Higher-Order Thinking-D

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Builds Higher-Order Thinking & Reading Skills

………….. Higher-Order Thinking & Reading Skills Reading Levels 3–8

• Designed to help students build higher-order thinking skills. - Summarizing - Analyzing - Interpreting - Predicting - Evaluating

• Part 1: Guided Practice • Part 2: Independent Practice

Level Reading 30-Pack 100-Pack Level Item # Item # C 3 5935-7 5936-4

D 4 5938-8 5939-5 E 5 5941-8 5942-5 F 6 5944-9 5945-6 G 7 5947-0 5948-7 H 8 5950-0 5951-7

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RALLY! EDUCATION 22 Railroad Avenue Glen Head, NY 11545 888-99-RALLY Fax: 1-516-671-7900 www.RALLYEDUCATION.com [email protected]

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Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Questions and Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Common Core Standards Correlated toRALLY!’s Reading Comprehension Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Test-Taking Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Part 1: Guided Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Part 2: Independent Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Executive Editor: Amy CollinsDesign Director: Jean-Paul VestEditor: Shelley Wake

The New York State Education Department has neither endorsed nor authorized thispractice test booklet.

ISBN 978-1-4204-5937-1R 5937-1

Copyright ©2011 RALLY! EDUCATION. All rights reserved. No part of the material protectedby this copyright may be reproduced in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Printed in the U.S.A.

0910.MAQ

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Higher-Order Thinking and Reading Skills • Level D1

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Introduction

Test Success Series: Higher-Order Thinking & Reading Skills prepares students to answerhigher-order thinking questions on tests. Higher-order thinking skills include:Summarizing, Analyzing, Inferring, Interpreting, Predicting, and Evaluating. Each of theHigher-Order Thinking Skills are made up of different reading comprehension skills.

Summarizing: Main Idea, Cause/Effect, Compare/ContrastAnalyzing: Cause/Effect, Compare/Contrast, Fact/OpinionInferring: Conclusions, Inferences, PredictionsInterpreting: Conclusions, Inferences, Predictions, Character-Plot-Setting (fiction)Predicting: Cause/Effect, PredictionsEvaluating: Author’s Point of View/Purpose, Fact/Opinion, Compare/Contrast

Part 1Part 1 provides instruction and practice in answering questions using higher-orderthinking skills. Students read one literary passage and one informational passage andanswer the multiple-choice questions that follow each passage. Each question has a hintthat provides guidance on how to answer the question.

Part 2Part 2 provides additional practice in answering questions using higher-order thinkingskills. Students read passages and answer the multiple-choice questions that follow eachpassage on their own. Part 2 includes both literary passages and informational passages.

Questions and DirectionsHigher-Order Thinking & Reading Skills only includes multiple-choice questions. Eachquestion offers four possible answer choices. Students should review the questions andfour choices carefully and select the answer they think is best.


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Common Core StandardsCorrelated to RALLY!’s Reading Comprehension Skills

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading

The K–5 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to doby the end of each grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standardsbelow by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providingbroad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills andunderstandings that all students must demonstrate.

Key Ideas and Details

1.Read closely to determine what the text says explicitlyand to make logical inferences from it; cite specifictextual evidence when writing or speaking to supportconclusions drawn from the text.

2.Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyzetheir development; summarize the key supporting detailsand ideas.

3.Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideasdevelop and interact over the course of a text.

Craft and Structure

4.Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,including determining technical, connotative, andfigurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

5.Analyze the structure of texts, including how specificsentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate toeach other and the whole.

6.Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the contentand style of a text.

Skill 12: Point of View and PurposeSkill 13: Literary Forms and Sources

Skill 3: Sequence

Skill 4: Language and VocabularySkill 14 Prior Knowledge

Skill 5: Character, Plot, and SettingSkill 6: Cause and EffectSkill 7: Compare and ContrastSkill 9: Prediction

Skill 1: Facts and DetailsSkill 2: Main IdeaSkill 4: Language and VocabularySkill 5: Character, Plot, and Setting

Skill 1: Facts and DetailsSkill 10: Draw ConclusionsSkill 11: Make Inferences


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Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7.Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse mediaand formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.*

8.Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claimsin a text, including the validity of the reasoning as wellas the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

9.Analyze how two or more texts address similar themesor topics in order to build knowledge or to compare theapproaches the authors take.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

10.Read and comprehend complex literary andinformational texts independently and proficiently.

Not Applicable

Skill 7: Compare and ContrastSkill 12: Point of View and Purpose

Skill 1: Facts and DetailsSkill 2: Main IdeaSkill 6: Cause and EffectSkill 7: Compare and ContrastSkill 8: Fact and Opinion

Not Applicable


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Test -Taking StrategiesThere are six steps that you can follow to becomea better test taker.

1. Relax:Everyone gets nervous about tests. It is normal.Try to relax and not worry!

2. Listen:Listen to and read all the directions carefully! Ask yourteacher to explain any directions you do not understand.

3. Read:Read each question and answer very carefully!

4. Think:If you are not sure how to answer a question right away,relax and give yourself some time to think about it.Eliminate answer choices that you know are incorrectand choose from those that remain.• Do what you are asked to do. Make sure you understand

what the question is asking.• Make sure your answer makes sense. Think it through.• If more than one answer seems right, pick the answer

that sounds best or most correct.

5. Plan Your Time:Do not spend too much time on any one question! If aquestion seems to take too long, skip it and go back to itlater (if possible). Answer the questions you are sure of first.

6. Be Positive:Some questions will be hard to answer and others will beeasy. Don’t be concerned with other students. Justconcentrate and try your best!

RALLY! EDUCATIONWe’re All About Student Success!

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Reya’s Day Off

1 It wasn’t that Reya disliked helping people; it was just that so manypeople asked for her help all the time. For example, before school onMonday, she had helped her little sister, Carlita, get dressed, and thenhad quizzed Carlita to make sure that she knew her spelling words. Atschool, Mr. Clemente had asked her to collect the other kids’homework and wash the chalkboards. After dinner, she had helpedMama by clearing the table and washing the dishes and, as if thatweren’t enough, Reya had spent nearly two hours on her own mathand English homework. As she crawled into bed, she thought about allthe people whom she had assisted. Reya always did whatever peopleasked, and she never complained. Everyone knew that Reya would getthe job done right.

2 “No wonder I’m so exhausted,” saidReya, pulling her covers tightly aroundher. She closed her eyes and fell fast asleep.

3 The rest of Reya’s week was a lot likeMonday. She pulled weeds from hergrandfather’s garden, taught Carlitahow to braid her hair, and walked, fed,and watered Bella, her dog, every day.She dusted the furniture, swept thefloor in the living room, and wentgrocery shopping with Mama.

4 When Reya opened her eyes onSaturday morning, she was surprised tosee how late Mama had let her sleep.

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it. Use the “Hint” aftereach question to help you choose the right answer.

Part 1: Guided Practice

Part 1 is made up of two passages with questions. Each question is followed by a hint tohelp you focus on the response.

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Sunlight filtered through her curtains and birds sung sweetly outside herwindow. Reya heard a knock on her bedroom door, and Mama enteredher room carrying a tray loaded with pancakes, fresh fruit, and a tallglass of milk. Behind Mama, Carlita stood holding a bouquet of daisies,Reya’s favorite kind of flowers. Reya’s eyes drifted from the tray of foodto the flowers and back again, and then her eyebrows rose in question.

5 “After all your help this week, we thought you deserved a little restand relaxation,” said Mama, “so today is your day to do whatever youwant without lifting a finger.”

6 Reya couldn’t imagine what a whole day without chores would belike, but she was more than willing to try it. She began by reading booksin bed until noon. At lunch time, Mama made Reya her favorite kind ofsandwich, peanut butter and banana with a dab of honey. In theafternoon, Reya road her skateboard back and forth in front of the house,played fetch with Bella, climbed the tree in the front yard, and practicedjumping rope. She checked her watch after a while and was surprised tofind that only an hour had passed.

7 Reya retreated to the house, retrieved her colored pencils, and drew abeautiful picture of her whole family, including Bella. Then sherearranged her doll collection, made herself a snack, and watched ashow on television. She checked her watch again and sighed. The daywas dragging by so slowly.

8 Just then, Reya’s grandfather walked by carrying a watering can. Reyaasked if he needed any assistance with his garden, but her grandfatherinsisted he could handle the garden himself.

9 Reya nodded and went in search of Carlita, whom she found in thekitchen writing her new spelling words. Reya offered to test Carlita onthe new words, but Carlita refused.

10 “Mama told me that I’m not supposed to bother you today. She’sgoing to quiz me later,” explained Carlita.

G U I D E D P R A C T I C E


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11 Reya went to her bedroom and flopped on her bed. Staring at theceiling, she thought about how fast time went by when she was busyhelping others. As Mama walked by carrying a basket filled with cleanclothes, Reya called out to her.

12 “Mama, can I please help you make dinner?”

13 “What’s wrong? Not enjoying your free time?” asked Mama.

14 “I’ve decided that I like helping others because it keeps me busy andmakes time fly,” Reya explained.

15 “Well, I’d love to have your assistance preparing dinner,” said Mama,“but only if you want to.”

16 Reya smiled as she walked to the kitchen. Maybe helping othersmade her feel tired sometimes, but it also made her feel good aboutherself and kept her busy, and those were not bad things.



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1 Skill: Main Idea

What is this story mainly about?

A A girl who enjoys helping otherswhenever she can

B A girl who wants a day to relaxand enjoy herself

C A girl who likes to spend timewith her little sister

D A girl who helps her mom cookdinner for her family

HINTThis question asks you about the story’smain idea. The main idea of a story isthe main reason the story was written.Sometimes the answer choices forthese kinds of questions are just littledetails from the story. Look for theanswer choice that tells what the wholestory, not just a little part of it, is about.

2 Skill: Draw Conclusions

Reya feels like her day off is going byvery slowly because she is —

A doing things that she doesn’t findvery exciting

B usually so busy that she doesn’tnotice the time

C worrying that no one will ask forher help anymore

D very tired from all the work shedid during the week

HINTThis question asks you to study acharacter from the story very closely.Sometimes you can figure out how acharacter feels by what he or she saysand does. Consider what Reya says toher mother toward the end of the story.


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3 Skill: Character, Plot and Setting

Read the diagram of information from the story to answer the next question.

Which of the following should go in the empty box?

A Reya is tired after doing all of her chores and wants to take a nap.

B Reya wants to spend time with her sister, but her sister is too busy.

C Reya loves her grandpa’s garden but she’s not sure how to care for it.

D Reya has so much free time that she’s not sure what to do with it.

HINTThis question is about the main problem in the story. This problem is often called theconflict. In this case, you have to figure out which problem has been solved by the solutiongiven here. Like the last question, sometimes the best way to pick out the main problem isto study what the main character says and does. What does Reya say and do in the story?

Reya decides that helping people makesher feel good about herself, and offers to

help her mothermake dinner.

SolutionProblem


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Words and Mr. Webster

1 When we read we will often come across words that are unfamiliar tous. In order to discover the meanings of new words, we need some sort oftool. Thankfully, we can turn to a dictionary for help. Dictionaries allow usto look up the spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of millions ofwords. You have probably used one in class or at home to help you learnabout new words.

2 When the United States was still a young country, people from allacross the globe were moving to America in search of a better life. Thesepeople brought their interesting customs as well as their languages.Because so many people were speaking many different languages, it wasvery difficult for many Americans to understand each other. It was evenharder for teachers to help students learn to read when there weren’t anyofficial rules about the spellings or meanings of many words. A wordcould be spelled one way in the South and another way in the North.

3 Noah Webster understood this problem very well. Noah grew up inConnecticut where his father worked as a farmer and weaver. He was avery bright young man who did well in school. At the time, few peoplewent to school after the age of sixteen. But Noah dreamed of becominga lawyer someday, so his parents found a way tosend him to college.

4 Noah went to Yale University, but by the timehe was finished, his family didn’t have enoughmoney to send him to law school. Noah decided tobecome a teacher instead. He quickly decided thatAmerican schools were in poor shape. Manyclassrooms were overcrowded and the books thatteachers used came from England.

5 Many students came from countries whereEnglish was not the main language and teachingthem by using a book made in England was adifficult task. Noah decided to write an American


Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it. Use the “Hint” aftereach question to help you choose the right answer.

Noah Webster


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book to teach children how to use language. The book was very popularand sold many copies. Benjamin Franklin even used it to teach hisgranddaughter how to read.

6 Noah finally got the chance to attend law school, but he still longedto do even more for the American language. After marrying and startinga family, he decided to write the first American dictionary. He wantedAmericans all over the country to speak and spell the same way. It tookhim twenty-seven years to complete the book. When he finished thedictionary, it contained over seventy thousand words!

7 The dictionary helped establish regular spellings and pronunciationsof words. It also defined words borrowed from other languages. Noahdid this so the dictionary would represent the many groups of peoplewho lived in America.

8 Noah’s dictionary was the first truly American dictionary in theworld. Today, you can still find his name on dictionaries in classroomsacross the country. Noah Webster was a very remarkable man. His ideashelped shape our language into what it is today.

Noah Webster and his dictionaryPhoto courtesy of the Library of Congress

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4 Skill: Cause and Effect

Why did Noah decide to write abook to teach children how touse language?

A He wanted to teach childrenlanguages other than English.

B American children had to usebooks from England.

C He needed to earn money to goto law school.

D Many children in America didnot have books in school.

HINTHere you are looking for the reasonthat Noah decided to write a book toteach children. This means you arelooking for the cause. Look back atparagraphs 4 and 5 to find thecorrect answer.

5 Skill: Cause and Effect

Read the diagram below and answerthe question that follows.

Which of the following should go inthe empty box?

A Noah taught children how to uselanguage correctly.

B Noah improved the books fromEngland to help students.

C Noah showed people that theschools were in poor shape.

D Noah’s book established regularspellings and meanings.

HINTTake a careful look at the problem.Which of the answer choices offers thebest solution to the problem? If you arestill having trouble, reread the article tofind the answer.

There was noofficial spellingor meaning for

most words.

SolutionProblem



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6 Skill: Make Inferences

From what the reader learns aboutNoah, which of these is a reasonablestatement?

A Noah disliked teaching so muchthat he became a lawyer.

B Noah felt that the Englishlanguage was fine just as it was.

C Noah didn’t think that Americanschools could be helped.

D Noah was determined tocomplete his dictionary.

HINTTo answer this question, you need tothink about what Noah was like. Washe lazy or did he work hard? How didhe feel about things? Read all of thechoices carefully before selecting thebest answer. If you’re still havingtrouble, reread paragraph 6.

7 Skill: Main Idea

The main purpose of the articleis to —

A discuss an important person inAmerican history

B show how languages can changethroughout time

C explain why dictionaries are greattools for reading

D show why knowing anotherlanguage can be useful

HINTThis question asks you why this articlewas written. What does this article dofor the reader? Does it inform, explain,or entertain? Reread all of the answerchoices before choosing the one thatfits best.

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8 Skill: Point of View and Purpose

The most likely reason the authorwrote this article was to —

A teach readers about the historyof America

B persuade readers to start learninga different language

C tell readers about an Americanwho made a difference

D entertain readers with anamusing story about a teacher

HINTWhy do you think the writer wrote thisarticle? To answer this question, thinkabout what the article was mainlyabout and what the writer talked aboutmost. This will help you to understandthe writer’s reasons for writing thearticle.

9 Skill: Draw Conclusions

The reader can tell that Noah reallywanted to finish the dictionarybecause he —

A spent twenty-seven years writingthe book

B needed the money to pay for hislaw school

C didn’t like using the Englishbooks during class

D didn’t want to spend his lifeteaching children

HINTThis question is asking you to draw aconclusion about Noah. Whatinformation in the article causes thereader to think that he was verydetermined to finish his dictionary?Read each of the answer choicescarefully before selecting the one thatfits best.



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10 Skill: Fact and Opinion

Which sentence from the article isan example of an opinion?

A Noah decided to become a teacherinstead.

B Noah Webster was a veryremarkable man.

C The book was very popular and soldmany copies.

D The dictionary helped establishregular spellings and pronunciationsof words.

HINTThis question asks you to figure outwhich is an opinion. An opinion issomething that cannot be proven. It isjust what someone thinks. A fact issomething that is true and has beenproven. Reread all of the choices beforeselecting the best answer.

11 Skill: Main Idea

Which sentence from the article bestshows the reader the importance ofNoah’s work?

A Noah decided to write an Americanbook to teach children how to uselanguage.

B It took him twenty-seven years tocomplete the book.

C When he finished the dictionary,it contained over seventy thousandwords!

D His ideas helped shape our languageinto what it is today.

HINTFor this question you need to pick thesentence from the article that tells thereader why Noah’s work was soimportant that he is still rememberedtoday. Think about what Noah did forlanguage in America and then choosethe sentence that fits best.

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12 Skill: Main Idea

What is one idea presentedthroughout the article?

A Remembering the past

B Sharing a story

C Making a change

D Preserving a custom

HINTThis question asks you to decide whatidea is used throughout the article. Toanswer this question think about whatNoah did. In the simplest way you canthink of, try to explain Noah’s actions.When you are finished, look at theanswer choices and see which one bestfits your explanation.



STOP

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Carrots in a Cake?

1 Fran wore her unhappiness in a frown upon her face. Today was herfather’s birthday, but she had no idea how to help him celebrate. Shechecked the piggybank where she had saved some money for a specialday and discovered that she had enough money to buy a nice gift. Franthought about asking her mom to take her shopping, but she wasn’t surewhat to buy. Finally, Fran poured out her troubles to her mother.

2 Fran’s mother silently considered the problem. Then she had an idea.She thought Fran should make a gift for her father and suggested that Franbake a special birthday cake. Fran was very interested in this plan andimmediately began dreaming of a chocolate cake dripping with vanillaicing or a vanilla cake covered in sprinkles.

3 Fran’s mother had a different idea, however. She explained thatFran’s father enjoyed a particular kind of cake called carrot cake. Franraised her eyebrows. Why would Dad want a cake filled with vegetables?Vegetables were for salads. A carrot cake didn’t sound very tasty to Fran,but her mother told her that it was actually quite good. Fran remainedunconvinced.

4 Fran and her mother went to the store to buy the groceries theyneeded to bake the cake. First, they found flour, cinnamon, sugar, andeggs. Next, they put some baking powder, baking soda, and frosting intheir cart. And, of course, they got some carrots, too. Fran thought thevegetables looked out of place surrounded by all of the regular bakingitems.

5 When they returned home, Fran and her mother flipped through a fewcookbooks, and after a while, found directions for baking a carrot cake:

Read this selection. Then answer the questions that follow it.

Part 2: Independent Practice

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w Carrot Cake u

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour a cake pan.

3. Grate carrots.

4. Mix flour, sugar, bakingpowder, baking soda, andcinnamon in a large bowl.

5. Add carrots, vanilla, and eggs.

6. Mix well.

7. Pour batter into cake pan.

8. Bake cake for 30 minutes.

9. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes.

10. Remove cake from pan and let it cool completely.

11. Frost the cake.

12. Store in a refrigerator.

6 Fran mixed everything together while her mother grated carrots.When the batter was ready, Fran poured it into a cake pan, and hermother carefully placed the pan in the oven. They set a timer for thirtyminutes and cleaned up their dishes while they waited. A loud “ding!”from the oven announced that the cake was finished baking. They letthe cake cool, and later, they frosted it and stored it in the refrigerator.

7 When Fran’s father returned home that night, Fran told him that shehad a wonderful surprise waiting for him. Once they had finished eatingdinner, Fran’s mother removed the cake from the refrigerator. Fran’sfather was excited to see that they had baked his favorite kind of cake.Fran and her mother sang “Happy Birthday” as he blew out all thecandles.

8 Fran’s mother cut the cake, and Fran’s father said it tasted wonderful.After a while, Fran decided that she should try a piece of the cake thatshe had helped to bake. She still wasn’t sure that she would enjoy carrotsin a cake. She took a small, slow bite anyway. Fran thought the caketasted pretty good. Maybe carrots weren’t just meant for salads after all.

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1 How does Fran feel when her mothersuggests baking a carrot cake?

A Confused about puttingvegetables in a cake

B Anxious that the cake will have abad flavor

C Hopeless about coming up with abetter idea

D Surprised that her mother wantedto help her

2 Why does Fran think it’s strange touse carrots in a cake?

A She thinks chocolate caketastes best.

B She has never made a cake before.

C She knows carrots are vegetables.

D She has never eaten a carrot before.

3 Read the diagram of informationfrom the story to answer the nextquestion.

Which of the following should go inthe empty box?

A Fran goes shopping for a present.

B Fran buys groceries withher mother.

C Fran sings to her fatherafter dinner.

D Fran bakes her father hisfavorite cake.

Fran cannotthink of whatto get her dad for his birthday.

SolutionProblem

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4 From what you learn about Fran,which of these is a reasonablestatement?

A She always eats all ofher vegetables.

B She will bake a cake for hermom, too.

C She is not afraid to trysomething new.

D She will not bake a carrotcake again.

5 How does Dad probably feel aboutFran’s gift to him?

A He wishes that she would haveput sprinkles on it.

B He wishes that she would havemade a chocolate cake.

C He thinks that she should havebaked her favorite kind of cake.

D He thinks that she wasthoughtful to make him a cake.

6 The reader can tell that you probablyneed an adult when baking a cakebecause —

A the directions tell you to askfor help

B the directions tell you to usean oven

C it can be hard to stireverything together

D it can be hard to frost a cakewithout help

7 Fran tries her dad’s birthday cakebecause she —

A likes to make her dad happy

B likes to lick off all the icing

C wants to know how it tastes

D wants to eat more vegetables

8 Which sentence from the story bestshows the reader that Fran haschanged her mind about carrots ina cake?

A Why would Dad want a cake filledwith vegetables?

B And, of course, they got somecarrots, too.

C She still wasn’t sure that she wouldenjoy carrots in a cake.

D Maybe carrots weren’t just meant forsalads after all.


Go On

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A Salmon Run1 Each year, something amazing happens in the

rivers and streams in the northwestern part of theUnited States. Salmon, fish that spend much of theirlives in salty ocean water, travel to freshwater riversand streams where they swim through fast-movingrapids and rushing waterfalls to return to the placeswhere they were born. Why do they do this? It is tocontinue the circle of life, of course.

2 Salmon begin their lives as tiny pink eggs buriedbeneath beds of small stones in rivers and streams,where they are hidden from the view of other animalsor fish. Some of these beds are as far as nine hundredmiles from the ocean. The eggs are usually laid in thefall, and begin to hatch, or open, in the winter. When salmon firsthatch, they each have a small orange sac attached to their bodies. Thesesacs are filled with food that salmon need to start growing. After a fewmonths, salmon use up all of this stored food, the sac disappears, andthey begin to look like small fish with spots all over them. At this point,the young salmon are called fry, and they are ready to leave the comfortof their beds. Some fry immediately swim downstream to the PacificOcean while others spend a year or more eating and growing before theybegin this journey. When the young salmon reach the ocean, they swimfar and wide.

3 It takes salmon between two and seven years to fully grow. Duringthis time, they swim through the open ocean eating foods such asshrimp and small fish. Once salmon have become full-grown fish, theyare ready to migrate. When animals migrate, they move from one placeto another, and in this case, salmon move from the ocean back to theplaces where they were born.

4 Salmon begin their long, difficult expedition in the summer,swimming from salty ocean waters into the fresh water found in riversand streams. Some salmon must travel farther than others, especiallythose that were born hundreds of miles from the ocean. When salmonfinally reach the places where they were born, they lay thousands ofeggs. The eggs are covered with small stones, and a new generation ofsalmon waits to begin its life.


A salmon swims upstreamon its way home.

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9 Look at the chart below. Use it toanswer the question.

Which idea belongs in theempty box?

A Baby salmon have small sacsattached to their bodies.

B Young salmon leave rivers andstreams for the ocean.

C Baby salmon use up all of thefood they had stored.

D Young salmon swim upstream tobecome stronger.

10 The reader can tell that salmon areprobably —

A surprisingly fast

B brightly colored

C excellent hunters

D good swimmers

11 Salmon most likely lay their eggsbeneath beds of small stonesbecause —

A foods that salmon eat gettrapped there

B water under the stones ismuch cleaner

C the stones help to make thewater salty

D the eggs will stay safe untilthey hatch

12 What will salmon probably do whilethey are in the ocean?

A Lay many eggs

B Change colors

C Grow larger

D Live in stone beds

13 What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A How salmon develop over time

B Why salmon swim to the ocean

C What salmon eggs look like

D Where salmon eggs are laid

Full-grownsalmon returnto their birthplaces to layeggs.

Pink eggs arelaid in a bedof stones.

Small fishcovered inspots growlarger in riversand streams.

Salmon Life Cycle


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Amazing Monarchs1 If you’ve ever seen an orange-and-black butterfly flutter by, you have

probably seen a monarch butterfly. Monarchs are some of the most well-known butterflies. These butterflies are so popular that some states havehonored them as their state insect. Monarchs are found in many parts ofthe United States and are easily recognized by their orange and blackmarkings. These markings also warn other animals that monarchs arepoisonous and unsafe to eat.

2 Many people are interested in the lives of monarchs because theymigrate, or move from one place to another, every year. Some even track thebutterflies from the moment they hatch from their eggs! Teachers, students,and many other people across the country carefully watch the movementsof the monarchs.

3 In the spring, mother monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants. Whenthe eggs hatch, worm-like creatures called caterpillars appear and eat themilkweed for almost two weeks. Then the caterpillars make shells calledcocoons around themselves. The cocoons protect the caterpillars during thisimportant time. After about two weeks, the cocoons open. It’s easy to see thatamazing changes have taken place! Out of the cocoons crawl lovely monarchbutterflies.

4 The monarchs wait for their wings to dry before they start to migratesouth. No one is quite sure how the butterflies know which direction to fly,but some think that the knowledge is passed down from one generation ofbutterflies to the next. During the trip, monarch butterflies travel manymiles, sometimes stopping to avoid rain, find food, and rest their wings.

5 During the warm summer months, monarchs travel south until theyreach warm places where they can spend the winter. By the time springarrives, monarchs are ready to start all over! Once again, the adults fly northto lay eggs, and soon, brand new butterflies are ready to spread their wings.

6 The habits of monarch butterflies interest many people, and some evenuse computers to track monarchs during the year. It is important that weunderstand monarchs so we know how to protect them. There are programsin many areas that celebrate and help to educate people about thesebeautiful bugs.


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14 With which statement would theauthor of this article most likelyagree?

A Because monarchs are poisonous,many people are afraid to go nearthem.

B One of the most interestingthings about monarchs is thatthey migrate every year.

C Monarchs look the most beautifulright before they wrap themselvesin cocoons.

D People should stop trackingmonarchs while they migrate andjust leave them alone.

15 A monarch butterfly will most likelystop during its migration when it —

A gets cold

B lays its eggs

C feels threatened

D wants to eat

16 Which sentence from the article isan opinion?

A Monarchs are some of the most well-known butterflies.

B In the spring, mother monarchs laytheir eggs on milkweed plants.

C It is important that we understandmonarchs so we know how to protectthem.

D These markings also warn otheranimals that monarchs are poisonousand unsafe to eat.

17 What is this article mainly about?

A Why monarchs are popular

B The habits of the monarchbutterflies

C Caterpillars changing into butterflies

D How caterpillars make their cocoons

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Science in Space

1 Jesse stared out the window of the classroom. No matter how hard hetried, he couldn’t concentrate on the lesson. His thoughts kept driftingto the next day’s class trip to the Johnson Space Center in Houstonwhere astronauts prepare for adventures in space. For as long as he couldremember, Jesse wanted to become an astronaut, and often imaginedhimself on a mission to the moon or floating through space, his bodycompletely weightless.

2 These thoughts crowded Jesse’s head as his teacher, Ms. Price, wrotenotes on the blackboard. He knew that he should write them down, butit was only a science lesson. Jesse didn’t dislike science, but he didn’tthink that knowing about rocks and minerals would help him becomean astronaut someday.

3 After class, Ms. Price questioned Jesse as to why he hadn’t beenpaying attention during class. Jesse told her that he was sorry, andexplained that he was just really excited about the trip to the spacecenter. Ms. Price knew that Jesse wanted to be an astronaut when hegrew up and tried to explain thatit was important for him to payattention in science class. Jessedidn’t seem to believe her. Ms.Price hoped that the visit to thespace center would change hismind.

4 When the school bus pulledinto the parking lot of theJohnson Space Center the nextday, Jesse was sitting on the edgeof his seat. He couldn’t wait to goinside. Ms. Price told the classthat they might even be luckyenough to meet some of theastronauts who worked there.The class took a tour of the building. The tour guide showed them somespace suits and pictures that astronauts had taken in outer space.


Testing the Lunar Roving Vehicle at theJohnson Space CenterPhoto courtesy of NASA

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5 For lunch, they ate food that astronauts would really eat. Jesse wassurprised to see that it was a lot like regular food. The tour guide told thestudents that sometimes the food is dehydrated, or has the water takenout of it, so that it lasts longer. The guide added water to some dried eggsand asked if anyone wanted to take a bite. Jesse quickly raised his hand.They tasted like the eggs he had eaten for breakfast, only more watery.

6 After lunch, Ms. Price told everyone that she had a big surprise forthem. Two astronauts who worked at the space center, Mr. Riley and Ms.Summers, were going to talk to them and answer all of their questionsabout space travel. The astronauts told the students about the excitingexperiences that they had had in space. Ms. Price raised her hand to aska question, and Jesse thought it was funny to see a teacher do this.

7 Ms. Price asked the astronauts if they had to study science to becomeastronauts. Ms. Summers said that understanding science was a veryimportant part of becoming an astronaut. She said that sometimesastronauts did tests in the shuttle to see how things from Earth, such asrocks or plants, were affected by the changes in space. Mr. Riley told theclass that many people make a mistake in thinking that the only job anastronaut has is to fly a spaceship. He explained that science is the mainreason why people went into space in the first place. He said that a lotof the tests that are done in space helpus to better understand life on Earth.

8 Jesse had never known thatastronauts tested plants and rocks. Herealized that there was a lot more tobecoming an astronaut than he hadfirst thought.

9 The next day, Ms. Price saw Jessetaking notes. After class, Ms. Price askedhim if he had enjoyed the class trip.Jesse said she had been right about theimportance of science. Jesse thankedMs. Price and then hurried to mathclass. After all, he might need to knowabout fractions in space one day.

Astronaut Edwin Aldrin takes coresamples from the lunar surfacePhoto courtesy of NASA


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18 What is paragraph 2 mostly about?

A How Jesse daydreams about flyinginto space

B Why Ms. Price thinks science isso important

C Why Jesse should take notes inall his classes

D How Jesse thinks astronauts don’tuse science

19 Astronauts probably dehydrate theirfood to make it last longer because—

A they cannot bring water onthe ship

B they cannot buy more foodin space

C they like the way that thefood tastes

D they want to bring someback home

20 What is the most likely reason Ms.Price thinks that the trip will changeJesse’s mind about science?

A She knows that the students willmeet the astronauts.

B She knows the students must usescience on the trip.

C She knows there will be a sciencequiz on the trip.

D She knows that the astronautsneed to know science.

21 What is paragraph 7 mainly about?

A Jesse realizing that he needs totake more notes

B The astronauts explaining whythey need science

C Jesse paying close attentionduring science class

D The astronauts’ excitingexperiences out in space

22 How does Jesse most likely feel afterlistening to the astronauts?

A Disappointed by the stories thatthey told

B Upset that he did not get toask a question

C Surprised that the astronautsuse science

D Tired from a long day at thespace center


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23 Which sentence in the story bestshows the reader that Jesse feelsdifferently about science?

A After all, he might need to knowabout fractions in space one day.

B Jesse said she had been right aboutthe importance of science.

C He knew that he should writethem down, but it was only ascience lesson.

D After class, Ms. Price asked him ifhe had enjoyed the class trip.

24 What is this story mainly about?

A What students dream aboutin class

B What astronauts study outin space

C Why astronauts need touse science

D Why you should take notesin class


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Great Groundhog Day

1 Have you ever seen a groundhog? These animals look like big, round,heavy squirrels. They don’t scurry around or run up and down trees assquirrels do, though. Groundhogs stay on the ground. They enjoywalking around in grassy fields, and at night, they sleep in burrows, orholes dug deep into the ground.

2 Some people think groundhogs are funny and friendly. Otherpeople think they are harmful to plants and lawns. However,groundhogs are most famous because of a special day: February 2,known as Groundhog Day.

3 Groundhog Day is one of the most unusual days of the year. On thisday, many people wait for a special groundhog to climb out of hisburrow. This groundhog is supposed to be able to show people what theweather will be like.

4 Sometimes, the groundhog comes out of its burrow and does not seeits shadow. This is supposed to mean that winter will soon end. If thegroundhog does see its shadow, though, it may get scared and race backinto his burrow. This is supposed to show that winter’s cold will last forsix more weeks.


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5 Nobody knows for sure whether a groundhog really can tell theweather. Most people think it probably cannot, but that does not takeaway the fun of Groundhog Day! People throughout the United Statesenjoy this lighthearted holiday. Nowhere is Groundhog Day more lovedthan in Punxsutawney, a small town in Pennsylvania.

6 In that town, every February, hundreds of people gather on a hillcalled Gobbler’s Knob. They wait for the appearance of a specialgroundhog, Phil, who lives in a burrow nearby. When he finally comesup to see them, everyone cheers and claps. Special watchers keep an eyeon Phil and tell the crowd if he noticed his shadow or not.

7 Phil is the most popular groundhog around. All over the country,people know him. Sometimes Phil, and the people who care for him, dofunny things to delight the crowd. Phil has been written about innewspapers and filmed for television. In 1986, he was even taken to visitwith President Ronald Reagan.

8 Nobody is sure exactly how this silly day began. It may have starteda very long time ago when many people were farmers. These farmerswaited all winter for spring to arrive so that they could begin theirplanting. During these long winters, they looked for hope that the coldweather would soon go away.

9 Some people think Groundhog Day began as a joke. Farmers knewthat winter was not ready to end. In many parts of the country, winteris only half over by early February. The farmers made up the groundhogstory to cheer themselves up. They wanted a funny story to laugh aboutwhile winter’s snow still lay on their fields.

10 The groundhog story spread across the country. Many peopleenjoyed the idea, and it helped pass the time until spring arrived. Today,dozens of groundhog fairs take place to honor many famous furrygroundhogs. Many of these groundhogs have humorous names, likeDunkirk Dave, Wiarton Willie, and Buckeye Chuck. These names showwhere they live and make people laugh.

11 Even though groundhogs probably cannot really tell the weather,Groundhog Day is still a fun break from the cold of winter. People allover the country enjoy coming together, meeting friends, and havingfun while they wait for their favorite groundhogs to visit them.

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25 Look at the following diagram of information from the article.

Which information belongs in the empty box?

A Meeting with friends

B Feeding some animals

C Finding new burrows

D Planting some seeds

26 What happens when a groundhog sees its shadow?

A The weather gets warmer.

B The groundhog may get scared.

C The farmers begin their planting.

D The groundhog climbs a tree.

27 Who was most important in starting Groundhog Day?

A Farmers

B Groundhogs

C Ronald Reagan

D Dunkirk Dave

Reasons forGroundhog Day

Hoping for spring Bringing cheerin winter

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28 What do people do right after Philthe groundhog leaves his burrow?

A Look for his shadow

B Tell him to go back in

C Clap and cheer for him

D Try to make him laugh

29 The reader can tell that groundhogs—

A know a lot about the weather

B want to make winter go faster

C live below the ground

D enjoy playing with squirrels

30 Which sentence from the article isan example of an opinion?

A Groundhogs stay on the ground.

B Groundhog Day is one of the mostunusual days of the year.

C Phil has been written about innewspapers and filmed fortelevision.

D In many parts of the country, winteris only half over by early February.

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