Reading 6 Semester Exam Practice Test
Author’s Purpose
Directions: Read the description of each text and identify the MAIN purpose of the author.
1. A five paragraph essay where a student argues that people should recycle and not litter
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
2. An encyclopedia entry about endangered animals and efforts to protect them
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
3. A map of the world, showing all continents, countries, and oceans
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
4. A Garfield comic from the newspaper in which Garfield hates Mondays and likes lasagna
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
5. A brochure about how people shouldn’t shop at Walmart because they hurt local businesses
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
6. The fourth novel in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
7. A student’s book report about the fourth novel in the Twilight series
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
8. A speech by a politician asking for 90 minutes to be added to the school day
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
9. The play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
10. The instructions for the board game, Monopoly.
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
11. The story of a young man who learns to resist the influences of drugs and gangs
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
12. A child’s letter to Santa asking for a bicycle because the child has been good all year
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
13. The lyrics to a song written by popular music group, Mindful Behavior
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
14. A recipe explaining how to make chicken salad sandwiches
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
15. A note to a teacher where a student asks if her seat can be switched because of a conflict
A. Entertain B. Inform C. Persuade
Evidence and Claims
Are You a Fan of a Cell Phone Ban?
Allowing students to have cell phones at school is a topic which causes controversy. Each year, the number of students using cell phones grows. According to the nonprofit group NetDay, 70% of students in grades 6-12 use cell phones. One poll, conducted by Benenson Strategy Group, reveals that teens send an average of 440 text messages a week, 110 of which are sent while in school in each week. So to prevent the improper use of cell phones, the school must create a blanket rule relating to their use. Often students do not understand why a school does not allow them to bring cell phones. One reason is because it can be a distraction in the classroom. Instead of paying attention in class, many students find reading text messages more important. As a result, students miss out on important classroom instruction. Also, cell phones get stolen. Not only does this cause a child to lose valuable classroom time, some parents get upset with the school as a result because they are the ones who ultimately have to pay the price of the loss. Some parents will try to blame the school. To nip that problem in the bud, schools simply ban cell phones from campus. Schools are also concerned about students using their cell phones in class to cheat. The Benenson poll showed that more than 35% of teenagers admitted to using a cell phone to cheat in some fashion while at school. Students will text each other the answers on tests. Students who have cameras on their phones might even take pictures of the test. This can get students into a lot of trouble. For every student that says he or she will not use a cell phone in a way it should not be used in school, there is another student who will break the rules. Cheating is not something schools take lightly. Many schools hand out severe punishments for cheating. Students are not the only ones who oppose cell phone bans in schools. Some parents are bothered by this. Many parents want their children to carry phones for emergency and communication purposes. Some schools have adopted a policy where students can bring cell phones, but the phones must stay in lockers and cannot enter the classrooms. Whatever the case is, cell phones have changed the face of education. They have integrated themselves into our culture and are here to stay. Schools need to find fair and effective ways to regulate cell phone use among their students.
1. According to the article, what piece of evidence supports the claim that cell phones are used to cheat in school?
A. One poll reveals that teens send about 440 texts a week, with 110 of those sent from school.
B. One study claims that 70% of students in grades 6-12 own their own cell phones.
C. One poll shows that over 35% of teenagers said they had used a cell phone to cheat in school.
D. Some schools let students carry cell phones to school, but the phones must not enter
2. Which of these best supports the idea that cell phones should not be completely banned?
A. Whatever the case is, cell phones have changed the face of education.
B. Students are not the only ones who oppose cell phone bans in schools.
C. Many parents want their children to carry phones for emergency and communication purposes.
D. Often students do not understand why a school does not allow them to bring cell phones.
3. Read this sentence from the passage. Schools need to find fair and effective ways to regulate their use among their students. What does this sentence from the passage imply?
A. Schools should have severe punishments for students who use cell phones to cheat.
B. It will be very difficult for schools in the U.S. to ban cell phone usage completely.
C. All students have used cell phones to cheat in school at some point in their lives.
D. Banning cellphones in schools may not be the best answer for everyone involved.
4. Which sentence from the passage supports the claim that having a cell phone in class is bad?
A. As a result, students miss out on important classroom instruction.
B. Students are not the only ones who oppose cell phone bans in schools.
C. To nip that problem in the bud, schools simply ban cell phones from campus.
D. Each year, the number of students using cell phones grows.
A Day for Strawberries
Rita's family had just moved to Scrantonville, Michigan. Before leaving for school, Rita's mom took a few moments to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Rita. She placed the sandwich into a brown paper sack along with a bag of chips and some strawberries. Rita loved strawberries, and it wasn't too often that she got to eat them at lunch. She usually got a banana instead. Once at the school, Rita's mom walked her daughter to the office to check Rita into the school. Rita met the counselor, Ms. Beckham, who handed her the schedule and a map of the school. Rita hugged her mom and tried to manage a smile so that her mom would not worry about her. Ms. Beckham showed Rita where her locker was located and helped her open up the locker. She also showed Rita where her classes were located on the map. As Rita began walking toward her first period class, she heard a loud bell sound. Immediately, the students who had been heading to their classes stopped and began filing outside the building through the nearest doors. Rita followed a nearby group of girls outside.
5. Which of these best supports the idea that the students at Rita's school know what to do when they hear the loud bell?
A. The students began going outside right after they heard the bell.
B. The students looked around with a confused look on their faces.
C. The students began panicking when they heard the bell sound.
D. The students began walking much more quickly to their classes.
6. How does the author show that it is Rita's first day at the school?
A. by having Rita go to her first period class instead of outside with the others when the alarm sounds
B. by having the counselor give Rita a school map and show Rita where her locker is
C. by having Rita hug her mom good-bye when it is time for Rita to go to her locker and first period class
D. by having Rita's mom pack the sack lunch and drive Rita to school.
7. Based on this passage, which of the following best describes Ms. Beckham?
A. someone who panics easily
B. a patient person
C. someone Rita can confide in
D. a forceful person
8. The reader can conclude that the alarm that Rita hears is
A.the first period bell.
B.a fire drill.
C.the lunchtime bell.
D.a wake-up call.
Figurative Language
1) Which of these sentences does NOT contain onomatopoeia?
a) The really red rose is beautiful.
b) The floor creaked as I walked across it.
c) The bee was buzzing in my ear.
d) The race car screeched down the road.
2) Which of the following is an example of a hyperbole?
a) The wind grabbed my arm.
b) The water is shiny.
c) I have a million things to do today.
d) The vibrating washer caused the house to shake.
3) His legs worked like part of a well-oiled machine. Is an example of
a) simile
b) metaphor
c) hyperbole
d) personification
4) "But when the trees bow down their heads..." is an example of
a) hyperbole
b) metaphor
c) personification
d) simile
5) What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?"
a) metaphor
b) Onomatopoeia
c) Personification
d) Simile
6) "But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near"
a) Alliteration
b) Metaphor
c) Personification
d) Simile
7) Bottom of Form
8) "Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark innyard."
a) Alliteration
b) Metaphor
c) Personification
d) Simile
9) Giving human qualities to an animal, object, or idea is
a) tone
b) simile
c) onomatopoeia
d) personification
10) An expression that makes comparisons between two different things, without using words such as "like," or "as."
a) simile
b) limerick
c) metaphor
d) onomatopoeia
11) Giving human qualities to an animal, object, or idea is
a) tone
b) simile
c) onomatopoeia
d) personification
12) Which of the following is an example of onomatopoeia?
a) running
b) drink
c) buzz
d) girl
13) Deliberate exaggeration for effect: "I've got a ton of homework."
a) imagery
b) allusion
c) hyperbole
d) symbol
Pronouns
1. . Choose the answer that correctly identifies the case of the capitalized pronoun:
It was SHE who wrote Gone with the Wind, the novel about the Civil War.
A. Subjective case
B. Objective case
C. Possessive case
2. Choose the answer that correctly identifies the case of the capitalized pronoun:
The tour guide informed US that the Eiffel Tower was built in 1889.
A. Subjective case
B. Objective case
C. Possessive case
3. Choose the pronoun and matching case that correctly completes the following sentence:
After dinner, ______all watched the evening news.
A. I - objective
B. me - objective
C. we - subjective
D. their - possessive
4. Choose the pronoun and matching case that correctly completes the following sentence:
Aunt Marilyn has been very kind to ______and the other children.
A. I - objective
B. me - objective
C. we - subjective
D. their - possessive
5. Choose the pronoun and matching case that correctly completes the following sentence:
Sheila has a discussion with ______.
A. I - objective
B. me - objective
C. we - subjective
D. she - possessive
6. Choose the pronoun that correctly completes the following sentence: That dog seems to have hurt ______paw.
A. her - objective
B. his - objective
C. we - subjective
D. its- possessive
7. Choose the pronoun that agrees with the capitalized antecedent in the following sentence: The field hockey SQUAD looked great in ____ new uniforms.
A. I - objective
B. me - objective
C. we - subjective
D. their - possessive
Choose the correct word to complete the sentences below
8. Mike paid for his new bike ______with his allowance.
A. herself
B. himself
C. him
D. he
Connotation and Denotation
Which connotation is more positive?
1. Our trip to the amusement park was _____.
a) fine
b) wonderful
2. ______people rode on the roller coaster.
a) Brave
b) Foolhardy
3. We saw _____ animals in the animal house.
a) fascinating
b) weird
4. Some of the monkeys made _____ faces.
a) hilarious
b) amusing
5. Everyone had a _____ on his or her face on the way
home.
a) smile
b) smirk
Which connotation is more negative?
6. We bought _____ souvenirs at the amusement park.
a) cheap
b) inexpensive
7. I ate a _____ sandwich.
a) soggy
b) moist
8. Mike _____ us to go to the funny house.
a) nagged
b) reminded
9. I didn't like the _____ on the jester's face.
a) smirk
b) grin
10. It made me feel _____.
a) uneasy
b) frightened
Which is the best answer?
11. Which is worth more?
a) something old
b) something antique
12. Which is better?
a) to be skinny
b) to be slender
13. Which would you rather be called?
a) thrifty
b) cheap
14. Which would a vain person be more likely to do?
a) stroll
b) parade
15. Which is more serious?
a) problem
b) disaster
16. Which is more polite?
a) sip a drink
b) gulp it
17. Which would you be if you hadn't eaten for several days?
a) hungry
b) starving
18. Which would you be after a walk in the mud?
a) filthy
b) dirty