AnsweringMultiple-Choice

Questions

Name

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Anatomy of a Multiple-Choice Question

1. From this passage, it can be concluded that

A. All artists listen to music

B. Everyone has unusual senses

C. People have studied artists

D. Listening to music can spark

artistic creativity

How To Answer a Multiple-Choice Question

BEFORE READING

• Flip the test to

get a look at what you have ahead of you.

• _.

• At the of each passage,

the text.

• _.

WHILE READING

• Read :

•

•

•

• and important details

as you read.

RIGHT AFTER

READING

• Ask yourself:

•

•

•

WHEN

ANSWERING QUESTIONS

• Read each – !

• Read the _.

• to find

and your answers.

Strategies for Answering Multiple-Choice Questions

ThinkBeforeAnswering

Prove Your Answer

STRATEGIES

1

Choices

2

1. People often confuse ravens and crows because both

A. Make similar sounds

B. Look alike from far away

C. Fly in the sky

D. Live in North America

Ravens and Crows

Ravens and crows are large black birds found throughout North America. These two birds are often mistaken for each other. In fact, from far away, they look quite similar. Both birds have dark, black feathers, moderately large bills, and rounded tails. Ravens and crows also spend time searching for food along the side of the road. They both eat the leftovers that larger animals leave behind. At first glance, it may be hard to differentiate between a raven and a crow. However, with some practice, you’ll be able to tell them apart. The best clue is to watch the birds as they fly. The crow’s tail feathers appear fan-like when they fly. The raven’s tail feathers look more wedge-shaped when they fly. Another clue is how the birds sound. The crow makes a cawing sound while the raven produces a lower croaking sound.

Dictionaries

Dictionarywritersareverybusy.That’s

becausetheEnglishlanguageisconstantly

evolving.Witheacheditionofadictionary

revisionsaremadetoexistingentriesand

newwordsareadded.TheOxfordEnglish

Dictionaryadded600newwordsand

phrasestotheir2014updates.Wheredo

newwordscomefrom?Manynewwords

reflectthechangesinasociety.For

instance,newtechnologyoftenbringsnew

vocabulary.Forexample,snailmailcame

intouseafterpeoplestartedusingthemuch

fastere-mailsystemtowritetoone

another.Otherwordscomefromtelevision,

movies,fads,books,orpopculture.Doyou

knowwhatthewordworkaroundmeans?If

not,youcanlookitupinarecently

publisheddictionary.

Readthepassage

Selectone choice

Checktheanswer

you selected

1. WhyareDictionarywriters

alwaysbusy?

A. Publisherssetdeadlinesfor

annualpublications

B. Dictionariesneedtoberevised

toeliminateuncommonwords

C. Thereisahighdemandfor

up-to-datedictionaries

D. TheEnglishlanguageis

constantlychanging

anddeveloping

SchoolClosing

(Centerville)-Citinglackoffunding,membersof

theCentervilleSchoolCommitteevotedtoclose

theJeffersonSchoolnextJuly.Sincetheschool

wasbuiltmorethan50yearsago,ithadfallen

intodisrepair.Theageofthebuildingwould

meansubstantialstructuralandelectrical

revisionscostingnearly

$2,000.000.Committeechairman,DanBarker,

explainedtodozensofupsetparentsthat“this

decisionwastheonlyonewecouldmake.Atthe

moment,thedistrictdoesnothavethefundsto

keepthatschoolopenandcontinuetoupdate

otherlocalschools.”Barkerwasquicktoaddthat

iffundingchanged,therecouldbeanother

voteinthewinter.

Read the passage

Selectone choice

Checktheanswer

you selected

1. Theparentsatthe

meetingwereangry

A. Thattheywouldhavetopay

$2,000,000

B. Withthepoorconditionsof

theJeffersonSchool

C. Withthetalkofclosingthe

JeffersonSchool

D. Thatthecommittee

finalizedtheirdecisionto

closeJeffersonSchool

OldIronsides

Inthe1790s,theUnitedStatesbegantoformits

navy.TheU.S.wasinsearchofnewwaysto

prepareshipsforbattlewithEuropean

countries.Inaddition,theUnitedStateswanted

newdefensesagainstpiratesthatwereattacking

Americanships.Auniqueideawasincorporated

inashipcalledtheU.S.S.Constitution.Theship

wasbuiltwiththicktimbersandcameequipped

with44guns.Duringitstime,itwasalso

consideredveryfast.Inbattle,itsthicktimbered

sidesdumbfoundedenemies.Thewoodwasso

thickthatcannonballsjustglancedoffthesides

andthenfellintotheocean.Thisearnedtheship

thenicknameOldIronsides.

Read the passage

Selectone choice

Checktheanswer

you selected

1. Whatsurprisedenemiesmost

abouttheU.S.S.Constitution?

A. ItsspeedB. ItsnameC. ItsassortmentofgunsD. Itsabilitytorepelcannonballs

Read this science article about otters. Then, answer questions about the article. Choose the best answer for each question.

OTTERSRelated to weasels, ferrets, and skunks,

otters are warm-blooded mammals that live in

or near water. Otters have thick brownish fur on

a sleek body with a long tail, pointy head, and

small ears. They have sensitive whiskers,

sharp claws, and powerful teeth and jaws. Best

known for their powerful swimming, the otter is

equipped with extra-large lungs for holding its

breath underwater. Their flexible spines allow

them to twist and roll. Their webbed hind feet

also help them swim. They typically live up to

16 years.

Otters stay warm and dry with their two

layers of fur. The short underfur traps air

bubbles between the otter’s skin and the outer

layer fur. The cushion of air created by the air

bubbles insulate the otter. The outer layer of fur

is made up of longer, guard hairs. Otters spend

hours a day grooming their fur. Since matted

fur won’t trap air bubbles, an otter needs to fluff

its fur. Sometimes otters groom themselves

with their teeth, a rock, or a shell.

RIVER OTTERS

The river otter is one of two species of

otters that lives in North America. River otters

are active hunters and eat fish, frogs, mice, or

birds. They hunt for their food in freshwater

ponds, streams, lakes, or rivers. River otters

build their dens on land in grass-lined dens.

River otters are playful mammals. They have

been known to slide on snow or mud, wrestle, and

play games of hide-and-seek. They can even use

their front paws to juggle pebbles or sticks. All this

playing helps otters to develop critical skills that will

help protect them against their predators - coyotes,

bald eagles, and bears.

SEA OTTERS

Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean. They are

twice the size of river otters and have very large

hind feet. The hind feet are similar to

flippers. Along the coastline, they hunt fish, snails,

crabs, clams, and squid. Sometimes sea otters use

flat rocks as tools to crack open the hard shells of

shellfish.

When sea otters sleep, they wrap themselves

in kelp, a kind of seaweed. Sea otters rarely come

ashore. They swim on their backs and often float

together in large groups called rafts. Rafts offer

protection from predators such as whales and

sharks.

Just like river otters, sea otters are

playful. They throw and catch seaweed or shells

with their front paws and play with floating

driftwood. They’re also quite acrobatic as they turn

somersaults underwater or play tag in the water with

other otters.

The lives of sea otters are threatened by oil

spills, pollution, and disease. Scientists are working

to save these unique and important mammals.

1. Otters live in or near

A. Mountains

B. Water

C. Forests

D. Meadows

2. Otters have

A. Two stomach linings

B. Short, powerful tails

C. Long legs

D. Two layers of fur

3. Which is the best meaning of the

word kelp?

A. A kind of blanket

B. A kind of fur

C. A kind of seaweed

D. A kind of shellfish 4. In what ways are sea otters different

from river otters?

A. Sea otters swim on their backs

B. Sea otters swim on their belly

C. Sea otters hunt and eat fish

D. Sea otters carefully groom their fur

5. 5. What is the main idea of the sixth paragraph?

A. Sea otters are playful.

B. Sea otters have enemies.

C. Sea otters are

threatened by

environmental factors.

D. Sea otters live in cold climates.

6. The details in the first paragraph tell

mostly about

A. Why otters groom themselves

B. How otters communicate

C. Where otters live

D. What otters look like

7. What purpose did the author most

likely write this article?

A. To explain what otters look like

and how they live

B. To describe the habitat where sea

otters are found

C. To entertain readers with a

story about playful otters

D. To persuade readers to

save the otters

Week:2

TheDivingHorse

3TheDrivingHorse

Fallof1959.ThatwastheyearFidelCastroseizedpowerinCuba;AlaskaandHawaii joinedtheUnionasour49thand50thstates,respectively;andGunsmokereignedasthe topTVseries.CharltonHestoncollectedanAcademyAwardforBen-Hur,andLeonUris’s Exodustoppedthereadinglists.InGarwood,NewJersey,achildpickeduphisfavorite GoldenBooks1andstoodoutsideofhisparents’apartmentbuilding,waitingforthe schoolbus.Whatasight:achubbyboyinblackhigh-topKeds,jeans,andaflannelshirt, patientlywaitingandwatchingforthebusthat,whenitfinallydidrumbledownWillow Avenue,passedhimby.Thedriverdidn’tthinktostop,whichmadeperfectsensesince herroutescheduledidn’tincludethree-year-olds—noteventhree-year-oldme.

“Thebusdidn’tstopforme,”Icomplainedtomymotherthatday.

“Oh,really?”shecalmlyreplied.Latershewouldsaythattheonlysurprisewas theageatwhichIwantedtostartgoingtoschool.Butitshouldn’thavesurprisedher really,becauseasthesonofapairofavidreaders,Igrewupinahouseabundantwith opportunitiestoreadandwrite.Newspapers,magazines,television,andradiowere alwaysavailable.

WhenIfinallyreachedschoolageandthebusdidstop,highdramaandadventure madeupmostofmyextracurricularreading.IwouldreadandrereadClassicsIllustrated comics,andauthorslikeDanielDefoe,MarkTwain,ArthurConanDoyle,Washington Irving,EdgarRiceBurroughs,andFrankW.Dixon.IalsoenjoyedSupermanandBatman comicbooksandevenwentthroughaMADmagazinephase.SometimesMomhadto chasemeoutofthehouseafterschooltoplay,becauseIwouldhaveratherjuststayedin myroomandread.

Iwasn’tmuchonwritinguntilIwasenrolledinaCatholicschool,St.Bernard’s. There,thenunswerestereotypicallytoughbutthorougheducators.Inthirdgrade,I laboredlongandhardwithSisterMary,andwhileitwasherthoroughnessthatledtomy discoveringthatIlovedtowrite,itwasahorse—theDivingHorseofAtlanticCity—that sparkedalifetimepassionforwriting.

GoldenBookswereknownasLittleGoldenBooks,apopularseriesofchildren’sbooks thathadgold-foilbindings. 1

5

10

15

20

25

Readthepassageandcompletequestions1-5.

30

35

Atthebeginningofthatschoolyear,SisterMaryhadassignedtoustheubiquitous essayaboutsummervacation.Thatsummer,myfamilyhadtakenadaytriptothe originalSteelPierinAtlanticCitytoseethefamousDivingHorse.Howmyparents learnedofthehorse,Idon’tknow,butasafamilythattookallitsvacationsbyautomobile, nodoubttheywerealertforlocal-yet-unusualattractions.AtlanticCitymusthavebeen appealing;inthe1960s,therewerenocasinosornightlifeperse—unlessyoucountFrank Sinatra,Jr.—butthetownwasmostlyknownforitsfamily-orientedamusementsandthe traditionofBertParkscrooninghiswelcometoMissAmerica.Butforus,Bertpaledin comparisontotheDivingHorse.Sooffwewentinthewhite’64Pontiactoclimbaboard carnivalridesandeathamburgers.

Thinkingbackonthatday,IrememberthewindburnIgotonmyforearmsfromthe coolsaltybreezeofftheAtlantic—afirstforme.Andtothisday,Ican’tgototheJersey Shorewithoutbringinghomeaboxoffreshsaltwatertaffy.

Butaboveall,IrememberanxiouslygettingbleacherseatstoseetheDivingHorse.As wetookourseats,thehorse,withafellownamedArnetteWebster2(cladinarubberwet suit)onitsback,wasabouttojumpfromaplatformroughly30feethighintoapool.I recallstaringattheoddsightofahorsestandingascalmlyasyoupleaseonaplatform aboveapooljustlikethekindIswaminatmyAuntAnneandUncleLeo’shouse.Toa recordeddrumrollandcymbalcrash,Websterurgedthehorseforward,andthetwofell throughspacetomakethebiggestsplashI’deverseen—evenbiggerthanthecannonballs myunclecouldmakeinhisownpool!Wow!Andthenbothhorseandridersurfaced, thoughforthelifeofme,Ican’trecallhowtheygotoutofthepool.

Sotwomonthslater,whenSisterMarygaveustheessayassignment,itwaseasy...as easyasfallingintoapool.

LookingattheDivingHorseessaysome40yearslater,it’sapparenthowmuchImust haveenjoyedwritingabouttheexperience.Iputalotofenergyintotryingtodescribethe windburn,thetaffy,andthehorse,which,tomyeight-year-oldeyes,musthavebeen suitableforaValkyrietoride.Butinthatessay,IdidsomethingthatIimaginenoother childintheclassdid:Iendedmypiecewitharhetoricalquestion.Iwrote,“Howwould youliketogotoAtlanticCity?”

Smallasthatdetailwas,SisterMarymusthavenoticedit.Andshemusthave encouragedmetokeepwriting,becausewiththatessay,Ilearnedsomethingaboutmyself. IlearnedthatIlovedtowrite.

Itwasatthatage,asmyfatherhasconfirmed,thatIstartedtowritestories,notjust readthem.IsoontooktowritingasIhadtakentoreading.Iwroteaboutmonsters,

Theauthor’srecollectionofthediverappearstobeinaccurate.ArnetteFrench,awoman whoperformedinhorsedivingshows,stoppedperformingin1935. 2

40

45

50

55

60

2TheDrivingHorse

65 70Readthissentencefromlines4through6.Garwood,NewJersey,achildpickeduphisfavoriteGoldenBooksandstoodoutsideofhisparents’apartmentbuilding,waitingfortheschoolbus.1.Whichlineorlinesbestexplainthereasonforthenarrator’sactioninthissentence?

A. lines6through8B. line10C. lines12through14D. line23

2. Whichlinesrevealadetailaboutatraditionofthenarrator’sfamily?A. lines30through32B. lines36and37C. lines39and40D. lines43through45

3. Thedetailsinlines38through49developathemeofthepassagebyshowingA. howexperiencescanbemoreexcitingthanstoriesB. thatmemoriescanbebothpowerfulanddetailedC. thatthepastcanfeelmoreintensethanthepresentD. howspendingtimewithfamilyisimportant

superheroes,andwhatcouldpassforafourth-grader’sversionofamystery.Superman neverhaditsoeasyfoilingthebest-laidplansofLexLuthor,andmydetectives—notas articulateasSherlockHolmes,butassavvy—somehowalwaysmanagedtocatchthebad guysandstillremembertosay“Thankyou.”

Evennow,whenmanyofmyworkdaysatRutgersUniversityaredone,RexStout, MarkTwain,ArthurConanDoyle,andSupermanarestilloftenatthecenterofmy recreationalreading.AndwhenIwriteamystery,whateverthreadeachofmyvarious detectivespicksupanduntangles,somethinginsideremindsmeofthechubbykidwith theglassesurgingthehorseto“Jump!Jump!”

Intermsofdistance,itwasabout30feet.Intermsofwriting,itwasaleapof alifetime.

Readlines48and49.Wow!Andthenbothhorseandridersurfaced,thoughforthelifeofme,Ican’trecallhowtheygotoutofthepool.4.Thepurposeoftheselinesismostlikelyto

A. emphasizethenarrator’samazementwiththeoutcomeB. implythatthenarratorhasanimperfectmemoryC. highlighttheanxietythatthenarratorexperiencedD. showtheseriousnessofthesituation

Readlines50and51.Sotwomonthslater,whenSisterMarygaveustheessayassignment,itwaseasy...aseasyasfallingintoapool.5.Theselinesmeanthatthenarrator

A. hasavividmemoryoftheprevioussummer’seventsB. iscomparinghisachievementwiththatofthehorseC. isfondlyrememberingthehorse’ssplashD. hasastrongfeelingofexcitement