BEACON Practice- 4th grade ELA

A student is writing a report for class and wants to revise his draft. Read this paragraph and answer the question that follows.

Baboons are large monkeys with interesting eating habits. Hundreds of baboons live together in places with lots of water and plenty to eat. They eat meat and plants. They eat things like fruit, grasses, roots, snails, birds, and rodents. Baboons move around with one or two hands free to grab food they like to eat. When there isn't much water, they can get it from roots or dew on leaves.

Which choice would provide the BEST transition between the underlined sentences?

• In addition,

• Finally,

• For example,

• Also,

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

A student wants to revise an informational paragraph so that it has a good concluding sentence. Read the paragraph and answer the question that follows.

The oldest trees on the planet are called bristlecone pines. While they are not the tallest or even the prettiest trees, some bristlecone pines are older than the pyramids of Egypt! These amazing trees can be found only at high altitudes in the western United States. The very oldest living bristlecone pine is nearly 5,000 years old. To protect it from visitors, it has no label showing which tree it is.

Which sentence is the BEST conclusion for the paragraph?

• If no one harms it, perhaps it can survive for another thousand years or more.

• 
  The needles on a bristlecone pine are about one inch long and can live for twenty or thirty years.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

A student has written an informational paragraph and wants to make sure it has a good topic sentence. Read the student’s paragraph and answer the question that follows.

These intelligent creatures live in all the world’s oceans. They have eight arms, although scientists think that two of these limbs are more like legs because the octopus can “walk” on them. They have no skeleton, so they can squeeze through tiny openings. An octopus can quickly disguise itself from its enemies by changing color and even changing the texture of its skin. That way it blends into its surroundings. If it has to, an octopus can move up to 25 miles an hour to escape from danger.

Which sentence would be the BEST topic sentence to add to the beginning of this paragraph?

• The largest octopus is the Pacific octopus, which weighs in at about 30 pounds.

• 
  Of all the animals on the planet, the octopus is one of the most fascinating.

• 
  Octopuses that live on the ocean bottom usually eat crabs, worms, and clams.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

A student is writing a report for class about recycling.  The student wants to revise the draft to more clearly show the connection between two sentences.  Read the draft of the report and complete the task that follows.

Recycling waste helps to keep it out of landfills.  It can help reduce energy use.  There are many kinds of waste that can be recycled.  Some examples include paper, glass, and plastic.

Choose the BEST word to connect the underlined sentences.

• like

• and

• but

• or

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.3

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.3

Choose two sentences that show adjectives arranged in the correct order.

• The old, black dog napped on the carpet.

• The puppy ran after the rubber, red ball.

• The tiny, orange fish floated in its bowl.

• The gray, fluffy kitten chased the ball of yarn.

Tags

CCSS.L.4.1D

CCSS.L.5.2A

CCSS.L.7.2A

Use this thesaurus entry to answer the question.

Mean: v. 1. signify, represent, indicate, imply
2. intend, propose, aim, wish, plan
Mean: adj. 1. cruel, callous, uncaring, vicious, unpleasant
2. average, normal, standard, median
3. humble, lowly, shabby, poor

Read this sentence.

The man was always mean to the donkey, so the donkey decided to run away.

Which synonym could replace the word mean in this sentence?

• intend

• average

• unpleasant

• humble

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

Read this sentence.

She cried and cried as she did not want the nasty frog sharing her food, or sleeping on her pillow.

Which of the following words is an antonym for the word nasty?

• Pleasant

• revolting

• vile

• helpful

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

Read the sentence below.

At the end of the game, Sam began to shout.

Which of the following is a SYNONYM for shout?

• talk

• sing

• yell

• whisper

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

What does the word distribute mean in the following sentence?

On the last day of school, the teacher will distribute the awards.

• give out

• take away

• have

• not have

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

Which of the following sentences contains correct capitalization?

• Mom asked, "Would you like a subscription to the magazine Sports Illustrated?"

• Mom asked, "Would you like a subscription to the magazine sports illustrated?"

• Mom asked, "would you like a subscription to the magazine Sports Illustrated?"

Tags

CCSS.L.1.2A

CCSS.L.2.2A

CCSS.L.3.2A

CCSS.L.4.2A

CCSS.L.K.2A