Question from The Overman (Daniel's Story) 1.About my brother, suffice it to say that music to him was everything-love and friendship, ambition and life... 2.When Daniel was about twenty-three years of age, his health weakened, and a long sea voyage was decided upon I could not go with him, so for the first time we parted, and it was twenty years after that before I ever heard of him again. 3.It was believed that the ship had been wrecked in the South Seas; and I had given him up for dead many years, when it chanced that, as a man advanced in life, I was travelling as a naturalist in Ceylon, and met an old sailor who had been with my brother, and who told me a strange story-how one boat containing five men, including Daniel, had outlived the storm and landed upon an uninhabited island; how, after remaining there for several months, they had made up their minds to risk a voyage in their frail craft; and how my brother alone had refused, declaring his intention to remain by himself, with his violin and the few effects that he had saved. This sentence is from the passage. "About my brother, suffice it to say that music to him was everything-love and friendship, ambition and life." (Paragraph 1) What is the main role of this sentence in the passage?

• It reveals why Daniel decided to take a sea voyage.
• It reveals why the narrator failed to hear from Daniel.
• It reveals why Daniel stayed on the island with his violin.
• It reveals why the narrator was surprised Daniel was alive.

Question A Rain Song Poem There are 15 lines in the poem. The poem is numbered every 5 lines. A Rain Song Chill the rain falls, chill! Dull gray the world; the vale Rain-swept; wind-swept the hill; "But gloom and doubt prevail," 5 My heart breaks forth to say. Ere thus its sorrow note, "Cheer up! Cheer up! to-day! To-morrow is to be," Babbled from a joyous throat, 10 A robin's in a mist-gray tree. Then off to keep a tryst- He preened his drabbled cloak, Doughty little optimist!- As if in answer, broke 15 The sunlight through that oak. Select a statement that provides the best summary of the poem.

• The wind is blowing forcefully across the hill.
• On a cold rainy day, the speaker starts feeling gloomy. Suddenly the speaker hears a robin singing happily.
• The robin stays for a short time and cleans his feathers.
• The speaker thinks the robin is being too hopeful.

Question Everyone's Favorite Soup "You're going to love tonight's dinner "said Dad, placing a steaming dish on the dining room table. "I'm calling it 'Everyone's Favorite Soup."" "I'm sure it's delicious." said Mother brightly. But Matt wasn't so sure. He loved his dad, but when it was Dad's night to cook, you never knew what you'd get. After his first bite, Matt knew that "Everyone's Favorite Soup" was not his favorite soup. "Oh I forgot the salad,' said Dad. "I'll help," said Mother, following him to the kitchen. Matt saw his chance and took it. Here, Dusty," he whispered, motioning to his dog. Why does Matt call his dog?

• He wants to give his dinner to the dog.
• He wants to give his dog a hug.
• He wants to take his dog for a walk.
• He wants his dog to go into the kitchen.

Question Silky Hair Product Advertisement Film star Mario Bela says, "Silky is smooth." Kim Chang, world-class tennis star says, "Silky is strong!" Janet Davis, the great rock super-star says, "Silky is hot!" What is "Silky?" Don't be left out. 'Silky" is the greatest thing for hair since scissors! "Silky" for the stars and "Silky" for you. Coming soon to your super market, pharmacy, and salon! What is the purpose of the ad?

• to sell a product
• to interest you in tennis
• to help you look good
• to publicize some movie, tennis, and rock stars

Question Desert Drive - Low Fuel "I think we can make it." My cousin Tyler's words reverberated in my thoughts as I glanced at the fuel gauge in the hot car. Tyler had confidently bypassed the service station in the last town we'd passed, nearly two hours ago. Now, beads of sweat ran down his face as he squinted into the harsh sunlight. "C'mon, Furnace Creek Cabins, where are you?" he muttered under his breath. The needle on the fuel gauge crept closer to the "Empty" indicator, and I felt myself shiver despite the scorching temperature. We'd shut off the air conditioning to conserve fuel and opened the windows, but the searing wind that blew through did little to make the sweltering heat more bearable. It had been over an hour since we'd seen another vehicle. It seemed that only we had been foolish enough to attempt a desert crossing on a lonely stretch of road in the middle of nowhere. Sandy flatland stretched endlessly on either side of the highway. Here we were, in this vast wasteland, in danger of running out of fuel. On the brink of despair, I cast a concerned look at Tyler, only to see his grim expression begin to relax and show the hint of a smile. Which statement provides the best conclusion based on the events in the story?

• I followed his gaze and saw a large green sign proclaiming, "Next Left: Furnace Creek Cabins- Fuel, Food, and Fun."
• A silver van with "Furnace Creek Cabins-Fuel, Food, and Fun" written on its side streaked past us going in the opposite direction.
• I wondered why Tyler had chosen Furnace Creek Cabins as our destination when there were so many other places we could have gone that were closer to civilization.
• The fierce heat suddenly diminished as the sun ducked behind a large cloud, and I experienced a brief moment of relief before remembering that we still needed to find Furnace Creek Cabins.

Question Jenna's Relay "...Jenna stood there freezing, wishing she had brought a rain jacket or maybe even her winter coat. You know what to do. She reminded herself, as she recalled all the hours of practice she'd put in over the last five months. Still, she secretly hoped it would rain and the meet would be postponed. At least pole vaulting would be the first event. Soon she would find out if all her training had paid off. Jenna wore shorts and a shirt with the name of her school on it. Jenna's school had fourteen athletes participating in the track meet. For the very first time, Jenna would be competing in the pole vault event. According to Jenna's dad, the pole vault event was the most interesting track event." What detail suggests Jenna was nervous about her performance?

• She wished for rain to postpone the meet.
• She wore her school's shirt.
• Her dad praised the pole vault event.
• Her school had many participants.

Question Defining Success in Softball "I believe it is true that we should always celebrate our successes. But I think it is equally important to consider how we define success. Does success always have to mean winning? Truly, success and winning are two different concepts. We should redefine success to include hard work regardless of outcome. Last year I had a great time playing on our school softball team with everyone, but there was room for improvement. We had a winning season and a great time together, but lost our last game in the district championship, and therefore did not have a celebration party afterwards. We all went home and never had a chance to talk about all the fun we had or celebrate our many successes as a team. It was a disappointing way to end our season. That experience made me realize that we should have had a party whether or not we won the district championship-as is commonly done in many other schools. This year, I have proposed that our team do precisely that. I've asked our coaches to honor the dedication of our team by hosting an end of the season party-whether we win or not. Let's work together to redefine what it means for our team to have a successful season." What is the author's primary argument?

• Winning is the only true measure of success.
• Teams should celebrate their efforts, not just victories.
• Coaches should organize more parties.
• Last year's team was disappointing.

Question Community Service Requirements "One of the goals of instituting a community-service requirement in schools is to encourage volunteerism later in life. In many schools, though, it is frequently having the opposite effect. In the short term, the service requirement does have a positive impact in the lower grades. But at the higher grades, the community-service requirement actually results in fewer people choosing to volunteer later in life. The requirement might trigger a long-term drop in volunteers for an entire generation. The consequences for this could be dire. The nation might very well face a shortage of much-needed volunteerism in the future. As a result, many school-based community-service programs are of questionable quality. Some schools offer community-service programs in name only, and some students are getting credit for their community service by taking photography classes and participating in other on-campus activities. How is this community service if the student is not even leaving the school? One of the key words in 'community service' is 'community.' Students should be engaging with the real world, helping real people with real challenges. A community-service requirement that does not benefit the community lessens its value entirely." What evidence does the author provide to support their claim about community-service requirements?

• Higher-grade students volunteer less after mandatory service.
• Photography classes are popular in schools.
• All students enjoy community service.
• Schools have improved volunteer programs.

Question Historical vs. Modern Buttons "Look around and you can probably see plenty of clothing with buttons. Buttons are simple but extremely useful. They are used to fasten shirts, dresses, and the waistbands of slacks and jeans. But for most of human history, there was no such thing as the button. Instead, people fastened clothing by lacing it together or pinning it shut with a brooch or clasp. Buttons as we know them were invented sometime in the Middle Ages. These buttons could be quite decorative and made of natural materials, such as metal, ivory, glass, or wood. Today, they are often made of plain molded plastic." How does the author contrast historical and modern buttons?

• By describing their decorative uses.
• By explaining their materials over time.
• By criticizing plastic buttons.
• By listing clothing types that use buttons.

Question Geothermal Energy Perspective "Geothermal Energy: A Smart Solution More and more people are using geothermal energy to heat their homes. Geothermal energy comes from deep below Earth's surface where rocks give off large amounts of heat. By drilling into Earth, we can tap these sources of heat to heat homes and businesses. The environmental benefits of using geothermal energy are substantial. Its use greatly reduces our carbon footprint, since it does not require the use of fossil fuels. Geothermal energy is reliable and cost-efficient. I have experienced great savings in my own winter heating costs by using geothermal energy. My customers also have seen their heating costs decrease. The cost of installing a geothermal heating system is balanced by the lack of monthly heating bills. The one-time installation expense results in decades of toasty warm homes at no additional heating cost. Complaining about high energy costs and the effects of burning fossil fuels doesn't help. Exploring new ways to meet human needs while we act as caretakers of Earth is proactive. Considering geothermal heating as a solution to our heating energy needs is one important approach." What is the author's perspective on geothermal energy?

• It is too expensive to install.
• It is a practical and eco-friendly solution.
• It only works in certain climates.
• It should replace all other energy sources.