Ninth grade.9° (1)

Name: ____________________ Date: __________________

Mary's Hobbies and Interests

Mary has a lot of hobbies and interests. She usually gets up early so she can run before work. She doesn't often have time to ski, but she occasionally goes on Saturdays during the winter. Mary often rides a horse at a stable near here home. She sometimes goes after work, but she usually goes horseback riding on Sundays. She loves music. She always goes to choir practice on Wednesday evenings and sings in church on Sundays. She doesn't have much extra money, so she rarely goes to concerts in the city. She seldom watches TV because she likes doing things outside. She usually goes to the gym if it's raining outside. She isn't often alone because she has a lot of friends. She occasionally does something alone, but she usually does her activities with one of her friends. She's a happy woman!

Choose the correct answer to these questions based on Mary's Hobbies and Interests.

Why does she usually get up early?

She gets up early to run before work.

She gets up early to go to work.

She gets up early to have breakfast.

How often does she ski?

She often skis.

She occasionally skis in winter.

She rarely skis in Winter

How often does she ride a horse?

She rides a horse every day.

She often rides a horse.

She never rides a horse.When doe she usually go horseback riding

She usually goes horseback riding after work.

She usually goes horseback riding on Saturdays.

She usually goes horseback riding on Sundays.

Ninth grade.9°(2)

Vitamin DScientists have known for a long time that vitamin D is essential for humans. If children have a vitamin D or calcium deficiency, they can develop rickets, a softening of the bones. New studies are showing that people of all ages need vitamin D to help them fight off diseases by keeping their immune systems strong.

1. The main idea of this paragraph is that vitamin D _______.

a. is found in milkb. has been studied by scientistsc. is no secretd. is important for good health

2. If something is essential, it is _______.

a. harmfulb. expensivec. dreadfuld. needed

3. When you have a deficiency of something, you _______.a. have all you needb. do not have enoughc. look like an oniond. are rich

Our bodies can make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. However, it’s best to eat a diet that is rich in the vitamin.

4. The remainder of the above incomplete paragraph probably goes on to _______. (Remember that every paragraph should have a single main idea.)

a. say why vitamin C is also importantb. explain why you should brush your teeth after eating beetlesc. give some examples of foods that are rich in vitamin Dd. say which diseases might be prevented by vitamin D

5. Which statement is false?

a. Some foods contain vitamin D.b. Our bodies can use sunlight to make vitamin D.

c. Some people don’t have to get vitamin D from food.d. If you’re a child, you will definitely get rickets if you don’t play in the sun. 

Ninth grade.9°(3)Name: ___________________ Grade:____________________

Madison and Carson.

Carson’s older sister, Madison, is a very good student. She isn’t satisfied to just get by in school. She’s involved in extra activities including band and the Good Citizens Club.

1. Which statement is not supported by the paragraph. (It may or may not be factual.)

a. Music is part of Madison’s school experience.b. Madison is a straight A student.c. Carson is younger than Madison.d. Madison is a member of at least one club.

2. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

a. Madison was born before Carson.b. Madison likes music.c. Madison is a very good student.d. Madison is cruel and unusual.

Almost every day after school, Madison and Carson have fun at the local winter sports facility. Carson glides down the mountainside without ever losing his balance. Madison has a different style. She often soars into the air, lands in various twisted positions, and waits for her snowboard to join her on the ground.

3. From this paragraph, we can conclude that _______

a. Carson prefers skiing to snowboarding.b. Madison and Carson do not live in Florida.c. Madison is as graceful as a swan.d. It never snows in Vermont.

4. The selection informs us that _______

a. Madison doesn’t like winter sports because she always falls.b. Carson owns a plane.c. Madison loves tennis.d. Both Carson and Madison enjoy their time on the snowy slopes.

Tenth grade.10°(1)Name: ___________________ Grade:____________________

Pizza and Comprehension

“Perry’s Pepper Pizza Parlor!” Perry said. “May I help you?”

“Yes, I’d like to order a large pepper pepperoni pizza with hot peppers and green peppers,” said the lady on the other end of the phone.

“Is that all, ma’am?” asked Perry.“Yes, but please put the hot peppers on half the pizza

and the green peppers on both halves.”“Also, I’d like the pepperoni on the hot pepper part but

not on the green pepper part.”“But didn’t you say you wanted the green peppers on

both parts?”“That’s right,” the lady replied.“That’s not possible!” Perry pronounced.“Why can’t I have green peppers on the whole pizza?”“I mean the pepperoni part.”“I don’t see why pepperoni placement is so difficult,”

the lady said. “But if that’s too much trouble, just put the pepperoni on the whole pizza!” she added impatiently.

Perry sighed. “That will be twelve dollars and fourteen cents.”

“Can you deliver my pizza?”“Sure can. What’s your address?”“There’s no number, but I live on Forestview Road.”“Can you help me a little more than that?” Perry asked,

trying to be as pleasant as possible.“I live in a white trailer with a pickup truck in the

driveway,” responded the lady.Perry wanted to scream, “So does everyone else in this

county!” but he restrained himself. “Can you give me a little more help than that?” he asked calmly.

“Yes, there is no blue picket fence in front of our home,” said the lady.

“Are there blue picket fences in front of all the other homes on your road?”

“No, silly, but we used to have one a few years ago. Just look for the home that doesn’t have one there anymore.”

Perry began to dream about early retirement. “I’m kind of confused,” he said in a shaky voice.

“No offense, sir,” the lady said, “but you do have a listening comprehension problem.”

Underline every statement that must be true based on the selection.

1. Perry’s Pepper Pizza Parlor peddled Pepsi.2. Perry’s Pepper Pizza Parlor would deliver pizzas to people’s homes.3. Everyone in the county lived in a white trailer.4. Perry worked to hide his impatience with the caller.

5. Perry wasn’t good at understanding what people were saying.6. The caller said that she lived on Forestview Road.

Tenth grade.10°(2)Name: ___________________ Grade:____________________

Our Heritage: American!

Our heritage: American!A treasure we all share,Our family trees have brought us here,From almost everywhere.

Our heritage: American!A family of all,A blend of cultures forming one,United, standing tall.

Our heritage: American!Our history is strong,

Progressing through adversity,Creating rights from wrong.

Our heritage: American!A land of liberty,Respecting differences that glow,And true equality.

Our heritage: American!We’re leading near and far,Advancing justice in the world,And proud of who we are.

Answer the following questions.

1. “Our family trees have brought us here,From almost everywhere.” What do these lines mean?

a. Many Americans have been farmers.b. Americans’ ancestors have come here from all over the world.c. Boats used by earlier settlers were made of wood.d. You should take good care of any trees that are on your property.

2. “A blend of cultures forming one.” What do these words mean?

a. Americans know how to walk in a single line.b. Cultures can be confusing.c. It might be possible for us to choose the one ideal culture for everyone to look to as an example.d. The American way of life has been enriched by ideas and traditions from many lands.

3. “Creating rights from wrong.” These words do NOT refer to this.

a. Americans won a war for independence.b. The Constitution guaranteed citizens the right to express their opinions.c. The rule was established that the President of the United States must be at least thirty-five years old.d. Slavery was abolished after the Civil War.e. Women gained the right to vote.

4. What does the author mean by “true equality”?

a. Our laws say that every human is born to have the same rights.b. All Americans must think and act alike.c. Math is an important subject for all students.d. People who are cuter should have more rights than others.

5. For Discussion: What other ideas does the poem express? Are there any other ideas that you would have liked the poem to mention?

Tenth grade.10°(3)Name: ___________________ Grade:____________________

A Little AdviceAllow me to give you a little advice about writing

fiction. First, make your characters believable. Make sure that they behave and talk as individuals. In real life, everyone is unique. If all your characters speak the same way and react to things in the same way, you’ll lose your readers from the start.

Once your readers believe in your characters, you must get them to care. Each reader must be able to identify with at least one character, to almost become that character in his or her mind. You can do this by developing characters with genuine human traits, both good and bad. The individuals who populate your story should have human strengths and weaknesses.

Now it’s time to weave your tale, to create a plot. Your readers are part of the story now; they are involved.

One last thing. Your story must touch the readers’ emotions. If you can make them laugh and cry along with your characters, you will be a successful writer.

 

1. For discussion: Think of a favorite book, movie, or television program. Give examples of how the author or writers followed any of the rules presented in this essay.

2. Solve the crossword puzzle. Every word in the puzzle can be found in the essay:

Across

2. To put oneself in another's place4. Qualities; properties7. Not fake8. Permit10. Being a part of12. Live in14. Feelings

Down

1. Different from all others3. Made up but realistic5. Building6. Make; fashion9. Act11. Events that make a story13. Story

Eleventh grade.11°(1)Name: ___________________ Grade: ____________________

MysteriesI might be letting my young son watch too much

television. I am certainly watching too many of his programs. They can really be perplexing as they force you to ponder the mysteries of life.

For example, when Franklin (the turtle) wanted a pet, his parents didn’t want it to be a frog. They felt that frogs belong in a pond. Isn't that where turtles belong?

And why is it that Little Bear’s animal friends can all talk and behave like people, but his friend Emily has a dog that can only bark and fetch? Tell me that isn’t a mystery!

Dog lovers can be reassured by Kipper and his friends. These dogs are very human. However, the only time they wear clothes is when they put on bathing suits to go swimming. I’m confused!

Speaking of dogs, could Pluto ever be Goofy’s pet? I don’t get it! What did the great Mr. Disney have in mind?

And this is gross! The other day we watched a very nice little pig setting up a picnic. One of the foods was a big ham. Could it have been a soy ham? Is there such a thing? I hope so!

Another thing that bothers me: What if Elmo isn’t real? He can’t be a mere puppet! He’s got a better attitude than most people. I just keep wondering.

I think we’ll turn off the TV and go out for a walk. Maybe we’ll run into that mouse who dresses well but certainly doesn’t speak as clearly as the average bear.

 

 

1. Which word is a synonym of “perplexing”?

a. boringb. confusingc. humorousd. itchy

2. Which word is a synonym of “ponder”?

a. avoidb. rememberc. considerd. distant

3. The author thinks it’s “gross” when __________.

a. a pig has a picnic because pigs are dirty animalsb. a pig eats soy beans because soy beans give pigs gasc. a pig eats ham because ham is too expensive for farm animalsd. a pig eats ham because ham is made from pigs

4. The author probably __________.

a. believes that Elmo is a real live creatureb. wishes that Elmo were a real live creaturec. feels that Elmo is a very annoying creatured. won’t let his son watch Sesame Street

5. The author is implying that __________.

a. there’s a TV mouse that should speak more clearlyb. TV mice should not wear good clothesc. bears can really speak more clearly than miced. watching television is better than playing outdoors

Eleventh grade.11°(2)Name: ___________________ Grade: ____________________

Democracy and Freedom

Use the context of the selections to help you choose the correct meaning of each boldfaced word.

1. In a democracy, the people choose their government. In order to make intelligent choices, the people need to know what those who are running the government are doing. They must be able to get news that is not controlled by the government. Newspapers and other news organizations must be able to report all the news. Freedom of the press is a very important part of any democracy.

a. to pushb. a strong forward movementc. to keep askingd. news reporting organizations

 

2. Freedom of speech is just as important as freedom of the press. That means that all citizens should have the right to inform others of what they know and express their opinions. That doesn’t mean being able to lock yourself in a closet and whisper. It means being able to get your thoughts out to as many people as possible. Beware of politicians who want to repress that right.

a. control, or hold downb. push againc. fight to protectd. say again

 

3. In a free society, people can practice their religious beliefs without fear. They may also elect to belong to no religion at all. Freedom of religion is safest in democratic nations.

a. voteb. askc. findd. choose

 

4. In order for people to be able to exercise their rights, they must be able to work together. They must be able to form groups to give strength to their causes. That right is known as freedom of assembly.

a. a concertb. speakingc. listeningd. joining together

Eleventh grade.11°(3)Name: ___________________ Grade: ____________________

The PaintingA new painting was hanging in the Hemlock Mills Art

Gallery. Throughout the day, visitors stood before the new exhibit and speculated as to what it represented.

“I think it’s a terrifying monster,” said Misty. “There’s no name on it, but I’m sure it was drawn by a famous artist.”

“I would say that it’s a picture of a park as seen from an airplane,” mused James. “I see many trees and roads.”

Miss Culture, the local art critic for the Hemlock Weekly News, made her pronouncement. “This is clearly a masterpiece created by an artist who wishes to be anonymous at this stage of his or her career. The brilliant strokes of color symbolize a person who is looking back at an exciting lifetime of accomplishments!”

At that moment, Mr. Lightman, the gallery curator, entered the room. “Isn’t it great?” he asked with a big smile on his face. “My three year old did that this morning. He says it’s a maze. I think it’s amazing!”

Answer:

1. In your opinion, which visitor had the best guess as to what the painting represented?

2. What does the painting look like to you?

3. How would you describe Miss Culture?

4. Why do you think the curator decided to exhibit the painting?