OST Spring 2021 Passage 1

Read this sentence from paragraph 4.

"Of course, there was no AC."

What does the use of the phrase "Of course" suggest about Rita?

• A. She wants to highlight her ability to adapt to a difficult situation.

• B. She is not surprised because she has been uncomfortable since her arrival.

• C. She wants to confirm with someone that the air conditioning does not work.

• D. She acknowledges that others are more accustomed to dealing with hot weather than she is.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

What does the phrase "she curled up around me like a koala bear" emphasize in paragraph 2?

• A. The awkwardness of Rita's car ride

• B. The kindness with which Rita cares for the baby

• C. The warmth of the welcome from all of Rita's relatives

• D. The peacefulness of the baby in the midst of Rita's chaos

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

Read the sentence from paragraph 2.

"The others were vecinos, neighbors who had nothing better to do than come to the airport to pick me up in a caravan of cars."

What perspective does this sentence emphasize in the passage?

• A. the relatives' expectation that more family was coming

• B. Rita's lack of appreciation for the people welcoming her

• C. Rita's misunderstanding of who the people were there to see

• D. the neighbors' assumption that Rita would be surprised by them

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Read the paragraph.

5 But what about privacy? Had I or had I not closed the window in my room?

Why is the language used in paragraph 5 significant?

• A. It shows how Rita reacts in a new situation.

• B. It emphasizes the level of Rita's frustration.

• C. It reveals Rita's fear of strangers.

• D. It highlights Rita's confusion.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

5 Part A: How is Rita's perspective of the rooster different from her grandfather's?

• A. Rita dislikes the rooster's loud sounds, while her grandfather appreciates being awakened by him.

• B. Rita thinks they should get rid of the rooster, while her grandfather thinks they should keep him.

• C. Rita is unimpressed by the rooster, while her grandfather has worked hard to train him.

• D. Rita thinks the rooster is annoying, while her grandfather cares for him.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

5 Part B: (ONLY RITA) Select TWO sentences from paragraph 4 that portray Rita's perspective from Part A. CHOOSE 2 ANSWERS ABOUT RITA!

• The window was thrown wide open, and right outside, perched on a fence separating our house from the neighbors' by about six inches, there was a red rooster.

• When I looked at him, he started screeching at the top of his lungs.

• I closed the window, but I could still hear him crowing; then someone turned on a radio, loud.

• I put a pillow over my head...

• He was stroking the rooster's feathers and seemed to be whispering something in his ear.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

5 Part B: (ONLY GRANDFATHER) Then, select one sentence that portrays the grandfather's perspective from Part A.

• When I looked at him, he started screeching at the top of his lungs.

• I closed the window, but I could still hear him crowing; then someone turned on a radio, loud.

• I put a pillow over my head... I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes, I saw my grandfather sitting on a chair outside of my window, which had been opened again.

• He was stroking the rooster's feathers and seemed to be whispering something in his ear.

• He finally noticed me sitting in a daze on the edge of my four-poster bed, which was about ten feet off the ground.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Select two details from the passage that reveal Rita's reaction to being in Puerto Rico.

• "My whole life, I had seen my grandparents only once a year when we went down for a two-week vacation, and frankly, I spent all my time at the beach with my cousins..." (paragraph 1)

• "It was going to be a long summer." (paragraph 1)

• "By the time we got to Mama Ana's house, I had a pounding headache." (paragraph 3)

• "The window was thrown wide open, and right outside, perched on a fence separating our house from the neighbors' by about six inches, there was a red rooster." (paragraph 4)

• "When I looked at him, he started screeching at the top of his lungs." (paragraph 4)

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.7.2

7 Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

• A. Being introduced to new people can be hard.

• B. Family relationships have the strongest bonds.

• C. Whatever a person expects usually comes true.

• D. Adjusting to different cultures can be a struggle.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

7 Part B: Which sentence helps develop the theme from Part A?

"Adjusting to different cultures can be a struggle."

• A. "This time there would be no cousins to hang around with- vacation for the rest of the family was almost three months away." (paragraph 1)

• B. "To make matters worse, there were Papa Juan, Mama Ana, and about a dozen other people waiting to hug me and ask me a million questions in Spanish- not my best language." (paragraph 2)

• C. "He finally noticed me sitting in a daze on the edge of my four-poster bed, which was about ten feet off the ground." (paragraph 4)

• D. "'He is welcoming you to Puerto Rico,' my grandfather said." (paragraph 9)

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2