SOL Review Quiz 1

     "MAMMA, how much longer have we got to ride?" asked Nan Bobbsey, turning in her seat in the railroad car, to look at her parents, who sat behind her.      "Are you getting tired?" asked Nan's brother Bert. "If you are I'll sit next to the window, and watch the telegraph poles and trees go by. Maybe that's what tires you, Nan," he added, and his father smiled, for he saw that Bert had two thoughts for himself, and one for his sister.      "No, I'm not tired of the scenery," answered the brown-haired and brown-eyed girl, "but you may sit next to the window, Bert, if you like."      "Thanks!" he exclaimed as he scrambled over to the place his sister gave up.      "Are you tired, dearie?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, leaning forward and smoothing out her daughter's hair with her hand. "If you would like to sit with me and put your head in my lap, papa can go to another seat and -"      "Oh, no, mamma, I'm not as tired as that," and Nan laughed. "I was just wondering how soon we'd be home."      "I'd rather be back at the seashore," said Bert, not turning his gaze from the window, for the train was passing along some fields just then, and in one a boy was driving home some cows to be milked, as evening was coming on. Bert was wondering if one of the cows might not chase the boy. Bert didn't really want to see the boy hurt by a cow, of course, but he thought that if the cow was going to take after the boy, anyhow, he might just as well see it. But the cows were very well-behaved, and went along slowly. from The Bobbsey Twins at School by Laura Lee Hope

What is the setting of this selection?

• a school

• the seashore

• a train

• an automobile

Sailing Southward

     The old maps used to call it "Terra Australis Incognita," the Unknown Southern Land, but Antarctica was the land of dreams for Terry Dennis. She would have done anything to get there. She'd written the best essay of her life to enter the contest. Now that she could see the landscape out of the ship's portholes, she had to choke back tears of happiness. Why did those spectacular blue-green icebergs fill her with such joy? Other children she knew had collected stuffed cats or dogs. But even when she was little, she had insisted that only penguins would do. Her friend Evan liked to say that if you had to ask why, you'd probably never understand.      Terry pulled the covers up and straightened her bed. She knew that breakfast would be served in 10 minutes. Then they would be making a landing ashore. These would be her first steps onto the continent—and she couldn't wait!      She walked out on the deck of the international research ship that was her home for the next week. From where she stood, she could see a colony of gentoo penguins off in the distance. The sun was reflecting off a nearby iceberg. It turned it so vividly bright she had to pull on a pair of sunglasses. It was December, and here at the bottom of the world it was the height of summer. There were 23 hours of daylight every day. She raised her binoculars and watched as the penguins gathered pebbles and small rocks to build their nests. The window of opportunity was brief—only a few weeks to raise their young before the harsh winds signaled that the short Antarctic summer would soon end.

Which sentence from the story best shows the setting of this story?

• Every other child she knew had collected stuffed cats or dogs.

• She'd written the best essay of her life to enter the contest.

• She knew that breakfast would be served in 10 minutes.

• The sun was reflecting so brightly off a nearby iceberg.

     Nick stepped off the bus and walked into the bus station. He had never seen a building so enormous, with so many buses arriving and departing from dozens of gates. Everywhere he looked there were lines of people and piles of luggage. He was eager to leave the station.      Nick spotted an escalator across the floor and hurried over, climbing on carefully as he looked up toward the next floor. There were even more people walking fast through the terminal, and even more piles of luggage. He had to get out of here fast, but it was all so confusing and crowded.      At last, Nick spotted a sign that said EXIT. He adjusted his backpack and wove through the crowd to get to the last staircase. Nick clambered up the stairs and blinked as he finally emerged into the bright sunlight. Was it possible the sun was actually brighter here in New York City than at home in his small Pennsylvania town, or was it just the light bouncing off the skyscrapers that made it seem so intense?

How does the setting affect the character of Nick?

• He feels angry because he misses his connection for another bus.

• He feels anxious because the bus station is so crowded.

• He feels concerned about finding his way to his cousin's apartment.

• He feels excited that he is going to start a new job in New York City.

     I heard somebody shouting my name. I looked around but did not see anybody familiar. As I continued down the street, I heard the shouting again, "Aiden, Aiden, Aiden!" I was starting to get frustrated. I knew somebody was shouting at me because my name is not very common. Also, there are not a lot of words that people regularly shout in public that sound like "Aiden."      Just as I was about to turn the corner and walk into the coffee shop, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I never know what to do when somebody taps on my shoulder in a strange neighborhood, so I kept walking into the coffee shop. I figured that it would be good to have witnesses if something went bad.      As soon as I passed through the door, I turned around and was greeted by an older gentlemen in a worn-out pinstriped suit who said, "Hey, Aiden, it’s Charlie. We met last week. I’m the guy with all the comic books. You wanna have a look?"      It was all coming back to me. I was visiting my parents in New Mexico. I met Charlie while scouring a flea market for anything that looked interesting. When I told him that I make my living buying and selling things that I find at flea markets, estate sales, and auctions, he told me he had a large collection of comic books at his apartment in Boston. I told him I would love to see the comic books, thinking I would never see him again. He was, after all, living in Boston.      The last thing I wanted to do was spend my afternoon flipping through thousands of dusty and probably worthless comic books. Or worse, get to his apartment and find that his "collection" consisted of five ripped-up copies of Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham. I took a look at Charlie, and just as I was about to say, "I’d rather not," I instead said, "Sure, just let me get a cup of coffee."

Why is the old man important to the story?

• The story is told from his point of view.

• The old man is lonely and wants to talk with Aiden.

• He creates conflict for Aiden in the story.

• He claims to own a large comic book collection.

Charlotte's Choice

     Charlotte rummaged through the clothes in her closet looking for a dress to wear to Amy's party the next day. Her face lit up immediately when she found the yellow dress her dad recently bought for her. Charlotte put on the dress, looked at her reflection in the mirror, and smiled thinking about the fun she was going to have at the party.      The next morning, Charlotte's mom woke her up and told her to get ready to go to her grandpa's house. Confused, Charlotte jumped out of bed and cried, "Mom, I told you yesterday that I'm going to Amy's party!"      "I know, but Grandpa called and asked to see us, especially you," explained her mom.      Charlotte told her mom that she had looked forward to Amy's party all week and could visit her grandpa another time. Her mom tried to convince her, but Charlotte remained stubborn. Finally, her mom agreed to let Charlotte go to Amy's; her parents dropped her off at the party on their way to Grandpa's in Richmond."      At the party, Amy found Charlotte sitting alone in a corner of the room, staring blankly at the floor. "What's wrong Charlotte?" Amy asked. Charlotte's face looked sullen and Amy was concerned about her friend, so she persuaded Charlotte to join her in a game with the rest of their friends. Charlotte tried to concentrate on the game, but her effort was half-hearted at best. Her thoughts kept drifting to her grandpa, then doubting her decision to go to the party, and then, to guilt.      When Charlotte returned home from the party, she walked into the kitchen and was surprised and grateful to see Grandpa sitting at the kitchen table. They hugged, and he told her that he could not wait until the next visit to see her. Charlotte realized how important it was to spend time with Grandpa and they spent the next few days together.

Which statement best describes the external conflict Charlotte has in the passage?

• Charlotte feels guilty and decides to spend more time with her grandpa.

• Charlotte's mom wants her to visit her grandpa, but Charlotte wants to go to Amy's party.

• Charlotte's grandpa visits his granddaughter to spend some time with her.

• Charlotte tries to have fun at Amy's party, but she keeps thinking about her grandpa.

Just Reward

     We had to read a million pages for homework last night, and with basketball practice, I just didn't have time to read it all. Today, we had a pop quiz over the reading assignment. The second Mrs. Kensey began handing out the quiz, I regretted not completing my homework. I panicked! If I failed this quiz, I wouldn't be able to play in the game on Thursday!      Then, a thought crossed my mind. I was sitting next to the smartest kid in school, Rex Donaldson. I had never cheated on anything in my life, but I had also never missed a game in my life! I may not be the best student in the world, but I am a good basketball player.      Cheating is wrong, I reminded myself. Then I thought, But your team needs you! If you fail this quiz, you'll let your entire team down! I knew what I should do. I can resist most temptations, but I couldn't resist this one.      The thought of sitting on the bench during Thursday's game compelled me to look at Rex's paper and copy whatever answers I could see. Mrs. Kensey didn't even notice. After class, I asked Rex how he thought he did on the quiz. He shook his head, looking at his feet.      "Well, for starters, I'm sure I flunked," he said.      "What?!" I cried with probably way too much emotion. "How is that possible?"      "Well, I try to be a good student, but I'm not perfect, you know. I got Adam D. Jones's latest book Land Without Kings yesterday, and I just couldn't put it down. So, I didn't even read last night's assignment, and I didn't know the answer to one question. I just made up stuff."      I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I needed to play in the next game! We'd be playing Madisonville, and they're the toughest team around!      So, here I sit now on the bench, having failed the quiz along with the smartest, but most honest, kid in school, watching Madisonville beat us 84-40. Now I'm wondering if I might not have barely passed that quiz had I just answered what I did know.

Which statement best describes the external conflict the narrator has in the story?

• He panics when his reading teacher starts handing out a pop quiz.

• Rex Donaldson has also not completed his homework assignment.

• Rex Donaldson will not let him copy the answers for the pop quiz.

• The Madisonville basketball players make fun of him and his team.

     It was a dark and cold winter morning. Jim and his brother Carl waited impatiently for the school bus. Carl chewed on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.      "I hate going to school," Jim said. "You never know what might go wrong during the day. We might have a pop quiz or be attacked by the school bully."      Carl finished the last sandwich bite and moved on to a thermos filled with chocolate milk. "It's a lot more fun in my class."      "Sure," Jim said. "It's because you're in kindergarten. Everything's fun in kindergarten."      The bus arrived. Both boys walked into it and separated to find their friends. As Jim sat down next to his best friend Mike, he noticed something.      "Hey, my lunchbox feels really light."

What is an event in the passage above?

• Jim and Mike sit down in the cafeteria and eat their lunches.

• Jim realizes that his lunchbox is suddenly much lighter.

• Mike takes Jim's lunchbox so he doesn't have a lunch to eat.

• Jim and Carl walk into school and head straight for their lockers.

     Nothing was going Rusty's way today. First, he slept through his alarm clock, which he had never done before. Then, he did not have time to eat breakfast before catching the bus. Of course, because he slept through his alarm, he was also late for the bus. He had to chase it down for almost two blocks before the bus driver stopped to let him on.      As if Rusty was not already having a bad day, he got a surprise pop quiz in math. Rusty was not a great math student, but he tried really hard. Usually, Rusty did okay on quizzes because he had time to study beforehand. Not this time, though. Rusty flubbed his way through the quiz, knowing he was going to fail.      At lunch, Rusty caught up with his friend Danny. "Can you believe that pop quiz?" Rusty said. "I thought I was looking at some alien language. That thing was impossible!"      "It wasn't so bad," Danny said. Of course, Danny was good at math. The teacher could have given him calculus, and Danny would have figured out the right answers. Rusty hated that.      "It was horrible," Rusty said. "Just what I needed today. I am already struggling in there. This is just the worst day ever."      "At least we don't have to run in gym today," Danny said. "It's raining, so we will probably play dodgeball or volleyball. You always do well when we play those games."      By the time the boys got to gym class, the rain had stopped. The gym coach, Mr. Lannigan, was was tough, and he had no problem making the kids run outside in the mud. Rusty could not believe his awful luck! The day could not possibly get any worse than this!      Rusty raced home after classes. He was tired, angry, dirty, and ready to finish up this day. He slammed the door closed as he walked into his house.      "Rusty!" his mother called. "You have some mail. I left it on the counter for you."      "Great," Rusty muttered. "Knowing my luck today, it's probably something bad."      Rusty plodded into the kitchen and slowly opened the package sitting on the counter. He was dreading what was coming. Then, he grinned.      "Mom!" Rusty shouted as loud as he could. "I won! I won the radio contest! I got the video game! Legions of Doom 3000!"      Rusty was thrilled. Maybe this day wasn't so bad, after all.

Why does Rusty get mad about the pop quiz in math?

• He thinks that Danny asked to have the surprise quiz.

• He feels that he has studied too hard for the quiz.

• He is afraid his teacher will think he cheated.

• He knows that he will not make a good grade.

The Hole in the Rock by T. Herlinger

     "Hey, Nathan, let's head back—it'll be dark soon," I said as my little brother Auggie and I gathered our things.      Nathan waved me off. "There's plenty of time, and besides, we haven't explored the 'hole in the rock' yet!"      Nathan was our neighbor and had just turned 13, the same age as me. Our parents had invited him to join us at a beach cottage for the weekend. We were heading home tomorrow, so our folks let us explore the beach all day, as long as we returned by dark. The thing about Nathan was, he always pushed things too far—constantly taking thoughtless risks and sometimes hurting other people in the process—and today was no exception. The "hole in the rock," our parents had declared, was strictly off-limits. It was a door-sized hole in the cliff that led to another beach, but getting trapped was easy if the tide caught you unaware.      At that moment, Nathan was heading straight for it. "Nathan!" I called, but he just laughed and kept walking. I stomped my feet and thought, Why does that boy always have to push the limits? Now what were we supposed to do? The tide was coming in fast, though it was still a ways out.      "C'mon, Auggie," I sighed, "let's go after that fool, but you need to stick close by me, OK?" Auggie was 8 and game for anything, except swimming—he was dreadfully afraid of the water.      "OK, Angie," he answered obediently.      When we reached the hole in the rock, we cautiously entered the stony tunnel and soon came upon a small, sandy beach. There stood Nathan, skipping stones from a craggy ledge like he didn't have any worries. I was about to scream at him, but then I noticed Auggie staring with his mouth agape.      "Wow, it's really beautiful here!" he said excitedly, and he was right. The beach was a little piece of paradise with its smooth sand and shimmering water. I took off my shoes and waded into the surf, and even Auggie ventured in, getting his toes wet. Before long, we were splashing each other and playing in the waves. Auggie seemed to have totally forgotten his fear of water.      Suddenly, I heard a high-pitched wail. "Angie, look," Nathan was screaming, "the tunnel!!" I turned to look, my heart pounding—the water was already a foot deep at the opening, and even deeper each time a wave struck!      "Auggie!" I yelled, and my terrified little brother raced toward me. Together we scrambled to the tunnel while Nathan kept yelling, but I ignored him—I knew he was safe for the moment on that ledge, and I had to get my brother to safety. Grabbing Auggie's hand, I waited for a wave to pass and then dashed inside the tunnel. The water felt like molasses, but somehow we made it through. Releasing Auggie's hand on the other side, I told him firmly, "Now run for those rocks and stay there while I go back for Nathan."      But just as I turned to go, a dripping wet and frightened Nathan emerged from the now knee-deep water in the tunnel.      "You know what that was?" Nathan asked when we were all resting on the rocks. I rolled my eyes, certain he would say "awesome," but for once, I was pleasantly surprised. Nathan hung his head and murmured, "The most horrible thing I've ever done."      "You can say that again!" I said, punching him in the shoulder. But on an impulse I gave him a quick hug. Then, taking my brother's hand, I said wearily, "Let's go home!"

What effect does having fun in the waves have on Auggie?

• It makes him fear that the water is going to rise.

• It makes him listen to Angie.

• It makes him angry at Nathan.

• It makes him forget that he is afraid of water.

The Hole in the Rock by T. Herlinger

     "Hey, Nathan, let's head back—it'll be dark soon," I said as my little brother Auggie and I gathered our things.      Nathan waved me off. "There's plenty of time, and besides, we haven't explored the 'hole in the rock' yet!"      Nathan was our neighbor and had just turned 13, the same age as me. Our parents had invited him to join us at a beach cottage for the weekend. We were heading home tomorrow, so our folks let us explore the beach all day, as long as we returned by dark. The thing about Nathan was, he always pushed things too far—constantly taking thoughtless risks and sometimes hurting other people in the process—and today was no exception. The "hole in the rock," our parents had declared, was strictly off-limits. It was a door-sized hole in the cliff that led to another beach, but getting trapped was easy if the tide caught you unaware.      At that moment, Nathan was heading straight for it. "Nathan!" I called, but he just laughed and kept walking. I stomped my feet and thought, Why does that boy always have to push the limits? Now what were we supposed to do? The tide was coming in fast, though it was still a ways out.      "C'mon, Auggie," I sighed, "let's go after that fool, but you need to stick close by me, OK?" Auggie was 8 and game for anything, except swimming—he was dreadfully afraid of the water.      "OK, Angie," he answered obediently.      When we reached the hole in the rock, we cautiously entered the stony tunnel and soon came upon a small, sandy beach. There stood Nathan, skipping stones from a craggy ledge like he didn't have any worries. I was about to scream at him, but then I noticed Auggie staring with his mouth agape.      "Wow, it's really beautiful here!" he said excitedly, and he was right. The beach was a little piece of paradise with its smooth sand and shimmering water. I took off my shoes and waded into the surf, and even Auggie ventured in, getting his toes wet. Before long, we were splashing each other and playing in the waves. Auggie seemed to have totally forgotten his fear of water.      Suddenly, I heard a high-pitched wail. "Angie, look," Nathan was screaming, "the tunnel!!" I turned to look, my heart pounding—the water was already a foot deep at the opening, and even deeper each time a wave struck!      "Auggie!" I yelled, and my terrified little brother raced toward me. Together we scrambled to the tunnel while Nathan kept yelling, but I ignored him—I knew he was safe for the moment on that ledge, and I had to get my brother to safety. Grabbing Auggie's hand, I waited for a wave to pass and then dashed inside the tunnel. The water felt like molasses, but somehow we made it through. Releasing Auggie's hand on the other side, I told him firmly, "Now run for those rocks and stay there while I go back for Nathan."      But just as I turned to go, a dripping wet and frightened Nathan emerged from the now knee-deep water in the tunnel.      "You know what that was?" Nathan asked when we were all resting on the rocks. I rolled my eyes, certain he would say "awesome," but for once, I was pleasantly surprised. Nathan hung his head and murmured, "The most horrible thing I've ever done."      "You can say that again!" I said, punching him in the shoulder. But on an impulse I gave him a quick hug. Then, taking my brother's hand, I said wearily, "Let's go home!"

What causes Angie to stomp her feet?

• She is afraid for her brother.

• She feels frustrated at Nathan.

• She feels sadness over Nathan.

• She is angry at her parents.