8TH GRD. READING BANK # 1

In paragraph 2 of Passage 1, what main idea is conveyed through Peter's tour of his property?

• Peter's pride in creating a livelihood through hard work and opportunity in America

• The arrangement of Peter and Pavel's house and gardens on their farm

• The harsh daily life for most people living in Russia during that time

• Pavel's need for the cow's milk to treat his illness

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PART A -In Passage 1, what can the reader infer about Peter’s feelings about the guests?

• He enjoys their company.

• He is eager for them to leave.

• He is jealous of their wealth.

• He finds their customs unusual.

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2. 2. PART B - Which sentence from Passage 1 provides evidence for the answer in Part A?

• “He told Antonia that in his country only rich people had cows, but here any man could have one who would take care of her.” (paragraph 2)

• “He assured us that they were good for one—better than medicine; in his country people lived on them at this time of year.” (paragraph 3)

• “Once, while he was looking at Antonia, he sighed and told us that if he had stayed at home in Russia perhaps by this time he would have had a pretty daughter of his own to cook and keep house for him.” (paragraph 3)

• “When we got up to go, Peter looked about in perplexity for something that would entertain us.” (paragraph 4)

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3. 3. What is the tone of the phrase “swimming with juice and seeds” in paragraph 3 of Passage 1?

• carefree and joyful

• grim and uneasy

• approving

• solemn

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4. 4. What is the best summary of Passage 2?

• Unhappy about the small apartment she and her mother have moved into, the narrator is out walking to feel better. She becomes annoyed when she is startled by someone tapping on her shoulder.

• The narrator and her mother have moved to a small apartment in an expensive city. It is a nice day, so the narrator takes a walk. She is startled by a very friendly neighbor who tries to be nice to her.

• The narrator is walking in a new city when someone taps her on the shoulder and startles her. It turns out to be a friendly new neighbor who invites her to a party at a big house. The narrator listens politely to her new neighbor and then continues her walk.

• The narrator and her mother have moved to a new city, and neither one is very happy to be there. An overly friendly neighbor tries to start a conversation, but the narrator takes an immediate dislike to her. The narrator makes it clear that she would rather be alone.

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5. 5.Which detail from Passage 2 best uses irony to show the narrator’s point of view?

• “I found her untiring optimism to be exhausting.” (paragraph 8)

• “Great, I thought. She’s not finished.” (paragraph 13)

• “Thank you, but, as you said, I am incredibly busy, and I need to be going.” (paragraph 15)

• “I drifted into the comforting, solitary world of lyrics and beats.” (paragraph 15)

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6. 6. Read this sentence from Passage 2. "Sorry!" she said with a tone so sugary that I could feel the insincerity oozing off her cloying smile." (paragraph 12) What is the meaning of the word cloying as it is used in the passage?

• strangely mysterious

• extremely beautiful

• excessively sweet

• deeply genuine

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7. 7. Read these sentences from Passage 2. I stared at her hand, which was still grasping my arm, until, finally realizing she should stop, she let go. I replied icily, “Thank you, but, as you said, I am incredibly busy, and I need to be going.” (paragraph 15) What does the figurative expression icily show about the narrator’s reaction?

• The narrator feels disappointed.

• The narrator’s speech is hesitant.

• The narrator’s tone is not friendly.

• The narrator feels unfairly rejected.

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9. 8. Which theme is explored in both passages?

• the importance of being nice to your neighbors

• using music to help overcome challenging times

• the difficulty of adapting to a new location and home

• relying on entertainment to learn about a foreign country

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9. 9. Read this sentence from Passage 1. "After Mr. Shimerda discovered the Russians, he went to see them almost every evening, and sometimes took Antonia with him." (paragraph 1) Which sentence best shows how the narrator of Passage 2 had a different reaction to being in a new place?

• “I groaned, but not loud enough that she could hear it, because too often, I found her untiring optimism to be exhausting.” (paragraph 8)

• “It wouldn’t bother me so much if I didn’t know it was all a performance; her eyes always gave it away.” (paragraph 8)

• “It was a cloudless, warm day, and a lot of beaming, shouting kids were racing up and down the sunlit street, but they just made me feel trapped and tired.” (paragraph 9)

• “Putting on my headphones, pulling up my hood, and turning around quickly to keep her from detaining me any longer, I drifted into the comforting, solitary world of lyrics and beats.” (paragraph 15)

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