Common Assessment Re-Take

Scott looked at the clock. School would be over soon and tryouts would be starting in an hour. His stomach felt funny, and his mouth was dry. Okay, so he was nervous, but it was junior varsity basketball. Besides, he loved basketball, so he had to try out!

Scott had practiced with his friends a lot and was pretty good at running the court, dribbling, and guarding. But he couldn’t shoot very well, which he thought might prevent him from making the team.

During tryouts Scott ran, dribbled, and drove hard for the basket. The only problem was that when he shot the ball, it never went into the basket. Scott was worried. He was sure he hadn’t made the team. But the coach said, “Good job, Scott. You are in!” Don’t worry about shooting the ball. With all the practice you’re going to get, you will only get better.

Which of the following best describes the theme of this piece?

• Scott was a good basketball player.

• Worrying about something never gets you anywhere.

• Playing basketball takes a lot of work.

• Practice and do your best, and you can accomplish anything.

The Dog and the Shadow A dog was crossing a bridge over a stream with a bone in his mouth. Looking down, he saw his shadow in the water and thought that it was another dog—a dog with a bone twice as big as his. He immediately dropped the bone in his mouth to attack the other dog and get the larger bone from him. It fell into the water and was lost. The dog therefore lost both: that which he grasped at in the water, because it was a shadow; and his own, because the stream swept it away.

Which of the following best describes the theme of this story?

• Be careful what you wish for- you just might get it.

• Watch your shadow, or you might get fooled.

• Don't get too greedy, or you might lose what you have.

• Sometimes, dogs will do foolish things just to get a larger bone.

The Wind and the Sun

The wind and the sun had an argument over who was stronger. Seeing a man walking by, the sun proposed a contest: whoever could get the man’s coat off would win. The wind agreed, and decided to go first. He blew and blew, but the stronger the rough wind blew, the more tightly the man held onto his coat. Finally, the wind gave up. Then, the sun came out and warmed the man with gentle sunlight. Soon, the man took off his coat, and the sun won.

Which of the following best describes the theme of this piece?

• "The sun can play tricks on you, but you still shouldn't take off your coat."

• "Being gentle and kind can sometimes get you farther than being strong."

• "You can never tell what the sun is going to do next."

• "Don't design a contest if you think you might lose."

The Bundle of Sticks

An old monkey on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered them to bring in a bundle of sticks, and said to his eldest son: "Break it." The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the sticks. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. "Untie the bundle," said the father, "and each of you take a stick." When they had done so, he called out to them: "Now, break," and each stick was easily broken. "You see my meaning," said their father.

What is the theme in the passage above?

• Choose the lesser of two evils.

• There is strength in unity.

• If men had all they wished, they would be ruined.

• Every tale(story) is not to be believed.