Comprehension Questions for
Progress Monitoring
AIMSWEB Reading Passages
Grade 8
E
F
I
MI
SEQ
V
C/E
Evaluation
Fact
Inference
Main Idea
Sequential
Vocabulary
Cause/Effect
Prepared by: CAIU
January, 2008
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 4
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(two children who explore an old toboggan slide, any reasonable
answer)
___ (V)
2. What is a toboggan?
(a sled)
___ (I)
3. What season do you think it is?
(summer, spring)
___ (F)
4. How did the children get to the top of the slide?
(they climbed steps)
___ (C/E)
5. Why do you think the children selected cardboard to use as a sled?
(it would slide on the wood, any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
6. What does contraption refer to in this sentence: “He used his feet
against the side rails to stop the contraption…..,”?
(the cardboard sled)
___ (I)
7. How was Samantha feeling when she flew off the slide?
(upset, afraid, angry, etc.)
___ (V)
8. What is a synonym for lurking?
(hiding, etc.)
___ (C/E)
9. Why did Robert end up carrying Samantha?
(she refused to put her shoes back on, he wanted to help her, he
was afraid of what his parents would do or say if he didn’t get
Samantha home [any1])
___ (C/E)
10. Why do you think Samantha had a change of heart when she told the
story to her parents?
(any reasonable answer)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 5
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a mail-delivering albatross who has a stamp made in his honor,
any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
2. How was alliteration used in this passage? Give an example.
(the type of bird and their names – Albert the albatross, Eddie the
eagle, Franny the flamingo, Gretta the great horned owl [any 2])
___ (F)
3. Where is Mount Everest?
(in the Himalayas, Asia, any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
4. What does the word sentiment mean in this passage:
“Thank you for your kind sentiments.”
(words, thoughts, any reasonable answer)
___ (I)
5. Why do you think Albert was honored with a stamp?
(he was brave, he enjoyed his work and did a good job, any
reasonable answer)
___ (F)
6. Where was Albert’s territory to deliver mail?
(the Arctic region, Alaska and Canada, the Midwest, etc.)
___ (I)
7. What character traits would you attribute to Albert?
(reliable, efficient, humble, courageous, etc. [any 2]))
___ (C/E)
8. How did Albert feel about his fellow mail carriers?
(he valued them, he thought highly of them, any reasonable
answer)
___ (C/E)
9. What do you think Albert’s landing gear might consist of?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
10. What other kind of animal could the author have used in this story? Why?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 6
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a statue that comes to life, a woman who sees a statue come to
life, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
2. What city do you think Alice lives in?
(New York, Chicago, London, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
3. What was the view from Alice’s living room window?
(the street below)
___ (V)
4. What does intrigued mean?
(curious, captivated, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
5. Why do you think Alice felt sorry for the statue in the winter?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
6. What woke Alice up?
(music)
___ (F)
7. What did Alice see when she looked out her window?
(the statue had come to life, etc.)
___ (I)
8. Why did the statue return to its original pose?
(it was almost daytime, she didn’t want to be seen, any reasonable
answer)
___ (V)
9. What kind of words are retrieved and discarded?
(antonyms, verbs)
___ (C/E)
10. Do you think Alice was dreaming? Why/why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 7
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a woman who travels to Africa with her grandson, any reasonable
answer)
___ (I)
2. What was Jack Creek’s occupation?
(photographer for National Geographic)
___ (V)
3. What is an inoculation?
(a shot to protect you from diseases)
___ (C/E)
4. Why do you think Angela researched her trip so thoroughly?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
5. What is the official language of Ghana?
(English)
___ (V)
6. What does indigenous mean?
(native, of a local area, etc.)
___ (V)
7. What is a literacy rate?
(the ability to read and write effectively)
___ (I)
8. Why did Angela speak to the tour guide in his native language?
(she might get a quicker ride or more assistance on their trip, the tour
guide would respect the effort Angela made to learn his
language, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
9. About how far is two hundred meters? (offer choices)
a. a mile
b. the length of two football fields
c. the length of 4 cars end to end
(the length of two football fields)
___ (C/E)
10. Do you think Jack would take his grandmother on another trip with him?
Why/why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 8
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a person who is seeking a cure for their illness, any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
2. What does the word herbal refer to?
(something made from herbs, plants, etc.)
___ (F)
3. What symptoms did the person exhibit?
(high fever, nausea, irritability, stiff neck, scratchy throat,
clouded vision, green fungus behind the ears, lack of balance, headaches, sluggish energy, tension, poor digestion, sensitive skin [any 4])
___ (C/E)
4. Why did the person get a headache?
(from the clatter of the crystal bottles falling to the floor)
___ (V)
5. What is a vial?
(a small bottle or container, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
6. Why do you think no came out to assist the person?
(they were buying lots of things without any help, any
reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
7. How was the person feeling as they explored the shop?
(excited, anxious, etc.)
___ (F)
8. How many baskets did the customer fill?
(3)
___ (F)
9. What were the three words the small man spoke?
(“cash or charge”)
___ ( E)
10. Do you think the herbal remedies helped the person? How do you
know?
(yes; they returned to the shop often and made numerous
purchases)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 9
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(shell collecting, how shells are formed)
___ (F)
2. What does the author recommend doing before collecting the shells?
(finding out where the shells come from)
___ (V)
3. What is a mollusk?
(primarily aquatic animals that have soft bodies covered with a shell)
___ (F)
4. What are some examples of mollusks?
(snails, clams, slugs, mussels, octopuses, squids, cockles [any 2])
___ (V)
5. What does secrete mean?
(give off, produce, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
6. Why don’t people see many sea snails?
(they live in deep ocean grottos)
___ (I)
7. Besides Florida, where else might you be able to find conch shells?
(the Caribbean islands, Mexico, South America, any reasonable
answer)
___ (F)
8. How large can a queen conch shell grow?
(as large as a football)
___ (F)
9. What qualities make the conch a highly valued shell?
(glossy sheen, delicate patterns, unbelievable colors [any 2])
___ (C/E)
10. Would you enjoy collecting shells? Why/why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 10
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a difficult softball game, any reasonable answer)
___ (I)
2. What is the weather usually like at the end of May?
(warm, sunny – the opposites of overcast and chilly)
___ (V)
3. What is an archrival?
(opponent, enemy, competitor, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
4. Which position did Miriam play?
(shortstop)
___ (I)
5. How was Miriam feeling throughout most of the game?
(nervous, anxious, etc.)
___ (I)
6. Why were the Panther fans in a panic as the Braves came up to bat?
(the Braves only needed one run to win, the Panthers could win if
Braves didn’t get any hits, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
7. How long had it taken for the Panthers to develop a winning team?
(2 years)
___ (F)
8. How many runners were on base?
(2)
___ (C/E)
9. Why do you think Miriam felt as if everything was in slow motion when
she hit the ball?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
10. How do you think Miriam felt at the end of the story?
(any reasonable answer)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 11
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a boy whose dog was going to be put to sleep, any reasonable
answer)
___ (F)
2. How old was Evening in canine years?
(91)
___ (V)
3. What is an antonym for devastated?
(ecstatic, excited, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
4. Why do you think, to the children, the talent show was more exciting than
the end of school?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (I)
5. Why did Mark sit in the back row?
(he was feeling sad, he wanted to be alone, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
6. What image came to Mark’s mind when the daycare skit began?
(himself as a toddler running through the sprinkler followed
by Evening with a ball in her mouth)
___ (I)
7. Why did Mark smile when he thought about Evening?
(fond memories, what they’d done together, any reasonable
answer)
___ (F)
8. What was the reason Mrs. Olson thought Mark was crying?
(because he didn’t make the auditions)
___ (V)
9. What does blurt out mean?
(say without thinking, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
10. Do you think making a dog feel special is more important than a talent
shown on stage? Why/why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 12
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(the construction of a trading post)
___ (I)
2. During what time period could this story have been set?
(westward expansion, early colonial days, any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
3. What is a voyageur?
(a person employed by a fur company, a person who transports goods
from a remote area, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
4. How would an Indian camp in close proximity be a good source for trade?
(the Indians would trade with them for food, etc.)
___ (F)
5. What kinds of trees grew in the area?
(pine)
___ (V)
6. What is a stockade?
(a wall, barrier, etc.)
___ (I)
7. How long did it take to build the post?
(about a month and a half, any reasonable answer)
___ (I)
8. What kinds of goods might the Indians trade for their furs and food?
(tools, cloth, guns, ammunition, etc. [any 2])
___ (C/E)
9. Why do you think Joseph Anthony felt proud?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
10. How would you describe Anthony’s character?
(hard working, loyal, good leader, any reasonable answer)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 13
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(mice that have magical skills, any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
2. What does eluded mean?
(avoided, kept away from, etc.)
___ (F)
3. What particular talent did the mice have that perplexed Mary the most?
(getting into and resealing the plastic containers)
___ (I)
4. How did the mice really get into and out of the containers?
(they had the ability to appear and disappear)
___ (C/E)
5. Why do you think seeing the mouse on the chandelier was a turning point
for Sandy?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (I)
6. Why would the mice converse about the neighbor’s cat?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (I)
7. Who had completed the crossword, balanced the checkbook, etc. for
Sandy?
(the mice)
___ (I)
8. Why did the mice do those things?
(because Sandy and her husband didn’t set the traps any more)
___ (C/E)
9. Why do you think the mice still ate the cookies and the bread?
(they felt they should be repaid for their work, any reasonable
answer)
___ (E)
10. Do you think Sandy will continue to tolerate the mice? Why/why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 14
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a boy who enters a camera’s memory and lands in another setting)
___ (F)
2. Why did Jamie hate having his picture taken?
(he always looked bad in photographs, he blends in with the
background)
___ (F)
3. What colors make bad backdrops for Jamie?
(red, orange – both colors)
___(I)
4. How does Jamie feel about having his picture taken this year?
(unsure, apprehensive, not happy, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
5. What happens when the photographer presses the button to take Jamie’s
picture?
(he is sucked into the camera’s memory, he lands in Africa, any
reasonable answer)
___ (V)
6. What is a savannah?
(a grassy plain in a tropical area)
___ ( C/E)
7. What happens when Jamie yells, “Get me out of here!”?
(he lands in a tree in the jungle)
___ (C/E)
8. How does Jamie get back to school?
(he yells to return)
___ (F)
9. Where does Jamie end up?
(in the school cafeteria)
___ (C/E)
10. Why do you think Jamie wants to become a photographer?
(any reasonable answer)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 15
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a weatherman and his predictions, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
2. What news station did Lewis Holton report for?
(Channel 7)
___ (I)
3. What would be the opposite of a “beautiful, mild weekend”?
(cold and rainy, any reasonable answer)
___(F)
4. How did the weather department’s secretary handle the complaints?
(she sent the call the Lewis’ phone)
___(V)
5. What is an antonym for the word bogus?
(true, realistic, etc.)
___(F)
6. What factors help determine the weather?
(atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature, and winds – any 3)
___(V)
7. What does irate mean?
(angry, disgruntled, etc.)
___ (I)
8. How did Lewis feel about the phone call?
(dissatisfied, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
9. What do cirrus clouds indicate?
(changeable weather)
___ (I)
10. Why did Lewis make the weather prediction not very specific?
(because he didn’t want to be wrong again, because the cirrus
clouds meant a change, any reasonable answer)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 16
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a mad scientist, misconceptions of what a mad scientist is, any
reasonable answer)
___ (F)
2. What state did the narrator move to?
(Massachusetts)
___ (F)
3. What was Dr. Sheldon Gomez’s nickname?
(Sigmund)
___ (F)
4. Who did the narrator initially think Sigmund was?
(a gravedigger, a criminal – either one)
___ (F)
5. How did the narrator first encounter Sigmund?
(Sigmund was digging up worms and snails in his garden)
___ (C/E)
6. Why do you think the narrator got to know Sigmund better?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (V)
7. What adjectives would you use to describe a Tudor style home/mansion?
(tall, thin peaks; white stucco with dark timbers; brick/stone; etc.)
___ (F)
8. What did Sigmund have in his laboratory?
(earthworms, violets, snails, bats – any 3)
___ (F)
9. What is the narrator’s opinion of mad scientists?
(they aren’t all that bad, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
10. Would you want to befriend a mad scientist? Why or why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 17
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a woman who loves to make chocolate)
___ (F)
2. In what city is Madam Zelda’s located?
(Manhattan, NYC)
___ (I)
3. What is said in this passage that lets you know that the shop is busy?
(the shop bells are rarely still, the chimes of her cash register
echo throughout the store – both responses)
___ (F)
4. Where does Madam Zelda get her base chocolate from?
(Brazil)
___ (F)
5. To what profession does the author compare Zelda’s skills?
(a chemist)
___ (F)
6. What else does Zelda make besides candy?
(coffeecakes, cookies, sugared fruits and nuts, cinnamon
bread, espresso – any 2)
___ (I)
7. What motivates Zelda to take such care in preparing her goods?
(customer satisfaction)
___ (F)
8. On what day of the week does Zelda prepare her peanut brittle?
(Wednesday)
___ (F)
9. Give an example of one of Zelda’s customers and the special product(s)
she prepares for them.
(the man who comes in every Tuesday with is dog – cinnamon
bread; group of teenage girls – chocolate espresso; mailman –
chocolate almonds or chocolate rose leaves)
___ (C/E)
10. What are some words you would use to describe Madam Zelda? Support
two of your choices with examples from the passage.
(enthusiastic, detail oriented, organized, etc. – any reasonable
response with appropriate support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 18
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a woman astronaut who was going to a newly discovered planet)
___ (I)
2. Where does Martha live?
(in New York City)
___ (F)
3. What type of extraterrestrial ‘life’ had been found previously?
(frozen bacteria)
___ (C/E)
4. Why do you think Martha laughed at the thought of aliens who could
communicate with humans?
(any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
5. How long had Martha been a scientist and an astronaut?
(a decade)
___ (F)
6. How did Martha find out she was going to be on the mission to the new
planet?
(she called NASA)
___ (V)
7. What does NASA stand for?
(National Aeronautical Space Agency)
___ (V)
8. What does cavorting mean in this sentence:
“…her dogs…were cavorting around on the lawn.”?
(jumping, running, etc.)
___ (F)
9. How long will her mission be?
(six months)
___ (C/E)
10. Would you like to go on this kind of a mission? Why/why not?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 19
___ (MI)
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
(an outstanding chef and his ‘secret’ ingredients)
___ (F)
2. How did Miguel learn to cook?
(his grandmother taught him)
___ (I)
3. Explain how good cooking can soothe the soul. Give an example from the
story.
(good cooking can calm people, can make people forget their
troubles, any reasonable explanation. Example from the story of the
bickering family or other example provided by the student)
___ (V)
4. Describe a mesa.
(a landform characterized by a flat area of land rising above the
ground with sharp slopes on all sides)
___ (F)
5. What important ingredients for cooking did Miguel’s grandmother teach him
about ?
(herbs and spices)
____ (F)
6. How did Miguel and his grandmother care for the herbs they used in their
cooking?
(They kept them out of direct sunlight)
___ (F)
7. What is Miguel’s current job?
(he is an award-winning chef at a hotel restaurant [the Santa Rosa
Hotel])
___ (V)
8. When have you been flabbergasted?
(Accept any example including feelings of being surprised, amazed, etc.)
___ (F)
9. Where did Miguel find his most rare spices?
(the desert and overseas – both responses)
___ (F)
10. What did Miguel believe was the real reason his meals were fantastic?
(his grandmother’s inspiration)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 20
___ (MI)
1. What would be a good title for this passage?
(The amazing Monarch butterfly, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
2. What color characterizes the Monarch?
(orange and black)
___ (F)
3. Why do Monarchs migrate?
(because they can’t survive below-freezing temperatures, because they
must be in a warm climate, etc.)
___ (F)
4. Where do they migrate?
(to Mexico, the butterfly sanctuaries, 200 miles away, to the south, etc.)
___ (F)
5. How long does the migration usually take?
(about 2 weeks, averaging 50 miles per day)
___ (I)
6. Why does the author compare the butterflies to a bunch of orange fruit?
(because they cling to the trees in bunches and their orange color
makes them look like fruit)
___ (V)
7. What does strenuous mean?
(physically difficult)
___ (F)
8. What is the purpose of tracking the monarchs?
(to study their migration habits, any reasonable response)
___ (I)
9. Why are the Monarchs described as “little miracles with wings”?
(because although they are tiny creatures yet they can endure extreme
temperatures and can travel great distances, any reasonable answer)
___ (C/E)
10. What other animal/insect do you find amazing? Why?
(any reasonable answer with support)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 21
___(MI)
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
(a man who shampoos animals for a living)
___ (F)
2. What does Mr. Mooney boast about?
(there is no animal he cannot clean)
___ (F)
3. What animals did Mr. Mooney shampoo at the local zoo?
(the walruses)
___ (C/E)
4. How did the walruses change their nature after they have been cleaned?
(they changed from crabby and impolite to courteous and kind)
___ (C/E)
5. Why do the walruses get excited when they see a scrub brush?
(they are expecting a shampoo)
___ (F)
6. What was Mr. Mooney’s most memorable job?
(cleaning tar off of peacocks)
___ (C/E)
7. How did the tar get all over the peacocks?
(workers spilled it while they were fixing the roof)
___ (I)
8. What did the peacocks’ eyes reveal about them?
(they felt sad to be covered in tar)
___ (I)
9. Why was it so difficult for Mr. Mooney to clean up the peacocks?
(they have a lot of feathers, tar is difficult to remove)
___ (V)
10. “Their beautiful plumage was black… “
What does the word plumage mean?
(feathers)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 22
___ (MI)
1. What was this passage about?
(four people that meet to discuss dead writers)
___ (I)
2. Where does the Dead Writer’s Society meet?
(in a hidden grotto in the woods)
___ (F)
3. What was the weather like on this particular night?
(stormy, windy)
___ (C/E)
4. Why did Sam slam a gavel onto the old, dead tree stump?
(he was calling the meeting to order)
___ (F)
5. What kinds of things did the Dead Writer’s Society discuss at their
meetings?
(books, philosophy, free thought, sports – any 2)
___ (C/E)
6. Why did Judd choose to sit with the moon behind him?
(he wanted to create a silhouetted effect)
___ (F)
7. How did the members of the society feel about Shakespeare?
(he was one of the best, but difficult to understand)
___ (C/E)
8. After several hours of talking, what caused the meeting to come to an end?
(the fire blew out)
___ (I)
9. How old to you think the members of the Dead Writer’s Society might be?
How do you know?
(at least 18, they can drive; any other logical answer)
___ (V)
10. “…members may speak about anything relevant that comes to mind.”
What does relevant mean?
(important to the topic)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 23
___ (MI)
1. What was this passage about?
(describing a visit to the Museum of Modern Art)
___ (I)
2. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
(to persuade the reader that the museum is an interesting place to visit)
___ (C/E)
3. Why is the outside of the building deceiving?
(it is a slab of concrete, not interesting, looks like a government building)
___ (F)
4. What appears to guard the building and all who enter?
(a large bronze dragon)
___ (F)
5. What other works of art greet visitor as they arrive?
(a sculpture of twisted iron and copper, a fountain, a tapestry – any 2)
___ (F)
6. What types of art will visitors find in the Impressionist gallery?
(paintings)
___ (I)
7.What image does the author create with the phrase “…the Museum of
Modern Art continues to reel its guests in.”
(pulling guests in like a fisherman reels in a fish on the hook)
___ (C/E)
8. What interesting artifacts from the Far East would you most enjoy seeing?
Why?
(ancient silk robes, jewelry, ceramic pots/cups, or Samurai sword – any
one with support)
___ (I)
9. “a Samurai sword once as sharp as a dragon’s fang rests against a wall
Behind glass.” How does the author use imagery in this sentence?
(the metaphor “sharp as a dragon’s fang” compares the sword to a fang)
___ (V)
10. “A marble fountain, embellished with nymphs, angels, and exotic flora and
fauna…” What does embellished mean?
(decorated, ornamental features added to something, etc,)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 24
___ (MI)
1. What would be a good title for this story?
(Daydream Land, Next Time, Pay Attention, any reasonable answer)
___ (F)
2. When did Winifred fall through the trapdoor?
(on her way home from school)
___ (C/E)
3. Why wasn’t Winifred watching where she was going?
(she was thinking about her failing arithmetic test grade)
___ (C/E)
4. Why did Winifred do poorly on her test?
(she had been daydreaming during the arithmetic review the day before)
___ (F)
5. What distracted Winifred just before she fell through the sidewalk?
(an owl hooted above her)
___ (F)
6. What was Daydream Land like?
(a forest, everything was gigantic)
___ (I)
7. Who was speaking to Winifred in Daydream Land?
(a giant person who looked like her teacher, Miss Pinch)
___ (C/E)
8. Why do you think Winifred deserved to be in Daydream land?
(she doesn’t pay attention well)
___ (I)
9. What does giant Miss Pinch have planned for Winifred in Daydream Land?
(to review her arithmetic again)
___ (V)
10. “I must be hallucinating,” I said to myself quietly. What does hallucinating
mean?
(seeing things that aren’t really there)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 25
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a boy leaving home to work for the summer)
___ (F)
2. Where does the story take place?
(on a train)
___ (F)
3. Where is Peter going to work?
(Montana)
___ (C/E)
4. How is Peter feeling in this story? Why?
(homesick, nervous – he misses his family and friends, he will be all
alone)
___ (C/E)
5. How did Peter apply for the job in Montana?
(he got information in the mail and filled out the forms)
___ (F)
6. When did Peter find out that he had the job?
(at the end of April)
___ (C/E)
7. What would his friends think if he quit the job now?
(that he was a mama’s boy who was scared to leave his family)
___ (I)
8. What had Peter been doing to pass the time on the train?
(reading a book)
___ (I)
9. What made Peter decide that his summer in Montana wouldn’t be so bad
after all?
(he saw the beautiful mountains out of the train window)
___ (V)
10. “Peter was ecstatic!” What does ecstatic mean?
(very happy, thrilled)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 26
___ (MI)
1. What was this passage about?
(a popular professor with a special interest in insects)
___ (F)
2. In what department did Professor Chin teach?
(Biology)
___ (F)
3. What did Professor Chin’s classroom contain?
(tall shelves with old books about insects, jars and glass cases filled with
preserved insects)
___ (F)
4. How did the students feel about Professor Chin?
(admired him, sought his attention and approval, enjoyed his lectures,
etc.)
___ (F)
5. What did Professor Chin look like?
(old, bald, stooped, wore brown pantsuits – any 2)
___ (C/E)
6. Why do you think Professor Chin’s English was halting?
(he was probably from another country)
___ (C/E)
7. What made Professor Chin’s lectures so interesting to his students?
(he got off topic and rambled on about insects)
___ (I)
8. Why did the students enjoy visiting Professor Chin at all hours?
(they could tell him about insects they’d seen, he was always interested)
___ (C/E)
9. What qualities do you think made Professor Chin the most popular teacher?
(enthusiasm for his subject, interest in his students, knowledge, etc.)
___ (V)
10. “…it intrigued all of them.” What does intrigued mean?
(fascinated, interested)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 27
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a frog who tricked a princess into kissing him, or other reasonable
answer)
___ (V)
2. What does beckoned mean?
(to coax toward, to signal to come near)
___ (F)
3. What season did this story take place?
(summer)
___ (F)
4. Name two things the frog promised the princess if she kissed him.
(marry a handsome prince, wealth, beauty)
___ (F)
5. What did the princess ask the frog to give to her if she kissed him?
(happiness)
___ (I)
6. Was the princess a beautiful princess?
(no, she stated “As you can see, I may be quite plain…)
___ (F)
7. Was the frog able to grant the princess her wish?
(no)
___ (I)
8. Do you think the frog was honest with the princess? How do you know?
(no, because he laughed as he leapt away, or other reasonable answer.)
___ (V)
9. What does eloquently mean?
(with style, or other reasonable answer.)
___ (C/E)
10. Do you think this princess is a good princess? Why?
(any reasonable answer.)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 28
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a camping trip)
___ (F)
2. How many people went on the camping trip?
(three)
___ (F)
3. Describe the setting where they were camping.
across fields, next to a grove of maples, by a lake, in a cabin - any 2)
___ (F)
4. While camping, what did the girls celebrate?
(a birthday, Stacy’s birthday)
___ (F)
5. What chased the girls into the cabin during their celebration?
(mosquitoes)
___ (F)
6. What did the girls do when settled into the cabin?
(tell spooky stories)
___ (F)
7. What frightened the girls?
(the sound of footsteps, a raccoon)
___ (F)
8. What was the raccoon after?
(the birthday cake.)
___ (V)
9. What does cowered mean?
(hide, shy away, scared reaction)
___ (I)
10. Why do you think the girls were so scared?
(any of the following: they had been telling spooky stories, they were
young, defenseless girls, it was dark, any reasonable answer)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 29
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a teacher play an April Fools trick on her third grade class)
___ (C/E)
2. How did the students earn a reward party?
(they finished their literature book.)
___ (F)
3. Name two things the students did to help make the party happen.
(organize a plan, voted on a video, volunteer to bring soda, popcorn.)
___ (F)
4. What was the video about, that the students voted to watch?
(a shaggy, heroic dog.)
___ (F)
5. What did Mrs. Larson have to do before she could let the children view the
movie?
(preview the movie.)
___ (F)
6. During the party, what happened after Mrs. Larson started the video?
(a film about golf was on the screen.)
___ (F)
7. What did Mrs. Larson yell when she turned on the lights?
(April Fools)
___ (C/E)
8. Would you like to have Mrs. Larson as a teacher?
(any reasonable answer.)
___ (F)
9. What did the students think happened to the movie video?
(it was mishandled at the teacher’s house. Mr. Larson taped over the
movie, any reasonable answer.)
___ (V)
10. What does at the peak of complaints mean?
(when everyone was complaining a lot, or other reasonable answer.)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 30
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a girl who discovers a cave/trolls living beneath her sink)
___ (C/E)
2. What was causing the cold draft around Gilda ankles?
(the air coming from the long dark tunnel under the sink)
___ (C/E)
3. How did Gilda discover the long dark tunnel?
(she bent down to get more soap from under the sink.)
___ (C/E)
4. What happened to Gilda’s supply of soap?
(the trolls took i.)
___ (F)
5. How did Gilda end up in the tunnel?
(she lost her balance and fell while looking into the cupboard.)
___ (F)
6. Describe the cave Gilda found.
(any two of the following: green light, musty cave, stalagmites and
stalagmites, lanterns, a narrow path, a trail of soap)
___ (I)
7. Gilda smelled a horrible odor, where was it coming from?
(the trolls’ feet, the trolls)
___ (V)
8. What does mucking out mean?
(to clean out, to take out dirt.)
___ (F)
9. What did Gilda see at the end of the path?
(trolls, or a gang of trolls washing their feet.)
___ (V)
10. What does rancid mean?
(rotten, terrible odor)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 31
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a man who owns an apple orchard.)
___ (F)
2. Name two things that make the fall the buy season at the orchard.
(people come to pick apples, wagon rides, pony rides, marshmallow
roasts)
___ (V)
3. What does the term year-round maintenance mean?
(there are jobs to be done all year.)
___ (F)
4. Name one thing Tyler uses to prune the trees?
(tractor, tree clipper, a delicate touch)
___ (C/E)
5. Why must a person be very careful in pruning apple trees?
(if you remove too many buds you won’t get much fruit, OR if you don’t
take enough buds off the tree, the tree’s branches will break from the
weight of the apples)
___ (F)
6. Why are bees important to an orchard?
(the pollinate the trees, they help to produce fruit)
___ (V)
7. What does adequate mean?
(to have enough)
___ (C/E)
8. Do you think Tyler liked being an apple grower? Why?
(yes, any reasonable answer.)
___ (F)
9. What did Tyler hope to do in the future?
(grow a wide variety of apples and start his own cider company.)
___ (V)
10. What does abundance mean?
(a lot, very many)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 32
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(a grandpa and his grandson collecting leaves.)
___ (V)
2. What does cragged mean?
(knotting, rough, cracked, not smooth)
___ (V)
3. What does crimson mean?
(red)
___ (F)
4. Name a type of tree the pair collect leaves from.
(maple or oak)
___ (F)
5. Describe where the Grandfather lives.
(on a farm, dairy farm, rural area)
___ (F)
6. Why do the cows follow the Grandfather and grandson?
(they think they have corn in their pockets.)
___ (F)
7. What do they do with the leaves they collect?
(Grandma irons them between wax paper, save them.)
___ (F)
8. During what season does this story take place?
(autumn, fall)
___ (I)
9. Why does the Grandfather put bells around the cows’ necks?
(so they don’t get lost.)
___ (F)
10. Where does the young boy live?
(in the city.)
Comprehension Questions - Aimsweb
Grade 8, Passage 33
___ (MI)
1. What is this passage about?
(pirates looking for a hidden treasure.)
___ (I)
2. Why did they call the pirate, “Peg-leg” Thomas?
(he had a wooden leg.)
___ (V)
3. What is a skiff?
(a small boat.)
___ (V)
4. They called the rock “Friar Rock”, What is a friar?
(a man who wears a robe, a religious man.)
___ (F)
5. Where did the pirates find the treasure?
(in a cave, or in the volcano.)
___ (F)
6. How did the pirates open the trunks?
(shooting the locks, with their pistols)
___ (F)
7. What was in the trunks?
(thousands of shiny, gold medallions.)
___ (F)
8. What tells us that the captain was very determined to find the treasure?
(he would find the treasure even if it meant death.)
___ (F)
9. What was the name of the island?
(Treasure Island)
___ (C/E)
10. How have you ever heard of Treasure Island?
(a book, movie, famous story, a book by Robert Louis Stevenson, any
Reasonable answer)