Unit 1 8th grade Assessment

The distraction of a missing pencil made it impossible even to begin writing, although Louisa was especially eager to write in her journal that day. But this distraction would be easy to eradicate, Louisa thought as she marched toward her little sister Isabella’s room. Problem solving in Louisa’s household generally involved a brief interaction with the resident three-year-old. Isabella delighted in admitting to her wrongdoings—or even announcing them—and poof! the problem would vanish.

Which phrase helps the reader understand the meaning of the word eradicate?

• “especially eager”

• “this distraction”

• involved a brief interaction”

• "the problem would vanish”

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

Pick one of two phrases that best supports the optimistic, purposeful tone of the story?

• “approached her desk chair”

• “marched toward her little sister Isabella’s room”

• “brainstormed other potential culprits”

• “Louisa stopped short in the hallway"

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

Which is the best statement of the theme of the passage?

• Obsessing with details is not productive for getting homework done.

• Jumping to conclusions is a weakness in solving problems.

• Trusting family members is not a good idea for productivity.

• Resourcefulness and observation are good tools for solving problems.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Which sentence reflects the climax of the “The Pencil Bandit”?

• “‘Sure, Mom,’ Louisa responded, barely disguising her frustration that nobody seemed to care about the chaos she was facing.”

• “A squirrel was standing on her desk and holding one of her pencils in its front paws.”

• “Fast as lightning, the squirrel—still holding Louisa’s pencil—leaped onto the windowsill, out the hole in the screen, and up a tree.”

• “Mystery solved, Louisa cheerfully called out to her mother, ‘Mom, do you think you could fix my screen tonight instead of waiting till Saturday?’”

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.3

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.4.4

The adventurers pulled on their backpacks, turned on their headlamps, and entered the cave. Chloe gasped at the scene: giant stalactites cascaded from the top of the cave and ended in needle-sharp points, seeming to reach desperately for their stalagmite counterparts below. An irregular dripping sound—Plop ...plip-plop ...plop—echoed in a space brought alive by water.

What does the word counterparts mean in paragraph 5?

• rock formations with sharp edges

• things that compete each other

• fast-moving objects

• shallow bodies of water

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

Read this sentence from the passage.

‘“I promise,’ declared Chloe solemnly, but Nicholas was sure he saw a disturbing glint in her eyes—a glint that would haunt his dreams for months.” (paragraph 4)

Which response is the most likely reason the author uses the phrase “disturbing glint in her eyes”?

• to add a sense of calm to the situation

• to describe Chloe’s overall appearance

• to characterize Nicholas as a bad friend

• to create a dark, foreboding atmosphere

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4

What is the first plot event that establishes the story’s mysterious tone?

• Chloe uses magic in the least dangerous passage.

• The team turns on their headlamps.

• Nicholas hears an unidentified sound, like a person breathing deeply.

• Nicholas notices a problem with his headlamp.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.5

Using individual strengths to create a strong friendship or overcome obstacles is a recurring theme in traditional stories. Which sentence best shows how this selection has updated this theme?

• “The Cave of Eternal Night—Nicholas’s name for the rocky passage before them—awaited.”

• “The dust flew swiftly into the middle opening, causing Chloe to declare, ‘That one is the least dangerous.’”

• “Chloe, I think the battery in my headlamp has run out,” he reported.

• “‘Okay, we’ll know for sure if I just turn off my own light,’ Chloe responded, reaching up to her forehead.”

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

Use context clues to determine the meaning of the word plausible: "The formula is a series of plausible situations."

• believable, reasonable

• not believable

• scary

• funny

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

Use context clues to determine the meaning of debunk: "Offhand this may sound like debunking, but I do not believe that puzzling the audience is the essense of suspense."

• not conscious

• to expose something as being untrue

• to expose something as being true

• one of things in a mixture

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4