zoo assessment and story

School Board of Broward County of 912/20/06

Reading Mini-Assessment Grade 8Cluster 2 Form B

The children were always good during the month of August, especially when it began to get near the twenty-third. It was on this day that the great silver spaceship carrying Professor Hugo’s Interplanetary Zoo settled down for its annual six-hour visit to the Chicago area.

Before daybreak the crowds would form, long lines of children and adults both, each one clutching his or her dollar, and waiting with wonderment to see what race of strange creatures the Professor had brought this year.

In the past they had sometimes been treated to three-legged creatures from Venus, or tall, thin men from Mars, or even snakelike horrors from somewhere

more distant. This year, as the great round ship settled slowly to Earth in the huge tri-city parking area just outside of Chicago, they watched with awe as the sides slowly slid up to reveal the familiar barred cages.

In them were some wild breed of nightmare—small, horselike animals that moved with quick, jerking motions and

constantly chattered in a high-pitched tongue. The citizens of Earth clustered around as Professor Hugo’s crew quickly collected the waiting dollars, and soon the good Professor himself made an appearance, wearing his many-colored rainbow cape and top hat. “People of Earth,” he called into his microphone.

The crowd’s noise died down and he continued. “People of Earth, this year you see a real treat for your single dollar—the little-known horse-spider people of Kaan—brought to you across a million miles of space at great

expense. Gather around, see them, study them, listen to them, tell your friends about them. But hurry! My ship can remain here only six hours!”

And the crowds slowly fi led by, at once horrifi ed and fascinated by these strange creatures that looked like horses but ran up the walls of their cages like spiders. “This is certainly worth a dollar,” one man remarked, hurrying away. “I’m going home to get the wife.”

All day long it went like that, until ten thousand people had fi led by the barred cages set into the side of the spaceship. Then, as the six-hour limit ran out, Professor Hugo once more took microphone in hand. “We must go now, but we will return next year on this date. And if you

ZooEdward D. Hoch



enjoyed our Zoo this year, phone your friends in other cities about it. We will land in New York tomorrow, and next week on to London, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Then on to other worlds!”

He waved farewell to them, and as the ship rose from the ground the Earth peoples agreed that this had been the very best Zoo yet.…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Some two months and three planets later, the silver ship of Professor Hugo settled at last onto the familiar jagged rocks of Kaan, and the horse-spider creatures fi led quickly out of their cages. Professor Hugo was there to say a few parting words, and then they scurried away in a hundred different directions, seeking their homes among the rocks.

In one, the she-creature was happy to see the return of her mate and offspring. She babbled a greeting in the strange tongue and hurried to embrace them. “It was a long time you were gone. Was it good?”

And the he-creature nodded. “The little one enjoyed it especially. We visited eight worlds and saw many things.”

The little one ran up the wall of the cave. “On the place called Earth it was the best. The creatures there wear garments over their skins, and they walk on two legs.”

“But isn’t it dangerous?” asked the she-creature.“No,” her mate answered. “There are bars to protect us from them. We remain right in the

ship. Next time you must come with us. It is well worth the nineteen commocs it costs.” And the little one nodded. “It was the very best Zoo ever…”

“Zoo,” by Edward D. Hoch, copyright 1958, copyright renewed 1986 by Edward D. Hoch. Reprinted by permission of Mr. Hoch.



Name __________________________________________ Date ___________________

Directions: Read the passage “Zoo,” then circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. What is Professor Hugo’s main goal in the story?

A. to show citizens of Earth strange animals from other planetsB. to take the horse-spiders to a different planetC. to make money through his travels from planet to planetD. to help creatures of different planets learn about each other

2. The bars on the cages are there to

A. prevent the creatures from escaping.B. make everyone feel safe from each other.C. protect the horse-spiders from the humans.D. to ensure that Professor Hugo feels safe from the creatures.

3. Which sentence best summarizes what happens in “Zoo”?

A. The Kaan creatures and humans both visit a zoo.B. A crowd of people visit a zoo to see unique creatures.C. A professor takes horse-spider creatures to a zoo.D. The professor travels to different places with his zoo.

4. Which sentence best characterizes the attitude of the people of Chicago toward Professor Hugo’s Inter-planetary Zoo?

A. When Professor Hugo himself makes an appearance, it is the highlight of the zoo.B. The professor could make the zoo more exciting if the creatures were not caged.C. Professor Hugo’s zoo is one of the most exciting events of the year.D. Each year the professor brings creatures that are more horrifying than the year before.



5. The author would most likely agree that

A. strange creatures should be kept in cages.B. it is easy to make money from unsuspecting people.C. even in the future, people will allow their fears to rule them.D. though creatures may look different, they are basically the same.

6. The author wants the reader to think that Professor Hugo

A. is a friendly person.B. is a clever businessman.C. is easily deceived.D. is fascinated by space creatures.

7. Which kind of story did the author of “Zoo” write?

A. an amusing story that teaches the reader about space creaturesB. a realistic fictional story about interplanetary travelC. a fictional story about creatures who see one another similarlyD. an informative story about a new type of zoo

8. The author includes the conversation of the Kaan creatures at the end of the story to show that

A. things are not always as they appear to be.B. everyone is equal no matter where they live. C. Professor Hugo cheats the creatures out of their money.D. Earth creatures can be easily fooled into believing anything.



9. How does the reader know that the creatures from Kaan enjoyed the zoo?

A. The creatures were eager to scurry home.B. The creatures ran up the wall of the cage.C. The creatures stayed to listen to the professor.D. The creatures said it was well worth the money.

10. What was Professor Hugo probably telling the horse-spider creatures while the citizens of Earth were viewing them?

A. He was telling the the creatures that they only had to remain there for six hours.B. He was explaining what the Earth people were doing as they filed past the barred cages.C. He was instructing them to run up the walls of their cages to amaze the Earth peopleD. He was saying the same things to the creatures that he was saying to the Earth people.

11. Professor Hugo’s zoo affects him by

A. making him popular on many planets in the galaxy.B. allowing him to make friends with creatures on other planets.C. keeping him surprised at the behavior of creatures in the galaxy.D. giving him the opportunity to study a variety of creatures.

12. Which words best describe the mixed emotions of the Earth people after they viewed the zoo?

A. shocked and captivatedB. outraged and amusedC. disgusted and bewilderedD. frightened and puzzled



ANSWER KEY – Zoo – LA.A.2.3.1

LA.A.2.3.1: main idea; supporting details; how organizational pattern supports main idea

1. What is Professor Hugo’s main goal in the story?

A. to show citizens of Earth strange animals from other planetsB. to take the horse-spiders to a different planetC. to make money through his travels from planet to planetD. to help creatures of different planets learn about each other

2. The bars on the cages are there to

A. prevent the creatures from escaping.B. make everyone feel safe from each other.C. protect the horse-spiders from the humans.D. to ensure that Professor Hugo feels safe from the creatures.

3. Which sentence best summarizes what happens in “Zoo”?

A. The Kaan creatures and humans both visit a zoo.B. A crowd of people visit a zoo to see unique creatures.C. A professor takes horse-spider creatures to a zoo.D. The professor travels to different places with his zoo.

4. Which sentence best characterizes the attitude of the people of Chicago toward Professor Hugo’s Inter-planetary Zoo?

A. When Professor Hugo himself makes an appearance, it is the highlight of the zoo.B. The professor could make the zoo more exciting if the creatures were not caged.C. Professor Hugo’s zoo is one of the most exciting events of the year.D. Each year the professor brings creatures that are more horrifying than the year before.



ANSWER KEY – Zoo – LA.A.2.3.2

LA.A.2.3.2: author’s purpose; point of view

5. The author would most likely agree that

A. strange creatures should be kept in cages.B. it is easy to make money from unsuspecting people.C. even in the future, people will allow their fears to rule them.D. though creatures may look different, they are basically the same.

6. The author wants the reader to think that Professor Hugo

A. is a friendly person.B. is a clever businessman.C. is easily deceived.D. is fascinated by space creatures.

7. Which kind of story did the author of “Zoo” write?

A. an amusing story that teaches the reader about space creaturesB. a realistic fictional story about interplanetary travelC. a fictional story about creatures who see one another similarlyD. an informative story about a new type of zoo

8. The author includes the conversation of the Kaan creatures at the end of the story to show that

A. things are not always as they appear to be.B. everyone is equal no matter where they live. C. Professor Hugo cheats the creatures out of their money.D. Earth creatures can be easily fooled into believing anything.



ANSWER KEY – Zoo – LA.E.2.3.1

LA.E.2.3.1: theme, plot, character development, setting, point of view, conflict and resolution

9. How does the reader know that the creatures from Kaan enjoyed the zoo?

A. The creatures were eager to scurry home.B. The creatures ran up the wall of the cage.C. The creatures stayed to listen to the professor.D. The creatures said it was well worth the money.

10. What was Professor Hugo probably telling the horse-spider creatures while the citizens of Earth were viewing them?

A. He was telling the the creatures that they only had to remain there for six hours.B. He was explaining what the Earth people were doing as they filed past the barred cages.C. He was instructing them to run up the walls of their cages to amaze the Earth peopleD. He was saying the same things to the creatures that he was saying to the Earth people.

11. Professor Hugo’s zoo affects him by

A. making him popular on many planets in the galaxy.B. allowing him to make friends with creatures on other planets.C. keeping him surprised at the behavior of creatures in the galaxy.D. giving him the opportunity to study a variety of creatures.

12. Which words best describe the mixed emotions of the Earth people after they viewed the zoo?

A. shocked and captivatedB. outraged and amusedC. disgusted and bewilderedD. frightened and puzzled



Item # AnswerBench-mark

1. C LAA231

2. B LAA231

3. A LAA231

4. C LAA231

5. D LAA232

6. B LAA232

7. C LAA232

8. A LAA232

9. D LAE231

10. D LAE231

11. A LAE231

12. A LAE231

ANSWER KEY – Zoo – LA.A.2.3.1, LA.A.2.3.2, LA.E.2.3.1

LA.A.2.3.1: main idea, details, how organizational pattern supports main ideaLA.A.2.3.2: author’s purpose or point of view

LA.E.2.3.1: theme, plot, character development, setting, point of view, conflict and resolution

zoo assessment and story

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