a new student at grover high - leifericsonelementary.org · 1. based on the setting ... balancing...

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Setting

"The future emperor shall bear five black moles under each foot," the monk Atami read reverently from the sacred ancient scriptures.He would look up at the innocent boy that Luka still was and continue. "This rare emperor descends upon our holy land only once everyfive hundred years."

"What does that mean?" Luka would ask.

"It means that you are destined to be the next Holy Emperor and the living god of all the Chinese people. Even among all theemperors before or after, you will stand out like a giant and bring the greatest blessings to this Central Kingdom called China." Therewas more to that passage but Atami didn't mention it, at least not yet. Then, the monk would always bow and pray and offer a shortadmonishment. "Don't ever let others know who you are."

"Why?" Luka would ask.

"Because the Mogoes are afraid of you."

"Because I'm so big?" Luka stood up and pushed out his chest.

"No." Atami smiled. "Because when you are enthroned, all the Chinese will rise up against the Mogo invaders, who have taken ourland. These mountains, these rivers, our people, our cattle, our grain, those maddeningly beautiful flowers . . . all await your coming."Tears would roll down the monk's cheeks as Luka listened quietly.

For as long as Luka could remember, Atami had carried him on his back while they traveled from one tribe to another, carefullyavoiding any sign of the Mogo forces and pretending they were just two of the many wandering beggars. Atami never explained whythey were avoiding the Mogoes. He would only say they were "dangerous." The first few steps Luka had taken had been on the rockyface of the Liao-Shan Mountains, balancing like a mountain goat. He learned from the mountains which ledges were the sharpest andhow much weight they could hold. The first few words he uttered had been "Please spare some food," Atami's usual opening line. Theyhad journeyed a thousand miles and had crossed a hundred rivers. It had made them tired, but it had also made Luka strong, likecharcoal being pressured into a diamond.

They lived like father and son and loved each other so, but when they were alone, it was always "Your Holiness" this and "YourHoliness" that. Atami carried China's sacred treasure on his back and did not intend to dent it in any way.

At the age of three, Luka one day called Atami Baba. Father.

"I am not your baba," Atami corrected him, disturbed. "I am your servant. You are the Chosen One, Your Holiness."

"But I don't want to be the Chosen. I want you to be my father. Why aren't you my father?"

"Your Holiness, one day I will tell you who your baba is. But for now we have to go on begging so that we can live."

They would have food one day and go hungry for three, roaming the lonely mountain roads and deserted windy tribes. They atefrozen bugs, tree bark, and snakes. They fought for prey with wild animals, and were often chased by the vultures themselves.adapted from Wandering Warrior by Da Chen

1. Based on the setting, the reader can tell that Atami and Luka do not eat well because

A. the Mogoes have killed off all the animals in the forest.

B. neither Atami nor Luka knows how to cook what they catch.

C. they are lost in the forest and cannot find a place to eat.

D. the land does not provide them with much food to eat.

A New Student at Grover High by Moll Flowers

At my last school, I'd seen new students come and go. Bullies were always picking on the new kids. New kids didn't have friendsyet, so there was no one to stick up for them. Eventually they would learn to keep to themselves and lay low. I never guessed that I would end up being a new student myself. But here I was, in a new town where no one knew anythingabout me. It was my first day of school at Grover High, and I wanted nothing more than to simply fade into the background. I didn't wantto make a fool of myself. Most of all, I didn't want to get beat up. My attempt at being invisible didn't work, however. Kids kept coming up to me and introducing themselves. When people lookedup at me with grins on their faces, I figured I had food stuck in my teeth, or maybe there was something wrong with my clothes. But noone laughed. Mainly, they were just curious about where I was from, and what life had been like at my previous school.

one laughed. Mainly, they were just curious about where I was from, and what life had been like at my previous school. Where were the bullies? I wondered. The kids were oddly well behaved. I wondered if the school building itself might havesomething to do with it. Whereas my last school had been overcrowded, making it difficult to be on time for class, here the hallwayswere roomy. There were no more than 15 or 20 kids in each class. I noticed they had new facilities, too. The computer room was huge,and all the computers were the latest models. At the end of my first day, my art teacher did something that normally would have horrified me. She took my drawing of amountain landscape and held it up in front of the class. She said it was a good example of three-dimensional perspective. I lookedaround and noticed that the other kids were actually impressed. They nodded at me respectfully and then returned to their drawings. Icouldn't believe it. At that moment, a sense of calm came over me. I realized that Grover High was going to be unlike anything I'd everexperienced before.

2. What impact does the location have on the narrator?

A. It disappoints her.

B. It terrifies her.

C. It angers her.

D. It surprises her.

Town Hall after Dark

Joseph and I wanted to know where father went every night after dark. Mother said he had meetings to attend, but when weasked her what kind of meetings, she just said we would understand when we were older. One night, we simply couldn't stand it any longer. We snuck out of the house after bedtime. Joseph knew the way. He said he'dseen men with their lanterns going to a place near the town square. It could be dangerous after dark in Salem; but he was my bigbrother, and I trusted him. So even though I was afraid, I followed him. Near the town square, we heard noises coming from under a big tent. You could see the shadows of men behind the canvas. Andyou could hear voices. I heard one man yell out, "It's taxation without representation!" Another yelled, "What has King George ever done for us?" There was a lot of arguing and commotion. I thought to myself that whatever they were discussing had to be important. Theiranger was frightening. It made me think about the punishment we would get if father knew we had snuck out of the house. "Who is King George?" I asked my brother. "Don't be a goof, Nathan," my brother said. "He's the King of England. Father says that all us Americans have to pay the Kingtaxes. But we don't get anything in return." "That doesn't seem fair," I said. "What do you think father and mother are going to do about it?" "I don't know," my brother said. "But let's not stick around and find out. We better get back to bed!"

3. How is the setting important to the story?

A. It could only take place in the town of Salem, Massachusetts.

B. It could only take place where people gather to talk politics near the town square.

C. It could only take place when people were forced to pay taxes.

D. It could only take place before America gained its independence from England.

Danielle shuddered as she ducked her head to enter the attic room. The light was dim, but she could see broken chairs piled up in acorner and a child's collapsed playpen nearby. The ceiling was pitched, slanting upward to a point. But she couldn't stand up all the wayexcept in the very center. She felt a bead of sweat slip down her cheek and wondered why it was so hot in the shadowy room. Shewanted to run away, slam the door behind her, and never return to the place where so many memories lay covered with dust—but shecouldn't. She had to find her mother's photograph album, the one from the summer before Jimmy left home forever.

4. What is the importance of the setting in this passage?

A. The setting explains how the family uses the attic to store belongings.

B. The setting influences the mixed emotions that Danielle experiences.

C. The setting shows why Danielle needs to find the photograph album.

D. The setting suggests the difficult time after Jimmy left home forever.















5. From information in the selection, the reader can tell that Atami and Luka are located in

A. Europe.

B. China.

C. India.

D. Japan.

Danielle shuddered as she ducked her head to enter the attic room. The light was dim, but she could see broken chairs piled up in acorner and a child's collapsed playpen nearby. The ceiling was pitched, slanting upward to a point. But she couldn't stand up all the wayexcept in the very center. She felt a bead of sweat slip down her cheek and wondered why it was so hot in the shadowy room. Shewanted to run away, slam the door behind her, and never return to the place where so many memories lay covered with dust—but shecouldn't. She had to find her mother's photograph album, the one from the summer before Jimmy left home forever.

6. How does the setting affect the plot of the story?

A. Danielle wants to run away from the room and never return to it.

B. Danielle senses some danger in the room but can't say what it is.

C. Danielle wants to spend time going through her mother's things.

D. Danielle feels exhausted by climbing the stairs up to the attic.



"It means that you are destined to be the next Holy Emperor and the living god of all the Chinese people. Even among all the













7. Which statement best describes the setting in the passage?

A. crowded

B. lush

C. relaxing

D. dangerous

Daring Guts

Carly and Veronica had bested 14 other competitors, and now it was down to the two in a winner-take-all final ontheir favorite game show. Each season, the show would pair 16 people together in a single-elimination tournament.Contestants would answer trivia questions, with a wrong answer leading to the completion of a simple challenge worthpoints The person with the most points won a chance to run an obstacle course worth additional prizes, but thebiggest prize was advancing further into the tournament for the chance to win a $100,000 scholarship. Carly had used her love of reference books to get this far. She rarely had to do the physical challenges such asbalancing an egg on a spoon and running through a muddy pit. She watched and laughed at her foes as they failedchallenge after challenge, just as her challengers laughed at her own clumsiness. It was all in good fun, until sheanswered the trivia questions with ease. She was a good sport, but it was hard for her competitors to find the samejoy in being a bookworm as Carly had. Veronica, on the other hand, had to rely on her athleticism to beat out her competitors. She did very well withquestions based on textbook knowledge, but some questions were tough, and she wondered who had the time andenergy to read encyclopedias to know the answers! However, her speed, agility, and balance helped her run throughslime, race through water, and climb up hills with ease. When others had spent times in libraries preparing for theshow, Veronica had spent time in the school gym with her coaches. The final was a back-and-forth race. The person with the most points received a head start on the final obstaclecourse, and Carly knew that every second she could gain on Veronica was needed. But Veronica kept the score closeby succeeding in the smaller physical challenges and relying on what she learned in school. When both saw the finalcourse, they both gulped with surprise. It was a large mountain, with foam boulders blocking the way, icy paths hardto climb, and an orange liquid spewing from an opening at the top. Carly was happy she had a head start, but both

to climb, and an orange liquid spewing from an opening at the top. Carly was happy she had a head start, but bothwere intimidated by the craggy structure. No matter Veronica's conditioning, this final obstacle and Carly's head startwould be hard to overcome.

8. Directions: Select ALL the correct answers.In which two ways does the setting contribute to Veronica's actions?

The game show causes Veronica not to use her athletic abilities because itputs more emphasis on trivia.

The game show allows Veronica to keep the score close by succeeding inphysical challenges.

The rules of the game show encourages Veronica to focus on her physicalfitness over studying to answer the questions.

The rules of the game show penalize Veronica for her ability to quicklymaneuver through the obstacles ahead of others.

The rules of the game show reward Veronica for her clumsiness andinability to answer questions.

Stasis's Journey Home

Stasis was stuck behind the border of the rival company. The terrain was dead. The trees looked like skeletons. The earth wasblack. Hardened pillow lava crusted over much of the landscape. Even now, the landscape looked as if it was steaming. Stasis held his spot firmly and looked to his homing beacon. A beeping on his screen showed that his copilot was close, just beyondthe hedge of dead trees and burnt brush. It was an amazing sight to see. On Stasis's island, Falidad, there were wild palms and lush vegetation. The land was thick with lifeand sun. But here, on Humbroto, the death and decay had to be brushed away from the face. The moon was always present. Thesmoke stayed in the clothes, in the hair. Stasis was unfamiliar with the land, but he knew he was in Humbroto territory. The Humbro were a vile and vicious people. They hunted Stasis's people for sport. Stasis knew he only had a few minutes beforehis copilot Biggs showed up on the Humbro satellites. And then it would be over for both of them. He knew he would never see hisfamily or anyone from Falidad again if he didn't get over that hedge to Biggs and then get out of Humbro. Stasis began to sweat at thedifficulty of his task. The heat and the pressure caused a drop to fall from his eyebrow. It hit the pillow lava structure with a sizzle andhiss. But the hiss continued until Stasis realized it was the Humbro. They had sent a team out to find him, and their hisses were growinglouder and louder! adapted from "Stasis's Journey Home" by c.safos

9. Where does the story take place?

A. Humbroto

B. Biggs

C. Falidad

D. Stasis

"MAMMA, how much longer have we got to ride?" asked Nan Bobbsey, turning in her seat in the railroad car, to look at her parents,who sat behind her. "Are you getting tired?" asked Nan's brother Bert. "If you are I'll sit next to the window, and watch the telegraph poles and trees goby. Maybe that's what tires you, Nan," he added, and his father smiled, for he saw that Bert had two thoughts for himself, and one forhis sister. "No, I'm not tired of the scenery," answered the brown-haired and brown-eyed girl, "but you may sit next to the window, Bert, if youlike." "Thanks!" he exclaimed as he scrambled over to the place his sister gave up. "Are you tired, dearie?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, leaning forward and smoothing out her daughter's hair with her hand. "If you would liketo sit with me and put your head in my lap, papa can go to another seat and -" "Oh, no, mamma, I'm not as tired as that," and Nan laughed. "I was just wondering how soon we'd be home." "I'd rather be back at the seashore," said Bert, not turning his gaze from the window, for the train was passing along some fields justthen, and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked, as evening was coming on. Bert was wondering if one of the cowsmight not chase the boy. Bert didn't really want to see the boy hurt by a cow, of course, but he thought that if the cow was going to takeafter the boy, anyhow, he might just as well see it. But the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly.

after the boy, anyhow, he might just as well see it. But the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly.from The Bobbsey Twins at School by Laura Lee Hope

10. Which of these phrases helps the reader know the setting of the story?

A. But the cows were very well-behaved

B. turning in her seat in the railroad car

C. and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked

D. "Oh, no, mamma, I'm not as tired as that,"

The Trap Door

At the age of nine, I was uprooted from the home I'd grown to know and love. My parents promised that the new home would bejust as wonderful as our old place, once I got used to it. But all I could think about were the things we were leaving behind: thebasement with its colorful shag carpet; the backyard with its grove of pines like a private cathedral; the attic with its endless mysteriesand cobwebs. The new house smelled funny. Actually, it wasn't "new" at all: the house had been built in the 1920's. The floors creakedunderfoot, and there were cracks in the ceiling. Meanwhile, there wasn't a backyard at all, just an alleyway. My parents said the placehad character. I didn't know what this meant, but it sounded fishy. I spent the first day sulking in an empty bedroom, looking out the window at an unfamiliar neighborhood. I didn't notice the door atfirst. It was on the opposite wall from the window, positioned about four feet above the floor. It had been painted the same off-whitecolor as the walls. Eventually, though, it caught my eye. I walked over to examine it. It was a strange door, about the size of a small window. At the base of it was a little knob. I had tostand on a chair to reach it. Despite its small size, it was heavy, and I strained to hold it open as I peered inside. At first, all I could see was darkness. Then, as my eyes adjusted to the light, I realized that I was looking into a spacious room.Wooden beams ran across the low ceiling, and I could make out names carved into the beams. Against the far wall was a little shelfmade of bricks and plywood, and upon the shelf sat a row of old, dusty books. It looked like the perfect meeting place for a secret club. Icouldn't help but wonder about the things that had gone on inside such a strange room. I heard the sound of my parents downstairs, moving boxes from one room to another. I quickly shut the trap door. I wanted tokeep this secret room to myself. I went downstairs and announced to my parents that I'd figured out which bedroom I wanted. "Well, David," my father said. "It sounds as if you're warming up to the new house after all, eh?" A stubborn child, I shook my head. "I just like one room so far. That's it."

11. What does the setting say about the boy's character?

A. He is a cowardly, fearful person.

B. He is afraid of enclosed spaces.

C. He likes exploring new places.

D. He does not like keeping secrets.

"MAMMA, how much longer have we got to ride?" asked Nan Bobbsey, turning in her seat in the railroad car, to look at her parents,who sat behind her. "Are you getting tired?" asked Nan's brother Bert. "If you are I'll sit next to the window, and watch the telegraph poles and trees goby. Maybe that's what tires you, Nan," he added, and his father smiled, for he saw that Bert had two thoughts for himself, and one forhis sister. "No, I'm not tired of the scenery," answered the brown-haired and brown-eyed girl, "but you may sit next to the window, Bert, if youlike." "Thanks!" he exclaimed as he scrambled over to the place his sister gave up. "Are you tired, dearie?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, leaning forward and smoothing out her daughter's hair with her hand. "If you would liketo sit with me and put your head in my lap, papa can go to another seat and -" "Oh, no, mamma, I'm not as tired as that," and Nan laughed. "I was just wondering how soon we'd be home." "I'd rather be back at the seashore," said Bert, not turning his gaze from the window, for the train was passing along some fields justthen, and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked, as evening was coming on. Bert was wondering if one of the cowsmight not chase the boy. Bert didn't really want to see the boy hurt by a cow, of course, but he thought that if the cow was going to takeafter the boy, anyhow, he might just as well see it. But the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly.from The Bobbsey Twins at School by Laura Lee Hope

12. What is the setting of this selection?

A. an automobile

B. a train

C. the seashore

D. a school

It was a large mountain, with foam boulders blocking the way, icy paths hard to climb, and an orange liquidspewing from an opening at the top.

She watched and laughed at her foes as they failed challenge after challenge,just as her challengers laughed at her own clumsiness.

D. a school

Daring Guts

Carly and Veronica had bested 14 other competitors, and now it was down to the two in a winner-take-all final ontheir favorite game show. Each season, the show would pair 16 people together in a single-elimination tournament.Contestants would answer trivia questions, with a wrong answer leading to the completion of a simple challenge worthpoints The person with the most points won a chance to run an obstacle course worth additional prizes, but thebiggest prize was advancing further into the tournament for the chance to win a $100,000 scholarship. Carly had used her love of reference books to get this far. She rarely had to do the physical challenges such asbalancing an egg on a spoon and running through a muddy pit. She watched and laughed at her foes as they failedchallenge after challenge, just as her challengers laughed at her own clumsiness. It was all in good fun, until sheanswered the trivia questions with ease. She was a good sport, but it was hard for her competitors to find the samejoy in being a bookworm as Carly had. Veronica, on the other hand, had to rely on her athleticism to beat out her competitors. She did very well withquestions based on textbook knowledge, but some questions were tough, and she wondered who had the time andenergy to read encyclopedias to know the answers! However, her speed, agility, and balance helped her run throughslime, race through water, and climb up hills with ease. When others had spent times in libraries preparing for theshow, Veronica had spent time in the school gym with her coaches. The final was a back-and-forth race. The person with the most points received a head start on the final obstaclecourse, and Carly knew that every second she could gain on Veronica was needed. But Veronica kept the score closeby succeeding in the smaller physical challenges and relying on what she learned in school. When both saw the finalcourse, they both gulped with surprise. It was a large mountain, with foam boulders blocking the way, icy paths hardto climb, and an orange liquid spewing from an opening at the top. Carly was happy she had a head start, but bothwere intimidated by the craggy structure. No matter Veronica's conditioning, this final obstacle and Carly's head startwould be hard to overcome.

13.Directions: Drag the tiles to the correct boxes to form correct pairs. Not all tiles will be used.Match each detail from the passage with the correct description of how the setting impacts Carly.

The Nepali Coast

The setting reveals theconflict between Carly

and the other contestants.

The setting provides an intimidating climax

for Carly.

The setting mimics the fearful mood Carly experiences

during the story.

The setting matches thefun Carly has while being

on the game show.

The Nepali Coastby Moll Flowers

From the moment our plane landed in Kauai, we heard people whispering about the Nepali Coast. A girl about my age said it hadthe most colorful flowers in the world. A middle-aged man who talked like a college professor said the coast was one of the few placesin the world that displayed no trace of humanity. Elderly folks said the coast was too dangerous. Meanwhile, all the locals were offeringto take us there—for a price. We didn't have the money for an expensive tour of the Nepali Coast. What we needed was a shortcut. Jed and I studied the mapfor a few hours in our hotel. Then we struck out on foot. With a compass, a sack lunch, and a day's worth of water, we figured we couldmake it to the Nepali Coast all by ourselves. I'll admit that I had mixed feelings about the plan. There was no clear trail in the woods, and we immediately found ourselvesknee-deep in scrub brush. About a mile in, clouds moved in and blotted out the sun overhead. We could hear the angry squawks ofstrange birds, warning us to turn back. And then, a cold breeze started to blow. Leaves and small twigs rained down on our heads fromthe tree canopy. After several hours of this, Jed turned to me with a grim look on his face. "I think we might be lost," he said. Immediately, I started to panic. I took the compass from him and checked the map. Just then, there was a crack of thunder. Thefirst heavy drops of rain fell with a splattering sound on the pages of the map. I was terrified, but I kept thinking of everything people had said about the Nepali Coast. Even though there was a voice in myhead telling me to turn back, I told Jed that I wasn't ready to give up. And so, we pressed on in the wind and rain. It was another hour before we heard a crashing sound and realized that it was the sound of the waves hitting the coast. We'dmade it! We saw the blue waters just past the tree line and cheered. We would be safe! It might be hard to believe, but I swear, as soon as we set foot on the Nepali Coast, the wind picked up and the clouds parted.Through the break in the clouds, the sun appeared. It shone directly on us, drying our damp clothes. And it added a sparkle to thecolorful flowers and jagged mountain cliffs of the Nepali Coast.

14. What does the setting say about the narrator's character?

A. She is weak.

B. She is cautious.

C. She is untrustworthy.

D. She is determined.

Rainy Day Dreamsby Marcie Roper

One gloomy April day, Sarah looked out her window and sighed. Once again, it was pouring down rain in Seattle. She ran down thestairs and found her mother sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper with a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. Sarah kickedher skateboard that sat taunting her by the bottom of the staircase and slumped down at the table with a groan. "What's wrong?" Her mom asked without looking up from the paper. Sarah crossed her arms and groaned again. Now, her motherlooked up. "I hate Seattle! Why can't we live somewhere beautiful and sunny?" She whined as her mother got up and moved towards Sarah.She listened to Sarah complain about the weather and brushed her fingers through her daughter's hair in hopes of soothing Sarah. "Why don't we go on a trip next month?" she offered. They planned for weeks, as the rain continued to pour. Finally they werepacked and on their way. They drove through the rain and waved goodbye to Seattle as they made their way down the coast to SanDiego. They reached their hotel late at night and immediately crawled into bed after check-in. The next morning, Sarah woke up early, excited to see all the beautiful things in a bright, sunny city. She rushed to get dressed,thinking about the zoo, the thing she was most excited to see, before waking her mother. As her mother rubbed her eyes and mutteredabout the time, since it was only just 6 AM, Sarah ran to their window and pulled back the curtains. She fell to the ground when she sawthe storm outside. Trees were bent sideways by the wind, the rain fell like thick sheets, and only the lightning lit the dark, gray sky. "Oh Sarah, I'm so sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to this trip," her mother offered as she went to her daughter.Sarah wailed as her mother put her back in bed and rubbed her back. "It's going to be okay," her mother cooed as Sarah felt herself drifting off to sleep. Suddenly, an alarm sounded, and Sarah jolted. She looked around, feeling as if she were in a fog. She saw her own bedroom andthe sun streaming through her window. Did she sleep through their stormy weekend in San Diego and the trip home? She ran down thestairs, almost tripping over her skateboard, to find her mother reading the paper with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. "Morning, sleepyhead!" Her mother announced setting down the paper, "I thought you were going to sleep all through this lovelyday." Sarah ignored her mother as she raced towards the calendar her mother kept by the phone. It was still April! She kissed hermom's cheek and waved goodbye before grabbing her skateboard and rushing outside.

15. How does the setting affect Sarah's mood?

A. Sarah's mood is not affected by setting, but her mother's mood is.

B. When it rains she is happy, but the sunlight makes her upset.

C. Sarah is always upset, whether it is rainy or sunny outside.

D. When it rains she is upset, but the sunlight makes her happy.

D. When it rains she is upset, but the sunlight makes her happy.

Auction Antics

The room was overcrowded, but Quincy had managed to elbow his way toward the front row. Somehow, amongthe mass of humanity, an empty chair without any contents sat ready. It was as if this chair was waiting for Quincy.He took his seat and looked around, only to meet the eyes of his longtime rival, Janice, in the seat directly to his left.Now it became about the competition. "Come to order! First item is up for bid!" the auctioneer bellowed. Quincy and Janice unlocked their competitivestare to glance at the delicate vase sitting on the first pedestal before both began leafing through the auction catalog.Quincy loved auctions and the increased excitement and anxiety they brought. If Janice was here, then he knew hishunch about the first mass produced electric guitar being available was correct. Quincy spent the rest of the first three hours eyeing the stage, casually paying attention before a break in theaction and a surge of disappointed auction-goers left. Quincy took the time to stretch and watch the still full roomraise the bids on otherwise priceless pieces of art, decor, and memorabilia. These were his people, so much so that hegave Janice a sly smile as he sat back down and patiently waited. Janice, too, was playing a game with Quincy in this room. She knew he had come for the guitar, but she was herefor something else. She knew the electricity of the room would cloud Quincy's judgment, and his singular focus on anitem would allow her to snatch up her own prize. But unlike Quincy, Janice was a bundle of nerves. For her plan towork, the auction had to proceed so that the guitar came before her cherished prize; otherwise, Quincy mightabandon the guitar for it. Luckily for Janice, the next item was Quincy's prized guitar. Quincy leaped back out of his seat and shouted, "I willstart the bidding at $5,000!" The room fell into stunned silence, and aside from one fierce bidder in the back, Quincyended up with his guitar at a great price. It wasn't until he won that he noticed Janice did not bid. His mind began torace when the first prototype of Quincy's newly bought guitar came onstage with the gasp of a surprised crowd. Thiswas the guitar built before Quincy's, making it even more desirable!

16.Directions: Select ALL the correct answers.Which two sentences demonstrate how the auction affects Janice?

But unlike Quincy, Janice was a bundle of nerves.

If Janice was here, then he knew his hunch about the first mass producedelectric guitar being available was correct.

Janice, too, was playing a game with Quincy in this room.

She knew he had come for the guitar but she was here for somethingelse.

It wasn't until he won that he noticed Janice did not bid.



17. What impact does the location have on Stasis?

A. It makes him hungry.

A. It makes him hungry.

B. It makes him nervous.

C. It makes him relaxed.

D. It makes him thirsty.

A New Student at Grover High by Moll Flowers

At my last school, I'd seen new students come and go. Bullies were always picking on the new kids. New kids didn't have friendsyet, so there was no one to stick up for them. Eventually they would learn to keep to themselves and lay low. I never guessed that I would end up being a new student myself. But here I was, in a new town where no one knew anythingabout me. It was my first day of school at Grover High, and I wanted nothing more than to simply fade into the background. I didn't wantto make a fool of myself. Most of all, I didn't want to get beat up. My attempt at being invisible didn't work, however. Kids kept coming up to me and introducing themselves. When people lookedup at me with grins on their faces, I figured I had food stuck in my teeth, or maybe there was something wrong with my clothes. But noone laughed. Mainly, they were just curious about where I was from, and what life had been like at my previous school. Where were the bullies? I wondered. The kids were oddly well behaved. I wondered if the school building itself might havesomething to do with it. Whereas my last school had been overcrowded, making it difficult to be on time for class, here the hallwayswere roomy. There were no more than 15 or 20 kids in each class. I noticed they had new facilities, too. The computer room was huge,and all the computers were the latest models. At the end of my first day, my art teacher did something that normally would have horrified me. She took my drawing of amountain landscape and held it up in front of the class. She said it was a good example of three-dimensional perspective. I lookedaround and noticed that the other kids were actually impressed. They nodded at me respectfully and then returned to their drawings. Icouldn't believe it. At that moment, a sense of calm came over me. I realized that Grover High was going to be unlike anything I'd everexperienced before.

18. How would the story have been different if it had taken place at the narrator's previous school?

A. The narrator would not have agreed to enroll in a drawing class at her previous school.

B. The hallways and classrooms would have been spacious and equipped with newer computer models.

C. The narrator would have advised new students to introduce themselves to other students.

D. The students would have reacted differently to the narrator's drawing of a mountain landscape.

Auction Antics


19.Directions: Select ALL the correct answers.Which two sentences demonstrate how the auction affects Quincy?

The room fell into stunned silence, and aside from one fierce bidder in theback, Quincy ended up with his guitar at a great price.

Quincy loved auctions and the increased excitement and anxiety theybrought.

The room was overcrowded, but Quincy had managed to elbow his waytoward the front row.

She knew the electricity of the room would cloud Quincy's judgment andhis singular focus on an item would allow her to snatch up her own prize.

If Janice is here, then he knew his hunch about the first mass producedelectric guitar being available was correct.

Nick stepped off the bus and walked into the bus station. He had never seen a building so enormous, with so many buses arrivingand departing from dozens of gates. Everywhere he looked there were lines of people and piles of luggage, and he wondered what theweird smells could be. He had to get out of here fast, or he thought he might be sick to his stomach. Nick spotted an escalator across the floor and hurried over, climbing on carefully as he looked up toward the next floor. There wereeven more people walking fast through the terminal, and more smells competing with each other—donuts, he thought, and butteredpopcorn, and maybe pizza, too. He had to get out of here fast, but it was all so confusing and crowded. At last, Nick spotted a sign that said EXIT. He adjusted his backpack and wove through the crowd to get to the last staircase. Nickclambered up the stairs and blinked as he finally emerged into the bright sunlight. Was it possible the sun was actually brighter here inNew York City than at home in his small Pennsylvania town, or was it just the light bouncing off the skyscrapers that made it seem sointense?

20. How does the setting change as the story develops?

A. The city streets seem dirtier than the hallways of the bus station.

B. The crowds of people seem to walk faster than in the bus station.

C. The city light seems brighter compared to the light in the bus station.

D. The sounds of the city seem louder compared to the bus station.

Caught by a Treefrom Chatterbox 1906

A natural history student was one afternoon, during a prolonged drought, hunting for ferns in a dense wood.Towards evening, it grew suddenly dark, and a few drops of rain gave warning that a storm was coming. At thatmoment, the student's eye fell upon a big, hollow tree-trunk on the ground. Striking a match, the man peered within, and saw, as he thought, a convenient place of shelter. With feet foremostand arms pressed closely to his side, he wormed himself into the log. Presently the rain came down in torrents, and the student congratulated himself on having found so snug a shelter. Fatigued with his long tramp, he fell asleep. How long he slept he did not know, but by-and-by he was awakenedby a sharp pain in his head, and a feeling of cramp in his whole body. The rain was still falling, the darkness wasintense. The bodily discomfort was, of course, due to the man's cramped position; the pain in his head was caused bya continual drip of water from above on to his forehead. He drew his head back out of the way of the drops, and, in spite of his uncomfortable position, actually fell asleepagain! But the next time he awoke, the pain in his head was intolerable. It seemed impossible to get out of reach ofthose maddening drops, and "wherever they fell," says the student, "they seemed like a sharp iron boring into theskull." But the worst was yet to come. When the poor fellow tried to crawl out of the log, he was unable to do so! Theopening by which he had so foolishly entered had been only just large enough to admit his body, and the wood,shrunken by the long drought, had in the rain swelled to such an extent that he was now caught, as he says, "like arat in a trap." Throughout the night the wretched victim shrieked, struggled, pushed, kicked, and wriggled in vain. He could notraise his hands to tear at the wood. Happily, he was discovered the next morning through the good services of a rescue dog, which led a search-partyto the spot.

21.Directions: Select all the correct answers.In what two ways does the setting influence the plot of the story?

In what two ways does the setting influence the plot of the story?

The setting creates the events that allow the dog to find the studenttrapped in the tree trunk.

The setting reveals the many hardships in the life of the student.

The setting adds an element of danger and suspense.

The setting adds to the urgency of the search-party that is looking for thelost student.

The setting creates the circumstances that lead to the student takingshelter in the tree trunk.

First Dayby c.safos

The day had cracked across the sky. The red and yellows burned over the clouds like lasers eating away at theblackness of the dawn. The warmth of the day began to settle onto Heath Road. The birds chirped at the brightness ofthe daylight spreading over the street. While people on the block were shifting in their beds from the sun's brilliance, Clint was up with the dawn. He waswhistling in the shower and singing as he made his breakfast. He had waited for this day all year. It was the start ofbasketball camp, and he was ready. Clint dribbled his basketball all over the house waiting for his ride. He woke upeveryone in the process. Just then, a car's horn honked. It was Clint's ride, Walter. He ran out to the front only to find Frazier was ridingwith Walter. Frazier was the best player on the team and a bully. He loved to taunt Walter and Clint when they wouldtake shots. He usually made them miss. Walter stepped out of the car to open the trunk for Clint. "What's he doing here?" Clint asked. "He needed a ride, and coach called me to make sure he had a ride," Walter replied. Just then, the sun was enveloped by a huge cloud. It seemed to come out of nowhere and pushed the sun backinto the dark. The birds stopped their chirping. The weather got a little colder. It even started to rain a little. "What agreat way to start the day," Clint mumbled to Walter.

22. How is the setting similar to the main character?

A. The car the boys drive in is as broken-down as the street.

B. Clint plays basketball, and the story takes place in a gym.

C. Clint has the same name as the street he lives on.

D. The weather matches Clint's mood.

The Trap Door

At the age of nine, I was uprooted from the home I'd grown to know and love. My parents promised that the new home would bejust as wonderful as our old place, once I got used to it. But all I could think about were the things we were leaving behind: thebasement with its colorful shag carpet; the backyard with its grove of pines like a private cathedral; the attic with its endless mysteriesand cobwebs. The new house smelled funny. Actually, it wasn't "new" at all: the house had been built in the 1920's. The floors creakedunderfoot, and there were cracks in the ceiling. Meanwhile, there wasn't a backyard at all, just an alleyway. My parents said the placehad character. I didn't know what this meant, but it sounded fishy. I spent the first day sulking in an empty bedroom, looking out the window at an unfamiliar neighborhood. I didn't notice the door atfirst. It was on the opposite wall from the window, positioned about four feet above the floor. It had been painted the same off-whitecolor as the walls. Eventually, though, it caught my eye. I walked over to examine it. It was a strange door, about the size of a small window. At the base of it was a little knob. I had tostand on a chair to reach it. Despite its small size, it was heavy, and I strained to hold it open as I peered inside. At first, all I could see was darkness. Then, as my eyes adjusted to the light, I realized that I was looking into a spacious room.Wooden beams ran across the low ceiling, and I could make out names carved into the beams. Against the far wall was a little shelfmade of bricks and plywood, and upon the shelf sat a row of old, dusty books. It looked like the perfect meeting place for a secret club. Icouldn't help but wonder about the things that had gone on inside such a strange room. I heard the sound of my parents downstairs, moving boxes from one room to another. I quickly shut the trap door. I wanted to

I heard the sound of my parents downstairs, moving boxes from one room to another. I quickly shut the trap door. I wanted tokeep this secret room to myself. I went downstairs and announced to my parents that I'd figured out which bedroom I wanted. "Well, David," my father said. "It sounds as if you're warming up to the new house after all, eh?" A stubborn child, I shook my head. "I just like one room so far. That's it."


A. It makes him jealous.

B. It makes him tired.

C. It makes him curious.

D. It makes him hungry.

A New Student at Grover Highby Moll Flowers

At my last school, I'd seen new students come and go. Bullies were always picking on the new kids. New kidsdidn't have friends yet, so there was no one to stick up for them. Eventually they would learn to keep to themselvesand lay low. I never guessed that I would end up being a new student myself. But here I was, in a new town where no oneknew anything about me. It was my first day of school at Grover High, and I wanted nothing more than to simply fadeinto the background. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. Most of all, I didn't want to get beat up. My attempt at being invisible didn't work, however. Kids kept coming up to me and introducing themselves. Whenpeople looked up at me with grins on their faces, I figured I had food stuck in my teeth, or maybe there wassomething wrong with my clothes. But no one laughed. Mainly, they were just curious about where I was from, andwhat life had been like at my previous school. Where were the bullies? I wondered. The kids were oddly well behaved. I wondered if the school building itselfmight have something to do with it. Whereas my last school had been overcrowded, making it difficult to be on timefor class, here the hallways were roomy. There were no more than 15 or 20 kids in each class. I noticed they had newfacilities, too. The computer room was huge, and all the computers were the latest models. At the end of my first day, my art teacher did something that normally would have horrified me. She took mydrawing of a mountain landscape and held it up in front of the class. She said it was a good example of three-dimensional perspective. I looked around and noticed that the other kids were actually impressed. They nodded at merespectfully and then returned to their drawings. I couldn't believe it. At that moment, a sense of calm came over me.I realized that Grover High was going to be unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.

24.Directions: Select all the correct answers.How do the students at the new school surprise the narrator?

The students behave well at the school.

The students make the narrator laugh.

The students make the narrator feel invisible.

The students show courtesy towards the narrator.

The students are eager to introduce themselves.

The students do not bully the narrator.

The students have no interest in the narrator.

The Stadium in my Backyardby Dave McCaul

As a kid, I was determined to become a professional baseball player. I lived in Minneapolis, so the weather was less than idealfor baseball. But with the coming of summer, I spent practically every waking hour in my backyard.

for baseball. But with the coming of summer, I spent practically every waking hour in my backyard. It was a big backyard, rectangular in shape. Standing with my back to the house, I would look out over the outfield. A picket fenceseparated our place from the back alley. That was the homerun fence. On one side of the yard was a row of tall hedges with tangledbranches that reached out to the sky like thin arms. Those hedges represented the crowd. On the other side was a doghouse, whichwas like the dugout where my team waited on the bench. At night, the lights in the back alley lit up my backyard so that we could playnight games. My neighbor and I would take turns pitching balls to each other. My neighbor had an impressive fastball that was tough to hit. Icould just see the digital scoreboard reporting the speed of his pitches. 90 mph. 95 mph. 100 mph! But with my team rooting for mefrom the bench and the crowd watching my every swing, I refused to strike out. Every now and again, I would hit the ball over the homerun fence. Running around the bases, I would close my eyes and imaginethe fireworks exploding in the stadium. I would hear the breeze tossing the leaves of our Elm tree, which was like the sound of thecrowd cheering me on. And I would wave to my adoring fans and know exactly how it felt to be a professional baseball player.


A. It makes him ashamed.

B. It makes him happy.

C. It makes him bored.

D. It makes him impatient.

The Nepali Coastby Moll Flowers

From the moment our plane landed in Kauai, we heard people whispering about the Nepali Coast. A girl about my age said it hadthe most colorful flowers in the world. A middle-aged man who talked like a college professor said the coast was one of the few placesin the world that displayed no trace of humanity. Elderly folks said the coast was too dangerous. Meanwhile, all the locals were offeringto take us there—for a price. We didn't have the money for an expensive tour of the Nepali Coast. What we needed was a shortcut. Jed and I studied the mapfor a few hours in our hotel. Then we struck out on foot. With a compass, a sack lunch, and a day's worth of water, we figured we couldmake it to the Nepali Coast all by ourselves. I'll admit that I had mixed feelings about the plan. There was no clear trail in the woods, and we immediately found ourselvesknee-deep in scrub brush. About a mile in, clouds moved in and blotted out the sun overhead. We could hear the angry squawks ofstrange birds, warning us to turn back. And then, a cold breeze started to blow. Leaves and small twigs rained down on our heads fromthe tree canopy. After several hours of this, Jed turned to me with a grim look on his face. "I think we might be lost," he said. Immediately, I started to panic. I took the compass from him and checked the map. Just then, there was a crack of thunder. Thefirst heavy drops of rain fell with a splattering sound on the pages of the map. I was terrified, but I kept thinking of everything people had said about the Nepali Coast. Even though there was a voice in myhead telling me to turn back, I told Jed that I wasn't ready to give up. And so, we pressed on in the wind and rain. It was another hour before we heard a crashing sound and realized that it was the sound of the waves hitting the coast. We'dmade it! We saw the blue waters just past the tree line and cheered. We would be safe! It might be hard to believe, but I swear, as soon as we set foot on the Nepali Coast, the wind picked up and the clouds parted.Through the break in the clouds, the sun appeared. It shone directly on us, drying our damp clothes. And it added a sparkle to thecolorful flowers and jagged mountain cliffs of the Nepali Coast.

26. How is the setting similar to the main characters?

A. The setting is a common topic of conversation.

B. The weather matches the main characters' moods.

C. The coast is hidden like the main characters' feelings.

D. The flowers are colorful like the main characters.

Rumble in the Jungle

The croaking of the jungle toads spooked Janice. The vines from the trees hung down over her face like long wet noodles. Thecanopy of green was all around her mixed with bits of color. Janice felt like she was in a salad bowl. At first, she enjoyed the view.There were dark greens, bright yellows, oranges, and reds. The flowers sprouted from the trunks of the trees and bloomed beautifully.They were so beautiful that it made Janice grab a handful and smell them deeply. What she didn't know was that the flowers werepoisonous to smaller animals. When she inhaled their scent, she realized she had made a mistake. The scent burned in her nose, andshe couldn't stop sneezing. Immediately, the beauty of the jungle faded, and Janice was lost, fighting through the tears and the vinesand the snaps and whistles from the animals. With each step she took into the brush, she found herself one step further away from thecampsite. Just as she stumbled upon an area she thought looked familiar, she heard something. It started with a hiss but then turnedinto a shaking. She could feel the leaves moving around her feet even though she was still. Something was pushing against her feet,and as she looked down through her watery eyes to see it, a giant snake pulled her down. adapted from "Rumble in the Jungle" by c.safos

adapted from "Rumble in the Jungle" by c.safos

27. How does the setting change at the end of the story?

A. The jungle becomes dangerous.

B. The jungle becomes enjoyable.

C. The animals leave the jungle.

D. A group of people enter the jungle.



28. How would the story have been different if it had taken place on Falidad?

A. The story would not have been different.

B. Stasis would have known the land better.

C. Stasis would have been lost instead of Biggs.

D. Stasis would have been hunted by Biggs.

Sailing Southward

The old maps used to call it "Terra Australis Incognita," the Unknown Southern Land, but Antarctica was the land of dreams for TerryDennis. She would have done anything to get there. She'd written the best essay of her life to enter the contest. Now that she could seethe landscape out of the ship's portholes, she had to choke back tears of happiness. Why did those spectacular blue-green icebergs fillher with such joy? Every other girl she knew had collected stuffed cats or dogs. But even when she was little, she had insisted that onlypenguins would do.Her friend Evan liked to say that if you had to ask why, you'd probably never understand. Terry pulled the covers up and straightened her bed. She knew that breakfast would be served in 10 minutes. Then they would bemaking a landing ashore. These would be her first steps onto the continent—and she couldn't wait! She walked out on the deck of the international research ship that was her home for the next week. From where she stood, shecould see a colony of gentoo penguins off in the distance. The sun was reflecting off a nearby iceberg. It turned it so vividly bright shehad to pull on a pair of sunglasses. It was December, and here at the bottom of the world it was the height of summer. There were 23hours of daylight every day. She raised her binoculars and watched as the penguins gathered pebbles and small rocks to build theirnests. This was the breeding season in Antarctica, and the window of opportunity was brief—only a few weeks to raise their youngbefore the harsh winds signaled that the short Antarctic summer would soon end.

29. Which sentence from the story best shows the setting of this story?

A. The sun was reflecting so brightly off a nearby iceberg.

B. She'd written the best essay of her life to enter the contest.

C. Every other girl she knew had collected stuffed cats or dogs.

D. She knew that breakfast would be served in 10 minutes.

from A Little Princessby Frances Hodgson Burnett

There were fine sunsets even in the square, sometimes. One could only see parts of them, however, between thechimneys and over the roofs. From the kitchen windows one could not see them at all, and could only guess that theywere going on because the bricks looked warm and the air rosy or yellow for a while, or perhaps one saw a blazing

were going on because the bricks looked warm and the air rosy or yellow for a while, or perhaps one saw a blazingglow strike a particular pane of glass somewhere. There was, however, one place from which one could see all thesplendor of them: the piles of red or gold clouds in the west; or the purple ones edged with dazzling brightness; orthe little fleecy, floating ones, tinged with rose-color and looking like flights of pink doves scurrying across the blue ina great hurry if there was a wind. The place where one could see all this, and seem at the same time to breathe apurer air, was, of course, the attic window. When the square suddenly seemed to begin to glow in an enchanted wayand look wonderful in spite of its sooty trees and railings, Sara knew something was going on in the sky; and when itwas at all possible to leave the kitchen without being missed or called back, she invariably stole away and crept up theflights of stairs, and, climbing on the old table, got her head and body as far out of the window as possible. When shehad accomplished this, she always drew a long breath and looked all round her. It used to seem as if she had all thesky and the world to herself. No one else ever looked out of the other attics. Generally the skylights were closed; buteven if they were propped open to admit air, no one seemed to come near them. And there Sara would stand,sometimes turning her face upward to the blue which seemed so friendly and near—just like a lovely vaulted ceiling—sometimes watching the west and all the wonderful things that happened there: the clouds melting or drifting orwaiting softly to be changed pink or crimson or snow-white or purple or pale dove-gray. Sometimes they made islandsor great mountains enclosing lakes of deep turquoise-blue, or liquid amber, or chrysoprase-green; sometimes darkheadlands jutted into strange, lost seas; sometimes slender strips of wonderful lands joined other wonderful landstogether. There were places where it seemed that one could run or climb or stand and wait to see what next wascoming—until, perhaps, as it all melted, one could float away. At least it seemed so to Sara, and nothing had everbeen quite so beautiful to her as the things she saw as she stood on the table—her body half out of the skylight—thesparrows twittering with sunset softness on the slates. The sparrows always seemed to her to twitter with a sort ofsubdued softness just when these marvels were going on. There was such a sunset as this a few days after the Indian gentleman was brought to his new home; and, as itfortunately happened that the afternoon's work was done in the kitchen and nobody had ordered her to go anywhereor perform any task, Sara found it easier than usual to slip away and go upstairs. She mounted her table and stood looking out. It was a wonderful moment. There were floods of molten goldcovering the west, as if a glorious tide was sweeping over the world. A deep, rich yellow light filled the air; the birdsflying across the tops of the houses showed quite black against it. "It's a Splendid one," said Sara, softly, to herself. "It makes me feel almost afraid—as if something strange wasjust going to happen. The Splendid ones always make me feel like that."

30. What does the setting say about Sara's character?

A. She does not mind being alone.

B. She has no friends.

C. She is irresponsible and careless.

D. She hates being outside.

31.Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.Which sentence in the passage best shows how the setting contributes to the student's problem?

Caught by a Treefrom Chatterbox 1906

A natural history student was one afternoon, during a prolonged drought, hunting forferns in a dense wood. Towards evening, it grew suddenly dark, and a few drops of raingave warning that a storm was coming. At that moment, the student's eye fell upon abig, hollow tree-trunk on the ground. Striking a match, the man peered within, and saw, as he thought, a convenient placeof shelter. With feet foremost and arms pressed closely to his side, he wormed himselfinto the log. Presently the rain came down in torrents, and the student congratulated himself onhaving found so snug a shelter. Fatigued with his long tramp, he fell asleep. How long he slept he did not know, butby-and-by he was awakened by a sharp pain in his head, and a feeling of cramp in hiswhole body. The rain was still falling, the darkness was intense. The bodily discomfortwas, of course, due to the man's cramped position; the pain in his head was caused by acontinual drip of water from above on to his forehead. He drew his head back out of the way of the drops, and, in spite of his uncomfortableposition, actually fell asleep again! But the next time he awoke, the pain in his head wasintolerable. It seemed impossible to get out of reach of those maddening drops, and"wherever they fell," says the student, "they seemed like a sharp iron boring into theskull." But the worst was yet to come. When the poor fellow tried to crawl out of the log, hewas unable to do so! The opening by which he had so foolishly entered had been onlyjust large enough to admit his body, and the wood, shrunken by the long drought, had in

just large enough to admit his body, and the wood, shrunken by the long drought, had inthe rain swelled to such an extent that he was now caught, as he says, "like a rat in atrap." Throughout the night the wretched victim shrieked, struggled, pushed, kicked, andwriggled in vain. He could not raise his hands to tear at the wood. Happily, he was discovered the next morning through the good services of a rescuedog, which led a search-party to the spot.

32.Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.Which description of the setting mirrors how Clint feels about Frazier?

First Dayby c.safos

The day had cracked across the sky. The red and yellows burned over the clouds likelasers eating away at the blackness of the dawn. The warmth of the day began to settleonto Heath Road. The birds chirped at the brightness of the daylight spreading over thestreet. While people on the block were shifting in their beds from the sun's brilliance, Clintwas up with the dawn. He was whistling in the shower and singing as he made hisbreakfast. He had waited for this day all year. It was the start of basketball camp, andhe was ready. Clint dribbled his basketball all over the house waiting for his ride. Hewoke up everyone in the process. Just then, a car's horn honked. It was Clint's ride, Walter. He ran out to the frontonly to find Frazier was riding with Walter. Frazier was the best player on the team and abully. He loved to taunt Walter and Clint when they would take shots. He usually madethem miss. Walter stepped out of the car to open the trunk for Clint. "What's he doing here?"Clint asked. "He needed a ride, and coach called me to make sure he had a ride," Walter replied. Just then, the sun was enveloped by a huge cloud. It seemed to come out ofnowhere and pushed the sun back into the dark. The birds stopped their chirping. Theweather got a little colder. It even started to rain a little. "What a great way to start theday," Clint mumbled to Walter.

First Dayby c.safos

The day had cracked across the sky. The red and yellows burned over the clouds like lasers eating away at theblackness of the dawn. The warmth of the day began to settle onto Heath Road. The birds chirped at the brightness ofthe daylight spreading over the street. While people on the block were shifting in their beds from the sun's brilliance, Clint was up with the dawn. He waswhistling in the shower and singing as he made his breakfast. He had waited for this day all year. It was the start ofbasketball camp, and he was ready. Clint dribbled his basketball all over the house waiting for his ride. He woke upeveryone in the process. Just then, a car's horn honked. It was Clint's ride, Walter. He ran out to the front only to find Frazier was ridingwith Walter. Frazier was the best player on the team and a bully. He loved to taunt Walter and Clint when they wouldtake shots. He usually made them miss. Walter stepped out of the car to open the trunk for Clint. "What's he doing here?" Clint asked. "He needed a ride, and coach called me to make sure he had a ride," Walter replied. Just then, the sun was enveloped by a huge cloud. It seemed to come out of nowhere and pushed the sun backinto the dark. The birds stopped their chirping. The weather got a little colder. It even started to rain a little. "What agreat way to start the day," Clint mumbled to Walter.

33. How does the setting change at the end of the story?

A. The setting does not change by the end of the story.

B. The setting gets happier.

C. The setting gets drearier.

D. It changes into a basketball game.

Danielle shuddered as she ducked her head to enter the attic room. The light was dim, but she could see broken chairs piled up in acorner and a child's collapsed playpen nearby. The ceiling was pitched, slanting upward to a point. But she couldn't stand up all the way

corner and a child's collapsed playpen nearby. The ceiling was pitched, slanting upward to a point. But she couldn't stand up all the wayexcept in the very center. She felt a bead of sweat slip down her cheek and wondered why it was so hot in the shadowy room. Shewanted to run away, slam the door behind her, and never return to the place where so many memories lay covered with dust—but shecouldn't. She had to find her mother's photograph album, the one from the summer before Jimmy left home forever.

34. How does the setting affect Danielle?

A. The darkness of the room makes her scared.

B. The slanted, low ceiling makes her lonely.

C. The pile of broken chairs makes her sad.

D. The room's temperature makes her sweat.

Sailing Southward

The old maps used to call it "Terra Australis Incognita," the Unknown Southern Land, but Antarctica was the land of dreams for TerryDennis. She would have done anything to get there. She'd written the best essay of her life to enter the contest. Now that she could seethe landscape out of the ship's portholes, she had to choke back tears of happiness. Why did those spectacular blue-green icebergs fillher with such joy? Every other girl she knew had collected stuffed cats or dogs. But even when she was little, she had insisted that onlypenguins would do.Her friend Evan liked to say that if you had to ask why, you'd probably never understand. Terry pulled the covers up and straightened her bed. She knew that breakfast would be served in 10 minutes. Then they would bemaking a landing ashore. These would be her first steps onto the continent—and she couldn't wait! She walked out on the deck of the international research ship that was her home for the next week. From where she stood, shecould see a colony of gentoo penguins off in the distance. The sun was reflecting off a nearby iceberg. It turned it so vividly bright shehad to pull on a pair of sunglasses. It was December, and here at the bottom of the world it was the height of summer. There were 23hours of daylight every day. She raised her binoculars and watched as the penguins gathered pebbles and small rocks to build theirnests. This was the breeding season in Antarctica, and the window of opportunity was brief—only a few weeks to raise their youngbefore the harsh winds signaled that the short Antarctic summer would soon end.

35. How does the setting affect Terry?

A. She is eager to make friends with some of the other passengers on the ship.

B. She is feeling frustrated that she is still on the ship instead of on the ice.

C. She is overcome with joy at reaching the place of her childhood dreams.

D. She is nervous about finally setting foot on the Unknown Southern Land.


36. How does the setting affect the character of Nick?

A. He feels angry because he misses his connection for another bus.

B. He feels concerned about finding his way to his cousin's apartment.

C. He feels a little sick to his stomach because of smells at the bus station.

D. He feels excited that he is going to start a new job in New York City.

Incident at Niihau

As you might imagine, planes never land on our tiny island. So it was quite a shock to hear the crash. I asked my husband whathe thought it might be, and he guessed that someone had lit a stick of dynamite. How wrong he was . . . We saw a plume of smoke on the other side of the field, and when we rushed over, we saw the pilot. He was just then emergingfrom the wreckage of his plane. By some miracle, he was not badly hurt. However, he was very upset and was speaking angrily in aforeign dialect. My husband asked the pilot where he had come from and what he was doing here in Hawaii. But the pilot did notunderstand English. Soon after that, I thought of Mr. and Mrs. Haruki. They had been living on our island of Niihau for nearly a decade since leaving

Soon after that, I thought of Mr. and Mrs. Haruki. They had been living on our island of Niihau for nearly a decade since leavingJapan. Surely, they would recognize the language the pilot was speaking. We summoned Mr. Haruki at once. He confirmed that the pilot was speaking Japanese. The pilot took Mr. Haruki by the shoulderand ushered him away from our group. The two men spoke for a while in low voices. When Mr. Haruki returned to our group, his facewas ashen. "What is wrong?" I asked. "What did he say?" "He says he is a member of the Japanese Air Force," Mr. Haruki said. His voice was trembling. "He says his squadron justbombed Pearl Harbor, and more Japanese fighters are on the way." It was a moment I'll never forget. We stood there in shock, trying to comprehend what had happened. First, there was theincredible fact that Hawaii, our peaceful island state, had been attacked. Second, there was the realization that our country was nowgoing to join the war.


A. It could only take place when Japanese lived in the U.S.

B. It could only take place at the beginning of the Civil War.

C. It could only take place when airplanes had been invented.

D. It could only take place at the beginning of World War II.

Mutiny at Sea

You could hear the word spoken in hushed tones after dark. Mutiny. The faces of the deckhands had taken on the color of death.We were all hungry and exhausted, having spent more than 30 days at sea. Our captain had promised us a New World, but day andnight we kept our eyes on the horizon without sighting land. To hope for land at this point was foolish. Indeed, the only thing thatmotivated us to keep sailing was the thought that perhaps we could band together and overthrow the captain. Our captain was Christopher Columbus. He was stubborn and insisted that we had no choice but to continue. And yet, to us, itseemed the only reasonable thing to do was to turn back. We had been unprepared for such a long voyage, having brought insufficientfood and water. And so we continued to talk of mutiny. Day and night, we waited for the right moment. With the cooperation of allonboard, a violent overtaking of the ship would surely be successful. On the morning of October 12th, the unthinkable occurred. A lookout shouted that he had sighted land. His sighting wasconfirmed by the other ships. In an instant, the word "mutiny" died upon our lips and was forever forgotten.


A. It could only take place before Columbus' discovery of the New World.

B. It could only take place during the month of October.

C. It could only take place on an enormous ship in the Pacific Ocean.

D. It could only take place when food was running out.








For as long as Luka could remember, Atami had carried him on his back while they traveled from one tribe to another, carefullyavoiding any sign of the Mogo forces and pretending they were just two of the many wandering beggars. Atami never explained whythey were avoiding the Mogoes. He would only say they were "dangerous." The first few steps Luka had taken had been on the rockyface of the Liao-Shan Mountains, balancing like a mountain goat. He learned from the mountains which ledges were the sharpest andhow much weight they could hold. The first few words he uttered had been "Please spare some food," Atami's usual opening line. They

The room fell into stunned silence,and aside from one fierce bidder in the back, Quincy ended up with his guitar at a great price.

how much weight they could hold. The first few words he uttered had been "Please spare some food," Atami's usual opening line. Theyhad journeyed a thousand miles and had crossed a hundred rivers. It had made them tired, but it had also made Luka strong, likecharcoal being pressured into a diamond.







39. How does the setting contribute to Luka's actions?

A. It made him think he was better than Atami.

B. It made him lazy and bored.

C. It made him tired but strong.

D. It made him want to help other beggars.

Auction Antics


40.Directions: Drag the tiles to the correct boxes to complete the pairs. Not all tiles will be used.Match each detail from the passage with the correct description of how the setting impacts elements of the story.

The setting underlines the patient tone of the story.

The setting increases the anxietyfelt by the people the room.

The setting matches thesomber mood of the story.

The setting presents a surprisethat contributes to the rising action.

guitar at a great price.

Quincy spent the rest of the first three hours eyeing the stage, casually paying attention before a break in the action and a surge of disappointed auction-goers left.

41.Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.In the passage, the characters arrive at Skeleton Island. Which sentence from the passage best shows how thenew setting changes the characters?

from Treasure Islandby Robert Louis Stevenson

We brought up just where the anchor was in the chart, about a third of a mile fromeach shore, the mainland on one side and Skeleton Island on the other. The bottom wasclean sand. The plunge of our anchor sent up clouds of birds wheeling and crying overthe woods, but in less than a minute they were down again, and all was once moresilent. The place was entirely landlocked, buried in woods, the trees coming right down tohigh-water mark, the shores mostly flat, and the hill-tops standing round at a distance ina sort of amphitheater, one here, one there. Two little rivers, or rather two swamps,emptied out into this pond, as you might call it and the foliage round that part of theshore had a kind of poisonous brightness. From the ship we could see nothing of thehouse or stockade, for they were quite buried among trees; and if it had not been for thechart on the companion, we might have been the first that had ever anchored there sincethe islands arose out of the seas. There was not a breath of air moving, nor a sound but that of the surf booming half amile away along the beaches and against the rocks outside. A peculiar stagnant¹ smellhung over the anchorage—a smell of sodden² leaves and rotting tree trunks. I observedthe doctor sniffing and sniffing, like someone tasting a bad egg. "I don't know about treasure," he said, "but I'll stake my wig there's fever here." If the conduct of the men had been alarming in the boat, it became truly threateningwhen they had come aboard. They lay about the deck, growling together in talk. Theslightest order was received with a black look, and grudgingly and carelessly obeyed.Even the honest hands must have caught the infection, for there was not one manaboard to mend another. Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like a thundercloud. And it was not only we of the cabin party who perceived the danger. Long John washard at work going from group to group, spending himself in good advice, and as forexample no man could have shown a better. He fairly outstripped himself in willingnessand civility; he was all smiles to everyone. If an order were given, John would be on hiscrutch in an instant, with the cheeriest "Ay, ay, sir!" in the world; and when there wasnothing else to do, he kept up one song after another, as if to conceal the discontent ofthe rest. Of all the gloomy features of that gloomy afternoon, this obvious anxiety on the partof Long John appeared the worst.

1. Something that is stagnant is stale or foul.

1. Something that is stagnant is stale or foul.2. Something that is sodden is soggy and heavy.


There were fine sunsets even in the square, sometimes. One could only see parts of them, however, between thechimneys and over the roofs. From the kitchen windows one could not see them at all, and could only guess that theywere going on because the bricks looked warm and the air rosy or yellow for a while, or perhaps one saw a blazingglow strike a particular pane of glass somewhere. There was, however, one place from which one could see all thesplendor of them: the piles of red or gold clouds in the west; or the purple ones edged with dazzling brightness; orthe little fleecy, floating ones, tinged with rose-color and looking like flights of pink doves scurrying across the blue ina great hurry if there was a wind. The place where one could see all this, and seem at the same time to breathe apurer air, was, of course, the attic window. When the square suddenly seemed to begin to glow in an enchanted wayand look wonderful in spite of its sooty trees and railings, Sara knew something was going on in the sky; and when itwas at all possible to leave the kitchen without being missed or called back, she invariably stole away and crept up theflights of stairs, and, climbing on the old table, got her head and body as far out of the window as possible. When shehad accomplished this, she always drew a long breath and looked all round her. It used to seem as if she had all thesky and the world to herself. No one else ever looked out of the other attics. Generally the skylights were closed; buteven if they were propped open to admit air, no one seemed to come near them. And there Sara would stand,sometimes turning her face upward to the blue which seemed so friendly and near—just like a lovely vaulted ceiling—sometimes watching the west and all the wonderful things that happened there: the clouds melting or drifting orwaiting softly to be changed pink or crimson or snow-white or purple or pale dove-gray. Sometimes they made islandsor great mountains enclosing lakes of deep turquoise-blue, or liquid amber, or chrysoprase-green; sometimes darkheadlands jutted into strange, lost seas; sometimes slender strips of wonderful lands joined other wonderful landstogether. There were places where it seemed that one could run or climb or stand and wait to see what next wascoming—until, perhaps, as it all melted, one could float away. At least it seemed so to Sara, and nothing had everbeen quite so beautiful to her as the things she saw as she stood on the table—her body half out of the skylight—thesparrows twittering with sunset softness on the slates. The sparrows always seemed to her to twitter with a sort ofsubdued softness just when these marvels were going on. There was such a sunset as this a few days after the Indian gentleman was brought to his new home; and, as itfortunately happened that the afternoon's work was done in the kitchen and nobody had ordered her to go anywhereor perform any task, Sara found it easier than usual to slip away and go upstairs. She mounted her table and stood looking out. It was a wonderful moment. There were floods of molten goldcovering the west, as if a glorious tide was sweeping over the world. A deep, rich yellow light filled the air; the birdsflying across the tops of the houses showed quite black against it. "It's a Splendid one," said Sara, softly, to herself. "It makes me feel almost afraid—as if something strange wasjust going to happen. The Splendid ones always make me feel like that."

42. How would the story be different if it had taken place from the kitchen window?

A. Sara would be scolded for watching the sunsets.

B. Sara would not have been able to see the sunsets.

C. Sara would be asked to help out in the kitchen.

D. Sara would have enjoyed the sunsets more.

Rainy Day Dreamsby Marcie Roper

One gloomy April day, Sarah looked out her window and sighed. Once again, it was pouring down rain in Seattle. She ran down thestairs and found her mother sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper with a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. Sarah kickedher skateboard that sat taunting her by the bottom of the staircase and slumped down at the table with a groan. "What's wrong?" Her mom asked without looking up from the paper. Sarah crossed her arms and groaned again. Now, her motherlooked up. "I hate Seattle! Why can't we live somewhere beautiful and sunny?" She whined as her mother got up and moved towards Sarah.She listened to Sarah complain about the weather and brushed her fingers through her daughter's hair in hopes of soothing Sarah. "Why don't we go on a trip next month?" she offered. They planned for weeks, as the rain continued to pour. Finally they werepacked and on their way. They drove through the rain and waved goodbye to Seattle as they made their way down the coast to SanDiego. They reached their hotel late at night and immediately crawled into bed after check-in. The next morning, Sarah woke up early, excited to see all the beautiful things in a bright, sunny city. She rushed to get dressed,thinking about the zoo, the thing she was most excited to see, before waking her mother. As her mother rubbed her eyes and mutteredabout the time, since it was only just 6 AM, Sarah ran to their window and pulled back the curtains. She fell to the ground when she sawthe storm outside. Trees were bent sideways by the wind, the rain fell like thick sheets, and only the lightning lit the dark, gray sky. "Oh Sarah, I'm so sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to this trip," her mother offered as she went to her daughter.Sarah wailed as her mother put her back in bed and rubbed her back.

"It's going to be okay," her mother cooed as Sarah felt herself drifting off to sleep. Suddenly, an alarm sounded, and Sarah jolted. She looked around, feeling as if she were in a fog. She saw her own bedroom andthe sun streaming through her window. Did she sleep through their stormy weekend in San Diego and the trip home? She ran down thestairs, almost tripping over her skateboard, to find her mother reading the paper with a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. "Morning, sleepyhead!" Her mother announced setting down the paper, "I thought you were going to sleep all through this lovelyday." Sarah ignored her mother as she raced towards the calendar her mother kept by the phone. It was still April! She kissed hermom's cheek and waved goodbye before grabbing her skateboard and rushing outside.

43. When Sarah and her mother reached San Diego, what did it look like outside?

A. dark because it was stormy

B. sunny, which pleased Sarah

C. dark because it was nighttime

D. rainy, which upset Sarah


44. How does the setting affect the plot of the story?

A. It makes Nick wants to meet new people as soon as possible.

B. It makes Nick want to leave the station as quickly as he can.

C. It makes Nick desire to take the next bus home to his town.

D. It makes Nick wish he hadn't packed so much stuff in his bag.

Rumble in the Jungle

The croaking of the jungle toads spooked Janice. The vines from the trees hung down over her face like long wet noodles. Thecanopy of green was all around her mixed with bits of color. Janice felt like she was in a salad bowl. At first, she enjoyed the view.There were dark greens, bright yellows, oranges, and reds. The flowers sprouted from the trunks of the trees and bloomed beautifully.They were so beautiful that it made Janice grab a handful and smell them deeply. What she didn't know was that the flowers werepoisonous to smaller animals. When she inhaled their scent, she realized she had made a mistake. The scent burned in her nose, andshe couldn't stop sneezing. Immediately, the beauty of the jungle faded, and Janice was lost, fighting through the tears and the vinesand the snaps and whistles from the animals. With each step she took into the brush, she found herself one step further away from thecampsite. Just as she stumbled upon an area she thought looked familiar, she heard something. It started with a hiss but then turnedinto a shaking. She could feel the leaves moving around her feet even though she was still. Something was pushing against her feet,and as she looked down through her watery eyes to see it, a giant snake pulled her down. adapted from "Rumble in the Jungle" by c.safos

45. Where does the story take place?

A. a campfire

B. a city

C. a zoo

D. a jungle

The Stadium in my Backyardby Dave McCaul

As a kid, I was determined to become a professional baseball player. I lived in Minneapolis, so the weather was less than idealfor baseball. But with the coming of summer, I spent practically every waking hour in my backyard. It was a big backyard, rectangular in shape. Standing with my back to the house, I would look out over the outfield. A picket fenceseparated our place from the back alley. That was the homerun fence. On one side of the yard was a row of tall hedges with tangledbranches that reached out to the sky like thin arms. Those hedges represented the crowd. On the other side was a doghouse, whichwas like the dugout where my team waited on the bench. At night, the lights in the back alley lit up my backyard so that we could play

was like the dugout where my team waited on the bench. At night, the lights in the back alley lit up my backyard so that we could playnight games. My neighbor and I would take turns pitching balls to each other. My neighbor had an impressive fastball that was tough to hit. Icould just see the digital scoreboard reporting the speed of his pitches. 90 mph. 95 mph. 100 mph! But with my team rooting for mefrom the bench and the crowd watching my every swing, I refused to strike out. Every now and again, I would hit the ball over the homerun fence. Running around the bases, I would close my eyes and imaginethe fireworks exploding in the stadium. I would hear the breeze tossing the leaves of our Elm tree, which was like the sound of thecrowd cheering me on. And I would wave to my adoring fans and know exactly how it felt to be a professional baseball player.

46. What does the setting say about the narrator's character?

A. He feels lazy in the summer.

B. He has a short span of attention.

C. He has a big imagination.

D. He does not like routine.


There were fine sunsets even in the square, sometimes. One could only see parts of them, however, between thechimneys and over the roofs. From the kitchen windows one could not see them at all, and could only guess that theywere going on because the bricks looked warm and the air rosy or yellow for a while, or perhaps one saw a blazingglow strike a particular pane of glass somewhere. There was, however, one place from which one could see all thesplendor of them: the piles of red or gold clouds in the west; or the purple ones edged with dazzling brightness; orthe little fleecy, floating ones, tinged with rose-color and looking like flights of pink doves scurrying across the blue ina great hurry if there was a wind. The place where one could see all this, and seem at the same time to breathe apurer air, was, of course, the attic window. When the square suddenly seemed to begin to glow in an enchanted wayand look wonderful in spite of its sooty trees and railings, Sara knew something was going on in the sky; and when itwas at all possible to leave the kitchen without being missed or called back, she invariably stole away and crept up theflights of stairs, and, climbing on the old table, got her head and body as far out of the window as possible. When shehad accomplished this, she always drew a long breath and looked all round her. It used to seem as if she had all thesky and the world to herself. No one else ever looked out of the other attics. Generally the skylights were closed; buteven if they were propped open to admit air, no one seemed to come near them. And there Sara would stand,sometimes turning her face upward to the blue which seemed so friendly and near—just like a lovely vaulted ceiling—sometimes watching the west and all the wonderful things that happened there: the clouds melting or drifting orwaiting softly to be changed pink or crimson or snow-white or purple or pale dove-gray. Sometimes they made islandsor great mountains enclosing lakes of deep turquoise-blue, or liquid amber, or chrysoprase-green; sometimes darkheadlands jutted into strange, lost seas; sometimes slender strips of wonderful lands joined other wonderful landstogether. There were places where it seemed that one could run or climb or stand and wait to see what next wascoming—until, perhaps, as it all melted, one could float away. At least it seemed so to Sara, and nothing had everbeen quite so beautiful to her as the things she saw as she stood on the table—her body half out of the skylight—thesparrows twittering with sunset softness on the slates. The sparrows always seemed to her to twitter with a sort ofsubdued softness just when these marvels were going on. There was such a sunset as this a few days after the Indian gentleman was brought to his new home; and, as itfortunately happened that the afternoon's work was done in the kitchen and nobody had ordered her to go anywhereor perform any task, Sara found it easier than usual to slip away and go upstairs. She mounted her table and stood looking out. It was a wonderful moment. There were floods of molten goldcovering the west, as if a glorious tide was sweeping over the world. A deep, rich yellow light filled the air; the birdsflying across the tops of the houses showed quite black against it. "It's a Splendid one," said Sara, softly, to herself. "It makes me feel almost afraid—as if something strange wasjust going to happen. The Splendid ones always make me feel like that."

47. Why does it seem appropriate for the story to take place in an attic?

A. Sara hates being asked to help out in the house.

B. It allows Sara to enjoy the beauty of the sunsets.

C. It keeps anyone else from enjoying the sunsets.

D. Sara has fond memories of spending time in the attic.

Answers

a new student at grover high - leifericsonelementary.org · 1. based on the setting ... balancing...

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