The Pennsylvania System
of School Assessment
Reading
Item and Scoring Sampler
2008–2009
Grade 5
Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Assessment and Accountability 2008–2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
General Description of Scoring Guidelines for Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Reading Reporting Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Description of Sample Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Passage 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Multiple-Choice Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Open-Ended Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Open-Ended Item Responses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Passage 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Multiple-Choice Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Open-Ended Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Open-Ended Item Responses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Passage 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Multiple-Choice Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Passage 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Multiple-Choice Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Open-Ended Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Open-Ended Item Responses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Passage 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Multiple-Choice Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Open-Ended Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Open-Ended Item Responses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Passage 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Multiple-Choice Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
iii
READING
INTRODUCTION
General Introduction
The Department of Education provides districts and schools with tools to assist in delivering focused instructional
programs aligned to the state assessment system. These tools include assessment anchor documents, assessment
handbooks, and content-based item and scoring samplers. This 2008–2009 Reading Item and Scoring Sampler is a
useful tool for Pennsylvania educators in the preparation of local instructional programs and the statewide PSSA.
What Is Included
The 2008–2009 Reading Item and Scoring Samplers do not contain newly released passages and items. The samplers
are a compilation of previously released passages and items. This item and scoring sampler contains reading passages
with multiple-choice items and open-ended items that have been written to align to the 2008 Assessment Anchor
Content Standards (Assessment Anchors). The passages represent some of the genres approved by PDE for appearance
on the PSSA. The items are actual items used to assess student performance on the PSSA. They provide an idea of the
types of items that will appear on the operational Spring 2009 PSSA. Each item has been through a rigorous review
process to ensure alignment with the Assessment Anchors.
The Grade 6 Reading Item and Scoring Sampler contains an example of a passage from the editorial genre as it
appeared on the 2008 PSSA. You may want to look at the Grade 6 Reading Item and Scoring Sampler to get an idea of
the type of items your students may encounter with an editorial passage on a grade 5 assessment.
Purpose and Uses
The passages with items in this sampler may be used as examples for creating assessment items at the classroom
level, and they may also be copied and used as part of a local instructional program.* Classroom teachers may find it
beneficial to have students respond to the open-ended items in this sampler. Educators can then use the sampler as a
guide to score the responses either independently or together with colleagues within a school or district.
Item Format and Scoring Guidelines
The multiple-choice items have four answer choices. Each correct response to a multiple-choice item is worth
one point.
Each open-ended item is designed to take about ten minutes to complete. During an official testing administration,
students are given additional time as necessary to complete the test items. Each open-ended item in reading is scored
using an item-specific scoring guideline based on a 0–3 point scale. In this sampler, every item-specific scoring
guideline is combined with examples of student responses representing each score point to form a practical itemspecific scoring guide.
The sampler also includes the General Description of Scoring Guidelines for Reading used to develop the item-specific
guidelines and guides. The General Description of Scoring Guidelines should be used if any additional item-specific
scoring guidelines are created for use within local instructional programs.*
* The permission to copy and/or use these materials does not extend to commercial purposes.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
1
READING
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SCORING GUIDELINES FOR READING
3 Points
• The response provides a complete answer to the task (e.g., a statement that offers a correct answer as well as
text-based support).
• The response provides specific, appropriate, and accurate details (e.g., naming, describing, explaining, or
comparing) or examples.
2 Points
• The response provides a partial answer to the task (e.g., indicates some awareness of the task and at least one
text-based detail).
• The response attempts to provide sufficient, appropriate details (e.g., naming, describing, explaining, or
comparing) or examples; may contain minor inaccuracies.
1 Point
• The response provides an incomplete answer to the task (e.g., indicating either a misunderstanding of the task or
no text-based details).
• The response provides insufficient or inappropriate details or examples that have a major effect on accuracy.
• The response consists entirely of relevant copied text.
0 Points
• The response provides insufficient material for scoring.
• The response is inaccurate in all aspects.
Categories within zero reported separately:
BLK (blank) ..... No response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response
OT .................... Off task/topic
LOE .................. Response in a language other than English
IL ...................... Illegible
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
2
READING
READING REPORTING CATEGORIES
Reading Scores will be reported in two categories:
A - Comprehension and Reading Skills
B - Interpretation and Analysis of Fictional and Nonfictional Text
Examples of multiple-choice and open-ended items assessing these categories are included in this booklet.
DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE ITEMS
There are six reading passages in this booklet. The first two passages are followed by a set of multiple-choice items and
one open-ended item. The third passage is a poem, which is followed by a set of multiple-choice items. The next two
passages are followed by a set of multiple-choice items and one open-ended item. The last passage is followed by a set
of multiple-choice items.
The correct multiple-choice answer is indicated by an asterisk (*). Each open-ended item is displayed with an
item-specific scoring guideline and examples of student responses with scores and annotations. Each item is preceded
by the Assessment Anchor and Eligible Content coding.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
3
READING
PASSAGE 1
Read the following passage about a girl who moves far from home. Then answer
questions 1–8 in your answer booklet.
Rafiki Means Friend
by Denny Dart
When she was twelve years old, Raha
earned a scholarship to study at a boarding
school in England. She kissed her little
sister’s round cheek. She patted the cow’s
brown shoulder. She hugged Mama’s wide
waist. Then Raha and Baba, her father, rode
the crowded bus to the airport.
“I named you Raha, which means
happiness,” Baba said. “Remember that.”
As the plane took off, Raha looked out the
window at the goat herds and brown rivers of
Kenya. She gazed down at the green fields
where she used to run like the wind.
At school in England, Raha wished Baba
had told her to study hard and to practice
running every day. That was much easier
than staying happy.
The teachers gave her dozens of math
problems to solve, essays to write, and books
to read. She ran to her classes through cold
rain, clutching her books inside her blue
blazer.
Her running coach gave her a striped shirt
and white shorts, shoes with cleats for sprints,
and another pair with spongy soles for
cross-country.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
Raha had always run barefoot at home,
and the shoes felt tight on her toes. But all the
other runners wore shoes, and Raha didn’t
want to be different.
The team practiced every weekday
afternoon. On Saturday everyone watched
rugby—everyone but Raha. On Saturdays,
she ran alone on country lanes lined with
thistle and blackberries. She ran over fields
thick with mud. The cold air stung her throat,
and her shoes stuck in the mud, slowing her
down. She missed running barefoot and fast
under the hot African sun.
Each day at lunch, Raha sat alone in the
large hall, eating rubbery roast beef and
brussel sprouts. She wished she were home,
eating spicy soup from a calabash bowl and
laughing with her family. Her mouth craved
fish and coconut, or a golden papaya, juicy
and sweet.
One Saturday, Raha ran up a hill and
found herself in a barn yard. One of her
classmates, a day student named Thomas,
stood just inside the barn doors.
After he greeted her, Raha asked, “Why
aren’t you watching rugby?”
4
READING
“I have to help my father,” said Thomas.
“Would you like to see the cows?”
was already born, but it lay slick and still.
Please, Raha thought, let them be alive.
Raha entered the barn, and the familiar
smell of cows surrounded her. “We have a
cow at home,” she said. “I call her Rafiki. That
means friend.”
“The calf is breathing,” said Thomas’s
father. He dragged the calf to the mother’s
head. The cow, smelling her newborn,
struggled to her feet, nuzzled her calf, and
started to lick its wet fur. The calf opened its
eyes.
Raha rubbed the swollen sides of a brown
cow.
“She’ll give birth to a calf soon,” said
Thomas.
On Monday, Thomas invited Raha to sit
with him and his friends at lunch. They
talked about the track meet coming up in two
weeks. At home, Raha had always looked
forward to running races, but now she had a
churning in her stomach. How would she run
fast in those clumsy shoes?
The next Saturday, Raha ran to Thomas’s
farm. She didn’t see him at the barn, so she
ran up the hill to the fields above. She found
Thomas’s brown cow lying on her side and
breathing heavily.
“Poor thing, your calf is coming,” Raha
said. “You need help.” She looked out over
the fields, but there was no one in earshot.
Raha didn’t know how to deliver a calf,
but she knew how to run. She pulled off her
shoes and ran, barefoot and fast, as she used
to run at home.
She ran over the fields, past the barn, and
to the white house where Thomas lived. Raha
found Thomas and his father, and they
followed her back up the hill.
“We came just in time,” said Thomas, still
panting.
“Yes, thanks to you,” Thomas’s father said,
nodding to Raha. He looked at the calf.
“She’ll be needing a name.”
“How about Rafiki?” Thomas suggested.
Then he smiled at Raha and said, “It means
friend.”
On her run back to the school, Raha felt
like a bird flying over the patchwork of green
fields.
In the shower room, Raha stood in her
clothes under the hot water, letting the mud
run off her. She grinned. Baba, she thought,
I’m living up to my name.
On the day of the races, busloads of
runners and spectators came from other
schools. Thomas waved to Raha from the
crowd. She wore her striped shirt and her
white shorts. Her feet were bare.
The runners lined up, and the starting gun
exploded. Raha ran like the wind.
When they reached the upper field, the
cow still lay on her side. Beside her, the calf
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
B.2.1.2
B.1.1.1
1.
3.
The sentence “Raha ran like the wind”
means that Raha
A
* B
was tired.
ran swiftly.
C
was quiet.
D
ran outside.
A
“The teachers gave her dozens of
math problems to solve . . .”
B
“. . . Raha felt like a bird flying
over the patchwork of green
fields.”
C
“They talked about the track meet
coming up in two weeks.”
* D “ . . . all the other runners wore
shoes, and Raha didn’t want to be
different.”
A.1.2.2
2.
Which detail from the passage best
describes the conflict?
Read the sentence from the passage.
“Her mouth craved fish and coconut,
or a golden papaya, juicy and sweet.”
What does the word craved mean?
A
tasted
* B
wanted
C
noticed
D
chewed
A.1.1.2
4.
Which word is an antonym of familiar?
A
usual
B
ancient
* C
strange
D
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
common
6
READING
A.1.6.1
A.1.3.1
5.
7.
What is the author’s purpose for
writing the passage?
* A to entertain the reader with an
interesting story
At the end of the passage, why does
Raha think she is living up to her
name?
A
She is learning to run in England.
* B
She is happy because she made a
friend.
B
to convince the reader that running
is helpful
C
to inform the reader about how a
calf is born
C
She is learning to like running in
mud.
D
to teach the reader how to make
friends
D
She is happy because the weather
is warm.
B.1.1.1
6.
Thomas most likely names the calf
Rafiki
A
to show Raha that he likes to run.
B
because he likes the sound of the
word.
* C
D
to show Raha that he is her friend.
because he is happy the calf is
breathing.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM
A.1.3.1
8.
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
ITEM-SPECIFIC SCORING GUIDELINE
Item #8
This item will be reported under Category A, Comprehension and Reading Skills.
Assessment Anchor:
A.1
Understand fiction appropriate to grade level.
Specific Eligible Content addressed by this item:
A.1.3.1 Make inferences and/or draw conclusions based on information from text.
Scoring Guide:
Score
In response to this item, the student—
3
demonstrates complete knowledge of making conclusions by stating the importance
of the name “Rafiki” and by using at least two examples from the passage to explain the
response.
2
demonstrates partial knowledge of making conclusions by stating the importance of the
name “Rafiki.” (Example: Student states the importance of the name “Rafiki” and uses one
example from the passage to explain the response.)
1
demonstrates incomplete knowledge of making conclusions by stating the importance of
the name “Rafiki.” (Example: Student states the importance of the name “Rafiki” without
using any examples from the passage to explain the response.)
0
gives a response that provides insufficient material for scoring or is inaccurate in all
aspects.
Nonscorable
BLK (blank) ... No response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response
OT ................... Off task/topic
LOE ................ Response in a language other than English
IL .................... Illegible
Example —Top Scoring Response (3 Points):
Conclusion and Examples
“Rafiki” is an important name because it means friend. In the passage Raha tells Thomas about Rafiki,
her cow back home. The cow’s name means friend. Then Thomas suggests the name Rafiki for the new
calf. After that Raha and Thomas become good friends.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM RESPONSES
A.1.3.1
8.
Response Score: 3
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
The student has given a complete answer to the task by explaining the importance of
the name “Rafiki” (“ ‘Rafiki’ means friend”) and by using at least two examples from
the passage (“Thomas names the calf ‘Rafiki’ to show that he and Raha are friends” and
“it is the name of Raha’s cow . . .”) to explain the response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
A.1.3.1
8.
Response Score: 2
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
The student has given a partial answer to the task by explaining the importance of the
name “Rafiki” (“means friend”) and by using one example from the passage (“Thomas
named the new born calf Rafiki because . . . he wanted to represent that he was he
friend”) to explain the response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
A.1.3.1
8.
Response Score: 2
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
The student has given a partial answer to the task by using two examples from the
passage (“After the colt was born Thomas suggested to name it Rafiki” and “Thomas
also let Raha sit with his friends and him at lunch . . .”) to imply the importance of the
name “Rafiki,” without explicitly stating the importance of the name.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
A.1.3.1
8.
Response Score: 1
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
The student has provided an incomplete answer to the task by explaining the
importance of the name “Rafiki” (“The meaning of Rafiki is friend”), without using any
examples from the passage to support the response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
A.1.3.1
8.
Response Score: 1
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
The student has given an incomplete answer to the task by using one example from
the passage (“she named her cow that”) to imply the importance of the name “Rafiki,”
without explicitly stating the importance of the name.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
A.1.3.1
8.
Response Score: 0
What is the importance of the name “Rafiki”? Use at least two examples from the
passage to explain your response.
The student’s response is inaccurate because the information given is irrelevant to
the task.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
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READING
PASSAGE 2
Read the following passage about a child who meets an orchestra. Then answer
questions 9–16 in your answer booklet.
The Philharmonic Express
by Susan Mitsch
Javon rubbed hard on a brass rail. His
grandpa rubbed on another nearby. “How’s
that, Grandpa?” asked Javon.
Grandpa inspected Javon’s work.
“Couldn’t have done a better job myself,” he
answered. “Well worth the five dollars I’m
giving you. I’m sure lucky such good help
comes to visit me.”
“Do you like being a janitor in this place?”
Javon asked Grandpa, rubbing some more.
“Javon, this isn’t just a place,” Grandpa
said. “The Philharmonic Orchestra Hall is an
adventure.”
Javon looked around the building. It
seemed pretty stuffy to him—the high ceiling,
the red velvet seats, the brass railings. And
that boring music they played here! His
brother called it “elevator music.”
“I like rap,” Javon replied scornfully.
“And dance music. You ever listen to rap,
Grandpa?”
Grandpa laughed. “I’ll bring you here
some night, when all the people dress fancy.
The musicians come. They darken the room.
And then, oh, the music . . .” Grandpa’s voice
trailed off in wonder.
Javon snickered. “Doesn’t sound like
much of an adventure to me, Grandpa,” he
said.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
“You just have to be patient,” Grandpa
replied. “Then the music makes pictures in
your head. It takes you to faraway places. Oh,
I almost forgot!” Grandpa exclaimed
suddenly. “Bought you something.”
Grandpa pulled a small package from his
pocket. Javon tore open the package and
found—a harmonica.
What am I going to do with this silly thing?
Javon thought. Aloud he said, “Uh, thanks,
Grandpa. But I don’t know how to play it.”
“Doesn’t matter. You might like it,”
Grandpa replied. “Try it out.”
Javon put the harmonica to his lips and
blew. It sounded like a train whistle. He slid
the harmonica up and down his lips. The
music slid up and down, too.
“Well, we’re finished for today,” Grandpa
said. “Meet me in front of the stage. I have to
put this stuff away.”
“OK, Grandpa,” Javon answered. He
hopped one step at a time down the aisle. He
tried out the harmonica as he went. The
sounds echoed through the fancy old
building.
Javon sat in the front row, waiting for
Grandpa. A few musicians came in, preparing
for rehearsal. One of the musicians smiled at
Javon. Javon ignored him and kept blowing.
16
READING
“If I blow just right,” Javon said to
himself, “I can do it. I can make this thing
sound just like the train that passes by my
house.” He couldn’t wait to show Grandpa.
Woooo, woooooooo!
Just then, the train whistle sounded
again—but from on stage! Javon looked up,
surprised. A man with a violin smiled and
waved. He played his violin again. Wooooo,
woooooo!
Javon smiled back and played some more.
Wooo, wooo! Wooo, wooooo! Their whistles
seemed to answer each other. Javon imagined
two trains passing next to each other in the
night.
Just then, a woman at the back of the stage
started playing. Rattity tattity-rattity-tattity,
she played on the drums. Javon could hear
the clicking of wheels on the rails.
Woooo, wooooo! Javon played.
WEEEEEEE-OOOOOOOOOOO! A
woman on the slide trombone joined in.
Javon could hear a fast passenger train
screaming by.
Honk! Honk! Two trumpeters joined in.
Beeeeeep! Honk-honk! They sounded like
cars waiting impatiently at a crossing.
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble! A man
with a bass violin was playing now, too.
Rumble, rumble, the huge engine passed over
a wooden bridge.
Oink! Oink-oink! He saw a woman
making pig noises with a bassoon. Javon’s
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
train was passing a pig farm. A man with a
flute made the baby pigs squeal—Whee!
Wheee!
From the left side of the stage came a
warning sound. Ding-ding! Ding-ding! A
man tapped the tubular bells. The train was
approaching another intersection!
Javon played his whistle again. Woooo,
woooooooo! Get out of the way, cars!
Suddenly, an old man with a baton
walked in. He stood very tall and straight.
When the musicians saw him, they stopped
playing. The hall grew quiet.
The old man looked around. He saw
Javon sitting in the first row. The harmonica
was still in his mouth. Javon sighed and the
harmonica went ooooohh . . .
“That was quite a remarkable train ride
you took us on,” said the old man.
“You should know,” said a musician.
“After all, you are the conductor!“
Loud laughter ran through the hall.
The old man surprised Javon by throwing
back his head and laughing, too!
Grandpa came down the aisle. “Well, my
word, Javon!” he said. “This is your first
musical instrument. Already you’re playing
with the Philharmonic Orchestra!” The hall
echoed with laughter—and Javon joined in.
“You must be quite the musician,”
Grandpa said. “You ready to go home now?”
“Uhm, can we stay a little bit longer,
Grandpa?” asked Javon. “I want to hear what
else they can do.”
17
READING
Grandpa asked the conductor if it was all
right. “Why not?” said the gray-haired man.
“Anybody who likes classical music is
welcome to stay!”
B.2.1.2
11.
Which sentence contains a simile?
* A “It sounded like a train whistle.”
Grandpa grinned and poked Javon.
“Well, I’ve changed my mind, OK?” said
Javon, blushing. He and Grandpa sat down
on the plush seats. The two listened with their
eyes closed as the one o’ clock practice
began—a private concert, just for them.
B
“He stood very tall and straight.”
C
“Javon rubbed hard on a brass
rail.”
D
“One of the musicians smiled at
Javon.”
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
B.1.1.1
A.1.4.1
12.
9.
The passage is mainly about
A
* B
Grandpa preparing for a concert.
Javon having a special experience.
C
Grandpa explaining his work.
D
Javon learning to play a song.
Which word best describes the
musicians?
A
private
B
stuffy
* C
D
playful
surprised
B.2.1.1
13.
A.1.1.2
10.
As used at the beginning of the
passage, which is a synonym for the
word inspected?
A
ignored
B
neglected
C
prepared
* D examined
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
Which sentence is an example of
personification?
A
* B
“Grandpa came down the aisle.”
“Loud laughter ran through the
hall.”
C
“A woman on the slide trombone
joined in.”
D
“Javon put the harmonica to his
lips and blew.”
18
READING
B.1.1.1
A.1.5.1
14.
15.
Which detail from the passage
describes the setting?
A
B
C
“Just then, the train whistle
sounded again—but from on
stage!”
“The old man surprised Javon by
throwing back his head and
laughing, too!”
Which sentence best summarizes the
theme of the passage?
* A Trying new things can be fun.
B
Working very hard is rewarding.
C
Visiting grandparents is important.
D
Playing an instrument can be hard.
“Javon imagined two trains
passing next to each other in the
night.”
* D “It seemed pretty stuffy to
him—the high ceiling, the red
velvet seats, the brass railings.”
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
19
READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM
B.1.1.1
16.
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
20
READING
ITEM-SPECIFIC SCORING GUIDELINE
Item #16
This item will be reported under Category B, Comprehension and Reading Skills.
Assessment Anchor:
B.1
Understand components within and between texts.
Specific Eligible Content addressed by this item:
B.1.1.1 Identify, interpret, compare, and/or analyze components of fiction and literary nonfiction.
Character
Identify, interpret, compare, describe, and/or analyze character actions, motives, dialogue, emotions/
feelings, traits, and relationships among characters within fictional or literary nonfictional text.
Scoring Guide:
Score
3
2
1
0
Nonscorable
In response to this item, the student—
demonstrates complete knowledge of understanding character’s feelings by telling how
Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the end using at least
two examples from the passage.
demonstrates partial knowledge of understanding character’s feelings by telling how
Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the end. (Example:
Student tells how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed using one example from
the passage.)
demonstrates incomplete knowledge of understanding character’s feelings by telling how
Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the end. (Example:
Student tells how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed without using any
examples from the passage.)
has given a response that provides insufficient material for scoring or is inaccurate in all
respects.
BLK (blank) ... No response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response
OT ................... Off task/topic
LOE ................ Response in a language other than English
IL .................... Illegible
Example—Top Scoring Response (3 Points):
Description with Examples
Javon didn’t like classical music, but after playing with the orchestra, he enjoyed it. At first Javon
thought classical music was boring. He told his grandpa, “Doesn’t sound like much of an adventure
to me.” After Javon and the orchestra played sounds like a train trip, he wanted to listen. He asked his
grandpa, “Uhm, can we stay a little bit longer, Grandpa? . . . I want to hear what else they can do.”
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
21
READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM RESPONSES
B.1.1.1
16.
Response Score: 3
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
The student has given a complete answer by describing how Javon’s feelings
about classical music changed from the beginning to the end (“At the
beginning he does not like it but at the end he does”), using two examples
from the passage to support the response (“Then grandpa said do you like
classical music. Javon said no” and “After listening to classical music Javon
likes it now”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
22
READING
B.1.1.1
16.
Response Score: 2
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
The student has given a partial answer by describing how Javon’s feelings
about classical music changed from the beginning to the end, using two
examples from the passage (“At the beginning Javon thought that classical
music was really boring” and “At the end he was having fun and he was
playing with the Philharmonic Orchestra”) without explicitly stating the
change in feelings.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
23
READING
B.1.1.1
16.
Response Score: 2
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
The student has given a partial answer by describing how Javon’s feelings
about classical music changed from the beginning to the end (“In the
beginning of the story Javon thinks classical music is boring”) using one
example from the passage (“he only liked rap. Untill his grandfather gave him
a harmonica to play”) without explicitly stating the change in feelings.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
24
READING
B.1.1.1
16.
Response Score: 1
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
The student has given an incomplete answer by describing how Javon’s
feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the end (“at first
he likes rap. Then he starts to like classical”) without using any examples from
the passage.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
25
READING
B.1.1.1
16.
Response Score: 1
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
The student has given an incomplete answer by describing how Javon’s
feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the end, using
one example that implies a feeling (“Javon said he liks rap”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
26
READING
B.1.1.1
16.
Response Score: 0
Tell how Javon’s feelings about classical music changed from the beginning to the
end of the passage. Use at least two examples from the passage to support your
response.
The student’s response is inaccurate in all respects.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
27
READING
PASSAGE 3
Read the poem about a tadpole. Then answer questions 17–25 in your answer booklet.
Tadpole
by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Morning yawns
over Tadpole’s pond.
Gray mist creeps from the water,
sitting on a fallen log,
curling itself around the buttonbush,
then slipping into the tall pines.
Soon, the trees grow alive with the flurry of wings,
and in the water, Tadpole’s awake.
All head and stringy tail,
she wriggles like a fish,
back and forth.
She nibbles tender ends of waterweeds.
She cradles herself among bulrushes and willows,
where Sunfish guards his jelly babies
sleeping in their bubble nest,
and Painted Turtle, heavy with eggs,
sighs as she floats overhead.
Tadpole dodges the jaws
of Water Tigers,
Pickerel,
and even her own kin.
She swims
to the ruffled skirt of the pond
and sniffs the air.
How grand it would be to be like Frog,
in and out of the water all day long.
To swim legs together legs apart,
to plunge to the pond bottom,
to plant herself,
solid as a gob of mud.
Or to leap from the water
and squat on the banks,
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
28
READING
lording over a spot of sunshine near the lilies,
catching flies with her tongue.
And as night stretches
over the black water,
to sit among her sisters and sing.
Soon, Tadpole, soon.
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
A.1.3.1
A.1.1.2
17.
19.
In the poem, Pickerel is a kind of
A
food.
B
plant.
* C
D
“Tadpole dodges the jaws/of Water
Tigers,/Pickerel,/and even her own
kin.”
animal.
Which word is an antonym of dodges?
rock.
B.1.1.1
18.
“she wriggles like a fish”
B
“All head and stringy tail”
* C
“She cradles herself among
bulrushes and willows”
D
“How grand it would be to be like
Frog”
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
A
avoids
B
rests on
C
catches
* D aims for
Which line from the poem best
identifies the setting?
A
Read the lines from the poem.
A.1.3.1
20.
The “ruffled skirt of the pond” most
likely refers to the
* A edge of the pond.
B
fish in the pond.
C
mist on the pond.
D
bottom of the pond.
29
READING
A.1.6.1
B.2.1.1
21.
23.
The poet most likely wrote the poem to
* A tell about an animal that wants to
change.
B
describe the stages of an animal’s
life.
C
tell about the day an animal
learned to jump.
D
describe an animal that enjoys
nature.
simile.
B
alliteration.
C
metaphor.
B.2.1.3
A.1.5.1
Read the incomplete summary of the
poem.
•
A
* D personification.
24.
22.
The first line of the poem, “Morning
yawns,” is an example of
Which line from the poem contains
alliteration?
A
“All head and stringy tail”
B
“Or to leap from the water”
* C
Tadpole awakens in a pond filled
with various plants and animals.
D
•
•
Tadpole thinks about the many
grand things she will do once she
has grown up.
Which sentence best completes the
summary?
A
* B
The day ends and she begins to
sing.
She explores the pond and avoids
danger.
C
She watches mist on the pond.
D
She enjoys playing in the pond.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
“to sit among her sisters and sing”
“curling itself around the
buttonbush”
B.2.2.1
25.
The poet’s use of point of view helps
the reader understand the thoughts
and feelings of
A
Frog.
B
the poet.
* C
Tadpole.
D
a sister.
30
READING
PASSAGE 4
Read the following passage about a special kind of poetry. Then answer questions 26–34 in
your answer booklet.
Haiku—A Song of the Earth
by Hazel Root Cassey
Have you ever listened to the plop of a
raindrop before it snakes its way down your
windowpane or caught the hum of a locust on
a steamy summer’s eve or tuned in to the
crispy rattle of dry leaves chasing each other
as the first winter wind cracks its frosty
whip? You might call these small, subtle
sounds earth songs. Is it possible to capture
earth songs, to put them into words?
Long ago, poets in Japan listened,
watched, and did capture the beauty of the
earth’s songs much as the fragile threads of a
spider’s web catch and reflect the gold of the
morning sun. They did this with the tiniest
poems in the world, called haiku. A haiku is a
poem that is just three lines and seventeen
syllables long.
In their haiku, the early Japanese poets
caught the colors, sounds, and fragrances of
the seasons of the year. They sang of their
islands’ beauties, from the delicate fragrance
of lotus and cherry blossoms to the
iridescence of the dragonfly’s wing. Their
miniature poems were not meant to fully
describe a scene or to explain it but rather
were a flash, split-second impression.
The old poets are not the only writers of
haiku. Today Japanese farmers, shopkeepers,
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
grandparents, and students write it, and
because of its strong appeal, haiku is written
in many other countries throughout the
world.
Interestingly enough, Japanese poetry has
had a long and colorful history. In the
prehaiku period in the early eighth century,
Japanese poets wrote katauta, poems in a
question-and-answer form, using two people.
Each three-line verse contained about
seventeen syllables that could be delivered
easily and spontaneously in one breath—just
as one would naturally ask or answer a
question. This has remained the basic pattern
for traditional Japanese poetry throughout the
centuries.
Another form that emerged was the tanka,
which contained five lines and thirty-one
syllables (5-7-5-7-7), written by either one or
two persons. From that evolved the renga,
which contained more than one verse, or link.
Composed by three or more people, it could
have as many as 100 links! The first verse of
the renga introduced a subject or theme. It
had three lines and was called the hokku, or
starting verse. Renga parties became a
favorite pastime.
31
READING
Around 1450, haikai no renga became
popular. This style of linked verse contained
puns and was humorous and amusing. The
opening three lines were still called a hokku,
and from haikai and hokku the term haiku
evolved.
One of the earliest writers of haiku was
Soin, who lived about 350 years ago. He
found beauty in simple, everyday things,
chuckling quietly about matters he thought
were funny. At that time, some of the earliest
European visitors to Japan were Dutch
traders, whose customs and language seemed
very strange to the Japanese. Especially
amusing was the Dutch way of writing from
left to right across the page instead of up and
down, which is the Japanese way. When Soin
saw a flock of wild geese honking across the
sky in vee formation, he smiled and wrote:
A snowy mountain
echoes in the jeweled eyes
of a dragonfly.
These are surely the songs of the
earth—little, little poems that are jewel-bright
and full of life. And the poets who wrote
them watched and listened, not only with
their eyes and ears, but also with their hearts!
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
A.2.4.1
26.
A
* B
Wild geese fly
Sideways stretching, across the sky
Like comical Dutch writing!
One of the best-loved of all the poets was
Basho, who was born in 1644 into the
samurai, or warrior class, in Japan, but who
chose to wander in poor clothes and be a
friend and teacher of people in all stations of
life. He embraced simplicity. Surely that
simplicity can be felt here:
The best I have to
offer you is the small size
of the mosquitoes.
Yet another honored haiku poet was Issa,
who lived 200 years ago and, as a small child,
was quite lonely because his mother had
died. He often sang of the great and small like
this:
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
According to the passage, all of the
poets who wrote haiku
were lonely.
watched and listened.
C
were samurai.
D
wrote from left to right.
A.2.2.2
27.
Read the following sentence from the
passage.
“Their miniature poems were not
meant to fully describe a scene . . .”
Which is a meaning for the word
miniature?
A
easy
* B
little
C
detailed
D
rhymed
32
READING
A.2.4.1
A.2.6.1
28.
30.
In the first haiku, the poet Soin
describes Dutch writing as “comical”
most likely because it
A
reflected ideas easily in one breath.
B
contained puns and was humorous
and amusing.
* C
D
read from left to right instead of up
and down.
The main reason the author wrote this
passage was probably to
A
explain how to write a haiku.
* B
share the history of haiku and
some of its poets.
C
discuss popular Japanese party
games.
D
show differences between the
Dutch and Japanese.
was composed by three or more
people at once.
B.3.1.1
A.2.2.2
31.
29.
Read the following statement from the
passage.
“Today Japanese farmers, shopkeepers,
grandparents, and students write it,
and because of its strong appeal, haiku
is written in many other countries
throughout the world.”
The word appeal probably means
* A charm.
B
request.
C
history.
D
language.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
Which of these statements from the
passage is a fact?
* A “Each three-line verse contained
about seventeen syllables . . .”
B
“This style of linked verse
contained puns and was
humorous . . .”
C
“These are surely the songs of the
earth—little, little poems that are
jewel-bright . . .”
D
“. . . poets in Japan listened,
watched, and did capture the
beauty of the earth’s songs . . .”
33
READING
A.2.2.1
32.
The prefix “pre-” helps the reader
know that the phrase “prehaiku
period” most likely refers to
A
* B
the time haikus began.
a time before haikus.
C
the time haikus ended.
D
a time between haikus.
A.2.3.2
33.
The author writes, “The old poets are
not the only writers of haiku.” Which
statement best supports this claim?
A
“Especially amusing was the Dutch
way of writing from left to
right . . .”
B
“One of the best-loved of all the
poets was Basho, who was born in
1644 . . .”
C
“Composed by three or more
people, it could have as many as
100 links!”
* D “Today Japanese farmers,
shopkeepers, grandparents, and
students write it . . .”
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
34
READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM
A.2.3.1
34.
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
35
READING
ITEM-SPECIFIC SCORING GUIDELINE
Item #34
This item will be reported under Category A, Comprehension and Reading Skills.
Assessment Anchor:
A.2
Understand nonfiction appropriate to grade level.
Specific Eligible Content addressed by this item:
A.2.3.1 Make inferences and/or draw conclusions based on information from text.
Scoring Guide:
Score
In response to this item, the student—
3
demonstrates complete knowledge of making conclusions by explaining why haikus
became popular by using at least three examples from the passage to support
the response.
2
demonstrates partial knowledge of making conclusions by explaining why haikus became
popular. (Example: Student explains why haikus became popular by using
two examples from the passage.)
1
demonstrates incomplete knowledge of making conclusions by explaining why haikus
became popular. (Example: Student explains why haikus became popular by using
one example from the passage.)
0
gives a response that provides insufficient material for scoring or is inaccurate in all
aspects.
Nonscorable
BLK (blank) ... No response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response
OT ................... Off task/topic
LOE ................ Response in a language other than English
IL .................... Illegible
Example—Top Scoring Response (3 Points):
Conclusion and Examples
Haikus became popular because they were short poems as they only had three lines. The mini Japanese
poems are about the simple everyday things one sees in nature, so many people understood them. People
also enjoyed them because the haikus were quick snapshots-like to give an impression.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
36
READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM RESPONSES
A.2.3.1
34.
Response Score: 3
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
The student has given a complete answer to the task by using three examples from
the passage (“ ‘. . . poets in Japan listened, watched, and did capture the beauty of
the earth’s songs’ ”) and another reason is (“ ‘. . . Japanese farmers, shopkeepers,
grandparents, and students write it because of its strong appeal’ ”) and (“ ‘. . . the poets
who wrote them watched and listened, not only with their eyes and ears but with their
hearts’ ”) to explain why haikus became popular.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
37
READING
A.2.3.1
34.
Response Score: 2
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
The student has given a partial answer to the task by using two examples from the
passage (“they were short little minuture poems that really brought out the meaning
of the poem” and “the style of linked verses continued puns and was humorus and
amusing”) to explain why haikus became popular.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
38
READING
A.2.3.1
34.
Response Score: 2
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
The student has given a partial answer to the task by using two examples from the
passage (“you write them by watching and listening” and “the poems were funny”) to
explain why haikus became popular.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
39
READING
A.2.3.1
34.
Response Score: 1
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
The student has given an incomplete answer to the task by using one example from
the passage (“It talked about the nature the island the rain drops even the woods”) to
explain why haikus became popular.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
40
READING
A.2.3.1
34.
Response Score: 1
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
The student has given an incomplete answer to the task by using one example from
the passage (“the had puns and humor in it . . . very amusing”) to explain why haikus
became popular.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
41
READING
A.2.3.1
34.
Response Score: 0
Explain why haikus became popular. Use at least three examples from the passage
to support your response.
The student’s response is irrelevant to the task.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
42
READING
PASSAGE 5
Read the following passage about chocolate. Then answer questions 35–42 in your answer
booklet.
Pass the Chocolate
by Adele Conover
Don’t be surprised if one of these days
your mother says, “Eat your chocolate— it’s
good for you.” Scientists have discovered that
chocolate has substances that are as good for
your body as those found in some vitamins.
Once you take out the sugar and fat from
chocolate products, like candy bars, much of
what remains is good for your heart and
blood.
Scientists just discovered that some of the
substances in chocolate have properties that
seem to act like compounds found in vitamin
C. Vitamin C is good for you because it
“grabs” onto harmful substances and
prevents them from damaging your body’s
organs. It also keeps substances from clogging
arteries, vessels that carry blood away from
the heart. Some compounds in chocolate may
even fight cancer. But no one knows for sure.
The research is not finished.
Bitter Beginnings
The first chocolate product was developed
thousands of years ago and did not have
sugar. It began with a few small cacao (kuh
KOW) trees growing wild in Central
American rain forests.
Eventually humans figured out how to use
the seeds for food. First they ground the seeds
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
into a powder. Next they mixed the powder
with hot water. Then they cooled it to make a
chocolate drink. The drink was bitter and
spiced with vanilla and chili peppers!
The First Chocolate Lovers
Most scientists believe the first people to
make this type of chocolate drink were the
Olmec. They lived about 3,000 years ago on
the coast of Central America.
Around A.D. 600, the ancient Maya raised
cacao trees in parts of what are now Mexico
and Guatemala. They also took it to cure
stomachaches and to give them strength to
recover from diseases. Some doctors today
think chocolate could have helped.
The Aztec came into power in central
Mexico in the late 1300s. They called their
chocolate drink xocoatl (shoh KOH aht). Like
the Maya, they also took it as medicine. The
Aztec considered cacao seeds to be so
valuable that they even used them for money.
Chocolate Goes to Spain
In 1519, the Aztec king Moctezuma served
Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés some xocoatl.
Cortés wrote to the king of Spain that
although the beverage tasted bitter, “a cup of
43
READING
this precious drink permits a person to walk a
whole day without food.”
In 1528, after Cortés conquered Mexico, he
sailed to Spain with cacao seeds. He
introduced xocoatl to Spain. To sweeten the
taste, the Spanish added sugar to their
“chocolate.” They kept the recipe a secret,
though. It took more than 80 years for the rest
of Europe to learn how to make the drink.
When other Europeans did catch on, a
chocolate craze spread across the continent.
A.2.6.1
36.
The author most likely wrote this
passage in order to
* A share facts about chocolate.
B
teach people how to make
chocolate.
C
persuade people to eat more
chocolate.
D
describe how chocolate drinks are
made.
From Junk Food to Health Food?
In the early 1700s, a Dutch chocolate
maker invented a machine to press chocolate
into a “cake.” These cakes eventually evolved
into something like our candy bars.
Today, scientists and chocolate makers are
working to make chocolate products that are
lower in fat and sugar. If they succeed, you
might have to think twice about calling candy
bars junk food.
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
A.2.3.1
35.
Before the 1700s, chocolate was mostly
used
A
as money.
B
as candy.
* C
in drinks.
D
A.2.2.2
37.
Read the following sentence from the
passage.
“These cakes eventually evolved into
something like our candy bars.”
The word evolved means
A
* B
spread.
developed.
C
were pressed.
D
were introduced.
in desserts.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
44
READING
A.2.3.1
B.3.3.2
38.
40.
The passage suggests that ancient
people
A
* B
had a lot of money to buy cacao.
knew chocolate had healthy
effects.
C
used chocolate in a lot of their
food.
D
grew cacao in many parts of the
world.
In which section of the passage would
the author write about how chocolate
is good for us?
A
“Bitter Beginnings”
B
“Chocolate Goes to Spain”
C
“The First Chocolate Lovers”
* D “From Junk Food to Health Food?”
B.3.3.1
B.3.1.1
39.
41.
The information in the passage is
arranged according to
A
* B
the different ways chocolate is
used.
Which of these is an opinion?
A
“The Aztec came into power in
central Mexico in the late 1300s.”
B
“These cakes eventually evolved
into something like our candy
bars.”
how chocolate has changed over
time.
C
the different ways chocolate makes
us feel.
D
how chocolate has traveled around
the world.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
* C
“If they succeed, you might have
to think twice about calling candy
bars junk food.”
D
“It took more than 80 years for the
rest of Europe to learn how to
make the drink.”
45
READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM
A.2.3.1
42.
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
46
READING
ITEM-SPECIFIC SCORING GUIDELINE
Item #42
This item will be reported under Category A, Comprehension and Reading Skills.
Assessment Anchor:
A.2
Understand nonfiction appropriate to grade level.
Specific Eligible Content addressed by this item:
A.2.3.1 Make inferences and/or draw conclusions based on information from text.
Scoring Guide:
Score
3
2
1
0
Nonscorable
In response to this item, the student—
demonstrates complete knowledge of how to draw conclusions by describing one
similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used by ancient people and is
used by people today using details from the passage.
demonstrates partial knowledge of how to draw conclusions by describing similarities
and differences in the way chocolate was used by ancient people and is used by people
today using details from the passage. (Example: Student describes one similarity and one
difference using details from the passage.)
demonstrates incomplete knowledge of how to draw conclusions by describing
similarities and differences in the way chocolate was used by ancient people and is
used by people today using details from the passage. (Example: Student describes one
difference using details from the passage.)
has given a response that provides insufficient material for scoring or is inaccurate in all
respects.
BLK (blank) ... No response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response
OT ................... Off task/topic
LOE ................ Response in a language other than English
IL .................... Illegible
Example—Top Scoring Response (3 Points):
Similarities and Differences
People in ancient times used chocolate in ways similar to the ways we use it today. They ground the
seeds and mixed the powder with hot water to make a chocolate drink similar to our cocoa or hot
chocolate. The Aztec used cacao seeds in a way that we do not. They used the seeds for money. The
ancient Maya used cacao to cure stomachaches. We have to do more research before chocolate is used
as a medicine.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
47
READING
OPEN-ENDED ITEM RESPONSES
A.2.3.1
42.
Response Score: 3
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
The student has given a complete answer by describing the way chocolate was
used by ancient people and is used by people today by giving one similarity
(“The Aztec people invented a beverage calle Xocoatl which probably was
an early chocolate milk”) and two differences (“in ancient times chocolate
was used a medicine now it’s used as a snack” and “The Olmec mixed it with
warm water, today we mix it with milk”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
48
READING
A.2.3.1
42.
Response Score: 2
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
The student has given a partial answer by describing the way chocolate was
used by ancient people and is used by people today by giving two differences
from the passage (“Earlier, chocolate was used as a medicine, but nowadays
most people think of chocolate as a junk food” and “many Aztec and Mayan
people used cacao seeds as money”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
49
READING
A.2.3.1
42.
Response Score: 2
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
The student has given a partial answer by describing the way chocolate was
used by ancient people and is used by people today using one similarity
(“both ancient people and people today use it for drinks and cakes”) and one
difference (“The ancient people used chocolate for medcine”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
50
READING
A.2.3.1
42.
Response Score: 1
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
The student has given an incomplete answer by describing the way chocolate
was used by ancient people and is used by people today by giving one
difference (“Ancient peple don’t add sugar to the cholate like we do”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
51
READING
A.2.3.1
42.
Response Score: 1
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
The student has given an incomplete answer by describing the way chocolate
was used by ancient people and is used by people today by giving one
similarity (“the used to us It as a drink”).
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
52
READING
A.2.3.1
42.
Response Score: 0
Give at least one similarity and two differences in the way chocolate was used
by ancient people and is used by people today. Use details from the passage to
support your response.
The student’s response is inaccurate in all respects.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
53
READING
PASSAGE 6
Read the following passage about a great athlete. Then answer questions 43–48 in your
answer booklet.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
by Judith P. Josephson
Have you ever known someone who was
good at everything? A great first baseman
who gets straight A’s on spelling tests? A
prize-winning piano player who can win
track meets, too? Many years ago, an athlete
named Babe Didrikson Zaharias amazed
people with her skills. The newspapers
called her the country’s greatest female
athlete.
It didn‘t seem to matter which sport Babe
chose. She became successful in all of them.
Mildred Didrikson (Babe was her nickname)
was an All-American basketball player.
She also bowled, swam, ran, skated—even
boxed! She played baseball, football, tennis,
and championship golf. She threw the
javelin, and jumped hurdles. To be good at so
many sports is unusual for any athlete, even
today. But in the 1930s and 1940s—when
Babe was a young adult—men dominated
sports. Babe was an original!
An Athlete at an Early Age
Babe Didrikson was born on June 26,
1914, in Port Arthur, Texas, the sixth of
seven children. Her father, Ole Didrikson,
a Norwegian ship carpenter, had sailed
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
nineteen times around South America.
Perhaps that taught his daughter something
about adventure and courage. As a young
girl, Babe would beat boys in footraces,
basketball, and baseball. Once when she
made five home runs during a baseball
game, the kids nicknamed her “Babe,” after
baseball great Babe Ruth. The name stuck.
People soon began to take notice of this
talented young girl who loved to win.
Babe was a tomboy with a square jaw and
lots of determination who worked at looking
tough. She plastered her hair back and
talked out of the side of her mouth. In her
backyard, she made a weightlifting machine
out of broomsticks and her mother‘s flatirons
(heavy metal irons for pressing clothes).
Babe’s Career on the Move
When Babe was sixteen, she made the
women’s All-American basketball team. But
that wasn‘t the only sport where she did
well. Once in a softball doubleheader, she
hit thirteen home runs. By the time Babe was
eighteen years old, she had already made her
mark in swimming, diving, high-jumping,
baseball, and basketball.
54
READING
After high school, Babe went to work
for the Employers Casualty Company in
Dallas, Texas. She was the company’s star
basketball player. When the company started
a track team, Babe practiced at night so
she could run, jump, and throw faster than
anyone else. Soon she was a track star for the
company, too.
During a National Amateur Athletic Union
track and field meet in 1932, five individual
championships went to the company that
Babe worked for. It had a one-woman team—
eighteen-year-old Babe Didrikson.
During trials in Evanston, Illinois, for the
1932 Olympic Games, Babe competed against
the top track stars in the country. The winners
would go to the Olympics! Babe signed up
for eight of the ten events. At the beginning of
the trials, she was an unknown athlete. By the
time the trials were over, Babe Didrikson was a
favorite of the cheering crowds.
Babe won first place in the shot put, long
jump, and baseball throw. She also set world
records in the 80-meter hurdles and the javelin
throw. Babe was on her way to the 1932
Olympics! Once there, she won gold medals in
the javelin throw and 80-meter hurdles.
People all over the world knew Babe’s
name now. After the Olympics, she
continued her participation in many different
sports. Babe was always ready to accept a
new challenge. She pitched for the St. Louis
Cardinals during an exhibition baseball
game. She once bowled 237. She toured the
United States, playing pool and showing off
her needlework and typing abilities. She also
wrote books and articles for magazines.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
Babe Takes Up Golf
At the age of twenty-one, Babe turned
most of her energies to golf. With her usual
fierce determination, she practiced sixteen
hours a day on weekends and three hours
each day after work. Sometimes she would
hit as many as 1,000 golf balls a day. During
her lunch hour at the office, she practiced
chipping balls, which landed in her boss’s
leather chair.
Her hard work paid off. By 1940, she
began winning golf events. In 1947, she won
the British Amateur championship. After
that, Babe became a professional golfer. She
won the National Open in 1948 and 1950. In
fact, by 1950, she’d won almost every golf
prize possible. Babe met her future husband,
George Zaharias, on a golf course. He, too,
was an athlete—a wrestler. Babe and George
shared many interests, and they fell in love
almost immediately. They married in 1938
and settled in Tampa, Florida. For the rest
of Babe’s life, George was a huge source of
strength for her.
By this time, Babe was even better known for
her skill at golf than she had been for her ability
in track and field. She attacked the golf ball with
an aggressive stroke. Golf fans loved Babe.
As a young girl, Babe had been shy. She had
often felt different and lonely. Now she felt
relaxed and at ease with people. She even took
up ballroom dancing. Sometimes on road trips
or at home, she took out her harmonica and
played country songs from her childhood.
In the early years, winning had meant
everything to Babe. Now a well-known
athlete and hero to many, Babe helped other
55
READING
young women golfers, even if it meant they
might beat her.
As Babe grew better and better at golf, she
earned more money. Toward the end of her
career, she earned as much as $100,000 a year
from her golf games and other golf activities.
Today, athletes routinely earn much more
than that. But fifty years ago, $100,000 was a
tremendous amount of money!
A.2.4.1
44.
In all the sports that Babe played, she
showed toughness, courage, and amazing
talent. Babe Didrikson Zaharias became
a sports legend—one of the best female
athletes of the century.
Mildred Didrikson received the
nickname “Babe” after she
A
won a basketball tournament.
B
built her own weightlifting
machine.
C
became her company’s star athlete.
* D hit five home runs in a baseball
game.
B.3.1.1
MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS
A.2.3.1
43.
The purpose of the first paragraph of
the passage is to
A
tell a brief story about Babe.
* B
capture the reader’s interest.
C
list Babe’s accomplishments.
D
introduce the first woman athlete.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
45.
Which of these is an opinion?
A
“She once bowled 237.”
* B
“Babe was an original!”
C
“Babe won first place in the shot
put, long jump, and baseball
throw.”
D
“She pitched for the St. Louis
Cardinals during an exhibition
baseball game.”
56
READING
A.2.4.1
A.2.6.1
46.
48.
According to the passage, one activity
that Babe did other than sports was
A
acting.
B
singing.
* C
D
writing books.
giving lectures.
The purpose of this passage is to
A
* B
entertain readers with a humorous
account of Babe’s life.
inform readers about the life and
accomplishments of Babe.
C
persuade readers to participate in
more than one sport.
D
describe various places where famous
sports events have been held.
A.2.2.2
47.
As used in the passage, what does the
word chipping mean?
* A hitting
B
chopping
C
bouncing
D
plucking
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
57
Acknowledgements
“Rafiki Means Friend” copyright © 2003 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio.
“The Philharmonic Express” from Child Life, copyright © 1993 by Children’s Better Health Institute, Benjamin Franklin
Literary Agency & Medical Society, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. Used by permission.
“Tadpole” copyright © 2004 Susan Campbell Bartoletti. Reprinted by permission of the author and the
Barrie Van Dyck Literary Agency.
“Haiku: A Song of the Earth” reprinted by permission of Cricket magazine, May 2003, copyright © 2003 by
Hazel Root Cassey. “snowy mountain” from Haiku Harvest, translation by Peter Beilenson and Harry Behn, copyright
© 1962 by Peter Pauper Press. “the best I have to offer you” from More Cricket Songs, translation by Harry Behn,
copyright © 1971 Harry Behn, renewed 1999 by Prescott Behn, Pamela Behn Adam, and Peter Behn. Used by
permission of Marian Reiner.
“Pass the Chocolate” from National Geographic Kids, copyright © 2001. Reprinted with the permission of Adele
Conover/National Geographic Image Sales.
“Babe Didrikson Zaharias” from Children’s Digest, copyright © 1993 by Children’s Better Health Institute, Benjamin
Franklin Literary & Medical Society, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. Used by permission.
Grade 5 Reading Item Sampler 2008–2009
58
Reading
Grade 5
Item and Scoring Sampler
Copyright © 2008 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The materials contained in this publication may be
duplicated by Pennsylvania educators for local classroom use. This permission does not extend to the duplication
of materials for commercial use.