student name p grade 5 english language arts/literacy test ... · english language arts/literacy...

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Practice Test

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Grade 5English Language Arts/Literacy

Test Booklet

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English Language Arts/Literacy

Unit 1

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Directions:

Today, you will take Unit 1 of the Grade 5 English Language Arts/LiteracyPractice Test.

Read each passage and question. Then, follow the directions to answer eachquestion. Mark your answers by completely filling in the circles in your answerdocument. Do not make any pencil marks outside of the circles. If you need tochange an answer, be sure to erase your first answer completely.

One of the questions will ask you to write a response. Write your response in thespace provided in your answer document. Be sure to keep your response withinthe provided space. Only responses written within the provided space will bescored.

If you do not know the answer to a question, you may go on to the nextquestion. If you finish early, you may review your answers and any questionsyou did not answer in this unit ONLY. Do not go past the stop sign.

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VF555596

Today you will analyze a passage from the novel Ida B and apassage from the novel Moon Over Manifest. As you read thesetexts, you will gather information and answer questions aboutthe influence of the narrator’s point of view so you can write anessay.

Read the passage from the novel titled Ida B. Then answer questions 1through 3.

from Ida Bby Katherine Hannigan

Saturday morning, I was sitting on the front porch, waiting for nothing, withnothing I wanted to do. Rufus sat beside me for a while, hoping I’d be up tosomething more than misery. But he got tired of waiting and went off on hisown, leaving a small sea of spit where he’d been sitting.

Just as I was about to take myself back to bed and try starting the day overagain in the afternoon, I saw the big white car come down the road and turnleft at the T. And right away, I knew what I had to do.

No plans. No least-possible-pain-and-humiliation scheming. Just plain andstraight do the deed.

As soon as the white car disappeared down the DeLunas’ drive, I picked myselfup and headed out through the fields, then around the base of the mountain.

I walked through the orchard, eyes fixed forward, not slow and not rushed,either. Like I was on my way to the final showdown. Yes, there was a bunch ofthem and only one of me. Yes, they might ambush me, and I might not comeback in one piece. But I’d take whatever those people needed to dish out,because I was going to do the right thing.

I stopped just before I stepped onto the land that now belonged to theDeLunas, and took a deep breath as I walked over that invisible boundary line.

And there was Claire straight ahead, looking at me, waiting for me. Her momand little brother were crouched down at the side of the house, planting littlebushes.

Clump . . . clump . . . clump . . . was the only sound my feet were making thistime as I walked toward Claire, arms out from my sides and palms up, letting

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her know that I wasn’t coming for a fight, even if she had some trouble andtorture she needed to visit on me.

Claire’s mother spotted me and stood, dusted off her hands, and watched as Iwalked up to Claire. Then all of the world was still except for the two of us.

“Claire,” I said, making myself look her in the eye, “I’m sorry I scared you inthe woods. I’m sorry I was mean to you. I was following you in school so Icould apologize. I . . . I . . .” And there I was, babbling again. Should I tell herabout Mama and the trees and school and everything? Where would I start if Iwas going to explain it all?

Then Ms. W. came into my head and I knew it didn’t really matter.

“I’m just sorry,” I said.

Sometimes, on spring days, there will be the brightest, warmest sun and thedarkest, rainiest clouds sharing the sky. All day long you wonder, “Will it rain?Will it shine?” And that’s what I was thinking then, while I was looking atClaire’s face. Everything was there, but nothing was happening one way or theother. I couldn’t hang around any longer to see what would win out, though,because I had something else to do.

I turned to Claire’s little brother, who had his arm around his mama’s leg, and Icould see that he was scared of me. He thought I was a monster, just like I’dwanted him to.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” I said. “I won’t ever do it again. I promise.”

And he just stared at me, too. If I didn’t know better, I would have thoughtthat this family’s mouths were under repair.

It was too hard waiting there for those people to decide if they wanted to tellme something, and I wasn’t quite sure I could stand to hear the words theymight want to say anyway. So I turned back to the orchard and started home.

I braced myself for a DeLuna ambush from behind and decided that whenMama and Daddy found me, just holding on to a tiny sliver of life, my lastwords would be, “Turn the land into a park, teach Rufus some mouth-relatedmanners, and make sure Lulu gets her treats. Please.”

But I got to the property line without harm or hollering, and by the time Icrossed it, I did feel better. Like my heart was heavier and lighter at the sametime.

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Apologizing is like spring-cleaning. First of all, you don’t want to do it. Butthere’s something inside you, or somebody outside you who’s standing therewith her hands on her hips saying, “It’s time to make things right around here,”and there’s no getting out of it.

Once you get started, though, you find out that you can’t just clean out oneroom and be done with it; you have to do the whole house or you’re trackingdirt from one place to the other. Well, it starts to seem like too, too much, andyou want to quit more than Christmas. But there’s that somebody or somethingtelling you again, “Keep going. You’re almost done. No quitting allowed.”

Passage from Ida B by Katherine Hannigan, text copyright © 2004 byKatherine Hannigan. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

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1. Part A

Read the sentence from paragraph 1.

What does the word misery mean as it is used in the sentence?

Rufus sat beside me for a while, hoping I’d be up to something more thanmisery.

Part B

Which detail from the story provides the best clue for the meaning of theword misery?

A.

B.

C.

D.

confusion

exhaustion

nervousness

unhappiness

A.

B.

C.

D.

“. . . waiting for nothing, with nothing I wanted to do.”

“. . . tired of waiting and went off on his own . . .”

“And right away, I knew what I had to do.”

“No plans.”

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VH043725_2:2

2. Part A

How does the narrator’s apology to the neighbors contribute to the theme ofthe story?

Part B

Which detail from the story best supports the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

It shows that feelings of guilt will pass.

It shows that it is best to admit to mistakes.

It shows that it is difficult to understand how other people are feeling.

It shows that it requires bravery to approach others who are angry.

A.

B.

C.

D.

“Yes, they might ambush me . . . .”

“. . . because I was going to do the right thing.”

“. . . I got to the property line without harm . . . .”

“Like my heart was heavier and lighter . . .”

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VH178674_3:1,3

3. Part A

In the passage from Ida B, how are the narrator and Claire similar?

Part B

Choose one detail for the narrator and one detail for Claire that support thecomparison in Part A.

A.

B.

C.

D.

They both dislike quitting something before it is finished.

Neither of them is good at apologizing when they are wrong.

They are both unsure about what the other person will do.

Neither of them is comfortable with being neighbors.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“Yes, they might ambush me, and I might not come back in one piece.”(paragraph 5)

“I stopped just before I stepped onto the land that now belonged to theDeLunas . . . .” (paragraph 6)

“And there was Claire straight ahead, looking at me, waiting for me.”(paragraph 7)

“‘I’m sorry I scared you in the woods. I’m sorry I was mean to you.’”(paragraph 10)

“Should I tell her about Mama and the trees and school and everything?”(paragraph 10)

“. . . you have to do the whole house or you’re tracking dirt from oneplace to the other.” (paragraph 21)

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VF864704

Read the passage from the novel titled Moon Over Manifest. Then answerquestions 4 through 6.

from Moon Over Manifestby Clare Vanderpool

Santa Fe Railway

Southeast Kansas

May 27, 1936

The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby. I closed my eyes to thedusty countryside and imagined the sign I knew only from stories. The one justoutside of town with big blue letters: MANIFEST: A TOWN WITH A RICH PASTAND A BRIGHT FUTURE.

I thought about my daddy, Gideon Tucker. He does his best talking in stories,but in recent weeks, those had become few and far between. So on theoccasion when he’d say to me, “Abilene, did I ever tell you ’bout the time. . .?”I’d get all quiet and listen real hard. Mostly he’d tell stories about Manifest, thetown where he’d lived once upon a time.

His words drew pictures of brightly painted storefronts and bustling townsfolk.Hearing Gideon tell about it was like sucking on butterscotch. Smooth andsweet. And when he’d go back to not saying much, I’d try recalling what ittasted like. Maybe that was how I found comfort then, even with him being sofar away. By remembering the flavor of his words. But mostly, I could taste thesadness in his voice when he told me I couldn’t stay with him for the summerwhile he worked a railroad job back in Iowa. Something had changed in him. Itstarted the day I got a cut on my knee. It got bad and I got real sick withinfection. The doctors said I was lucky to come out of it. But it was like Gideonhad gotten a wound in him too. Only he didn’t come out of it. And it waspainful enough to make him send me away.

I reached into my satchel for the flour sack that held my few special things. Ablue dress, two shiny dimes I’d earned collecting pop bottles, a letter fromGideon telling folks that I would be received by Pastor Howard at the Manifestdepot, and my most special something, kept in a box lined with an old 1917Manifest Herald newspaper: my daddy’s compass.

In a gold case, it wore like a pocket watch, but inside was a compass showingevery direction. Only problem was, a working compass always points north.This one, the arrow dangled and jiggled every which way. It wasn’t even that

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old. It had the compass maker’s name and the date it was made on the inside.St. Dizier, October 8, 1918. Gideon had always planned to get it fixed, butwhen I was leaving, he said he didn’t need it anyway, what with train tracks toguide him. Still, I liked imagining that the chain of that broken compass waslong enough to stretch all the way back into his pocket, with him at one endand me at the other.

Smoothing out the yellowed newspaper for the thousandth time, I scanned thepage, hoping to find some bit of news about or insight into my daddy. Butthere was only the same old “Hogs and Cattle” report on one side and a “HattieMae’s News Auxiliary: Charter Edition” on the other, plus a couple ofadvertisements for Liberty Bonds and Billy Bump’s Hair Tonic. I didn’t knowanything about Hattie Mae Harper, except what she wrote in her article, but Ifigured her newspaper column had protected Gideon’s compass for some time,and for that I felt a sense of gratitude. I carefully placed the newspaper back inthe box and stored the box in the satchel, but held on to the compass. I guessI needed to hold on to something.

The conductor came into the car, “Manifest, next stop.”

The seven-forty-five evening train was going to be right on time. Conductorsonly gave a few minutes’ notice, so I had to hurry. I shoved the compass into aside pocket of the satchel, then made my way to the back of the last car. Beinga paying customer this time, with a full-fledged ticket, I didn’t have to jumpoff, and I knew that the preacher would be waiting for me. But as anyoneworth his salt knows, it’s best to get a look at a place before it gets a look atyou. I’d worn my overalls just for the occasion. Besides, it wouldn’t be dark foranother hour, so I’d have time to find my way around.

At the last car, I waited, listening the way I’d been taught—wait till the clack ofthe train wheels slows to the rhythm of your heartbeat. The trouble is my heartspeeds up when I’m looking at the ground rushing by. Finally, I saw a grassyspot and jumped. The ground came quick and hard, but I landed and rolled asthe train lumbered on without a thank-you or goodbye.

As I stood and brushed myself off, there was the sign not five feet in front ofme. It was so weathered there was hardly a chip of blue paint to be found. Andit looked to have been shot up so bad most of the words were gone. All thatwas left read MANIFEST: A TOWN WITH A PAST.

Excerpt from MOON OVER MANIFEST by Clare Vanderpool, copyright © 2010by Clare Vanderpool. Used by permission of Delacorte Press, an imprint ofRandom House Children’s Books, a division of Random House LLC. All rightsreserved.

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4. Part A

What does the phrase few and far between mean as it is used inparagraph 2?

Part B

Which detail from the story of the passage helps the reader understand themeaning of the phrase few and far between?

A.

B.

C.

D.

less often

less happy

more distant

harder to hear

A.

B.

C.

D.

“. . . does his best talking in stories . . .”

“So on the occasion . . .”

“‘. . . did I ever tell you . . .’”

“. . . where he’d lived once upon a time.”

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5. Part A

Which pair of sentences provides the best summary of the story from MoonOver Manifest?

Part B

Which two sentences from the story best support the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

A girl wonders about a town she will see for the first time. She decides tojump off the train to see it sooner.

A girl lives with her father but must go on a train alone. Her father isupset because she had gotten very sick.

A girl rides a train alone to go live in her father’s hometown. She missesher father but is curious about her new home.

A girl enjoys a train ride to a new home. She looks through the things shehas brought with her and thinks about the past.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“Maybe that was how I found comfort then, even with him being so faraway.”

“It started the day I got a cut on my knee.”

“I reached into my satchel for the flour sack that held my few specialthings.”

“In a gold case, it wore like a pocket watch, but inside was a compassshowing every direction.”

“But as anyone worth his salt knows, it’s best to get a look at a placebefore it gets a look at you.”

“Finally, I saw a grassy spot and jumped.”

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6. Part A

In the story from Moon Over Manifest, how do paragraphs 2 and 3 contributeto the overall structure of the story?

Part B

Which detail from the story best supports the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

They compare the personalities of two characters.

They describe the setting where the story takes place.

They present a solution to the main conflict in the story.

They establish the problem of the story.

A.

B.

C.

D.

“. . . I could taste the sadness in his voice when he told me I couldn’tstay with him . . . .”

“. . . while he worked a railroad job back in Iowa.”

“The doctors said I was lucky to come out of it.”

“. . . a letter from Gideon telling folks that I would be received by PastorHoward at the Manifest depot . . .”

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VH044120

7. The passages from Ida B and Moon Over Manifest both include events thatdid not happen exactly how the narrators expected them to happen. Write anessay describing how each narrator’s point of view influences how theseevents are described. Be sure to use details from both stories.

Refer to the passage from the novel titled Ida B and the passage from thenovel titled Moon Over Manifest. Then answer question 7.

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C10029

Read the passage from The Youngest Girl in the Fifth. Then answerquestions 8 through 11.

from The Youngest Girl in the Fifthby Angela Brazil

So far from looking withering as Gwen entered the room, the Principal wore anunusually encouraging and benign1 expression. She was a handsome, large,imposing woman, with a stern cast of features, and was held in great awe bythe whole school. As a rule, Seniors and Juniors quailed alike under the glanceof her keen dark eyes.

“Come here, Gwen,” she said blandly, as her pupil stood hesitating near thedoor. “I want to have a little talk with you. I’ve been looking over your reportsfor the last few weeks, and I find that you’ve done well—so well, that Iconsider the standard of the Upper Fourth is too easy for you. I think youought to be able to manage the work of the Fifth Form, and I’m going to moveyou there.”

Gwen stared at Miss Roscoe, too surprised to answer. Such a proposal as achange of Form was absolutely the last thing she could have expected. In themiddle of a term it was surely an unprecedented happening. For the momentshe scarcely knew whether to be alarmed or flattered at the honour thus thrustupon her.

“You may find the mathematics a little difficult,” continued Miss Roscoe; “butMiss Woodville shall coach you until you’ve caught up the rest of the class. Shecan also go over the arrears of Latin translation with you. With that help youshouldn’t be so far behind. I’ve spoken to both Miss Slade and Miss Douglasabout it, and they fully agree with me. Do you think yourself you’ll be able tomanage the work?”

“I don’t know, I’m sure,” stammered Gwen. “I expect I’m behind in maths.—but—”

“But you must try your best. I shall trust you to make a great effort. I shouldbe very sorry to have to put you down again. Come with me now, and I’ll takeyou to your new Form.”

1benign—harmless

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Gwen followed the Principal with her head in a buzzing whirl. It seemed like adream to be suddenly translated from the Lower School to the Upper. Shewished she could have had a little time to get accustomed to the idea: shewould have liked a day’s preparation at least, so as to think the change overand discuss it at home. Miss Roscoe, however, always did things in a hurry; shenever had a moment to waste, and at present she whisked her pupil along thecorridor and into the Fifth Form room with almost breathless energy.

From The Youngest Girl in the Fifth by Angela Brazil—Public Domain

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8. Part A

Read the sentence from paragraph 7 of the passage.

What is the meaning of the phrase in a buzzing whirl as it is used in thesentence?

Gwen followed the Principal with her head in a buzzing whirl.

Part B

Which detail in paragraph 7 helps the reader understand the meaning of in abuzzing whirl?

A.

B.

C.

D.

many thoughts happening at once

a lot of confusing information

many challenging activities

a lot of daydreaming

A.

B.

C.

D.

“. . . seemed like a dream to be suddenly translated . . .”

“. . . had a little time to get accustomed to the idea . . .”

“. . . have liked a day’s preparation . . .”

“. . . change over and discuss it at home.”

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C1508_1:5,6

9. Part A

Which statement best describes the main difference between Gwen and MissRoscoe in the passage from The Youngest Girl in the Fifth?

Part B

Which two details from the passage support the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Gwen takes time to think while Miss Roscoe acts quickly.

Gwen seems to be timid while Miss Roscoe appears to be daring.

Gwen likes to dream while Miss Roscoe deals with facts.

Gwen wants things to remain the same while Miss Roscoe seeks change.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“. . . quailed alike under the glance of her keen dark eyes.” (paragraph 1)

“. . . stood hesitating near the door.” (paragraph 2)

“‘. . . you ought to be able to manage the work . . . .’” (paragraph 2)

“‘With that help you shouldn’t be so far behind.’” (paragraph 4)

“. . . wished she could have had a little time to get accustomed . . .”(paragraph 7)

“. . . she never had a moment to waste . . . .” (paragraph 7)

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10. Part A

How does the narrator’s point of view influence how the events are described?

Part B

Which detail from the passage supports the answer in Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

By focusing on Gwen’s reactions to the events, the narrator createssympathy for her situation.

By including only Miss Roscoe’s dialogue during the events, the narratorhighlights her power.

By including the students’ reactions to Miss Roscoe during the events, thenarrator provides information about other characters.

By focusing events on Gwen’s feelings about wanting more time to makeher decision, the narrator shows she has trouble making decisions.

A.

B.

C.

D.

“. . . quailed alike under the glance of her keen dark eyes.” (paragraph 1)

“. . . stared at Miss Roscoe, too surprised to answer.” (paragraph 3)

“‘. . . should be very sorry to have to put you down again.’” (paragraph 6)

“It seemed like a dream . . . .” (paragraph 7)

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11. Part A

How do paragraphs 2 and 3 help provide the overall structure of the passage?

Part B

Which two details from paragraphs 6–7 of the passage best support theanswer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

They describe the Principal’s relationship with the students.

They explain how the students feel about the Principal.

They show how quickly the Principal acts on her decision.

They reveal the Principal’s plan to assist struggling students.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“‘. . . you must try your best.’”

“‘I shall trust you to make a great effort.’”

“‘I should be very sorry to have to put you . . . .’”

“‘Come with me now, and I’ll take you . . . .’”

“. . . time to get accustomed to the idea . . .”

“. . . always did things in a hurry . . .”

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STOP

You have come to the end of Unit 1 of the test.

• Review your answers from Unit 1 only. • Then, close your test booklet and answer document and raise your

hand to turn in your test materials.

STOP

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Unit 2

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Directions:





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VF864178

Today you will research how penguins are rescued after a largeoil spill. You will read three articles. As you review these sources,you will gather information and answer questions about therescue of penguins so you can write an essay.

Read the passage from the article by Lauren Tarshis titled “The AmazingPenguin Rescue.” Then answer question 12.

from “The Amazing Penguin Rescue”by Lauren Tarshis

Imagine you are an African penguin living on an island in the middle of theSouth Atlantic Ocean. You live with tens of thousands of other penguins on arocky beach. It’s a typical day there in June—cold and windy. The beach echoeswith penguin noises, barks and honks and brays. Some of your fellow penguinsfight for territory. Others cuddle with their mates and dote on their chicks.

You’re hungry, so you head down to the water’s edge. You waddle on tiny feet,and your wings are too stubby for flying. But in the water, you can swim fasterand dive deeper than any bird on Earth. As you plunge into the sea, your wingsbecome powerful underwater propellers. You shoot through the water at 12 miles an hour, a black-and-white blur, snatching sardines from the surface,

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swallowing them whole, then catching more. Your thick feathers protect youfrom the freezing water.

You stay in the sea for hours until your belly is full. Then you turn to head backto shore.

That’s when something goes wrong.

As you come to the surface for air, the water feels unfamiliar. It is thick, and itburns your eyes. You try to swim away, but suddenly your wings are too heavyto lift and you can barely propel yourself. Your body wobbles and rolls. You feelbitterly cold. You shiver and gasp for breath.

What you don’t know is that just hours ago, a cargo ship called Treasure hit areef and split apart. As it sank, 1,300 tons of toxic crude oil gushed into thesea. Oil surrounds your breeding ground—the largest African penguin breedingground in the world.

You are not the only penguin that has become soaked with the poisonous oil.Thousands of others have been trapped in the massive oil slick.

The impact of oil on a penguin (or any bird) is immediate and devastating. Youare shivering because the oil has caused your layers of feathers to separate.Freezing water now lashes at your sensitive skin. Your eyes hurt because theoil has burned them. Your wings are heavy because they are coated with oil.

But your instinct for survival is strong. Somehow you struggle back to shore,fighting the waves and the current. The trip, usually effortless, is an agonizingordeal. You manage to stagger onto the beach and back to your nest. You lickand peck at your feathers, desperate to clean them. Finally you give up. Thereis nothing to do but stand there, terrified, dazed, and silent.

Strange Creatures

Then the beach is invaded by enormous creatures.

They are humans, but you don’t know that. You have never seen a humanbefore. These men and women know what you don’t: that this oil spill is acatastrophe for you and your species. Some of them have devoted their lives tohelping birds like you, birds caught in oil spills and other human-madedisasters. They have helped with bird rescues around the world. All they careabout is saving your life.

But how could you know this?

As the humans swarm the beach, you are overcome with panic. A man catchesyou. You lash out viciously with your powerful jaws and razor-sharp beak. Youbite his arm, ripping his skin through the fabric of his thick coat. He doesn’t let

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go. You strike again, biting his leg, inflicting a wound that will leave a scar forthe rest of his life. But he cares more about you than himself. All across thebeach, dozens of people are capturing penguins, enduring excruciating bitesand wing slaps as they load you and the other penguins into crates. It ispainful, exhausting work. The sight of all of these scared and injured penguinsis heartbreaking to the humans. Some—grown men and women—fight tears.

But they don’t give up. Tens of thousands of penguins are in danger. And theyintend to save every single one.

Ten miles from the island, outside the city of Cape Town, a team of workersand volunteers has transformed a warehouse into a penguin rescue center.They have worked with astonishing speed. The warehouse holds hundreds ofround enclosures, each large enough for 100 penguins. There are additionalareas where penguins will be washed. One room is filled with ten tons of frozenfish, the amount needed daily to feed the penguins. Acquiring this enormousquantity of fish every day will be one of the workers’ great challenges.

Actually, everything is a challenge. Simply getting one penguin to eat is amonumental task. In the wild, penguins hunt for sardines and gobble them upwhile they are still alive and wriggling. These penguins won’t accept the deadfish offered by human hands; workers have to force-feed them. They mustrestrain a penguin, pry its beak open, and shove the fish down its throat.Feeding one penguin can take an hour. Feeding all of the penguins takes anarmy of workers 15 hours.

And then there is the smell that fills the warehouse—a combination of penguindroppings, dead sardines, and human sweat. It is a stench so powerful thatmany people throw up when they first arrive.

But not even the smell keeps people away.

As news of the rescue effort spreads, hundreds, and then thousands, ofvolunteers flock to the warehouse, eager to help. They are a diverse group,including rich women from fancy neighborhoods and poor teenagers from CapeTown’s streets. Some have experience helping wildlife; some have never evenowned a pet. All of them have one thing in common: a mission to save asmany penguins as possible.

“The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Lauren Tarshis and map graphic fromStoryworks April/May 2011 Issue. Copyright © 2011 by Scholastic, Inc. Usedby permission of Scholastic, Inc.

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12. Part A

What are two main ideas of the article by Lauren Tarshis?

Part B

Which two sentences from the article best support the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Oil spills can spread quickly.

Penguins are good swimmers.

Oil spills are a great threat to penguins.

Penguins take good care of their young.

Penguins are interesting animals to watch.

People work hard to help the penguins get better.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“Others cuddle with their mates and dote on their chicks.”

“As you plunge into the sea, your wings become powerful underwaterpropellers.”

“You are not the only penguin that has become soaked with the poisonousoil.”

“The impact of oil on a penguin (or any bird) is immediate anddevastating.”

“In the wild, penguins hunt for sardines and gobble them up while theyare still alive and wriggling.”

“All of them have one thing in common: a mission to save as manypenguins as possible.”

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VF864356

Read the article by Dyan deNapoli titled “The Amazing Penguin Rescue.”Then answer questions 13 through 15.

The Amazing Penguin Rescueby Dyan deNapoli

as told to Natalie Smith

The summer of 2000, I had just finished my rounds tending to the NewEngland Aquarium’s 60 penguins when I got an urgent call from South Africa.The manager of SANCCOB, a seabird rescue center in Cape Town, was on theline. The region’s penguins were in trouble. The cargo ship MV Treasure hadsunk off the coast of Cape Town, creating an oil spill. Thirteen hundred tons offuel oil were flowing near Robben Island, right in the middle of the African

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penguins’ primary habitat. In a matter of days, thick, toxic liquid had coveredabout 20,000 penguins. Without swift help, the seabirds would have no chancefor survival.

SANCCOB had launched a massive rescue operation for the oiled penguins.Volunteers were showing up by the thousands, but they had no experience.The center needed penguin keepers to train the volunteers. Would I help?

Two days later, I boarded a plane to South Africa. I was about to take part inwhat would become the largest animal rescue operation ever attempted.

A Startling Silence

Just outside Cape Town, a large warehouse had been turned into a rescuecenter for the oiled penguins. The rescuers had set up makeshift pools, whichheld about 100 oiled birds each. Hundreds of pools covered the floor.

When I first walked into the building, I couldn’t believe my ears. Normally,African penguins are vocal birds. I expected to walk in to a chorus of honkingand squawking. Instead, the center sounded like a library. Only the hushedvoices of people could be heard. The penguins were dead silent.

I felt overwhelmed. My heart ached for the distressed birds. Cleaning them allseemed like an impossible task. But we had to carry on like doctors in anemergency room. There was no time for doubt.

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Bird Bath

Cleaning oil off a penguin isn’t easy. It takes two people—one to hold thepenguin, another to do the washing. The bird is sprayed with a degreaser andscrubbed with warm, soapy water. Delicate areas around the face must bebrushed with a toothbrush. Then the bird gets rinsed under a hose. The wholeprocess takes about an hour. Even with more than 12,500 volunteers, it took amonth to bathe all 20,000 birds at the center.

The Spreading Spill

While workers bathed penguins at the rescue center, another crisis wasdeveloping. Oil from the spill had started moving north toward Dassen Island.Tens of thousands of penguins were in the oil’s path. But we already had ourhands full with 20,000 recovering birds. Supplies were running low. If anymore birds were oiled, we wouldn’t have enough resources to save them.

One researcher came up with an idea: What if the Dassen penguins weretemporarily moved out of harm’s way? The method had never been triedbefore. Experts decided to give it a chance. Workers rounded up a largenumber of the penguins on Dassen Island and released them near PortElizabeth, 500 miles away. The hope was that by the time the seabirds swamhome, the oil would be gone. The plan worked! Another 20,000 penguins weresaved.

Amazing Rescue

The entire penguin rescue operation took about three months. In the end,more than 90 percent of the oiled penguins were successfully returned to the

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wild. In a previous large-scale penguin rescue, only half of the oiled birdssurvived. We could hardly believe that our efforts worked!

But for me, the most inspiring part was the work of the volunteers. Rescuingpenguins isn’t glamorous. The stench of the rescue center—a mix of penguindroppings and dead fish—made people feel sick. The scratches and bites ofterrified birds covered volunteers’ arms. As the Penguin Lady, I’m used tofacing such hazards to care for the animals I love. What I didn’t realize washow many other people care for penguins too.

From Scholastic SuperScience, January 2012. Copyright © 2012 by Scholastic,Inc. Used by permission of Scholastic, Inc.

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13. Part A

Read the sentence from paragraph 5 of the article by Dyan deNapoli.

What does the word vocal mean as it is used in the sentence?

Normally, African penguins are vocal birds.

Part B

Which sentence from the article best helps the reader understand themeaning of vocal in Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

shy

fearful

noisy

challenging

A.

B.

C.

D.

“I expected to walk in to a chorus of honking and squawking.”

“Only the hushed voices of people could be heard.”

“I felt overwhelmed.”

“My heart ached for the distressed birds.”

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14. Part A

Select the best summary of the article by Dyan deNapoli.

Part B

Which two quotations from the article best support the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

A large oil spill in the water near Cape Town endangered the lives of anearby penguin population. Despite their efforts, rescuers quickly realizedthat the penguins needed more care than they could provide.

A large oil spill in the water near Cape Town threatened the penguins wholived on a nearby island. Experts spent months caring for the injuredbirds, but many were unable to be released back into the wild.

A large oil spill in the water near Cape Town placed a nearby penguinpopulation in danger. Thousands of rescuers worked together to help thepenguins and eventually returned them to their home.

A large oil spill in the water near Cape Town threatened the lives ofpenguins living nearby. Experts trained many people who volunteered tohelp the penguins.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“The region’s penguins were in trouble.”

“The center needed penguin keepers to train the volunteers.”

“But we already had our hands full with 20,000 recovering birds.”

“If any more birds were oiled, we wouldn’t have enough resources to savethem.”

“In the end, more than 90 percent of the oiled penguins were successfullyreturned to the wild.”

“In a previous large-scale penguin rescue, only half of the oiled birdssurvived.”

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15. Part A

How does the author, Dyan deNapoli, support the idea that cleaning thepenguins was a difficult task?

Part B

Which paragraph in the article by Dyan deNapoli best supports the answer toPart A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

by providing a comparison of two ways to clean penguins

by providing a description of the steps for cleaning penguins

by providing a quotation from someone who cleaned penguins

by providing an explanation of why oil must be cleaned from penguins

A.

B.

C.

D.

paragraph 1

paragraph 6

paragraph 7

paragraph 9

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16. Part A

Which sentence best states a difference between how information ispresented in the article by Lauren Tarshis and how information is presented inthe article by Dyan deNapoli?

Part B

Select two details from the articles that support the answer to Part A. Selectone detail from the article by Lauren Tarshis and one detail from the article byDyan deNapoli.

A.

B.

C.

D.

The article by Tarshis puts the reader in the role of a penguin affected byan oil spill event, while the article by deNapoli tells how a person wasaffected by an oil spill event.

The article by Tarshis focuses on statistics to provide more informationabout an oil spill event, while the article by deNapoli shares the emotionaleffects on rescuers after an oil spill event.

The article by Tarshis tells about the cause of an oil spill event, while thearticle by deNapoli highlights the process used to clean the penguinsaffected by an oil spill event.

The article by Tarshis offers details about the experience of the rescuerswho assist after an oil spill event, while the article by deNapoli discussesthe causes of an oil spill event.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“As it sank, 1,300 tons of toxic crude oil gushed into the sea.” (from thearticle by Tarshis)

“You are not the only penguin that has become soaked with the poisonousoil.” (from the article by Tarshis)

“And they intend to save every single one.” (from the article by Tarshis)

“I was about to take part in what would become the largest animal rescueoperation ever attempted.” (from the article by deNapoli)

“The rescuers had set up makeshift pools, which held about 100 oiledbirds each.” (from the article by deNapoli)

“It takes two people—one to hold the penguin, another to do thewashing.” (from the article by deNapoli)

Refer to the article by Lauren Tarshis titled “The Amazing Penguin Rescue”and the article by Dyan deNapoli titled “The Amazing Penguin Rescue.” Thenanswer questions 16 and 17.

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17. Part A

Which phrase best describes both the workers in the article by Lauren Tarshisand the volunteers in the article by Dyan deNapoli?

Part B

Select one detail from the article by Lauren Tarshis and one detail from thearticle by Dyan deNapoli that best support the answer to Part A.

A.

B.

C.

D.

ready to save as many birds as possible

concerned about slipping on the oil-slick rocks

hopeful that more rescuers will arrive to help

angry because of the carelessness of humans

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“These men and women know what you don’t: that this oil spill is acatastrophe for you and your species.” (article by Lauren Tarshis)

“The sight of all of these scared and injured penguins is heartbreaking tothe humans.” (article by Lauren Tarshis)

“As news of the rescue effort spreads, hundreds, and then thousands, ofvolunteers flock to the warehouse, eager to help.” (article by LaurenTarshis)

“Volunteers were showing up by the thousands, but they had noexperience.” (article by Dyan deNapoli)

“But we already had our hands full with 20,000 recovering birds.” (articleby Dyan deNapoli)

“As the Penguin Lady, I’m used to facing such hazards to care for theanimals I love.” (article by Dyan deNapoli)

GO ON TO NEXT PAGE

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VH145447

Read the article “Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill inSouth Atlantic.” Then answer question 18.

Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic

This is a follow-up to an earlier diary about the threat posed by oil spilled by afreighter that broke up off Nightingale Island, home to approximately half ofthe world’s endangered Northern Rockhopper penguin population.

Here is a brief recap of key events. On March 16, for reasons no one has beenable to determine, a fully loaded freighter containing soybeans slammed intothe rocks off Nightingale Island in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago (a WorldHeritage site) in the south Atlantic. The freighter broke in half and sank,dumping at least 1500 tons of fuel oil in the seas, which formed a heavy oilslick around the island, threatening marine life. The penguins attracted themost attention as they are critically endangered. Because of the remotelocation, it took wildlife rescue teams nearly a week to reach the island by boatand set up operations. Wildlife biologists estimate that half of the 20,000-penguin colony have had some exposure to the oil and over 300 oiledpenguins have already died.

Thanks to outreach and updates by marine biologist David Guggenheim, thedifficult wildlife rescue operation is starting to get broader attention by NGOs1

and the media. CNN has finally covered the story.

This tragedy has been filled with unsung acts of heroism large and small. Iwant to sing their praises.

Shortly after the freighter ran aground, the cruise ship Prince Albert and fishingvessel Edinburgh responded to the distress signal and assisted in the difficulttask of evacuating the 22 crew members of the MS Oliva (Valetta) before itbroke apart and sank. A rescue team from the Prince Albert used smallpontoon vessels to reach the stricken ship, navigating rough seas and rocks inthe process. The crew members were brought to the Edinburgh, which wassmall enough to dock on the island.

The residents of the island and the wildlife rescue teams have been workingaround the clock to save the penguins and other marine animals affected bythe oil. There are four major tasks required to save the penguin colony andother affected wildlife.

1NGOs—nongovernmental organizations

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(1) Locate and retrieve oiled animals. This means using small boats in heavyseas to find the animals in the water, on rocks, and in remote coves. Whileplucking the penguins from the water is relatively easy, getting to the animalson sea-splashed and oil-covered rocks is quite another matter.

At last report, over 3000 oiled penguins have been rescued, along with seabirds and seals.

(2) Treat the affected animals as quickly as possible to reduce ingestion of oil.This requires washing the feathers with detergent to remove oil and thencoaxing them to drink fluids, vitamins and charcoal to absorb ingested oil. It isa labor of love that means working every waking hour for the residents andseveral dozen wildlife rescue specialists.

Once treated the less severely affected penguins are taken to the island’sswimming pool, which has been emptied, partially filled with fresh water, andcleaned frequently.

The more severely affected penguins and other sea birds are being taken towarehouses and specially built sheds. These animals require more care andobservation. They also must be kept warm with heaters or infrared bulbs toprevent pneumonia. The freighter crew has been spending their time buildingthe pens and rehabilitation sheds.

(3) Pen and house the rest of colony to prevent exposure to oil. With moltingseason ending, the penguins’ instinct is to head for the seas to forage for food.

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(4) Feed the entire colony of 20,000 penguins. A large fishing vessel has beenworking continuously since the crisis began to fish for the penguins. The seashave been particularly rough and island residents have emptied their freezersto feed the birds. By the way, fishing is the primary occupation amongresidents. When they donate the contents of their freezers, they are emptyingtheir own larders2 and wallets.

“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic,” © KosMedia, LLC. “Kos” and “Daily Kos” are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC.

2larders—pantry

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18. Part A

What is the meaning of ingestion as it is used in paragraph 9 of the article“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic”?

Part B

Which phrase from paragraph 9 helps the reader understand the meaning ofingestion?

A.

B.

C.

D.

removing from a protective covering

taking something into the body

working hard at a difficult task

sticking tightly to a surface

A.

B.

C.

D.

“Treat the affected animals as quickly as possible . . . .”

“. . . washing the feathers with detergent . . .”

“It is a labor of love . . . .”

“. . . to drink fluids, vitamins and charcoal . . .”

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19. Part A

Which statement best describes a major difference between the structure ofthe articles “The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Dyan deNapoli and “Update onPenguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic”?

A.

B.

C.

D.

“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic”compares and contrasts many ways people can help rescue penguins,while the article by deNapoli focuses on only one part of the rescueprocess.

“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic” ismainly a chronological account of the oil spill itself, while the article bydeNapoli focuses on the causes and effects of the oil spill.

“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic”presents facts to support an argument in favor of helping penguins, whilethe article by deNapoli is focused mostly on opinion and emotions relatedto the oil spill.

“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic”provides the main steps in the process of the rescue effort, while thearticle by deNapoli is a firsthand account of one person’s experience.

Refer to the article by Dyan deNapoli titled “The Amazing Penguin Rescue”and the article “Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in SouthAtlantic.” Then answer question 19.

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A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“The cargo ship MV Treasure had sunk off the coast of Cape Town,creating an oil spill.” (“The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Dyan deNapoli)

“The rescuers had set up makeshift pools, which held about 100 oiledbirds each.” (“The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Dyan deNapoli)

“But for me, the most inspiring part was the work of the volunteers.”(“The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Dyan deNapoli)

“The penguins attracted the most attention as they are criticallyendangered.” (“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in SouthAtlantic”)

“The crew members were brought to the Edinburgh, which was smallenough to dock on the island.” (“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts fromOil Spill in South Atlantic”)

“There are four major tasks required to save the penguin colony andother affected wildlife.” (“Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spillin South Atlantic”)

Part B

Choose two pieces of evidence, one from each article, that support theanswer in Part A.

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20. You have read three articles about penguin rescue efforts after an oil spill.

• from “The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Lauren Tarshis

• “The Amazing Penguin Rescue” by Dyan deNapoli

• “Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic”

Write an essay explaining the similarities and differences in each article’spoint of view about penguin rescue efforts after an oil spill. Support youressay with information from all three sources.

Refer to the article by Lauren Tarshis titled “The Amazing Penguin Rescue,”the article by Dyan deNapoli titled “The Amazing Penguin Rescue,” and thearticle “Update on Penguin Rescue Efforts from Oil Spill in South Atlantic.”Then answer question 20.

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VF886479

Today you will read a passage from “The Growin’ of PaulBunyan.” As you read, pay close attention to the characters’thoughts. This will help you answer questions and prepare you towrite a narrative story.

Read the passage from the story “The Growin’ of Paul Bunyan.” Thenanswer questions 21 through 25.

from “The Growin’ of Paul Bunyan”by William J. Brooke

Paul Bunyan finds Johnny Appleseed after Paul chops down all the trees Johnnyhas planted for six days.

Starin’ out at the orange sun, Johnny asks, “Are they all gone?” Paul looks backover his shoulder an’ allows as how they are. Paul waits for Johnny to saysomethin’ else, but he just keeps starin’, so Paul says, “It took you six days toplant ‘em an’ it took me only three days to chop ‘em down. Pretty good, huh?”

Johnny looks up an’ smiles sadly. “It’s always easier to chop somethin’ downthan to make it grow.” Then he goes back to starin’.

Now that rankles Paul. When he beats somebody fair an’ square, he expectsthat someone to admit it like a man. “What’s so hard about growin’ a treeanyway?” he grumps. “You just stick it in the ground an’ the seed does all thework.”

Johnny reaches way down in the bottom o’ his bag an’ holds out a seed. “It’sthe last one,” he says. “All the rest o’ my dreams is so much kindlin’ wood, sowhy don’t you take this an’ see if it’s so easy to make it grow.”

Paul hems an’ haws, but he sees as how he has to make good on his word. Sohe takes the little bitty seed an’ pushes it down in the ground with the tip o’one fingernail. He pats the soil around it real nice, like he seen Johnny do.Then he sits down to wait as the sun sets.

“I’m not as fast as you at this,” Paul says, “but you’ve had more practice. An’I’m sure my tree will be just as good as any o’ yours.”

“Not if it dies o’ thirst,” says Johnny’s voice out o’ the dark.

Paul hasn’t thought about that. So when the moon comes up, he heads back toa stream he passed about two hunnert miles back. But he don’t have nothin’ to

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carry water in, so he scoops up a double handful an’ runs as fast as he canwith the water slippin’ betwixt his fingers. When he gets back, he’s got abouttwo drops left.

“Guess I’ll have to get more water,” he says, a mite winded.

“Don’t matter,” says Johnny’s voice, “if the rabbits get the seed.”

An’ there in the moonlight, Paul sees all the little cottontails hoppin’ around an’scratchin’ at the ground. Not wishin’ to hurt any of ‘em, he picks ‘em up, one ata time, an’ moves ‘em away, but they keep hoppin’ back. So, seein’ as how hestill needs water, he grabs ‘em all up an’ runs back to the stream, sets therabbits down, grabs up the water, runs back, flicks two more drops on the spot,pushes away the new batch o’ rabbits movin’ in, an’ tries to catch his breath.

“Just a little more water an’ a few less rabbits an’ it’ll be fine,” Paul saysbetween gasps.

Out o’ the dark comes Johnny’s voice. “Don’t matter, if the frost gets it.”

Paul feels the cold ground an’ he feels the moisture freezin’ on his hands. So hegets down on his knees an’ he folds his hands around that little spot o’ dirt an’,gentle as he can, breathes his warm breath onto that tiny little seed. Timepasses and the rabbits gather round to enjoy the warmth an’ scratch their softlittle backs up against those big calloused hands. As the night wears on, Paulfalls into a sleep, but his hands never stop cuppin’ that little bit o’ life.

Sometime long after moonset, the voice o’ Johnny Appleseed comes driftin’soft out o’ the dark an’ says, “Nothin’s enough if you don’t care enough.”

Paul wakes up with the sun. He sets up an’ stretches an’ for a minute he can’tremember where he is. Then he looks down an’ he gives a whoop. ‘Cause hesees a little tiny bit o’ green pokin’ up through the grains o’ dirt. “Hey, Johnny,”he yells, “look at this!” But Johnny Appleseed is gone, slipped away in thenight. Paul is upset for a minute, then he realizes he don’t need to brag toanybody, that that little slip o’ green is all the happiness he needs right now.

Excerpt from “The Growin’ of Paul Bunyan” from A TELLING OF THE TALES byWilliam J. Brooke, text copyright © 1990 by William J. Brooke. Used bypermission of HarperCollins Publishers.

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21. Part A

Which statement explains how Paul responds to Johnny’s challenge of turninga seed into a tree?

Part B

Which detail from the story supports the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Paul is sad that Johnny misses the trees and wants him to feel better.

Paul is annoyed and wants to prove to Johnny that growing a tree is easyto do.

Paul is proud that he has cut down the trees and is surprised that Johnnyis unhappy.

Paul is angry and wants to demonstrate to Johnny that he does not careabout growing trees.

A.

B.

C.

D.

“‘What’s so hard about growin’ a tree anyway?’”

“Paul hems an’ haws, but he sees as how he has to make good on hisword.”

“Not wishin’ to hurt any of ‘em, he picks ‘em up, one at a time . . . .”

“Paul is upset for a minute, then he realizes he don’t need to brag toanybody . . . .”

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22. Part A

At the beginning of the story, how is Johnny’s view about his trees differentfrom Paul’s?

Part B

Choose two details, one for Johnny and one for Paul, that support the answerto Part A.

A.

B.

C.

D.

Johnny views his trees as food for the rabbits while Paul views them asuseful in his work.

Johnny views his trees as the result of hard work while Paul views themas objects to win a contest.

Johnny views his trees as needing his protection while Paul views them asneeding too much care.

Johnny views his trees as friends that he needs to take care of while Paulviews them as something to brag about.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“‘It took you six days to plant ‘em an’ it took me only three days to chop‘em down.’”

“‘It’s always easier to chop somethin’ down than to make it grow.’”

“Johnny reaches way down in the bottom o’ his bag an’ holds out a seed.”

“So he takes the little bitty seed an’ pushes it down in the ground withthe tip o’ one fingernail.”

“He pats the soil around it real nice, like he seen Johnny do.”

“‘Don’t matter,’ says Johnny’s voice, ‘if the rabbits get the seed.’”

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VH050618_4:4

23. Part A

How do paragraphs 9, 12, and 15 contribute to the overall structure of thestory?

Part B

Which paragraph best supports the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

They include a series of events that challenge the characters.

They provide details that explain the importance of the setting to thecharacters.

They identify the source of the conflict between the characters.

They describe the process by which one of the characters learns a lesson.

A.

B.

C.

D.

paragraph 8

paragraph 11

paragraph 14

paragraph 16

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24. Part A

How does the narrator’s point of view most influence how the events aredescribed in the passage from “The Growin’ of Paul Bunyan”?

Part B

Which detail from the passage supports the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

It reveals Paul’s actions while he cares for the seed.

It shows Paul’s past experience with planting.

It shows Paul’s reasons for chopping down trees.

It reveals Paul’s relationship with Johnny.

A.

B.

C.

D.

“‘It’s always easier to chop somethin’ down than to make it grow.’”

“‘What’s so hard about growin’ a tree anyway?’”

“So he gets down on his knees an’ he folds his hands around that littlespot o’ dirt an’, gentle as he can, breathes his warm breath onto that tinylittle seed.”

“Paul is upset for a minute, then he realizes he don’t need to brag toanybody, that that little slip o’ green is all the happiness he needs rightnow.”

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VH054046

25. You have read a passage from “The Growin’ of Paul Bunyan.” Think about howthe story would be different if it were told from Johnny’s point of view. Writethe story from the point of view of Johnny.

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00082

Read the article “Phillis’s Big Test.” Then answer questions 26 through 31.

Phillis’s Big Testby Catherine Clinton

ONE CRISP EARLY-AUTUMN morning in 1772, Phillis Wheatley was crossing theBoston cobblestones with a sheaf of papers held tightly under her arm. Hermaster, John Wheatley, had offered her a ride to her examination, but shepreferred to walk.

She would make her own way to the public hall, where a group of men woulddecide once and for all: was she or was she not the author of her poems?

She had spent recent evenings copying and recopying her poetry in her ownneat handwriting. She knew every line, every syllable, by heart. She wrappedthe pages tightly in a roll, pages of poems that had come from deep insideher—and could not be taken away, no matter the outcome of today.

Still, she had something to prove. Not just because she was young, not justbecause she was a girl, but because she was a slave and came from Africa.

She could remember little about crossing the Atlantic, and even less about herAfrican homeland. She was just shedding her front teeth when John Wheatleybought her on the Boston docks as a servant for his wife, Susanna. Theychristened their new slave Phillis, the name of the slave ship on which shearrived.

Her first winter in Boston was so very cold and awful. She survived only by thekindness of her masters, especially the Wheatleys’ twins, Nathaniel and Mary,who eagerly shared their lessons with her. They taught her not just English butLatin and Greek.

It was those lessons that led her to where she was today. As she began to readpoetry, glorious sonnets had inspired her to try her own hand at writing. Andsoon she was reciting her poems to the Wheatleys’ friends.

She had stayed up late, night after night, preparing for the examination. Theprevious evening, her mistress, Susanna, had taken away the candle atmidnight and said, “Tomorrow you will look them straight in the eye as you

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answer all of their questions. Your talent will speak for itself. They will discoverthe poet we know you to be! And when your book is published, everyone willknow!”

Books had opened up a whole new world to Phillis, as she was taught literatureand geography, as she memorized the names of cities and countries, lists ofkings and queens, and dates of discoveries.

Over time she had come to appreciate her own time and place, her very ownrole in the chain of events stretching from past to present. She did not knowwhy she had been brought from Africa to Boston, or why she had ended up inthe Wheatley home. But she knew that she must now make the most of heropportunities. She must make her voice heard.

She was not content to recite her verse in drawing rooms or read one of herpoems from a newspaper. She wanted her own book, because books would notjust last a lifetime; they would be there for her children and her children’schildren.

She hurried by the bookseller’s shop that she visited weekly. Today, Phillis didnot have time to step inside and smell the leather bindings. Maybe soon shewould visit and find her own name on a volume.

But she must first pass this examination to make her dream come true. Therewould be only eighteen gentlemen. She had often entertained as large a crowdin the Wheatley parlor.

This group, though, would include the governor, the lieutenant governor,famous ministers, and published poets . . . all learned men. Many had studiedacross the river at Harvard and knew much more than she did.

Phillis felt a chill as she neared the building. She started to turn away, but thenSusanna Wheatley’s words echoed in her head: Your talent will speak for itself.

Phillis slowly mounted the steps. She would face her examiners—not just forherself or for the Wheatleys, but for her family back in Africa, and for her newbrothers and sisters in America, who deserved their own poet.

As she turned the handle on the large wooden door, the sunlight framed herentrance. She moved into the hall as all eyes turned toward her:

“Good day, gentlemen. I am the poet, Phillis Wheatley.”

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

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NO RECORD EXISTS of her examination, but we now know that Phillis passedwith flying colors. The men signed a document testifying to Wheatley’sauthorship, which appeared in the back of her volume of poems, published in1773.

Excerpt from PHILLIS’S BIG TEST by Catherine Clinton. Text copyright © byCatherine Clinton. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin HarcourtPublishing Company. All rights reserved.

19

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2111_A_3:1

26. Part A

In paragraph 19 of “Phillis’s Big Test,” what is the meaning of the phrasetestifying to?

Part B

Which sentence from the article helps the reader understand the meaning ofthe phrase testifying to as it is used in paragraph 19?

A.

B.

C.

D.

offering

exhibiting

confirming

representing

A.

B.

C.

D.

“She would make her own way to the public hall, where a group of menwould decide once and for all: was she or was she not the author of herpoems?” (paragraph 2)

“She had spent recent evenings copying and recopying her poetry in herown neat handwriting.” (paragraph 3)

“She was not content to recite her verse in drawing rooms or read one ofher poems from a newspaper.” (paragraph 11)

“She wanted her own book, because books would not just last a lifetime;they would be there for her children and her children’s children.”(paragraph 11)

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2117_A_2:4

27. Part A

According to the article “Phillis’s Big Test,” which statement explains PhillisWheatley’s relationship with her master and his family?

Part B

Which sentence from the article provides support for the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

They treated her as a servant.

They supported her as a writer.

They provided her with transportation.

They named her after a ship.

A.

B.

C.

D.

“ONE CRISP EARLY-AUTUMN morning in 1772, Phillis Wheatley wascrossing the Boston cobblestones with a sheaf of papers held tightlyunder her arm.” (paragraph 1)

“She was just shedding her front teeth when John Wheatley bought heron the Boston docks as a servant for his wife, Susanna.” (paragraph 5)

“They christened their new slave Phillis, the name of the slave ship onwhich she arrived.” (paragraph 5)

“She started to turn away, but then Susanna Wheatley’s words echoed inher head: Your talent will speak for itself.” (paragraph 15)

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X0504_4:3,6

28. Part A

Which statement best expresses the main ideas of the article?

Part B

Which two details from the article support the answer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Phillis memorized her poetry by copying it, and she was fully prepared topass her exam.

Phillis was grateful to her new family, and she wrote poetry to describeher experiences with them.

Phillis enjoyed writing poetry, and she was encouraged to publish herwork.

Phillis was motivated by literature to express herself, and she overcamechallenges to become a poet.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“She knew every line, every syllable, by heart.” (paragraph 3)

“She survived only by the kindness of her masters, especially theWheatleys’ twins . . . .” (paragraph 6)

“As she began to read poetry, glorious sonnets had inspired her to try herown hand at writing.” (paragraph 7)

“Over time she had come to appreciate her own time and place, her veryown role in the chain of events . . . .” (paragraph 10)

“But she knew that she must now make the most of her opportunities.”(paragraph 10)

“But she must first pass this examination to make her dream come true.”(paragraph 13)

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X0501_2:4

29. Part A

What is the difference between Phillis’s audience at the Wheatley’s home andthe men at the exam?

Part B

Which paragraph from “Phillis’s Big Test” provides evidence to support theanswer to Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

The Wheatley audience reads her poetry before she recites it.

The men at the exam require her to prove herself.

The Wheatley audience includes highly educated people.

The men at the exam are greater in number.

A.

B.

C.

D.

paragraph 11

paragraph 13

paragraph 14

paragraph 16

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X0509_2:4,5

30. Part A

How does the author use evidence to support the point that Phillis wasdetermined to succeed?

Part B

Which two details from the article support the answer in Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

by showing that she stayed busy reading literature

by showing that she worked hard and had future plans

by showing that she was independent and had strong opinions

by showing that she received support and a good education

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“. . . had offered her a ride to her examination, but she preferred towalk.” (paragraph 1)

“. . . could not be taken away, no matter the outcome of today.”(paragraph 3)

“They taught her not just English but Latin and Greek.” (paragraph 6)

“She had stayed up late, night after night, preparing for the examination.”(paragraph 8)

“She wanted her own book, because books would not just last a lifetime . . . .” (paragraph 11)

“She hurried by the bookseller’s shop that she visited weekly.” (paragraph 12)

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X0512_4:5,6

31. Part A

Based on information in “Phillis’s Big Test,” what is the main reason thatPhillis works hard to pass the examination?

Part B

Which two sentences provide evidence for the answer in Part A?

A.

B.

C.

D.

to gain fame as a poet

to show her skill at reciting poetry

to make the Wheatley family proud

to achieve what she thinks she is meant to do

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

“As she began to read poetry, glorious sonnets had inspired her to try herown hand at writing.” (paragraph 7)

“‘Your talent will speak for itself.’” (paragraph 8)

“‘They will discover the poet we know you to be!’” (paragraph 8)

“Over time she had come to appreciate her own time and place, her veryown role in the chain of events stretching from past to present.”(paragraph 10)

“But she knew that she must now make the most of her opportunities.”(paragraph 10)

“‘I am the poet, Phillis Wheatley.’” (paragraph 18)

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1105811 ISD155081 2 3 4 5 A B C D E Printed in the USA

5ELAP

ELA05FS

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