Name: _______________________________________________Date: ________________________________Period: ___________
6th ELA Unit 2 Common Assessment
Study Guide
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate term. You will need to know the terms and apply them during
your test.
summary
moral
fable
central idea
assertion
inference
fact
opinion
cite evidence
figurative language
simile
metaphor
denotation
connotation
1. A(n) ___________________________ is a forceful statement of fact or belief.
2. The _____________________________ of a literary work is the main focus of it.
3. A ___________________________ is usually a short tale that teaches a universal lesson.
4. The ___________________________ of a fable is comparable to the theme of a short story or novel.
5. A(n) _____________________________ is a statement that is supported by evidence, while a(n)
_____________________________ is a person’s belief or judgment.
6. The dictionary definition of a word is _____________________________.
7. When you read a passage and draw a conclusion based on what the passage says, you have made a(n)
_________________________________.
8. A word’s _________________________________ includes the meaning of the word plus associations
and emotional impact.
9. House and home are two words that share a similar _______________________ but have different
_________________________________.
10. It is important to _____________________________ from the text when you are answering a question
about the text because that provides the support you need in your answer.
11. A(n) _________________________________ of a text would list the main points that are included in a
text, but it would not include additional information about the topic.
12. An implied comparison between two unlike things is a ___________________________, while a
comparison between two unlike things that uses like or as is a ________________________.
13. Distinguish between the different types of point of view:

1st person: ________________________________________________________

2nd person: ________________________________________________________

3rd person: ________________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________________________Date: ________________________________Period: ___________
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Eyewitness to History
By Logan Stonesifer, Scotland Elementary School, Scotland, PA
World War II started in 1939, after Germany invaded Poland. Led by Adolf Hitler, the German army went on to
conquer much of Europe. The United States and its allies defeated Germany and its allies, Italy and Japan, in
1945. Logan Stonesifer talked with Gustav Rewwer, a German soldier who fought in World War II.
Gustav Rewwer was born in 1924 in northern Germany. In 1942, when he was 18, he was drafted into the
German air force. That same year, Americans bombed Romania, which supplied 80 percent of Germany’s gas.
Most of the air force was grounded.
As a result, Gus spent five months in the infantry1 on the Eastern Front, fighting the Soviet Union. He spent
almost an entire month just digging trenches, often digging more than 14 hours a day. His feet were always cold
and wet, and there was mud and more mud. The wind howled, and the nights were so dark you could not see
your hand in front of your face until the Soviet flares went up. Despite all this misery, Gus was still able to
describe the beauty of a mortar shell exploding in the snow, the impact creating a red ring and black puff of
smoke.
On March 15, 1945, Gus was wounded by shrapnel.2 He didn’t know that he was hit until he felt his left foot
getting warm as his boot filled up with blood. Later he was hit by a much larger piece of shrapnel that shredded
through three layers of clothing but spared his left knee. He believed a superior force must have interceded.3
He was still able to walk, often passing his buddies who were wounded. The dead were always left behind,
frozen to the ground.
He was treated at a makeshift first-aid station. He remembers this as "a most horrible scene." Bloody young
soldiers were everywhere—some screaming as doctors operated on them. Gus’s wound became seriously
infected. After several months, it started to heal.
Gus was discharged in September 1945. __________ he came back to his house, it was completely destroyed.
His street was lined with trees. He felt "absolutely lost." He couldn’t understand that he didn’t need the "safety
and protection" of the trenches.
In 1957, Gus met an American woman, June. Gus and June moved to the United States on May 6, 1958, and got
hitched four days later.
Conclusion: After talking with Gus, I see how tragic war really is. I look at Gustav Rewwer as a great person
and a brave man.
______________
1 infantry: trained soldiers on foot
2 shrapnel: metal piece from an exploded bomb or mine
3 intercede: to plead on behalf of another
1. What does, “Gus was drafted into military service,” mean? (RI4)
A. Gus wanted to fight for his country
B. Gus was forced to join the military service.
C. Gus avoided going to war.
D. Gus volunteered to go to war.
Name: _______________________________________________Date: ________________________________Period: ___________
2. The author said that Gus was able to find beauty even though there was so much misery around him.
What does this say about Gus? (RI1)
A. Gus did not realize how bad the war was.
B. Gus appreciated beauty even in bad circumstances.
C. Gus found enjoyment in bad things.
D. Gus enjoyed war.
3. Gus told the author that he worked for months doing very hard labor in very difficult conditions. Gus
must be (RI1)
A. a hard worker.
B. a strong person.
C. someone who can overcome difficult situations.
D. all of the above.
4. Which point of view is used in this selection? (RI6)
A. first person
B. second person
C. third person limited
D. third person omniscient
5. Which of the following statements is a fact? (RI8)
A. Gustav Rewwer’s bravery won the war.
B. Gustav Rewwer is a great person and a brave man.
C. It is beautiful when a mortar shell explodes in the snow.
D. Gustav was wounded by shrapnel in 1945.
6. The central idea of this selection is (RI2)
A. Gustav Rewwer was hit by shrapnel in 1945.
B. Gustav Rewwer was drafted into the German air force.
C. Gustav Rewwer was a brave person who faced his problems in war and in life with a positive
viewpoint.
D. Germany lost the war.
7. Based on the text, which qualities best describe Gustav Rewwer? (RI1)
A. lazy, pleasant, bored
B. miserable, angry, insensitive
C. friendly, sneaky, talented
D. brave, positive, hardworking
8. Suppose this selection were divided into headings. If one of those sections contained paragraphs 3 and
4, what would be the BEST heading for that section? (RI5)
A. “The Start of the War”
B. “Getting Drafted”
C. “Wounded”
D. “Life After the War”
Name: _______________________________________________Date: ________________________________Period: ___________
9. Read the following sentences from the passage. What is the BEST transition word to connect the ideas
and complete this sentence? (W2c)
Gus was discharged in September 1945. __________ he came back to his house, it was
completely destroyed.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Because
However
Since
When
10. Reread the following paragraph. Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph? (W2b)
1
Gus was discharged in September 1945. 2__________ he came back to his house, it was
completely destroyed. 3His street was lined with trees. 4He felt "absolutely lost." 5He
couldn’t understand that he didn’t need the "safety and protection" of the trenches.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sentence 1
Sentence 2
Sentence 3
Sentence 4
11. Reread the following paragraph. What word could replace the underlined word to keep the intended
meaning but provide a more formal style? (W2e)
In 1957, Gus met an American woman, June. Gus and June moved to the United States on
May 6, 1958, and got hitched four days later.
A.
B.
C.
D.
moved
married
separated
No change is needed.
12. Read the following sentence from the passage.
The wind howled, and the nights were so dark you could not see your hand in front of your
face until the Soviet flares went up.
Which literary devices are used in this sentence? (RI4)
A. imagery and simile
B. imagery and personification
C. simile and metaphor
D. simile and personification
13. Define each of the following types of text structure. (RI5)

cause and effect: ___________________________________________________

problem and solution: _______________________________________________

chronological order/sequence: ________________________________________

compare/contrast: __________________________________________________
Name: _______________________________________________Date: ________________________________Period: ___________
14. Which text structure is used in this passage? What transition words help to reveal this text structure?
(RI5)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________
15. The author said that after talking to Gus, he thought that Gus was a brave man. What textual evidence
indicates that Gus was brave? Explain. (RI1)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
The test will have several reading passages with multiple choice questions. You may want to practice the
following questions with a variety of texts to prepare for the test.
 What type of selection is this?
 Which point of view is used in the selection?
 Based on context clues, what does a specific word mean?
 Which sentence from the text demonstrates __________________?
 Write a summary of the article or of a specific paragraph.
 Which sentence is a fact?
 Which sentence states an opinion?
 What is the central idea of the selection?
 What text structure is used in the passage?
 Which transition word best connects sentences 1 and 2?
Additional skills you will need to apply:
 Using context clues
 Citing textual evidence
 Understanding dictionary entries
 Revising writing