CFA #1

Read the following passage from a story.

It was my first day walking the tightrope at the circus. As I stood on the platform, high above the audience’s heads, I felt a slight, cold breeze from the open flap of the circus tent. Up that high, I could only faintly smell the popcorn and cotton candy for sale down below. I heard the crowd chanting for me to begin, and I stuck one toe out to feel the thin tightrope wire. I swallowed--it felt like I could almost taste my nervousness. I took a deep breath and let the air fill my lungs. I stepped out on to the wire.

Which of the following details contains a description of the story’s setting?

• “I swallowed…”

• “...like I could almost taste my nervousness.”

• “...on the platform, high above the audience’s heads…”

• “...let the air fill my lungs…”

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Read the following fairy tale.

A young boy named Jack trades his only cow for beans that he’s told are magic. When he brings the beans home, his mother doesn’t believe that they are magic and becomes angry with Jack. Against his mother’s advice, Jack plants the beans. A huge beanstalk grows. Jack climbs it and finds a giant’s house full of treasure. He takes the treasure from the house and runs away as the giant chases him down the beanstalk. Jack reaches the ground and is able to chop down the beanstalk. He keeps the treasure.

Choose the best summary of this fairy tale’s plot.

• After climbing a magic beanstalk, Jack takes treasure from a giant’s house, is chased down a beanstalk and chops it down before the giant can catch him.

• Jack trades his only cow for magic beans and plants them. They grow into a beanstalk.

• Jack’s mother sends him out to sell their only cow, becomes angry that her son trades the cow for beans and scolds him.

• Jack loves his only cow but chooses to believe that the beans he trades her for are magic.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

A character is simply somebody in a story. Characters can be humans, animals or creatures. Everyone who appears in the story is a character!

The main character is the most important character in a story. There are also secondary characters. The action doesn’t revolve around them, but they can often be the most memorable.

According to this passage, secondary characters...

• ...can never be animals.

• ...are the most important characters in a story.

• ...don't provide a lot of information about a story.

• ...can be memorable.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Read the following passage.

Sylvia found her Aunt Caroline especially aggravating. So when Sylvia was told she would have to spend Thursday afternoon with her aunt, she was peeved. She had wanted to go skating. Sylvia had been looking forward to it all week, yearning to glide and spin around the rink, hearing only the sound of the blades of her skates over the ice. “But Aunt Caroline never has visitors,” Sylvia’s mother reminded her, and Sylvia supposed this was true. Aunt Caroline’s house was large and drafty with a big, overgrown garden at the edge of town.

“She doesn’t have any visitors because she doesn’t want them,” Sylvia told her mother.

“Sylvia, don’t be rude,” her mother said.

But it was true: Caroline discouraged most visitors. Besides Sylvia and her mother, the only person who visited Aunt Caroline was the mailman. “The worst part,” Sylvia grumbled to herself, “is Blinkers.” Blinkers was Aunt Caroline’s very old and very crabby cat. When Sylvia visited, she wasn’t even allowed to play in the garden. She had to quietly sit in the living room, watching Blinkers nap. “And I don’t even like cats!” Sylvia groaned.

Which of the following best describes the conflict in this passage?

• Aunt Caroline is often lonely.

• Sylvia’s mother wants to visit her Aunt Caroline.

• Sylvia would like to go ice skating but has to visit Aunt Caroline.

• Blinkers the cat wants to escape from Aunt Caroline’s house.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Read the following summary of a story.

After they lose their parents in a tragic shipwreck, three children are orphaned and go to live with their strange aunt in a small town in Nebraska. At first, they feel lost and lonely, but eventually, they come to understand their aunt and each other.

Which of the following statements might describe a theme of this story?

• Childhood is a time of great imagination.

• With the love of family, we can overcome grief.

• Success requires hard work as well as luck.

• Face your fears and you can defeat them.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2