Mid-Unit 4 Literary Test Review

Read the following passage. Then, choose the best theme for the passage.

Even though Greg had been looking forward to his best friend’s party for over a month, he knew his grandma would really love to see him. “It’s your choice, Greg. Grandma is really sick, but I know you’ve been very excited about this party,” said his mom. Most of his class was planning on going to the party and he knew it would be so much fun! After some thought, though, Greg knew exactly what he was going to do. “It’s not like this is the last party that I’ll ever be invited to and grandma would be so sad if I didn’t come,” said Greg. “Plus, I always like making her smile.”

• Dreams come true when you go to parties.

• Family should always come first.

• Best friends shouldn't have parties when family is sick.

• Trust in your friends and they will help you.

Which characterization best reinforces the theme of the importance of being prepared?

• The hero spends a great deal of time training to defeat a villain.

• The hero lives in a society where every part of your life is planned out in advance.

• The hero fights a villain who can control minds.

• The hero keeps dreaming about the problems he faces.

A story's main theme might be difficult to figure out because _____________.

• Authors rarely want the reader to figure it out.

• It has little to do with plot, characters, and story elements.

• It is rarely stated explicitly (directly).

• Only complicated, adult stories have themes.

If the topic of a passage is greed, which of the following would be an acceptable theme?

• Have the courage to be honest and always speak the truth.

• Accept your mistakes and learn from them.

• Your desire for wanting more can eventually destroy you.

• Loneliness can lead to desperate actions.

Jake is Cassie's older brother. One day they are walking home from school when a cold front rolls in and the temperature drops 20 degrees. Jake is dressed more appropriately for the weather than Cassie. He takes off his hooded sweatshirt and offers it to her. She gratefully accepts. Jake is now colder, but he is happier.

Which trait best describes Jake based on the text?

• playful

• considerate

• obnoxious

• motivated

Tommy has been elected to the school's student council. Since the council's meetings are formal, Tommy must follow a few rules when he attends. First, if he would like to share ideas, he needs to bring organized notes. Also, he should listen as others speak and take notes on their ideas. Tommy knows that in a formal discussion, you must be acknowledged before speaking. If Tommy follows these rules, he can learn and share more effectively.

Choose the sentence that best summarizes the story.

• A formal discussion follows certain rules.

• Informal discussions have different rules.

• Bringing a notebook to the meeting is unnecessary.

• Everyone gets a turn to speak in a formal discussion.

Ivan asked me to run upstairs and grab the cake. Lizzy was arriving earlier than expected, and Ivan wanted the entire surprise party set up before she entered. He turned off the lights, everyone crouched behind couches, and I scooted upstairs. So far so good, I thought as I bounded up the stairs. Upstairs was well lit, so I had no problem quickly grabbing the oversized sheet cake and descending the first steps. However, this is when things got troublesome. It was pitch-black downstairs. I slowed my motions to be especially careful. Just then I heard Lizzy approaching the door. In a rush to get into place before she entered, I missed the last step and jerked forward. Lizzy entered and Ivan flipped the lights on. The giant cake flew out of my hands and hit Lizzy's face just as everyone yelled "SURPRISE!". It knocked her over into the table of presents. It was a total catastrophe.

What is the meaning of the underlined word, catastrophe?

• surprise

• gift

• disaster

• plan

Zoe was a great cross-country runner and was second best in the state. Her main rival was Valin, the state champion 3 years in a row. At the state finals, however, Zoe actually found herself running in 3rd place. As she ran on the dirt trail, she could see Valin not too far ahead. Quite a ways ahead of Valin, she could see another competitor. It was Kate, and she was running the race of her life. So far, neither Zoe nor Valin could come within 20 yards of Kate. Zoe kept chugging along, but as he rounded a corner, she suddenly noticed Kate disappeared. Zoe assumed that she dropped out, so she focused on catching Valin. She inched closer, and finally passed him before the finish line. Then Zoe saw Kate, her arms raised in victory. Zoe didn't understand what had happened, but she took her place on the silver medal platform. Kate stood on top, and Valin stood on the bronze level. As Valin was about to receive his medal, an official ran up. He announced that Kate was disqualified for cheating. Zoe had won her first state championship!

What is a possible theme of the story?

• People who are dishonest are not rewarded.

• It is okay to take shortcuts.

• Kim cheated in the race, so she was disqualified.

• People who take shortcuts are often rewarded

What character trait best describes Francis?

• motivated

• energetic

• lazy

• malicious

What is the conflict in the story?

• The principal is worried that too many people will show up.

• The principal is concerned about the weather forcing them into the gym.

• The drivers of the deli van and the truckload of beverages are running behind.

• The weather map the principal is looking at is inaccurate.