled upon the monthly magazines Amazing Stories and Astounding
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 20 8
9
10
11
12
13
Stories and from the first few pages, was hooked. Astounding Stories was the
best science fiction magazine of its day, and some of America's most
imaginative writers contributed stories to it. The tales of aliens, robots and time
machines so enthralled Isaac that he would often retell them to groups of fellow
junior high students on the sidewalk outside of school.
Isaac not only read and reread every issue of these magazines (luckily, his
father stocked them in the candy shop so he could read them for free!), he
critique—
review, evaluate
would also write to their editors and critique each story. Some of his letters
were even published. As Isaac learned more about science fiction, he began to
believe that he could write as well as some of the authors he was reading. Why
not try?
Although Isaac had penned his first story at age 11, it wasn't until his mid- teens
that he began to get serious. He then churned out a rapid succession of stories,
which he submitted to the editors at Astounding Stories and Amazing Stories. His
first dozen efforts were rejected, but Isaac persevered. He worked
tirelessly at becoming a better writer. At 18, he wrote a story called "Marooned
Off Vesta." It earned him the breakthrough he was waiting for — it was
published in Amazing Stories a few months later, and Isaac giddily collected
his first writing check for $64 (approximately $820 in today's dollars). The rest, as
they say, is history.
Asimov eventually sold nearly everything he wrote. This included short
stories with such titles as "Ring Around the Sun"; "The Martian Way"; "I,
Robot"; and "Stowaway." Today his short stories have been collected in no less
than 33 volumes. Among his best works is a story entitled "Nightfall," which he
wrote when he was just 20. The members of the Science Fiction Writers of
America voted it the greatest science fiction story ever written.
One key to Asimov's popularity was his simple writing style; another was his
attention to accuracy. Unlike many writers of his day, his science fiction had
real science in it. When he wrote that the sun was 93 million miles away or that the
sound of an explosion could not be heard in space, readers could be assured he was
right.
While many authors describe their work as difficult — even agonizing —
Asimov never did. He loved to write. He wrote as much as 18 hours a day, even
when he was sick. He wrote on his birthday. He wrote on holidays. And it was this
passion for his craft that made him so successful. At the peak of his career, he sold
a piece every six days.
Isaac Asimov's career came full circle in 1976 when a new science fiction
magazine was named after him. Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine is still being
published today and is cultivating a whole new generation of awardwinning authors. In 1987 he was given the ultimate recognition from his
peers: the coveted Grand Master of Science Fiction award for his lifetime of
achievements in the field. He died in 1992.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 21 34.
What is the most likely reason the author uses examples of story plots in
paragraph 1?
A
B
C
D
to show the reader how characters are created
to introduce the reader to science fiction writing
to persuade the reader to write science fiction
to show the reader different approaches to writing
35. Which fact about Asimov's early life best predicted his future
career?
A
B
C
D
He moved to the United States with his parents
He read books at the library instead of buying them
He helped his parents in their New York candy store
He taught himself to read when he was four years old
36. Based on paragraph 9, for which of his stories did Asimov receive the most
praise?
A
B
C
D
"Ring Around the Sun"
"The Martian Way"
"Stowaway"
"Nightfall"
37. Based on paragraph 10, what is a main reason Asimov's work is
respected?
A
B
C
D
He made sure the information in his stories was correct
He wrote stories about a great variety of subjects
He included entertaining characters in his stories.
He wrote more stories than any other writer.
38. Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine is still being published today and is cultivating a
whole new generation of award-winning authors. Based on the article, what does the
phrase "cultivating a whole new generation of...authors" most likely mean?
A
B
C
D
The magazine may inspire its readers to become writers
The magazine gives readers information about Asimov's life
The magazine continues to reprint some of Asimov's best stories.
The magazine sponsors a writing contest similar to one Asimov won.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 22 Read the sentence from paragraph 6 below.
"The tales of aliens, robots and time machines so enthralled Isaac that he would often
retell them to groups of fellow junior high students on the sidewalk outside of school."
39. Based on the sentence, what does the word enthralled most likely
mean?
A
B
C
D
troubled
satisfied
distracted
fascinated
Based on the article, describe the qualities that Isaac Asimov had that led him to become a
successful science fiction writer. Support your answer with important details from the article.
Adapted from MCAS 2008 http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 23 Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
Old Ramón
1
Old Ramón and the boy sat by the fire eating in the silence of good appetites.
Old Ramón cleaned off his plate and set it down beside him and drained his
third cup of black coffee and set the cup down on the plate. The boy finished
too and set his plate down beside him and his cup on it. Old Ramón reached to
his own cup and rattled it a little on the plate and looked at the boy. The boy
looked straight back at him in the firelight. "I prepared the food." Old Ramón
thumped a hand on the ground. "And I took care of the ticks." He pushed up to
his feet. "There is one way to decide such a thing. We will toss the coin."
He searched his pocket of his shapeless old trousers that had been patched
until there was little of the original cloth left and had patches on the patches.
He pulled out a small round piece of metal that shone in the firelight from the
constant rubbing against the cloth of the pocket.
2
"I will take the heads," said Old Ramón. He flipped the coin spinning in
the air and caught it in his right hand and slapped it down on his left wrist. He
peered at it. "Ah, it is the heads. Do you see?" He held the wrist toward the boy,
and the boy too peered at the coin.
3
Slowly the boy rose and began to gather the dishes. He was turning toward
the pool that had settled now clear and clean in the dim darkness when Old
Ramón spoke, softly, with a small chuckle in his voice. . . . "I cannot do it.
To one who thinks himself so clever like my cousin Pablo, yes. To the son
of my patron, no. Look you now at this and see." He held out the coin and
turned it over slowly between his fingers. Both of the sides were the same.
40. What did the boy mean when he looked at Old Ramón and said, "I prepared the
food"?
A
B
C
D
He had done his share of the work.
He wanted to be thanked.
He did not know how to do anything else .
He was proud of his work.
41. Why did Old Ramón want to toss the coin?
A
B
C
D
To settle something fairly
To play a trick on the boy
To show his skill in catching the coin
To see if heads or tails would come up
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 24 42. Why would Old Ramón not mind tossing his coin for his cousin Pablo?
A
B
C
D
Pablo was a relative.
Pablo thought he was too smart to be fooled.
Pablo was older than the boy.
Pablo was easy to fool.
43. Who is the boy?
A
B
C
D
Ramón's son
Ramón's cousin
The boy Ramón hired to be his helper
The son of someone important to Ramón
44. Where are the boy and Old Ramón eating?
A
B
C
D
Outdoors by a campfire
At a table in a cottage
In a café or restaurant
At a picnic table in a park
45. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A
B
C
D
The boy knew all of the time that Ramón was fooling him.
The old man never intended to fool the boy.
The old man could not go through with his plan to fool the boy.
Old Ramón would never let his patron's son wash his dishes.
Adapted from LEAP/ILEAP 2011 http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/assessment
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 25 In this folktale from Tuscany, a region of Italy, a shepherd tries to stay a step ahead of
March weather. Read the folktale and then answer the questions that follow.
The March and the Shepherd
by Domenico Vittorini
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2
3
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5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
One morning at the very beginning of spring, a shepherd led his sheep to
graze, and on the way he met March.
"Good morning," said March. "Where are you going to take your sheep to
graze today?"
"Well, March, today I am going to the mountains."
"Fine, Shepherd. That's a good idea. Good luck." But to himself March said,
"Here's where I have some fun, for today I'm going to fix you."
And that day in the mountains the rain came down in buckets. It was a
veritable deluge. The shepherd, however, had watched March's face very
carefully and noticed a mischievous look on it. So instead of going to the
mountains, he had remained in the plains. In the evening, upon returning
home, he met March again.
"Well, Shepherd, how did it go today?"
"It couldn't have been better. I changed my mind and went to the plains. A very
beautiful day. Such a lovely warm sun."
"Really? I'm glad to hear it," said March, but he bit his lip in vexation.
"Where are you going tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow I'm going to the plains, too. With this fine weather, I would be
crazy if I went up to the mountains."
"Oh, really? Fine! Farewell."
And they parted.
But the shepherd didn't go to the plains again. He went to the mountains. And
on the plains March brought rain and wind and hail—a punishment indeed from
heaven. In the evening he met the shepherd homeward bound.
"Good evening, Shepherd. How did it go today?"
"Very well indeed. Do you know? I changed my mind again and went to the
mountains after all. It was heavenly there. What a day! What a sky! What a sun!"
"I'm really happy to hear it, Shepherd. And where are you going tomorrow?"
"Well, tomorrow I'm going to the plains. I see dark clouds over the
mountains. I wouldn't want to find myself too far from home."
To make a long story short, whenever the shepherd met March, he always told
him the opposite of what he planned to do the next day, so March was never able
to catch him. The end of the month came, and on the last day, the thirtieth,
March said to the shepherd, "Well, Shepherd, how is everything?"
"Things couldn't be any better. This is the end of the month and I'm out of
danger. There's nothing to fear now. I can begin to sleep peacefully."
"That's true," said March. "And where are you going tomorrow?"
The shepherd, certain that he had nothing to fear, told March the truth.
"Tomorrow," he said," I shall go to the plains. The distance is shorter and the
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 26 21
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23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
work less hard."
"Fine. Farewell."
March hastened to the home of his cousin April and told her the whole story. "I
want you to lend me at least one day," he said. "I am determined to catch this
shepherd." Gentle April was unwilling but March coaxed so hard that finally she
consented.
The following morning the shepherd set off for the plains. No sooner had his
flock scattered than there arose a storm that chilled his very heart. The sharp wind
howled and growled, snow fell in thick, icy flakes, hail pelted down. It was all the
shepherd could do to get his sheep back into the fold.
That evening as the shepherd huddled in a corner of his hearth, silent and
melancholy, March paid him a visit.
"Good evening, Shepherd," he said.
"Good evening, March."
"How did it go today?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," said the shepherd. "I can't understand what
happened. Not even in the middle of January have I ever seen a storm like the
one on the plains today. It seemed as if all the devils had broken loose from
hell. Today I had enough rough weather to last me the whole year. And oh,
my poor sheep!"
Then at last was March satisfied.
And from that time on March has had thirty-one days because, as it is said in
Tuscany, the rascal never returned to April the day he borrowed from her.
46. Based on paragraph 8, what is true about March?
A
B
C
D
47.
He wants to visit the mountains.
He does not mean what he says.
He wants the shepherd to be happy.
He does not think the shepherd should leave.
Based on the folktale, which of the shepherd's statements most likely makes March
the happiest?
A
B
C
D
"'I changed my mind again . . .'" (paragraph 14)
"'Things couldn't be any better.'" (paragraph 18)
"'This is the end of the month . . .'" (paragraph 18)
"'I'd rather not talk about it,'" (paragraph 28)
48. Based on paragraphs 17 and 18, what does the shepherd believe?
A
B
C
D
that March is sorry for his earlier actions
that he can continue to fool March forever
that March has run out of time to bother him
that he can convince March to leave him alone
Adapted from MCAS 2009 http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 27 This selection from the classic tale, Black Beauty, tells of a horse's life as a young colt.
Read the selection and answer the questions that follow.
My Early Home
From Black Beauty
by Anna Sewell
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a
pond of clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned over it, and rushes and waterlilies grew at the deep end. Over the hedge on one side we looked into a plowed
field, and on the other we looked over a gate at our master's house, which stood
by the roadside; at the top of the meadow was a grove of fir trees, and at the
bottom a running brook overhung by a steep bank.
While I was young I lived upon my mother's milk, as I could not eat grass. In
the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down close by her. When it was
hot we used to stand by the pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was cold
we had a nice warm shed near the grove.
As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out to work in
the daytime, and come back in the evening.
There were six young colts in the meadow besides me; they were older than
I was; some were nearly as large as grown-up horses. I used to run with them,
and had great fun; we used to gallop all together round and round the field
as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had rather rough play, for they would
frequently bite and kick as well as gallop.
One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother whinnied to me
to come to her, and then she said:
"I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to you. The colts who
live here are very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts, and of course they
have not learned manners. You have been well-bred and well-born; your
father has a great name in these parts, and your grandfather won the cup two
years at the New market races; your grandmother had the sweetest temper of
any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never seen me kick or bite. I
hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your
work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or
kick even in play."
I have never forgotten my mother's advice; I knew she was a wise old horse,
and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess, but he often
called her Pet.
Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodging, and
kind words; he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his little children. We were
all fond of him, and my mother loved him very much. When she saw him at the
gate she would neigh with joy, and trot up to him... All the horses would come
to him, but I think we were his favorites. My mother always took him to the
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 28 9
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gig—a horse-drawn carriage
town on a market day in a light gig.
There was a plowboy, Dick, who sometimes came into our field to pluck
blackberries from the hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted he would
have what he called fun with the colts, throwing stones and sticks at them to
make them gallop. We did not much mind him, for we could gallop off; but
sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us.
One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the
next field; but he was there, watching what was going on; over the hedge he
jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box on the
ear as made him roar with the pain and surprise. As soon as we saw the master
we trotted up nearer to see what went on.
"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase the colts. This is not the first time,
nor the second, but it shall be the last. There—take your money and go
home; I shall not want you on my farm again." So we never saw Dick
anymore. Old Daniel, the man who looked after the horses, was just as
gentle as our master, so we were well off
49. Based on paragraph 6, how is the narrator different from the other colts?
A
B
C
D
He has a father who watches out for him.
He is expected to do finer things with his life.
He is more shy and hesitant to join in the games.
He lives in better quarters and enjoys more freedom.
50. In paragraph 7, why does the narrator mention that the master has a nickname for
Duchess?
A
B
C
D
to show that Duchess is special to the master
to show why the other horses resent Duchess
to show why the other horses treat Duchess differently
to show that Duchess needs extra attention from the master
51. What do paragraphs 10 and 11 best show about the master?
A
B
C
D
He expects people to be hard workers.
He is impatient with people who disobey him.
He is very strict with his horses and his workers.
He cares deeply about protecting his horses and his
farm.
52. What is the main purpose of paragraphs 1 and 2 in the selection?
A
B
C
D
to summarize the plot
to explain the conflict
to describe the setting
to present the characters
Adapted from MCAS 2008http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 29 What is a boggart? Not many people know, but the Volniks—Robert and Maggie, and
their children, Emily and Jessup—are about to find out that they have a boggart in their
house. Read the selection to find out more about this interesting character. Then answer
the questions that follow.
The Boggart
by Susan Cooper
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
The Boggart began his tricks gently. Over his centuries of mischief, he
had learned not to rush things. The temptation was, of course, to dive into
someone's life like a puppy running rampage in a tidy room; to turn everything
upside down, all at once, in a great gleeful eruption of trickery. But that was
like gobbling a whole bag of candy in five minutes. In the long run, there was
much more fun to be had by taking your time.
So in a leisurely, temperate way, he started by hiding things. Robert left
his razor on the bathroom window sill as usual after his morning shave, came
back next morning and reached for it sleepily-and found it gone. He turned the
whole bathroom upside down in a furious unsuccessful search, and only when
he was frustrated, cross and late for an appointment did Maggie come across the
razor quite by accident in the bedroom.
Where did you find it?
On your bedside table.
What on earth was it doing there?
I guess you put it there, honey. . . .
And the Boggart sat there listening, smiling. He would not play another
trick on Robert until he had similarly removed Emily's algebra book from her
bedroom desk to the kitchen vegetable rack, Maggie's favorite hat from the
hallway coatrack to the upstairs linen cupboard, and Jessup's hockey stick to
the basement laundry room. And in a careful patterning these tricks would be
interspersed with others.
For instance, the Boggart enjoyed moving a chair or a lamp two feet away
from its customary place, so that it had to be moved back, usually by Robert,
with muttered threats against the life of the once-a-week cleaning lady. If Emily
tidied a bedroom drawer, the Boggart jumbled things up again. When Jessup
organized all the books on his shelves alphabetically, by subject and author,
the Boggart moved them into a different order overnight-using what he felt
was an artistic pattern, with all the vowels lumped together in the middle of
the alphabet. And when Maggie filled the sugar bowl with sugar one day, she
found next morning that it was full of salt. The discovery was rather noisy,
since Robert had just put a heaping spoonful into his breakfast coffee, stirred it
briskly and taken a large gulp.
The family reacted to all this in a satisfyingly predictable manner. At first
each of them blamed himself or herself, for absent-mindedness. How could I
have been dumb enough to leave that there? they would think, helplessly. But
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet customary—usual
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after a while they began privately to suspect that the absentmindedness
belonged to someone else. It was Maggie who moved my razor, but she's
forgotten. Slowly this became a mutual irritation, and as the Boggart's tricks
became progressively more obvious, it grew into a conviction, in everyone's
separate mind, that some other member of the family was deliberately playing
practical jokes.
Em, I wish you'd stop changing the books on my shelves. It's not funny.
I haven't touched your books.
You must have-who else would do it?
The Boggart hugged himself as he listened to the spurts and flares of
impatience. This was the first part of the game, the prelude. This beginning
time was his private pleasure, the time in which only he knew what was really
happening. Very soon they would all move to the next: to the moment when he
would push them over the edge, into the delicious discovery of the real
inventor of all the tricks and jokes. After that there would come a different
pleasure; they would realize that they had a boggart in the house, and live with
him according to the time-honored rules. He would keep them from becoming
bored; they would, on the whole, enjoy him. And he would be part of the
quirky—strange, unusual
family, like a quirky but valued relative.
...
So the Boggart looked ahead in happy anticipation, not knowing that he was
living now in a world which no longer believed in boggarts, a world which
had driven out the Old Things and buried the Wild Magic deep under layers of
reason and time.
53. What does paragraph 1 mostly suggest about the Boggart?
A
B
C
D
He has stolen candy as part of his tricks.
He has developed a method for his trickery
He likes to play tricks quickly and then leave.
He likes to blame family pets for his trickery.
54. What do paragraphs 3-7 suggest?
A
B
C
D
The family often argues about the Boggart.
The family is unaware that the Boggart is with them.
The Boggart enjoys bringing happiness to the family.
The Boggart helps the family when items are missing.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 31 55.
In paragraph 9, what does the phrase "mutual irritation" show about how
the family members react to the Boggart's tricks?
A
B
C
D
They have become suspicious of each other
They pretend that the tricks will stop happening
They feel that the Boggart is becoming too dangerous.
They have become determined to get rid of the Boggart
56. What does the Boggart's reaction in paragraph 13 indicate about his mood?
A
B
C
D
He is planning to move out of the house.
He is looking forward to what will occur next
He is beginning to regret that he upset the family
He is hoping to find someone to help him with his work.
Adapted from MCAS 2007 http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 32 Read this story about two animals and answer the questions that follow.
The Incautious Fox and the Foolish Wolf
by David Kherdian
1
One moonlit evening a fox was passing by a well in the forest of a foolish
wolf. The fox looked down the well and mistook the moon reflected in the
water for a round of cheese.
2
Leaning on one of the buckets used for raising water, he lost his balance
and went crashing to the bottom of the well. The other bucket, which had been
in the well, went flying up, as the bucket that held the fox went down, down,
down into the water.
3
"So that's what the bucket was for," the fox said under his breath. "I could
have had real water to drink instead of imaginary cheese."
4
Time went by, and with it the paring of the moon. "There is no time to
waste," thought the fox still in the bottom of the well. "I will be dead soon if
someone does not come along and mistake the reflection of the slowly
diminishing moon for an appetizing round of cheese as I did."
5
Just then the foolish wolf came strolling by, famished as usual. "I have a treat
for you," the wolf heard a voice cry out from inside the well. "Come and see for
yourself."
6
The wolf peered down into the well. The voice said, "Only a sliver has been
eaten, the rest is for you. Come down in the bucket that is dangling over the
well."
7
The wolf jumped into the bucket at the top of the well and came hurling
down, while the fox in his bucket flew straight up out of the well and went
racing back to the land from which he had come.
paring—gradual reduction in size
57. Which statement best describes the reason the wolf goes down the
well?
A
B
C
D
He is exploring the dark.
He wants to help the fox.
He wants to see who is talking.
He is looking for something to eat.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 33 58.
Which of the wolf's actions best shows how foolish he is?
A
B
C
D
peering into the well
jumping into the bucket
strolling through the forest
stopping when he hears a voice
59. The main conflict of the story is resolved when
A
B
C
D
the fox escapes the well
the fox calls out to the wolf
the wolf mistakes the moon for cheese
the wolf hears a voice inside the well
60. Which sentence best states the main lesson of the story?
A
B
C
D
Try to learn from the mistakes of others.
Think ahead and plan your actions carefully.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Take care in choosing your friends.
Read this sentence from the story.
"I will be dead soon if someone does not come along and mistake the reflection of
the slowly diminishing moon for an appetizing round of cheese as I did."
61. Which word means about the same as "diminishing"?
A
B
C
D
closing
rolling
shrinking
sliding
Adapted from NYS Assessment 2006 http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 34 This selection is from a novel about a boy named Bud. Miss Hill is his favorite librarian.
Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
I pushed the heavy door open and walked into the library. The air in the
library isn't like the air anywhere else, first it's always cooler than the air
outside, it feels like you're walking into a cellar on a hot July day, even if you
have to walk up a bunch of stairs to get into it.
The next thing about the air in the library is that no other place smells
anything like it. If you close your eyes and try to pick out what it is that you're
sniffing you're only going to get confused, because all the smells have blended
together and turned themselves into a different one.
As soon as I got into the library I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I
got a whiff of the leather on all the old books, a smell that got real strong if you
picked one of them up and stuck your nose real close to it when you turned the
pages. Then there was the smell of the cloth that covered the brand-new books,
the books that made a splitting sound when you opened them. Then I could
sniff the paper, that soft, powdery, drowsy smell that comes off the pages in
little puffs when you're reading something or looking at some pictures, a kind of
hypnotizing smell.
I think it's that smell that makes so many folks fall asleep in the library.
You'll see someone turn a page and you can imagine a puff of page powder
coming up really slow and easy until it starts piling on the person's eyelashes,
weighing their eyes down so much that they stay down a little longer after each
blink and finally making them so heavy that they just don't come back up at
all. Then their mouths come open and their heads start bouncing up and down
like they're bobbing in a big tub of water for apples and before you know it, ...
woop, zoop, sloop ... they're out cold and their face thunks down smack-dab on
the book.
That's the part that gets the librarians the maddest, they get real upset if
folks start drooling in the books and, page powder or not, they don't want to
hear no excuses, you gotta get out. Drooling in the books is even worse than
laughing out loud in the library, and even though it might seem kind of mean,
you can't really blame the librarians for tossing drooly folks out 'cause there's
nothing worse than opening a book and having the pages all stuck together from
somebody's dried-up slobber.
I opened my eyes to start looking for Miss Hill. She wasn't at the lending
desk so I left my suitcase with the lady there. I knew it would be safe.
I walked between the stacks to see if Miss Hill was putting books up. Three
doggone times I walked through the library, upstairs and down, and couldn't
find her.
I went back up to the librarian at the lending desk. I waited until she looked
up at me. She smiled and said, "Yes? Would you like to retrieve your suitcase?"
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 35 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
She reached under the desk.
I said, "Not yet, ma'am, could I ask you a question?"
She said, "Of course, young man, how may I help you?"
"I'm looking for Miss Hill."
The librarian looked surprised. "Miss Hill? My goodness, hadn't you
heard?"
I answered, "No, ma'am."
The librarian said, "There's no need for you to look so stricken. It's not bad news,
young man."
She laughed a quiet, librarian-type laugh and said, "Really, it's not bad news.
Unless you had matrimonial plans concerning Miss Hill."
I pretended I knew what she was talking about, most times if you listen to
how grown folks ask a question they let you know what it is they want to
hear.
I said, "No, ma'am, I didn't plan that at all."
She laughed again and said, "Good, because I don't think her new husband
would appreciate the competition. Miss Hill is currently living in Chicago,
Illinois."
I said, "Husband? You mean she got married, ma'am?"
The librarian said, "Oh, yes, and I must tell you, she was radiating
happiness."
I said, "And she moved all the way to Chicago?"
"That's right, but Chicago isn't that far. Here, I'll show you."
She reached under her desk and pulled out a thick leather book called Atlas of
the United States of America.
She thumbed through a couple of pages and said, "Here we are." She turned the
book to me, it was a big map of Michigan and a couple of the states that were
next to it.
"We're here." She pointed to the spot that said Flint. "And Chicago is here in
Illinois."
They looked pretty close, but I know how tricky maps can be, shucks, they
can put the whole world on one page on a map, so I said, "How long would it
take someone to walk that far?"
She said, "Oh, dear, quite a while, I'm afraid."
I thanked the librarian for the bad news and went to sit at one of the big
heavy tables so I could think what to do next
62. What mood is expressed when Bud closes his eyes in the beginning of the
selection?
A
B
C
D
He is unhappy because he just walked to the library and up a tall set of stairs.
He is excited to feel the page powder on his face so he can fall asleep.
He is comfortable with the mixture of smells in the library.
He is nervous about a plan to find Miss Hill.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 36 63. What information is revealed to the reader only through Bud's inner
thoughts?
A
B
C
D
Bud does not understand the librarian's reference to his matrimonial plans.
It would take a long time to walk from Flint, Michigan to Chicago.
Bud left his suitcase with the librarian at the lending desk.
Miss Hill got married and moved to Chicago.
“Three doggone times I walked through the library, upstairs and down, and
couldn't find her." (Paragraph 7)
64. What does this statement tell the reader about Bud's mood?
A He is tired from walking up and down the steps of the library while trying to find
Miss Hill.
B He is confused because he cannot remember which days Miss Hill works at the
library.
C He is disappointed that he cannot find Miss Hill to ask her to hold onto his
suitcase.
D He is frustrated because he cannot locate Miss Hill anywhere in the library.
65. Why is Bud doubtful when the librarian shows him the map to locate
Chicago?
A He has not used an atlas before.
B He does not believe that the librarian is telling him the complete truth about Miss
Hill.
C He wants to walk to Chicago, but he realizes that the map is not going to help
him find his way.
D He cannot tell the distance from place to place because such a large area can fit
onto one page.
"She laughed a quiet, librarian type laugh and said, 'Really, it's not bad news. Unless
you had matrimonial plans concerning Miss Hill.'" (Paragraph 15)
66. Which paragraph helps the reader determine the meaning of the word
matrimonial?
A
B
C
D
paragraph 14
paragraph 16
paragraph 17
paragraph 18
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 37 67.
Which statement summarizes what happens at the end of the
selection?
A
B
C
D
Bud decides to consult another map of Michigan and its neighboring states.
Bud is relieved to see that Flint and Chicago are not too far apart.
Bud tries to make sense of the news that the librarian told him.
Bud cannot decide whether or not to believe the librarian.
Adapted from OAA http://ohio3-8.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 38 The poem "Throwing a Tree" shows how poetry can use language to make people
think about common experiences in a different way. Read the poem and then answer
the questions that follow.
Throwing a Tree
by Thomas Hardy
The two executioners stalk along over the knolls,
Bearing two axes with heavy heads shining and wide,
And a long limp two-handled saw toothed for cutting great boles,
And so they approach the proud tree that bears the death-mark on its side.
Jackets doffed they swing axes and chop away just above ground,
And the chips fly about and lie white on the moss and fallen leaves;
Till a broad deep gash in the bark is hewn all the way round,
And one of them tries to hook upwards a rope, which at last he achieves.
knolls—small, rounded hills
boles—tree trunks
doffed—taken off; removed
The saw then begins, till the top of the tall giant shivers:
The shivers are seen to grow greater each cut than before:
They edge out the saw, tug the rope; but the tree only quivers,
And kneeling and sawing again, they step back to try pulling once more.
Then, lastly, the living mast sways, further sways: with a shout
Job and Ike rush aside. Reached the end of its long staying powers
The tree crashes downward: it shakes all its neighbours through-out,
And two hundred years' steady growth has been ended in less than two hours
68. Reread stanzas 2 and 3. Why do the men try to "hook upwards a rope"?
A
B
C
D
to carry away the tree
to pull down the tree
to measure the tree
to climb the tree
69. In line 14, what does it most likely mean that the tree "Reached the end of its long
staying powers"?
A
B
C
D
The tree was old.
The tree was saved
The tree lost its leaves.
The tree finally fell down.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 39 70.
Who or what are the neighbors mentioned in line 15?
A
B
C
D
branches of the tree
other trees in the forest
people living in the forest
men working with Job and Ike
71. Which word best describes the overall tone of this poem?
A
B
C
D
comforting
sorrowful
admiring
fearful
In "Throwing a Tree," the poet uses personification, a literary device that uses human
qualities to describe an object. Give at least two examples of personification used in the
poem. Explain why each is an example of personification. Support your answer with
important details from the poem.
Adapted from MCAS 2006 - http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 40 Read this poem about a helicopter and answer the questions that follow.
Flight Plan
by Jane Merchant
Of all the ways of traveling
in earth and air and sea It's the lively
helicopter that has captivated me.
It hovers anywhere in air just like a
hummingbird,
Flies backward, forward, up or down, whichever is
preferred.
It doesn't pierce the stratosphere
as zipping rockets do,
Nor pop sound barriers
nor puff fat jet streams in the blue.
It isn't first in speed or weight
or anything but fun
And deftly doing dangerous jobs that often must
be done.
When anyone is lost in storm
or flooded river's span
And other planes can't help at all a helicopter can.
Lighting on snow or mountaintop wherever it is
needed.
The plane that's like a hummingbird
will not be superseded1
By satellite or strato-jet;
no supership has topped her, And just as
soon as ever I can
I'll fly a helicopter!
Read these lines from the poem.
It hovers anywhere in air just
like a hummingbird,
72. The author compares a helicopter to a hummingbird to describe
A
B
C
D
the helicopter's small size
the way a helicopter moves
the distance a helicopter flies
the helicopter's unusual shape
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 41 73. The author most likely compares the helicopter to other flying things in order to
A
B
C
D
explain what helicopters can do
tell how all kinds of aircraft work
prove that flying is the best way to travel
describe how easy helicopters are to operate
Read these lines from the poem.
It doesn't pierce the stratosphere
as zipping rockets do,
Nor pop sound barriers
nor puff fat jet streams in the blue.
74. The author most likely uses the words "pierce," pop," and "puff" to
A
B
C
D
describe the setting
create a clearer image
fit the format of the poem
make a poem easier to read
Read these lines from the poem.
Of all the ways of traveling
in earth and air and sea It's
the lively helicopter that has
captivated me.
75. What does the word "captivated" most likely mean?
A
B
C
D
accepted
fascinated
pushed
remembered
Adapted from NYS Assessment 2006 - http://www.p12.nysed.gov/assessment/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 42 Read this poem and answer the questions that follow.
On Big Sandy River
by Effie Waller Smith
1
The sun-bathed hills were beautiful,
The day was rich and fair
The wind was blowing fresh and cool,
The atmosphere was rare.
2
When merry and light hearted in
A "Jack-boat" painted red
Seeking some far off woodland scene
We up the Sandy sped.
3
Far up the rippling, winding stream
We found a pleasant spot,
'Twas beautiful in the extreme —
Hid from the sunbeams hot.
4
The branches of the sycamore
With spreading branches wide
Made a lovely archway o'er
The river from each side.
5
We pushed our boat toward the shore
And caref'ly tied her to
A drooping branch of sycamore
Which near the water grew.
6
Along the shady, sandy bank
Where grew the peppermint
Among the willows tall and rank
We left our deep feet's print.
7
On a large rock smooth and bare
We stopped awhile; and ate
A most delicious dinner there
Which we'll not soon forget.
8
When shadows of the evening showed
Upon the mountain green
Our painted boat we lightly rowed
Adown the rippling stream.
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet “Jack-boat”—a name for a boat used in the early
1900s originating in Newfoundland, Canada
rank—very overgrown
43 9
With happy minds we homeward went
Thinking we would never
Forget the pleasant day we'd spent
On dear old Sandy River.
76. How does the speaker describe the mood in stanza 1?
A
B
C
D
as cold and lonely
as fun and exciting
as distant and quiet
as perfect and inviting
77. Which word from stanza 8 describes the direction in which the travelers steered the
Jack- boat?
A
B
C
D
showed
Adown
rippling
lightly
78. How does the author describe the spot where the travelers first step out of their
boat?
A
B
C
D
It is filled with abundant growth.
It is smooth and bare
It is well-maintained.
It is often traveled.
"With happy minds we homeward went"
79. In the line above, what does the word formed by the root word home and the suffix -
ward mean?
A
B
C
D
in the direction of home
one who owns a home
without a home
like a home
Adapted from OAA - http://ohio3-8.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 44 Poetry is often used to express emotion. In the poem below, Navajo poet Shonto Begay
recalls feelings about his mother's kitchen. Read "In My Mother's Kitchen" and answer
the questions that follow.
In My Mother’s Kitchen
by Shonto Begay
Fragrance of fresh tortillas and corn stew
Fills my mother's kitchen
Sparsely furnished
Crowded with warmth
Soot-grayed walls, secretive and blank
She moves gently in and out of light
Like a dream just out of reach
The morning light gives her a halo
That plays upon her crown of dark hair
Strong brown hands caress soft mounds of dough
She gazes out into the warming day
Past sagebrush hills, out towards the foot of Black Mesa...
How far would she let the goats wander today
Before it rains
Childhood dreams and warmth
Tight in my throat, tears in my eyes
The radio softly tuned to a local AM station
News of ceremonies and chapter meetings
And funerals
Flows into the peaceful kitchen
Lines upon her face, features carved of hard times
Lines around her eyes, creases of happy times Bittersweet
tears and ringing silvery laughter
I ache in my heart
My mother's gentle movements light up dark corners
Her gentle smiles recall childhood dreams still so alive
My mother moves in and out of light Like clouds on
days of promising rain
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 45 Read lines 3 and 4 of the poem below.
"Sparsely furnished
Crowded with warmth"
80. What does the poet most likely mean by the contrast in the lines?
A
B
C
D
A room can be full of love even if the family has few possessions.
A room can seem cramped even if it contains no furniture.
A memory often seems better than real life.
A kitchen is the room used most in a home.
81. Line 10 contrasts the mother's strength with her
A
B
C
D
past.
hope.
sorrow.
gentleness.
Read lines 21 and 22 from the poem below.
"Lines upon her face,
features carved of hard times
Lines around her eyes,
creases of happy times"
82. What does the speaker suggest about the lines in his mother's face?
A
B
C
D
They seem to change as time passes.
They are more obvious in the bright light.
They are created by both joy and sadness.
They represent both the past and the future.
83. What is suggested by the phrase "light up dark corners" in line 25?
A
B
C
D
The mother knows the secrets of her son
The mother makes difficult times easier for her son
The mother shows concern that her son is too serious.
The mother seems most alive to her son in the evening.
Adapted from MCAS 2008 - http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/
SCSD Test Prep 6 Student Packet 46