SC Ready ELA Study Guide

SC Ready ELA Study Guide

Remember all the things we have worked on throughout the year and study as often as you can. You have learned so much!

Sample Questions and How to Study

How to use this study guide?

Each question is about a topic that we have learned. After you practice the question, go back to your notes in your ELA notebook and also Google Classroom to study the notes.

Multiple Choice

A student is writing a report about castles in the United Kingdom and found the following source. Many castles in the United Kingdom have fallen into ruin at some point in time. Some castles have been returned to their original states because of individuals interested in preserving history. Some were rebuilt by royalty who wanted to put the castles back into use for defensive purposes. Sadly, others have been left to rot, crumbling away as if no one even cares if they stand or fall. The ironic thing is that these neglected castles often become the most photographed of the entire country.

Which sentence in the source best reveals the author’s bias?

• Some castles have been returned to their original states because of individuals interested in preserving history.

• Some were rebuilt by royalty who wanted to put the castles back into use for defensive purposes.

• Sadly, others have been left to rot, crumbling away as if no one even cares if they stand or fall.

• The ironic thing is that these neglected castles often become the most photographed of the entire country.

Multiple Choice

A student made a plan for a research report. Read the plan.

Research Report Plan Topic: home computers

Audience: teacher and classmates

Purpose: to inform

Research Question: How have home computers changed since they were first introduced?

The student found several sources. Which source would most likely have information that would be useful in the student’s report?

• a website that explains how to upgrade old computers to make them work like new

• a magazine article titled “How Computers Can Help Solve Everyday Problems”

• a book titled Where Do We Go from Here? The History and Future of Computers

• a website that shows people how to safely get rid of old computers

The Cave

The Cave (Use the handout to read this. You will need it for the next few questions. Leave this screen up until you are done reading)
“Make sure the rope is tight, Maria,” cautioned Mr. Sawyer. He and Ms. Chen, the two sponsors of the Outdoor Club at Newton Middle School, were taking the members on the first field trip of the school year. Maria, aided by Tony, pulled a thick rope around the trunk of a wide tree, tied it off, and tugged on it. “All set, Mr. Sawyer,” said Maria. “Good. Now, everyone tighten your helmet strap, cinch up your elbow and knee pads, and put on your gloves. Then grab onto the rope, and we’ll head inside.” Forming a line, the six hikers waited for Mr. Sawyer to lead the way. Half a dozen flashlights flicked on, throwing sharp beams of light into a dark cave. Deep shadows stretched along the walls of the jagged opening. “Let the rope slip through your gloves as Mr. Sawyer uncoils it on the way into the cave,” said Ms. Chen from the back of the line. “The floor is slippery inside, so watch your step and hold onto the rope.”

“Will we see any bats?” asked Charlie. “We might,” said Mr. Sawyer. “Onward!” With a deep breath, each explorer crossed from the sun-drenched hillside into the cramped quarters of the cool, damp cave. Like ducklings trailing their mother, the hikers trekked quietly after Mr. Sawyer, holding on tightly to the rope. The passageway of the cave took an immediate left and slanted downhill. Each time Mr. Sawyer stopped to point out a feature of the cave, Ms. Chen cautiously pulled the rope tight to make sure it was still tied to the tree. “Look at all the bats hanging from the ceiling!” Mr. Sawyer remarked. “Charlie, your question has been answered.” The students walked slowly while gazing at the bats above them. Suddenly, Maria lost her footing and slipped, pulling the rope down with her. “Are you OK, Maria?” Mr. Sawyer asked. “I think so,” Maria said. “So far, nothing hurts!” Tony helped her to stand up, and she brushed off her hands. Ms. Chen gave the rope a sharp yank, expecting it to pull taut, but it hung loose in her hands. Evidently, Maria’s quick movements had loosened the rope from the tree.

“Uh-oh,” said Ms. Chen. “What’s wrong?’’ asked Mr. Sawyer, a frown spreading across his face. “The knot must’ve come untied from around the tree,” Ms. Chen said. “Can we make it back?” Kevin asked. Mr. Sawyer and Ms. Chen glanced at each other, but before either of them could answer, Charlie spoke up. “Just follow the rope out,” he offered. “Ms. Chen has been checking it regularly, so the end should still be near the entrance. Even with all the twists and turns, we should be able to reach the opening.” “I think Charlie’s right,” said Mr. Sawyer. “Let’s turn around. Everyone link hands and follow me.” Each hiker grabbed a hand and followed Ms. Chen in a single-file line as she slowly followed the rope toward the entrance. The shuffling of feet filled the cave. Several minutes later, they spotted the faint glow of the cave entrance ahead. “We made it!” Tony shouted. “That’s good news, because here is the rope’s end,” said Ms. Chen. The hikers walked out into the sunlight and stopped to catch a breath. “Mr. Sawyer,” Charlie asked, “can we come do this again? I didn’t get a good look at those bats.” Chuckling, Mr. Sawyer replied, “Sure, Charlie, but how about next week? I need a little time to recover!”

The Climb

The Climb (use the handout to read the text. You will need it for the next few questiosn. Leave this screen up until you are done reading)

“Where am I?” Mikela asked herself. She knew that the area where her family had set up camp was near the base of two hills, situated along a winding stream. No matter where she looked, nothing looked familiar. Dejected, she turned around, desperately searching for any signs of the camp. She had left it only a short time ago. Her father had pointed out an owl’s nest at the top of an old rotted tree, just one hill over from where the camp was located. She had gone for what she thought would be a quick visit to the tree, but now, each hilltop looked just like another, and she had never even found the tree with the nest. The sun was beginning to settle behind the trees, and it would soon be getting dark; Mikela started to worry. “Where is our camp?” whispered Mikela between clenched teeth. She knew that her mom and dad would be searching for her, but they had no way of knowing where to look. She wished now that she had told them where she was going. She had thought she would be back before anyone even missed her. “Think, Mikela! Think!” she said aloud. The rumble in her stomach reminded her that she had not eaten since noon, and now she was missing supper. “Wait a minute. . .” she said after a moment, standing straight up. “Supper means a fire, and fire means smoke, so I’ll look for the smoke!” Mikela looked out across the hilltops again, scanning them systematically, looking up and down small sections of each one. After a few minutes, she spotted a wispy column of smoke rising above a group of trees. “Maybe that’s our camp!” Mikela exclaimed. The smoke appeared to be coming from a valley only two hills away. Steadily, Mikela worked her way down the hill and then up and down the next. As she approached the top of the last hill, she heard a rustling to her left. Oh no. . . Now what? Mikela thought to herself, her heart full of dread. Out stepped Mikela’s father and older brother. Seeing her, they both yelled, “Mikela!” “I’m here!” Mikela yelled, running toward them. Wrapping his arms around her, Mikela’s father asked, “Are you all right?” Mikela looked up at her dad and replied, “I’m fine, but the next time I want to see an owl’s nest, I might just check out a book from the library!”

Multiple Choice

Which statement gives a theme of both passages (The Cave and The Climb)?

• Difficult problems often have easy solutions.t

• Family members should take care of one another during challenging times.

• Good listening is the key to successful teamwork.

• People should follow their dreams even if others fail to support them.

Multiple Choice

How are Charlie in “The Cave” and Mikela in “The Climb” similar in their reactions to the challenges they each face?

• Neither character panics when faced with a difficult situation.

• They both help others understand a solution to a problem.

• Neither character understands what has caused a dangerous situation.

• They both rely on special training they have received.

Multiple Choice

In “The Cave,” which factor most likely contributes to the conflict?

• Ms. Chen may not have checked the tightness of the rope enough times while inside the cave.

• The rope may not have been tied tightly enough to the tree at the mouth of the cave.

• Mr. Sawyer may not have led the students and Ms. Chen down the correct path in the cave.

• The students may not have followed closely enough behind Mr. Sawyer through the cave.

Multiple Choice

What does the ending of the passage “The Climb” reveal about Mikela?

• She wants to learn more information about owls before searching for them again.

• Her appreciation of nature has grown as a result of her experience.

• She understands that she made a choice that could have put her in danger.

• Her relationship with her family has changed because she broke their trust.

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence from “The Cave”.

Like ducklings trailing their mother, the hikers trekked quietly after Mr. Sawyer, holding on tightly to the rope.

How does the figurative language in the sentence impact the meaning?

• The figurative language suggests that the group is in more danger than they may realize.

• The figurative language creates an image of the students as orderly

• The figurative language suggests that the students do not behave in a mature way

• The figurative language creates a controlling image of the teacher.

Multiple Choice

In paragraph 1 of “The Climb,” what is the meaning of the word dejected?

• angry

• ashamed

• disgusted

• discouraged

Multiple Choice

Read the sentences.

1. He was very happy about getting a summer job delivering pizzas.

2. Hans was looking for something to do over the summer.

3. The next day he got a call to come to the restaurant for information and training.

4. Hans worked on his resume and submitted it to the pizza restaurant.

5. His mom found an article in the local newspaper looking for people to deliver pizzas.

What is the best order for organizing the sentences into a paragraph?

• 4, 3, 2, 1, 5

• 2, 5, 4, 3, 1

• 2, 4, 3, 5, 1

• 4, 1, 5, 2, 3

Multiple Choice

A student is writing a report on the connection between color and feelings. Read the paragraph. Some scientists believe that colors can have an effect on people’s moods. This belief has led to designers choices about how to decorate rooms. Many office buildings are painted beige, white, and brown tones to help the employees concentrate. To encourage creativity, a writer might choose to use yellows and oranges in the room. Cool tones like blues and greens may have a calming effect in a baby’s bedroom. A recent study reported that “early findings show a baby will be fussier when surrounded by the color red than it is in a pure white room.”

Which sentence provides the best conclusion for the paragraph?

• Right now my room is painted blue, but after writing this paper it seems like yellow would be a better color to use.

• Some people like to paint every room in a house a different color, but other people prefer to have the whole house look the same

• Many people do not use a decorator when deciding on the colors to use in a room, but information about how color can affect mood is available on the Internet.

• The reasons for these effects is still being studied, but evidence that the colors we use to paint our walls can change the way we feel is all around us.

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence.

Mom said "Who wants waffles and bacon for breakfast this morning?"

The sentence should have a comma after which word?

• Mom

• waffles

• bacon

• said

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence.

Steve not paying attention to where he was going tripped over his bicycle.

The sentence should have a comma after which words?

• Steve and attention

• not and going

• Steve and going

• attention and tripped

Fill in the Blank

Write the correct pronoun that agrees with the antecedent in the blanks.

Betsy screamed after ____________ saw the scary spider.

Fill in the Blank

Write the correct pronoun that agrees with the antecedent in the blanks.

Mike, Sam, and David sat on the bench eating ____ ice cream.

Multiple Choice

How do headings help readers understand informational text?

• Headings identify topics in each section of the text.

• Headings define words contained in a text.

• Headings help readers visualize an important concept

• Headings emphasize important points an author wants to make.

Multiple Choice

The "pargraphs" in a poem are separated by a space. These "paragraphs" in a poem are called:

• paragraphs

• lines

• stanzas

• rhyme scheme