Grade 9 FAST-R Anchor Assessment Food Guide Pyramid
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Genre: Non-fiction
Topic: The changing face of the food guide pyramid.
Author: Unknown
Source: BSCS Biology: A Human Approach, 2nd Edition, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2003.
Non-fiction
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 960L
The following passage was taken from the end of a chapter on how the human body uses the foods we eat. The chapter itself is from a Biology textbook. Read the passage to learn
more about how to choose and use a food guide pyramid.
Pioneers: The Changing Face
of the Food Guide Pyramid
1 This chapter has introduced you to ways your body uses the
foods you eat. How do you choose those foods? Have you ever
seen a food guide pyramid? The standard food guide pyramid
was originally designed to help people meet nutritional and
dietary needs. Do you think this guide is appropriate for all
people? Alternate food guides suggest ways that people with different dietary preferences may also get the nutrition necessary
for a healthy lifestyle.
2 What are some ways you might use a food guide pyramid
in your life? A good place to begin is knowing the difference
between a serving and a helping. A serving is the amount of a
food item that has been analyzed for nutritional value. A helping is the amount you choose to eat. Some food guides may tell
you exactly how much of a food you should eat. Many newer
versions merely suggest foods to choose from on a daily or
weekly basis.
3 Does the guide consider foods that you enjoy with your
family or friends? The standard food guide does not reflect cultural differences among families. Also, a great variety of food is
available across the United States. Compare the standard guide
and the Mexican native foods guide. The vegetarian food guide
is for people who do not eat meat.
4 Does the guide recommend foods that every person can
eat and digest? Many African Americans, Hispanics, Asian
Americans, and Native Americans are lactose intolerant (cannot
digest dairy products). These people might benefit from the
Asian food guide, which suggests other foods. The few examples
shown here demonstrate how the concept of a food guide is
changing to meet the needs of our culturally diverse society.
Richness and Relationships: This passage models a
critical analysis of something assumed by many to be
“standard” for all. It helps students see that cultural
diversity - as well as biological diversity - is a natural
part of our world.
See especially: Questions 3, 4, 5, 6
Vocabulary: Relatively simple sentences using familiar
words. How students understand the meaning of the
word “standard” could impact their comprehension of
the passage overall.
See especially: Questions 2, 6
Structure and Style: Each paragraph begins with a
focused question that indicates the main idea of that
paragraph.
See especially: Questions 1, 3
Purpose: To introduce students to various food guides
- any of which can be used to assist in meeting one’s
dietary and nutritional needs. The last sentence of the
first paragraph and the final sentence of the passage
make this clear.
See especially: Questions 1, 6
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1. The main purpose of the first paragraph is to
A. introduce the concept of biology. (OOB)
B. introduce the standard food guide pyramid. (OOP1)
C. introduce the vegetarian food guide pyramid. (OOP2)
 D. introduce alternate food guides.
MI2: Interpret a singular
meaning from the sum
total of a particular
paragraph
2. The amount of a food item that has been analyzed for nutritional value is
called a
A. cup. (OOP2)
B. helping. (OOP1)
 C. serving.
D. gram. (OOB)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
3. An appropriate heading for paragraph 3 could be:
A. “Family and friends” (OOP1)
 B. “Picking the food guide that reflects your diet”
C. “Mexican vs. Vegetarian food guides” (OOP2)
D. “Determining nutritional value of foods” (OOB)
MI3: Determine implicit
meaning by understanding
the organization of
information in the text
4. According to the article, which food guide is recommended for someone who
is lactose intolerant?
A. Standard Food Guide (OOP2)
B. Mexican Native Foods Guide (OOP2)
 C. Asian Food Guide
D. Vegetarian Food Guide (OOP2)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
5. Which of the following BEST describes a comparison between the Standard
Food Guide and the Mexican Native Foods Guide?
 A. . one suggests how much to eat from each group, the other suggests
how often
B. one includes meat, the other does not (OOP2)
C. both use exactly the same foods (OOP1)
D. the Standard Food Guide is healthier (OOB)
FE2: Recognize the explicit
meaning from varied
wording in the text
6. Read the sentence from paragraph 1 in the box below:
MI3: Interpret implicit
meaning by understanding
the organization of
information in the text
Alternate food guides suggest ways that people with different
dietary preferences may also get the nutrition necessary for a
healthy lifestyle.
What does the sentence suggest about the author’s view of the “standard”
food guide pyramid?
A. It represents the best diet for everyone. (OOP2)
 B. It does not reflect everyone’s diet.
C. It guarantees a healthy lifestyle. (OOB)
D. It is a good example of an alternate food guide. (OOP2)
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Grade 9 FAST-R Anchor Assessment: Movement for a People’s Govt.
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Genre: Non-fiction/Informational
Topic: Origins of the formation of the U.S. democratic government
Author: American Social History Project Contributors
Source: Who Built America? Working People and the Nation’s
Economy, Politics, and Culture, and Society. Volume 1
Non-fiction
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 1330L
Read the following passage to learn about how colonists united to revolt against British rule and forge the government of the United States that still exists today.
Movement for a People’s Government
1 As fighting flared across much of eastern North America,
the ideology of revolution was being forged in the main coastal
regions. The Declaration of Independence was its written
expression. The Declaration rooted the colonies’ claim to
independence from Britain in theories about the nature of
sovereignty and legitimate government. Americans were trying
not just to free themselves from British rule, but also to build
and codify a new social and political order. As British troops
marched out to surrender at Yorktown in 1781, their band
played a tune, “The World Turned Upside Down,” that had
been popular during the English Revolution over a century
before. It symbolized their view of what the Americans were
doing: overturning the established way of organizing government and society.
2 In its affirmation that “all men” were “created equal,” and
had “unalienable rights” to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” the Declaration of Independence suggested that proper
government rested on universal truths evident not just to an
educated political elite, but to the common sense of all. This
was not just an abstract statement, but designed to forge unity
across the revolutionary political coalition of farmers, artisans,
laborers, slaveholders, merchants, and professional men. It indicated that common folk as well as the wealthy and powerful
could claim a role in their own self-government.
3 Most supporters of the revolution agreed that new
American governments should be republican, resting on “the
consent of the governed” rather than the sovereign authority of
a monarch. But Americans had differing opinions about how
democratic their republic should be, about how broadly or
directly ordinary people should participate in political affairs.
Conflict between elite and popular influences had been evident
during the period from 1774 to 1776, when the patriot cause
Purpose: To provide an overview of how and when the
U.S. adopted its current form of government. The title
best indicates this purpose.
Richness and Relationships: The passage summarizes
complex historical relationships between groups
during this revolutionary time period. Readers will
need to understand the example of Paine’s pamplet as
representative and symbolic of a people’s “movement”
to change their government from a monarchy to a
democracy.
See especially: Questions 9, 10, 11, 12
Style: Tone is expository and straightforward but the
information is dense and many of the sentences are
complex and incorporate difficult phrasing. It is important
that readers comprehend stylistic features such as
quotation marks to understand the author’s meaning.
See especially: Questions 7, 8
Vocabulary: Vocabulary is challenging in isolation.
Readers will have to use context clues and prior
knowledge to comprehend words and concepts such
as sovereignty, monarchy, republic, aristocracy, and
legislature.
See especially: Questions 7, 10
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was in the hands of extralegal committees. These divisions
persisted as the new states moved to establish their own permanent governments and constitutions.
4 In Philadelphia’s increasingly radical atmosphere early in
1776, Tom Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense put forward more
than an attack on the legitimacy of monarchy and an urgent
call for American independence. It also sketched a vision of
democratic government for the new nation. Confident that
people could govern themselves without the artificial distinctions of monarchy or aristocracy, Paine advocated a simple set
of institutions based on direct democracy. States, and the nation as a whole, would each be governed by annually elected
assembly and headed by a president. Paine’s popularity among
the artisans and farmers whom the revolution had aroused
ensured that his pamphlet would remain a symbol of this
popular democracy. When Jeremiah Greenman’s Rhode Island
regiment celebrated the Fourth of July in 1783, its thirteen
toasts included “the Congress of 1776 and Common Sense.”
Paine’s was the clearest argument that, as another enthusiastic
pamphleteer put it, “the people” would make “the best governors.”
5 The men who came to power in Pennsylvania in 1776
fashioned a new state constitution that embodied many of
Paine’s ideas. There would be a state legislature with a single
chamber, elected annually by all tax-paying adult males. There
would be no property requirements for officeholders. Executive power would be lodged not in a powerful governor, but in
a president and council who would serve the legislature.
Structure: Chronological, moving from the general to
the specific. An exception to the chronological structure
is Greenman’s 1783 toast, followed by a paragraph
referring again to 1776.
See especially: Question 12
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7. Read the following sentences from the first paragraph of the passage:
As fighting flared across much of eastern North America, the
ideology of revolution was being forged in the main coastal regions.
The Declaration of Independence was its written expression.
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
The pronoun “its” refers to
A. fighting across America. (OOP1)
 B. ideology of revolution.
C. the United States. (OOB)
D. Declaration of Independence. (OOP2)
8. The author uses quotation marks in paragraph 2 to show
A. commonly used phrases. (OOP1)
 B. phrases borrowed from another text.
C. phrases depicting the author’s thoughts. (OOP2)
D. dialogue. (OOB)
MI5: Interpret meaning by
using an understanding of
literary concepts
9. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet sent out an urgent call for
A. British reinforcements. (OOP2)
 B. American independence.
C. Pennsylvania aristocracy. (OOP2)
D. a new Declaration of Independence. (OOB)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
10. Which of the following is a characteristic of Paine’s vision for a new democratic
government?
A. aristocracy (OOP2)
B. pamphlets (OOP1)
 C. elected representatives
D. parliament (OOB)
MI2: Interpret a singular
meaning from the sum total
of a particular paragraph
11. According to information provided in paragraph 5, which of the following
people would most likely NOT be allowed to vote in a government election in
Pennsylvania?
A. Thomas Paine (OOP2)
 B. Mrs. Paine
C. Ben Franklin (OOB)
D. Jeremiah Greenman (OOP1)
MI4: Interpret new meaning
and apply it beyond the
passage
12. According to the passage, which of the following events happened third in
chronological order?
A. Paine writes his pamphlet. (OOP1)
 B. The U.S. Constitution is drafted in Philadelphia.
C. The Declaration of Independence is written. (OOP2)
D. Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the United States. (OOB)
MI3: Interpret implicit
meaning by understanding
the organization of
information in the text
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Questions? Email [email protected]
Grade 9 FAST-R Anchor Assessment: Gettysburg Address
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Genre: Non-fiction primary source
Topic: Famous speech commemorating a Civil War battle.
Author: Abraham Lincoln
Source: Text and some questions appeared on MCAS G10
Spring 2004
Non-fiction
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 1490L
When Abraham Lincoln delivered the “Gettysburg
Address,” he considered it a failure. Today it is considered one of the outstanding speeches in U.S. history.
Read the “Gettysburg Address” below. Use information
from the “Gettysburg Address” to answer the questions
that follow.
The Gettysburg Address
1 Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on
this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
2 Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether
that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can
long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We
have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting
place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might
live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
3 But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not
consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men,
living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far
above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little
note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought
here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be
here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from
these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause
for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that
we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in
vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of
freedom—and that government of the people, by the people,
for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
President Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
Richness and Relationships: Lincoln presents very big
ideas in this very short speech. Readers will need to
understand how he connects individuals to the nation,
the living to the dead, the past to the future, the North to
the South, in order to comprehend how the speech set a
course for the nation focused on “equality”.
See especially: Questions 15, 17
Purpose and Structure: Readers will need to infer the
actual purpose of the speech as a eulogy based on
information in paragraphs 2 and 3. Prior knowledge of
the context for this speech could also aid students in
understanding its purpose.
See especially: Questions 13, 15, 16
Vocabulary and Style: Oratory vernacular of 1863.
Some readers will need to follow parallel structure and
circular ideas. Most words are familiar though some
readers may struggle with “proposition,” “endure,”
“hallow,” “consecrate,” and “perish”.
See especially: Questions 13, 14, 16
Continued on next page
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Questions? Email [email protected]
13. Read the last sentence from paragraph 2 in the box below:
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
The word “this” refers to
A. engaging in civil war. (OOP2)
B. meeting on the battlefield. (OOP1)
C. saving the country. (OOB)
 D. dedicating part of the field to those who died.
14. Read the first sentence from paragraph 3 in the box below:
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—
we can not hallow—this ground.
MI5: Interpret meaning by
using an understanding of
literary concepts
Which of the following writing techniques does this sentence illustrate?
A. subordination (OOP2)
 B. parallel structure
C. metaphor (OOP2)
D. sensory imagery (OOB)
15. In paragraph 3 of the “Gettysburg Address,” Lincoln speaks of “that cause for
which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” That cause was to
A. hallow the ground where they died. (OOP1)
 B. preserve the nation.
C. finish the work that they had started. (OOP2)
D. seek personal honor. (OOB)
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
16. Read the sentence from paragraph 3 in the box below:
MI1: Interpret implicit
meaning from words in
context
“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished
work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”
The word “advanced” most nearly means
A. proceeded. (OOP2)
 B. aided the progress of.
C. improved in rank. (OOP1)
D. ahead of time. (OOB)
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17. Based on the introduction in italics, history has shown which of the following
statements to be ironic?
A. “...and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” (¶1)
(OOP2)
B. “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here...” (¶3) (OOP2)
C. “...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth.” (¶3) (OOP2)
 D. “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here...” (¶3)
(Intro blurb)
MI5: Interpret meaning by
using an understanding of
literary concepts
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Grade 9 FAST-R Anchor Assessment: Speech They Only Wish They Could Make
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Genre: Non-fiction essay
Topic: New millenium reflection on the political and historical
significance of Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address”
Author: Richard A. Katula
Source: The Boston Globe, MCAS G10 Spring 2004
Non-fiction essay
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 1220L
In the following article, Richard Katula writes about the
greatness of Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” speech. Use information from the article below to answer the questions that follow.
The Speech They Only Wish They Could Make
by Richard A. Katula
excerpt from The Boston Globe
November 21, 1999
1 ...The sources of the Gettysburg Address’s greatness
remain a centerpiece of academic discourse, and scholars who
enter into the debate do so with both reverence and trepidation. The key is to measure it by applying three timeless principles of the ancient art of rhetoric: timeliness, timelessness,
and eloquence.
2 First, the speech is timely. Lincoln delivered a classic
eulogy, an “epitaphios logos,” containing two parts: praise
for the dead and advice for the living. The structure of the
address is also timely as Lincoln moves from the birth of the
nation—“our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new
nation”—to the death of the soldiers, to the rebirth of the nation and “a new birth of freedom.” Thus, the soldiers did not
die in vain, but to preserve the nation, a most worthy cause.
3 Great orations must also be grounded in timeless principles, and Lincoln’s address was. Lincoln held up the overarching principle of equality as a way to resolve the essential contradiction in our two founding documents: the Declaration of
Independence, which states that all men are created equal, and
the Constitution, which did not prohibit slavery. By declaring equality the overriding concern—the principle for which
our soldiers had died—he changed the course of our national
destiny, turning it once and for all time toward the pursuit of
this worthy ideal.
Richness and Relationships: The writer locates Lincoln’s
speech in a historical and linguistic context. He does
this in part by comparing and contrasting the language
and content of the speech with other known people and
ideas. Readers should notice the writer’s emphasis on the
relationship between individuals and the nation, oratory
and literature, Lincoln and political philosophers, speech
and rhetoric, and the past and present ideals upon which
the nation was founded.
See especially: Questions 20, 21, 22
Structure: The writer outlines the order of ideas for
discussion in the first paragraph. After spending a
paragraph on each of the three principles of rhetoric,
the writer’s focus shifts to discussing the speech’s
broader historical significance. Readers should look for
transitional words and phrases to help them navigate
through sometimes complex sentences and vocabulary.
See especially: Questions 19, 23
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Questions? Email [email protected]
4 Finally, the address is eloquent. Delivered with grace and
sincerity, the speech stands as a gem of the English language.
Lincoln used classical rhetorical techniques such as parallel phrasing, cadence, metaphor, and allusion to achieve his
high oratorical tone. But while borrowing from the poetic,
Lincoln’s words remain speakable as oratory. Thus, the address
has become literature as much as it remains oratory.
5 The Gettysburg Address remains the most important
speech in American history because it completes the vision
of our founders. Through his brief remarks, Lincoln joined
a chorus of illustrious American political philosophers of the
time, men such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Daniel Webster,
Theodore Parker, and Frederick Douglass, who were asking
what it meant to be an American.
6 Comprising just 10 sentences, it has triumphed over
time, condemnation, obscurity, parody, and comparison. In
these closing days of the millennium, as countdowns of top
one-hundreds proliferate, this oration should top everyone’s
list of best speeches—and stand as a model of what political
rhetoric, at its best, can be.
Style: The writer employs complex sentences containing
challenging vocabulary, however, he also includes some
simple straightforward sentences to make clear points
to the reader. Readers should look for transitional words
and context clues to follow the writer’s ideas.
See especially: Question 19
Vocabulary: The writer incorporates challenging
vocabulary for many readers, yet most unfamiliar words
are not essential for comprehending the main ideas
in this passage. Such words include: “reverence,”
“trepidation,” “oratorical,” “illustrious,” “obscurity,”
“parody,” “eulogy,” “proliferate,” “allusion”.
See especially: Questions 18, 19, 22
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Questions? Email [email protected]
18. In this passage, the word rhetoric means
A. celebrated poetry. (OOP1, ¶9)
B. informal discussion. (OOP2)
C. formal essay. (OOB)
 D. effective speech.
MI1: Interpret implicit
meaning from words in
context
19. According to the article, which of the following is a principle of rhetoric?
A. preservation (OOP2)
B. trepidation (OOP1)
 C. eloquence
D. vocabulary (OOB)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
20. Lincoln’s speech qualified as “timely” because
A. it happened in 1865. (OOB)
 B. it honored the dead as giving new life to the nation.
C. it addressed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. (OOP1)
D. it was brief. (OOP2)
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
21. According to the article, which of the following is an example of inequality?
A. the Constitution (OOP1)
 B. slavery
C. war (OOB)
D. the Declaration of Independence (OOP2)
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
22. In paragraph 3 of Katula’s article, what does the phrase “overriding concern”
mean?
A. a problematic issue (OOP1)
B. protected by law (OOB)
 C. of greatest importance
D. no longer a worry (OOP2)
MI1: Interpret implicit
meaning from words in
context
23. Beginning in paragraph 5, the writer’s focus changes from describing what
makes the “Gettysburg Address” a great speech to
A. defining it as a classic example of political philosophy. (OOP1)
B. relating it to Frederick Douglass’s definition of “American”. (OOP2)
 C. arguing for its historical and contemporary significance.
D. promoting Lincoln as the greatest U.S. president of all time. (OOB)
MI3: Interpret implicit
meaning by understanding
the organization of
information in the text
24. The main purpose of Katula’s article is to
A. argue that speechmaking should be taken more seriously. (OOB)
B. analyze each sentence of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. (OOP2)
 C. provide insight into what made Lincoln’s speech great.
D. capture the emotion of honoring the courage of the soldiers. (OOP1)
MI2: Interpret a singular
meaning from the sum
total of a particular
paragraph
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Questions? Email [email protected]
Grade 9 FAST-R Anchor Assessment: A Raisin in the Sun
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Genre: Drama
Topic: This excerpt from Hansberry’s classic play introduces an
African-American father yearning for his son to achieve
the “American Dream” of a white, upper-middle-class
existence.
Author: Lorraine Hansberry
Source: A Raisin in the Sun (1959)
Special Note: used on G10 MCAS 2003
In this excerpt from the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine
Hansberry writes about the power of dreams. Hansberry uses a poem
by Langston Hughes as a thematic introduction to her play. Read the
poem and the excerpt from the play below. Use information from both
selections to answer the questions that follow.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
5
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load.
10
Or does it explode?
—Langston Hughes
Drama
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 560L
Relationships: The introduction explicitly sets up the
relationship between the poem and the play as that of a
“thematic introduction” about “the power of dreams.”
By cuing readers that the characters’ dreams may be
“deferred” or unattainable the poem and the allusion in
the title help set the tone for the play.
See especially: Questions 9, 10
Vocabulary: Most of the words in both poem and
play are familiar, but understanding of the meaning of
“deferred” is critical.
See especially: Questions 1, 2, 3
A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
1 TRAVIS Well, good night, Daddy.
(The FATHER has come from behind the couch and leans over,
embracing his son)
2 WALTER Son, I feel like talking to you tonight.
3 TRAVIS About what?
4 WALTER Oh, about a lot of things. About you and what
kind of man you going to be when you grow up. . . . Son—son,
what do you want to be when you grow up?
5 TRAVIS A bus driver.
6 WALTER (Laughing a little) A what? Man, that ain’t nothing to want to be!
7 TRAVIS Why not?
Continued on next page
Structure: The scene is straightforward and linear,
portrayed mainly through dialogue with some stage
directions.
See especially: Question 7
Style: With no description of the setting and minimal
stage directions to supplement the characters’ words,
this scene requires readers to use cues from the
dialogue (including the use of spoken dialect) to build
a mental image of this working-class African-American
family.
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8 WALTER ’Cause, man—it ain’t big enough—you know what I mean.
9
TRAVIS I don’t know then. I can’t make up my mind.
Sometimes Mama asks me that too. And sometimes when I tell
her I just want to be like you—she says she don’t want me to be
like that and sometimes she says she does. . . .
10 WALTER (Gathering him up in his arms) You know what,
Travis? In seven years you going to be seventeen years old. And
things is going to be very different with us in seven years, Travis.
. . . One day when you are seventeen I’ll come home—home
from my office downtown somewhere—
11 TRAVIS You don’t work in no office, Daddy.
12 WALTER No—but after tonight. After what your daddy
gonna do tonight, there’s going to be offices—a whole lot of offices. . .
13 TRAVIS What you gonna do tonight, Daddy?
14 WALTER You wouldn’t understand yet, son, but your
daddy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction
that’s going to change our lives. . . . That’s how come one day
when you ’bout seventeen years old I’ll come home and I’ll be
pretty tired, you know what I mean, after a day of conferences
and secretaries getting things wrong the way they do . . . ’cause
an executive’s life is hell, man—(The more he talks the farther
away he gets) And I’ll pull the car up on the driveway . . . just a
plain black Chrysler, I think, with whitewalls—no—black tires.
More elegant. Rich people don’t have to be flashy . . . though
I’ll have to get something a little sportier for Ruth—maybe a
Cadillac convertible to do her shopping in. . . . And I’ll come
up the steps to the house and the gardener will be clipping away
at the hedges and he’ll say, “Good evening, Mr. Younger.” And
I’ll say, “Hello, Jefferson, how are you this evening?” And I’ll go
inside and Ruth will come downstairs and meet me at the door
and we’ll kiss each other and she’ll take my arm and we’ll go up
to your room to see you sitting on the floor with the catalogues
of all the great schools in America around you. . . . All the great
schools in the world! And—and I’ll say, all right son—it’s your
seventeenth birthday, what is it you’ve decided? . . . Just tell me
where you want to go to school and you’ll go. Just tell me, what
it is you want to be—and you’ll be it. . . . Whatever you want to
be—Yessir! (He holds his arms open fot TRAVIS) You just name it,
son . . . (TRAVIS leaps into them) and I hand you the world!
(WALTER’s voice has risen in pitch and hysterical promise and on
the last line he lifts TRAVIS high)
(Blackout)
Relationships: Walter’s relationship with his son
is wrapped up with his own aspirations for a better
life—and a better future for Travis—in the form of the
the classic “American Dream” (lines 6-8, 14). This line
is the only clue to his wife’s mixed feelings about those
aspirations.
See especially: Questions 5, 6, 8
Structure: After the accessible dialogue preceding this
long speech, some struggling readers may be daunted by
this long block of text. Watch for students whose answers
or text annotations signal a lack of understanding of
Walter’s aspirations.
Richess: The elaborate detail of Walter’s version of
the “American Dream” adds poignancy if the reader is
attuned to how unattainable this economic and social
transformation would be for an African-American bus
driver in 1950s America.
See especially: Questions 8, 9
Ideas for Connected Writing Activities
• Write a letter from Walter to Travis explaining why it is
important to dream “big.”
• Describe what a person would be like if they had a
“dream deferred.” Use the similies from Hughes’ poem
as a guide and support your descriptions with concrete
actions, words, feelings, and behaviors.
Humanities Connections
• Research the history of African-Americans during
Reconstruction. How might this history connect to the
idea of a “dream deferred”?
• Research the life and times of Lorraine Hansberry.
Explain the impact of race and gender on her writing
and her life.
• Research the status of both Black and white Americans
in the 1940s. What were the similarities in their social
conditions and daily lives? What were the differences?
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25. Reread line 1 of the poem. Which of the following is a synonym for the
word deferred?
 A. postponed
B. accomplished (OOB)
C. strengthened (OOP2)
D. inspired (OOP1)
FE2: Recognize the explicit
meaning from varied wording
in the text
26. The images in lines 4 through 6 of the poem refer to things that are
A. antique.­(OOB)
 B. spoiled.
C. valuable. (OOB)
D. trivial. (OOB)
FE2: Recognize the explicit
meaning from varied wording
in the text
27. Which simile in the poem supports the idea that “a dream deferred” becomes burdensome?
A. the simile in lines 3-4 (OOP1)
B. the simile in lines 5-6 (OOP1)
C. the simile in lines 7-8 (OOP1)
 D. the simile in lines 9-10
MI3: Determine implicit
meaning by understanding the
organization of information
in the text
28. According to the excerpt from the play, how old is Travis?
A. 7 years old (OOP1, line 10)
 B. 10 years old (line 10)
C. 17 years old (OOP2, line 10)
D. 21 years old (OOB)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
29. According to Travis in line 9 of the play, what is Mama’s attitude toward
Walter?
 A. She respects Walter but wants a better life for Travis.
B. She believes Walter should not expect too much from life. (OOP1, line 9)
C. She is angry that Walter wants to push Travis too much. (OOB)
D. She wishes Walter would make up his mind about what he wants.
(OOP2, line 14)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from ideas in context
30. Why does Travis say he wants to be a bus driver when he grows up?
A. He loves to drive. (OOB)
 B. He wants to be just like his father. (line 9)
C. He wants to make his mother proud. (OOP2 line 9)
D. He does not want to go to college. (OOP2 line 14)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in
context
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31. Read the stage directions in the box below
WALTER’s voice has risen in pitch and hysterical promise
FE2: Recognize the explicit
meaning from varied
wording in the text
What does this stage direction tell the reader about Walter?
 A. The more he talks about the future, the more excited he becomes.
B. Walter is upset with his son’s lack of ambition. (OOP1)
C. Talking about the future leaves Walter confused about the past. (OOB)
D. Walter is questioning his son about his career goals. (OOP2)
32. Which word BEST describes the father in the play?
A. defensive (OOB)
B. content (OOP1—could be inferred from his laughing, embracing son, etc.,
but not supported by his words)
 C. ambitious
D. unemotional (OOP2 line 14, final stage directions)
MI1: Determine implicit
meaning from words in
context
33. Which of the following BEST describes Walter’s “dream” in line 14?
A. He wants to be famous. (OOB)
B. He wants to own a Cadillac. (OOP2 line 14)
C. He wants to be an executive. (OOP1 line 14)
 D. He wants to live “the American Dream.”
MI2: Determine a single
implicit meaning from
the total of a particular
paragraph
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Teacher Guide for FAST-R Passage: A Problem Solving Plan Using Models
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: Math (Algebra 1) textbook
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Genre: Math
Topic: Translating verbal phrases into mathematical expressions, then using modeling to solve problems
Author: Source: Lexile Measure:
Sometimes people say that math is its own language. But to solve math problems,
you often need to translate information from words into mathematical sentences. The following
passage is from an algebra textbook. Use your reading skills - as well as your math - to answer the
questions that follow.
A Problem Solving Plan Using Models
Goal 1 Translating Verbal Phrases
To translate verbal phrases into algebra,
look for words that indicate operations.
Operation
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
Verbal Phrase
Purpose: This excerpt from an algebra
textbook not only provides the reader with a
process for solving math problems, but also
shows how the application of reading skills
contributes to this task. Reading skills help
students to identify relevant math information
and translate it to math expressions, equations,
and inequations.
See especially: Questions 34, 37, 39
Expression
The sum of six and a number
6+x
Eight more than a number
y+8
A number plus five
n+5
A number increased by seven
x+7
The difference of five and a number
5–y
Four less than a number
x–4
Seven minus a number
7–n
A number decreased by nine
n–9
The product of nine and a number
9x
Ten times a number
10n
A number multiplied by three
3y
The quotient of a number and four
n/4
Seven divided by a number
7/x
Order is important for subtraction and division, but not for addition and multiplication. “Four less than a number” is written as x – 4,
not 4 – x. On the other hand, “the sum of six and a number” can be
written as 6 + x or x + 6.
Structure: The “text” is clearly organized with
goals and examples, but much of the content is
contained in the tables or graphics rather than
paragraphs of text.
See especially: Questions 34, 35, 38, 40, 41
Vocabulary: The text uses italics to emphasize
key words that signal an operation.
See especially: Question 34
Continued on next page
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E
XAMPLE 1
Translating Verbal Phrases into Algebra
Translate the phrase into an algebraic expression.
SOLUTION
a. Three more than the quantity five times a number n
Think: 3 more than what?
5n + 3
b. Two less than the sum of six and a number m
Think: 2 less than what?
(6 + m) – 2
c. A number x decreased by the sum of 10 and the square of a number y
x – (10 + y²)
Think: x decreased by what?
Goal 2 Using a Verbal Model
In English there is a difference between a phrase and a sentence. Verbal phrases
translate into mathematical expressions and verbal sentences translate into equations or
inequalities.
Phrase
The sum of six and a number
Expression
→
Sentence
The sum of six and a number is twelve.
Equation
→
6 + x = 12
Sentence
Seven times a number is less than fifty.
Inequality
→
7x < 50
6+x
Sentences that translate into equations have words that tell how one quantity relates
to another. In the first sentence, the word “is” says that one quantity is equal to another. In
the second sentence, the words “is less than” indicate an inequality.
Writing algebraic expressions, equations or inequalities that represent real-life situations is called modeling. The expression, equation or inequality is a mathematical model
of the real-life situation. When you write a mathematical model, we suggest that you use
three steps.
WRITE A
VERBAL MODEL.
→
ASSIGN
LABELS.
→
WRITE AN
ALGEBRAIC MODEL.
Relationships: The text explicitly
introduces the idea of “modeling” as
a means to represent mathematical
relationships. The simple flowchart
at left is then applied to model the
situation in Example 2.
See especially: Questions 40, 41, 42
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Writing an Algebraic Model
Dining Out
You and three friends are having a dim sum lunch at a Chinese restaurant that charges $2 per plate. You order lots of plates of wontons, egg rolls, and
dumplings. The waiter gives you a bill for $25.20, which includes tax of $1.20. Use
mental math to solve the equation for how many plates your group ordered.
SOLUTION
Be sure that you understand the problem situation before you begin. For
example, notice that the tax is added after the cost of the plates of dim sum is figured.
VERBAL
MODEL
Cost
per
LABELS
•
Number of
plates
=
Bill
–
Tax
Cost per plate = 2
(dollars)
Number of plates = p
(plates)
Amount of bill = 25.20
(dollars)
Tax = 1.20
(dollars)
Richness: The text moves quickly
from introducing the idea of
a model to an example asking
students to apply one. This quick
pace is characteristic of many math
textbooks.
See especially: Questions 40, 41,
42
ALGEBRAIC
MODEL
2p = 25.20 – 1.20
2p = 24.00
p = 12
► Your group ordered 12 plates of food costing $24.00
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34. The reason the writer uses words in italics in the boxed section “Translating
Verbal Phrases” is to
 A. indicate the operation linked with these words.
B. make this section look attractive. (OOB)
C. bring readers’ attention to mathematical vocabulary. (OOB)
D. highlight the verb in each phrase. (OOP1)
MI5: Interpret meaning by
using an understanding of
literary concepts
35. According to the passage, which of the following words indicates an operation?
A. number (OOP2)
B. algebraic (OOP1)
 C. quotient
D. translate (OOB)
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
36. “Order” is NOT important for which of the following operations?
A. division (OOP2)
B. translation (OOB)
C. subtraction (OOP2)
 D. multiplication
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
37. Based on the information in the passage, a verbal phrase can best be defined
as a group of words that
A. includes a verb. (OOB)
B. includes variables and math symbols. (OOP2)
 C. translates into a mathematical expression.
D. has no more than six words. (OOB)
MI1: Interpret implicit
meaning from words in
context
38. Read the following sentence in the box below:
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
The sum of 5 and a number is thirteen.
The word “is” indicates
 A. that one quantity is equal to another.
B. that one quantity is less than another. (OOP2)
C. that five times the number is greater than thirteen. (OOB)
D. that five times the number is less than thirteen. (OOB)
39. One of the ways in which the writer shows the connection between reading
skills and math skills is by
 A. comparing phrases and sentences with math expressions, equations,
and inequations.
B. using italics to highlight the importance of the operation. (OOB)
C. explaining the steps in problem solving. (OOP2)
D. explaining what a mathematical model is. (OOP1)
MI1: Interpret implicit
meaning from words in
context
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40. The Algebraic Model: 2p = 25.20 – 1.20 obtained from the word problem “Dining Out” is a(n)
A. expression. (OOP1)
 B. equation.
C. inequality. (OOP2)
D. variable. (OOP2)
MI4: Interpret new meaning
and apply it beyond the
passage
41. In the Algebraic Model given in Example 2, the term 2p represents the
A. number of plates ordered for the lunch. (OOP1)
B. cost per plate ordered for the lunch. (OOP1)
 C. cost of all the plates ordered for the lunch.
D. total amount given on the bill. (OOP2)
FE1: Identify evidence
explicitly stated in the text
42. In Example 2, the title of the word problem is “Dining Out.” Which piece of
information given is NOT relevant to the solution of the problem?
A. Each plate of food costs $2.00. (OOP2)
 B. Lots of plates of wontons, egg rolls, and dumplings are ordered.
C. A tax of $1.20 is included in the total bill. (OOP2)
D. The waiter gives you a bill for $25.20. (OOP2)
MI3: Interpret implicit
meaning by understanding
the organization of
information in the text
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Grade 9 FAST-R Anchor Assessment: Implications of Mathematics
FAST-R: Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
At a Glance
Approximate
Grade Range: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+
Genre: Non-fiction essay
Topic: Shattering the myth that math is a “white man’s thing”
with origins in European culture and history.
Author: S. E. Anderson
Source: Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the
Numbers. Rethinking Schools, LTD 2005
Non-fiction essay
Difficulty Index: Considerate . . . . . . . . . . . . Challenging
Structure:
Purpose:
Richness:
Relationships:
Vocabulary:
Style:
Lexile Measure: 1510L
Read the following passage to learn about some of the
myths and misconceptions students might have about mathematics.
Historical, Cultural, and Social Implications
of Mathematics
by S. E. Anderson
1 ...We need to shatter the myth that mathematics was or is
a “white man’s thing,” and to show that all civilizations, though
they differ and develop at different paces, have always been
bound inextricably to each other. It is important that students
know that Europe is not now, nor was it ever, the “civilizing
center” of the world surrounded by wildness and chaos.
2 To further undo this Eurocentric assumption, students
need to know about the constant flow of ideas and techniques
into Europe from the early Greeks through the Medieval and
Renaissance periods to the rise of capitalism. Certain aspects of
European mathematics could not have developed had not the
Europeans traded with more advanced societies. One of the
most glaring examples of this is the case of the 150-year political struggle around the incorporation of the Hindu-Arabic
numeral system into common usage in Europe. For a century
and a half during the Medieval period (specifically around
1200-1350 A.D.), the dominant Roman Catholic Church’s
fear of a rising rival class, coupled with European racism and
xenophobia1, impeded the spread of mathematical knowledge
throughout Europe. The Vatican2 denounced Hindu-Arabic
numerals as “the work of the devil” because it viewed the
widespread use of an easy way to calculate as a means by which
European merchants and craftsmen would become even more
independent of the Church.
3 The example leads into a discussion of the myth of the
“Dark Ages,” which asserts that because a general retrogression3 occurred among the European feudal elite during the
Medieval period, nothing was happening intellectually anywhere else in the world. On the contrary, ideas in mathematics,
science, and philosophy flourished, both inside and outside of
Europe during that time. Great African and Middle-Eastern
Purpose and Structure: The first paragraph makes the
purpose of the essay explicit. Transitional sentences at
the beginning and ending of each paragraph allow the
reader to follow the flow of big ideas and supporting
examples.
See especially: Questions 35, 36, 37
Relationships and Relationships: This passage
presents sophisticated ideas and language to argue
for a more accurate depiction of mathematics in a
social, historical, and cultural context. Foregrounded
relationships include those of Europeans and more
advanced societies, teachers and students of math, math
as related to the development of intellectual ideas over
time, and the problems arising from the limitations of
Eurocentrism and racism.
See especially: Questions 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41
Vocabulary: Readers are likely to struggle with Arabic
names and titles, and with challenging and unfamiliar
vocabulary such as: inextricably, Eurocentric, Medieval,
Renaissance, capitalism, dominant, racism, xenophobia,
impeded, denounced, assert, retrogression, feudal,
flourished, astronomical, subsequent, attributed.
See especially: Questions 35, 38, 39
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Arab scholars lived and studied in places like Toledo and Cordoba in Spain as well as in Sicily, Timbuktu, Cairo, Baghdad,
and Jundishapur, which were also key centers of scholarly
learning and research. The rich and complex Arab culture that
dominated southern Europe, most of Africa, the Middle East,
and parts of India and China during this period brought forth
such intellectual centers as Caliph al-Mansur’s House of Wisdom (Bait al-Hikma) in Baghdad, where documents, scholars,
and researchers integrated the great astronomical studies of
Indian, Chinese, Greek, and Babylonian scholars.
4 Bait al-Hikma was also a research university out of which
a key mathematician evolved: Mohammed ibn-Musa al-Khwarizmi (c. A.D. 825-?). He authored two foundational mathematics texts: The first, Hisab al-djabr wa-al Muqabala (The
Science of Equations or The Science of Reduction and Cancellation) not only gave Europe its first systematic approach
to algebra, but also was the source of the name for the subject
matter (al-djabr or “algebra”). His second book (now found
only in the Latin original), Algorithmi de Numero Indorum,
explains the Indian origins of the numeral system. Subsequent
European translations of his book attributed the system to
him; hence, schemes using these numerals came to be known
as “algorithms” (a corruption of the name “al-Khwarizmi”),
and the numerals became known as “Arabic numerals.”
Style: This persuasive essay incorporates references
to sophisticated ideas and historical figures and time
periods. The writer also uses challenging vocabulary and
includes words borrowed directly from Arabic. Readers
will need to avoid confusion over proper names, titles,
and ideas as cited.
See especially: Question 34, 40
1
xenophobia: an unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred for all
people and things perceived as “foreign.”
2 Vatican: the authority and government of the Pope, leader of
the Catholic church.
3 retrogression: the act or process of deteriorating or declining
in development.
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43. For what purpose does the author put the following phrases from paragraph
one in quotation marks?
MI5: Interpret meaning by
using an understanding of
literary concepts
“white man’s thing” and “civilizing center”
A. They are the title of articles. (OOB)
B. They represent the author’s words and thoughts. (OOP2)
 C. They are perceptions commonly expressed in society.
D. They are known facts. (OOP2)
44. What is the “Eurocentric assumption” referred to in the first sentence of paragraph 2?
A. the flow of ideas out of Greece and into Europe (OOP2)
B. that civilizations develop at different paces (OOP2)
C. that math is only for Europeans (OOP1)
 D. that Europe is, and always has been the center of civilization
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
45. The purpose of paragraph 2 is to provide
A. evidence of a “Eurocentric assumption”. (OOP2)
B. an explanation of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. (OOP1)
C. a warning that math is evil. (OOB)
 D. an example of how European mathematics owes its development to
more advanced societies.
MI2: Interpret a singular
meaning from the sum total
of a particular paragraph
46. What was the “myth of the Dark ages” referred to in paragraph 3?
 A. Because no new ideas were generated in Europe, no ideas were generated anywhere.
B. The European feudal elite regressed. (OOP1)
C. Intellectual ideas in math and science flourished elsewhere in the world.
(OOP2)
D. Fighting prevented the spread of mathematical ideas. (OOB)
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
47. According to the article, the word “algebra” is derived from
A. the name of a famous mathematician. (OOP1)
 B. an arabic word used by a Bait al-Hikma scholar.
C. the European feudal elite. (OOP2)
D. the city of Gibraltar. (OOB)
FE2: Recognize evidence
explicitly stated at multiple
locations or with varied
wording in the text
48. In paragraph 2, the word “impeded” most nearly means
A. accelerated. (OOP2)
B. stopped. (OOP1)
 C. hindered.
D. aided. (OOP2)
MI1: Interpret implicit
meaning from words in
context
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49. Which of the following sentences best describes the style of this article?
 A. persuasive
B. narrative (OOP1)
C. biographical (OOP2)
D. poetic (OOB)
MI5: Interpret meaning by
using an understanding of
literary concepts
50. The idea that some people view mathematics as a “white man’s thing” is an
example of a
A. literary implication. (OOB)
B. mathematical implication. (OOP2)
C. historical implication. (OOP1)
 D. social implication.
MI4: Interpret new
meaning and apply it
beyond the passage
Using evidence or examples from at least three of the seven passages you just read, respond to
one of the following questions in essay form:
Who are “Americans” and how do they view their place in the world?
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Questions? Email [email protected]
FAST-R
+
Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Name
Anchor Assessment
Date
Teacher/Class
The following passage from a Biology textbook was taken from the end of a chapter on how the human body
uses the foods we eat. Read the passage to learn more about how to choose and use a food guide pyramid.
Pioneers: The Changing Face of
the Food Guide Pyramid
1
This chapter has introduced you to ways your body
uses the foods you eat. How do you choose those foods?
Have you ever seen a food guide pyramid? The standard
food guide pyramid was originally designed to help people
meet nutritional and dietary needs. Do you think this guide
is appropriate for all people? Alternate food guides suggest
ways that people with different dietary preferences may also
get the nutrition necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
`
Fats, Oils, and Sweets
Use sparingly
Milk, Yogurt, &
Cheese Group
2-3 Servings
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs,
Beans, & Nuts Group
2-3 Servings
Vegetable Group
3-5 Servings
Fruit Group
2-4 Servings
Bread, Cereal,
& Pasta Group
6-11 Servings
a. Standard Food Guide
2
What are some ways you might use a food guide
pyramid in your life? A good place to begin is knowing the
difference between a serving and a helping. A serving is the
amount of a food item that has been analyzed for nutritional
value. A helping is the amount you choose to eat. Some food
guides may tell you exactly how much of a food you should
eat. Many newer versions merely suggest foods to choose
from on a daily or weekly basis.
3
Does the guide consider foods that you enjoy with
your family or friends? The standard food guide does
not reflect cultural differences among families. Also, a
great variety of food is available across the United States.
Compare the standard guide and the Asian food guide. The
vegetarian food guide is for people who do not eat meat.
b. Asian Food Guide
4
Does the guide recommend foods that every person
can eat and digest? Many African Americans, Hispanics,
Asian Americans, and Native Americans are lactose
intolerant (cannot digest dairy products). These people
might benefit from the Asian food guide, which suggests
other foods. The few examples shown here demonstrate how
the concept of a food guide is changing to meet the needs of
our culturally diverse society.
C. Vegetarian Food Guide
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading • High School Anchor Assessment
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Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for
the best answer on your answer sheet.
1. The main purpose of the first paragraph is to
A. introduce the concept of biology.
B. introduce the standard food guide pyramid.
C. introduce the vegetarian food guide pyramid.
D. introduce alternate food guides.
2. The amount of a food item that has been analyzed for nutritional value is called a
A. cup.
B. helping.
C. serving.
D. gram.
3. An appropriate heading for paragraph 3 could be:
A. “Family and friends”
B. “Picking the food guide that reflects your diet”
C. “Mexican vs. Vegetarian food guides”
D. “Determining nutritional value of foods”
4. According to the article, which food guide is recommended for someone who is
lactose intolerant?
A. Standard Food Guide
B. Mexican Native Foods Guide
C. Asian Food Guide
D. Vegetarian Food Guide
5. Which of the following BEST describes a comparison between the Standard Food
Guide and the Asian Food Guide?
A. one suggests how much to eat from each group, the other suggests how often
B. one includes meat, the other does not
C. both use exactly the same foods
D. the Standard Food Guide is healthier
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6. Read the sentence from paragraph 1 in the box below:
Alternate food guides suggest ways that people with different dietary
preferences may also get the nutrition necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
What does the sentence suggest about the author’s view of the “standard” food guide pyramid?
A. It represents the best diet for everyone.
B. It does not reflect everyone’s diet.
C. It guarantees a healthy lifestyle.
D. It is a good example of an alternate food guide.
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Read the following passage to learn about how colonists united to revolt against British rule and
forge the government of the United States that still exists today.
Movement for a People’s Government
1
As fighting flared across much of eastern North America, the ideology of revolution was being
forged in the main coastal regions. The Declaration of Independence was its written expression. The
Declaration rooted the colonies’ claim to independence from Britain in theories about the nature of
sovereignty and legitimate government. Americans were trying not just to free themselves from British rule, but also to build and codify a new social and political order. As British troops marched out to
surrender at Yorktown in 1781, their band played a tune, “The World Turned Upside Down,” that had
been popular during the English Revolution over a century before. It symbolized their view of what the
Americans were doing: overturning the established way of organizing government and society.
2
In its affirmation that “all men” were “created equal,” and had “unalienable rights” to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” the Declaration of Independence suggested that proper government
rested on universal truths evident not just to an educated political elite, but to the common sense of all.
This was not just an abstract statement, but designed to forge unity across the revolutionary political
coalition of farmers, artisans, laborers, slaveholders, merchants, and professional men. It indicated that
common folk as well as the wealthy and powerful could claim a role in their own self-government.
3
Most supporters of the revolution agreed that new American governments should be republican, resting on “the consent of the governed” rather than the sovereign authority of a monarch. But
Americans had differing opinions about how democratic their republic should be, about how broadly or
directly ordinary people should participate in political affairs. Conflict between elite and popular influences had been evident during the period from 1774 to 1776, when the patriot cause was in the hands
of extralegal committees. These divisions persisted as the new states moved to establish their own
permanent governments and constitutions.
4
In Philadelphia’s increasingly radical atmosphere early in 1776, Tom Paine’s pamphlet Common
Sense put forward more than an attack on the legitimacy of monarchy and an urgent call for American
independence. It also sketched a vision of democratic government for the new nation. Confident that
people could govern themselves without the artificial distinctions of monarchy or aristocracy, Paine advocated a simple set of institutions based on direct democracy. States, and the nation as a whole, would
each be governed by annually elected assembly and headed by a president. Paine’s popularity among
the artisans and farmers whom the revolution had aroused ensured that his pamphlet would remain a
symbol of this popular democracy. When Jeremiah Greenman’s Rhode Island regiment celebrated the
Fourth of July in 1783, its thirteen toasts included “the Congress of 1776 and Common Sense.” Paine’s
was the clearest argument that, as another enthusiastic pamphleteer put it, “the people” would make
“the best governors.”
5
The men who came to power in Pennsylvania in 1776 fashioned a new state constitution that embodied many of Paine’s ideas. There would be a state legislature with a single chamber, elected annually by all tax-paying adult males. There would be no property requirements for officeholders. Executive
power would be lodged not in a powerful governor, but in a president and council who would serve the
legislature.
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Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer on your answer sheet.
Read the following sentences from the first paragraph of the passage:
As fighting flared across much of eastern North America, the ideology of revolution was being
forged in the main coastal regions. The Declaration of Independence was its written expression.
7.
The pronoun “its” refers to
A. fighting across America.
B. ideology of revolution.
C. the United States.
D. Declaration of Independence.
8. The author uses quotation marks in paragraph 2 to show
A. commonly used phrases.
B. phrases borrowed from another text.
C. phrases depicting the author’s thoughts.
D. dialogue.
9. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet sent out an urgent call for
A. British reinforcements.
B. American independence.
C. Pennsylvania aristocracy.
D. a new Declaration of Independence.
10. Which of the following is a characteristic of Paine’s vision for a new democratic government?
A. aristocracy
B. pamphlets
C. elected representatives
D. parliament
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11. According to information provided in paragraph 5, which of the following people would most
likely NOT be allowed to vote in a government election in Pennsylvania?
A. Thomas Paine
B. Mrs. Paine
C. Ben Franklin
D. Jeremiah Greenman
12. According to the passage, which of the following events happened third in chronological order?
A. Paine writes his pamphlet.
B. The U.S. Constitution is drafted in Philadelphia.
C. The Declaration of Independence is written.
D. Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the United States.
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When Abraham Lincoln delivered the “Gettysburg Address,” he considered it a
failure. Today it is considered one of the outstanding speeches in U.S. history. Read
the “Gettysburg Address” below. Use information from the “Gettysburg Address” to
answer the questions that follow.
The Gettysburg Address
1
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a
new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal.
2
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or
any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great
battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is
altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
3
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can
not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here,
have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will
little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they
did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work
which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to
be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored
dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have
died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from
the earth.
President Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863
Copyright © 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence • All rights reserved • Permission is granted to reproduce the question set and teacher guide for classroom use only.
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Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer on your answer sheet.
13. Read the last sentence from paragraph 2 in the box below:
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
The word “this” refers to
A. engaging in civil war.
B. meeting on the battlefield.
C. saving the country.
D. dedicating part of the field to those who died.
14. Read the first sentence from paragraph 3 in the box below:
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground.
Which of the following writing techniques does this sentence illustrate?
A. subordination
B. parallel structure
C. metaphor
D. sensory imagery
15. In paragraph 3 of the “Gettysburg Address,” Lincoln speaks of “that cause for which they gave
the last full measure of devotion.” That cause was to
A. hallow the ground where they died.
B. preserve the nation.
C. finish the work that they had started.
D. seek personal honor.
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16. Read the sentence from paragraph 3 in the box below:
“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who
fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.”
The word “advanced” most nearly means
A. proceeded.
B. aided the progress of.
C. improved in rank.
D. ahead of time.
17. Based on the introduction in italics, history has shown which of the following statements to be
ironic?
A. “...and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” (paragraph 1)
B. “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here...” (paragraph 3)
C. “...and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the
earth.” (paragraph 3)
D. “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here...” (paragraph 3)
Copyright © 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence • All rights reserved • Permission is granted to reproduce the question set and teacher guide for classroom use only.
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In the following article, Richard Katula writes about the greatness of Lincoln’s “Gettysburg
Address” speech. Use information from the article below to answer the questions that follow.
The Speech They Only Wish They Could Make
by Richard A. Katula
excerpt from The Boston Globe
November 21, 1999
1
...The sources of the Gettysburg Address’s greatness remain a centerpiece of academic discourse,
and scholars who enter into the debate do so with both reverence and trepidation. The key is to measure it by applying three timeless principles of the ancient art of rhetoric: timeliness, timelessness, and
eloquence.
2
First, the speech is timely. Lincoln delivered a classic eulogy, an “epitaphios logos,” containing
two parts: praise for the dead and advice for the living. The structure of the address is also timely as
Lincoln moves from the birth of the nation—“our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation”—to the death of the soldiers, to the rebirth of the nation and “a new birth of freedom.” Thus, the
soldiers did not die in vain, but to preserve the nation, a most worthy cause.
3
Great orations must also be grounded in timeless principles, and Lincoln’s address was. Lincoln
held up the overarching principle of equality as a way to resolve the essential contradiction in our two
founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, which states that all men are created equal,
and the Constitution, which did not prohibit slavery. By declaring equality the overriding concern—
the principle for which our soldiers had died—he changed the course of our national destiny, turning it
once and for all time toward the pursuit of this worthy ideal.
4
Finally, the address is eloquent. Delivered with grace and sincerity, the speech stands as a gem of
the English language. Lincoln used classical rhetorical techniques such as parallel phrasing, cadence,
metaphor, and allusion to achieve his high oratorical tone. But while borrowing from the poetic,
Lincoln’s words remain speakable as oratory. Thus, the address has become literature as much as it
remains oratory.
5
The Gettysburg Address remains the most important speech in American history because it
completes the vision of our founders. Through his brief remarks, Lincoln joined a chorus of illustrious American political philosophers of the time, men such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Daniel Webster,
Theodore Parker, and Frederick Douglass, who were asking what it meant to be an American.
6
Comprising just 10 sentences, it has triumphed over time, condemnation, obscurity, parody, and
comparison. In these closing days of the millennium, as countdowns of top one-hundreds proliferate,
this oration should top everyone’s list of best speeches—and stand as a model of what political rhetoric, at its best, can be.
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Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer on your answer sheet.
18. In this passage, the word rhetoric means
A. celebrated poetry.
B. informal discussion.
C. formal essay.
D. effective speech.
19. According to the article, which of the following is a principle of rhetoric?
A. preservation
B. trepidation
C. eloquence
D. vocabulary
20. Lincoln’s speech qualified as “timely” because
A. it happened in 1865.
B. it honored the dead as giving new life to the nation.
C. it addressed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
D. it was brief.
21. According to the article, which of the following is an example of inequality?
A. the Constitution
B. slavery
C. war
D. the Declaration of Independence
22. In paragraph 3 of Katula’s article, what does the phrase “overriding concern” mean?
A. a problematic issue
B. protected by law
C. of greatest importance
D. no longer a worry
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23. Beginning in paragraph 5, the writer’s focus changes from describing what makes the “Gettysburg Address” a great speech to
A. defining it as a classic example of political philosophy.
B. relating it to Frederick Douglass’s definition of “American”.
C. arguing for its historical and contemporary significance.
D. promoting Lincoln as the greatest U.S. president of all time.
24. The main purpose of Katula’s article is to
A. argue that speechmaking should be taken more seriously.
B. analyze each sentence of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
C. provide insight into what made Lincoln’s speech great.
D. capture the emotion of honoring the courage of the soldiers.
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In this excerpt from the play A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry writes about the power of
dreams. Hansberry uses a poem by Langston Hughes as a thematic introduction to her play. Read
the poem and the excerpt from the play below. Use information from both selections to answer
the questions that follow.
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
5
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
10
Like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
—Langston Hughes
A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
1 TRAVIS Well, good night, Daddy.
(The FATHER has come from behind the couch and leans over, embracing his son)
2 WALTER Son, I feel like talking to you tonight.
3 TRAVIS About what?
4 WALTER Oh, about a lot of things. About you and what kind of man you going to be when you
grow up. . . . Son—son, what do you want to be when you grow up?
5 TRAVIS A bus driver.
6 WALTER (Laughing a little) A what? Man, that ain’t nothing to want to be!
7 TRAVIS Why not?
8 WALTER ’Cause, man—it ain’t big enough—you know what I mean.
9 TRAVIS I don’t know then. I can’t make up my mind. Sometimes Mama asks me that too. And
sometimes when I tell her I just want to be like you—she says she don’t want me to be
like that and sometimes she says she does. . . .
Continued on next page
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10 WALTER (Gathering him up in his arms) You know what, Travis? In seven years you going to be
seventeen years old. And things is going to be very different with us in seven years,
Travis. . . . One day when you are seventeen I’ll come home—home from my office
downtown somewhere—
11 TRAVIS You don’t work in no office, Daddy.
12 WALTER No—but after tonight. After what your daddy gonna do tonight, there’s going to be of-
fices—a whole lot of offices. . . .
13 TRAVIS What you gonna do tonight, Daddy?
14 WALTER You wouldn’t understand yet, son, but your daddy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a busi-
ness transaction that’s going to change our lives. . . . That’s how come one day when
you ’bout seventeen years old I’ll come home and I’ll be pretty tired, you know what I
mean, after a day of conferences and secretaries getting things wrong the way they do . . .
’cause an executive’s life is hell, man—(The more he talks the farther away he gets) And
I’ll pull the car up on the driveway . . . just a plain black Chrysler, I think, with whitewalls—no—black tires. More elegant. Rich people don’t have to be flashy . . . though I’ll
have to get something a little sportier for Ruth—maybe a Cadillac convertible to do her
shopping in. . . . And I’ll come up the steps to the house and the gardener will be clipping away at the hedges and he’ll say, “Good evening, Mr. Younger.” And I’ll say, “Hello,
Jefferson, how are you this evening?” And I’ll go inside and Ruth will come downstairs
and meet me at the door and we’ll kiss each other and she’ll take my arm and we’ll go up
to your room to see you sitting on the floor with the catalogues of all the great schools in
America around you. . . . All the great schools in the world! And—and I’ll say, all right
son—it’s your seventeenth birthday, what is it you’ve decided? . . . Just tell me where you
want to go to school and you’ll go. Just tell me, what it is you want to be—and you’ll be
it. . . . Whatever you want to be—Yessir! (He holds his arms open fot TRAVIS) You just
name it, son . . . (TRAVIS leaps into them) and I hand you the world!
(WALTER’s voice has risen in pitch and hysterical promise and on the last line he lifts
TRAVIS high)
(Blackout)
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Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer on your answer sheet.
25. Reread line 1 of the poem. Which of the following is a synonym for the word deferred?
A. postponed
B. accomplished
C. strengthened
D. inspired
26. The images in lines 4 through 6 of the poem refer to things that are
A. antique.
B. spoiled.
C. valuable.
D. trivial.
27. Which simile in the poem supports the idea that “a dream deferred” becomes burdensome?
A. the simile in lines 3-4
B. the simile in lines 5-6
C. the simile in lines 7-8
D. the simile in lines 9-10
28. According to the excerpt from the play, how old is Travis?
A. 7 years old
B. 10 years old
C. 17 years old
D. 21 years old
29. According to Travis in line 9 of the play, what is Mama’s attitude toward Walter?
A. She respects Walter but wants a better life for Travis.
B. She believes Walter should not expect too much from life.
C. She is angry that Walter wants to push Travis too much.
D. She wishes Walter would make up his mind about what he wants.
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30. Why does Travis say he wants to be a bus driver when he grows up?
A. He loves to drive.
B. He wants to be just like his father.
C. He wants to make his mother proud.
D. He does not want to go to college.
31. Read the stage directions in the box below.
WALTER’s voice has risen in pitch and hysterical promise
What does this stage direction tell the reader about Walter?
A. The more he talks about the future, the more excited he becomes.
B. Walter is upset with his son’s lack of ambition.
C. Talking about the future leaves Walter confused about the past.
D. Walter is questioning his son about his career goals.
32. Which word BEST describes the father in the play?
A. defensive
B. content
C. ambitious
D. unemotional
33. Which of the following BEST describes Walter’s “dream” in line 14?
A. He wants to be famous.
B. He wants to own a Cadillac.
C. He wants to be an executive.
D. He wants to live “the American Dream.”
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Sometimes people say that math is its own language. But to solve math problems, you often need
to translate information from words into mathematical sentences. The following passage is from an
algebra textbook. Use your reading skills - as well as your math - to answer the questions that follow.
A Problem Solving Plan Using Models
Goal 1 Translating Verbal Phrases
To translate verbal phrases into algebra, look for words that indicate operations.
Operation
Addition
Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
Verbal Phrase
Expression
The sum of six and a number
6+x
Eight more than a number
y+8
A number plus five
n+5
A number increased by seven
x+7
The difference of five and a number
5–y
Four less than a number
x–4
Seven minus a number
7–n
A number decreased by nine
n–9
The product of nine and a number
9x
Ten times a number
10n
A number multiplied by three
3y
The quotient of a number and four
n
7
Seven divided by a number
7
x
Order is important for subtraction and division, but not for addition and multiplication. “Four less
than a number” is written as x – 4, not 4 – x. On the other hand, “the sum of six and a number” can be
written as 6 + x or x + 6.
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EXAMPLE
1
Teacher/Class
Translating Verbal Phrases into Algebra
Translate the phrase into an algebraic expression.
SOLUTION
a. Three more than the quantity five times a number n
Think: 3 more than what?
b. Two less than the sum of six and a number m
5n + 3
(6 + m) – 2
Think: 2 less than what?
c. A number x decreased by the sum of 10 and the square of a number y
x – (10 + y²)
Think: x decreased by what?
Goal 2 Using a Verbal Model
In English there is a difference between a phrase and a sentence. Verbal phrases translate into mathematical expressions and verbal sentences translate into equations or inequalities.
Phrase
The sum of six and a number
Expression →
6+x
Sentence
The sum of six and a number is twelve.
Equation
→
6 + x = 12
Sentence
Seven times a number is less than fifty.
Inequality
→
7x < 50
Sentences that translate into equations have words that tell how one quantity relates to another. In
the first sentence, the word “is” says that one quantity is equal to another. In the second sentence, the
words “is less than” indicate an inequality.
Writing algebraic expressions, equations or inequalities that represent real-life situations is called
modeling. The expression, equation or inequality is a mathematical model of the real-life situation.
When you write a mathematical model, we suggest that you use three steps.
WRITE A
VERBAL MODEL.
→
ASSIGN
LABELS.
→
WRITE AN
ALGEBRAIC MODEL.
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EXAMPLE 2
Teacher/Class
Writing an Algebraic Model
Dining Out
You and three friends are having a dim sum lunch at a Chinese restaurant that charges $2 per
plate. You order lots of plates of wontons, egg rolls, and dumplings. The waiter gives you a bill for
$25.20, which includes tax of $1.20. Use mental math to solve the equation for how many plates your
group ordered.
SOLUTION
Be sure that you understand the problem situation before you begin. For example, notice that the
tax is added after the cost of the plates of dim sum is figured.
VERBAL
MODEL
Cost per
plate
•
Number of =
plates
Bill
–
Tax
LABELS
Cost per plate = 2
(dollars)
Number of plates = p
(plates)
Amount of bill = 25.20
(dollars)
Tax = 1.20
(dollars)
ALGEBRAIC
MODEL
2p = 25.20 – 1.20
2p = 24.00
p = 12
► Your group ordered 12 plates of food costing $24.00
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Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer
on your answer sheet.
34. The reason the writer uses words in italics in the boxed section “Translating Verbal Phrases” is to
A. indicate the operation linked with these words.
B. make this section look attractive.
C. bring readers’ attention to mathematical vocabulary.
D. highlight the verb in each phrase.
35. According to the passage, which of the following words indicates an operation?
A. number
B. algebraic
C. quotient
D. translate
36. “Order” is NOT important for which of the following operations?
A. division
B. translation
C. subtraction
D. multiplication
37. Based on information in the passage, a verbal phrase can best be defined as a group of words that
A. includes a verb.
B. includes variables and math symbols.
C. translates into a mathematical expression.
D. has no more than six words.
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38. Read the following sentence in the box below:
The sum of 5 and a number is thirteen.
The word “is” indicates
A. that one quantity is equal to another.
B. that one quantity is less than another.
C. that five times the number is greater than thirteen.
D. that five times the number is less than thirteen.
39. One of the ways in which the writer shows the connection between literacy skills and math
skills is by
A. comparing phrases and sentences with math expressions, equations, and inequations.
B. using italics to highlight the importance of the operation.
C. explaining the steps in problem solving.
D. explaining what a mathematical model is.
40. The Algebraic Model: 2p = 25.20 – 1.20 obtained from the word problem “Dining Out” is a(n)
A. expression.
B. equation.
C. inequality.
D. variable.
41. In the Algebraic Model given in Example 2, the term 2p represents the
A. number of plates ordered for the lunch.
B. cost per plate ordered for the lunch.
C. cost of all the plates ordered for the lunch.
D. total amount given on the bill.
42. In Example 2, the title of the word problem is “Dining Out.” Which piece of information
given is NOT relevant to the solution of the problem?
A. Each plate of food costs $2.00.
B. Lots of plates of wontons, egg rolls, and dumplings are ordered.
C. A tax of $1.20 is included in the total bill.
D. The waiter gives you a bill for $25.20.
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading • High School Anchor Assessment
Passages and graphics are Copyright from original sources. All questions and teacher materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
Name
Teacher/Class
Read the following passage to learn about some of the myths and misconceptions students
might have about mathematics.
Historical, Cultural, and Social Implications of Mathematics
by S. E. Anderson
1
We need to shatter the myth that mathematics was or is a “white man’s thing,” and to show that all
civilizations, though they differ and develop at different paces, have always been bound inextricably to
each other. It is important that students know that Europe is not now, nor was it ever, the “civilizing center”
of the world surrounded by wildness and chaos.
2
To further undo this Eurocentric assumption, students need to know about the constant flow of ideas
and techniques into Europe from the early Greeks through the Medieval and Renaissance periods to the rise
of capitalism. Certain aspects of European mathematics could not have developed had not the Europeans
traded with more advanced societies. One of the most glaring examples of this is the case of the 150-year
political struggle around the incorporation of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system into common usage in Europe. For a century and a half during the Medieval period (specifically around 1200-1350 A.D.), the dominant Roman Catholic Church’s fear of a rising rival class, coupled with European racism and xenophobia1,
impeded the spread of mathematical knowledge throughout Europe. The Vatican2 denounced Hindu-Arabic
numerals as “the work of the devil” because it viewed the widespread use of an easy way to calculate as a
means by which European merchants and craftsmen would become even more independent of the Church.
3
The example leads into a discussion of the myth of the “Dark Ages,” which asserts that because a
general retrogression3 occurred among the European feudal elite during the Medieval period, nothing was
happening intellectually anywhere else in the world. On the contrary, ideas in mathematics, science, and
philosophy flourished, both inside and outside of Europe during that time. Great African and Middle-Eastern Arab scholars lived and studied in places like Toledo and Cordoba in Spain as well as in Sicily, Timbuktu, Cairo, Baghdad, and Jundishapur, which were also key centers of scholarly learning and research. The
rich and complex Arab culture that dominated southern Europe, most of Africa, the Middle East, and parts
of India and China during this period brought forth such intellectual centers as Caliph al-Mansur’s House
of Wisdom (Bait al-Hikma) in Baghdad, where documents, scholars, and researchers integrated the great
astronomical studies of Indian, Chinese, Greek, and Babylonian scholars.
4
Bait al-Hikma was also a research university out of which a key mathematician evolved: Mohammed ibn-Musa al-Khwarizmi (c. A.D. 825-?). He authored two foundational mathematics texts: The first,
Hisab al-djabr wa-al Muqabala (The Science of Equations or The Science of Reduction and Cancellation)
not only gave Europe its first systematic approach to algebra, but also was the source of the name for the
subject matter (al-djabr or “algebra”). His second book (now found only in the Latin original), Algorithmi
de Numero Indorum, explains the Indian origins of the numeral system. Subsequent European translations
of his book attributed the system to him; hence, schemes using these numerals came to be known as “algorithms” (a corruption of the name “al-Khwarizmi”), and the numerals became known as “Arabic numerals.”
xenophobia: an unreasonable fear, distrust, or hatred for all people and things perceived as “foreign.”
Vatican: the authority and government of the Pope, leader of the Catholic church.
3 retrogression: the act or process of deteriorating or declining in development.
1
2
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading • High School Anchor Assessment
Passages and graphics are Copyright from original sources. All questions and teacher materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
Name
Teacher/Class
Directions: Answer the following multiple-choice questions by filling in the circle for the best answer on your answer sheet.
43. For what purpose does the author put the following phrases from paragraph one in quotation
marks?
“white man’s thing” and “civilizing center”
A. They are the title of articles.
B. They represent the author’s words and thoughts.
C. They are perceptions commonly expressed in society.
D. They are known facts.
44. What is the “Eurocentric assumption” referred to in the first sentence of paragraph 2?
A. the flow of ideas out of Greece and into Europe
B. that civilizations develop at different paces
C. that math is only for Europeans
D. that Europe is, and always has been the center of civilization
45. The purpose of paragraph 2 is to provide
A. evidence of a “Eurocentric assumption”.
B. an explanation of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system.
C. a warning that math is evil.
D. an example of how European mathematics owes its development to more advanced societies.
46. What was the “myth of the Dark ages” referred to in paragraph 3?
A. Because no new ideas were generated in Europe, no ideas were generated anywhere.
B. The European feudal elite regressed.
C. Intellectual ideas in math and science flourished elsewhere in the world.
D. Fighting prevented the spread of mathematical ideas.
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading • High School Anchor Assessment
Passages and graphics are Copyright from original sources. All questions and teacher materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
Name
Teacher/Class
47. According to the article, the word “algebra” is derived from
A. the name of a famous mathematician.
B. an arabic word used by a Bait al-Hikma scholar.
C. the European feudal elite.
D. the city of Gibraltar.
48. In paragraph two, the word “impeded” most nearly means
A. accelerated.
B. stopped.
C. hindered.
D. aided.
49. Which of the following sentences best describes the style of this article?
A. persuasive
B. narrative
C. biographical
D. poetic
50. The idea that some people view mathematics as a “white man’s thing” is an example of a
A. literary implication.
B. mathematical implication.
C. historical implication.
D. social implication.
Using evidence of examples from at least three of the seven passages you just read,
respond to one of the following questions in essay form:
Who are “Americans” and how do they view their place in the world?
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading • High School Anchor Assessment
Passages and graphics are Copyright from original sources. All questions and teacher materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
+
FAST-R
Name
Teacher/Class
Formative Assessments of Student Thinking in Reading
Name
School
Date
Class
Passage:
Grade
Grade 9 Anchor Assessment
Teacher Name
_
Completely fill the circle for the correct answer.
Food Guide Pyramid
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A B C D
A B C D
A B C D
A B C D
A B C D
A B C D
The Speech They Only
Wish They Could Make
18. A B C D
19. A B C D
20. A B C D
21. A B C D
22. A B C D
23. A B C D
24. A B C D
Movement for A
People’s Government
Raisin In The Sun
Problem Solving Plan
Using Models
34. A B C D
35. A B C D
36. A B C D
37. A B C D
38. A B C D
39. A B C D
40. A B C D
41. A B C D
42. A B C D
7.
A B C D
25. A B C D
8.
A B C D
26. A B C D
Implications of Mathematics
9.
A B C D
27. A B C D
43. A B C D
10. A B C D
28. A B C D
44. A B C D
11. A B C D
29. A B C D
45. A B C D
12. A B C D
30. A B C D
46. A B C D
31. A B C D
47. A B C D
32. A B C D
48. A B C D
33. A B C D
49. A B C D
Gettysburg Address
13. A B C D
14. A B C D
50. A B C D
15. A B C D
16. A B C D
17. A B C D
OFFICE USE ONLY
RESEARCH:
Y
N
OPEN RESPONSE: 1
2
FAST-R: Formative Assessments in Student Thinking in Reading • High School Anchor Assessment
Passages and graphics are Copyright from original sources. All questions and teacher materials are Copyright 2007 by the Boston Plan for Excellence.
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