8th Benchmark

A student is writing a research report about George Washington Carver. Read the paragraph from the report and the directions that follow.

George Washington Carver was an influential scientist and educator. He was a pioneer in studying how particular crops affected the health of farmland. At the time, southern farmers grew primarily cotton, which depleted nutrients in the soil. Carver showed farmers the value of alternating which crops they planted each year. For example, planting cotton one year, then peanuts or soybeans the next, restored nutrients in the soil and resulted in better crops with higher yields. Carver also discovered new ways to use a variety of crops, which meant higher demand and better prices. Carver’s work helped reshape farming in the South in the early twentieth century. The student found information in different sources.

Choose two pieces of information that support the claims in the student’s paragraph. Choose two.

• Although known for his peanut research, Carver did not invent peanut butter.

• He appreciated art and studied painting at Simpson College in Iowa

• In 1939, he received a presidential medal for his contributions to agriculture in the South.

• In 1947, a fire destroyed many of the contents of a museum dedicated to Carver’s work.

• Carver thought of hundreds of ways to use peanuts, including nonfood ideas such as paper and ink.

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Dave Mirra: BMX1 Superstar by Aaron Rosenberg 1 Some athletes have fought uphill battles, trying to get their athletic activities recognized as legitimate sports. Others have had less difficulty, quickly grabbing attention around the nation. Bicyclists have had, perhaps, the easiest time of it. People have been riding bikes for almost two centuries. Baron Karl de Drais de Sauerbrun of Germany is credited with creating the first bike, a draisienne, back in 1817. However, the idea of a bike with pedals did not occur until the velocipede in the 1860s. Most people rode their bikes on level surfaces and paved roads, but some bikers had the idea of playing around a little. In the early 1970s, a group of bike enthusiasts, known as the Klunkers, began modifying “clunky” old bikes for off-road use. This soon caught on, and ever since, people have been doing tricks and stunts on their bikes, riding them over challenging terrain, and generally competing to be the fastest, the most daring, and the best. It’s not surprising, then, that most people had no problem recognizing this style of biking as a sport and off-road biking, or BMX, as an extreme sport. It’s no surprise, either, that, since biking is one of the two most widely recognized and respected extreme sports (the other being skateboarding), its champions are also well known and very popular. And one of the biggest stars in the world of BMX is Dave Mirra. 3 Dave has been biking professionally for almost a decade now and is still one of the most successful athletes in the sport—he holds more X Games2 gold medals than any other X Games competitor. His success can also be attributed to his approach both to the sport and to its fans. In many ways, Dave has demonstrated that he has what it takes to be a real star. His success comes not just from his biking ability but also from his personality. Dave has consistently fostered his relationship with his fans and continues to inspire future generations of BMX stars. His popularity has translated into endorsements, video games, and other areas that have turned Dave into a superstar in his sport. Much like BMX and extreme sports in general, there seems to be no limit to Dave Mirra’s popularity.

Which statement best presents the central idea of the passage and the way in which it is developed?

• The changes in bicycle features is developed through comparisons of early bicycles to the bicycles used for BMX.

• The importance of BMX as a recognized sport is developed through details about its most famous rider

• The place of BMX among other sports is developed by recounting the history of the sport.

• The thrill of stunt riding on bicycles is developed through details about early riders and a contemporary BMX star.

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Dave Mirra: BMX1 Superstar

by Aaron Rosenberg

1 Some athletes have fought uphill battles, trying to get their athletic activities recognized as legitimate sports. Others have had less difficulty, quickly grabbing attention around the nation. Bicyclists have had, perhaps, the easiest time of it. People have been riding bikes for almost two centuries. Baron Karl de Drais de Sauerbrun of Germany is credited with creating the first bike, a draisienne, back in 1817. However, the idea of a bike with pedals did not occur until the velocipede in the 1860s. Most people rode their bikes on level surfaces and paved roads, but some bikers had the idea of playing around a little.

Read the sentence from the passage.

Some athletes have fought uphill battles, trying to get their athletic activities recognized as legitimate sports.

What is the meaning of the word legitimate as it is used in the sentence?

• challenging

• profitable

• authentic

• organized

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Dave Mirra: BMX1 Superstar

by Aaron Rosenberg

1 Some athletes have fought uphill battles, trying to get their athletic activities recognized as legitimate sports. Others have had less difficulty, quickly grabbing attention around the nation. Bicyclists have had, perhaps, the easiest time of it. People have been riding bikes for almost two centuries. Baron Karl de Drais de Sauerbrun of Germany is credited with creating the first bike, a draisienne, back in 1817. However, the idea of a bike with pedals did not occur until the velocipede in the 1860s. Most people rode their bikes on level surfaces and paved roads, but some bikers had the idea of playing around a little.

In the early 1970s, a group of bike enthusiasts, known as the Klunkers, began modifying “clunky” old bikes for off-road use. This soon caught on, and ever since, people have been doing tricks and stunts on their bikes, riding them over challenging terrain, and generally competing to be the fastest, the most daring, and the best. It’s not surprising, then, that most people had no problem recognizing this style of biking as a sport and off-road biking, or BMX, as an extreme sport. It’s no surprise, either, that, since biking is one of the two most widely recognized and respected extreme sports (the other being skateboarding), its champions are also well known and very popular. And one of the biggest stars in the world of BMX is Dave Mirra.

3 Dave has been biking professionally for almost a decade now and is still one of the most successful athletes in the sport—he holds more X Games 2 gold medals than any other X Games competitor. His success can also be attributed to his approach both to the sport and to its fans. In many ways, Dave has demonstrated that he has what it takes to be a real star. His success comes not just from his biking ability but also from his personality. Dave has consistently fostered his relationship with his fans and continues to inspire future generations of BMX stars. His popularity has translated into endorsements, video games, and other areas that have turned Dave into a superstar in his sport. Much like BMX and extreme sports in general, there seems to be no limit to Dave Mirra’s popularity.

How does the passage make a connection between Dave Mirra’s career as a rider and his personality?

• by comparing the development of his career to the development of his personality

• by explaining how his career decisions have led to positive changes in his personality

• by analyzing parts of his personality that caused him to seek out a career as a rider

• by describing aspects of his career and his personality that have led to his success

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Partner

People push past me,

People collect in front of me,

People call out from behind.

The clamor is all around me.

5 Girls hugging, guys fist bumping,

Welcoming each other back

To the first day of school.

I move through the commotion

Like a light breeze,

10 Disrupting nothing,

Barely being noticed.

I’m like the turtle

In the race with the rabbit.

Slowly moving forward.

15 Not looking in either direction.

Just proceeding quietly

Until the end of the day.

Going to classes, doing my work.

Not getting involved.

20 I spot Liam up ahead.

Last year, we were assigned

A science project together.

We got an A.

I keep walking.

25 “Hey partner!”

The phrase cuts through the din.

Did everyone hear it?

I stop. I smile. “Hi,” I respond.

Now we’re walking and talking,

30 Side by side down the hall.

We’re headed to our class.

Liam is animated and looking ahead.

He’s talking rockets and propulsion and height and speed,

He’s thinking science fair and he’s thinking winning,

35 He’s asking if I would be on his team!

We go into the room and sit.

“So, what do you think?” he asks.

“Sure,” I say. “Sounds great.”

Liam holds up his hand for a high five.

40 “Partner!” he says happily.

I high five him.

My last year of middle school just may be my best.

There are two answers. The word turtle and rabbit suggests that:

• The turtle represents the speaker moved slowly.

• The turtle represents the speaker moves slow and the rabbit represents others move fast along with clumpsy.

• 
  The word rabbit suggests that others in the school move very fast.

• The turtle represents the speaker speaks slowly.

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Partner

People push past me,

People collect in front of me,

People call out from behind.

The clamor is all around me.

5 Girls hugging, guys fist bumping,

Welcoming each other back

To the first day of school.

I move through the commotion

Like a light breeze,

10 Disrupting nothing,

Barely being noticed.

I’m like the turtle

In the race with the rabbit.

Slowly moving forward.

15 Not looking in either direction.

Just proceeding quietly

Until the end of the day.

Going to classes, doing my work.

Not getting involved.

20 I spot Liam up ahead.

Last year, we were assigned

A science project together.

We got an A.

I keep walking.

25 “Hey partner!”

The phrase cuts through the din.

Did everyone hear it?

I stop. I smile. “Hi,” I respond.

Now we’re walking and talking,

30 Side by side down the hall.

We’re headed to our class.

Liam is animated and looking ahead.

He’s talking rockets and propulsion and height and speed,

He’s thinking science fair and he’s thinking winning,

35 He’s asking if I would be on his team!

We go into the room and sit.

“So, what do you think?” he asks.

“Sure,” I say. “Sounds great.”

Liam holds up his hand for a high five.

40 “Partner!” he says happily.

I high five him.

My last year of middle school just may be my best.

In line 4, which word could the poet replace

clamor with and keep the same meaning?

• 
  

  roar

• hum

• talking

• noise

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Pleasure, joy, and delight are antonyms for which word

• 
  inevitable

• 
  exasperation

• condescending

• vehement

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Which sentence use inevitable correctly?

• The defeat to the American colonies had inevitable consequences for the British.

• The inevitable just happen.

• It was inevitable that once mom said no, we were still be able to go to the party.

• We are inevitable to go out this weekend.

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Belittling comments, patronizing questions, frequent interruptions, eye-rolling, sarcasm and mean jokes are an example of which word

• 
  exasperation

• vehement

• condescending

• 
  inevitable

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Which word is associated with passionate, forceful, and heated?

• Inevitable

• Exasperation

• Vehement

• Condescending

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