Grade

6

ReadingStudent Test Booklet

Spring 2011

Copyright © 2011 by Ohio Department of Education. All rights reserved.

This test was originally administered to students in Spring 2011.

Not all items from the Spring 2011 administration will be released in thisdocument. According to Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3301.07.11:4(b) . . .not less than forty percent of the questions on the test that are used tocompute a student’s score shall be a public record. The department [ofeducation] shall determine which questions will be needed for reuse ona future test and those questions shall not be public records and shall beredacted from the test prior to its release as public record.

This publicly released material is appropriate for use by Ohio teachers ininstructional settings. This test is aligned with Ohio’s Academic ContentStandards for English Language Arts.

Ohio Achievement Assessments

Student Name: _____________________________________

hio Departmentof Education

Acknowledgments

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Selection 4: Explorer of the Extreme Deep© Science News for Kids (www.sciencenewsforkids.org).Photograph © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.Illustration by E. Paul Oberlander © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Selection 6: Toni Morrison: American WriterWeigl Educational Publishers Limited. Copyright 1998.Photograph: Courtesy of Photofest.

The Ohio Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national

origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.

The Ohio Department of Education acknowledges that copyrighted material may contain

information that is not currently accurate and assumes no responsibility for material

reproduced in this document that reflects such inaccuracies.

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Directions:

Today you will be taking the Ohio Grade 6 Reading Achievement Assessment. Three different types of questions appear on this test: multiple choice, short answer and extended response.

There are several important things to remember:

1. Read each reading selection carefully. You may look back at the readingselection as often as necessary. You may underline or mark parts of any selectionin your Student Test Booklet.

2. Read each question carefully. Think about what is being asked. Look carefully atgraphs or diagrams because they will help you understand the question. Then,choose or write the answer you think is best.

3. Use only a #2 pencil to answer questions on this test.

4. For multiple-choice questions, fill in the circle next to your answer choice. Markonly one answer for each question. If you change your answer, make sure youerase your old answer completely. Do not cross out or make any marks on theother choices.

5. For constructed-response questions, write your answer neatly, clearly and only inthe space provided in your Answer Document. Answers written outside of thespace provided will not be scored.

6. Short-answer questions are worth two points. Extended-response questions areworth four points. Point values are printed near each question in your Student TestBooklet. The amount of space provided for your answers is the same for all two- and four-point questions.

7. If you do not know the answer to a question, skip it and go on to the nextquestion. If you have time, go back to the questions you skipped and try toanswer them before turning in your Student Test Booklet and Answer Document.

8. Check over your work when you are finished.

9. When you finish this section of the test, you may NOT go on to the mathematicssection in the Student Test Booklet.

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Items 1–19 have not been slated for public releasein 2011.

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Explorer of the Extreme DeepEmily Sohn

Alvin underwater

1 Oceans cover more than two-thirds of our planet. Yet, just a small fraction ofthe underwater world has been explored.

2 A new project aims to shed additional light on the ocean depths.

3 Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) inMassachusetts are building an underwater vehicle that will carry explorers as deep as 6,500 meters (21,320 feet). The new machine, known as a manned submersible or human-operated vehicle (HOV), will replace another one named Alvin, which has been operating for 40 years but can go down only 4,500 meters (14,764 feet).

4 Based on the amazing results of Alvin’s explorations, there’s plenty more down there to be discovered.

Upgrade Time

5 It’s about time for an upgrade, WHOI researchers say.

6 Alvin has been around for a long time. When it was launched in 1964, thesubmersible immediately transformed the face of underwater exploration. Suddenly, researchers could make repeated visits to great depths — going far, fardeeper than scuba divers carrying their own gear.

7 Since then, Alvin has worked between 200 and 250 days a year, says Daniel Fornari. He’s a marine geologist and director of the Deep Ocean Exploration Institute at WHOI. During its lifetime, Alvin has carried some 12,000 people on a totalof more than 4,000 dives.

8 Alvin can’t get to the deepest point in the ocean, and the new vehicle won’t be able to go there either. This place, the Challenger Deep in the South Pacific, is 10,915 meters (6.8 miles) below sea level. (To get a sense of how deep

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that is, consider the fact that the tallest point on land, Mt. Everest, is 8,850 metershigh. If you could put the base of the mountain at the bottom of Challenger Deep,there would still be more than a mile of water above the mountain.)

9 By diving as deep as 6,500 meters, however, the new HOV will still be able toexplore more than 99 percent of Earth’s seafloor.

Deep Vents

10 Alvin has an amazing record of discovery, playing a key role in variousimportant and famous undersea expeditions.

11 More than 25 years ago, in 1977, scientists using Alvin found deep-seahydrothermal vents in a place called the Galapagos Rift.

12 Hydrothermal means “hot water.” It’s a fitting name for the scalding plumes1

of fluid that gush out of the seafloor in some places deep in the ocean.Temperatures in the plumes can reach 400 degrees Celsius.

13 The fluid itself contains a unique mixture of minerals and chemicals thatsupport exotic deep-ocean ecosystems of microbes, tubeworms, giant clams, andwhite crabs.

14 Today, all sorts of researchers and explorers wait for years to get time onAlvin, says Blee Williams, who worked as an Alvin pilot for 11 years.

15 During his 300-plus dives on Alvin, Williams has helped biologists collectworms and sponges, chemists gather rocks, and oceanographers map the seafloorand take water samples, among many other projects.

16 Geologists such as Fornari study underwater volcanoes. They look at oceanridges to understand how the planet’s surface has changed over time.

This drawing shows what the new submersible’s exterior will probably look like.

1plumes: upwellings or bursts of material from the interior of the earth

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Newer, Better

17 A newer, better version of Alvin is bound to reveal even more surprises abouta world that is still full of mysteries, Fornari says.

18 It might also make the job of exploration a little easier. “We take so much for granted on land,” Fornari says. “We can walk around and see with our eyes how big things are. We can see colors, special arrangements. Once you go underthe surface of the ocean, you have to work really hard to get the same kinds of information.”

19 Size-wise, the new HOV will be similar to Alvin. It’ll be about 27 feet long,roughly the size of a small school bus. The sitting area inside will be a small sphere,about 6 feet wide. Like Alvin, it’ll carry a pilot and two passengers. It will be just as maneuverable.

20 In most other ways, the new, still-unnamed sub will feature plenty ofwelcome improvements. It’ll give passengers more opportunities to enjoy the view,for one thing. Alvin has only three windows, called view ports. The new vehicle willhave five, with more overlap so that the passengers and the pilot can see the same things.

21 Power and speed will also get major boosts. Alvin can go up and down at a rate of 30 meters every second, and its maximum speed is 2 knots(about 2.3 miles per hour). The new sub will be able to ascend and descend at 44 meters per second. It’ll reach speeds of 3 knots, or 3.5 miles per hour.

22 Getting to the bottom faster and moving around more quickly will allowresearchers to make the most of their limited time underwater. A typical dive lastsjust 9 hours. After that, the sub has to come up to a support ship for maintenanceand repairs.

23 Going super-deep comes with added challenges. To withstand the waterpressure that comes with 2,000 extra meters of depth, the new vehicle will have athicker titanium shell and heartier equipment. It’ll carry the latest and greatestcameras and other technology for collecting data.

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Use the selection to answer questions 20 – 28.

20. What effect did Alvin’s launch haveon the exploration of the ocean?

A. It made the discovery ofChallenger Deep possible.

B. It made it safe for researchersto stay underwater for many hours.

C. It allowed scientists to studyparts of the seafloor moreclosely than before.

D. It provided a new way forscientists to preserve exoticunderwater life.

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21. “A new project aims to shed additional light on the ocean depths.”

Which word is a synonym for aimsas it is used in the sentence above?

A. points

B. intends

C. succeeds

D. manages11892; 6R0123AVBXX0001B

FT Form Q SP07; (30); OP Form A SP09 (22)

22. According to the selection, why arehydrothermal vents important?

A. They heat the ocean so plantsand animals can grow.

B. They release volcanic depositsthat fertilize the sea floor.

C. They destroy underwatermicrobes that can harm sea life.

D. They provide necessary nutrientsfor deep-ocean organisms.

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23. Which viewpoint does the authorexpress in this selection?

A. A new underwater vehicle isnecessary to gather moreinformation about the deep ocean.

B. Alvin should remain inoperation even after the new underwater vehicle is developed.

C. Much of the sea floor willcontinue to be out of reach to marine geologists.

D. Exploring the deepest parts of the ocean is a highlydangerous activity.

11945; 6R0123ITDXX0011AFT Form P SP07 (29)

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24. Which phrase from paragraph 21 is a synonym for to ascend?

A. “get major boosts”

B. “go up”

C. “be able to”

D. “reach speeds” 11937; 6R0123AVBXX0002B

FT Form R SP07 (33); OP Form A SP09 (27)

25. Provide two details that show why the undersea expeditionsmentioned in the selection are important.

Write your answer in the AnswerDocument. (2 points)

11943; 6R0123RPCXX0009SFT Form R SP07 (32); OP Form A SP09 (23)

27. The following summary of the passage contains three errors. Identify two of the errors and explain how you would correct each one.

Much of the world’s oceans remainunexplored, and scientists at the WHOI are building a new underwater vehicle that will allow them to study the Challenger Deep, which is the deepest point of the ocean. Alvin, the current underwater vehicle, has helped scientists make amazing underwater discoveries. But despiteits many years of service, Alvinneeds to be replaced because it can no longer keep up with thechanging underwater ecosystems. The new underwater vehicle will allow for larger teams of scientists todescend to the ocean floor in one dive.

Write your answer in the AnswerDocument. (4 points)

11951; 6R0123ITFXX0017E FT Form Q SP07 (32); OP Form A SP09 (26)

26. What is the author’s purpose for writing this selection?

A. to persuade readers that underwater ecosystems need to be preserved

B. to explain to readers how underwater life has changed over time

C. to inform readers about advances in underwater exploration

D. to entertain readers with a storyabout underwater divers

11944; 6R0123ITDXX0010CFT Form Q SP07 (34); OP Form A SP09 (25)

13562; 6R0123ITBXX0020DFT Form P SP07 (33)

Item 28 has not been slated for public release in 2011.

Form A

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On the Spring 2011 Grade 6 Reading AchievementAssessment, items 29–34 are field-test items, which

are not released.

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Toni MorrisonAmerican Writer

Carlotta Hacker

Early Years

1 Toni grew up in a family of storytellers. Both her parents told wonderful stories, and so did her grandmother. Some of their tales were scary, but they were always thrilling, full of magic and strange adventures. Many were African-American folktales.

2 African-American music was also part of Toni’s childhood. Her parents,George and Ramah Wofford, were from the American South. By the time Toni wasborn, they had moved to Lorain, Ohio, but they taught their children aboutsouthern culture.

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3 Toni was always a good student. She graduated with honors from Lorain HighSchool and enrolled at Howard University in 1950.

Developing Skills

4 Toni studied English literature at Howard University, and in her spare time shejoined the college theater group. The group toured the South each summer, andthis gave Toni a chance to see the world her parents had described. She wasdelighted by the culture, but was disgusted by the racism.

5 In 1953, Toni graduated from Howard University and went to CornellUniversity to study for her master’s degree.1 After getting her master’s, she began ateaching career. She taught for two years at Texas Southern University and thenmoved back to Howard where she stayed for the next seven years.

6 Toni’s years of teaching at Howard University changed her life because twoimportant things happened. She met and married a Jamaican architect with whomshe had two children, and she began to write.

7 Unlike most authors, Toni had not written stories when she was a child. Shehad been a reader rather than a writer. She might have stayed that way had shenot joined a writers’ group at Howard. The group met once a month and all thoseattending had to bring something they had written.

8 One month, Toni worked on a story about a little black girl who wanted blueeyes. Toni was saying that black children should be proud of who they are. The storybecame the basis of her first book, The Bluest Eye.

9 By the time the book came out, Toni had left Howard University. She workedas an editor for a well-known publishing company, Random House. After spendingall day editing, she stayed up much of the night writing her next novel which shecalled Sula.

Accomplishments

10 Toni suggested that Random House publish a book about African-Americanlife. It should not be about politicians and leaders, she said. It should be aboutordinary people, the type of people who usually get left out of history books.

11 The result was The Black Book which was published in 1974. Part scrapbookand part anthology, it included newspaper articles, letters, recipes, photos, andmany other souvenirs. It gave a wonderful picture of African-American life duringthe past three hundred years.

11master’s degree: a degree given to someone who completes more schooling after graduatingfrom college

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Use the selection to answer questions 35 – 43.

12 The material in The Black Book inspired Toni to write more about African-American culture. She began to bring myths and legends into her stories.Her next book, Song of Solomon, was filled with songs and folklore. Called amasterpiece, it became an instant bestseller and won two major awards.

13 Song of Solomon sold more than three million copies and established Toni asa leading American writer. Since then, she has added to her reputation with eachbook. Beloved (1987) won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, one of thegreat honors of American literature.

14 Then, in 1993, came the greatest success of all when Toni was awarded theNobel Prize in literature. She was the first African-American woman to win the prize,and the first American woman to win it since Pearl Buck in 1938.

15 Toni has been called “one of our greatest writers” and “perhaps the finestnovelist of our time.”

16 As each novel increases Toni’s reputation, she is showered with honors andawards. The honors are important, but even more important is the fact that Toni issharing her culture with anyone who reads her books.

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35. Why did Toni Morrison pursue amaster’s degree?

A. She wanted to become afamous writer.

B. She was ambitious and wanted to receive additional education.

C. She was impressed by Cornell’s highly ratedacademic reputation.

D. She intended to compare theeducation she received fromboth universities.

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36. Which sentence would berelevant information to add toparagraphs 7 through 11?

A. Born Chloe Anthony Morrison,she changed her name toToni, a shortened version ofher middle name.

B. In 1989, she became aprofessor at PrincetonUniversity in New Jersey.

C. Her novel Sula wasnominated for the NationalBook Award in fiction.

D. In 1984, she began writing her first play,“Dreaming Everrett.”

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37. One main idea of the selection isthat Morrison’s life experiencesinfluenced her writing.

Use two details from the selectionto support this statement.

Write your answer in the AnswerDocument. (2 points)

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38. “Part scrapbook and partanthology, it included newspaperarticles, letters, recipes, photos,and many other souvenirs.”(Paragraph 11)

Souvenirs comes from a Frenchverb with what meaning?

A. to write

B. to cook

C. to recall

D. to develop

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39. Which sentence from the selectiondescribes a result of Toni Morrison’smembership in a writers’ group atHoward University?

A. “After getting her master’s, shebegan a teaching career.”

B. “One month, Toni worked on astory about a little black girlwho wanted blue eyes.”

C. “Toni suggested that RandomHouse publish a book aboutAfrican-American life.”

D. “She began to bring myths andlegends into her stories.”

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Item 40 has not been slated for public release in 2011.

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41. Which summary reflects the mainidea of paragraph 14?

A. Two important authors wonthe Nobel Prize in literature.

B. Toni Morrison won the NobelPrize in literature 55 years afterPearl Buck.

C. Pearl Buck became the firstAmerican woman to win theNobel Prize in literature, in 1938.

D. Toni Morrison became the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature.

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42. Which prediction can be madebased on the information inparagraph 16?

A. More universities will want Toni Morrison to teach their students.

B. Toni Morrison will return tograduate school to earnanother master’s degree.

C. Toni Morrison’s successes willencourage students to joinwriters’ groups in college.

D. Readers of Toni Morrison’sbooks will become morefamiliar with the culturalelements she describes.

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43. How does the author organizethe information in this selection?

A. A problem is presented and is followed by possible solutions.

B. A main point is made andthen supported by details.

C. Events are presented inchronological order.

D. Information is comparedand contrasted.

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