rskills progress monitoring test 8a

Test 8a

rBook Stage A

NAME: DATE:

rSkills Test 8a, page

rSkills Progress Monitoring®

DIRECTIONS: This is a reading test. Follow the directions for each partof the test, and choose the best answer to each question.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

1

Sample .A Stay close to me during the game so you don’t get lost.Which word is a synonym for close?

nearaheadnicefar

Sample .B Choose the word that best fits in the sentence.Today is _____ than yesterday.

sunnysunniestsunniermore sunnier

See Answer Keyat end of test.

Go on to the next page to begin the test.© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

rBook Stage ArSkills Test 8a, page 2

ComprehensionRead the following life science text. Then answer questions 1–5.

Icky Foods That Aren’tHow do you feel about eating a fish called “slimehead”? Do you think you

would enjoy a fruit that smells like dirty gym socks? Would you eat cheese sosmelly it’s not allowed on public buses? “No way,” you say? You could misssome real treats.

You may have eaten slimehead fish without knowing it. It is mild and tasty.Many restaurants and stores offer it. They call it “orange roughy.” That soundsbetter, doesn’t it?

The durian is a fruit from Asia that smells terrible. Some people say that itsmells like dirty socks. People brave enough to try it say it tastes sweet andcreamy. (They also suggest eating it outdoors.)

The papaw’s problem is less serious. This American fruit smells fine.However, papaw flowers smell like rotting meat. So let someone else grow thefruit. You just enjoy the taste. Pawpaw tastes like a mix of banana, mango, andpineapple.

The cheese banned on French buses is called Époisses. France has lawsabout where you can and can’t take this powerful cheese. Still, it only came insecond in a "World's Smelliest Cheese" contest! Fans say that its salty, creamytaste goes well with raisin bread. Just don’t eat that snack on the bus! It’s verysmelly and could bother some passengers.

GO ON© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company


1. The “slimehead” fish is sometimes called “orange roughy” because—“slimehead” is hard to pronounce.people enjoy eating orange foods.“slimehead” doesn’t sound good to eat.orange roughy is a mild and tasty fish.

2. From the text, the smell of the durian would be most like that of—dirty socks.cheese pizza.a dentist's office.wet soil.

3. How are a papaw and a durian alike?Both are extremely sweet.Both have a bad taste.Both are kinds of fruit.Both come from Asia.

4. Papaws are similar to bananas because of their—look.smell.taste.feel.



5. Why isn’t Époisses cheese allowed on French buses?It is rude to eat in front of other people.The buses do not permit food of any kind.Only French-made cheeses are legal in France.The strong smell bothers other people.



Read the following social studies text. Then answer questions 6–10.

The Children’s GardenA school in California has a special garden. Alice Waters, a famous cook,

made it. The garden is a place to learn. Here children find out about food.

Children help plant the garden. First, they get the soil ready. Then theyplant many kinds of seeds. Many farmers use chemicals to grow their crops. Thechildren use only natural things to help their garden grow.

The children also cook the food they grow. A chef teaches them how. Thechef shows kids how to cook foods they already eat. Chefs are experts in cookingfresh foods. They also teach children and their teachers about new foods.

Alice Waters thinks children today eat too much fast food. She cares aboutchildren and wants them to be healthy. She teaches kids to make smarter foodchoices. Children learn to eat more fruits and vegetables. These foods arenutritious, which means that they will help kids stay healthy. They also learn tostay away from foods that are bad for them.



6 Alice Waters started her garden to—.

grow good vegetables for her restaurant.teach kids about food.help students get better grades.feed poor people.

7 According to the text, how is the Children’s Garden different from aregular farm?

.

It is in California.It grows only tomatoes.It charges more for food.It does not use chemicals.



8. Instead of schoolteachers, chefs teach the cooking classes because they--have more experience in teaching new cooks.are better at handling groups of children.know more about cooking fresh foods.are more interesting for children to listen to.

9. Alice Waters wants kids to eat more fruits and vegetables because thosefoods—

can be eaten raw.are nutritious.cost less than fast foods.can be grown easily.

10. Look at the diagram of the garden. Which of these statements is true?Beets take up less space than herbs.Spinach takes up about the same space as squash.Lettuce takes up about the same space as beets.Squash takes up about the same space as beets.



Vocabulary/Word StudyRead each question and decide which is the best answer. Fill in the circle next to the answer you have chosen.

11. It is usual for plants to grow in spring.A word that means about the same as usual is—

infrequent.common.necessary.unusual.

12. Describing something as peaceful means that it—needs peace.makes peace.belongs to someone.is filled with peace.

13. The polar bear slipped on the ice and tumbled into the water.Which word means about the same as tumbled?

felllookedswamdrank



14. Colleen was being careful.The word careful means—

one who cares.care again.without cares.filled with care.

15. Describing something as washable means that it—can be washed.is used for washing.needs washing.is about to be washed.

16. When there is a curve in the road, I can’t see what is past it.A word that means about the same as curve is—

hill.line.bend.hole.

17. Which word means “filled with thanks”?thankfulthanksgivingthanklessthanked



18. Lydia selected her blue dress to wear to the wedding.Which word means about the same as selected?

askedchosewantedmeant



ConventionsRead each question and decide which is the best answer. Fill in the circle next to the answer you have chosen.

19. Choose the word that best fits the sentence.Leon is the ______ person I know.

funnyfunniermore funnierfunniest

20. Which answer corrects the sentence fragment below?The meeting at City Hall.

The hall meeting at city.The meeting is at City Hall.City Hall at the meeting.The City Hall meeting.

21. Choose the sentence with the correct underlined word.This room is too large than the others.This room is largest than the others.This room is large than the others.This room is larger than the others.



22. Which answer corrects the sentence fragment below?Tied a ribbon around it.

The girl tied a ribbon around it.Tied a ribbon around the box.Tied a bright red ribbon around it.A gift with a ribbon around it.

23. Which sentence is written correctly?The last box was the most heaviest of all.The last box was the heavier of all.The last box was the heaviest of all.The last box was the most heavy of all.

24. Choose the word or words that best fit the sentence.Our new coach is ______ than the last one.

strictstricterstrictestmore stricter

25. Choose the best way to correct the sentence fragment below.Looking for a hotel.

Looking for a hotel all day.A hotel that we were looking for.We were looking for a hotel.Looking for a room at a hotel.


Write your answer in your own words on the lines below or on theanswer document. Use complete sentences.

Open Response


26 Review the text “The Children’s Garden.” Analyze how the Children’sGarden is different from most gardens. Write one or two sentences to explain.

.


Write your answer in your own words on the lines below or on theanswer document. Use complete sentences.

Open Response


27 Review the text “Icky Foods That Aren’t.” If you had to try one of the “icky”foods, which would you pick first? Which would be the last icky food youwould be willing to try? Write two or three sentences to explain to explain.

.


Writing Prompt


Read the prompt. Write your response below or on the answer document.If you need more space, continue writing on a separate paper.

STOP

28 Review the text “The Children’s Garden” and the garden diagram. Plan aresearch paper that focuses on the following thesis statement: Children wholearn about healthy food make better food choices. List topic sentences fortwo supporting paragraphs. Then use your sources to list one supportingdetail for each topic sentence. Remember to

• include topic sentences for two supporting paragraphs,• include facts and evidence directly quoted from multiple sources, and• use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Writing Prompt


Read the prompt. Write your response below or on the answer document.If you need more space, continue writing on a separate paper.

STOP

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Test 8a Answer KeySample Questions


A.B.

Comprehension1. Cause and Effect2. Compare and Contrast3. Compare and Contrast4. Compare and Contrast5. Cause and Effect6. Cause and Effect7. Compare and Contrast8. Compare and Contrast9. Cause and Effect

10. Compare and Contrast

Vocabulary/Word Study11. Synonyms12. Suffixes13. Synonyms14. Suffixes15. Suffixes16. Synonyms17. Suffixes18. Synonyms

Conventions19. Using Adjectives That Compare20. Correcting Sentence Fragments21. Using Adjectives That Compare22. Correcting Sentence Fragments23. Using Adjectives That Compare24. Using Adjectives That Compare25. Correcting Sentence Fragments


Test 8a Answer KeyOpen Response (sample answers):


26 . The Children's Garden is used to teach children about growing andeating good food. Children help plant the garden and use only naturalthings to help it grow.(2 points: Analyze)

27 . I would choose to try the papaw because it tastes like bananas andpineapple and I like both those fruits. The last one I would try is thecheese. I don’t like cheese of any kind. One with such a strong smellwould probably make me feel sick.(4 points: Evaluate)


28. Answers will vary. Use the rubrics from the SAM Portfolio tab toassess student responses.

Writing Prompt:

NAME: DATE:

Test 8a Answer Document

Multiple Choice Questions


1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 .

10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18 .19 .20 .21 .22 .23 .24 .25 .


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Open Response


26 .


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Open Response


27 .


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Writing Prompt


28 .


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Writing Prompt


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rskills progress monitoring test 8a

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