State Test Prep

The following quotation suggests which theme?

"He did not know in the least what a rude little brute he was... He had lived on a sort of desert island all his life and... made his own manners."

• A secret can make something more valuable.

• Other people can help us see our faults

• Nature can be a source of courage and comfort

• People are willing to make sacrifices for the people they care about.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Read "The Presentation" and determine the theme.

"For the final exam, instead of a written test, everyone will be required to give a ten-minute presentation on one of the science topics we covered this year," Mr. Marx announced.

Angela felt her stomach twist into anxious knots. When Mr. Marx passed around a sign-up sheet, Angela chose the topic of tadpoles, but also made sure she picked the very last time slot for presentation days. She wanted to put as much distance as possible between now and the moment she would have to speak in front of the class.

Angela began having trouble sleeping at night. She dreamed of failing the final exam not because she didn't know the material, but because she froze and forgot her speech. Every classmate's presentation she watched meant she was one step closer to having to present herself.

When the day arrived, Angela couldn't eat breakfast, and she had to get through math and history before science. She couldn't concentrate at all.

Her heart pounded as Mr. Marx called her name. She gathered her notecards with shaking hands and slowly walked to the front of the room.

"Tadpoles," she began, "are frogs or toads at the beginning of their life cycle."

Whew, she thought. The first sentence came out.

Then, something happened that she did not expect at all. She relaxed. Once she began, the words flowed out. She could see Mr. Marx start to smile and nod encouragingly. After weeks of dreading this moment, she couldn't believe how quickly the presentation passed.

"So," she said brightly, after her presentation concluded. "Does anyone have any questions about tadpoles?"

• knowing the truth about something can be freeing

• waiting to do something can be worse than actually doing it

• people should treat each other the way they themselves want to be treated

• traditions can bring people together in unique ways

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which quotation supports the theme that knowledge should be shared.

• "We think that books instead of being locked up in cupboards, far from the sight of students, should be distributed as widely as possible."

• No sooner is the rage of hunger satisfied than it becomes difficult to understand what it means to starve.

• "If you love her enough to give up your world for her, don't you think she would want to do the same for you?"

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland tells the story of a young girl who follows a white rabbit down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a series of adventures in a surreal world.

What is the meaning of the allusion: Evan's research on 19th century philosophers led him down the rabbit hole.

• on a strange or difficult exploration

• in search of acclaim or praise

The novella A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, tells the story of the penny-pinching and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge, who values money more than people.

What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below? Mr. Horton has a reputation as a Scrooge, so our club has stopped asking him for donations.

• a person who is shy

• a person who isn't generous

What does this metaphor suggest?

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. -Marcel Proust"

• People nourish our souls when they make us happy

• People who cultivate beautiful gardens make us happy.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RL.8.7

What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?

"For spring allergy sufferers, the botanical garden is as pleasant as a traffic jam."

• The botanical garden is enjoyable for everyone.

• The botanical garden is unpleasant for allergy sufferers

What does the simile in this text suggest?

"You're as cold as ice; you're willing to sacrifice our love."

• The song is about someone who is guilty.

• The song is about someone who doesn't care.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

What figure of speech is this an example of?

"The lighthouse horn moaned, and the sound traveled through the thick fog, reaching the sailors who were enveloped in the grayness."

• Metaphor

• Simile

• Personification

• Hyperbole

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

What does the idiom in this text suggest?

"Speak of the devil!" Trisha declared when Josiah strolled into the room.

• Trisha didn't trust Josiah.

• Trisha had just been speaking about Josiah.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3