English Language Arts Test prep and reading comprehension

1. English Language Arts Test prep and reading comprehension

2. Directions: In this part of the test, you are going to do some reading. Then you will answer questions about what you have read. First you are going to read a passage about an animal called the river otter. Read the passage. Then do Numbers one through four

3. The River Otter by Janeen R. Adilillustrated by Delana Betoli             A river otter is at home in ponds, lakes, and rivers. Her thick brown fur is waterproof. It keeps her warm and dry, even when she swims in cold winter waters. The river otter is a great swimmer. Her long body is shaped for swimming, and her big back feet help her move quickly through the water. She can swim on her stomach or drive deep into the water. Sometimes, though she just likes to float on her back. Her dinner might be fish or frogs she catches. Crayfish are a favorite treat. She eats in careful little bites. River otters love to play. In the deep snow, they play hide and seek. Another fun game is to slide down a slippery hill, splash! right into the water. Sometimes a river otter will dive for rocks. Then she will juggle a rock in her paws. Balancing a leaf on her nose and chasing her own tail are a lot of fun too! The river otter sleeps in a den on a bed of dry leaves. After a rest, it’ s time to eat, swim, and play some more.

4. 1This passage is mostly about? • How river otters live • How river otters play • How river otters eat • Where river otters swim. 2. All these features help a river otter swim except its F. Long body G. Strong teeth H. Big back feet J. Thick fur Check your answers! 3. According to the passage, what is an otter’s favorite food? • Fish • Frogs • Leaves • Crayfish

5. 4. What does the river otter use as a slide? F. A log G. A hill H. A river J. A waterfall

6. The Flying Jewelby Lenora Hornblow and Arthur Hornblow The hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backward. He can fly straight up and down and sideways, too. He can even fly when he is upside down! And perhaps strangest of all, he can fly without going anywhere. He is like a tiny helicopter. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world. There are many kinds, and they are all beautiful. They are like jewels with wings. Though they are tiny, they are very brave. A hummingbird seems to know that his enemies cannot catch him. He will fight anything. He can even scare away a hawk. A hummingbird eats 50 or 60 meals a day. He *flashes from flower to flower. He sticks his long bill into a flower and sips the nectar. The sugar in nectar gives the little birds their great strength and energy. The ruby-throated hummingbird needs all the strength and energy he can get. For every winter this hummingbird makes an amazing flight. First he eats and eats to store up food. He gets quite fat. Then he leaves home. Off he flies for days and days. He flies 500 miles across the ocean to get to a warm place. No one knows how so small a bird can fly so far without food or rest. But the ruby-throat does it every year.

8. 7. The author says the hummingbird is like “a tiny helicopter” most likely because of • The way it flies • It’s need for fuel • It’s great strength • The color of its wings 8. According to the article, what is surprising About the ruby-throated hummingbird? F. How it eats nectar from flowers G. The beautiful red color of its throat H. That it can survive long and cold winters J. The distance it can fly without food or rest Flashes=moves quickly

9. A Home for HectorBy Margaret Springer The phone rang. Jamie’s sister Beth ran to answer it. But this time it was for Jamie. Jamie listened. "Thanks!" he said. He hung up and started at the phone. "WHOO-EE!!" he hollered. "What’s going on?" asked Beth. "I just won a horse,“ said Jamie. "A horse named Hector. Remember going to the county fair when we visited Grandpa? And I entered that coloring contest? Wait till Mom finds out! There aren’t a lot of kids in the city who own a horse." "A horse?" said Beth. "Whoopee!" Jamie went to the window and looked down. From up here on the fifteenth floor you would see for miles. Apartment buildings, highways, factories, playgrounds. But no farms. No fields, No horses. Mom came home from work. "Hey, Mom," said Jamie, "I just won a horse." "Hi, there," Mom said. "How are things? What a day I’ve had!" "Jamie won a horse," said Beth. Mom looked at them sharply. "What?" "A horse," said Jamie. "I just won a horse named Hector." "Is this some kind of joke?" "No, Mom, honest." Jamie followed her into the kitchen. "Remember that coloring contest at the fair?" "Jamie, what in the world are we going to do with a horse?" Jamie shrugged. "I’ll think of something."

10. "Maybe Grandpa knows a farmer who can look after him," said Beth. "Maybe," said Mom. She sighed. "We’re supposed to pick it up on Saturday," said Jamie. "I can’t wait." "I can," Mom said. On Saturday they drove to the Triple Bar Stables. A woman greeted them. She gave them a tour of the stables. "Here’s our Hector," she said. Jamie gasped when he saw the horse. Hector was huge. "We don’t have room for Hector in our apartment," Jamie said. The woman smiled. "I’m sure you don’t," she said. "But we look after him well here. I’ll be back in a moment." She walked into her office. "Hey, Mom, if they’ll let us keep Hector here, I can learn to ride him," Jamie whispered. They saw a sign listing prices of boarding fees, veterinarian services, and riding lessons. Mom already had a headache. "I’m not sure we can manage this Jamie," she said. "No way," Beth said. Jamie saw the prices too. He went over to Hectors stall and stared up at the big horse ‘Hector, you’re a nice horse, but you’re awfully big," he said. Hector nodded his head slightly. "Grandpa doesn’t know anyone who can take you.“ Hector stood silent. "And we can’t afford to keep you here, Hector," Jamie said. He tried to find the kindest words. "I think I’m going to have to give you back."

11. "Jamie!" The woman was calling him. She held out a large box. "Here you are. Now, you take good care of him." Inside the box, inside the tissue paper, was a china horse, just the same as — "Hector!" Jamie said. "I didn’t know — I thought —" Beth kicked him. "Oh, thank goodness," Mom said. On the way home Mom sang, in spite of her headache. "Can we stop at the mall?" Beth asked. "Anything!" Mom said. "I’m going to buy a goldfish," said Jamie. "A goldfish named Hazel." He patted the box. "To keep little Hector company." After finishing the story about a horse, do questions 9 through 17.

12. 9. This story is mostly about • Riding a horse • Winning a horse • Naming a horse • Training a horse 10 which happens before the family visits the stables? F. Jamie receives a large box. G. Jamie wins a coloring contest. H. Jamie decides he will give Hector back. J. Jamie sees how much it costs to care for hector.

13. Farms • fields • Stables • highways 12 The family visits the stables so that Jamie can F. Learn about raising horses G. Sign up for riding lessons H. Pick up the prize he has won J. Find out about a summer job

14. 13. One reason Jamie decides to give Hector back is A. Jamie likes little Hector better  B. Jamie is afraid to ride Hector  C. Hector would be lonely in the city D. Hector would be too expensive to care for  14. What will Jamie most likely do with little Hector? F. Keep it in his room G. Take it to the farm H. Give it to his sister J. Leave it at the stables 15. In the story, Jamie shows he is a caring person when he • Talks to Hector in his stall • Tells his sister that he won the horse • Remind his mother about the contest • Says he can learn to ride Hector

15. 16. Which lesson does this story teach? A. Telling the truth is always the best way. B. Winning is not the most important thing.  C. Things are not always as they first appear. D. Good friends keep each other company. 17. The author tells this story mainly by using F. Facts about the subject G. Thoughts of one character H. Examples of different events J. Conversation between characters

16. Very EarlyBy Karla Kuskin When I wake in the early mist The sun has hardly shown And everything is still asleep And I’m awake alone. The stars are faint and flickering. The sun is new and shy .And all the world sleeps quietly Except the sun and I. And then the noises start, The whirrs and huffs and hums, The birds peep out to find a worm. The mice squeak out for crumbs, The calf moos out to find the cow And taste the morning air, And everything is wide awake And running everywhere. The dew has dried, The fields are warm, The day is loud and bright, And I’m the one who woke the sun And kissed the stars goodnight.

17. 18. This poem is mostly about F. Getting ready for bed G. Playing with animals H. The foods animals eat J. The first part of the day 19. The poet says, “The sun is new and shy.” She means that the sun • Is far away • Has not come out all the way • Has disappeared • Is setting behind the hills 20. What are the animals in the poem doing? F. Going to sleep G. Looking for food H. Playing with each other J. Running to their mothers Check Your Answers!

18. Dear Ms. Tanaka,            As the Class President, I am writing for the students here at Garden City Elementary School. We have an idea for a project that will be fun and will bring students together to make our school a nicer place.  We would like to plant a wildflower garden next to the playground.          The students from each grade could take turns taking care of the garden.  We could plant the flowers and water and weed them when they need it.  Students could even make bouquets for special occasions.  We could keep a supply of potting soil and gardening tools at the school so we would have what we need to keep the flowers happy and healthy.          We think a wildflower garden would add color to our school and give us all another reason to be proud of Garden City Elementary.  We hope that, as principal of our school, you will be as excited about the wildflower garden as we are!                    Yours truly,          Maria Sanchez                       Class President

19. 21. Maria thinks the main purpose of the wildflower garden is to • Make bouquets of flowers for special occasions • Give the students something more to do during recess • Provide a project that teachers and students can do together • Have students work together to make the school more colorful 22. Which statement from the letter would most likely convince Ms. Tanaka to agree to the wildflower project? F. We would like to plant a wildflower garden next to the playground. G. We could plant the flowers and water and weed them when they need it H. We think a wildflower garden would add color to our school and give us all another reason to be proud of Garden City Elementary. J. We could keep a supply of potting soil and gardening tools at the school so we would have what we need to keep the flowers happy and healthy.

20. 23. Which topic does Maria NOT address in her letter? • Who will take care of the garden • Where the garden will be planted • Who will pay for the necessary supplies • What tools are needed for the garden

21. Read the following article about the way the American Colonists lived in the 1700s. Then do numbers 24 through 28. Sand, Sugar, Sun, Salt and Smoke

22. No refrigerators, no freezers, no canned food.  How did the colonists keep their food from spoiling?  The answer is sand, sugar, sun, salt and smoke. What did they eat in the winter when nothing grew in the garden? “Fetch meat from the smokehouse.”  For centuries, people have known that salted and smoked meat would keep for a long time.  When the weather turned cold in November, neighbors gathered to prepare fresh meat.  All the pieces were rubbed well with salt.  After several weeks, the meat was moved to the smokehouse. The best salt came from Portugal, imported by British merchants.  During the Revolution, salt was hard to get.  But the colonists had learned a way to keep meat without salt.  The Native Americans taught them to make jerky by drying meat slowly over a camp fire. “Fetch potatoes and carrots from the cellar.”  Another way the colonists kept food from spoiling was to store it someplace cold and dry.  The colonists didn’t have refrigerators, so they kept root vegetables buried in sand in their cellars. “Fetch onions, peaches, and pickles from the storeroom.”  Some foods, like onions, beans, and corn, would keep if they were dried in the sun.   Fruit (such as peaches) would keep if it was preserved.  That meant it had to be cooked in a syrup made of sugar and water.  The fruit was stored in jars. We eat pickles made mostly from cucumbers, but the colonists pickled everything – mushrooms, onions, asparagus, beans, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, and even walnuts and oysters.  Pickling is another way to use salt to keep food from spoiling.  Salt and water boiled together make brine.  The food was packed in stoneware crocks and the brine poured over it.  Some vegetables, like peas and kidney beans left in their shells. would keep without pickling just by covering them in layers of salt.

23. 24. What is the article mostly about? • How to keep meat from spoiling without using salt. • How to store everything but fruit for winter eating. • How to make food last through the winter without spoiling. • How to preserve vegetables by pickling them. 25. Read this sentence from the article: “Fetch meat from the smokehouse.” The word fetch means about the same as • Bring • Store • Eat • prepare

24. 26. According to the article, who taught the colonists how to Keep meat from spoiling without using salt? • Salt merchants • Native Americans • Other colonists • British importers 27. According to the article, some foods were stored in brine. What is brine? • Salt and water • Sugar and water • A kind of syrup • A kind of vegetable

25. Directions Here is a web about how the colonists kept food from spoiling. Use the web to do number 28. 28. Which word best completes the web? F. Chopping G. Freezing H. Pickling J. Refrigerating

26. 18. This poem is mostly about F. Getting ready for bed G. Playing with animals H. The foods animals eat J. The first part of the day J. The first part of the day 19. The poet says, “The sun is new and shy.” She means that the sun • Is far away • Has not come out all the way • Has disappeared • Is setting behind the hills B. Has not come out all the way 20. What are the animals in the poem doing? F. Going to sleep G. Looking for food H. Playing with each other J. Running to their mothers G. Looking for food

27. Great Job!!

28. Please Guess again!!

29. YEAH!! WAY TO GO

30. PlEASE TRY AGAIN!!