Grade 8 ELAR STAAR Practice Assessment

Which sentence best belongs in a summary of the section “Eating in Space”?

• Discarding all trash is important when leaving a camping area.

• Food packaging for use on Earth and in space can be recycled.

• Food packaging made for use in space is flexible.

• Packing for a trip to space is similar to packing for a camping trip.

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TEKS.ELA.8.6D

How does the author organize the section “Free Time in Space” to develop the thesis of the article?

• By explaining the ways astronauts can relax while on board the space station

• By listing activities available to astronauts outside of work hours

• By describing how astronauts can make work entertaining

• By following the activities of an astronaut on an average day

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TEKS.ELA.8.8D.III

The details in paragraphs 7 and 8 support the key idea that —

• sleeping in space can be much more dangerous than sleeping at home on Earth

• astronauts must approach sleep the same way they approach other scheduled activities

• sleep patterns often change for astronauts spending extended periods in space

• astronauts feel like they are camping outdoors when they sleep in space

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TEKS.ELA.8.5G

What is the most likely reason the author includes the information about sunsets and sunrises in paragraph 11?

• To explain why astronauts choose to live on the space station

• To describe some circumstances that make life on the space station enjoyable

• To show how astronauts keep track of the days and nights

• To indicate how often the astronauts record their observations about Earth

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TEKS.ELA.8.9A

Based on information in the article, what can the reader conclude about how the conditions of space affect life aboard the space station?

• Everything taken into space must be compact in order to keep from interfering with equipment on the space station.

• Astronauts must adapt many daily activities because of how weight is experienced in space.

• Sleep periods are carefully planned because of the way time is experienced in space.

• Astronauts combine work and recreation in order to avoid boredom from being in the space station each day.

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TEKS.ELA.8.5H

What is the controlling idea of the article?

• Astronauts need time to eat, sleep, and relax while living on the space station.

• To survive living in space, astronauts eat the same food as they do on Earth and need to store it correctly.

• Living and working in space is both similar to and different from living and working on Earth.

• Living on the space station is both interesting and difficult because many experiments must be performed.

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TEKS.ELA.8.8D.I

What does the footnote in the article help the reader understand?

• The International Space Station is used by multiple nations for scientific studies.

• The International Space Station is a motionless spacecraft.

• The International Space Station is used for short- and long-term living.

• The International Space Station is the size of a large city.

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TEKS.ELA.8.8D.II

What is the most likely reason the author uses a descriptive organizational structure for the article?

• To provide the reader with a schedule of daily life on the space station

• To provide the reader with a list of requirements for life on the space station

• To help the reader understand different parts of the space station

• To help the reader experience what life is like on the space station

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TEKS.ELA.8.9B

In paragraph 11, how do the words “fascination,” “awe,” and “spectacular” contribute to the author’s tone in the article?

• By revealing the gratitude that astronauts feel about what they can see from space

• By demonstrating the satisfaction that astronauts feel about living on the space station

• By creating a feeling of wonder about the sights that astronauts view from space

• By developing a feeling of mystery about astronauts who live and work on the space station

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TEKS.ELA.8.9F

In paragraph 17, Carson gasps most likely because he is —

• A nervous from being crowded by so many students in the hall

• B disappointed that his friends received small parts

• C excited that his friends get to be in the chorus together

• D shocked that he was given the lead role

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TEKS.ELA.8.5F