ELA Milestone Practice

Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier were papermakers, but they had been interested in flying for many years. One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea. He was sitting in front of the fire when he saw some small pieces of scorched paper being carried up the chimney. Soon afterwards, the brothers conducted an experiment. They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once, the bag rose to the ceiling. After this, Stephen and Joseph conducted many more experiments, both indoors and in the open air. Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper. On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay. 
Which sentence in this article provides text evidence for the inference that the Montgolfier brothers used hot air to lift their balloon?

• Eventually, they built a huge balloon of linen and paper.
• They lit a fire under a small silk bag, which was open at the bottom; at once the bag rose to the ceiling.
• On June 5th, 1783, they launched their balloon in the village of Annonay.
• One night, in 1782, Joseph noticed something that gave him an idea.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.8

Every day after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch.  Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat.  He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning.  On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up the stairs to the shower as he was instructed.  He would eat dinner with her after he was "presentable," as Alice had often said.  
What type of work does Paul do?

• A lawyer
• a construction worker
• a doctor
• a garbage man

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

Maple syrup comes from the sap (called xylum sap) of red, sugar, or black maple trees, often in the Canadian province of Quebec and the states of New York and Vermont. Maple trees store starch in their trunks and roots over the winter. The maple trees turn the starch into sugar which rises up through the sap when the temperatures become warmer in the spring. People harvest the maple syrup by boring holes into the trunks so they can remove and collect the sap. The sap is then heated so its water evaporates, leaving only the syrup behind to be eaten.
Maple syrup has been harvested for hundreds of years. Early explorers were taught how to harvest syrup from Native Americans who lived in Vermont and New York. Maple syrup is an important part of Vermont culture. The 2001 Vermont state quarter shows a scene of people harvesting syrup from a grove of maple trees. 
Which word means the same as "harvested" in the sentence below:
Maple syrup has been harvested for hundreds of years.

• gathered
• tasted
• stolen
• sold

Tags

CCSS.L.4.4A

CCSS.L.4.5C

CCSS.RI.4.4

Rainbows are often seen when the sun comes out after or during a rainstorm. Rainbows are caused when sunlight shines through drops of water in the sky at specific angles. When white sunlight enters a raindrop, it exits the raindrop a different color. When light exits lots of different raindrops at different angles, it produces the red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet that you see in a rainbow. Together, these colors are known as the spectrum. These colors can sometimes be seen in waterfalls and fountains as well. 

Did you know that there are double rainbows? In a double rainbow, light reflects twice inside water droplets and forms two arcs. In most double rainbows, the colors of the top arc are opposite from those in the bottom arc. In other words, the order of colors starts with purple on top and ends with the red on bottom. In addition, rainbows sometimes appear as white arcs at night. These rainbows are called moonbows and are so rare that very few people will ever see one. Moonbows are caused by moonlight (rather than sunlight) shining through drops of water.
Rainbows are often seen ___________.

• after a rainstorm
• when it snows
• before a rainstorm

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.4.3

Lobsters are a kind of ocean creature called crustaceans. Crabs and shrimp are crustaceans too. Lobsters, and most other crustaceans, are found throughout the world's oceans, often under rocks or in cracks on the sea floor. 
Lobsters have five pairs of legs, three of which are claws. The front claws, sometimes called pincers, are larger than the others. Scientists believe lobsters can live up to 70 years! 
People love to eat lobsters! The state of Maine is famous for the lobsters found along its Atlantic coast. Here, lobsters are often served with melted butter, corn on the cob, and French fries. Did you know that lobsters only turn red after they are cooked? In the wild they can be grayish, yellow, green, blue or multi-colored. 
Where are crustaceans often found? Choose the best answer.

• In the water
• nder rocks or in cracks on the sea floor
• In restaurants

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.1

When I was walking along the sidewalk, I noticed a crack in the _______________.

• pavment
• pavemint
• pavement
• payvemnt

Tags

CCSS.L.4.2D

Choose the word that is the simple subject of the sentence:
The weary umpire took a rest after the game.

• weary
• umpire
• took
• game

Choose the underlined word that is the simple predicate of the sentence:
A castle in a forest is the setting for the play.

• castle
• forest
• is
• play

For years scientist have wanted to know the spider's secret.  The threads of spider webs are so tiny, yet so strong.  How can these threads be so strong?  Now scientists have found out.  The inside of the spider's thread is soft.  It helps the web stretch without breaking.  The outside of the web is hard and strong.  This paragraph mainly tells:

• who makes thread soft
• how spiders make strong thread
• how scientists make strong thread
• why spiders spin webs

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.4.3

Which is the correct way to connect the two sentences?

Brie went to the movies.

Teya went to the movies.

• Brie and Teya went to the movies.
• Brie went to the movies and so did Teya.
• Brie and Teya went shopping.
• Brie went to the movies with Teya.

Tags

CCSS.L.5.1A

CCSS.L.5.3A

CCSS.W.5.2C