It was the sea eagle that called Emily down to the beach. It hovered above the waves, it's broad wings dusty where the land had left its mark, its small eyes that could follow the horizon bright and keen. She hadn't meant to come down onto the beach. She'd meant to sit at the top of the ramp till the other kids had left the street, till she could walk home from school in peace without strangers staring at her, but somehow the bird seemed to urge her to come down.

Which textual evidence best describes Emily's thoughts and feelings?

They weren’t on the hook by the phone and they weren’t in her purse. Alison checked the pockets of the jacket she’d worn the day before, but they weren’t there either. She looked at her watch and realized she would be late for work if she didn’t leave soon..

What is Alison looking for?

Chad tightened his grip on the rope. He could feel his fingers weakening. "Come on, Chad! Pull! We're losing ground!" shouted his teammate George. Chad gazed at the mud puddle toward which he and George were being dragged. Then he looked up at his opponents. They were screaming something, but Chad couldn't quite hear it. The muscles in his arms and shoulders were tightening. "It's now or never!" George shouted. Chad dug his heels in the dirt and pulled with all his strength.

Which of the following is not an author's purpose?

Why does an author write a fiction passage?

What can be found below or next a photo?

The word visualize means

If you are going to finish something no matter what, you are

 Ice-cream is a delicious frozen treat that comes in a many different colors and flavors.  Two of my favorite flavors are strawberry and chocolate.  Though both of these flavors are delicious, strawberry may contain pieces of fruit while chocolate usually will not.  Even though more chocolate ice-cream is sold across the country annually than strawberry, each flavor tastes great inside of a milk shake.

The ice-cream shop around the corner from my house has the best ice-cream in the city.  When you first walk inside, there is a long chrome counter with matching stools extending to alongside the far wall.  Right where the counter stops, the booth seating begins.  There are lots of old-timey knick knacks on the walls and chrome napkin holders on all the tables.  My favorite part of the shop is behind the counter glass, where they keep all of the ice-cream flavors.  A rainbow of delicious sugary flavors is kept cool and delicious behind the counter glass.

Freezer burn may have wasted more ice-cream than sidewalks.  If you don’t know, freezer burn is when ice crystals form on the surface of ice-cream.  These ice crystals can ruin the texture and flavor of the ice cream.  But you can prevent freezer burn.  Since freezer burn is caused when melted ice-cream is refrozen, rather than eating your ice-cream from the container as it melts, scoop your ice-cream into a bowl and put the container back in the fridge immediately.  Doing this ought to help you solve your issues with freezer burn.

No one knows the true origin of ice-cream, but the first published ice-cream recipe appears in “Mrs. Mary Eales's Receipts,” a cookbook that was printed in London in 1718. Sometime around 1832, an African American confectioner named Augustus Jackson created multiple ice cream recipes and invented a superior technique to manufacture ice cream.  Ice cream soda was invented around 1874, but the real breakthrough may have been at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, when the American ice-cream cone was unveiled!

Which word is spelled correctly?

Unable to tolerate the dust one moment longer, Elizabeth spent the afternoon cleaning the living room tables and shelves. Now __________ slippery with furniture polish, glowing in the sunlight that spills through the open window.

Randall picked up the tarantula, hoping __________ impress Betty Lou, who had a 10- foot albino python draped over her shoulders.

The slice of pizza was still __________ hot to eat, but Benjamin couldn’t resist, blistering his mouth with the first painful bite.

Grandma believes that clothing color indicates a person’s character. Wearing pinks, reds, or oranges—whether male or female, whether shirts, socks, or ties—indicates __________ morals in Grandma’s book.

So that Mrs. Hoff doesn’t __________ a single minute of class time, she watches the second hand sweep across the twelve, indicating the hour has started, and then launches into her lecture.

If you __________ a sock in a washing machine, Mrs. Chen, the Laundromat owner, will make a puppet with it to amuse the children who visit.

Lolita heaped her brother’s plate with barbecue chicken, potato salad, and baked beans. _________ was so much food that Henry needed two hands to carry the plate to the table.

Svetlana has __________ book bags—one that she wears on her shoulders and one that she pulls on rollers—to accommodate all of the big, heavy textbooks for her science courses

Clarissa sprinkled hot pepper flakes on the arm rests. __________ important that the puppy learns not to chew on the sofa.

Sylvia sprayed furniture polish on the ancient table. __________ surface gleamed until the cleaner evaporated, leaving the same old, scarred wood.

When Mom __________ out the kitchen rug, dog hair, breadcrumbs, coffee grounds, and spaghetti noodles flew through the air and dusted the sidewalk.

Jennifer has discovered that hanging clothes outside to dry has its disadvantages. Recently, a spider crept into a pair of her jeans and __________ a day biting the "intruder"—Jennifer's bare leg—that had invaded the arachnid's new home.

When Henry opened the vegetable crisper at the bottom of the refrigerator, the puddle of rotting lettuce that he discovered __________ up the kitchen for the rest of the day.

One spring Joe __________ tomatoes in the backyard; pollution, insects, and weekend badminton matches did so much damage to the poor plants that Joe went back to buying canned tomatoes at the grocery store.

While crawling along in rush-hour traffic, Kay cranked up her car stereo and __________ the lyrics to "Back in Black" with AC/DC, oblivious to the scowls of annoyance from the other drivers trapped beside her.

At the opening ceremonies of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, teams of elite athletes from around the world enter the stadium under the flag of their home nation. They represent their country's finest examples of physical prowess, endurance, and discipline. The athletes are ready to compete. Their faces beam with pride as they smile and wave to the world.

Which words from the paragraph help the reader understand the meaning of the word elite?

"Everyone else ie enjoying the festival," I thought to myself as I wistfully watched excited festival attendees walk by the deli window en route to the parade.

What is the meaning of wistfully in the paragraph?

Now, six years later, Michelle was attempting to capture a sunset for a local photography contest. She groaned as storm clouds rolled in before the sun had a chance to cast its vibrant colors across the sky.

Read the dictionary entry.

capture \'kap-cher\ v

1. to gain control by force 2. to hold someone's interest 3. to take an opponent's piece in a game 4. to preserve a mood, scene, or quality

Which definition best matches the way capture is used in the paragraph?

Kyle and Kristin hauled me up and supported me on each side as I slipped and stumbled. After a while I was able to balance on my own. I figured out howt to push off and glide too. By the end of the day, I was able to make tiny, tentative turns on the ice.

The word tentative comes from the Latin word tentare which means "to feel or try". What does tentative mean in the paragraph?

One step --

firm, familiar,

the next step --

shaky, strange

As used in the stanza, what does the word strange mean?

Springtime brings more hours of sunshine each day. The sun brings warmth and light , which makes the plants begin to grow again. Animals return from migration and come out of hibernation.

Read the dictionary entry below.

light

1. a pale, soft color

2. opposite of dark

3. lamp

4. set on fire

Which meaning of light was used in the paragraph?

Use this dictionary entry to answer question.

pop, (verb)

1. to open wide 2. to move quickly 3. to make a short, sharp sound 4.to let go of

Read this sentence.

I could hear the car's tire pop when it drove over the nail.

Which dictionary entry gives the BEST meaning for the word pop?

Families could carry only those possessions that would fit in a prairie schooner, or covered wagon. Toys, furniture, books, extra linens and clothing—even family heirlooms—were sold to raise money for the trip.

Read the dictionary entry below.

raise \ı ra¯z\ v 1. to move something higher 2. to rear a child 3. to collect 4. to improve

Which definition matches the meaning of raise in the paragraph?

Read this dictionary entry.

nice \ınīs\

adj 1. kind and friendly 2. appealing or attractive 3. pleasing or satisfying 4. showing accuracy or skill

Paragraph 11

Thinking about it all, I am ready to burst into tears. If the auburn-haired girl wasn’t sitting in my compartment I would be able to close the door and have a nice cry. But instead, I choke back the tears.

Which definition most closely matches the way the word nice is used in paragraph 11?

If you come across a word you don't know on the STAAR reading test, and it is making it hard to understand the sentence/paragraph, what 2 things should you do?

Read the passage below and answer the question !

Generation Unlimited is a multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to ensure all young people are in school, training or employment by 2030. It will focus on skills for learning, employment and empowerment, especially for girls. Young people will be central to every aspect of this initiative.

(Source: https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sgsm19234.doc.htm)

From the text above, we know that ...

Read the underlined sentences, then choose the best answer to the question.

I never brush my teeth.

I have cavities.

What does the second sentence do?

Read the paragraph below !

There are two main types of alpacas, the huacaya and the suri (sometimes spelled suriya depending on where you are). The main difference between the two is price and appearance. Huacayas are more common which makes them cheaper to buy. They are also easier to take care of because their coats require less maintenance. Suris are more expensive due to their rarity and the fact that their wool can be sold for more because it is more luxurious and thicker. Their coats require more daily maintenance.

(Source: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpaca)

The paragraph talks about ...

Read the text below and answer the question !

As a South Korean ferry came to a shuddering halt and rapidly began to sink, some of those on board sent harrowing text messages to their loved ones.

With almost 300 people still unaccounted for one day after the accident, reports of desperate text messages from some of those trapped on board have surfaced in local media.

"This might be the last chance to say I love you," one student named as Shin Young-Jin is reported to have texted his mother.

"Why's that," his mother texted back, clearly unaware of the crisis engulfing the vessel. "I love you anyway."

According to the Korea Herald, he was among the 179 people rescued from the ship so far.

(Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27045924)

The underlined words mean ...

Read the text below and answer the question !

As a South Korean ferry came to a shuddering halt and rapidly began to sink, some of those on board sent harrowing text messages to their loved ones.

With almost 300 people still unaccounted for one day after the accident, reports of desperate text messages from some of those trapped on board have surfaced in local media.

"This might be the last chance to say I love you," one student named as Shin Young-Jin is reported to have texted his mother.

"Why's that," his mother texted back, clearly unaware of the crisis engulfing the vessel. "I love you anyway."

According to the Korea Herald, he was among the 179 people rescued from the ship so far.

(Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27045924)

According to the text we know that Shin Young-Jin ...

Read the text below and answer the question !

The Dutch are on average the tallest people in the world. Men are six feet tall (182.5 cm) and women are 5 feet 7 inches (170.5 cm). Researchers point to a healthy diet and good medical care as the main factors that lead to a tall population.

(Source: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/netherlands/#netherlands-tulip-fields.jpg)

The main idea of the text is ...

Read the following text and choose the best answer to the question!

Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, PewDiePie originally pursued a degree in industrial economics and technology management at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. In 2010, during his time at the university, he registered a YouTube account under the name PewDiePie. The following year, he dropped out of Chalmers after losing interest in his degree field, much to the dismay of his parents. After failing to earn an apprenticeship with an advertising agency in Scandinavia, he then decided to focus on creating content for his YouTube channel. In order to fund his videos, PewDiePie began selling prints of his Photoshop art projects and worked at a hot dog stand. PewDiePie soon gathered a rapidly increasing online following, and in July 2012, his channel surpassed one million subscribers.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PewDiePie)

According to the text, PewDiePie ...

Read the text below and choose the correct answer!

Being “Twitterpated” is a thing. The word "twitterpated" doesn’t just mean to be infatuated. The Twitter-related version sounds like constipation for a reason. As Dorsey explains, it's “when you’re overwhelmed with information or you’re just so excited that you forget to tweet or forget to share.” We know the feeling.

(Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/272803#)

The word infatuated means ...

Read the text bellow and choose the correct answer!

Being able to speak English allows you to communicate effectively in numerous countries, and this opens up lots of possibilities for you in terms of the countries you could choose to seek work in one day – not to mention travel to as a tourist. You won’t have to worry about getting lost when you travel to an English-speaking country, as you’ll easily be able to ask for directions, and taking guided tours, ordering food and chatting to the locals will no longer be a source of stress.

(Source: https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/reasons-learn-english.html)

These are the benefit of learning English, except ...

Read the story and answer the question !

In a huge pond, there lived many fish. They were arrogant and never listened to anyone. In this pond, there also lived a kind-hearted crocodile.

He advised the fish, “It does not pay to be arrogant and overconfident. It could be your downfall." But the fish never listened to him. “There is that crocodile, advising us again," they would say.

One afternoon, the crocodile was resting beside a stone near the pond, when two fishermen stopped there to drink water.

The fishermen noticed that the pond had many fish. “Look! This pond is full of fish. Let’s come here tomorrow with our fishing net," said one of them. “I am surprised we have not seen this place before!" exclaimed the other.

The crocodile heard all this. When the fishermen left, he slowly slipped into the pond and went straight to the fish. “You all had better leave this pond before dawn. Early morning those two fishermen are going to come to this pond with their net," warned the crocodile.

But the fish just laughed and said, “There have been many fishermen who have tried to catch us. These two are not going to catch us either. Do not you worry about us, Mr. Crocodile," they said in a mocking voice.

The next morning, the fishermen came and threw their net in the pond. The nets were big and strong. Very soon all the fish were caught. “If only we had listened to Mr. Crocodile. He had only wanted to help. For our arrogance we have to pay with our lives," said the fish.

(Source: http://www.english-for-students.com/The-Foolish-Fish.html)

What happened to the fish at the end of the story?

"I work on Saturdays and in the school holidays. Saturdays are busy because that’s when everyone goes shopping. Our shop sells clothes and accessories for men, women and children. I work in the children’s department. It can be crazy sometimes, but it’s fun."

I am a....

"I work on Saturdays and in the school holidays. Saturdays are busy because that’s when everyone goes shopping. Our shop sells clothes and accessories for men, women and children. I work in the children’s department. It can be crazy sometimes, but it’s fun."

My job is...

"I work during my summer holidays when I’m not at university. Oxford has thousands of tourists in the summer, so it’s easy to find a job as a tour guide. I take tourists to visit the university colleges and then we go down to the river. We go along the river on a boat. The tourists love the boat trip, but last summer one tourist fell in the river! I love meeting people from all over the world."

I am a...

"I work during my summer holidays when I’m not at university. Oxford has thousands of tourists in the summer, so it’s easy to find a job as a tour guide. I take tourists to visit the university colleges and then we go down to the river. We go along the river on a boat. The tourists love the boat trip, but last summer one tourist fell in the river! I love meeting people from all over the world."

I ...................

"I like my job, but lots of people don’t like coming to see me because they hate dentists. Sometimes it’s very hard work, but it’s great to help people when they have a problem. It’s so important to look after your teeth."

I am a...

"I like my job, but lots of people don’t like coming to see me because they hate dentists. Sometimes it’s very hard work, but it’s great to help people when they have a problem. It’s so important to look after your teeth."

Many people don't like...

"My job is very difficult, but I like it because I love flying. I fly planes that take people to different places on holiday. Most of the time I fly in Europe to places like Spain, Greece and Italy. The most difficult thing about my job is when the weather is bad. Snow and thunderstorms are the worst. The best thing is visiting different places."

I am...

"My job is very difficult, but I like it because I love flying. I fly planes that take people to different places on holiday. Most of the time I fly in Europe to places like Spain, Greece and Italy. The most difficult thing about my job is when the weather is bad. Snow and thunderstorms are the worst. The best thing is visiting different places."

My job is very difficult...

"I work in a hospital in the city centre. It’s a very big hospital. I help the doctors with the patients. I give them their medicine and look after them when they feel ill. I love my job but I don’t like the uniform and sometimes I have to work at night."

I work as a...

"I work at a hospital in the city centre. It’s a very big hospital. I help the doctors with the patients. I give them their medicine and look after them when they feel ill. I love my job but I don’t like the uniform and sometimes I have to work at night."

The two biggest problems of my job are...

What does the word taut mean in the sentence below?

The taut fishing line told Shelby that there was a fish on her hook.