ELA Mid-Unit Test

Read the passage below:

Directions: Read this excerpt of text about the late Middle Ages and circle the response that best answers the question:

 

The Late Middle Ages

The years between 1300 and 1500 brought many changes to Europe. France and England fought the costly Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453). This was really a series of wars, in which English rulers tried to win back lands they had once held in France.

From about 1347 to 1350, a terrible plague called the Black Death killed as many as one-third of Europe’s total population. Farmland stood idle, with few laborers to work it. Discontented peasants rebelled, and many serfs were able to gain their freedom. At the same time, the church’s power began to decline. But in the cities, the influence of the middle class increased, and there was a growing spirit of freedom. This change came first in the cities of Italy, in the 1300s. Historians consider this to be the beginning of a new age called the Renaissance, meaning “rebirth.”

 

Cooper, Kenneth S. "Middle Ages." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2013. Web. 20 Aug. 2013.

Based from the passage above, what is the meaning of the word PLAGUE?

• medicine

• insect

• disease

• a name of a person

Read the passage below:

 

From about 1347 to 1350, a terrible plague called the Black Death killed as many as one-third of Europe’s total population. Farmland stood idle, with few laborers to work it. Discontented peasants rebelled, and many serfs were able to gain their freedom. At the same time, the church’s power began to decline. But in the cities, the influence of the middle class increased, and there was a growing spirit of freedom. This change came first in the cities of Italy, in the 1300s. Historians consider this to be the beginning of a new age called the Renaissance, meaning “rebirth.”

 

Cooper, Kenneth S. "Middle Ages." The New Book of Knowledge. Grolier Online, 2013. Web. 20 Aug. 2013.

Based from the passage above, what is the meaning of the word DISCONTENT?

• joyful

• excited

• unhappy

• grieving

What does the statement "the church's power began to decline" mean?

• Churches stopped using too much electricity to conserve energy.

• People started to attend church services.

• People gave more money to support the church.

• The control that the church had towards the people and the society began to decrease.

“From about 1347 to 1350, a terrible plague called the Black Death killed as many as one-third of Europe’s total population.” How does this sentence set up the information that follows in the rest of the paragraph?

 

• It introduces the many causes of adversities people faced in the coming years.

• It introduces the reasons why the peasants disliked working on the farm.

• It tells us the author's perspective about the Black Plague.

• It shows the connection between the church power and the Crusade.

What effect did the Black Plague have on Europe?

• No one could work on the farm land, so the peasants rebelled and many serfs gained power.

• Many serfs rebelled.

• The Renaissance era began.

• The lords rejoiced because they were able to hire more peasants to work on their farms.

The Black Death spread all throughout Europe. Provide a text evidence to support this statement.

• A terrible plague called Black Death killed one-third of Europe's population.

• The influence of the middle class increase.

• France and England fought a costly war.

Identify the first event to complete the timeline.

• Church's power declined.

• Start of the Hundred Years War.

• Peasants rebelled.

• Start of the Black Death.

Identify the second event to complete the timeline.

• Church's power declined.

• Start of the Hundred Years War.

• Peasants rebelled.

• Start of the Black Death.

Identify the third event to complete the timeline.

• Church's power declined.

• Start of the Hundred Years War.

• Peasants rebelled.

• Start of the Black Death.

Identify the fourth event to complete the timeline.

• Church's power declined.

• Start of the Hundred Years War.

• Peasants rebelled.

• Start of the Black Death.