23-24 4th Grade Released Items PSSA

1 Read the sentence from the passage “The raw nut tasted like fresh air and sun-warmed earth ” What is the meaning of the simile used in the sentence?

A The nut did not taste right

B The nut needed to be roasted

C The nut had an enjoyable taste

D The nut was different than expected

• A

• B

• C

• D

2 According to information in the passage, why did the author have to wait to try the pistachios?

A Pistachio trees can be found only in Turkey

B Pistachio trees are difficult to grow to full size

C Pistachio trees produce a heavy crop every year

D Pistachio trees take seven to ten years to produce nuts

• A

• B

• C

• D

3 How do the headings support the passage?

A They provide the main topic of each section

B They explain the arguments in each section

C They ask a question that is answered in each section

D They summarize the author’s opinion in each section

• A

• B

• C

• D

4 Why does the author at first use a mallet to gather pistachios?

A The pistachio trees were too young for a machine

B Using a machine meant the pistachios would not be organic

C The farm could not afford to buy a machine

D Using a machine to gather pistachios was not the traditional method

• A

• B

• C

• D

5 PART ONE Which point does the author make about organic farming?

A New methods need to be explored

B More equipment needs to be bought

C New trees need to be planted

D More land needs to be used

• A

• B

• C

• D

5 PART TWO Which evidence from the passage best supports the answer in Part One?

A “Later, we dug a pond and installed a water-saving sprinkler system ”

B “Instead, we whacked the trunks with rubber-tipped harvesting mallets that looked like giant cotton swabs ”

C “We add a ground-up fish solution to the sprinkler system, and we mix shovelfuls of composted chicken feathers or manure into the soil ”

D “Now that our trees are mature, we can collect the pistachios with a mechanical shaker ”

• A

• B

• C

• D

6 Read the sentences from the passage “So we frighten them away with scarecrows and with screeching sounds made by noise machines The screeches mimic the calls of hawks, which prey on crows ” What does the word mimic mean as used in the sentence?

A alter B copy C invite D organize

• A

• B

• C

• D

7 Part One What is the main idea of the passage?

A Organic farming is better than nonorganic farming

B Pistachio farming takes a lot of time and hard work

C California has the best soil and climate for a pistachio farm

D Farmers want their children to continue running their farms

• A

• B

• C

• D

7 Part Two Which evidence from the passage supports the answer in Part One? Choose two answers

A “I plucked one off the ground, peeled off the hull, and pried the shell open ”

B “After eight years, our trees produced our first pistachio harvest ”

C “When weeds threatened to choke our water source, we paddled out in a canoe and pulled the tangly plants into the boat ”

D “With their branches loaded with clumps of rosy nuts, they couldn’t look more beautiful ”

• A

• B

• C

• D

9 Which revision corrects the error in the paragraph?

A In sentence 1, place a period after feline family and capitalize other

B In sentence 2, place a period after America and change and to “but ”

C In sentence 3, add the word “and” after rabbits

D In sentence 4, remove the comma after However

• A

• B

• C

• D