ELA Diagnostic Assessment (Beginning of the Year)

Read the passage from "Water" by Helen Keller, and answer the question(s).

1. How do you know that this personal narrative has a first-person point of view?

• a. The narrator knows Miss Sullivan.

• b. The narrator refers to herself as "I."

• c. The narrator refers to her mother.

• d. The narrator learns to spell some verbs.

Read the passage from "Water" by Helen Keller, and answer the question(s).

2. Which sentence best summarizes the passage?

• a. Helen learned to spell words, but she did not know that they had meanings.

• b. Helen was excited when she learned to spell the word doll.

• c. Miss Sullivan used sign language to spell the words into Helen's hands.

• d. Miss Sullivan was an excellent teacher for Helen.

Read the passage from "Water" by Helen Keller, and answer the question(s).

3. Use context clues to determine the meaning of the underlined word imitate in the fourth sentence of the passage. Which of these words would best replace imitate?

• a. speak

• b. give

• c. crush

• d. copy

Read the passage from "Water" by Helen Keller, and answer the question(s).

4. Which inference can you most logically make, given the details in the passage?

• a. The children at the Perkins Institution are smart.

• b. Laura Bridgman is blind.

• c. The narrator's mother is very proud.

• d. The narrator is excited about learning.

Read the passage from "Water" by Helen Keller, and answer the question(s).

5. Which of these is a reasonable prediction, given the details in the passage?

• a. The narrator will move to the Perkins Institution.

• b. Laura Bridgman will become the narrator's teacher.

• c. The narrator will lose interest in learning words.

• d. Miss Sullivan will continue to work with the narrator.

Read the passage from "Water" by Helen Keller, and answer the question(s).

6. What was probably the greatest influence on the author as she wrote?

• a. the time period in which she grew up

• b. the state of technology at the time

• c. her relationship with her mother

• d. her experience with disability

Read the passage about student participation in schools, and answer the question(s).

7. Which of these best states the author's purpose for writing this selection?

• a. to inform students about the requirements for participating in student government

• b. to entertain readers with stories about student government

• c. to express anger toward students who don’t care about student government

• d. to persuade students to participate in student government

Read the passage about student participation in schools, and answer the question(s).

8. Suppose that the author also wrote a short story about the funny things that happen during student government meetings. What would be the most likely purpose for that story?

• a. to persuade

• b. to express sadness

• c. to entertain

• d. to inform

Read the passage about student participation in schools, and answer the question(s).

9. Which conclusion is best supported by the evidence in this passage?

• a. The student government is the least important group at school.

• b. Many students benefit from the programs organized by student government.

• c. Every student should participate in student government.

• d. Students who don't participate in student government don't care.

Read the passage about student participation in schools, and answer the question(s).

10. Which word best describes the tone of this passage?

• a. playful

• b. serious

• c. humorous

• d. angry