ACAP Prep2

Artwork

Courteously, Carlos passed out brushes to the chattering group gathered round the table. His mom was the activity director at the Tate Senior Center, and she had asked him to help with this day’s painting lesson. Carlos had really wanted to spend his afternoon building his model bridge.

Swallowing a sigh, Carlos handed out sheets of paper next. Then he thankfully slipped into the empty seat next to Ms. Webb, who was the quietest resident he knew. Hopefully, he could sit by her and read his mystery book without an interruption.

However, before long, Ms. Webb grumbled. Glancing sideways, Carlos watched her plop her brush down on the table with a frown. Seconds later, she grasped it again and splattered a storm of red raindrops across her paper. With an irritated groan, she looked around the room.

“Would you like another paper?” Carlos asked, slipping his bookmark into his book.

“I’d really love a black pencil and sketch pad,” Ms. Webb answered in a yearning tone.

“I’ll see what I can do,” offered Carlos. He walked over and rummaged through his mom’s box of supplies and found a black crayon and some copy paper. When he offered them to Ms. Webb, her face glowed like a rising sun.

Curious, Carlos watched as Ms. Webb swiftly drew with the crayon. She sketched a lady with a beaming smile. Suddenly, Carlos blinked in astonishment. It was a cartoon picture of his mother.

“You’re an artist!” Carlos exclaimed, and Ms. Webb chuckled.

“When I was in college, I spent several summers drawing cartoon portraits of people in the park,” Ms. Webb explained. Then she began another sketch.

This time, Carlos watched as a man with exaggerated dancing feet flowed from her crayon. He recognized Mr. Bell, who constantly moved about.

“Did you study art?” Carlos asked Ms. Webb next, pushing his book aside.

“I learned building design,” Ms. Webb replied.

Instantly, a million questions bubbled through Carlos. Soon, he and Ms. Webb were discussing towers, bridges, and mystery novels, too.

“Hey, it’s time to clean up,” Mom said, breaking into their conversation. “Will you please collect the brushes, Carlos?”

Carlos glanced at the clock with startled eyes. An hour had flown by! He felt an unexpected wave of disappointment as he stood to help Mom.

“Here, take this sketch,” Ms. Webb smiled, giving him her final cartoon. It showed the two of them merrily chatting. “It’ll remind you to visit me.”

“Thanks! I’ll definitely do that,” Carlos assured her. It was a promise that would be easy to keep.

Read the sentence below from “Artwork.”

Soon, he and Ms. Webb were discussing towers, bridges, and mystery novels, too.

Which inference can best be made about Carlos and Ms. Webb from the sentence?

• They both like art.

• They have common interests.

• They have become good friends.

• They both prefer to talk rather than listen.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

Artwork

Courteously, Carlos passed out brushes to the chattering group gathered round the table. His mom was the activity director at the Tate Senior Center, and she had asked him to help with this day’s painting lesson. Carlos had really wanted to spend his afternoon building his model bridge.

Swallowing a sigh, Carlos handed out sheets of paper next. Then he thankfully slipped into the empty seat next to Ms. Webb, who was the quietest resident he knew. Hopefully, he could sit by her and read his mystery book without an interruption.

However, before long, Ms. Webb grumbled. Glancing sideways, Carlos watched her plop her brush down on the table with a frown. Seconds later, she grasped it again and splattered a storm of red raindrops across her paper. With an irritated groan, she looked around the room.

“Would you like another paper?” Carlos asked, slipping his bookmark into his book.

“I’d really love a black pencil and sketch pad,” Ms. Webb answered in a yearning tone.

“I’ll see what I can do,” offered Carlos. He walked over and rummaged through his mom’s box of supplies and found a black crayon and some copy paper. When he offered them to Ms. Webb, her face glowed like a rising sun.

Curious, Carlos watched as Ms. Webb swiftly drew with the crayon. She sketched a lady with a beaming smile. Suddenly, Carlos blinked in astonishment. It was a cartoon picture of his mother.

“You’re an artist!” Carlos exclaimed, and Ms. Webb chuckled.

“When I was in college, I spent several summers drawing cartoon portraits of people in the park,” Ms. Webb explained. Then she began another sketch.

This time, Carlos watched as a man with exaggerated dancing feet flowed from her crayon. He recognized Mr. Bell, who constantly moved about.

“Did you study art?” Carlos asked Ms. Webb next, pushing his book aside.

“I learned building design,” Ms. Webb replied.

Instantly, a million questions bubbled through Carlos. Soon, he and Ms. Webb were discussing towers, bridges, and mystery novels, too.

“Hey, it’s time to clean up,” Mom said, breaking into their conversation. “Will you please collect the brushes, Carlos?”

Carlos glanced at the clock with startled eyes. An hour had flown by! He felt an unexpected wave of disappointment as he stood to help Mom.

“Here, take this sketch,” Ms. Webb smiled, giving him her final cartoon. It showed the two of them merrily chatting. “It’ll remind you to visit me.”

“Thanks! I’ll definitely do that,” Carlos assured her. It was a promise that would be easy to keep.

Which sentence from “Artwork” show how the narrator’s point of view helps to develop the character of Carlos?

• Carlos had really wanted to spend his afternoon building his model bridge.

• Glancing sideways, Carlos watched her plop her brush down on the table with a frown.

• He walked over and rummaged through his mom’s box of supplies and found a black crayon and some copy paper

• He recognized Mr. Bell, who constantly moved about.

• Instantly, a million questions bubbled through Carlos.

Tags

CCSS.RL.1.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Swimming Lessons

On the first day of summer vacation, I sat at the kitchen table like an outcast stranded on a desert island.

“What’s wrong?” Mom asked, stirring her tea.

“Carla is spending a month with her grandparents, and Kisha left for summer camp this morning,” I announced. Kisha, Carla, and I were like the three musketeers.

“It is going to be so boring without them,” I added with a heartfelt moan.

For a moment, Mom stared into her cup of tea like it held some mysterious wisdom. Then she gazed at me.

“Margaret . . . would you like to take swimming lessons at the community center with me?” she asked. “Our neighbor Ms. Robbins volunteered to teach me. We could learn together.”

I opened my mouth and closed it again, unsure what to say.

“Sure,” I finally blurted. A swimming pool was better than a desert island, I told myself.

Surprisingly, when Mom and I arrived for our first lesson, she splashed into the pool like she was part mermaid, while I inched down the ladder with a nervous shiver. Ms. Robbins smiled reassuringly and gave us both ample time to get comfortable in the water.

As our lesson progressed, I eventually learned to propel myself across the pool, clutching a float and kicking my feet. However, Mom was soon sailing across that pool as swiftly as a dolphin. I gasped for breath whenever I tried to match her speed.

When our lesson ended, Mom and I rode home together.

“You never told me you were an Olympic athlete,” I half-joked, eyeing Mom. My own arms and legs felt like lead weights.

“The only sport I’ve ever mastered is sailing,” Mom laughed aloud. “Grandpa taught me when I was young. I’ve always loved the ocean.”

“You know how to sail?” I asked, astonished. The information added another shade of color to my ever-changing picture of Mom.

“I love the ocean, too,” I admitted next, “especially whales. I’ve been reading books about how they communicate.”

Before long, Mom and I were talking about whale songs, dolphins, and our favorite memories of going to the beach.

“Will you be ready for another lesson tomorrow?” Mom asked as we parked in the driveway.

“Yes!” I answered with resounding certainty. I had suddenly realized that those lessons offered me something far more important than swimming skills; they would give me the chance to form growing bonds with my mother. It was going to be a great summer after all.

Read the paragraphs below from “Swimming Lessons.”

Surprisingly, when Mom and I arrived for our first lesson, she splashed into the pool like she was part mermaid, while I inched down the ladder with a nervous shiver. Ms. Robbins smiled reassuringly and gave us both ample time to get comfortable in the water.

As our lesson progressed, I eventually learned to propel myself across the pool, clutching a float and kicking my feet. However, Mom was soon sailing across that pool as swiftly as a dolphin. I gasped for breath whenever I tried to match her speed.

Which two sentences explain what the underlined figurative language suggests about Mom?

• Mom has difficulty paying attention to the swimming teacher

• . Mom swims very gracefully.

• Mom is afraid to swim to the deep end of the pool.

• Mom is able to swim very fast

• Mom wishes she had taken swimming lessons when she was a child.

Tags

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Swimming Lessons

On the first day of summer vacation, I sat at the kitchen table like an outcast stranded on a desert island.

“What’s wrong?” Mom asked, stirring her tea.

“Carla is spending a month with her grandparents, and Kisha left for summer camp this morning,” I announced. Kisha, Carla, and I were like the three musketeers.

“It is going to be so boring without them,” I added with a heartfelt moan.

For a moment, Mom stared into her cup of tea like it held some mysterious wisdom. Then she gazed at me.

“Margaret . . . would you like to take swimming lessons at the community center with me?” she asked. “Our neighbor Ms. Robbins volunteered to teach me. We could learn together.”

I opened my mouth and closed it again, unsure what to say.

“Sure,” I finally blurted. A swimming pool was better than a desert island, I told myself.

Surprisingly, when Mom and I arrived for our first lesson, she splashed into the pool like she was part mermaid, while I inched down the ladder with a nervous shiver. Ms. Robbins smiled reassuringly and gave us both ample time to get comfortable in the water.

As our lesson progressed, I eventually learned to propel myself across the pool, clutching a float and kicking my feet. However, Mom was soon sailing across that pool as swiftly as a dolphin. I gasped for breath whenever I tried to match her speed.

When our lesson ended, Mom and I rode home together.

“You never told me you were an Olympic athlete,” I half-joked, eyeing Mom. My own arms and legs felt like lead weights.

“The only sport I’ve ever mastered is sailing,” Mom laughed aloud. “Grandpa taught me when I was young. I’ve always loved the ocean.”

“You know how to sail?” I asked, astonished. The information added another shade of color to my ever-changing picture of Mom.

“I love the ocean, too,” I admitted next, “especially whales. I’ve been reading books about how they communicate.”

Before long, Mom and I were talking about whale songs, dolphins, and our favorite memories of going to the beach.

“Will you be ready for another lesson tomorrow?” Mom asked as we parked in the driveway.

“Yes!” I answered with resounding certainty. I had suddenly realized that those lessons offered me something far more important than swimming skills; they would give me the chance to form growing bonds with my mother. It was going to be a great summer after all.

Part A Which sentence best expresses the theme of “Swimming Lessons”?

• Summer vacation is a time for relaxation.

• Taking up a new sport or hobby can be beneficial.

• Helping people older than we are brings great rewards.

• Sometimes we connect to people or make friends in surprising ways.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

Part B Which statement from the passage best supports the answer in part A?

• On the first day of summer vacation, I sat at the kitchen table like an outcast stranded on a desert island.

• “Margaret . . . would you like to take swimming lessons at the community center with me?” she asked.

• . “The only sport I’ve ever mastered is sailing,” Mom laughed aloud. “Grandpa taught me when I was young. I’ve always loved the ocean.”

• I had suddenly realized that those lessons offered me something far more important than swimming skills; they would give me the chance to form growing bonds with my mother.

Tags

CCSS.RF.4.4C

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

In which way are “Artwork” and “Swimming Lessons” the same?

• Both passages include a young person who wants to spend time with friends

• Both passages present a message about forming relationships.

• Both passages take place in a community center where older people meet to learn new things.

• In both passages, the main character teaches an older person how to do something.

• In both passages, the main character changes from having little interest to becoming interested in others.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

Which characteristics describe Carolos in "Artwork"? Choose three.

• polite and helpful

• bored and lonely

• surprised by a parent's talent

• surprised by an elderly woman's talent

• interested in mysteries and models

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

Which characteristics below describe Margaret in "Swimming Lessons"? Choose three.

• polite and helpful

• bored and lonely

• surprised by a parent's talent

• interested in sailing and whales

• interested in mysteries and models

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4