Reading Skills Practice

1. Reading Skills Practice

2. Passage 1: From “Two Words” by Isabelle Allende She went by the name of BelisaCrepusculario, not because she had been baptized with that name or given it by her mother, but because she herself had searched until she found the poetry of "beauty" and "twilight" and cloaked herself in it…BelisaCrepusculario had been born into a family so poor they did not even have names to give their children. She came into the world and grew up in an inhospitable land where some years the rains became avalanches of water that bore everything away before them and others when not a drop fell from the sky and the sun swelled to fill the horizon and the world became a desert. Until she was twelve, Belisa had no occupation or virtue other than having withstood hunger and the exhaustion of centuries. During one interminable drought, it fell to her to bury four younger brothers and sisters, when she realized that her turn was next, she decided to set out across the plains in the direction of the sea, in hopes that she might trick death along the way. The land was eroded, split with deep cracks, strewn with rocks, fossils of trees and thorny bushes, and skeletons of animals bleached by the sun. From time to time she ran into families who, like her, were heading south, following the mirage of water. Some had begun the march carrying their belongings on their back or in small carts, but they could barely move their own bones, and after a while they had to abandon their possessions. They dragged themselves along painfully, their skin turned to lizard hide and their eyes burned by the reverberating glare. Belisa greeted them with a wave as she passed, but she did not stop, because she had no strength to waste in acts of compassion. Many people fell by the wayside, but she was so stubborn that she survived to cross through that hell and at long last reach the first trickles of water, fine, almost invisible threads that fed spindly vegetation and farther down widened into small streams and marshes. BelisaCrepusculario saved her life and in the process accidentally discovered writing. In a village near the coast, the wind blew a page of newspaper at her feet. She picked up the brittle yellow paper and stood a long while looking at it, unable to determine its purpose, until curiosity overcame her shyness. She walked over to a man who was washing his horse in the muddy pool where she had quenched her thirst. "What is this?" she asked. "The sports page of the newspaper," the man replied, concealing his surprise at her ignorance. The answer astounded the girl, but she did not want to seem rude, so she merely inquired about the significance of the fly tracks scattered across the page. "Those are words, child. Here it says that FulgencioBarba knocked out El Negro Tiznao in the third round.“ That was the day BelisaCrepusculario found out that words make their way in the world without a master, and that anyone with a little cleverness can appropriate them and do business with them.

3. Question 1 • How can Belisa best be characterized from this passage? • Wealthy • Determined • Depressed • Gleeful • All of the above

4. Question 2 • What is the best inference that can be made about Belisa’s future career? • She will become a traveling salesman and mix potions. • She will return to her village and teach her parents to read. • She will follow the man and attend boxing matches with him. • She will eventually become a writer or storyteller. • She will become a farmer once she reaches a better climate.

5. Question 3 • What is the tone of this line: "Those are words, child. Here it says that FulgencioBarba knocked out El Negro Tiznao in the third round." • Mournful • Longing • Bitter • Blunt • Spiteful

6. Question 4 • What does the word interminable mean, as used in the passage? • Brief • Intermediate • Authoritative • Mysterious • Persistent

7. Question 5 • Which line best depicts the theme of the passage? • “She came into the world and grew up in an inhospitable land where some years the rains became avalanches of water that bore everything away before them and others when not a drop fell from the sky ...” • “Some had begun the march carrying their belongings on their back or in small carts, but they could barely move their own bones, and after a while they had to abandon their possessions.” • “Many people fell by the wayside, but she was so stubborn that she survived to cross through that hell....BelisaCrepusculario saved her life and in the process accidentally discovered writing.” • “She picked up the brittle yellow paper and stood a long while looking at it, unable to determine its purpose…” • “The answer astounded the girl, but she did not want to seem rude, so she merely inquired about the significance of the fly tracks scattered across the page.”

8. Passage 2 • President Roosevelt delivers the "Day of Infamy" speech to a joint session of Congress on December 8, 1941 after the attacks on Pearl Harbor….Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our secretary of state a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Yesterday the Japanese government also launched as attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night Japanese forces attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island. Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. As commander in chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. . . Source: Courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, New York.

9. Question 1 • What does the word “infamy” mean in the first paragraph? • Mournful sadness • Shameful disgrace • Distinguished fame • Bitter disgust

10. Question 2 • What was one reason FDR gives for U.S. not being prepared for the attack? • The Japanese military had no forces in the area. • Japanese diplomats were negotiating peace agreements with the U.S. at the same time. • The U.S. and the Japanese were allies. • The U.S. did not think the Japanese had the military power to attack the U.S.

11. Question 3 • The parallelism beginning with “Yesterday…Last night…And this morning” is used to emphasize what point? • The geography of the attacks • The extent of the attacks • The power of the Japanese forces • The limited range of the Japanese forces

12. Question 4 • The purpose of the speech was to • Warn the Japanese of impending retaliation • Inform the American Public of the nature of the attack • Defend the United States against criticism • Persuade the people to arm themselves

13. Question 5 • The theme of the speech can be summed up in which word • Revenge • Indifference • Injustice • Diplomacy

14. Question 6 • The tone of the speech is • Indignant • Calm • Wrathful • Humble

15. Passage 3 • In this excerpt from Hiroshima, the specific details of Miss Toshiko Sasaki’s morning activities form the story of a step-by-step journey toward disaster. • Miss Sasaki went back to her office and sat down at her desk. She was quite far from the windows, which were off to her left, and behind here were a couple of tall bookcases containing all the books of the factory library, which the personnel department had organized. She settled herself at her desk, put some things in a drawer, and shifted papers. She thought that before she began to make entries in her lists of new employees, discharges, and departures for the Army, she would chat for a moment with the girl at her right. Just as she turned her head away from the windows, the room was filled with a blinding light. She was paralyzed by fear, fixed still in her chair for a long moment (the plant was 1,600 yards from the center). Everything fell, and Miss Sasaki lost consciousness. The ceiling dropped suddenly and the wooden floor above collapsed in splinters and the people up there came down and the roof above them gave way; but principally and first of all, the bookcases right behind her swooped forward and the contents threw her down, with her left leg horribly twisted and breaking underneath her. There, in the tin factory, in the first moment of the atomic age, a human being was crushed by books.

16. Question 1 • What does the word “principally” mean? • Simply • Typically • Least important • Primarily

17. Question 2 • The purpose of this non-fiction excerpt was to • Tell Miss Sasaki’s daily work routine • Show how people who are directly affected by violence and tragedy are just like everyone else • Warn people of the dangers of sitting in front of bookcases • To address the issues related to the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945

18. Question 3 • The tone of this passage is • Calm and objective • Angry and annoyed • Flippant and light • Sentimental and emotional

19. Question 4 • Which statement would be the best choice for the theme of this passage? • War is bad. • Ordinary lives can become extraordinary in an instant. • Death is inevitable. • Ignorance leads to misery.

20. Question 5 • From this passage, we see that Miss Sasaki is • A political figure • Organized with an established routine • A regular person just like you and me • Tense from the rumors of war

21. Passage 4 From: Autobiography of Mark Twian • I had a great admiration for Sour Mash, and a great affection for her, too. She was one of the institutions of Quarry Farm for a good many years. She had an abundance of that noble quality which all cats possess, and which neither man nor any other animal possesses in any considerable degree -- independence. Also she was affectionate, she was loyal, she was plucky, she was enterprising, she was just to her friends and unjust to her enemies -- and she was righteously entitled to the high compliment which so often fell from the lips of John T. Lewis -- reluctantly, and as by compulsion, but all the more precious for that: "Other Christians is always worrying about other people's opinions, but Sour Mash don't give a damn." • Indeed she was just that independent of criticism, and I think it was her supreme grace. In her industries she was remarkable. She was always busy. If she wasn't exterminating grasshoppers she was exterminating snakes -- for no snake had any terrors for her. When she wasn't catching mice she was catching birds. She was untiring in her energies. Every waking moment was precious to her; in it she would find something useful to do -- and if she ran out of material and couldn't find anything else to do she would have kittens. She always kept us supplied, and her families were of choice quality. She herself was a three-colored tortoise-shell, but she had no prejudices of breed, creed, or caste. She furnished us all kinds, all colors, with that impartiality which was so fine a part of her make. She allowed no dogs on the premises except those that belonged there. Visitors who brought their dogs along always had an opportunity to regret it. She hadn't two plans for receiving a dog guest, but only one. She didn't wait for the formality of an introduction to any dog, but promptly jumped on his back and rode him all over the farm. By my help she would send out cards, next day, and invite that dog to a garden party, but she never got an acceptance. The dog that had enjoyed her hospitalities once was willing to stand pat.

22. Question 1 • Which statement best describes the author’s view of Sour Mash? • She allowed no dogs on the premises except those that belonged there. • She had an abundance of that noble quality which all cats possess,….independence. • She was just to her friends and unjust to her enemies. • She was one of the institutions at Quarry Farm for a good many years.

23. Question 2 • Which word best describes Sour Mash? • hospitable • formal • busy • guardian

24. Question 3 • In the following sentence the word “institution” means? “She was one of the institutions of Quarry Farm for a good many years.” • An established organization • A significant practice • A relationship • Associated with a place

25. Question 4 • Which of the following is NOT an activity associated with Sour Mash? • Jumping on a dog’s back • Worrying about people’s opinions • Having many kittens • Killing prey

26. Question 5 • The tone of this passage can best be described as: • Uncertain • Sarcastic • Mocking • admiring

27. Passage 5 From George W. Bush’s speech on Sept. 20, 2001. • Tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done. … On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country. Americans have known wars -- but for the past 136 years, they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941. Americans have known the casualties of war -- but not at the center of a great city on a peaceful morning. Americans have known surprise attacks -- but never before on thousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day -- and night fell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is under attack. … Tonight, we face new and sudden national challenges. We will come together to improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of air marshals on domestic flights, and take new measures to prevent hijacking. We will come together to promote stability and keep our airlines flying, with direct assistance during this emergency. We will come together to give law enforcement the additional tools it needs to track down terror here at home. We will come together to strengthen our intelligence capabilities to know the plans of terrorists before they act, and to find them before they strike. … We will come together to take active steps that strengthen America's economy, and put our people back to work. After all that has just passed -- all the lives taken, and all the possibilities and hopes that died with them -- it is natural to wonder if America's future is one of fear.  Some speak of an age of terror. I know there are struggles ahead, and dangers to face. But this country will define our times, not be defined by them. As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world.

28. Question 1 • In the sentence beginning with “Americans have known wars -- but for,” what is the BEST reason for the use of the dash? • To indicate a pause in the speech to place an emphasis on what is being said • To indicate a pause in the speech where the speaker forgot the words • To indicate a pause in the speech where the speaker omitted words • To indicate …

29. Question 2 • Which of the following is an example of parallelism? • Tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. • Americans have known wars -- but for the past 136 years, they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941.  • Tonight, we face new and sudden national challenges. We will come together to improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of air marshals on domestic flights, and take new measures to prevent hijacking.  • Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done. 

30. Question 3 • What BEST describes the tone of this passage? • Resolve • Indecision • Adversity • Terror

31. Question 4 • When Bush says “Americans have known wars -- but for the past 136 years, they have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941,” what literary device is he using? • Antithesis • Allusion • Parallelism • Rhetorical Question

32. Question 5 • What BEST describes the theme of this passage? • Coming together as a nation to define our nation and forward after tragedy • Coming together as a nation to go after and kill the enemy • Coming together as a nation to live in fear of more terrorism attacks • Coming together to wallow in grief and misery over our losses