Grade 8-Unit 3 Test Selected and Short Answers

Read the following article. Then, answer the question(s).

(1) It all started with a seed. In 2008 a bright young student named Katie Stagliano was in the third grade in Summerville, South Carolina. As part of a nationwide program run by BonniePlants, Katie was one of millions of third graders who received a cabbage seedling. She planted her seedling in her garden at home. She took great care in watering and fertilizing it and weeding around it. She even worked with her grandfather to build a cage for it when deer began nibbling on its leaves.

(2) Katie watched that summer as her cabbage grew, growing an enormous head five times bigger than her own head! By the time she harvested it, it weighed an astounding 40 pounds because of her great care. This was a bit of a challenge since a single family cannot possibly eat a 40-pound cabbage. So Katie began looking for places where she could donate it. She was connected to a local soup kitchen through an organization that helps farmers get crops to organizations that feed the hungry. Not only did Katie donate the cabbage, but she also chopped, cooked, and served the delicious cabbage over rice to 275 people. Katie got to see first-hand what a large issue hunger was in her community, which caused her to start thinking.

(3) Another seed was planted, this one in Katie’s brain. If her one cabbage could feed 275 people, how many people could an entire garden feed? With a lot of hard work and support from her family and friends, Katie’s Krops was born. She convinced her school to donate a large plot of green land for a garden. As a result, the entire student body now participates in planting and harvesting the garden and donating the produce. Katie’s Krops kept growing and growing, and in 2015 there were 83 Katie’s Krops gardens across the United States. Young people ages 9 to 16 can apply for grants to start their own Katie’s Krops gardens. Through her amazing generosity and dedication, Katie has made a difference. She is well on her way to realizing her dream of eliminating hunger and impacting even more lives.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A From the details in the article, what inference can you make about Katie?

• Katie is friendly but prefers to keep to herself.

• Katie is hardworking and generous to others

• Katie is well meaning but sometimes impractical.

• Katie is free-spirited and loves to have a good time.

Part B Which sentence from the article is the best evidence for the answer to Part A?

• As part of a nationwide program run by Bonnie Plants, Katie was one of millions of third graders who received a cabbage seedling. (paragraph 1)

• She even worked with her grandfather to build a cage for it when deer began nibbling on its leaves. (paragraph 1)

• Katie watched that summer as her cabbage grew, growing an enormous head five times bigger than her own head. (paragraph 2)

• Not only did Katie donate the cabbage, but she also chopped, cooked, andserved the delicious cabbage over rice to 275 people. (paragraph 2)

The following question has two parts.

Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A From the information in paragraph 3, which adjectives can you infer best describe Katie

• resourceful, persuasive, and inspiring

• strong, stubborn, and demanding

• cheerful, playful, and bubbly

• studious, shy, and helpful

Part B What type of information in paragraph 3 provides the strongest basis for the answer to Part A?

• The author states directly what Katie is like.

• The author tells what other people think of Katie.

• The author describes Katie's actions and their effects.

• The author describes Katie's appearance and manners.

The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A What can you infer about how the author feels about Katie?

• The author is impressed by Katie's spirit.

• The author is frustrated by Katie’s impatience.

• The author is embarrassed by Katie’s boldness.

• The author is amused by Katie’s sense of humor.

Part B Which sentence from the article is an example of direct characterization that supports the answer to Part A?

• She planted her seedling in her garden at home. (paragraph 1)

• Through her amazing generosity and dedication, Katie has made a difference. (paragraph 3)

• She took great care in watering and fertilizing it and weeding around it.(paragraph 1)

• So Katie began looking for places where she could donate it. (paragraph 2)

Which sentences from the article include sensory details that help you visualize what the author is describing? Choose two options.

• In 2008 a bright young student named Katie Stagliano was in the third grade in Summerville, South Carolina. (paragraph 1)

• Katie watched that summer as her cabbage grew, growing an enormous head five times bigger than her own head! (paragraph 2)

• She was connected to a local soup kitchen through an organization that helps farmers get crops to groups that feed the hungry. (paragraph 2)

• She convinced her school to donate a large plot of green land for a garden. (paragraph 3)

• She is well on her way to realizing her dream of eliminating hunger.(paragraph 3)

Read the two passages. Then answer the question(s).

Article 1: At Your Fingertips

(1) One need only enter a coffee shop, restaurant, or library, or step onto a busy street to see just how distracted society is by mobile technology. But one need only step inside a high school classroom for the many advantages of mobile technology to become clear.

(2) A huge percentage of high school students have smartphones. One might argue that this is a bad thing, particularly in school. Some might even think that letting students use smartphones puts those without smartphones at a disadvantage. But many educators say allowing students to use their smartphones in class supports learning, cooperation, and discussion. Students with cell phones can always share their devices with students who don't own them. If a group is researching a topic for a presentation and a member of the group has a smartphone, the entire group now has immediate access to information. The number of educational apps is growing quickly, too. With access to cell phones, students will learn more effectively and be able to find historical documents or view animations of cell division at the touch of a finger. Denying eager students their smartphones is disempowering them, for we all know information is power.

(3) It is easy for teachers to make sure students are using smartphones in appropriate ways in the classroom. Teachers should hang out with their students! Teachers should move away from the front of the classroom and into their students’ space. They should interact with their students and check on their progress. Teachers should engage students in conversation. Students aren’t likely to be texting their friends if they are actively involved in a lesson. They are also going to make sure they are using their phones appropriately if their teacher may appear over the shoulder at any time. Although it might seem counterintuitive, loosening restrictions on smartphones in the classroom can actually lead to greater cooperation on the part of students. The bottom line is that technology continues to evolve whether we want to evolve with it or not. Its positives, inside and outside the classroom, far outweigh its negatives.

Article 2: Smarter Without Smartphones

(1) Thirty years ago, students writing research papers used the school library. They would wade through encyclopedias and articles from newspapers and magazines to find information. They were at the mercy of what was available in their school library. No more. With the internet and smartphones, students have access to nearly every piece of information imaginable. Instantaneously. As the problem of access to information has faded, a new one has arose in its place—a lack of attention.

(2) Students can get any information they want from a smartphone. But how do students learn what to do with that information? Students need critical thinking skills so they can analyze, interpret, and apply the information they find. Historically, they have learned these skills in a classroom environment. So what happens when smartphones invade the classroom? Students get distracted. (Just in writing this article, I’ve checked my email no fewer than 10times!) A major challenge faced by every teacher is holding his or her students’ attention. A teacher's job is made many times more difficult when a smartphone is added into the mix.

(3) The classroom has long been a place where students learn much more than just what is in the curriculum. They learn how to interact with one another, how to take turns, how to explain their thinking. Unfortunately, for all of the “connecting” smartphones do, they keep us separated. The more time students spend on their phones, the less they spend communicating with and learning from people around them. Students gain so much from those right next to them in a classroom, often more than they do from studying. If students spend time at school peering at their cell phones, they will never learn how to relate to other people. Isolated and alone, deprived of social interaction, trapped in their glowing screens, they may well end up without the social skills they need to succeed in life and work. The distraction from focusing on learning and the loss of social interaction are more than enough reasons to keep cell phones out of classrooms.

5. The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A What is the author’s argument in “At Your Fingertips”?

• Smartphones are useful tools that can help students learn.

• Students should be able to use smartphones as they please.

• Smartphones should be available for use in emergencies.

• Only students who own smartphones can do well in school.

Part B

Which sentence from the article is the best evidence for the answer to Part A?

• A huge percentage of high school students have smartphones.(paragraph 2)

• But many educators say allowing students to use their smartphones in class supports learning, cooperation, and discussion. (paragraph 2)

• Students with cell phones can always share their devices with students who don’t own them. (paragraph 2)

• Students aren’t likely to be texting their friends if they are actively involved in a lesson. (paragraph 3)

Which statement from “At Your Fingertips” is an example of an appeal to reason?

• One need only enter a coffee shop, restaurant, or library, or step onto a busy street to see just how distracted society is by mobile technology.(paragraph 1)

• With access to cell phones, students will learn more effectively and be able to find historical documents or view animations of cell division at the touch of a finger. (paragraph 2)

• Denying eager students their smartphones is disempowering them, for we all know information is power. (paragraph 2)

• Teachers should hang out with their students! (paragraph 3)