FAST ELA Reading Sample Items pt. 1

1. Read this sentence from the passage. “‘The rats seem to be traveling back in time, revisiting places they have been,’ says Wilson.” (paragraph 9)

How does the phrase “traveling back in time” contribute to the tone of the paragraph?

• A by showing concern about rats’ dreams

• B by showing uncertainty about rats’ dreams

• C by creating a sense of wonder about rats’ dreams

• D by creating a sense of longing about rats’ dreams

2. Fill in the bubble to select the word from paragraph 12 which comes from a Latin word meaning “an object used to spur or cause a reaction.”

• A. focused

• B. relaxation

• C. stimulus

• D. rebound

• E. subsequently

3. Select two statements that describe the significance of the rhetorical question at the end of paragraph 14.

• A Klein is calling for further studies on the subject.

• B Klein is challenging an accepted notion about bees.

• C Klein is using his research to make an educated guess.

• D Klein is encouraging the reader to think about bee dreams.

• E Klein is persuading the reader to ask new questions about bees.

4. How does beginning the sentence with the phrase “recent research” help achieve the author’s purpose in paragraph 15?

• A It provides background on dream studies.

• B It contrasts different types of animal dreams.

• C It introduces major questions for future exploration.

• D It emphasizes the idea that new facts have been accepted.

5.

Part A In the section Insects and Other Creatures, how does the author develop the argument that insects probably dream?

• A by citing an expert in insect sleep

• B by making guesses about insect sleep

• C by providing an opinion about insect sleep

• D by comparing insect sleep and human sleep

5. Part B Which detail from the passage supports the answer in Part A?

• A “Sleeping bugs also require intense stimulus to jar them into responding.” (paragraph 12)

• B “Going without sleep has serious consequences for people.” (paragraph 13)

• C “Bees tell each other about the direction and distance to food sources with something called a waggle dance.” (paragraph 13)

• D “‘If they can process odors and replay information while they sleep . . .’” (paragraph 14)

6. Part A What is the purpose of the section titled To Sleep, Perchance to . . . Understand You’re Dreaming?

• A to explain how dreaming affects living things when they awaken

• B to emphasize the limits of current information about animal sleep

• C to present the facts that scientists know about how other species sleep

• D to question if people can determine the difference between dreams and reality

6. Part B Which sentence from the section supports the answer in Part A?

• A “People do not often realize they are dreaming while asleep, but it usually becomes clear as soon as we wake up.” (paragraph 17)

• B “Do cats recognize their dreams of stalking prey as dreams and not reality?” (paragraph 17)

• C “We can say with reasonable certainty that other animals dream.” (paragraph 18)

• D “But how animals experience those dreams is a mystery—for now.” (paragraph 18)

7. Fill in the bubbles to show whether each detail supports the first central idea, the second central idea, or both central ideas of the passage.

• A, E, I

• B, E, H

• C, D, H

• A, F, G