The Namesake STAAR Practice

Read these sentences from paragraph 3.

"She shakes Ashoke's hand and tells him that there are two other Indian children at the school, Jayadev Modi in the third grade and Rekha Saxena in fifth. Perhaps the Gangulis know them?"

These sentences imply that Mrs. Lapidus -

• has made assumptions about the Gangulis because they are Indian American

• wants to reassure the Gangulis that Gogol will feel welcome among his Indian classmates

• is familiar with the Indian naming traditions that the Gangulis follow

• has worried about how the Gangulis will fit into the Indian American community at school

Answer explanation

C and D can be eliminated. If you chose B, consider that the students she mentioned are not in the same grade as Gogol. She made the assumption that the families may know each other because they are all immigrants from India.

In paragraph 26, Ashoke can best be described as -

• optimistic and irritable

• caring and critical

• compassionate and stern

• insightful and authoritarian

Which quotation foreshadows the ultimate decision to allow the boy to use the name "Gogol" at school instead of "Nikhil"?

• Though Mrs. Lapidus does not understand a word, she listens carefully, hears that name again. Gogol. Lightly, in pencil, she writes it down on the registration form.

• Gogol looks down at his sneakers. The way the principal pronounces his new name is different from the way his parents say it, the second part of it longer, sounding like "heel".

• She bends down so that her face is level with his, and extends a hand to his shoulder. "Can you tell me how old you are, Nikhil?"

• He thanks Mrs. Lapidus. "Be good, Nikhil," he says in English. And then, after a moment's hesitation, he is gone.

Read this sentence from paragraph 1.

"She told him she liked it well enough, though later, alone, she'd wept, thinking of her grandmother, who had died earlier in the year, and of the letter, forever hovering somewhere between India and America, containing the good name she'd chosen for Gogol."

The author uses figurative language in this sentence to reveal that -

• the letter failed to reach Ashima because it was lost in the mail

• Ashima was too upset to read the letter when it finally arrived

• the letter had expressed the last wish of Ashima's grandmother

• Ashima's grandmother had hoped that the letter would unite the two cultures

Answer explanation

First, identify the figurative language. In this case, it is "forever hovering somewhere between India and America." After you identify the figurative language, it is easy to find the meaning.

The description of the setting in the last paragraph of the story suggests that Gogol will -

• continue to feel anxious when he speaks to Mrs. Lapidus

• have trouble fitting in with his new classmates

• change his mind about which name he prefers

• become comfortable with the routines of kindergarten

The descriptions of Mrs. Lapidus and Gogol in paragraph 3 create a contrast between a -

• professional adult and an ordinary child

• strict principal and a nervous kindergartner

• dependable adult and a playful boy

• busy administrator and a carefree student

What is the correct way to write sentence 11?

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities. Rarely thinking about the fact that human civilization has been around for a long time.

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities and rarely think about human civilization. Which has been around for a long time.

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities and rarely think about this fact, human civilization has been around for a long time.

• Most teens are absorbed with their own daily activities and rarely think about the fact that human civilization has been around for a long time.

How should sentence 5 be changed?

• Change explore to explored

• Change were written to was written

• Change years to year’s

• Change you to they

Answer explanation

The pronoun is referring to the students, not the reader. Be wary when you see the word "you" in academic writing; it likely needs to be changed to a third person pronoun.

How should sentence 23 be changed?

• Change According to Acording

• Insert a comma after Davis

• Change Serious to serious

• Sentence 23 should not be changed.

What change should be made in sentence 9?

• Insert a comma after past

• Change is to are

• Change privilage to privilege

• Change grateful to gratefull

Answer explanation

ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK UP SPELLINGS!