STAAR QUIZ Paired Passages

According to information in “Building a Better Sandcastle,” a tall sandcastle tower might fall if —

• its base is too small to support it

• it is not built by an expert sculptor

• too many details are carved into the sandcastle

• tools are not used when building the sandcastle

The author wrote this selection mainly to —

• provide the history of sandcastle building

• explain how to construct a sandcastle successfully

• tell about some famous sandcastle builders

• describe different kinds of sandcastles

Read line 10 from the poem.

Add more water now and then; don’t let that sand get dry!

Which sentence from “Building a Better Sandcastle”

suggests that experts have a

similar concern when building sandcastles?

• Once the sand is firm enough, they remove the wooden beams, leaving a

  block of sand.

• It’s important to get the main part of the castle just right.

• After the sandcastle is shaped, it is time to carve the details.

• Some experts keep a spray bottle full of water nearby to keep the sand damp

  so it won’t crumble.

How do “The Sandcastle” and “Building a Better Sandcastle” differ in their

description of sandcastles?

• Only the poem describes the steps to follow while building a sandcastle.

• Only the poem includes a list of tools useful for building a sandcastle.

• Only the poem provides a personal account of building a sandcastle.

• Only the poem identifies problems with building a sandcastle.

With which statement would the poet and the author of the selection most likely

agree?

• It is important to ask for help when building a sandcastle.

• The details of a sandcastle should be carved by hand.

• Children like building sandcastles more than adults do.

• A well-made sandcastle takes time to build.

The speaker in the poem and the author of the selection both emphasize the

importance of —

• selecting the perfect location for building a sandcastle

• using items from nature to decorate a sandcastle

• mixing the sand just right before building a sandcastle

• finishing the details of a sandcastle in just one day

According to the selection, a paintbrush can be used when building a sandcastle

in order to —

• correct errors

• pack the sand

• add decorations

• carve details

In paragraph 1, the prefix mis– helps the reader determine that the word

misshapen means —

• badly shaped

• having many shapes

• before being shaped

• being shaped again