5th Grade Reading Benchmark--March 2012
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
The Magic Turtle
by Alvin Schwartz
Here is the story of a "magic" trick with a turtle. You will probably catch on quickly . . . read about someone who did not.
The candy store was owned by Madame Perrier and her husband, Louis. They lived in an apartment above the store with six goldfish and a small turtle no more than an inch across.
Madame kept the fish and the turtle in a fish tank on a sill outside the kitchen window. Several times a day, she fed them bread crumbs and talked to them about the weather, the store, the candy, whatever was on her mind.
3 A boy named Jack lived in the apartment just above the Perriers. On warm spring nights, he would lean out his open window and watch Madame feed her pets, and eavesdrop as she talked to them.
4 One evening, as he was watching and listening, he had an idea. It seemed so silly that he laughed. But then he thought, Madame would not mind. She would think it was funny.
The next day, Jack bought five turtles at a pet shop. They all looked just like Madame Perrier's turtle, except that they were larger. They ranged in size from about two inches across to about six inches across. He also bought some cheesecloth and wire and a bamboo fishing pole.
That night, Jack made a small scoop net with the cheesecloth and wire and attached it to the fishing pole. Early the next morning, before everyone else was awake, he reached out of his kitchen window with the scoop net and removed Madame's turtle from the tank. He put it in a bucket of water. Then he replaced it with a turtle that was two inches across or twice as large. When Madame Perrier saw the turtle, she got very excited. "It's twice as big as it was yesterday!" she told Louis.
The next morning, Jack removed the two-inch turtle and replaced it with a four-inch turtle. It had doubled in size again! When Madame saw it, she ran to the telephone and called everybody she knew.
8 The following morning, while the Perriers slept, Jack removed the four inch turtle and replaced it with a turtle that was five inches across. That caused a sensation. All day long, people in the neighborhood came to see the magic turtle, then went out and told others. The crowd got so large a policeman was sent to keep order. Soon a reporter arrived to interview Madame and take her picture with the turtle. Madame was going to be famous!
9 Jack decided not to replace the five-inch turtle with his six-inch turtle. The tank did not seem large enough. He also was afraid that Madame could not stand the shock. Instead, he decided to make the turtle smaller once more.
Early the next morning, Jack replaced the five -inch turtle with a three-inch turtle. Of course, when Madame discovered what had happened, the excitement continued. Still more people came to see the turtle, and the reporter came back to interview her again.
11 The next morning, Jack replaced the three-inch turtle with the one -inch turtle Madame owned at the beginning. That night, he put away the dip net and the bamboo pole. He took his five turtles to the park and let them loose in a stream. On the way home, he stopped in to see Madame's turtle. It was away for a while, at the zoo, she said. A scientist was studying its strange behavior.
Adapted from
As I Remember Him by Hans Zinsser. Copyright 1940. Published by Little, Brown and Company.
1. Why did Jack's trick with the turtle so easily fool Madame Perrier?
A. Madame paid little attention to the turtle.
B. The turtle tank was outside the window.
C. Madame did not know much about turtles.
D. Jack used truly magic turtles.
2. What does the word eavesdrop mean?
A. listen secretly
B. laugh to himself
C. have an idea
D. fall down
3. What is the author's purpose in writing this story?
A. to give the reader information about turtles
B. to show the reader how to do a magic trick
C. to entertain the reader with a funny story
D. to teach the reader a lesson about believing what you see
4. Which did Jack do when he decided his trick was making too much excitement?
A. He called a scientist.
B. He stopped in to see Madame's turtle.
C. He told Madame about his trick.
D. He put back a smaller turtle.
Boris Changes Jobs
Scene 1
Mr. Smith enters with Boris, who is dressed as a clown. Jeremy, Helena, and six other kids in birthday hats wait for them. A banner reads: Happy Birthday, Jeremy!
MR SMITH: Here’s your birthday surprise, Jeremy!
BORIS: (shouting) Hi, kids! I’m Boris, the Birthday clown!
Boris does a clumsy dance, during which he nearly steps on every child at least once. One by one, the children start to cry and run away. Finally, Mr. Smith is left alone with Boris.
MR. SMITH: You’re not a very good clown, are you?
Scene 2
Mrs. Arisa enters with Boris, who is dressed in the same clown outfit as before. The same kids wait, wearing different birthday hats. A banner reads: Happy Birthday, Helena!
MRS. ARISA: Here’s your birthday surprise, Helena!
BORIS: (shouting) Hi kids! I’m Boris, the Birthday Monster!
Boris does the same clumsy dance, during which he steps on every child at least once. One by one, the children start to scream with delight. By the end of the dance, the children are applauding wildly. Boris ends his dance with a deep bow.
5. How are the outcomes off Boris’s performance different at the two birthday parties?
A. The guest had a great time at both events.
B. The reaction of the guests was negative at the first party, but delighted at the
second party.
C. At the first party, Boris stepped on everyone’s toes.
D. The guests were older at the second party and they understood Boris.
6. What is one detail that is the same in both scenes?
A. The birthday person was the same.
B. Boris stepped on every one's toes while he danced.
C. Boris was a birthday clown.
D. The guests liked the performance.
7. What did not change in the second scene?
A. The members of the birthday party.
B. The birthday party entertainment.
C. The person who is having a birthday.
D. Boris did a clumsy dance.
8. What is the author’s purpose in this play?
A. To teach people how to entertain at a kids’ party.
B. To demonstrate how monsters are funnier than clowns.
C. To teach people that you can be successful if you change your presentation.
D. To show how everyone can act silly sometime.
Read the Dolphins articles, and then answer the following question(s).
All About Bottlenose Dolphins
by Elizabeth Knapp
In the 1960s, a popular TV series featured a bottlenose dolphin named "Flipper," who won people over with his clever tricks and happy smile. The Miami Dolphins football team has a picture of a bottlenose dolphin on its helmets. It seems we just can't get enough of these intelligent, loveable creatures. So what is it about bottlenose dolphins that make them so special?
While they may look like fish, bottlenose dolphins are actually mammals. They breathe air like we do and cannot stay under water for too long or they will die. Bottlenose dolphins are among the most intelligent ocean mammals. Their brains are actually larger than ours—three pounds compared to five pounds.
While bottlenose dolphins are very smart, they're not as advanced as humans. But like us, they do have their own language. Bottlenose dolphins use specials sounds to communicate with each other. They also use echolocation—bouncing sound and echoes off objects—to "see" things like bats do. While we have learned a great deal about these amazing creatures,
there's still a lot to find out.
Here are some basic facts about bottlenose dolphins:
Habitat: Bottlenose dolphins are found mostly in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. But they also live in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Population: We do not know exactly how many bottlenose dolphins there are in the world. It is believed there are about 243,500 bottlenose dolphins in the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific. In the waters of Japan, there are thought to be only about 37,000 bottlenose dolphins.
Size: Bottlenose dolphins weigh between 440-600 pounds. Their average length is about 10 feet.
Lifespan: Bottlenose dolphins usually live between 30 to 50 years.
Food: Bottlenose dolphins are meat eaters. They eat fish like herring, mackerel, and sardines. They also enjoy shrimp and squid. Bottlenose dolphins eat 13 to 33 pounds of food a day.
Behavior: Bottlenose dolphins are very social animals and live in small groups called pods. Each pod contains about 12 dolphins. Sometimes several pods join together to form a larger group called a herd. Here are some more fun facts about bottlenose dolphins:
• Bottlenose dolphins get their name from the bottle shape of their nose, or snout. Their snout is called a rostrum.
• A bottlenose dolphin's skin is smooth and feels something like an inner tube. It sheds its outer layer of skin every two hours.
• Bottlenose dolphins have been known to play with humans. A bottlenose dolphin named Percy who lived off the coast of England used to follow local fishing boats and play with their crab pots. He even gave people rides by letting them hang onto his fins.
• In the town of Laguna in Brazil, bottlenose dolphins help fishermen catch fish. The fishermen wait on the beach with their nets in the water, and the dolphins drive the fish toward the beach. As the fish approach the nets, the dolphins roll over on the surface of the water to let the fishermen know to throw their nets. Sadly, humans are the greatest threat to bottlenose dolphins. In some parts of the world, bottlenose dolphins are hunted for food. In other areas, they are dying from polluted waters. Sometimes they get caught in the large nets fishermen use to catch tuna. As a result, people around the world have created laws to help protect them. Today, it is even possible to "adopt" a dolphin through special programs like The Dolphin Project. As we learn how to keep them safe, we will also learn more about what makes them tick. Who knows—maybe they'll even teach us a thing or two!
9. What part of a dolphin is the rostrum?
A. tail
B. nose or snout
C. fin
D. blowhole
10. What are small groups of dolphins called?
A. herds
B. schools
C. pods
D. flocks
11. What is the average length of a bottlenose dolphin?
A. 10 feet
B. 12 feet
C. 14 feet
D. 18 feet
12. Use the diagram of a bottlenose dolphin to answer this question.
Where is a bottlenose dolphin’s blowhole located?
A. on top of its head
B. on its back near its dorsal fin
C. on its rostrum
D. on its back near its tail fluke
13. How are the populations of bottlenose dolphins in the eastern Pacific Ocean DIFFERENT from the populations of bottlenose dolphins in the waters of Japan?
A. Only the bottlenose dolphins in the eastern Pacific Ocean communicate with whistles.
B. There are far fewer bottlenose dolphins in the waters of Japan.
C. The bottlenose dolphins in the waters of Japan do not live in pods.
D. There are more bottlenose dolphins in the waters of Japan.
14. Why did the author write “All About Bottlenose Dolphins”?
A. to inform readers with facts about bottlenose dolphins
B. to show how bottlenose dolphins are the most intelligent ocean mammals
C. to explain why we need to protect bottlenose dolphins
D. to persuade readers to adopt a bottlenose dolphin
15. Why does the author mention Percy, the bottlenose dolphin who lived off the coast of England?
A. to show how people communicate with dolphins
B. to describe how bottlenose dolphins help humans
C. to show how friendly bottlenose dolphins can be
D. to explain why people are trying to protect bottlenose dolphins
16. A dolphin’s skin and which of the following are ALIKE?
A. sandpaper
B. a rubber ball
C. an inner tube
D. silk
Read the story The Hermit, or the Gift of Corn, and then answer the following question(s).
The Hermit, or the Gift of Corn
by Marie L. McLaughlin
In a deep forest, far from the villages of his people, lived a hermit. His tent was made of buffalo skins, and his dress was made of deer skin. Far from the haunts 1 of any human being this old hermit was content to spend his days.
All day long he would wander through the forest studying the different plants of nature and collecting precious roots, which he used as medicine. At long intervals some warrior would arrive at the tent of the old hermit and get medicine roots from him for the tribe, the old hermit's medicine being considered far superior to all others.
After a long day's ramble in the woods, the hermit came home late, and being very tired, at once lay down on his bed and was just dozing off to sleep, when he felt something rub against his foot. Awakening with a start, he noticed a dark object and an arm was extended to him, holding in its hand a flint pointed arrow. The hermit thought, "This must be a spirit, as there is no human being around here but myself!" A voice then said: "Hermit, I have come to invite you to my home." "How (yes), I will come," said the old hermit. Wherewith he arose, wrapped his robe about him and followed.
Outside the door he stopped and looked around, but could see no signs of the dark object.
"Whoever you are, or whatever you be, wait for me, as I don't know where to go to find your house," said the hermit. Not an answer did he receive, nor could he hear any noises as though anyone was walking through the brush. Re-entering his tent he retired and was soon fast asleep. The next night the same thing occurred again, and the hermit followed the object out, only to be left as before.