Reading Comprehension and Inferencing Practice

Each moment I felt increasing upon me that dreadful doubt as to my own identity—as to the continuity of my past and present existence—which is the first sign of that distraction which comes on those who have lost themselves in the bush. I had fought against this feeling hitherto, and had conquered it; but the intense silence and gloom of this rocky wilderness were too much for me, and I felt that my power of collecting myself was beginning to be impaired.

I was becoming________

• Complacent

• Apprehensive

• Innovative

• Dispassionate

Emilio took the cap off his head, dropped the baseball bat, and rested his elbows on the fence. It wasn't

that he couldn't find the ball. It was sitting right in the middle of the lawn, just beyond the fence. The

fence was not very high either. Emilio could probably get a running start, grab the top of the fence, and

flip right over it. But there was a dog, a large Rottweiler with a spiked collar. He sat under an awning a

few feet away from the ball. He looked at Emilio and let out a menacing growl. Archie, Scotty, and

Dutch ran up to Emilio and surveyed the situation. Archie was the first to speak, "So, are you going to

do it, Emilio?"

What is the problem that Emilio is facing?

• He did want to play baseball anymore.

• He wanted to go home.

• He was afraid the neighbors might come outside.

• He wanted to get the ball but was afraid of the dog.

Maitland tried to get up. He put the palms of his hands on the ice and started to stand. But his legs skidded out from under him. He looked like a bad clown in a cheap circus show. Once, twice more, and then he stopped trying.

Maitland kept________

• Reading

• Cleaning

• Falling

• Talking

"Nico!" Erin shouted at the top of her lungs as she bounded through the meadow, "Come back, Nico!"

She was nearly out of breath but she kept running through the tall grass. "Nico, come on, boy! It's time

to go home!" Erin continued shouting, her voice hoarse from shouting similar expressions all day. Then

she stumbled over the leash that she was carrying, "Whoa… Come on Nico!" Erin shouted, regaining

her balance.

Who is Nico?

• Dog

• Son

• Horse

• Parrot

There will be more about running dogs later, and more about Storm, but for the moment it is enough to know that when I started I thought I knew what I was doing. The dogs moved for me. I expanded the trapline to nearly sixty miles over the next three months. By the middle of hard winter I thought I was Sergeant Preston—a Mountie on a radio show I had listened to as a child.

I was______

• Curious

• Confident

• Elegant

• Growing

"Argh!" Amber exclaimed as she pulled off her sweater and threw it into a multicolored pile of clothes.

She walked into her closet and swept her hand recklessly through the rows of hanging garments, her face

reflecting her dissatisfaction. She huffed and grabbed a silver dress. She held it up to the mirror against

her body for a moment, sighed, and then stepped into the dress. She gazed into the mirror, and then

scowled and threw her fists down in disappointment. She heard her mother's voice through the door,

"Amber, Scott's here. Are you almost ready?" Amber groaned, "OK, just tell him I'll be down in two

minutes!" She slid the silver dress back off and threw it onto the ever-growing multicolored pile of

clothes.

What problem is Amber having?

• She does not want to go out on a date with Scott.

• She is feeling sick.

• She was having a hard time picking out something to wear.

• She has homework to do and is not sure which class to start on.

Boston was a bustling, crowded, flourishing town. A great port, its wealth was in its ships. From the West Indies, the ships brought molasses and sugar, raisins, limes, and oranges. From England, they brought paper and glass, thread, fish-hooks, metal tools, and tea, coffee, silk, and spice that English ships had brought to London from the Far East.

Boston was_______

• Thriving

• Polluted

• Beautiful

• Dangerous

Writing poetry all starts with paying attention. If you are serious about writing poetry, you need to slow down and observe. Only when you pay attention to the world around you will you be able to capture in words what you see, hear, and feel. If you have a notebook handy, you'll be able to jot down some words or maybe even a quick draft of a poem.

Poetry requires some_______

• Speculation

• Publishing

• Translating

• Perception

"Honey, I'm home!" Valentino shouted as he crossed the threshold. He walked into the kitchen and put

his coat and bag on a counter stool, careful not to damage the flowers that he was carrying. "Where are

you, honey?" Valentino asked. "I'm upstairs, dearest!" Dulce shouted as she finished wrapping the tie.

Valentino held the flowers behind his back and crept up the stairs. Dulce tied the bow and concealed the

package behind her back as she stepped into the hallway. Their eyes met and Valentino and Dulce

smiled at one another.

What is Valentino's relationship to Dulce?

• Best Friends

• Husband and Wife

• Cousins

• Brother and Sister

One day they saw a bird with green grass in its beak, flying into the bare trees to build a nest. They watched as the bird soared high up into the cliffs to find lush leaves. The elders sent a few young men to climb up and see what lay beyond the cliffs. There they saw streams, green trees, and soft grasses. It was a land rich enough to feed cattle and people for a long time.

The bird had _____ them

• Haunted

• United

• Robbed

• Aided