SBAC Prep

The controlling idea is the author's...

• point of view

• main point

• topic

• tone

The theme in a story or poem is...

• the moral

• the genre

• the central topic

• the conclusion

When you paraphrase a text, you _______________.

• judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount or value of something

• form an opinion from evidence; to reach a conclusion based on known facts.

• study or examine something in detail in order to discover more about it.

• say something that someone else has said or written using different words

What does SBAC stand for?

• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

• Student-Based Achievement Consortium

• Standardized Benchmark Assessment Consortium

• State-Based Assessment Center

Which of these elements can be included in an introduction paragraph to grab the reader's attention?

• a comic strip

• questions, facts, a quote, or statistical fact

• an entire poem

Read the text and answer the questions.

 

The Capture of Father Time
by L. Frank Baum

Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of Arizona. His father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young bull with perfect accuracy, and had Jim possessed the strength to back up his skill he would have been as good a cowboy as any in all Arizona.

When he was twelve years old he made his first visit to the east, where Uncle Charles, his father's brother, lived. Of course Jim took his lasso with him, for he was proud of his skill in casting it, and wanted to show his cousins what a cowboy could do.

At first the city boys and girls were much interested in watching Jim lasso posts and fence pickets, but they soon tired of it, and even Jim decided it was not the right sort of sport for cities.

But one day the butcher asked Jim to ride one of his horses into the country, to a pasture that had been engaged, and Jim eagerly consented. He had been longing for a horseback ride, and to make it seem like old times he took his lasso with him.

He rode through the streets demurely enough, but on reaching the open country roads his spirits broke forth into wild jubilation, and, urging the butcher's horse to full gallop, he dashed away in true cowboy fashion.

Then he wanted still more liberty, and letting down the bars that led into a big field he began riding over the meadow and throwing his lasso at imaginary cattle, while he yelled and whooped to his heart's content.

Suddenly, on making a long cast with his lasso, the loop caught upon something and rested about three feet from the ground, while the rope drew taut and nearly pulled Jim from his horse.

This was unexpected. More than that, it was wonderful; for the field seemed bare of even a stump. Jim's eyes grew big with amazement, but he knew he had caught something when a voice cried out:  

"Here, let go! Let go, I say! Can't you see what you've done?"

No, Jim couldn't see, nor did he intend to let go until he found out what was holding the loop of the lasso. So he resorted to an old trick his father had taught him and, putting the butcher's horse to a run, began riding in a circle around the spot where his lasso had caught.

As he thus drew nearer and nearer his quarry he saw the rope coil up, yet it looked to be coiling over nothing but air. One end of the lasso was made fast to a ring in the saddle, and when the rope was almost wound up and the horse began to pull away and snort with fear, Jim dismounted. Holding the reins of the bridle in one hand, he followed the rope, and an instant later saw a man caught fast in the coils of the lasso.

While Jim gazed wonderingly upon him, this venerable old man spoke in an angry voice:

"Now, then—get that rope off as fast as you can! You've brought everything on earth to a standstill by your foolishness! Well—what are you staring at? Don't you know who I am?"

"No," said Jim.

"Well, I'm Time—Father Time! Now, make haste and set me free—if you want the world to run properly."

"How did I happen to catch you?" asked Jim, without making a move to release his captive.  

"I don't know. I've never been caught before," growled Father Time. "But I suppose it was because you were foolishly throwing your lasso at nothing."

"I didn't see you," said Jim.

"Of course you didn't. I'm invisible to the eyes of human beings unless they get within three feet of me, and I take care to keep more than that distance away from them. That's why I was crossing this field, where I supposed no one would be. And I should have been perfectly safe had it not been for your beastly lasso. Now, then," he added, crossly, "are you going to get that rope off?"

"Why should I?" asked Jim.

"Because everything in the world stopped moving the moment you caught me. I don't suppose you want to make an end of all business and pleasure? Not a watch has ticked since you tied me up!"

Jim laughed. It really was funny to see the old man wound round and round with coils of rope from his knees up to his chin.

"It'll do you good to rest," said the boy. "From all I've heard you lead a rather busy life."

"Indeed I do," replied Father Time, with a sigh. "I'm due in Kamchatka this very minute. And to think one small boy is upsetting all my regular habits!"

"Too bad!" said Jim, with a grin. "But since the world has stopped anyhow, it won't matter if it takes a little longer recess. As soon as I let you go Time will fly again."

"The Capture of Father Time" by L. Frank Baum, from American Fairy Tales. Copyright © 2011 by The Floating Press.

• a

• b

• c

• d

"He's fast as lightening" is an example of...

• metaphor

• connotation

• hyperbole

• simile

What is the primary purpose of the SBAC English assessment?

• To evaluate mathematical skills

• To assess English language proficiency

• To test scientific knowledge

• To measure physical fitness

Which of the following is a key component of a well-structured paragraph?

• A random fact

• A topic sentence

• An unrelated quote

• A lengthy introduction

In literary analysis, what does the term 'theme' refer to?

• The setting of the story

• The main character

• The underlying message or idea

• The author's biography