Contents Comprehensive Reading Assessment
Test-Taking Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
Test A Test B
Selections
Selections
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Calling All Hounds . . . . . . . . . . .
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1 2
2
2 V ideo Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3
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3 Mia Hamm: Spotlight on
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3 Women’s Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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5 Medio-Pollito’s Bad Luck . . . . . .
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Instruction
for Test A 7
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Selections
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Calling All Hounds . . . . . . . . . . .
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1 2
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9 Video Surprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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1
3
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3 Mia Hamm: Spotlight on
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4
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4 Women’s Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
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4 Medio-Pollito’s Bad Luck . . . . . .
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Acknowledgments
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Editorial
Development: Kane Publishing Services
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Project Manager: Richard Stull - Editor: Marc Gave
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Design
and Production: Design Five Creatives, Inc.
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Gators! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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2 Something New . . . . . . . . . . . .
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3 Poetry: “The Rain Has Silver
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3 Sandals”; “Rain in Summer” . .
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5 Teotihuacán: City of the Gods
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Instruction
for Test B
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Selections
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9
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Gators! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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1
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1 2
2
9 Something New . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
1
3
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3 Poetry: “The Rain Has Silver
2
4
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4 Sandals”; “Rain in Summer” . .
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5
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4 Teotihuacán: City of the Gods
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ISBN 978-1-60161-994-5
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OT158FL
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Cover Design: Design Five Creatives, Inc.
Production Supervisor: Sandy Batista
Photo Credits: 4: Geoff du Feu/Taxi/Getty Images. 5: Paul A.
Souders/Corbis. 12: Chris Cole/Corbis. 13: Chris Trotman/Corbis.
92: David Muench/Corbis. 93: Philip Gould/Corbis. 104: Peter M.
Wilson/Corbis. 106, 107: Gianni Dagli Orti/Corbis
Illustration Credits: 8, 9: Joe Boddy. 16, 17: Arthur Friedman. 96,
97: Bruce Van Patter. 100, 101: Beth Peck. 105: Molly K. Scanlon.
Text Credits: “Rain in Summer” by May Justus. Reprinted by
permission of Doubleday.
Grade 5
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Triumph Learning® 136 Madison Avenue,
7th Floor, New York, NY 10016
© 2010 Triumph Learning, LLC
Options is an imprint of Triumph Learning®
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in whole or in part, stored
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Printed in the United States of America.
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Comprehensive Reading Assessment Grade 5 • Contents
1
TEST A
Selection 1
Directions: Read this article about hunting dogs known as
hounds. Then answer Questions 1–8.
Calling All Hounds
Consider two dogs. One is tall and sleek. Its sharp eyes look
down over a thin, pointed nose. Its body is all muscle. In fact, you
can count each rib under its powerful chest. The other dog is short
and heavy, with a long body and short, stubby legs. Its droopy eyes
sit within folds of flesh. Loose skin bunches down around its toes.
Framing its face are long ears that hang almost to the ground.
Besides their classification as dog, what could these two animals
possibly have in common? They both belong to the breed of dog
called hound. What is it that makes a hound a hound? Hounds are
hunting dogs, bred long ago to help people hunt prey. Hounds are
classified by the type of prey they hunt, as well as by the different
skills they use to hunt. There are two types of hounds—sight
hounds and scent hounds.
Sight hounds, such as the
smooth, lean greyhound, spot
their prey from far away. Then
they race after it until the chased
animal becomes too exhausted to
run any farther. All sight hounds
originated in
originated:
southwestern
came into being
Asia. The saluki,
one of the more
ancient dog breeds still alive
today, was first bred
by nomadic tribes in
nomadic:
the Middle East. The wandering
saluki is pictured on
tombs of Egyptian pharaohs.
The greyhound can run at speeds of
up to 37 miles per hour.
4
Test A • Selection 1 • Calling All Hounds
Some other sight hounds are the longhaired Afghan hound and the
Irish wolfhound, the world’s tallest dog. These and other sight
hounds are sleek and speedy. Sight hounds also have keen
keen: excellent
eyesight that allows them to spot even slight movements at
a distance.
On the other hand, scent hounds such as the basset
hound have an extraordinary sense of smell. Like sight
stamina: the
strength to withstand
hounds, scent hounds also possess great stamina, which
fatigue; endurance
enables them to exhaust their prey. The most famous scent
hound of all is probably the bloodhound, used by police
departments to discover clues. Bloodhounds are often pictured
next to fictional detectives, such as Sherlock Holmes. Why is the
bloodhound such a good sniffer? Inside its nose is a membrane,
or thin lining, with a surface area greater than its entire body!
Most scent hounds have features that help them
chase particular prey. For example, the web-footed
otterhound was used to hunt otters, animals that live
primarily in water. The sturdy Rhodesian ridgeback
is capable of fighting big game in Africa. Some scent
hounds, such as the foxhound and the elkhound, are
named for their prey.
Many scent hounds are also known for their
long, droopy ears that dangle to the ground. You
may think that these big ears help the dogs hear
their prey as they follow its scent. However, this type
of ear has nothing to do with hearing. As a scent
hound runs along, nose to the ground, its ears stir
the air, raising scents to its super-sensitive nose.
Though many sight hounds and scent hounds
are still used for hunting, most hounds today are just
The basset hound was bred to
plain old family companions. All hounds make
hunt rabbits and pheasants.
wonderful pets and sometimes best friends.
Go On
Test A • Selection 1 • Calling All Hounds
5
TEST A
Selection 1
1
What is the author’s purpose for
writing this article?
3
to describe all the different
kinds of hunting dogs
2
Sight hounds are sleek and
speedy.
to explain how a person can
train a hunting dog
Sight hounds have long, droopy
ears.
to persuade the reader to
buy a dog
Sight hounds are bred to fight
big game.
to inform the reader about
hunting dogs known as hounds
Sight hounds have supersensitive noses.
Which answer best fits in Circle 1?
basset hound
Rhodesian ridgeback
greyhound
4
W hich of the following
statements is an opinion?
The greyhound can run as fast
as 37 miles per hour.
All hounds make wonderful
pets and sometimes best
friends.
otterhound
saluki
Circle 1
Circle 2
Sight Hounds
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How are sight hounds different
from scent hounds?
Afghan
hound
Irish
wolfhound
Circle 3
Circle 4
Test A • Selection 1 • Calling All Hounds
All sight hounds originated in
southwestern Asia.
The saluki is pictured on tombs
of Egyptian pharaohs.
5
W hich detail best supports the
idea that there are two kinds of
hounds?
7
corner their prey to catch them.
Hounds are hunting dogs, bred
to help people hunt.
enjoy the water.
can run very fast.
The saluki is pictured on tombs
of Egyptian pharaohs.
Sight hounds spot their prey
from far away, and scent
hounds use their noses.
Bloodhounds are often pictured
next to fictional detectives.
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You can tell that “Calling All
Hounds” is nonfiction because
From the article, you can infer
(guess) that greyhounds
are no longer used for hunting.
8
“ W hy is the bloodhound such a
good sniffer? Inside its nose is a
membrane, or thin lining, with a
surface area greater than its
entire body!” The word
membrane means
a thin layer of skin.
an organ for thinking.
it is a story about two dogs that
become friends.
a very large hole.
it is a biography about a famous
hunting dog.
a special kind of cell that helps
the dog see clearly.
it gives information about two
types of hunting dogs.
it is not just about one dog.
Test A • Selection 1 • Calling All Hounds
7
TEST A
Selection 2
Directions: Read these journal entries. Then answer
Questions 9–16.
Video Surprise
livid:
extremely
angry; furious
Friday, April 10
You may think that I’m going to write something funny in my
journal today. Well, think again! I’m so angry that I can barely line
up the words on the page! I am REALLY angry! Furious, boiling,
fuming, irate. LIVID. News flash for Woody, my dear little brother
(in case he has found my journal AGAIN and is reading this): Your
brother Charlie is NEVER speaking to you again!
Sunday, April 12
I’ve had two days to cool down, so I’m finally
able to describe what happened last Friday. I got
home late because of softball practice, and Mom
was already here. “You’ve got mail,” she said. Well,
I grabbed a drink and turned on the computer.
“No,” Mom laughed as she handed me a letter.
This was an event! I almost never get a piece of
“real” mail, you know, the kind delivered by the
United States Postal Service. Some people call it
“snail mail.” Anyway, I looked at the return
address, and my eyes nearly bugged out of my
head. The letter was from Hollywood, California!
Even better, it was from Video Surprise, my favorite TV show.
I ripped open the envelope and read the first paragraph. Then I
reread it.
Dear Charlie,
Thank you for sending us your home video, “Song to
Myself.” It will run during the Teen Time segment
scheduled to air on May 26.
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Test A • Selection 2 • Video Surprise
For about five seconds, I was confused. I never sent a video to
Video Surprise. Then I figured out what had happened. “Woody!”
I yelled as I tore through the house looking for my little brother.
Here’s what I had quickly pieced together. A few months ago,
I was in my room, listening to music. I was
singing along to one of my favorite songs—I
don’t mind saying that I’m a pretty fair singer for
a kid. Someday I’d like to sing in a rock band.
Anyway, I was posing before the mirror,
using a hairbrush as a microphone. I had been
dancing around and singing for a few minutes
when suddenly I heard a laugh at the door. I
turned around, and there was Woody with our
parents’ video camera! He had videotaped the
whole thing! I should add that Woody likes to
use our parents’ video camera. They don’t mind.
And he’s actually pretty good at it. I just don’t
appreciate it when I’m the subject.
Monday, April 13
I pleaded with Mom to call the television network and tell them
not to run it. Did she do that? No! Instead, she said, “Charlie, why
don’t you take a few days to think it over? You’ve got such a great
voice—and you’ll be on national television! Besides, it’s a sign of
maturity to be able to laugh at yourself once in a while.”
maturity: a fully grown
I don’t mind laughing at myself. I just don’t want the
or developed quality
whole country laughing, too. Nevertheless, Mom got me
thinking. Maybe I could have a Video Surprise party!
Thursday, April 16
Another letter came today. It congratulated me and said that the
video of me, “Song to Myself,” had been selected as a finalist for the
$500 weekly prize! Here’s the deal: They’re flying our whole family
(including Woody) to Hollywood for the show! But get this. Woody
says that if I win the money, he should get half. Well, who knows?
Hollywood . . . national TV . . . I might just be in a forgiving mood.
Go On
Test A • Selection 2 • Video Surprise
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