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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION POST-TEST: READING
Directions: Read the article on pp. 1-2 and answer the questions that follow.
Babe Didrikson, Champion Athlete
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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION POST-TEST: READING
1 The neighborhood boys who played baseball with Mildred Didrikson gave her a nickname. Because she batted so well, they called her “Babe” after the famous baseball player Babe Ruth. Didrikson did not become famous for hitting home runs. Her athletic achievements did, however, help her set records in several other sports.
2 Mildred Ella Didrikson was born in Texas on June 26, 1911. Her parents had moved to America from Norway. Her father worked as a seaman and carpenter. In the family backyard he built gymnastic equipment for his seven children. Both parents encouraged their children to develop their athletic skills.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION POST-TEST: READING
3 Babe played basketball for Beaumont High School’s Miss Royal Purple team. She was only five feet five inches tall, yet her height did not hold her back. Babe shot well, and she ran fast. Her team never lost a game while she played with them.
4 Next, Babe played for a women’s basketball team called the Golden Cyclones. Led by
Babe, they made it to the finals twice. In 1931 they won the national title. While playing for this team, Babe earned All-American honors—three years in a row!
5 Soon Babe was introduced to track and field. At her first track meet, Babe took first place in four events. In 1932 she entered the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Championship, a national track and field meet. Babe was a one-person team! Within three hours she competed in eight different events and won five of them. In addition, she set several new records. These were in the javelin throw, high jump, baseball throw, and hurdle race. Babe won the championship title all by herself. She earned 30 points. The second place team had 22 points. They also had 22 athletes!
6 In the 1932 Olympics, women were allowed to enter no more than three events. Babe took part, winning two gold medals. She also broke two world records. She threw the javelin 143 feet 4 inches. She ran the 80-meter hurdle race in 11.7 seconds. In the high jump, Babe tied the world record with another athlete. They both jumped 5 feet 51/4 inches. However, Babe jumped with her head going over the bar first. The judges considered this a foul. Because of this, Babe was given the silver medal for the high jump. Today there are no rules against this type of jump.
7 The following year, Babe began taking golf lessons. She could drive the ball 250 yards.
Babe won the second golf tournament in which she played. In 1946 and 1947 Babe had a winning streak that included seventeen tournaments in a row. Altogether Babe won fifty-five tournaments. She also helped establish the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
8 Babe played basketball and golf and participated in track. She played tennis, volleyball, baseball, and handball. She could bowl, dive, skate, and swim. In 1950 Babe Didrikson’s exceptional athletic abilities earned her a one-of-a-kind honor. Babe was voted and named “the Woman Athlete of the Half-Century.”
______
1 Read these sentences from paragraph 2.
In which word does -ic have the same meaning as it does in gymnastic and athletic?
A attic
B topic
C artistic
D panic
2 In paragraph 8, what does the word exceptional mean?
A remarkable
B helpful
C imaginary
D average
3 How did Babe overcome her lack of height in basketball?
A She tried to win national awards.
B She played as a one-person team.
C She shot well and ran fast.
D She chose to play other sports.
4 Babe’s victory in the AAU Championship was especially amazing because she
A was the shortest athlete there
B played against both men and women
C won alone against a team of twenty-two
D had never played golf before
5 The information given in paragraphs 5 and 6 shows that Babe —
A enjoyed running most of all
B was the only athlete in her family
C refused to have any teammates
D was very successful in the 1930s
6 In the 1932 Olympics, Babe broke the world record in —
A high diving and bowling
B the javelin throw and the hurdle race
C the high jump and the baseball throw
D gymnastics and tennis
7 When two high jumpers reached the same height, Babe was given the
second-place award because —
A she had already won two first-place awards
B the other athlete introduced an interesting new style
C the other athlete claimed that Babe had bumped her
D she jumped in a way that was not yet allowed
8 In the late 1940s, Babe helped establish an association for women who —
A enjoyed swimming
B ran in races
C played basketball
D played golf
9 Which question is answered in the article’s last paragraph?
A In which sports did Babe participate?
B How many awards were given to Babe?
C What was Babe’s favorite sport?
D How long did Babe live?
10 If the author added a sentence at the end of paragraph 8, which of these
would fit best?
A Someone who might have been proud of her was Babe Ruth, a famous baseball
player.
B The story begins in Texas, where many children, including Babe, played baseball.
C Babe was a shining example for anyone who sets and achieves goals.
D Only one woman athlete, Babe, deserved to win the award.
11 What was the author’s main purpose in writing this article?
A Informing readers about an amazing sports figure
B Entertaining readers with a lively story about swimming, running, and other
activities
C Amusing readers with funny stories about a real person who lived long ago
D Listing facts and details for the reader to remember
12 Read this sentence from paragraph 2.
This sentence establishes the passage as —
A folk tale
B biography
C autobiography
D historical fiction
13 To find the names of other award-winning female athletes in 1930, a student
would look in —
A an almanac
B a thesaurus
C a dictionary
D an atlas
Directions: Read the flier about the contest and answer the questions that follow.
DESIGN-A-LOGO CONTEST
We need a logo–a graphic image–that will be the perfect symbol of our great new Wheelsville Skate Park. We would like those of you who are counting the days until the grand opening to design an appropriate logo that can be used on stationery, business cards, fliers, brochures, posters, and T-shirts. An appropriate, well-designed logo will provide an opportunity for young artists to receive recognition as well as great prizes. If you are interested, here are the things you need to know:
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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION POST-TEST: READING
LOGO REQUIREMENTS
• Design must be original and distinctive.
• Design can include no more than two colors in addition to black and white.
• Artwork should be reproducible at various sizes from business cards to posters.
• The words “Wheelsville Skate Park” must appear in the logo.
SUBMISSION DETAILS
• Contestants are required to be 18 years old or younger on May 15.
• There is no limit to the number of submissions.
• Logo should be submitted on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Do not fold.
• Name and address of designer must appear on the back of the logo design.
• Contestants need to include a one-page written explanation describing the key features of the design.
• All submissions become the property of Wheelsville Skate Park. None will be returned.
DEADLINE
• Mail entries will be accepted between April 10 and May 15. Entries must be postmarked no later than May 15.
• Electronic submissions must be transmitted no later than May 15.
• Winning design will be posted on our website at www.wheelsville.skatepark.com on May 20,
three weeks before the grand opening celebration.
PRIZES
• First Prize: Digital camera, one-year pass to Wheelsville Skate Park, and two T-shirts bearing the prize-winning logo
• Second Prize: Six-month pass to Wheelsville Skate Park and a T-shirt with the prize-winning logo
• Honorable Mention: One free ticket to Wheelsville Skate Park and a T-shirt with the prize-winning logo to two contestants from grades K–5, two contestants from grades 6–8, and two
contestants from grades 9–12
JUDGES
• The panel of judges is made up of a graphic designer, two technology teachers, four local skaters, and three members of Wheelsville Skate Park Board of Directors. All judges’ decisions are final.
MAIL ENTRY FORMS AND DESIGNS TO:
Wheelsville Skate Park Logo Contest
Riverside Recreation Center
1295 New Rockford Hwy.
Riverside, VA 23226
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS of no more than 2 MB may be sent to by May 15. Files should be .jpg, .gif, .png, .pict, or Photoshop files.
14 In the introduction, the phrase “counting the days” suggests a feeling of —
A nervousness
B amusement
C uncertainty
D excitement
15 Under “Deadline,” the word transmitted could best be replaced with —
A sent
B drawn
C created
D found
16 Based on the flier, which file type is not acceptable for submission?
A .jpg
B .png
C .pict
D .bmp
17 Read this additional information for the flier.
This information would best fit under which of the following headings?
A Logo Requirements
B Submission Details
C Deadline
D Prizes
18 This flier tries to encourage readers to enter the contest by —
A explaining the rules
B relating interesting details
C offering prizes
D showing sample logos
19 How will winners be announced?
A By mail
B By telephone
C On the radio
D On the Internet
20 Which question is answered in the introduction?
F Who are the judges?
G What prizes are offered?
H Who needs a logo?
J When is the contest over?
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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION POST-TEST: READING
Directions: Read the poem on pp. 8-9 and answer the questions that follow.
Ups and Downs
In the dog days of August, the sun beats a slow drum
On hours dry as feathers, but we don’t mind.
We loll at the beach, tanned and sweaty,
Cooled by crystal waters, under skies blue
5 And perfect as childhood. But the river minds.
He gives himself up, drop by drop, lower, lower,
Sinks into himself, sad and sullen,
And scared, I think, of dying: slower, slower.
I smell the muddy reeds, see logs we’ve never seen.
10 Rocks appear like nightmares in August noons.
September brings thunder, lightning, downpour
Days of torrents, drizzles, sheets, and showers.
The end of the dock sinks as the thirsty river
Drinks and guzzles, sloshing, slobbering,
15 Rushing. The crooked snake nuzzles the banks,
Hugs the bends he’s whittled over long years.
He’s giddy—tumbling, somersaulting, rock vaulting!
We read books, tie flies, play games, bake pies
As the golden leaves are pelted off their branches,
20 And the stiff brown moss turns green and lush again.
October’s Indian summer is dry. Crackling leaves,
Snapping branches. No campfires allowed. The river
Dwindles, shrinks. The bogs dry up to stinky stones
Like white bones: where do the frogs go? The river
25 Flattens, thins, fish huddle in its muddy rims.
Forest fires in Canada! One day we wake to hazy smoke,
Shudder, watch our river choke. We watch the logs
And rocks poke their heads again, grinning
Cackling: Come and get us! The weather station
30 Says drought. Drought. The beavers wait.
The paper says it’s snowing in The Country, what if . . .
If the river freezes low, what will the beavers do?
But November brings relief, for just as the last red leaf
Drops, the skies open and cry! Autumn deluge,
35 River refuge. We hear it on the roof—all night—
All day—We hear the river praising rain! Again, it
Drinks its fill, rises, rises, swells, surprises.
As we pull out the docks, in our hip-waders,
The cold river is high and mighty, it rushes round
40 Our thighs and screams: AAHHEEE! Let winter come!
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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION POST-TEST: READING
R8UPS505
21 The first line of “Ups and Downs” is an example of —
A personification _
B simile
C metaphor
D onomatopoeia
22 Why does the speaker “see logs we’ve never seen” (line 9)?
A Beavers are busy cutting logs to build dams.
B New trees are falling into the river.
C The river is drying up and exposing the logs. _
D People have thrown odd things into the river.
23 What does the description in line 13 mean?
A The dock is old and is sinking into the river.
B The dock is lower at one end than the other.
C The river is rising higher. _
D The river is eating the dock away.
24 Look at the thesaurus entry.
If the author wanted to replace the word vaulting in line 17, which would be the most precise word to use from the thesaurus entry?
A jerking
B rising
C starting
D leaping _
SESSION: 26 PAGE: 9 7/17/0LOGIN IS: @sunultra1/raid/CLS_tpc/GRP_virginia/JOB_03-olptg8/ R803C528
25 The poet uses the term “high and mighty” in line 39 to show that the
river is —
A very inviting
B threatening to leave its banks
C more powerful than people
D strong again _
26 Who is the speaker in this poem?
A A person who lives near a river _
B Different people at different times of the year
C The river that needs water
D A beaver that lives near the river
27 Which is a simile expressed in this poem?
A “We read books . . .”
B “September brings thunder . . .”
C “Rocks appear like nightmares . . .” _
D“As we pull out . . .”
28 Which description from the poem best creates a clear, visual image of the
weather in September?