James Madison Middle School
Grade 7
Winter Break Packet 2013-2014
I hope you are enjoying your winter break. I am excited about your progress this
year. In an effort to keep the momentum going, I have created a Winter Break
Packet to help you stay on target with your academic progress. This year’s
Winter Break Packet will consist of a Part I: Study Island assignment and a
Part I~: writing assignment. Part I of this assignment will be completed
using Study Island. Your Study Island will include several selected response
questions to answer. Part II of this assignment will be found on James
Madison Middle School website. Part II of this assignment will require you to
write a character analysis essay. The excerpts you will need to read for Part 11 of
this assignment are also found on James Madison Middle School website. The
window for this assignment is Dec. 16, 2013- Jan. 10, 2014. Please take
advantage of the extended window which opens a week before your winter
break begins and ends a week after we return from winter break.
ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK AND BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
UPON OUR RETURN.
Winter Break Packet Grade 7 Part I: Selected Response
When I was a kid, I lived in a little town called Elm Ridge. Everyone knew their best friend since pre-K,
which was pretty much our whole lives. In third grade, my best friend Becky and I spent all of our free time
making friendship bracelets for one another, just like all the other girls in our school. We could spend hours
lying together on our beds, weaving the colors as intricately as our tiny fingers could manage. Every color
meant something: Red meant you were smart, white meant you were nice, blue meant you were brave, etc.
I had an entire collection of bracelets. Honestly, it seemed like some of the girls in my class had hundreds
or even thousands of bracelets. I kept mine in a special box and refused to leave the house without wearing
at least three or four.
But the summer after third grade, my family moved away. We moved to a bigger town, where kids did
not know all of their friends since pre-K. They also did not know anything about friendship bracelets. On my
first day of fourth grade, when I proudly displayed to the girls in my class a red-white-and-blue bracelet
Becky had made me, they looked at me like I had two heads. These girls were into these crazy neon
barrettes you bought at the mall, not bracelets you made yourself. ] put my friendship bracelets in a box in
one of my drawers and never dared showed them to anyone ever again.
Even though I would never see Becky after I moved, I would look at my bracelets all the time, wishing
my bed were back in my old room in Elm Ridge and that Becky were laying beside me, our tiny fingers
weaving threads together for hours and hours.
1. Based on what the narrator says in paragraph one, why does Becky give the narrator a red-white-andblue friendship bracelet?
She thinks the narrator is smart, nice, and
O ¯Abrave.
O C. She.
the narrator have been friends
s~nceand
pre-K.
O B. She.knows
the narrator is sad to be
moving away.
She is scared the narrator will forgetabout
OD. her.
2. At the end of the story, the reader can tell that the narrator
O A. thinks the bracelets are childish.
© B. misses being friends with Becky.
O C. no longer enjoys making bracelets.
O D. forgets about living in Elm Ridge.
Olympic athletes spend hours training starting at an early age. Those who do make it to the Olympic
Games often do not win medals--and these are the top athletes of the world. Wilma Rudolph not only
made it to the Olympics, she won three gold medals.
Wilma Rudolph was born on June 23, 1940, in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee. She came from a very big
family. She was the 17th of 19 children in her family. The family moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, which is
where Wilma grew up. When Wilma was young, she had polio and scarlet fever. The polio left her without
the use of one of her legs. She needed to wear leg braces to walk. Eventually, she was able to walk with a
special shoe. After about three years, she didn’t need the special shoe anymore.
In high school, Wilma played basketball and ran track. She broke all the state basketball records and
won all her track meets. Wilma went to Tennessee State University and started training for the Olympics. In
July of 1960, Wilma went to the Olympics in Rome, Italy. She won three gold medals and was called the
"World’s Fastest Woman." She was later named female athlete of the year.
Wilma became a coach and an athletic consultant in Chicago, illinois. She died in 1994 of a brain tumor.
Wilma will be remembered for her courage as a young child overcoming her illness, her athletic ability, and
her dedication to reaching her goals. To this day, Wilma’s life continues to inspire people to reach their
personal goals.
3. Which of the following phrases best describes Wilma Rudolph?
© A. easily discouraged
0 C. determined to excel
0 D. dissapointed to be a coach
O B. extremely wealthy
Incident at Niihau
As you might imagine, planes never land on our tiny island. So it was quite a shock to hear the crash.
I asked my husband what he thought it might be, and he guessed that someone had lit a stick of dynamite.
How wrong he was...
We saw a plume of smoke on the other side of the field, and when we rushed over, we saw the pilot.
He was just then emerging from the wreckage of his plane. By some miracle, he was not badly hurt.
However, he was very upset and was speaking angrily in a foreign dialect. My husband asked the pilot
where he had come from and what he was doing here in Hawaii. But the pilot did not understand English.
Soon after that, I thought of Mr. and Mrs. Haruki. They had been living on our island of Niihau for
nearly a decade since leaving Japan. Surely, they would recognize the language the pilot was speaking.
We summoned Mr. Haruki at once. He confirmed that the pilot was speaking Japanese. The pilot
took Mr. Haruki by the shoulder and ushered him away from our group. The two men spoke for a while in
low voices. When Mr. Haruki returned to our group, his face was ashen.
"What is wrong?" I asked. "What did he say?"
"He says he is a member of the Japanese Air Force," Mr. Haruki said. His voice was trembling. "He
says his squadron just bombed Pearl Harbor, and more Japanese fighters are on the way."
It was a moment I’ll never forget. We stood there in shock, trying to comprehend what had happened.
First, there was the incredible fact that Hawaii, our peaceful island state, had been attacked. Second, there
was the realization that our country was now going to join the war.
4. How is the setting important to the story?
It could
onlyU.S.
take place when Japanese
O ¯Alived
in the
_ ]t could only take place at the beginning of
O ~. the Civil War.
It could only take place at the beginning of
World War II.
It could only take place when airplanes
had been invented.
It was the year 3009. The door opened, and a whole new world welcomed us. I
wondered what we would encounter. The scout robots had searched to and fro and
came back with reassuring reports. There were water, plants, and animals. None of
the life forms were found to be as intelligent as humans. It was a planet that was
perfect for habitation. My family was chosen to be in the first group of settlers. We
were about to set foot on New Planet when another spaceship landed. We watched
as a door opened and tall mouse-like creatures, standing upright on their hind legs, stepped out. Our scout
robots flew into action and took scans of the creatures. They did not seem dangerous. Then, the tallest
mouseman said, "What are you humans doing here? We discovered this planet first, and we are going to
live here!" His voice sounded a little squeaky, and his long whiskers twitched now and then.
Captain Spirk came out to speak with the mouse people, "Now hear this King Rodent, we filed our
paperwork with the Office of Livable Planets. Everything is official. You’ll just have to find yourselves
another place to live."
"We both know how difficult that would be. There is no way we are leaving," King Rodent squealed.
"Excuse me, Your Highness and Captain Spirk, isn’t this an enormous planet? Why can’t we all live here
together in peace? We could help each other out as we learn about this place. We could work together to
protect ourselves from other invaders," I bravely suggested.
"You know, the kid is onto something there! This could be a new world with different intelligent species
living together in harmony. That could work! What do you say, Mousey?" Captain Spirk questioned King
Rodent.
"Okay, Captain Smirk, it’s a deal as long as we divide it evenly. We won’t settle for less than half," King
Rodent answere& The two leaders shook hands, and we all introduced ourselves to one another. That was
only the beginning.
5. How does the setting contribute to the plot?
A The setting helps the reader identify with
© ’ the narrator.
The setting illustrates real problems with
O B. space travel.
The setting
0 ¯ Couter
space.educates the reader about
setting builds the suspense and sense
0 . DofThe
adventure.
Storm at Sea
by R. Lee Waiters
Over the seas, the ship rolled on high waves.
Over the waves, the storm’s high winds howled.
Over the howls, the thunder, the thunder rose
And the lightning, the lightning flashed wildly.
Over the storm’s squall, the captain fought the winds.
Over the wind’s strength, the sailors climbed the sails.
Over the sails’ tatters, the clouds, the clouds parted
And the moon, the moon shone victoriously.
6. The poet repeats the phrase "Over the..." in this poem to
0 A. mimic the moon’s rays.
0 B. build up the suspense.
0 C. make it sound like rain.
0 D. make the lines rhyme.
Key to the Unknown
Kevin and Harry had been best friends for as long as either of them could remember. They had lived on
the same block since first grade. Although their families were not particularly close, each mother
considered the other boy her son. During the summer after the sixth grade, the two boys made a fort about
a half-mile into some woods at the edge of town. There was a good trail, one they could ride their bikes on.
Near the fort there was a dilapidated, old house, a barn, and chicken coop with its roof caved in. In fact,
there were big holes in all the buildings. Although the buildings weren’t totally safe, they were too inviting
for two young boys.
One day, they were exploring inside the old farmhouse. It was sunny outside, but in certain parts of the
house, it was always dark. That’s where they were when Harry stepped on a rotten board and the whole
floor gave way beneath him. He screamed as he fell about three feet to the ground. A huge cloud of dust
rose from the collapsed floor and covered Harry.
Luckily, Kevin was still outside the door of that room, and that floor didn’t collapse. But he was scared
that Harry might be injured. "Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?" he yelled into the dust.
"I’m right here," Harry coughed. "I’m not hurt or anything." He fanned his arms around to get rid of the
dust. Kevin kneeled down and took a look. He reached out his hand to pull Harry up, but instead Harry
hunkered down and peered into the dark crawl space below the floor. "Do we still have that flashlight at the
fort?" he asked.
"Sure do," Kevin said as he rushed off to get it.
When he returned he climbed down with Harry, and together they pushed the old flooring aside. The
light revealed inches of dust but nothing of much interest. It was kind of creepy because there were some
spider webs hanging about. As Kevin started to climb out, his foot knocked against something solid. He
directed the light to it, and there was a reflection. He pushed aside the dust to reveal a key!
The eyes of both boys grew huge. In their minds they could see the treasure chest the key would open.
Harry grabbed the key and both boys clamored out of the hole. As soon as they were standing on
something solid they started looking for the lock the key fit. They scoured the place every day for a week,
but they never found a lock it fit. Eventually, they hung it up in their fort and jokingly called it the "key to the
unknown."
7. What is a major event in the passage?
© A. Harry and Kevin hang the key in their fort.
Harry falls through the floor in the
© B. farmhouse.
© C. Harry and Kevin ride their bikes to the fort.
© D. Harry and Kevin build a fort in the woods.
For all the years I knew my grandma, she could barely see. Grandma was legally blind, and yet she
knew, by feel, the location of every dish in her kitchen and every work of literature on the bookcase in the
living room.
I remember especially the bird-like way she peered at things. I’d bring her a copy of my latest school
picture, and she’d hold the photo an inch or two from her face, tilt her head to one side, and inspect it
before saying, "Very pretty." I used to think she was just being polite, that she really couldn’t see me in the
picture. But then she’d add~ "That pin you’re wearing was your mother’s." How did she see that little blur on
my jacket? The things she could see never failed to amaze me.
Watching television with Grandma, I never failed to learn something. Usually it was the complicated plot
twist of one of her favorite soap operas--The Guiding Light or As the World Turns. We grandkids would
cuil up on the big couch while Grandma pulled up a footstool and planted herself right next to the TV,
elbows on her knees, to watch the screen. At the commercial break, she’d explain who was marrying whom
and who was in the hospital and who had recently come back from the dead. She seemed to have no
trouble identifying the characters whom she could barely see. Whether or not she could bring them into
sharp focus, they were as real to her as her giggling grandkids.
For a treat, we’d sometimes pile into our grandparent’s, black car for a drive around town: my
grandfather at the wheel, my long-legged older brother in the front seat, and Grandma sandwiched
between me and my little brother in the back--but sitting so far forward she was practically in the front. I’d
imagined all she could see was a blur of images rushing past, yet she could always tell when Grandpa had
missed a turn or forgotten to turn on his headlights. Returning home, Grandma would wave at the boy who
mowed their lawn and point out the new fruit on the plum tree in their yard.
In later years, when I visited from college, Grandma would always be waiting when I pulled up in my old
orange car (that’s admittedly hard to miss, no matter how bad one’s vision). She’d greet me with a bear
hug. Then she’d surprise me, every time, with what she could see. Holding my face in her hands, she’d turn
my head from side to side and announce, "You got your hair cut!" as if I had won the lottery and forgotten to
tell her. I began to wonder if we rely on our eyes too much--if maybe, with our perfect sight, we’re actually
missing the details my grandma and her poor vision never failed to catch.
from the persona! wr#ings of Teresa R. Herlinger
8. What theme recurs throughout this story?
Blind people point out really useless
0 ¯Athings.
© C. Love.. conquers all things, especially poor
0 B. A blind person can "see" more than we
think.
© B. Grandkids can be very unruly at any age.
vision.
9. This story makes the reader think about what we can and cannot see. What question does the author
ask us to think about atthe end?
Could Grandma see the things she said
she could see?
Do people with perfect vision miss out on
the details of life?
© C. Do blind people enjoy life more than
people who can see?
Was life just a blur of images racing past
OD. our eyes?
Dozens of local musicians showed up yesterday to parficipate in the fourth annual Celebration of Music
Education. It was held at the downtown public library. Musicians were between the ages of 11 and 17. The
event is put on each year to raise awareness of the benefits of music education programs. The celebration
also raises money to help fund these programs.
Each participant played a song that he or she wrote for the program. Musicians appeared solo and as
parts of larger groups. Song subjects varied from a favorite Popsicle flavor to the difficulty of succeeding on
final exams. Several songs were even about the meaning of life. These kids were talented! Many in the
audience were tapping their feet to the beat.
Several civic leaders were in attendance. They were there to show their support for the important cause.
Mayor Trisha McGown spoke during a break between musical acts. She said, "These children are our
future. I want to be certain that the creative abilities of these kids are properly cultivated before they lead
the world."
18. Which of these best summarizes the first paragraph?
Yesterday at the downtown library, a
fundraiserwasbyheld
O ¯Aperformances
localfeaturing
musicians between
the ages of 11 and 17.
Yesterday at the library, the Celebration of
Music Education raised funds and
O B. awareness with performances by young
musicians,
The Celebration of Music Education was
O C. held to raise funds and to show the
importance of music education programs.
Musicians between the ages of 11 and 17
O D. performed yesterday at the downtown
library for the Celebration of Music
Education.
11. Your head normally beats 70 to 80 times a minute, but the rate changes depending on your activity
level. When you exercise, your body needs more oxygen than when you remain still. Your heart
automatically responds to these changing needs. When you need more oxygen, your heart beats faster to
increase the flow of blood to your body.
Which of the following best summarizes the passage above?
Your heart usually beats about 70 to 80
O A. times
oneforminute.
That is That
moreisthan
one
heart in
beat
each second.
pretty
fast!
Your body needs a lot of oxygen when you
O B. exercise. That is why you breathe heavier
when you are running or shooting hoops
with friends.
Your heart rate is dependent on your level
of activity. Your heart beats faster when
O C. you are exercising and slower when you
are still.
Your heart makes blood flow throughout
your body. It also allows oxygen to move
© D. into your muscles, lungs, and even into
your bloodstream.
12. Stacy couldn’t wait to get to Macy’s the first thing in the morning. She wanted to be one of those
people that stood outside the store and rushed in as soon as the doors were open. She put on her clothes
and wore comfortable shoes in case she had to wait awhile. When she got there, a whole bunch of people
were already in line. She didn’t mind waiting, though. As soon as the doors were open, Stacy rushed in with
the others. She wanted to buy gifts for family and friends for the holidays. Since Stacy had to save up for
school, she didn’t want to pay an arm and a le.q to buy the gifts.
The phrase an arm and a leg means that Stacy
© A. did not like touching things while shopping.
O B. did not want to spend a lot of money.
O C. did not want to walk to the shopping mall.
O D. did not want to use her hands and legs,
13. The pitter-patter of the rain upon the roof had been a constant sound since George had arrived in
England. He had come to explore the wonders of the small village of Seathwaite. The sound of rain, at first,
seemed to be a welcoming one, but it had lost its novelty after the second week. Now, George was feeling
restless. Although the villagers were not bothered by the rain, George couldn’t get past the fact that he was
constantly damp and cold. Surely, this is how Noah must have felt, George reflected.
Finally, after two more weeks, the rain tapered off. George could finally explore Seathwaite further but
found something was missing. The village’s charm was gone, and George found himself wishing that the
rain would soon return.
What is the best reason that the author compares George to Noah?
© A. George feels comfortable on a boat.
© B. George wants to explore the village.
© C. George endures many days of rain.
© D. George needs to save the villagers.
14.
Sharie crashed into the door because she was as blind as a bat without her glasses,
What is the effect of the simile in this sentence?
O A. to explain Sharie knew how to fly
O B. to show Sharie could not see well
O C. to explain how Sharie got glasses
O D. to show that Shade liked animals
15. Recently, the city of Wyatt has been involved in an epic debate. They have to decide on whether to
build a new middle school or a new convention center. This dispute has pit neighbors against neighbors in
a battle between the Titans and the Olympians.
The supporters for the new middle school believe that the other middle schools in the city are
overcrowded. The new middle school will improve the school system because the student-teacher ratio will
be significantly less. However, the supporters for the new convention center view the center as a wayto
promote the city. The center will bring in money that can later be distributed throughout the community.
After many weeks of debate, neither side will give in to the other. Until a decision is made, Wyatt will be
at a standstill.
Why is the dispute in Wyatt compared to the battle between the Titans and the Olympians?
A. It is a battle that students learn about in
© school.
© B. It shows that people still believe in ancient
gods.
Itis an unyielding battle betweentwo
O C’opponents.
D It demonstrates the importance of
© ’ mythology.
16.
Brent Golding was very popular at his high school. He had a lot of friends. Brent
felt that the only reason they liked him was because he played football and drove
an expensive car. Most people did not realize that Brent was passionate about
break dancing. He loved the freedom he experienced when he spun, flipped, and
kicked to the beat. Dancing was not an acceptable thing for a football player to do.
People seemed more impressed by how many pounds he could lift. Even though
there seemed to be more of a future in football, Brent’s heart belonged to break
dancing. How could he tell his parents that he’d rather strive for a rare dance
scholarship instead of a more attainable football scholarship? How could he prove
that he would have a better life as a break dancer than as a wide receiver? His
dilemma was he could not prove this. He did not think his parents would
understand.
What is the best way to describe Brent?
© A. self-centered and mean
© B. bad-tempered and lonely
© C. confused and frustrated
© D. content and hopeful
The Cat Hater
by Bryan Ellett
When Samuel was a kid, his family had a dog. It wasn’t a purebred or anything, just a mutt, but
Samuel’s family loved it very much. They only owned the one dog, but they loved all dogs, every dog they
saw. When they would take the mutt to the dog park, Samuel and all of the members of the family would
pet every dog they saw and scratch them behind the ears and say things like, "Aren’t you beautiful!"
But there was something else they all agreed on, too: cats were terrible! For reasons no one knew,
Samuel’s family was one of those families that loved dogs but hated cats. And so, Samuel grew up hating
cats too. When Samuel was 18, he left home for college, and still he hated cats.
Samuel and his friend Max rented an apartment in college. One night, they were watching TV when Max
said, "There is something wrong with this apartment. It just doesn’t feel right without an animal. I think we
should get a cat." Samuel agreed that it didn’t feel right without an animal, and he knew that dogs weren’t
allowed in the apartment. But, he hated cats, so he said, "You can get one if you want, but I’m not paying
for anything!"
So Max bought a cat and named it Mitsy, and Samuel refused to help take care of it. Still, he was
around the cat a lot. After a few weeks, he began to like it when the cat would rub her head on Samuel’s
leg, and he liked how she stalked and pounced on roaches. Within two months, Samuel thought Mitsy was
one of the greatest animals in history. He was sure his family would make fun of him when they found out!
17.
Max said, "There is something wrong with this apartment. It just doesn’t feel right without an animal. I think
we should get a cat." Samuel agreed that it didn’t feel right without an animal, and he knew that dogs
weren’t allowed in the apartment.
Based on these sentences, Samuel and Max would most likely agree with which of these statements?
© A. People who love animals should not live in
apartments.
C Animals make important companions for
© "humans.
© B. Cats are not good animals to have as pets
in apartments.
D Dogs should be allowed everywhere cats
© ’ are allowed.
Time
by C. Vesely
Time heals and time betrays
Waiting for pain to subside
Time scrapes its nails across the chalkboard in my mind
And I wonder when it will end
Time heals and time betrays
Watching the clouds ddft in the sky
Time sings its songs of soft breezes and flapping bird wings
And I hope it never ends
Time heals and time betrays
Growing older by the day
Time speeds up and warps my limbs in its wake
And I want it to stop
Time heals and time betrays
Remembering when I was young
Time casts its spell and makes me lose track of now
And I relive my happiest memories.
18. Why does the author repeat the line "Time heals and time betrays"?
to emphasize
the theme
0 ¯ Asoothe
and cause
pain of time’s ability to
to illustrate
that the narrator does not know
0 ¯ Chow
to tell time
0 B. to make the poem rhyme
0 D. to compare time to life
"MAMMA, how much longer have we got to ride?" asked Nan Bobbsey, turning in her seat in the railroad
car, to look at her parents, who sat behind her.
"Are you getting tired?" asked Nan’s brother Bert. "if you are I’ll sit next to the window, and watch the
telegraph poles and trees go by. Maybe that’s what tires you, Nan," he added, and his father smiled, for he
saw that Bert had two thoughts for himself, and one for his sister.
"No, I’m not tired of the scenery," answered the brown-haired and brown-eyed girl, "but you may sit next
to the window, Bert, if you like."
"Thanks!" he exclaimed as he scrambled over to the place his sister gave up.
"Are you tired, dearie?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, leaning forward and smoothing out her daughter’s hair with
her hand. "If you would like to sit with me and put your head in my tap, papa can go to another seat and -"
"Oh, no, mamma, I’m not as tired as that," and Nan laughed. "1 was just wondering how soon we’d be
home."
"I’d rather be back at the seashore," said Bert, not turning his gaze from the window, for the train was
passing along some fields just then, and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked, as
evening was coming on. Bert was wondering if one of the cows might not chase the boy. Bert didn’t really
want to see the boy hurt by a cow, of course, but he thought that if the cow was going to take after the boy,
anyhow, he might just as well see it. But the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly.
from The Bobbsey Twins at School by Laura Lee Hope
19. What is the setting of this selection?
© A. a school
© B. a train
© C. an automobile
0 D, the seashore
Mikkel loved dance music. He was familiar with all of the popular techno and hip-hop artists. Mikkel
longed to be a DJ. He had friends that owned their own speakers, stereo equipment, and turntables.
Sometimes, he would go and help them when they were hired to play music at events. He learned all of
their tricks. Mikkel just wished that he could afford his own equipment, so he could make money doing what
he loved--playing music.
Mikkel looked through his belongings to see if he could sell anything. He had a skateboard and a bicycle
that he never used anymore. He also had an old guitar that he had never learned to play. He could
probably get a couple hundred bucks for these items, but it was not enough to buy DJ equipment. He
needed a job, one that would not interfere with school or his passion.
Mikkel thought about his skills and his interests. He wanted to get a job that would help him develop into
a better D J. He checked the local music shop to see if the owners needed any part-time help, but they did
not. Then, he gathered his courage and called the local radio station to ask if there were any job
opportunities there. The radio station did not need his help either.
Mikkel told Spike, one of his DJ friends, about wanting to get his own equipment. Spike offered to pay
Mikkel for helping him set up and take down his equipment at events. Spike also told Mikkel that he would
be willing to sell his old equipment to him for a good price. That was the kind of break Mikkel needed. He
knew that with the right equipment he would be able to start his own DJ business. He felt very fortunate to
have a friend like Spike.
21). What does Mikkel do first to try to solve his problem?
© A. Mikkel asks his friend Spike for help to
earn money.
B Mikkel inquires at the local music store
© ’ about a job.
_ He calls the radio station to see if he can
© u’ DJ for it.
_ He tries to find enough valuable
© u. belongings to sell.
21. What best summarizes the plot of this passage?
Mikkel
hashis
a DJ
called Spike
Spike. also
Spikeoffers
is a great
to help him set up and
O ¯Atake
down
DJ friend
equipment.
to sellfriend.
MikkelHehishires
old Mikkel
equipment.
Mikkel sells all of his belongings. He still does not have enough money, so he tries to find a job. The
O B. local music store does not hire him. The radio station also turns down his help.
MikkelDJ
loves
dance music.
knows all inof becoming
the populara D
techno
O ¯Cfriends
at events.
Mikkel He
is interested
J, too.and hip-hop music. He watches his
O D. Mikkel wants to be a DJ. He tries to find a way to get enough money for his own DJ equipment. A
friend offers to pay him to help at DJ events and to sell him some equipment.
First Game of the Season
by Courtney Goff
Brightly-colored leaves from the oak trees had begun to fall, and workers had spent most of the morning
clearing them from the field for the game. The cool September wind blew more leaves onto the ground
making them harder to clear.
Buses lined the curb on both sides of the stadium, snaking all the way back to the parking lot entrance.
Each school’s marching band unloaded their instruments and filed through the gates to take their place in
the bleachers. Thousands of excited students, wearing their team’s colors, rushed into the stadium and
filled the stands. Cheerleaders practiced their stunts on the sidelines of the field performing flips and flying
high into the air.
In the locker room, the players were much more subdued. They stretched and dressed in their uniforms
before gathering around the coach. They knelt down and listened carefully to the coach’s last-minute pep
talk. The players left the locker room and headed down the hall blinking into the setting sun as they stepped
out onto the field.
All the fans stood up at once to cheer for the teams as they ran out onto the field, and the cheerleaders
leapt and shouted to energize the crowd. Everyone anticipated the first game of the season each year, and
now it was finally here. Parents of the players sat in the front rows of the stadium cheering the loudest of
all. Horns and drums from each team’s marching band played loudly with their music vibrating across the
field.
On the ground, the teams faced each other, shaking hands before the game began. They stared up
toward the end of the field, imagining the ball sailing through the goalposts. As the players prepared to get
in their positions, a referee approached the 50-yard line. He handed a football to the home team’s center,
and it was time for kickoff.
22. Which sentence from the story best shows that it is evening?
"The players left the locker room and
headed down the hall blinking into the
A. setting sun as they stepped out onto the
field."
"Everyone anticipated the first game of the
0 B. season each year, and now it was finally
here."
"Thousands of excited students, wearing
© C. their team’s colors, rushed into the stadium
and filled the stands."
"Horns and drums from each team’s
© D. marching band played loudly with their
music vibrating across the field."
23. Where do the players prepare for the game?
© A. on the field
© B. outside the stadium
© C. in the locker room
© D. in the bleachers
One of the most popular characters in children’s literature is the Mad Hatter, from Lewis Carroll’s
popular book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alice happens upon the Mad Hatter at a "mad," or crazy,
tea party. The characters at the tea party are the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse. They are
ddnking tea as if time doesn’t exist and so have no reason to hurry. The way the Mad Hatter acts and
speaks does make it seem as if he may be a little crazy.
The character of the Mad Hatter was likely inspired by the phrase "mad as a hatter." A hatter is a
person who makes hats. Today, no one works with mercury without proper protection. But before the
dangers were understood, hatters often worked with mercury to cure the felt used in many hats. It was
impossible for the hatters to avoid inhaling mercury fumes. They sometimes developed mercury poisoning.
Mercury poisoning caused brain damage and could result in confused speech. Listening to the Mad Hatter
at the mad tea party, one can guess that he probably did spend too much time with mercury!
24. Which detail would be most important to include in a summary of the passage?
© A. Mercury poisoning could cause brain
damage and confused speech.
Alice meets the character of the Mad
© B. Hatter at a crazy tea party.
© C. Today, hatters would not think of working
with mercury without protection.
© D. The Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the
Dormouse are all at the tea party.
Tiger
by William Blake
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
25. What is the effect of the metaphor used in the first sentence?
A It gets the reader curious about
© ’ otherworldly creatures.
© C. It highlights the glowing eyes of the tiger in
the dark.
It makes the reader want to know more
OB. about the forest.
© D. It tells the reader about creatures prowling
at night.
"The future emperor shall bear five black moles under each foot," the monk Atami read reverently from
the sacred ancient scriptures. He would look up at the innocent boy that Luka still was and continue. "This
rare emperor descends upon our holy land only once every five hundred years."
"What does that mean?" Luka would ask.
"It means that you are destined to be the next Holy Emperor and the living god of all the Chinese
people. Even among all the emperors before or after, you will stand out like a giant and bring the greatest
blessings to this Central Kingdom called China." There was more to that passage but Atami didn’t mention
it, at least not yet. Then, the monk would always bow and pray and offer a short admonishment. "Don’t ever
let others know who you are."
"Why?" Luka would ask.
"Because the Mogoes are afraid of you."
"Because i’m so big?’.’ Luka stood up and pushed out his chest.
"No." Atami smiled. "Because when you are enthroned, all the Chinese will rise up against the Mogo
invaders, who have taken our land. These mountains, these rivers, our people, our cattle, our grain, those
maddeningly beautiful flowers.., all await your coming." Tears would roll down the monk’s cheeks as Luka
listened quietly.
For as long as Luka could remember, Atami had carried him on his back while they traveled from one
tribe to another, carefully avoiding any sign of the Mogo forces and pretending they were just two of the
many wandering beggars. Atami never explained why they were avoiding the Mogoes. He would only say
they were "dangerous." The first few steps Luka had taken had been on the rocky face of the Liao-Shan
Mountains, balancing like a mountain goat. He learned from the mountains which ledges were the sharpest
and how much weight they could hold. The first few words he uttered had been "Please spare some food,"
Atami’s usual opening line. They had journeyed a thousand miles and had crossed a hundred rivers. It had
made them tired, but it had also made Luka strong, like charcoal being pressured into a diamond.
They lived like father and son and loved each other so, but when they were alone, it was always "Your
Holiness" this and "Your Holiness" that. Atami carried China’s sacred treasure on his back and did not
intend to dent it in any way.
At the age of three, Luka one day called Atami Baba. Father.
"1 am not your baba," Atami corrected him, disturbed. "1 am your servant. You are the Chosen One, Your
Holiness."
"But I don’t want to be the Chosen. I want you to be my father. Why aren’t you my father?"
"Your Holiness, one day I wil] tell you who your baba is. But for now we have to go on begging so that
we can live."
They would have food one day and go hungry for three, roaming the lonely mountain roads and
deserted windy tribes. They ate frozen bugs, tree bark, and snakes. They fought for prey with wild animals,
and were often chased by the vultures themselves.
adapted from Wanderinq Warder by Oa Chert
26. How does the setting contribute to Luka’s actions?
It made him think he was better than
O ¯AAtami.
© C. It made him tired but strong.
© D. It made him want to help other beggars.
O B. It made him lazy and bored.
Facing It
by c.safos
He set his face away
from the eclipse, his eyes seeking
their way to a place where the sun
does not see. In the distance,
the wheat waved and wilted under the wind
whose breath blew beyond the bare field.
The day found its bearings under
the chorus of cicadas chirping,
their tempo keeping time like a moving train.
He set his face away from all this
and beneath him, the rainwater from the storm drained
groaning into a gorge with a slight gurgle and sigh.
The fields fail fallow under the flood and freeze, and somehow he found her-her hair dancing
like Medusa’s split ends,
his feet cementing him
like a scarecrow wearing fearless birds.
27. What effect does the following line have on the poem?
the wheat waved and wilted under the wind
A it shows the difference between wheat and
¯ a flower that wilts.
© B. It compares wind to wheat.
© C. It creates a sense of being stuck in a box.
© D. It imitates the whirring sound of the wind.
March 2 was a great day at the New York Public Library. More than 250 first and second graders wore
red-and-white-striped stovepipe hats, They were celebrating The Cat in the Hat’s 50th birthday. Dr. Seuss’s
The Cat in the Hat picture book has been published for 50 years now. The famous feline danced with
children racing around him. At the same time, pink, purple, and white confetti rained down.
Serena Williams, the tennis champion, read The Cat in the Hat to second graders. They sat on brightlycolored rugs around her. Two lucky second graders from PS 152 in Manhattan sat next to Williams on a big
red chair. Pink and purple umbrellas hung from the ceiling. The students giggled while Williams made her
voice change from deep to high for the many characters in the story.
After reading the book, Williams shouted, "Tip your hat to the CatF The students took off their hats and
waved them excitedly.
28. Which sentence should be included in the summary of the passage above?
A Serena Williams, the tennis champion,
© ’ read The Cat in the Hat to second graders.
Two lucky second graders from PS 152 in
© B. Manhattan sat next to Williams on a big
red chair.
© C. After reading the book, Williams shouted,
"Tip your hat to the Cat!"
The students giggled while Williams made
©1:). her voice change from deep to high...
Some people believe that any food labeled "diet," "low fat," "heart healthy," or "low carb" is good for
everyone. In reality, good nutrition is not always a one-size-fits-all deal. In fact, some people who read food
labels might actually be putting harmful things into their bodies.
For example, certain foods that are low in calories can be high in other things, such as sodium. Frozen
dinners can be quite high in sodium, although some of those dinners are low fat. Someone looking for a
low-calorie meal might do well to eat a frozen meal every now and then; many are portion-controlled and
loaded with vegetables. However, someone who is under doctor’s orders to control their sodium intake
might want to make another choice. Just because a meal contains a lot of yegetables does not mean it is
an equally good choice for everyone.
In addition, some foods that are low in carbohydrates can be high in sugar. People often look at the
number of carbs on a food’s label because they know carbs contribute to fat. However, a product low in
carbs but high in sugar can be equally damaging. Sugar does not break down quickly in the body. Products
high in sugar can keep you coming back for more while simultaneously building fat. Therefore, someone
looking to maintain a healthy weight must look at a product’s carb and sugar content. Also, too much sugar
contributes to diabetes, so people in danger of developing diabetes need to keep an eye on more than a
label’s carb count.
In general, it is a good idea to try to weigh all items that are listed on a product’s label. Trying to take
into account all aspects of the food you eat is critical to your overall health and well-being. Being alert to a
food’s total nutritional value can help maintain good health for years to come.
29. Which sentence from the passage shows that people need to be more observant when it comes to
reading food labels?
People often look at the number of carbs
O A. on a food’s label because they know carbs
contribute to fat.
Just because a meal contains a lot of
O B. vegetables does not mean it is an equally
good choice for everyone.
Trying to take into account all aspects of
O C. the food you eat is critical to your overall
health and well-being.
]n fact, some people who read food labels
O D. might actually be putting harmful things
into their bodies.
30. Which of the following is likely true based on this passage?
O
O
O
O
A. No one is recommended to eat frozen dinners because they contain too much sodium.
B. Most people eat too much sugar and are at a serious risk of becoming diabetic.
C. Cutting back on carbohydrates is the best thing people can do to maintain good health.
D. Foods that are healthy for some people can actually be unhealthy for other people.
Part II: Character Analysis Essay Writing
I hope you are enjoying your winter break. I am excited about your progress this year. In an effort to keep the momentum
going, I have created a Winter Break Packet to help you stay on target with your academic progress. This year’s Winter
Break Packet will consist of a Part I: Study Island assignment and a Part I1: writing assignment. Part I of this
assignment will be completed using Study Island. Your Study Island will include several selected response questions to
answer. Part II of this assignment will be found on James Madison Middle School website. Part II of this assignment
will require you to write a character analysis essay. The excerpts you will need to read for Part II of this assignment are also
found on James Madison Middle School website. The window for this assignment is Dec. 16, 2013- Jan. 10, 2014. Please
take advantage of the extended window which opens a week before your winter break begins and ends a week after we
return from winter break.
ENJOY YOUR WINTER BREAK AND BE READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING UPON OUR RETURN.
Directions:
You will read excerpts from two novels focused on survival in the wilderness.
These excerpts are from:
Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Consider how the main character in each excerpt reacts to the incidences that occur, and write an essay in which you
analyze how each character’s thoughts and actions reveal aspects of his personality. You do not need to compare and
contrast the characters from the two texts. You may consider each one separately. Be sure to include evidence from
each excerpt to support your analysis and understanding.
************--************** excerpts are below:*******************************************
Brian’s Winter
1 Then the bear came.
2 Brian had come to know bears as well as he knew wolves or birds. They
were usually alone--unless it was a female with cubs--and they were
absolutely, totally devoted to eating. He had seen them several times
while picking berries, raking the bushes with their teeth to pull the fruit
off--and a goodly number of leaves as well, which they spit out before
swallowing the berries--and, as with the wolves, they seemed to get
along with him.
3 That is to say Brian would see them eating and he would move away and
let them pick where they wanted while he found another location. It
worked for the bears, he thought, smiling, and it worked for him, and this
thinking evolved into what Brian thought of as an understanding between
him and the bears: Since he left them alone, they would leave him alone.
4 Unfortunately the bears did not know that it was an agreement, and Brian
was suffering under the misunderstanding that, as in some imaginary
politically correct society, everything was working out.
5 All of this made him totally unprepared for the reality of the woods. To
wit: Bears and wolves did what they wanted to do, and Bdan had to fit in.
6 He was literally awakened to the facts one morning dudng the two-week
warm spell. Brian had been sleeping soundly and woke to the clunking
sound of metal on rock. His mind and ears were tuned to all the natural
sounds around him and there was no sound in nature of metal on stone.
It snapped him awake in midbreath.
7 He was sleeping with his head in the opening of the shelter and he had
his face out and when he opened his eyes he saw what appeared to be a
wall of black-brown fur directly in front of him.
Read the excerpt from Brian’s Winter and answer the questions.
8 He thought he might be dreaming and shook his head but it didn’t go
away and he realized in the same moment that he was looking at the rear
end of a bear. No, he thought with a clinical logic that surprised him--I
am looking at the very large rear end of a very large bear.
9 The bear had come to Brian’s camp--smelling the gut-smell of the dead
rabbit, and the cooking odor from the pot. The bear did not see it as
Brian’s camp or territory. There was a food smell, it was hungry, it was
time to eat.
10 It had found the pot and knife by the fire where Brian had left them and
scooped them outside. Brian had washed them both in the lake when he
finished eating, but the smell of food was still in the air. Working around
the side of the opening, the bear had bumped the pan against a rock at
the same moment that it had settled its rump in the entrance of Brian’s
shelter.
11 Brian pulled back a foot. "Hey-get out of there!" he yelled, and kicked
the bear in the rear.
12 He was not certain what he expected. Perhaps that the bear would turn
and realize its mistake and then sheepishly trundle away. Or that the
bear would just run off.
13 With no hesitation, not even the smallest part of a second’s delay, the
bear turned and ripped the entire log side off the shelter with one sweep
of a front paw and a moist "whouuuff’ out of its nostrils.
14 Brian found himself looking up at the bear, turned now to look down on
the boy, and with another snort the bear swung its left paw again and
scooped Brian out of the hollow of the rock and flung him end over end
for twenty feet. Then the bear slipped forward and used both front paws
to pack Brian in a kind d ball and whap him down to the edge of the
water, where he lay, dazed, thinking in some way that he was still back in
the shelter.
15 The bear stopped and studied Brian for a long minute, then turned back
to ransacking the camp, looking for where that delicious smell had come
from. It sat back on its haunches and felt the air with its nostrils, located
another faint odor stream and followed it down to the edge of the water
where the fish pool lay. It dug in the water--not more than ten feet from
where Brian now lay, trying to figure out if his arms and legs were still all
attached to where they had been before--and pulled up the rabbit skull,
still with bits of meat on it, and swallowed it whole. It dug around in the
water again and found the guts and ate them and went back to
rummaging around in the pool, and when nothing more could be found
the bear looked once more at Brian, at the camp, and then walked away
without looking back.
16 Other than some minor scratches where the bear’s claws had slightly
scraped him--it was more a boxing action than a clawing one--Brian was
in one piece. He was still jolted and confused about just exactly which
end was up, but most of all he was grateful.
17 He knew that the bear could have done much more damage than it had.
He had seen a bear tear a stump out of the ground like a giant tooth
when it was looking for grubworms and ants. This bear could just as
easily have killed him, and had actually held back.
18 But as the day progressed Brian found himself stiffening, and by the time
he was ready for bed his whole body ached and he knew he would be
covered with bruises from the encounter.
19 He would have to find some way to protect himself, some weapon. The
fire worked well when it was burning, but it had burned down. His hatchet
and knife would have done nothing more than make the bear really
angry--something he did not like to think about--and his bow was good
only for smaller game. He had never tried to shoot anything bigger than a
foolbird or rabbit with it and doubted that the bow would push the arrow
deep enough to do anything but--again--make the bear really mad.
20 He bundled in his bag that night, the end of the two weeks of warm
weather. He kept putting wood on the fire, haft afraid the bear would
come back. All the while he tried to think of a solution.
21 But in reality, the bear was not his primary adversary. Nor was the wolf,
nor any animal. Brian had become his own worst enemy because in all
the business of hunting, fishing and surviving he had forgotten the
primary rule: Always, always pay attention to what was happening.
Everything in nature means something and he had missed the warnings
that summer was ending, had in many ways already ended, and what
was coming would be the most dangerous thing he had faced since the
plane crash.
THE CALL OF THE WILD by Jack London
1 That night Buck faced the great problem of sleeping. The tent, illumined by a candle, glowed warmly in the midst of the
white plain; and when he, as a matter of course, entered it, both Perrault and Francois bombarded him with curses and
cooking utensils, till he recovered from his consternation and fled ignominiously into the outer cold. A chill wind was blowing
that nipped him sharply and bit with especial venom into his wounded shoulder. He lay down on the snow and attempted to
sleep, but the frost soon drove him shivering to his feet. Miserable and disconsolate, he wandered about among the many
tents, only to find that one place was as cold as another. Here and there savage dogs rushed upon him, but he bristled his
neck-hair and snarled (for he was learning fast) and they let him go his way unmolested.
2 Finally an idea came to him. He would return and see how his own teammates were making out. To his astonishment,
they had disappeared. Again he wandered about through the great camp, looking for them, and again he returned. Were
they in the tent? No, that could not be, else he would not have been driven out. Then where could they possibly be? With
drooping tail and shivering body, very forlorn indeed, he aimlessly circled the tent. Suddenly the snow gave way beneath his
fore legs and he sank down. Something wriggled under his feet. He sprang back, bristling and snarling, fearful of the unseen
and unknown. But a friendly little yelp reassured him, and he went back to investigate. A whiff of warm air ascended to his
nostrils, and there, curled up under the snow in a snug ball, lay Billee. He whined placatingly, squirmed and wriggled to
show his good will and intentions, and even ventured, as a bribe for peace, to lick Buck’s face with his warm wet tongue.
3 Another lesson. So that was the way they did it, eh? Buck confidently selected a spot, and with much fuss and wasted
effort proceeded to dig a hole for himself. In a trice the heat from his body filled the confined space and he was asleep. The
day had been long and arduous, and he slept soundly and comfortably, though he growled and barked and wrestled with
bad dreams.
4 Nor did he open his eyes till roused by the noises of the waking camp. At first he did not know where he was. It had
snowed during the night and he was completely buried. The snow wails pressed him on every side, and a great surge of
fear swept through him--the fear of the wild thing for the trap. It was a token that he was harking back through his own life to
the lives of his forebears; for he was a civilized dog, an unduly civilized dog and of his own experience knew no trap and so
could not of himself fear it. The muscles of his whole body contracted spasmodically and instinctively, the hair on his neck
and shoulders stood on end, and with a ferocious snarl he bounded straight up into the blinding day, the snow flying about
him in a flashing cloud. Ere he landed on his feet, he saw the white camp spread out before him and knew where he was
and remembered all that had passed from the time he went for a stroll with Manuel to the hole he had dug for himself the
night before.
5 A shout from Francois hailed his appearance. "What I say?" the dog-driver cried to Perrault. "Dat Buck for sure learn
quick as anything."
6 Perrault nodded gravely. As courier for the Canadian Government, bearing important dispatches, he was anxious to
secure the best dogs, and he was particularly gladdened by the possession of Buck.