rdgsamptest0406-gr5 7-20-04 - ode.state.or.us · september 2003 introduction to reading and...

READING/LITERATURE

SAMPLE TEST

GRADE

2003-2005

Word Meaning

Locating Information

Literal Comprehension

Inferential Comprehension

Evaluative Comprehension

Literary Forms

Literary Elements and Devices

5

It is the policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age or handicap in any educational programs, activities, or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the State Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Oregon Department of Education.

Office of Assessment and Evaluation Oregon Department of Education

255 Capitol Street NE Salem, Oregon 97310-0203

(503) 378-3600

A product of the Oregon Statewide Assessment Program, Oregon Department of Education

Susan Castillo, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Cathy Brown, Specialist, Assessment and Evaluation

Bill Auty, Associate Superintendent, Assessment and Evaluation Ken Hermens, Specialist, Assessment and Evaluation

Phyllis Rock, Director, Assessment and Evaluation Elaine Hultengren, Specialist, Assessment and Evaluation

Steve Slater, Coordinator, Assessment and Evaluation Leslie Phillips, Specialist, Assessment and Evaluation

Pat Almond, Specialist, Assessment and Evaluation Sheila Somerville, Graphic Illustrator, Assessment and Evaluation

i September 2003

INTRODUCTION TO READING AND LITERATURE SAMPLE TESTS

The Oregon Department of Education provides sample tests to demonstrate the types of reading selections and questions students at grades 3, 5, 8 and 10 might encounter on the Oregon Statewide Assessment administered each spring. Passages on the test represent literary, informative and practical reading selections students might see both in school and other daily reading activities. These sample questions were taken from previous years’ tests. They were designed to assess students’ abilities to: understand word meanings within the context of a

selection; locate information in common resources; understand information that is directly stated (literal

comprehension); understand ideas which are not directly stated but

are implied (inferential comprehension); analyze reading selections and form conclusions

about the information (evaluative comprehension); recognize common literary forms such as novels,

short stories, poetry and folk tales; and analyze the use of literary elements and devices

such as plot, setting, personification and metaphor.

WHY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A SAMPLE TEST?

Most students feel some anxiety when they approach a test. The more confident students feel about their knowledge of the topic, the less anxious they will feel. It also may help students feel less anxious if they are familiar with the types of reading selections and questions they will encounter on the test. It is important that students feel comfortable with the test format and have some test-taking strategies to help them achieve the best possible score.

HOW TO USE THE SAMPLE TEST

The Oregon Department of Education has provided sample tests periodically beginning in 1997. The latest—Sample Test 2003-2005—appears in the student test booklet here. Students my take this sample test as a practice activity to prepare for the actual test.

A list of test-taking strategies and tips follows this introduction. Teachers may use the tips to: generate individual and class discussion; call attention to helpful strategies students can use to

prepare for and take the test; and share ideas with parents of ways to help reduce test

anxiety and promote good study habits at home. In addition to gaining practice in reading and answering test questions, some students also may benefit from practice in marking bubbles on a separate answer sheet, as required on the actual test. An answer sheet for students to mark is provided at the end of each student test booklet. An answer key for each test—grades 3, 5, 8 and 10—is provided at the end of this introduction. In addition to the correct answer, the key also identifies which reporting category each question is designed to assess (word meaning, locating information, literal comprehension, inferential comprehension, evaluative comprehension, literary forms or literary elements). A table below the answer key converts the number of items correct on the sample test to a score similar to the scores students will receive on the Oregon Statewide Assessment (called a RIT score). However, this test is only a practice test. Scores on this sample test may not be substituted for the actual Oregon Statewide Assessment. In using the sample test, teachers may wish to have students take the entire sample test, or complete a passage and its questions and then discuss it in class before proceeding to the next selection. Students may benefit from re-reading the passages and analyzing both the correct and incorrect answers. Sample tests also may be shared with parents to help them understand the types of questions their child will encounter on the test and to practice with their child. Sample questions may be reprinted in newsletters or shared at community meetings to help constituents better understand the state assessment system. Although the sample tests are not as comprehensive as the actual tests, they do provide examples of the subject area content and difficulty level students will encounter as part of Oregon’s high academic standards.

ii

September 2003

Test-Taking Tips

Students: Use these tips to help you prepare for the test. Before the test Develop a positive attitude. Tell

yourself, “I will do my best on this test.”

Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test.

Get up early enough to avoid hurrying to get ready for school. Eat a good breakfast (and lunch, if your

test is in the afternoon).

During the test Stay calm. Listen carefully to the directions the

teacher gives. Ask questions if you don’t understand

what to do.

Before you read a selection on the test, preview the questions that follow it to help focus your reading. After reading a selection, read the entire

question and all the answer choices. Stop and think of an answer. Look to see if your answer is similar to one of the choices given. Read each test question carefully. Try to

analyze what the question is really asking. Slow down and check your answers.

Pace yourself. If you come to a difficult passage or set of questions, it may be better to skip it and go on, then come back and really focus on the difficult section.

This is not a timed test. If you need more time to finish the test, notify your teacher.

If you are not sure of an answer to a question try these tips:

- Get rid of the answers that you know are not correct and choose among the rest.

- Read through all the answers very carefully, and then go back to the question. Sometimes you can pick up clues just by thinking about the different answers you have been given to choose from.

- Go back and skim the story or article to see if you can find information to answer the question. (Sometimes a word or sentence will be underlined to help you.)

- If you get stuck on a question, skip it and come back later.

- It is OK to guess on this test. Try to make your best guess, but make sure you answer all questions.

After the test Before you turn your test in, check it

over. Change an answer only if you have a good reason. Generally it is better to stick with your first choice.

Make sure you have marked an answer for every question, even if you had to guess. Make sure your answer sheet is clearly

marked with dark pencil. Erase any stray marks. Don’t worry about the test once it is

finished. Go on to do your best work on your other school assignments.

Reading and Literature

Office of Assessment and Evaluation 2003- 2005 Sample Test, Grade 5 Oregon Department of Education 1 September 2003

DIRECTIONS Read each of the passages. Then read the questions that follow and decide on the BEST answer. There are a lot of different kinds of questions, so read each question carefully before marking an answer on your answer sheet.

THE DANCING MAN This story by Ruth Bornstein tells of a young boy named Joseph who dreams of dancing from village to village. His dream becomes possible when he receives a special gift from THE DANCING MAN.

ONCE, IN A POOR VILLAGE BY THE BALTIC SEA, there lived an orphan boy named Joseph. When he was still very small, Joseph knew that life in the village was dreary and hard. No one laughed. No one danced. But Joseph saw that all around him the world danced.

Fire danced in the hearth. Trees swayed with the wind. Clouds danced in the sky. Even the sun and the moon moved across the heavens. When his work was done, Joseph ran to the shore and felt in his bones how the waves danced in the sea. And Joseph longed to move, to sway, to dance with the world. He dreamed that, one day, he would dance down the road from village to village, even as far as the southernmost sea. But he told no one. No one would understand.

One evening, when the wind blew and silver clouds flew over the water, an old man appeared on the shore. He wore a long red coat, a tall green hat, and a pair of silver shoes. The old man put out a foot. One slow step, one quick step, a glide, a dip . . . the old man was dancing like the waves! Joseph’s heart beat fast. He drew near the old man.



The old man swept off his hat and bowed. “I’m the Dancing Man,” he said, “and I have a gift for you.”

He danced down the shore. Joseph followed. A sharp gust of wind blew Joseph around. When he turned back, the old man danced away. But there, in the sand, lay the silver shoes. And Joseph knew they were meant for him.

Joseph hid the shoes in an old barn near the sea. “Now I know that one day I will have the courage,” he said aloud. “I will dance down the road even as far as the southernmost sea. When the shoes fit, I must be ready.”

Every day Joseph watched the world around him. Every day he felt in his bones all the ways the world danced. The years flew by. And one day, the shoes fit. Joseph came into the village. Slowly he began to dance. A child followed. Then another. Slowly the people turned to one another and smiled. Slowly they joined hands. And Joseph danced with the people in his silver shoes.

Joseph knew he was ready. He said good-bye to the people. It was time to leave. He put out a foot. One slow step. One quick step. One slow step. . . .Suddenly he turned, he leaped, he pranced, he danced down the road in his silver shoes.

He danced for his supper at an inn and slept under the stars, his shoes on the earth beside him. He made his way through one town, then another. With the coins he earned, he bought a long blue coat and a tall yellow hat. An old woman gave him a flower. And Joseph danced with the flower.

The road led Joseph through dark forests and far valleys, through crowded places and silent places. And in all these places, down all the paths, Joseph felt in his bones all the ways the world danced.

1 Why did the old man leave the shoes for Joseph?

A. He knew Joseph needed new shoes. B. He wanted Joseph to hide the shoes. C. He wanted Joseph to dance in the shoes. D. He knew Joseph would pay him for the shoes.



2 Why did Joseph hide the shoes?

A. He knew they were wet and needed to dry. B. He knew they were the wrong color for him. C. He wanted to keep them safe until he grew into them. D. He wanted to keep them safe because they were worth a lot of money.

3 Which one of these things happened first?

A. The old man appeared on the shore. B. Joseph danced with the people in his village. C. Joseph saw that the world around him danced. D. The old man disappeared and left a gift behind.

4 Why does the author include natural elements in the story such as fire, wind, clouds and waves?

A. To show how distracted Joseph gets when he works B. To help the reader imagine what the village looks like C. To show how dangerous it can be to live by the Baltic Sea D. To help the reader imagine the different ways the world dances

5 What is the main theme of this story?

A. Dreams can come true if people really believe in them. B. A person should never tell others about his or her dream. C. To make a dream come true, a person must leave his or her town. D. To make a dream come true, people should wear the right clothes.



START YOUR ENGINES Margaret Mickelway writes about a wild new sport for girls and boys. Read about junior drag racing in this article called “Vrooooom” from NATIONAL

GEOGRAPHIC WORLD magazine.

SICK OF SLOW? There’s a hot new sport for kids that will put your life in the fast lane. It’s called junior (jr.) drag racing, and it gives kids as young as 8 a chance to develop topnotch driving skills.

Girls and boys, ages 8 to 17, have been revving up for league competition at racetracks around the United States for the last three years. In jr. drag racing, two cars at a time race each other down an eighth-mile strip—a straight track a little longer than two football fields. The cars look almost like the ones the pros drive, but jr. cars are half as big. Their smaller engines are generally propelled by alcohol or gasoline.

Drivers go up to 60 miles an hour. The real test isn’t only speed, however, but split-second timing. Each driver must start and finish the race within an estimated time for his or her car. Going faster than estimated or too slow can bring a loss to a racer.

Young drivers get instruction at the track, then take part in a series of competitions to qualify for major meets. At every jr. drag meet safety is the number one concern. Accidents are rare. Track conditions, car equipment, and safety gear are all strictly regulated.

In the summer of 1994, 500 of the best racers competed at the Inaugural Jr. Drag Racing National Championships, at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. The champs were the Houston Half-Scale Team, from Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas. The 10-member team beat out 59 other groups—and had an individual winner, Mark Lowry, 16, of Baytown; and a runner-up, Erica Enders, 10, of Houston.

What gets a kid into racing? For many it’s a family thing. “My dad raced before I was born,” explains Erica. “My dad worked as pit crew,” says Mitch Elliott, 12, of Woodstock, Ontario, in Canada. The college scholarship prizes attract others. But for J. R. Todd, 13, a racer from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, there are greater attractions. “What do I like? . . . It’s the people, the excitement,” he says.



6 This article tells you that the cars are “propelled by alcohol or gasoline.” When used this way, the word propelled means

A. made larger. B. made to move. C. burned. D. kept clean.

7 What does the author say the “real test” is?

A. Speed and timing B. Speed and luck C. A good car and fast pit crew D. The ability to drive for eight miles

8 How often do accidents happen at junior drag race meets, according to the author?

A. Frequently, but they usually aren’t serious B. In about 10 percent of the races C. Rarely, because safety is stressed D. Never, but accidents do happen in adult races

9 What does the article say about why kids like to get into racing?

A. They can become famous. B. The prize money is good. C. Five hundred racers competed in the last National Championships. D. The sport is fun and exciting.

10 Authors often want to have readers react in certain ways upon reading their work. Which of the following is the author of this passage trying to persuade readers to believe after reading this article?

A. That junior drag racing is fun and exciting B. That junior drag racing is only fun for a few special people C. That they should be afraid to try junior drag racing D. That they will not have enough information to know if they like the

idea of junior drag racing or not



SWEET DREAMS Are you the kind of person who hates to go to bed at night? Or are you one of the kids who loves to take a nap? The world has all kinds of sleepers. Read more about it in this next selection.

YOU CAN LIVE LONGER without food than without sleep. Missing one night’s sleep makes you crabby and clumsy. Two sleepless nights drain your brainpower; you have trouble thinking and doing. Five nights awake, and you hallucinate (see things that aren’t really there). Death may be next: Your brain can’t maintain vital body functions. The official no-sleep record? Bertha van der Merwe of South Africa went without sleep for 11 days, 18 hours, and 55 minutes.

Why is sleep a nightly need? It’s a vacation for your body. But not for your brain. The brain works as hard at night as it does all day. Scientists aren’t sure exactly what duties it performs on the night shift. Replacing used-up chemicals? Filing, tossing, and organizing the day’s information? Solving problems? Whatever the nightly duties are, they keep you alive and well.



11 Which statement is true about the way that the chart is arranged?

A. It is arranged alphabetically by animal. B. It is arranged by the age of the animals. C. It is arranged by the kind of animal that the author liked best. D. It is arranged by the number of hours each one sleeps.

12 According to the chart, which statement is true about giraffes?

A. They usually sleep more than elephants. B. They never sleep in the daytime. C. They sleep less than many animals. D. They always look out for enemies.

13 What does the chart say about bullfrogs?

A. Bullfrogs never sleep in their entire lives. B. Bullfrogs hibernate in winter. C. It’s hard to tell if a bullfrog is asleep or awake. D. Bullfrogs can’t sleep because of the shape of their eyes.

THE OTHER SIDE Cinthya and Francisco are two children who have moved to the United States from Mexico. Read this passage from THE OTHER SIDE by Kathleen Krull to learn more about their lives.

WHEN CINTHYA GUZMAN (pronounced SIN-thi-a GOOZ-man) moved to the United States at age eight, her terror nearly got the best of her.

“Every morning I cried hard, because I didn’t want to go to school,” she says. The idea of a new school, where she understood so little of what was going on, was overwhelming. Her family was worried; her father became so concerned that he offered to move the family back to Tijuana, Mexico. After all, it was only a matter of seven miles.

Cinthya had to reassure him that her misery would pass. And, in fact, after about a month she stopped crying.



At first she was in classes mostly taught in Spanish. Now, at age twelve, she gets straight A’s in most of her all-English classes and is completely fluent in both languages. She can’t wait for next year, when she will study a third language, French. “I really like languages!” she says.

Francisco Tapia (fran-SIS-co TAH-pea-ah), age eight, also has language concerns. He, too, is bilingual. But lately, especially when he gets angry, he has noticed that he forgets words in Spanish. For instance, when recently trying to say “turkey” in Spanish to one of his Mexican cousins, he couldn’t recall the word until after she had left.

This bothers him. His biggest concern is a practical one: “My whole family speaks Spanish, and if I’m not going to be able to communicate with them, my grandma will ask, ‘What are you saying?’” This seems to him like a bad dream.

Francisco and Cinthya, both born in Mexico, now live in southern California. Their neighborhood, Castle Park, is within a small city called Chula Vista, which means “beautiful view.” This is halfway between two tourist destinations, the large city of San Diego and its sister city, Tijuana, or TJ, which is across the border. Californians and other tourists often go there for shopping and entertainment.

Living only seven miles from Tijuana means that kids like Francisco and Cinthya don’t leave their old world behind when they move to the new world. The border between the two countries becomes el otro lado, simply “the other side” of their lives.

14 Which of the statements below is true about this story?

A. It is nonfiction because it tells about real people and gives real information.

B. It is called fiction because the reader doesn’t know for sure if the children are famous or not.

C. It is like a play because the children say some things in the story. D. It is a fantasy because it has names like Castle Park and Chula Vista,

which means “beautiful view.”



15 Theme is a larger meaning in a story. What could be a theme in this story?

A. One should avoid travel because it is very dangerous. B. Although it is often not easy, people usually get used to new things. C. Knowing many languages will help anyone as they grow older. D. Most neighborhoods are unfriendly, so it is better to stay in your own

neighborhood.

16 The second paragraph of this story tells you that the idea of a new school was overwhelming to Cinthya. This means that Cinthya was feeling

A. happy. B. angry. C. eager. D. stressed.

17 Which of the statements below is an opinion?

A. This seems to him like a bad dream. B. Now, at age twelve, she gets straight A’s in most of her all-English

classes and is completely fluent in both languages. C. For instance, when recently trying to say “turkey” in Spanish to one of

his Mexican cousins, he couldn’t recall the word until after she had left. D. “Every morning I cried hard, because I didn’t want to go to school.”

18 Authors write for many different reasons. The purpose of this story is probably

A. to teach kids about life in Mexico. B. to let us know that there are lots of bilingual students. C. to show some problems of bilingual kids. D. to introduce readers to the Spanish language.



THE NEST In this passage from THE NEST by Philippa Pearce, Jenny finds an unwanted surprise while she is preparing to give her dog, Mac, a bath.

THE SUN WAS HOT, but it’s always best to give a dog a toweling immediately after a bath. I needed some kind of towel. My father always made do with a clean sack as a dog towel. We had plenty of sacks. My father used them in the apple room in the old part of the house: in winter, he spread them over the apples to keep the frost off. As our family ate its way through the apples, the sacks were taken up, one by one, shaken, folded loosely, and stored on top of each other.

So I went along to the apple room to fetch a sack. By now, of course, all the apples were eaten and the apple room was empty except for the mound of sacks in one corner. The room, so cold in winter, was now stuffily hot. The one window had jammed shut long ago, and the only ventilation was through a broken pane of glass. A wasp—obviously the apple room was a pleasant place for them, even empty—sailed out through the hole as I was looking, and another wasp sailed in.

The top sack of the pile looked all right; but I decided to shake out any leafy, apple-stalk dust. I took a good grip of the sack, yanked it off the pile, and, with the same movement, gave it a quick, strong shake.

How long does it take to give a quick, strong shake to a folded sack?

One second? Two seconds?

Perhaps three? For one of those

seconds I had turned my head away, to avoid getting apple dust into my eyes. But something warned me—there was something odd, perhaps, in the feel of the sack—even before



the end of that second. I turned my head quickly to look and, as I looked, flung the sack from me. For the shaking open of the sack had in one instant both shown and shattered a thing that had been built within the concealment of the folds—a rounded, dun-colored structure about the size of a child’s head. As the sack shot from my fingers across the apple room, torn pieces of papery walls broke from it, and in the ruined chambers and passageways I saw living things no longer than my thumbnail—some smaller—moving and squirming and crawling. And some began to fly. Yellow and black barred, they began to fly, and I recognized them. Wasps and more wasps—more and more wasps than I had ever seen together before.

Never before or since have I seen a wasps’ nest so close, so open to my inspection; and I hope never to see one so again.

Within those seconds of revelation the sack went flying, I went flying, and the wasps came flying after me.

19 Why was the apple room a good place for wasps?

A. It was nice and cool. B. It was dark and damp. C. It was seldom bothered. D. It contained plenty of food.

20 Why does Jenny shake out the sack?

A. To look for wasps B. To ventilate the stuffy room C. To cover the broken window D. To get rid of left over apple parts



21 The author describes a “thing that had been built within the concealment of the folds…” What does concealment mean?

A. Layer B. Hidden C. Cold D. Thick

22 How would Jenny most likely feel at the end of the story?

A. Cold and lazy B. Tired and sleepy C. Hot and irritated D. Afraid and surprised

23 The author tells the story from whose point of view?

A. Mac B. Jenny C. A wasp D. Philippa Pearce

24 What is the literary form of The Nest?

A. Fable B. Folk tale C. Science fiction D. Realistic fiction

Benchmark 2 (Grade 5) Reading/Literature

SAMPLE TEST KEY 2003-2005


Item Key Score Reporting Category 1 C Inferential Comprehension 2 C Inferential Comprehension 3 C Literal Comprehension 4 D Evaluative Comprehension 5 A Literary Elements and Devices 6 B Word Meaning 7 A Literal Comprehension 8 C Literal Comprehension 9 D Inferential Comprehension 10 A Literary Elements and Devices 11 D Locating Information 12 C Locating Information 13 B Locating Information 14 A Literary Forms 15 B Literary Elements and Devices 16 D Word Meaning 17 A Evaluative Comprehension 18 C Evaluative Comprehension 19 C Inferential Comprehension 20 D Literal Comprehension 21 B Word Meaning 22 D Evaluative Comprehension 23 B Literary Elements and Devices 24 D Literary Forms

CONVERTING TO A RIT SCORE

Number correct RIT Score Number Correct RIT Score 1 172.5 13 212.6 2 180.6 14 214.9* 3 185.7 15 217.2 4 189.7 16 219.6 5 193.1 17 222.2 6 196.0 18 225.0 7 198.7 19 228.1 8 201.2 20 231.7** 9 203.6 21 235.9

10 205.9 22 241.3 11 208.1 23 249.7 12 210.4 24 257.3

*Likely to meet Benchmark 2 standards **Likely to exceed Benchmark 2 standards

Students who get 8 or fewer items are likely to take Form A Students who get 19 or more items correct are likely to take Form C

Oregon Department of Education

255 Capitol St NE, Salem, Oregon 97310 (503) 378-3600

rdgsamptest0406-gr5 7-20-04 - ode.state.or.us · september 2003 introduction to reading and...

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