6th Grade Skills Assessment

Yolanda tossed and turned in her bed like the moon in the sky, shifting behind and in front of the clouds. The white, ivory sheets tangled and untangled around her. The toads outside croaked and creaked every time her eyes got tired enough to close.

She had stayed up most of the evening watching an old, scary movie on television. It was a black and white vampire movie called Nosferatu. The main character in the movie was a vampire that looked as thin as a skeleton. Yolanda now found herself seeing that thin body everywhere.

She saw it in the pattern of the wallpaper. She saw it in the grain of the wood on the floor. No matter how many times she closed her eyes, she still saw it everywhere.

Finally, she stood up in her bed and looked to see what time it was. She stretched, and that's when she heard the clicking and creaking from the hallway. She froze in her bed. She looked at her door. The bottom, where the light crept into her room from the hallway, flickered, as if someone was moving around the hallway.

Suddenly, all of the color in her face drained. She was so white that she blended into the sheets. She was alone in the house.

Every image from the movie she had seen flashed in her mind. She reached under her bed for a bat. Then, she stood. The light behind the door flickered again, and tapping against the floor could be heard. As she walked to the door, Yolanda made the floor underneath her steps creak. Then, a creaking echo from outside the door responded. With each step that Yolanda took, there was a creak from her step and a creak response.

She reached out for the door and readied her bat. She knew that the most horrific creature she had ever seen was on the other side. She was ready to see the monster from the vampire movie.

Yolanda grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open so hard it almost flew off its hinges. On the other side sat Talbot, her dog. She had been so scared after the movie that she had gone to bed immediately. She had forgotten to let him in the room. "You don't know how happy I am to see you," she told the dog as she closed the door.

They both walked to the bed. As Yolanda placed the bat under the bed, Talbot jerked his head to the door and growled. The floor started to creak from behind the door. Yolanda turned to the door and saw the light under the door's frame flicker. Yolanda screamed, and Talbot ran to the door barking and barking until the creaking and screaming stopped.

Why does Yolanda have trouble sleeping?

• Her dog will not stop barking.

• The moon is shining in her eyes.

• She is hungry and wants to eat.

• A movie has made her scared.

Chasing the Night Away

by c.safos

Yolanda tossed and turned in her bed like the moon in the sky, shifting behind and in front of the clouds. The white, ivory sheets tangled and untangled around her. The toads outside croaked and creaked every time her eyes got tired enough to close.

She had stayed up most of the evening watching an old, scary movie on television. It was a black and white vampire movie called Nosferatu. The main character in the movie was a vampire that looked as thin as a skeleton. Yolanda now found herself seeing that thin body everywhere.

She saw it in the pattern of the wallpaper. She saw it in the grain of the wood on the floor. No matter how many times she closed her eyes, she still saw it everywhere.

Finally, she stood up in her bed and looked to see what time it was. She stretched, and that's when she heard the clicking and creaking from the hallway. She froze in her bed. She looked at her door. The bottom, where the light crept into her room from the hallway, flickered, as if someone was moving around the hallway.

Suddenly, all of the color in her face drained. She was so white that she blended into the sheets. She was alone in the house.

Every image from the movie she had seen flashed in her mind. She reached under her bed for a bat. Then, she stood. The light behind the door flickered again, and tapping against the floor could be heard. As she walked to the door, Yolanda made the floor underneath her steps creak. Then, a creaking echo from outside the door responded. With each step that Yolanda took, there was a creak from her step and a creak response.

She reached out for the door and readied her bat. She knew that the most horrific creature she had ever seen was on the other side. She was ready to see the monster from the vampire movie.

Yolanda grabbed the doorknob and flung the door open so hard it almost flew off its hinges. On the other side sat Talbot, her dog. She had been so scared after the movie that she had gone to bed immediately. She had forgotten to let him in the room. "You don't know how happy I am to see you," she told the dog as she closed the door.

They both walked to the bed. As Yolanda placed the bat under the bed, Talbot jerked his head to the door and growled. The floor started to creak from behind the door. Yolanda turned to the door and saw the light under the door's frame flicker. Yolanda screamed, and Talbot ran to the door barking and barking until the creaking and screaming stopped.

What does Yolanda see when she opens the door?

• a toad

• a monster

• a dog

• a skeleton

Why does Talbot jerk his head to the door and growl?

• He is mad that Yolanda forgot him.

• He is scared from Yolanda's screams.

• He hears the floor start to creak.

• He hears the toads croak outside.

Why did Yolanda forget about Talbot?

• She sees a skeleton pass by.

• She hears creaking in the hall.

• She sees a shadow on her wall.

• She hears howling downstairs.

What makes Yolanda think there is something in the house?

• She sees a skeleton pass by.

• She hears creaking in the hall.

• She sees a shadow on her wall.

• She hears howling downstairs.

Beth loved riding her bike after school. As soon as she finished her homework, she'd rush out to the garage, grab her bike, and head off for hours, often missing dinner. Today was no different. She hopped on her bike, strapped on her helmet, and pedaled off down the road. The sky was blue, there was a faint breeze, and the air was just cool enough to require a sweater.

After she'd gotten warmed up, Beth pushed up her sleeves so she could feel the sun. It warmed her skin, and the feeling traveled all through her body, causing her to pedal faster, feeling happy and alive. She kept going and lost track of time.

After a while, she looked about her and saw buildings full of broken windows and boarded doors. "This does not look right," Beth said to herself. It did not look like anywhere she'd been before, and it did not look like a safe neighborhood. At some point on the ride, she'd taken a wrong turn. She stopped and looked around her, trying to figure out where she was. She noticed that the sun had slipped behind the buildings, and the sky was growing dark. Her heart began to race, and it felt like she had a lump in her throat.

She was lost, and she could feel herself begin to panic. Beth looked around and around, looking for anything that could help her and trying not to look scared. Then, she caught sight of a street sign across the way. It said, "East Lazy Street." Lazy Street! She knew Lazy Street, but she knew the west side of Lazy Street. She had no idea she'd gone so far, but now she knew where she was. She turned the bike around and headed off in the direction of the setting sun.

The reader can tell that the story begins

• around midnight.

• around noon.

• in the morning.

• in the afternoon.

Beth loved riding her bike after school. As soon as she finished her homework, she'd rush out to the garage, grab her bike, and head off for hours, often missing dinner. Today was no different. She hopped on her bike, strapped on her helmet, and pedaled off down the road. The sky was blue, there was a faint breeze, and the air was just cool enough to require a sweater.

After she'd gotten warmed up, Beth pushed up her sleeves so she could feel the sun. It warmed her skin, and the feeling traveled all through her body, causing her to pedal faster, feeling happy and alive. She kept going and lost track of time.

After a while, she looked about her and saw buildings full of broken windows and boarded doors. "This does not look right," Beth said to herself. It did not look like anywhere she'd been before, and it did not look like a safe neighborhood. At some point on the ride, she'd taken a wrong turn. She stopped and looked around her, trying to figure out where she was. She noticed that the sun had slipped behind the buildings, and the sky was growing dark. Her heart began to race, and it felt like she had a lump in her throat.

She was lost, and she could feel herself begin to panic. Beth looked around and around, looking for anything that could help her and trying not to look scared. Then, she caught sight of a street sign across the way. It said, "East Lazy Street." Lazy Street! She knew Lazy Street, but she knew the west side of Lazy Street. She had no idea she'd gone so far, but now she knew where she was. She turned the bike around and headed off in the direction of the setting sun.

7. How does the setting at the beginning of the story affect Beth?

• The cold wind makes her shiver.

• The sun gives her more energy.

• The clouds make her get an umbrella.

• The dark night makes her nervous.

Beth loved riding her bike after school. As soon as she finished her homework, she'd rush out to the garage, grab her bike, and head off for hours, often missing dinner. Today was no different. She hopped on her bike, strapped on her helmet, and pedaled off down the road. The sky was blue, there was a faint breeze, and the air was just cool enough to require a sweater.

After she'd gotten warmed up, Beth pushed up her sleeves so she could feel the sun. It warmed her skin, and the feeling traveled all through her body, causing her to pedal faster, feeling happy and alive. She kept going and lost track of time.

After a while, she looked about her and saw buildings full of broken windows and boarded doors. "This does not look right," Beth said to herself. It did not look like anywhere she'd been before, and it did not look like a safe neighborhood. At some point on the ride, she'd taken a wrong turn. She stopped and looked around her, trying to figure out where she was. She noticed that the sun had slipped behind the buildings, and the sky was growing dark. Her heart began to race, and it felt like she had a lump in her throat.

She was lost, and she could feel herself begin to panic. Beth looked around and around, looking for anything that could help her and trying not to look scared. Then, she caught sight of a street sign across the way. It said, "East Lazy Street." Lazy Street! She knew Lazy Street, but she knew the west side of Lazy Street. She had no idea she'd gone so far, but now she knew where she was. She turned the bike around and headed off in the direction of the setting sun.

8. Which of these statements best describes the setting at the end of the story?

• It takes place at lunchtime.

• It takes place in the morning.

• It takes place in the evening.

• It takes place at midnight.

Beth loved riding her bike after school. As soon as she finished her homework, she'd rush out to the garage, grab her bike, and head off for hours, often missing dinner. Today was no different. She hopped on her bike, strapped on her helmet, and pedaled off down the road. The sky was blue, there was a faint breeze, and the air was just cool enough to require a sweater.

After she'd gotten warmed up, Beth pushed up her sleeves so she could feel the sun. It warmed her skin, and the feeling traveled all through her body, causing her to pedal faster, feeling happy and alive. She kept going and lost track of time.

After a while, she looked about her and saw buildings full of broken windows and boarded doors. "This does not look right," Beth said to herself. It did not look like anywhere she'd been before, and it did not look like a safe neighborhood. At some point on the ride, she'd taken a wrong turn. She stopped and looked around her, trying to figure out where she was. She noticed that the sun had slipped behind the buildings, and the sky was growing dark. Her heart began to race, and it felt like she had a lump in her throat.

She was lost, and she could feel herself begin to panic. Beth looked around and around, looking for anything that could help her and trying not to look scared. Then, she caught sight of a street sign across the way. It said, "East Lazy Street." Lazy Street! She knew Lazy Street, but she knew the west side of Lazy Street. She had no idea she'd gone so far, but now she knew where she was. She turned the bike around and headed off in the direction of the setting sun.

9. When Beth stops her bike, the setting makes Beth feel

• nervous.

• happy.

• excited

• bored

In school, I'm a member of numerous clubs, including the science club, art club, and yearbook club. Sometimes, I feel that I'm biting off more than I can chew because I'm always busy with club duties.

What does the idiom biting off more than I can chew mean?

• to have difficulty chewing food

• to be involved in fun activities

• to fill a mouth with a lot of food

• to take on tasks that are too big