WKCE Practice Worksheets
GRADE 10
Copyright © McDougal Littell
Reading
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 1
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.1
WKCE Test Practice: Using Effective Reading Strategies
In Harmony with Nature: Native American Traditions
beings have a kinship with animals, plants, the
land, heavenly bodies, and the elements. All of
these things are seen as alive and aware . . .
Furthermore, the human and the nonhuman are
seen as parts of a sacred whole. To Native
Americans, human beings do not have dominion
over nature; they are part of nature and must act
to maintain a right relationship with the world
around them. . . .
Native Americans and their traditions have not
disappeared from this country. Although some cultures were lost to the diseases and violence of the
Europeans, others have survived . . . Today, Native
Americans live in cities and suburbs as well as on
reservations. They are keeping oral traditions alive
by singing songs and telling stories, but they are
also writing in English. . . .
Copyright © McDougal Littell
The first American literature was created by the
first people to live here—the Native Americans,
who inhabited North America thousands of years
before the first Europeans arrived. . . .
Literature is not limited to what is written
down in books. Native American literatures were
primarily oral, passed down from generation to
generation by storytelling and performances.
Some widespread types of Native American oral
literature are creation myths, which explain the
beginning of the world; tales of heroes and tricksters who transformed the world to its present
state; and the ritual songs and chants that are part
of ceremonies. . . .
Although traditional Native American literature
has many forms and functions, much of it emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with the
natural world. In Native American belief, human
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Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Name
1
Date
4
The main idea of the passage is that
A Native Americans now live on
reservations.
A Native Americans believe that plants and
even the land are alive and aware.
B Native Americans were killed through
violence and disease hundreds of years
ago.
B Native Americans believe that all things
are equal in value and part of nature.
C Native American literature has many
forms and functions.
C Native American literature has existed for
hundreds of years and will continue to
exist into the future.
D Native Americans feel that humans have
a kinship with animals.
D Native American literature has always
been written.
5
2
Which of the following statements best summarizes the second paragraph of the passage?
B Only stories that are written down can be
considered literature.
B Native American literature includes
creation stories.
C Most Native American literature tells tales
of heroes and villains.
C Ancient Native American songs and
chants are not technically considered
literature.
D Native American literature is still read
today.
D Native American myths, songs, and
chants are valuable sources of literature.
In general, Native American literature focuses
on
A ritual songs.
B ceremonial chants.
C family trees.
D unity in nature.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
Which of the following statements best summarizes the author’s attitude toward Native
American literature?
A Native American myths are beautiful but
unimportant as a source of literature.
A Native American literature was mostly
oral and played a number of roles in daily
life.
3
Which of the following statements best summarizes the third paragraph of the passage?
6
Which of the following statements best summarizes the author’s concluding paragraph?
A Native Americans have kept their oral
traditions alive and continue to do so.
B Native Americans live in cities, suburbs,
and on reservations.
C Native American traditions are slowly
dying.
D Native Americans still do not write in
English.
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105
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 2
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.1
WKCE Test Practice: Using Effective Reading Strategies
“A Poison Tree” and “Fireworks”
A Poison Tree
by William Blake
Fireworks
by Amy Lowell
I
I
I
I
You hate me and I hate you,
And we are so polite, we two!
was
told
was
told
angry with my friend;
my wrath, my wrath did end.
angry with my foe:
it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunnéd it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
But whenever I see you, I burst apart
And scatter the sky with my blazing heart.
It spits and sparkles in stars and balls,
Buds into roses—and flares, and falls.
Scarlet buttons, and pale green disks,
Silver spirals and asterisks,
Shoot and tremble in a mist
Peppered with mauve and amethyst.
I shine in the windows and light up the trees,
And all because I hate you, if you please.
And when you meet me, you rend asunder
And go up in a flaming wonder
Of saffron cubes, and crimson moons,
And wheels all amaranths and maroons.
Golden lozenges and spades,
Arrows of malachites and jades,
Patens of copper, azure sheaves.
As you mound, you flash in the glossy leaves.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
Such fireworks as we make, we two!
Because you hate me and I hate you.
106
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Name
1
Date
Focusing on the first stanza of each poem,
what theme do both poems have in common?
5
Which of the following does Lowell use to
convey the speaker’s anger in her poem?
A color
A love
B nature
B anger
C day and night
C disguised hatred
D the past
D friendship betrayed
6
2
How do the speakers act in each poem when
they meet a certain person?
What results from the speakers’ anger in
Blake and Lowell’s poems, respectively?
A an apple and a crimson moon
A with a pretense of politeness
B tears and roses
B with a pretense of wrath
C a garden and leaves
C bored
D a tree and fireworks
D sorrowful
7
3
Where does the main action occur in each of
the poems?
A in a garden
B on the street
C in the author’s mind
Fill in the chart below to compare the
poems.
Poetic
Elements
Subject
Matter
“A Poison
Tree”
“Fireworks”
D in the enemy’s mind
4
Blake uses which of the following as a
metaphor for his anger?
Speaker’s
Point of
View
A color
Structure
B nature
C day and night
Copyright © McDougal Littell
D the past
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107
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 3
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.1
The decline of the Western Roman Empire
took place over many years. Its final collapse was
the result of worsening internal problems, the
separation of the western empire from the
wealthier eastern part, and outside invasions.
Since the days of Julius Caesar, Germanic
peoples had gathered on the northern borders of
the empire. Some groups settled into a peaceful
farming life. Eventually they adopted Roman ways,
such as speaking Latin and becoming Christians.
Other groups remained nomads. From A.D. 376 to
476, huge numbers of Germans poured into
Roman territory—Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks,
Angles, Saxons, Burgundians, Alemanni, and
Vandals. Gradually, they overwhelmed the structures of Roman society. Finally, they drove the last
Roman emperor from the throne.
The Huns Move West
The main reason for the Germanic invasions of
the empire was the movement into Europe of the
Huns. The Huns were fierce Mongol nomads from
central Asia. They began invading the frontier
regions of the Rhine and Danube rivers around
A.D. 370, destroying all in their path. The pressure
from the Huns forced other groups to move as
well—into the Roman Empire.
Germanic Invasions
Germanic people near the Rhine River—
Franks, Burgundians, and Vandals—fled the
invading Huns and sought refuge in Roman lands.
When the Rhine River froze during an especially
cold winter in 406, Vandal warriors and their
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families swarmed across the ice. They met little
resistance and kept moving through the Roman
province of Gaul. The western empire was now so
disorganized that it was unable to field an army to
stop them.
By the early fifth century, the city of Rome
itself was vulnerable to attack. More than 600
years had passed since a foreign army, the
Carthaginians, had threatened Rome. Then in 408,
Visigoths, led by their king, Alaric, marched across
the Alps toward Rome. After putting the city
under siege, hordes of Germans stormed Rome in
410, and plundered it for three days.
Attila the Hun
Meanwhile, the Huns, who were indirectly
responsible for the Germanic assault on the
empire, became a direct threat. In 444, they united
for the first time under a powerful chieftain named
Attila. With his 100,000 soldiers, Attila terrorized
both halves of the empire. In the East, his armies
attacked and plundered 70 cities. They failed,
however, to scale the high walls of Constantinople.
The Huns then swept into the West. In
A.D. 452, Attila’s forces advanced against Rome,
but they were weakened by famine and disease.
As a result, Pope Leo I was able to negotiate their
withdrawal. Although the Huns were no longer a
threat to the empire after Attila’s death in 453, the
Germanic invasions continued. In 455, Vandals,
under Gaiseric, sacked Rome, leaving it in chaos.
Famine struck, and its population eventually
dropped from about one million to 20,000.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Copyright © McDougal Littell
WKCE Test Practice: Using Effective Reading Strategies
The Decline of the Roman Empire
Name
Date
Multiple Causes: Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Contributing Factors
•
•
•
•
•
Political
Political office seen as
burden, not reward
Military interference in
politics
Civil war and unrest
Division of empire
Moving of capital to
Byzantium
•
•
•
•
Social
Decline in interest in
public affairs
Low confidence in
empire
Disloyalty, lack of
patriotism, corruption
Contrast between rich
and poor
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Economic
Poor harvests
Disruption of trade
No more war plunder
Gold and silver drain
Inflation
Crushing tax burden
Widening gap between
rich and poor and
increasingly
impoverished western
empire
Military
• Threat from northern
European tribes
• Low funds for defense
• Problems recruiting
Roman citizens,
recruiting of
non-Romans
• Decline of patriotism
and loyalty among
soldiers
Immediate Causes
• Pressure from Huns
1
• Invasion by Germanic tribes and by Huns • Sack of Rome • Conquest by invaders
Which of the following best supports the
main idea of the passage and the chart?
4
A The Carthaginians posed the greatest
threat to the Roman Empire.
A Rome’s conquest over its invaders
B Pope Leo I convinced the Huns to leave
Rome early.
B disloyalty
C Early Germanic settlers in Roman lands
were peaceful farmers.
D low funds for defense
D Many factors contributed to the decline
of the Western Roman Empire.
2
C Huns’ invasion
5
Based on the chart and the passage, which
of the following is cited as a military factor?
B social
C economic
B inflation
D military
C civil war and unrest
Copyright © McDougal Littell
D increase in patriotism of soldiers
How is the passage organized?
A cause and effect
B main headings and subheadings
C comparison and contrast
D foreshadowing
The chart cites that division within the
Western Roman Empire contributed to its fall.
Under which category would this factor fall?
A political
A threat from northern European tribes
3
Which of the following is considered to be an
immediate cause of the fall of the Western
Roman Empire, according to the chart?
6
What is the purpose of the chart?
A to show how influential the Huns were
on the Romans
B to organize the factors that contributed
to the fall of the Western Roman Empire
C to emphasize that poor harvests were an
immediate cause of the fall of the
Western Roman Empire
D to illustrate the path the Huns took
during their invasion of the Western
Roman Empire
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Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 4
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.1
WKCE Test Practice: Using Effective Reading Strategies
“Jazz Fantasia” and “Identity”
Jazz Fantasia
by Carl Sandburg
Identity
by Julio Noboa
Drum on your drums, batter on your banjoes,
sob on the long cool winding saxophones.
Go to it, O jazzmen.
Let them be as flowers,
always watered, fed, guarded, admired,
but harnessed to a pot of dirt.
Sling your knuckles on the bottoms of the
happy tin pans, let your trombones ooze,
and go husha-husha-husha with the slippery
sand-paper.
I’d rather be a tall, ugly weed,
clinging on cliffs, like an eagle
wind-wavering above high, jagged rocks.
moan soft like you wanted somebody terrible,
cry like a
racing car slipping away from a motorcycle cop,
bang-bang! you jazzmen, bang altogether
drums, traps,
banjoes, horns, tin cans—make two people
fight on the top of a stairway and scratch each
other’s eyes in a
clinch tumbling down the stairs.
Can the rough stuff . . . now a Mississippi
steamboat
pushes up the night rive with a hoo-hoo-hoooo . . . and
I’d rather be unseen, and if
then shunned by everyone
than to be a pleasant-smelling flower,
growing in clusters in the fertile valley
where they’re praised, handled, and plucked
by greedy, human hands.
I’d rather smell of musty, green stench
than of sweet, fragrant lilac.
If I could stand alone, strong and free,
I’d rather be a tall, ugly weed.
the green lanterns calling to the high soft stars
. . . a red
moon rides on the humps of the low river hills
. . . go to it,
O jazzmen.
110
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Copyright © McDougal Littell
Moan like an autumn wind high in the lonesome treetops,
To have broken through the surface of stone
to live, to feel exposed to the madness
of the vast, eternal sky.
To be swayed by the breezes of an ancient
sea,
carrying my soul, my seed, beyond the
mountains of time
or into the abyss of the bizarre.
Name
1
Date
Which of the following questions would be
most helpful in determining the theme of the
poem “Identity”?
5
Which of the following questions does
Sandburg answer through his poem?
A Which lines best illustrate alliteration?
A How can jazz capture the essence of life
and emotion?
B What do the weeds symbolize in the
poem?
B How has jazz influenced the world of
music?
C What is the setting of the poem?
C How is jazz an expression of African
American thought?
D Who is the author of the poem?
D Who are the jazzmen?
2
Which of the following questions would be
most helpful in determining the structure of
the poem “Identity”?
6
A What is an example of imagery in the
poem?
3
Which of the following questions would be
most helpful in determining if “Identity”
uses alliteration?
A Which line uses words to capture sounds?
B Why does the poet describe the weed as
“tall” and “ugly”?
B Which line uses an object to represent
something else?
C How many “s” sounds appear in the
poem?
C Which line has two words that begin
with the letter “c”?
D How many stanzas are in the poem?
D Which line has ten syllables?
Which of the following questions does
Noboa answer through his poem?
7
A How does it feel to be a single parent?
B What do you think about how people
treat nature?
Compose three questions that you would
like answered by either Sandburg or Noboa
about their respective poems. The questions
should allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the poem in question.
C Would you rather be imprisoned and
admired or free and ignored by others?
D How does it feel to be in love?
Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
Which of the following questions would be
most helpful in determining the theme of the
poem “Jazz Fantasia”?
A What does music represent to the speaker?
B Why does the speaker want two people
to fight on the top of a stairway?
C How many lines are in each stanza of the
poem?
D Why does the poet use words like
“husha-husha-husha” and “bang-bang”?
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111
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Date
Practice Worksheet 5
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.2
“. . . Darzee, if you have a grain of sense, you
will fly off to the stables and pretend that your
wing is broken and let Nagaina [the cobra] chase
you away to this bush. I must get to the melon
bed, and if I went there now, she’d see me.”
Darzee was a featherbrained little fellow who
could never hold more than one idea at a time in
his head; and just because he knew that Nagaina’s
children were born in eggs like his own, he didn’t
think at first that it was fair to kill them. But his
wife was a sensible bird, and she knew that
cobra’s eggs meant young cobras later on; so she
flew off from the nest and left Darzee to keep the
babies warm . . .
She fluttered in front of Nagaina by the rubbish heap and cried out, “Oh, my wing is broken!
The boy in the house threw a stone at me and
broke it.” Then she fluttered more desperately
than ever.
Nagaina lifted up her head and hissed, “You
warned Rikki-tikki when I would have killed him.
Indeed and truly, you’ve chosen a bad place to be
lame in.” And she moved toward Darzee’s wife,
slipping along over the dust.
“The boy broke it with a stone!” shrieked
Darzee’s wife.
“Well! It may be some consolation to you
when you’re dead to know that I shall settle
accounts with the boy. My husband lies on the
rubbish heap this morning, but before night the
boy in this house will lie very still. What is the use
of running away? I am sure to catch you. Little
fool, look at me!”
Darzee’s wife knew better than to do that, for
a bird who looks at a snake’s eyes gets so frightened that she cannot move. Darzee’s wife fluttered on, piping sorrowfully, and never leaving the
ground, and Nagaina quickened her pace.
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Rikki-tikki heard them going up the path from
the stables, and he raced for the end of the melon
patch near the wall. There, in the warm litter
above the melons, very cunningly hidden, he
found twenty-five eggs, about the size of a bantam’s eggs but with whitish skins instead of shells.
“I was not a day too soon,” he said, for he
could see the baby cobras curled up inside the
skin, and he knew that the minute they were
hatched they could each kill a man or a mongoose.
He bit off the tops of the eggs as fast as he could,
taking care to crush the young cobras, and turned
over the litter from time to time to see whether he
had missed any. At last there were only three eggs
left, and Rikki-tikki began to chuckle to himself
when he heard Darzee’s wife screaming.
“Rikki-tikki, I led Nagaina toward the house,
and she has gone into the veranda and—oh,
come quickly—she means killing!”
Rikki-tikki smashed two eggs and tumbled
backward down the melon bed with the third egg
in his mouth and scuttled to the veranda as hard
as he could put foot to the ground. Teddy and his
mother and father were there at early breakfast;
but Rikki-tikki saw that they were not eating anything. They sat stone still, and their faces were
white. Nagaina was coiled up on the matting by
Teddy’s chair, within easy striking distance of
Teddy’s bare leg; and she was swaying to and fro,
singing a song of triumph.
“Son of the big man that killed Nag,” she
hissed, “stay still. I am not ready yet. Wait a little.
Keep very still, all you three! If you move, I strike,
and if you do not move, I strike. Oh, foolish people who killed my Nag!”
Teddy’s eyes were fixed on his father, and all
his father could do was to whisper, “Sit still,
Teddy. You mustn’t move. Teddy, keep still.”
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Copyright © McDougal Littell
WKCE Test Practice: Interpreting and Analyzing Literature
Rikki-tikki-tavi
Copyright © McDougal Littell
Name
Date
Then Rikki-tikki came up and cried, “Turn
round, Nagaina; turn and fight!”
“All in good time,” said she, without moving
her eyes. “I will settle my account with you
presently. Look at your friends, Rikki-tikki. They are
still and white. They are afraid. They dare not
move, and if you come a step nearer, I strike.”
“Look at your eggs,” said Rikki-tikki, “in the
melon bed near the wall. Go and look, Nagaina!”
The big snake turned half round and saw the
egg on the veranda. “Ah-h! Give it to me,” she
said.
Rikki-tikki put his paws one on each side of
the egg, and his eyes were blood-red. “What price
for a snake’s egg? For a young cobra? For a young
king cobra? For the last—the very last of the
brood? The ants are eating all the others down by
the melon bed.”
Nagaina spun clear round, forgetting everything for the sake of the one egg; and Rikki-tikki
saw Teddy’s father shoot out a big hand, catch
Teddy by the shoulder, and drag him across the
little table with the teacups, safe and out of reach
of Nagaina.
“Tricked! Tricked! Tricked! Rikk-tck-tck!”
chuckled Rikki-tikki. “The boy is safe, and it was
I—I—I that caught Nag by the hood last night in
the bathroom.” Then he began to jump up and
down, all four feet together, his head close to the
floor. “He threw me to and fro, but he could not
shake me off. He was dead before the big man
blew him in two. I did it! Rikki-tikki-tck-tck! Come
then, Nagaina. Come and fight with me. You shall
not be a widow long.”
Nagaina saw that she had lost her chance of
killing Teddy, and the egg lay between Rikki-tikki’s
paws. “Give me the egg, Rikki-tikki. Give me the
last of my eggs, and I will go away and never
come back,” she said, lowering her hood.
“Yes, you will go away, and you will never
come back, for you will go to the rubbish heap
with Nag. Fight, widow! The big man has gone
for his gun! Fight!”
Rikki-tikki was bounding all round Nagaina,
keeping just out of reach of her stoke, his little
eyes like hot coals. Nagaina gathered herself
together and flung out at him. Rikki-tikki jumped
up and backwards. Again and again and again she
struck, and each time her head came with a whack
on the matting of the veranda, and she gathered
herself together like a watch spring. Then Rikkitikki danced in a circle to get behind her, and
Nagaina spun round to keep her head to his head,
so that the rustle of her tail on the matting sounded like dry leaves blown along by the wind.
He had forgotten the egg. It still lay on the
veranda, and Nagaina came nearer and nearer to
it, till at last, while Rikki-tikki was drawing breath,
she caught it in her mouth, turned to the veranda
steps, and flew like an arrow down the path, with
Rikki-tikki behind her. When the cobra runs for her
life, she goes like a whiplash flicked across a
horse’s neck. Rikki-tikki knew that he must catch
her, or all the trouble would begin again.
She headed straight for the long grass by the
thorn bush, and as he was running, Rikki-tikki
heard Darzee still singing his foolish little song of
triumph. But Darzee’s wife was wiser. She flew off
her nest as Nagaina came along and flapped her
wings about Nagaina’s head. If Darzee had
helped, they might have turned her; but Nagaina
only lowered her hood and went on. Still,
the instant’s delay brought Rikki-tikki up to her,
and as she plunged into the rat hole where
she and Nag used to live, his little white teeth
were clenched on her tail, and he went down with
her—and very few mongooses, however wise and
old they may be, care to follow a cobra into
its hole. . . .
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113
Name
1
Date
The reader can conclude that the baby
cobras would most likely have been born
6
A in about a year.
A Rikki-tikki is very brave.
B in about a month.
B mongooses usually kill cobras.
C in about a week.
C Rikki-tikki prevents Nagaina from
completely entering her hole.
D in about a day.
2
The reader can conclude from the last sentence of the excerpt that
D Nag is waiting inside the hole to kill
Rikki-tikki.
The reader can conclude that if Darzee’s wife
looked at the cobra, she would probably
A faint.
7
B attack.
Why is Nagaina so desperate to save her one
remaining egg?
C freeze.
D fly away.
3
The reader can assume that when Nagaina
promises that “before night the boy in this
house will lie very still,” she means that
A she will guard the boy so he can sleep
soundly.
B she will kill the boy.
C she will frighten the boy so much so that
he will freeze.
D she will tie up the boy.
4
The reader can assume that when Rikki-tikki
tells Nagaina that she will “not be a widow
for long,” he really means that
A her husband is not truly dead.
B she will soon have another husband.
D her husband will be brought back to life.
5
According to the context of the story, the
reader can assume that Rikki-tikki wants
Nagaina’s children dead because
A he is jealous of her offspring.
B they will eventually kill him and his
friends.
C Teddy hates snakes.
D Darzee is afraid of them.
114
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Copyright © McDougal Littell
C he will soon kill her.
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 6
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.2
Copyright © McDougal Littell
WKCE Test Practice: Interpreting and Analyzing Literature
Who Was Anne Frank?
An Astonishing Gift In November 1945,
several months after the end of World War II, Otto
Frank returned to Amsterdam, where he, his family, and friends had hidden from the Germans for
over two years. There he received an astonishing
gift—the diary of his teenage daughter, Anne,
who had recently died in a German concentration
camp. In the confusion and terror of her family’s
arrest, Anne had left her diary behind. Now, for
the first time, Otto Frank read his daughter’s
account of their life in hiding, along with descriptions of her fears and hopes for the future—
a future that was to end so miserably in a concentration camp.
Born into Danger Annelies Marie Frank,
the second daughter of Otto and Edith Frank, was
born in Frankfurt, Germany, on June 12, 1929.
Although the Franks were German citizens, as
Jews they faced persecution in their own country.
The group persecuting them was the National
Socialist German Workers’ Party, or Nazis as they
were called.
Led by Adolf Hitler, the Nazis rose to power
after Germany’s defeat in World War I. Hitler and
the Nazis blamed all of Germany’s problems on
people that they regarded as inferior—Jews,
Communists, Gypsies. By 1933, the Nazis controlled Germany. With the Nazis in control, Jews
were singled out for unjust treatment. Almost
immediately, they were stripped of all legal and
political rights. Later Hitler tried to systematically
eliminate the Jewish people. Millions of Jews were
herded into concentration camps where they were
brutally worked to death or murdered in the gas
chambers. This horrible destruction of human life
is known as the Holocaust.
In 1933, the same year that Hitler came to
power, Otto Frank moved to Amsterdam in the
Netherlands (also called Holland). By February
1934, the rest of the family had joined him, believ-
ing they would be safe in the Netherlands from
Nazi persecution. However, in 1940 Germany
invaded the Netherlands. The Franks were trapped.
A Life in Hiding Soon, across all of
German-occupied territory, Jews were rounded up
and shipped off to concentration camps. Fearing a
similar fate, the Franks made plans to go into
hiding.
On July 6, 1942, Anne and her family moved
into the “Secret Annex,” a small attic area hidden
behind Otto Frank’s office. Soon after, they were
joined by Otto Frank’s business partner, Hermann
Van Pels, his wife, and their 15-year-old son, Peter.
(The family is know as the Van Daans in Anne’s
diary.) Later a man named Fritz Pfeffer (Mr. Dussel
in Anne’s diary) also joined the group.
In her diary, Anne describes the group’s life in
hiding and their constant fear of discovery. During
the day, they had to creep about and whisper so
that no one would hear them. Four of Otto
Frank’s former colleagues, who worked in the
adjoining office building, supplied the family
members with food, books, and news. For over
two years, the group lived invisibly, in the hope
that victory by Allied forces would end their
nightmare.
Discovery and Death As Allied armies
began liberating Europe, it seemed only a matter
of time before Anne, her family, and friends could
come out of hiding. However, on August 4, 1944,
the Nazis discovered the Secret Annex and arrested the residents, along with two of the men who
had helped the residents. All were sent to
Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland,
where members of the group were separated.
Anne was moved to Bergen-Belsen in Germany,
where she tragically died of starvation and disease
only weeks before the camp was liberated by
Allied forces. Of the eight residents of the Secret
Annex, only Otto Frank survived.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
115
Name
1
Date
What happened to Anne Frank and her
family after the Nazis discovered their
Secret Annex?
5
A They were all sent to Bergen-Belsen.
A take Jews to concentration camps.
B They were all sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
B banish Jews from the country.
C They were all killed.
C allow Jews the chance to join their army.
D They were later liberated from BergenBelsen.
D take away the rights of Jews.
6
2
The Franks went into hiding at the Secret
Annex because
What ultimately happened to Anne Frank as
a result of living in a concentration camp?
A She escaped.
A the Nazis were trying to eliminate all
Jews.
B She starved to death.
B an acquaintance told the Nazis where
their first hiding place was located.
D She helped save her family.
C the Allied Forces had suggested it.
C She was liberated by Allied forces.
7
D they did not want non-Jewish family
members to find them.
3
According to the passage, once the Nazis
gained control of Germany, one of the first
things they did was to
Anne Frank left her diary behind in the
Secret Annex because
A she did not want the Nazis to read it.
B she hoped that her father would
someday find it.
C there was a lot of confusion at the time
of her arrest.
What did Otto Frank learn from reading his
daughter’s diary?
A He learned about Anne’s hopes for the
future.
B He learned how the family was betrayed.
C He learned what happened to Anne after
she was captured.
D He learned about her experience in the
concentration camp.
D she no longer wished to write in it.
Those who were hiding in the Secret Annex
had to whisper and creep about so that
A no one would suspect they were living
there.
B they would not disturb their elderly
relatives who were sleeping.
C they could learn self-control.
D they could reduce their amount of stress.
116
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 7
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.2
Copyright © McDougal Littell
WKCE Test Practice: Interpreting and Analyzing Literature
Snake Boy
It was spring, and in the night the men of
the clans could be heard singing to the spirits of
powerful animals. Anpao and his two friends
decided they would explore the lands beyond the
village. The brothers, Anpao’s friends, had never
ventured out of the valley of their people, for the
elders often cautioned them about the dangers of
the world beyond the meadow. But Anpao loved
to explore, and his infatuation with adventure was
highly contagious. Before long his two friends
wanted to accompany him.
So early one morning the three young men
started in the direction of the farthest slope of the
little valley. By the time the sun was high, they
were tired and hungry. The brothers complained
of the heat and cursed the rocks that bruised their
feet through the thin soles of their moccasins.
They were not the kind of people who are made
for adventure.
Anpao attempted to encourage them, but his
high spirits had little effect. The elder brother was
especially sullen as they hiked through the rocky,
scorched landscape in which nothing grew and
there was neither fruit to eat nor water to drink.
The three young men searched everywhere for
food, but they found absolutely nothing, not even
tender roots or green berries. Finally, the sullen
elder brother sat down on a rock and refused to
go any farther. “I want to turn back,” he said
angrily.
“No,” protested the younger brother. “We
have come this far, and what will be the good of
it if we turn back before we have seen what lies
beyond the valley?”
“It takes nothing to go back,” Anpao told
them. “That is why people never get anywhere.
Do not be so easily disappointed, my friend. We
will find food soon. And we will also find a good
place to make our camp for the night.”
The elder brother grumbled but finally agreed
to continue their journey. And so, after resting in
the shade of a boulder, they started out again.
“Ah!” shouted the elder brother suddenly.
“Just as you said, Anpao, I have found food!
Come and see what I have found for us!”
The three crowded around a nest built of
pebbles among the great rocks. In the nest were
four extremely large greenish eggs. “I am very
glad,” the elder brother said, and laughed. “I have
found a blessing. Here is food for us to eat in this
place where there is not food!”
“No,” Anpao whispered. “Please, my friends,
do not eat these eggs. I think there is great power
in them. We must come away and continue
walking.”
“You are a fool, Anpao,” the elder brother
shouted. “You always tell us what to do. If we are
tired, you tell us we must continue to walk. If we
are hungry, you tell us we must be patient. And
when we finally find food, then you tell us we
must not eat it. You are a fool and I don’t know
why I call you my friend!”
“Listen to me…” Anpao urged, but the
brothers ignored him and gathered dried grass to
make a fire. Soon the eggs were roasting. The
brothers sang heartily, their voices echoing among
the great gray rocks, as they sniffed the cooking
food.
“You must listen to what I am telling you,”
Anpao pleaded. “I have come to know about
such things, and you are doing evil. Already the
eggs have died in the fire. Now we must run away
quickly. You cannot steal these eggs without a
prayer or an offering. A living thing is a vast
mystery, and something that is coming into life,
like these great eggs, is even more mysterious.
I know that something bad will happen if we eat
those eggs.”
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
117
Name
Which of the following best expresses the
plot’s conflict?
4
A The young men are lost, and they cannot
agree on which way to travel.
2
B The young men’s feet are bruised, and
they want to turn back and go home.
A It emphasizes that the illusion of food is
more powerful than the food itself.
C The young men have no food, and when
they find food they argue over it.
B It explains that when an area is burned,
nothing can grow in it.
D The villagers do not want the young men
to leave the village.
C It convinces the reader that the
characters are not trying hard enough to
find food.
What character trait of the brothers who
accompany Anpao is defined by this
sentence from the story?
D It demonstrates to the reader that even
the simplest foodstuffs are absent.
They were not the kind of people who
are made for adventure.
5
A Follow your own heart.
B Listen to your elders.
B lack of loyalty
C Respect nature.
C lack of innocence
D Trust your friends.
6
How does the setting affect the mood and
plot of this passage?
Which of the following words best describes
Anpao?
A selfish
A The setting is not important to the mood
and plot of this passage.
B adventurous
B Because the story is set in an empty desert,
and the plot is very simple and basic.
D cowardly
C Because the setting is familiar to the
characters, it doesn’t affect the plot very
much.
C naive
7
D The hostile setting makes the young
men’s trip more dangerous and
suspenseful.
118
What is the theme of the story?
A lack of open-mindedness
D lack of courage
3
What literary effect is achieved by the phrase
“not even tender roots or green berries”
when the story already states that the boys
found nothing to eat?
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Describe how Anpao’s view of nature and life
differ from the elder brother’s view of nature
and life.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
1
Date
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 8
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.3
WKCE Test Practice: Understanding Human Experience
from The Ransom of Red Chief
Copyright © McDougal Littell
by O. Henry
It looked like a good thing; but wait till I tell
you. We were down South, in Alabama—Bill
Driscoll and myself—when this kidnapping idea
struck us. It was, as Bill afterward expressed it,
“during a moment of temporary mental apparition”; but we didn’t find that out till later.
There was a town down there, as flat as a
flannel-cake, and called Summit, of course. It contained inhabitants of as undeleterious and self-satisfied a class of peasantry as ever clustered around
a Maypole. . . .
We selected for our victim the only child of a
prominent citizen named Ebenezer Dorset. The
father was respectable and tight, a mortgage
fancier and a stern, upright collection plate passer
and forecloser. The kid was a boy of ten, with basrelief freckles and hair the color of the cover of
the magazine you buy at the newsstand when you
want to catch a train. Bill and me figured that
Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two
thousand dollars to a cent. But wait till I tell you.
About two miles from Summit was a little
mountain, covered with a dense cedar brake. On
the rear elevation of this mountain was a cave.
There we stored provisions.
One evening after sundown, we drove in a
buggy past old Dorset’s house. The kid was in the
street, throwing rocks at a kitten on the opposite
fence.
“Hey, little boy!” says Bill, “would you like to
have a bag of candy and a nice ride?”
The boy catches Bill neatly in the eye with a
piece of brick.
“That will cost the old man an extra five hundred dollars,” says Bill, climbing over the wheel.
That boy put up a fight like a welterweight
cinnamon bear; but, at last, we got him down in
the bottom of the buggy and drove away. We
took him up to the cave, and I hitched the horse
in the cedar brake. After dark I drove the buggy to
the little village, three miles away, where we had
hired it, and walked back to the mountain.
Bill was pasting court plaster over the scratches
and bruises on his features.
There was a fire burning behind the big rock
at the entrance of the cave, and the boy was
watching a pot of boiling coffee, with two buzzard tail feathers stuck in his red hair. He points a
stick at me when I come up, and says: “Ha!
cursed paleface, do you dare to enter the camp of
Red Chief, the terror of the plains?”
“He’s all right now,” says Bill, rolling up his
trousers and examining some bruises on his shins.
“We’re playing Indian. We’re making Buffalo Bill’s
show look like magic-lantern views of Palestine in
the town hall. I’m Old Hank, the Trapper, Red
Chief’s captive, and I’m to be scalped at daybreak.
By Geronimo! that kid can kick hard.”
Yes, sir, that boy seemed to be having the
time of his life. The fun of camping out in a cave
had made him forget that he was a captive himself. He immediately christened me Snake-eye, the
Spy, and announced that when his braves
returned from the warpath, I was to be broiled at
the stake at the rising of the sun. . . .
Just at daybreak, I was awakened by a series
of awful screams from Bill. . . .
I jumped up to see what the matter was. Red
Chief was sitting on Bill’s chest, with one hand
twined in Bill’s hair. In the other he had the sharp
case knife we used for slicing bacon; and he was
industriously and realistically trying to take Bill’s
scalp, according to the sentence that had been
pronounced upon him the evening before.
I got the knife away from the kid and made
him lie down again. But, from that moment, Bill’s
spirit was broken. He laid down on his side of the
bed, but he never closed an eye again in sleep as
long as that boy was with us. I dozed off for a
while, but along toward sunup I remembered that
Red Chief had said I was to be burned at the
stake at the rising of the sun. I wasn’t nervous or
afraid; but I sat up and leaned against a rock.
“What you getting up so soon for, Sam?”
asked Bill.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
119
Name
Date
EBENEZER DORSET, ESQ.:
We have your boy concealed in a place far
from Summit. It is useless for you or the most skillful detectives to attempt to find him. Absolutely
the only terms on which you can have him
restored to you are these: We demand fifteen hundred dollars in large bills for his return; the money
to be left at midnight tonight at the same spot and
in the same box as your reply—as hereinafter
described. If you agree to these terms, send your
answer in writing by a solitary messenger tonight
at half-past eight o’clock. After crossing Owl Creek
on the road to Poplar Grove, there are three large
trees about a hundred yards apart, close to the
120
fence of the wheat field on the right-hand side. At
the bottom of the fence post, opposite the third
tree, will be found a small pasteboard box.
The messenger will place the answer in this
box and return immediately to Summit.
If you attempt any treachery or fail to comply
with our demand as stated, you will never see
your boy again. . . .
TWO DESPERATE MEN
Exactly on time, a half-grown boy rides up the
road on a bicycle, locates the pasteboard box at
the foot of the fence post, slips a folded piece of
paper into it, and pedals away again back toward
Summit.
I waited an hour and then concluded the
thing was square. I slid down the tree, got the
note, slipped along the fence till I struck the
woods, and was back at the cave in another half
an hour. I opened the note, got near the lantern,
and read it to Bill. It was written with a pen in a
crabbed hand, and the sum and substance of it
was this:
TWO DESPERATE MEN:
Gentlemen: I received your letter today by
post, in regard to the ransom you ask for the
return of my son. I think you are a little high in
your demands, and I hereby make you a counterproposition, which I am inclined to believe you will
accept. You bring Johnny home and pay me two
hundred and fifty dollars in cash, and I agree to
take him off your hands. You had better come at
night, for the neighbors believe he is lost, and I
couldn’t be responsible for what they would do to
anybody they saw bringing him back. Very
respectfully,
EBENEZER DORSET . . .
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Copyright © McDougal Littell
“Me?” says I. “Oh, I got kind of a pain in my
shoulder. I thought sitting up would rest it.”
“You’re a liar!” says Bill. “You’re afraid. You
was to be burned at sunrise, and you was afraid
he’d do it. And he would, too, if he could find a
match. Ain’t it awful, Sam? Do you think anybody
will pay out money to get a little imp like that
back home?”
“Sure,” I said. “A rowdy kid like that is just
the kind that parents dote on. Now, you and Chief
get up and cook breakfast, while I go up on the
top of this mountain and reconnoiter.”
I went up on the peak of the little mountain
and ran my eye over the contiguous vicinity. Over
toward Summit I expected to see the sturdy yeomanry of the village armed with scythes and pitchforks beating the countryside for the dastardly kidnappers. But what I saw was a peaceful landscape
dotted with one man plowing with a dun mule.
Nobody was dragging the creek; no couriers
dashed hither and yon, bringing tidings of no
news to the distracted parents. . . .
So, to relieve Bill, I acceded, and we collaborated a letter that ran this way:
Name
1
Date
The reader can guess that Ebenezer Dorset
refuses to pay the kidnappers the full
amount of the ransom that they have
demanded because
5
A Dorset owes the men money.
B they think the boy is an easy target.
A he cannot afford it.
C they want revenge on Dorset.
B he does not want his son back.
C he knows the kidnappers will do anything
to give the boy back due to his obnoxious
behavior.
D Dorset is one of the wealthiest men in
town.
6
D he has no intention of paying them
anything.
2
The men most likely choose a cave as their
hideout because
A they know boy will be too distracted by
playing to be frightened.
What is the real reason behind Sam getting
up at sunrise the morning after the kidnapping?
B it is isolated.
C they want the boy to be uncomfortable.
D they do not have enough money to stay
in a boarding house.
A He fears that they boy will physically
harm him.
B He thinks he should stay on the look-out.
C He wants to go and take the ransom
money for himself.
D His shoulder is in pain.
3
The men most likely choose the son of
Ebenezer Dorset as their victim because
Which of the following is the most likely
reason that Bill and Sam kidnap the boy?
A Sam wants a son.
7
Sam waits an hour before going after
Dorset’s note at the foot of the fence post
because
A he wants to make sure that he’s not
being set up.
B he is not sure if he really wants to go
through with his plan.
C he wants to make the boy nervous.
B They are bored.
C They want revenge on the boy’s father.
D he takes a nap first.
D They need money.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
The reader can most likely assume that Bill
does not sleep in the presence of the boy
because
A he does not trust Sam.
B he thinks the boy will harm him.
C he is too nervous about getting caught.
D he has insomnia.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
121
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 9
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.3
WKCE Test Practice: Understanding Human Experience
A New Cultural Identity:
The Harlem Renaissance
The writers of the Harlem Renaissance embodied these “New Negroes.” Langston Hughes was
one of the most original and important. . . . He
praised blackness, embraced common people as
subjects, and blended elements of blues and
jazz into his work. The exuberant Zora Neale
Hurston . . . drew upon African-American folk
traditions. Her stories, novels, essays, and folklore
collections reflect a love of black language and
manners. Hurston was one of the first writers to
present African Americans as complete, multifaceted human beings. Other important Renaissance
writers were James Weldon Johnson, Claude
McKay, Countee Cullen, and Arna Bontemps, all
of whom showed mastery of traditional literary
forms and poured into them new expressions of
individual and collective feeling. . . .
Copyright © McDougal Littell
The Harlem Renaissance was an unprecedented period of literary, musical, and artistic production among African Americans that reached its
peak in the 1920s. This movement was centered
in the Harlem section of Manhattan in New York
City—a magnet for thousands of blacks migrating
from the South, the Midwest, and even the West
Indies. . . .
For African Americans, a new cultural identity
crystallized during the Harlem Renaissance. . . .
“New Negroes” rejected beastlike or sentimental
stereotypes, claiming the right to define themselves and defend themselves against attack.
“New Negroes” felt a collective identity—they had
pride in their race and asserted its contributions to
American culture. At the same time, they possessed an international consciousness, recognizing
kinship among blacks in the United States, West
Indies, and Africa. . . .
122
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Name
1
Date
What makes the following statement a FACT?
5
The Harlem Renaissance...was centered
in the Harlem section of Manhattan in
New York City...
A “New Negroes” disliked African
American stereotypes.
A It has emotional words.
B “New Negroes” felt a connected identity.
B It tells only what the reader thinks.
C The Harlem Renaissance produced a
number of talented writers.
C It tells only what the author thinks.
D Claude McKay was the most talented of
all the African American writers who
were popular during the Harlem
Renaissance.
D It has information that can be verified by
checking reference materials.
2
Which of the following statements is an
OPINION?
6
A Zora Neale Hurston employed black
language in her writings.
3
A James Weldon mastered the English
language in his writings.
C Zora Neale Hurston portrayed African
Americans as multifaceted human beings.
B Many “New Negroes” felt a kinship with
blacks from Africa.
D Zora Neale Hurston can be considered a
“New Negro.”
C Many consider the Harlem Renaissance to
be an unprecedented movement.
Which of the following statements is a FACT?
D “New Negroes” felt pride in their race.
B The “New Negroes” upheld stereotypes
about African Americans.
C Many blacks who migrated from the
South and Midwest came to Brooklyn.
D The Harlem Renaissance peaked in the
1920s.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
Which of the following statements is an
OPINION?
B Zora Neale Hurston was exuberant.
A All African Americans in the 1920s
considered themselves “New Negroes.”
4
Which of the following statements is an
OPINION?
Which of the following statements is a FACT?
A Langston Hughes was one of the most
important “New Negroes.”
B Langston Hughes is one of the greatest
writers that have ever lived.
7
Which of the following is a FACT?
A Most “New Negroes” would not care
about the Africans who are suffering in
the 21st century.
B Most “New Negroes” would most likely
try to help those Africans who are
suffering in the 21st century.
C Most “New Negroes” would feel happy
that they did not suffer to the degree
that some Africans suffer in the 21st
century.
D Most “New Negroes” would feel
indifferent to the struggles of 21st
century Africans.
C Langston Hughes used common people
as the subjects of his writings.
D Langston Hughes refused to use jazz as a
subject of his work.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
123
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 10
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.3
WKCE Test Practice: Understanding Human Experience
from Careers That Care
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Erica Druin, M.P.T.
In working with people with physical disabilities [I accept that] I had nothing to do with the
disease or injury that caused their loss, but I have
everything to do with their moving on with their
lives. I can’t imagine a more satisfying job or one
where you feel so appreciated each and every day.
Q: What does a physical therapist do?
A: A physical therapist teaches patients ways to
move and use their bodies and muscles to relieve
pain, restore movement, or prevent permanent
disability. Individualized exercise regimens that
take into account the injury or disability of a
patient are often created by a physical therapist.
Q: What training and education is required?
A: A four-year college degree in physical therapy
will teach you about the body and how it works.
124
You will also train, for a time, in a hospital or
other medical setting. A physical therapist must
pass a national exam before he or she can begin
treating patients. Many states also require a physical therapy license in order to practice.
Q: Where could you work?
A: Hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes,
sports facilities, schools, and rehabilitation centers
are all places that employ physical therapists.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Sue Eberle, OTR
I became interested in occupational therapy
when I worked in the hospital and had the opportunity to observe patients receiving therapy. . . .
The most difficult part of my job is saying goodbye
to patients when they leave the facility because
you develop a special relationship with them.
Q: What does an occupational therapist do?
A: If an illness or disease prevents a patient from
performing everyday tasks, an occupational therapist can help him or her learn new ways to live as
normally as possible. Through activities or with the
use of assistive technology and devices, an occupational therapist helps the patient rebuild independence and self-esteem.
Q: What training and education is required?
A: You must obtain a degree in occupational
therapy from a four-year college program. You can
also get a degree in a related field of study, such
as biology, and then earn a certificate in occupational therapy. In either case you must pass a
national exam and, in most states, you will need
to obtain a license to practice.
Q: Where could you work?
A: Occupational therapists work in many different
settings: rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes,
hospitals, long-term care centers, or in a patient’s
home.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Copyright © McDougal Littell
For individuals who are disabled either by disease or as a result of an accident, there are many
different professionals who are trained to help
them manage, and in some cases, overcome their
disabilities. These professionals may help an accident victim to learn to walk again, design the controls for a specially equipped car, or help a patient
with simple tasks such as eating or getting
dressed. Although these jobs are very different,
those who perform them all share something in
common—the desire to care for others. . . .
There is increasing demand for careers similar
to those noted in the following article. As advances
in technology and medical and surgical procedures
allow more individuals to survive accidents and disabling diseases, the need for rehabilitation continues to grow. Similarly, as the number of elderly in
the population expands, the need for assisted living
services will expand as well. There are many professions from which to choose, when it comes to
careers that care.
Name
Date
Q: Is a career as a home health aide for you?
A: If you are caring and compassionate, interested in helping patients in basic but important ways,
enjoy having a flexible work schedule, and are
willing to travel to different work sites each day,
becoming a home health aide is a career you
should explore.
Q: What training and education is required?
A: You can train to become a home health aide
through the Visiting Nurses Association, the
American Red Cross, or at a vocational school.
Once classroom studies and a supervised training
are completed, you must take a test to earn a certificate as a home health aide.
Q: Where could you work?
A: A home health aide travels to patients’ homes.
Depending on a patient’s needs, a visit may last
from 1 to 24 hours. An aide may visit up to six
patients a day.
Note: A rehabilitation assistant performs many
of the same patient care tasks as a Home Health
Aide but works in a rehabilitation facility and not
in a patient’s home.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
REHABILITATION ASSISTANT/HOME HEALTH
AIDE
Glenn “Juice” Miller
The biggest challenge is learning how to help
them [patients] through their pain, their fears,
their frustrations, anger and heartbreak. As I go
about my work, I spend a great deal of time talking with patients and their families. I try to instill
in them the strength and confidence to meet the
challenges they face. . . . I believe that to do this
job you have to have a lot of love in your heart—
and be willing to share it with others.
Q: What does a home health aide do?
A: A home health aide makes home visits to the
elderly, the disabled, or those who are recovering
from an injury or illness. An aide helps with tasks,
such as bathing and preparing meals, as well as
administering medication and checking vital signs
(like blood pressure and heart rate). A home
health aide oversees a patient’s daily progress and
reports any changes to a nurse or doctor.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
125
Name
The question and answer structure of this
selection would also be helpful for people
researching which of the following professions?
5
A law
A “Sue helped me to regain my
confidence.”
B engineering
B “I depend upon Sue a great deal.”
C any profession
C “I expect Sue will help me for the rest of
my life.”
D The structure would not be helpful in any
other professional context.
2
Based on Sue Eberle’s comments, her skills
and the things she desires in a career might
also make her a successful
D “Sue made me realize that there are
some things I just cannot do for myself.”
6
A a person who needs a rigid schedule.
B dog trainer.
B a person who is caring.
C accountant.
C a person who likes working with
computers, not people.
Based on Glenn “Juice” Miller’s comments,
his skills and the things he desires in a career
might also make him a successful
D a person who likes to work in one
location.
7
A writer.
B chemist.
C engineer.
D psychologist.
4
Based on her comments, Erica Druin would
most likely enjoy which of the following
activities?
A reading
B watching television
C exercising
D writing poetry
126
Based on his choice of profession, Glenn
Miller may be described as
A speech therapist.
D computer technician.
3
With which of the following comments
would one of Sue Eberle’s patients most
likely agree?
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Which of the following individuals would
most likely benefit from a physical therapist?
A A woman who is suffering from
depression
B A man whose shoulder was injured in a
car accident
C A woman with high blood pressure
D A man who needs assistance making his
home wheelchair-friendly
© McDougal Littell Inc. All rights reserved.
1
Date
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 11
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.3
WKCE Test Practice: Understanding Human Experience
from Out of the Ballpark
by Avery Foster
In the summer of 1998, Mark McGwire and
Sammy Sosa raced to break the single season
home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961. The
two sluggers found themselves caught up in a
surge of publicity. . . .
Copyright © McDougal Littell
Better Than Babe Ruth
It was a theme to which McGwire would return
again and again throughout 1998. Breaking the
record for the most home runs in a season was
exhilarating, but the chance to help children
affected McGwire more profoundly.
Right fielder Sammy Sosa trailed McGwire in
total home runs for most of the season, but he
too could rocket the ball out of the park. At 6’0”
and 200 lbs., Sosa is not small by any means, but
his performance in 1998 emphasized that smashing the ball out of the stadium also required excellent skill and timing. People were amazed when
Sosa hit homer number 66 and pulled ahead of
McGwire for only the second time during the season. Not only had the two sluggers battled to
break the record of 61 home runs in a single season, but they were continuing the battle.
Strength of Character
Besides a place in the record books, the home run
race offered Sosa an opportunity to reveal his
strength of character. Out of the batting box, he
demonstrated the respect and humility that were
the very model of sportsmanship. If he finished
the season with the most home runs, Sammy said,
he would be happy. If McGwire finished with
more, he added, he still would be happy! It astonished everyone that Sosa and McGwire seemed to
get along so well together. Again and again Sosa
maintained that McGwire was a great player and
he wished him the best. In an age when many
sports superstars couldn’t care less about being an
example for others, the conduct of the Cubs right
fielder was refreshing.
Growing up in the Dominican Republic, Sosa’s
first job as a kid was shining shoes, and he has
never forgotten where he came from. By founding
the Sammy Sosa Charitable Foundation, Sosa
began helping his country, with the goal of providing aid for children’s healthcare in his hometown
of San Pedro. His country needed him most, however, when tragedy struck in September of 1998.
Hurricane George swept quickly through the
Caribbean, wreaking havoc on the Dominican
Republic and leaving thousands homeless. Rising
to the occasion, Sosa turned the constant publicity
from the home run race into a daily opportunity
for raising disaster relief funds. In the process, he
sent three planeloads of food and medical supplies
to the Dominican Republic and joined other
Dominican baseball players in a pledge to help out
in any way possible.
Sosa may not have set the final home run
record, but he proved himself an excellent
ballplayer and an excellent human being. The
entire nation watched with excitement as two legendary players chased one of the most glorious
records in baseball. There will never be another
season like it. Sosa and McGwire, by reaching out
to help others, drew everyone into their success.
With equal parts skill and heart, they propelled
themselves into sports history.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
127
Name
1
Date
What is the main purpose of the passage?
5
A to discuss the work of Sammy Sosa and
Mark McGwire
A Everyone was rooting for Sosa.
B to describe the differences between Sosa
and McGwire
B Both players were in the lead at different
points.
C to compare McGwire to Babe Ruth
C Sosa proved to be more talented than
McGwire even though he did not achieve
the record.
D to describe each player’s home ballpark
2
Which of the following words best describes
how the author feels about Sammy Sosa?
A jealousy
B admiration
D Neither player was very talented.
6
C puzzlement
D rivalry
3
How does the author feel about Sosa’s
attempt to raise disaster relief funds for the
Dominican Republic?
A He feels Sosa took advantage of the
situation to promote himself.
Which of the following statements reveals
how the author personally feels about
Sammy Sosa?
B He respects Sosa a great deal.
C He resents that Sosa took time away from
his training to raise money.
A Sosa’s first job as a kid was shining shoes.
B Sosa sent three planeloads of food and
medical supplies to the Dominican
Republic.
Why does the author believe that the two
players’ battle for the home run record was
so exciting?
D He believes that Sosa’s actions made him
the greatest humanitarian who ever lived.
7
C Sosa may not have set the final home
run record, but he proved himself an
excellent ballplayer and an excellent
human being.
How does the author feel about the way in
which Sammy Sosa dealt with the battle for
the home run record?
D Right fielder Sammy Sosa trailed
McGwire in total home runs for most of
the season.
With which of the following statements
would the author most likely agree?
A McGwire far surpasses Sosa in terms of
athletic talent.
B Sosa should have donated even more
money to helping victims of Hurricane
George.
C Sosa and McGwire not only care about
baseball, but helping others in their times
of need.
D Sosa is a more important figure than
McGwire in sports history.
128
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Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 12
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.4
WKCE Test Practice: Acquiring Information
The Aztecs Control Central Mexico
Copyright © McDougal Littell
The Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Mexico
around A.D.1200. It was home to a number of
small city-states that had survived the collapse of
Toltec rule. The Aztecs, who were then called the
Mexica, were a poor, nomadic people from the
desert of northern Mexico. Fierce and ambitious,
they soon adapted to local ways, finding work as
soldiers-for-hire for local rulers.
According to an Aztec legend, the Aztecs’ sun
god, Huitzilopochtli (wee-tsee-loh-POHCH-tlee),
told them to found a city of their own. He said to
look for a place where an eagle perched on a cactus, holding a snake in its mouth. Part of the legend is captured in these words:
The place where the eagle screams,
where he spreads his wings;
the place where he feeds,
where the fish jump,
where the serpents
coil up and hiss!
This shall be Mexico Tenochtitlan
and many things shall happen!
—Chronicle Mexicayotl
They found such a place on a small island in
Lake Texcoco, at the center of the valley. There, in
1325, they founded their city, which they named
Tenochtitlan (teh-NOCH-tee-TLAHN).
Aztecs Grow Stronger
In 1428, the Aztecs joined with two other citystates—Texcoco and Tlacopan—to form the Triple
Alliance. This alliance became the leading power
in the Valley of Mexico and soon gained control
over neighboring regions. By the early 1500s, they
controlled a huge Mesoamerican empire that
stretched from central Mexico to the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts and south into Oaxaca.
This empire was divided into 38 provinces. It had
an estimated population of between 5 and 15 million people.
The Aztec state based its power on military
rule and the taxes paid by conquered people. The
Aztecs loosely controlled most of their empire.
They often let local rulers govern their own
regions. The Aztecs did demand tribute, however,
in the form of gold, corn, cocoa, cotton, jade, and
other products. If local rulers defied the Aztecs
and refused to pay their taxes, the Aztec warriors
responded brutally. They destroyed villages and
captured or slaughtered the people.
Problems in the Aztec Empire
Eventually, the Aztecs’ ever-expanding empire
caused problems for them. In 1502, a new ruler,
Montezuma II, was crowned emperor. Under
Montezuma, the Aztec empire began to weaken.
For nearly a century, the Aztecs had been
demanding tribute and victims for religious sacrifice from the provinces. Now, with the population
of Tenochtitlan growing, the emperor called for
even higher taxes and more victims to sacrifice. A
number of provinces revolted. The people were
unhappy with the oppressive rule of the Aztecs.
These revolts were the beginning of a period of
instability and unrest. During this time, the Aztec
military was often called out to the provinces to
impose order and subdue rebellions.
Montezuma tried to reduce pressure on the
provinces. He reduced the number of government
officials. Still, resentment continued to grow. Then,
in addition to the problems at home, another
threat appeared: the arrival of the Spanish.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
129
Name
1
Date
How did the Aztecs rule their people?
5
A They were friendly rulers.
When the Aztecs first arrived in the Valley of
Mexico, what did they find?
B They sacrificed those who did not believe
in their rule.
A land that had been abandoned
C They could only rule effectively once they
formed the Triple Alliance.
C Huizilopochtli
B small city-states
D Tenochtitlan
D They ruled through fear.
6
2
Why did the Aztecs found a city of their
own?
A The Aztec sun god told them to,
according to legend.
A rulers of the region
B They lost a battle and were driven off
their land.
C feared
C They were no longer happy with their
leaders, so a group left to form their own
city.
B poor
D hated
7
D According to legend, they ran out of
food and left to find new resources.
3
Which of the following best describes the
Aztecs before they settled in the Valley of
Mexico?
Provide three examples of actions that
Montezuma II took after he was crowned
emperor.
What method did the Aztecs use to make
sure local rulers paid their taxes?
A They rewarded rulers who paid their taxes
with gifts of gold and jade.
B They destroyed the villages of rulers who
defied them.
C If a ruler did not pay, the Aztecs would
take over his village.
D Local rulers always paid their taxes.
What effect did Montezuma II have on the
Aztec empire?
A The empire doubled in size.
B The Aztecs revolted against Montezuma II.
C The Aztec military became stronger than
ever before.
D People living in the provinces revolted
against the Aztec rule.
130
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 13
Wisconsin Standards: A.10.4
Copyright © McDougal Littell
WKCE Test Practice: Acquiring Information
Friendship and Forgiveness
Alicia was shaking with anger. How could
Sonia do this to her? Sonia knew that Alicia had
been preparing for the countywide art contest for
six months, making sculpture after sculpture.
Sonia had never mentioned that she was going to
enter a piece of art in the contest. Worse yet, she
had submitted a piece of sculpture, so the two
girls would be competing in the same category.
When Alicia walked past the judging area and saw
the sculpture with Sonia’s name next to it, she
could hardly believe her eyes.
Alicia put a stick of chewing gum in her
mouth and sat on a bench in a corner to think
of what to do. One thing was for certain: she
wouldn’t be Sonia’s friend anymore, not after this.
Alicia didn’t even want to look at Sonia, let alone
talk to her. When she thought of Sonia, Alicia felt
as if her heart had shriveled up to the size of a
peanut, leaving no room for love, but plenty for
hate. She looked at her watch. The artistic design
part of the competition would begin soon, and
Sonia’s entry looked pretty good—maybe better
than Alicia’s.
Then it came to her. Alicia dashed across the
room to the sculpture area. A few people were
shuffling about, like students waiting to get their
tests back, but Alicia could see Sonia’s entry. It
was unguarded at the back of the display area.
Alicia sneaked over and grabbed Sonia’s sculpture.
Then she walked out of the room. Alicia walked
quickly, but she did not run because she wanted
to avoid looking suspicious.
Alicia quickly passed through three other
exhibit rooms. No one approached her or called
for her to stop. Just before she got to the exit, a
teenage boy grabbed her arm. “Hey, where do
you think you’re going?” he demanded.
“Derrick! You startled me,” Alicia told her
cousin.
“I’m sorry,” Derrick said. “I just wanted to
know why you were in such a hurry. Oh, wow! Is
that your entry for the sculpture contest, Alicia?”
Suddenly, Alicia’s feet felt very heavy, and her
whole body began to ache. She looked at Sonia’s
sculpture in her hand, and it seemed more beautiful than ever. “It’s really good,” Derrick added.
“You’re sure to win this year.”
“Maybe so,” Alicia said quietly, “but I’d better
get back for the judging, just in case.” With that
she hurried back through the exhibit rooms, being
careful not to drop the sculpture. By the time she
returned to the sculpture display area, a crowd
was starting to develop, but the judging had not
yet begun. Alicia returned Sonia’s sculpture and
then went looking for her. Sonia was near the
front of the line, but when she saw Alicia, she
raced back and threw her arms around her friend.
“Good luck,” Sonia whispered in Alicia’s ear.
“Good luck to you,” Alicia whispered back.
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
131
Name
1
Date
Alicia decides to return Sonia’s sculpture to
the judging area after
5
When Alicia returns Sonia’s sculpture to the
judging area,
A Sonia apologizes to her for entering the
contest.
A the judging has already begun.
B she gets caught by one of the judges.
C the crowd has chosen a winner.
C she learns that Sonia’s sculpture has won.
D Sonia realizes what Alicia has done.
B the judging has not yet begun.
D she runs into Derrick.
6
2
When does Alicia realize that Sonia entered
the countywide art contest?
A angry.
B ill.
A the previous week
C sorry.
B six months ago
D revengeful.
C the day of the contest
D after the judging has been completed
3
At the end of the passage, Alicia feels
7
Alicia says, “Good luck,” to Sonia
Sonia realizes her sculpture has been taken
A after the judging begins.
A right before the judging begins.
B when the crowd develops around the
sculpture display area.
B when she first realizes Sonia has entered
the contest.
C when Derrick tells her that he saw Alicia
take her sculpture.
C immediately before the winner is
announced.
D she never realizes that her sculpture has
been taken.
D when she notices that Derrick is watching
her.
4
Alicia begins to feel achy when
B a judge asks her where she is going with
Sonia’s sculpture.
C she must face Sonia.
D she encounters Derrick.
132
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
© McDougal Littell Inc. All rights reserved.
A she first realizes Sonia has entered the
contest.
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 14
Wisconsin Standards: D.10.1
WKCE Test Practice: Developing Vocabulary
from Address at Rice University
on the Nation’s Space Effort
Copyright © McDougal Littell
John F. Kennedy
September 12, 1962
We meet at a college noted for knowledge, in
a city noted for progress, in a State noted for
strength, and we stand in need of all three, for we
meet in an hour of change and challenge, in a
decade of hope and fear, in an age of both knowledge and ignorance. The greater our knowledge
increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds.
Surely the opening vistas of space promise
high costs and hardships, as well as high reward.
So it is not surprising that some would have us
stay where we are a little longer to rest, to wait.
But this city of Houston, this state of Texas, this
country of the United States was not built by
those who waited and rested and wished to look
behind them. This country was conquered by
those who moved forward—and so will space. . . .
If this capsule history of our progress teaches
us anything, it is that man, in his quest for knowledge and progress, is determined and cannot be
deterred. The exploration of space will go ahead,
whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the
great adventures of all time, and no nation which
expects to be the leader of other nations can
expect to stay behind in this race for space.
Those who came before us made certain that
this country rode the first waves of the industrial
revolutions, the first waves of modern invention,
and the first wave of nuclear power, and this
generation does not intend to founder in the
backwash of the coming age of space. We mean
to be a part of it—we mean to lead it. For the eyes
of the world now look into space, to the moon and
to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we
shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We
have vowed that we shall not see space filled with
weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments
of knowledge and understanding.
Yet the vows of this Nation can only be fulfilled if we in this Nation are first, and, therefore,
we intend to be first. In short, our leadership in
science and industry, our hopes for peace and
security, our obligations to ourselves as well as
others, all require us to make this effort, to solve
these mysteries, to solve them for the good of all
men, and to become the world’s leading spacefaring nation.
We set sail on this new sea because there is
new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to
be won, and they must be won and used for the
progress of all people. For space science, like
nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force
for good or ill depends on man, and only if the
United States occupies a position of pre-eminence
can we help decide whether this new ocean will
be a sea of peace or a new terrifying theater of
war. I do not say that we should or will go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space any
more than we go unprotected against the hostile
use of land or sea, but I do say that space can be
explored and mastered without feeding the fires
of war, without repeating the mistakes that man
has made in extending his writ around this globe
of ours.
There is no strife, no prejudice, no national
conflict in outer space as yet. Its hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all
mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. But why, some say,
the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And
they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why
does Rice play Texas?
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
133
Name
Date
The growth of our science and education will
be enriched by new knowledge of our universe
and environment, by new techniques of learning
and mapping and observation, by new tools and
computers for industry, medicine, the home, as
well as the school. Technical institutions, such as
Rice, will reap the harvest of these gains.
And finally, the space effort itself, while still in
its infancy, has already created a great number of
new companies, and tens of thousands of new
jobs. Space and related industries are generating
new demands in investment and skilled personnel,
and this city and this State, and this region, will
share greatly in this growth. What was once the
furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West
will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of
science and space. Houston, your City of Houston,
with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become
the heart of a large scientific and engineering
community. During the next 5 years the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to
double the number of scientists and engineers in
this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and
expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some
$200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and
to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1
billion from this Center in this City.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
We choose to go to the moon. We choose to
go to the moon in this decade and do the other
things, not because they are easy, but because
they are hard, because that goal will serve to
organize and measure the best of our energies
and skills, because that challenge is one that we
are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to
postpone, and one which we intend to win, and
the others, too. . . .
Within these last 19 months at least 45 satellites have circled the earth. Some 40 of them were
“made in the United States of America” and they
were far more sophisticated and supplied far more
knowledge to the people of the world than those
of the Soviet Union.
The Mariner spacecraft now on its way to
Venus is the most intricate instrument in the history of space science. The accuracy of that shot is
comparable to firing a missile from Cape
Canaveral and dropping it in this stadium between
the 40-yard lines.
Transit satellites are helping our ships at sea to
steer a safer course. Tiros satellites have given us
unprecedented warnings of hurricanes and
storms, and will do the same for forest fires and
icebergs. . . .
134
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Name
1
Date
Only if the United States occupies a position
of pre-eminence can we decide whether this
new ocean will bring peace or war. Which of
the following words means about the same
as pre-eminence?
5
A spending
B reach
A destruction
C influence
B domination
D domination
C infallibility
6
D inferiority
2
The Mariner spacecraft is the most intricate
instrument in the history of space science.
Which of the following words means about
the same as intricate?
Surely the opening vistas of space promise
high costs and hardships. Which of the
following words means about the same as
vistas?
A landing strips
B stars
A effortless
C views
B complex
D dangers
C astonishing
7
D mysterious
3
NASA expects to increase its outlays for
salaries and expenses. Which of the following words means about the same as outlays?
Man, in his quest for knowledge and
progress, is determined and cannot be
deterred. Which of the following words
means about the same as deterred?
This generation does not intend to founder
in the backwash of the coming age of space.
Which of the following words means about
the same as founder?
A indulge
B submit
A exterminated
C elevate
B supported
D fail
C discouraged
D united
Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
Space can be explored without repeating the
mistakes that man has made in extending his
writ around this globe. Which of the following words means about the same as writ?
A writings
B hate
C compassion
D rule
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
135
Name
Date
Practice Worksheet 15
Wisconsin Standards: D.10.2
WKCE Test Practice: Recognizing Language
The Office for Civil Rights
aware of the laws, have their civil rights protected.
OCR’s experience also shows that careful targeting
of compliance reviews nearly always results in
recipients making policy or program changes that
benefit large numbers of students—unlike complaints where remedies may benefit only the complaining party.
OCR recognizes that federal, state, and local
education agencies, as well as parents and other
interested parties, share a common goal of providing equal opportunity and access to high-standards education. OCR combines its expertise with
these partners and stakeholders to come up with
effective solutions, including educationally sound
remedies that increase educational opportunities
for all students.
Copyright © McDougal Littell
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), in the U.S.
Department of Education, is a law enforcement
agency. It is charged with enforcing the federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the
basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability,
and age in programs and activities that receive
federal financial assistance.
Agency-initiated cases, typically called “compliance reviews,” permit OCR to target resources
on compliance problems that appear particularly
acute or national in scope, or which are newly
emerging.
Targeted compliance reviews maximize the
impact of OCR’s resources and balance the
enforcement program. Compliance reviews assure
that vulnerable groups, such as the very poor or
non-English speaking individuals, who may be less
136
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
Name
1
2
3
Copyright © McDougal Littell
4
Date
Compliance reviews assure that vulnerable
groups’ civil rights are protected. Which of
the following words or phrases best defines
vulnerable in the context of the passage?
5
The Office for Civil Rights enforces federal
civil rights laws. Which of the following
words best defines civil in the context of the
passage?
A extremely small
A public
B exposed to danger
B personal
C outspoken
C politeness
D strong
D rudeness
The OCR is charged with enforcing laws that
prohibit discrimination. Which of the following words best defines prohibit in the context
of the passage?
6
Some compliance problems are particularly
acute or national in scope. Which of the
following words best defines acute in the
context of the passage?
A encourage
A slow
B celebrate
B international
C punish
C crucial
D forbid
D unbelievable
Agency-initiated cases permit OCR to target
resources on compliance problems. Which of
the following words best defines compliance
in the context of the passage?
7
OCR comes up with effective solutions,
including educationally sound remedies.
Which of the following words best defines
sound in the context of the passage?
A observance
A noise
B illegal
B damaging
C limited
C effective
D disobedience
D approved
OCR combines its expertise with these partners and stakeholders. Which of the following words best defines expertise in the context of the passage?
A employees
B knowledge
C guesswork
D questions
Preparing for the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam
137