ELA Simulation 2

How does paragraph 1 contribute to the reader's understanding of the story?

• A. It lets readers know that events will be presented in order of importance.

• B. It provides readers with a reason for why Mary searches for the lost key.

• C. It hints that Ben Weatherstaff is the person who has hidden the lost key.

• D. It sets up a joyful mood that will contrast with the thrilling mood at the end.

2. In paragraph 1, the text describes how the change in weather has been good for Ben. Which detail from the story shows a similar response in Mary?

• A. Mary runs around the fountain flower garden ten times.

• B. Mary finds Ben digging in the first kitchen-garden.

• C. Mary wants to lie down in the flower garden.

• D. Mary asks Ben about the garden where the robin lives.

Which sentence makes it seem as though Mary is visiting the garden for the first time?

• A. "She went into the first kitchen-garden and found Ben Weatherstaff working there with two other gardeners." (paragraph 1)

• B. " 'In th' flower gardens out there things wiill be stirrin' down below in th' dark.' " (paragraph 5)

• C. "Very soon she heard the soft rustling fight of wings again and she knew at once that the robin had come again." (paragraph 6)

• D. " 'He's never seen a little [girl] here before, an' he's bent on findin' out all about thee.' " (paragraph 8)

When Ben Weatherstaff says that the earth is "in a good humor," he means that

• A. it is full of fully blooming flowers

• B. it is full of funny-looking insects

• C. it is ready to make new plants

• D. it is bare after a long winter

Which best tells the theme of the story?

• A. The outdoors can be a source of wonder and mystery.

• B. The beauty of nature lasts only for a short time.

• C. Humans and nature are almost always in conflict.

• D. The natural world is often a dark and unfamiliar place.

Which sentence best supports the idea that Mary and robin have met before?

• A. " 'Springtime's comin', he said." (paragraph 2)

• B. " 'Do you think he remembers me?' she said." (paragraph 7)

• C. " 'Tha's no need to try to hide anything from him.' " (paragraph 8)

• D. " 'What garden?' grunted Weatherstaff, becoming surly again." (paragraph 10)

The narrator of the story helps the reader understand Mary by

• A. revealing Ben Weatherstaff's thoughts to her

• B. describing how the robin looks at her

• C. quoting her speech and revealing her thoughts

• D. describing her face and showing how it changes

Which sentence best supports the ideas that humpbacks work in groups and form lifelong relationships with other whales?

• A. "Humpback whales are known for feeding alone or in pairs." (paragraph 1)

• B. "When they spot a school of herring, the humpbacks dive into the depths and close in on the fish from below." (paragraph 1)

• C. "Maybe they also waved their flippers to shoo one another away." (paragraph 5)

• D. "Over the years, the research group has seen that humpback whales often live and hunt together for years." (paragraph 18)

Which sentence shows why scientists at first thought the whales were fighting each other for food?

• A. "Most of the time, they plow through the ocean with their huge mouths open, scooping up thousands of tiny shrimplike creatures called krill."

• B. "Suddenly, all of the whales explode out of the water at once, right in the middle of the bubble-circle." (paragraph 2)

• C. "Whales are known to use bubbles and loud calls when they try to chase away other whales." (paragraph 5)

• D. "A single whale swims below the first, carefully releasing air from its blowhole to create a wall of bubbles." (paragraph 8)

Which best shows that herring are afraid of light-colored objects?

• A. Herring live in the dark depths of the ocean, not near the lighter surface.

• B. Herring swim away from the white flipper model but not the dark one.

• C. Herring will not swim through the bubbles that the whales create.

• D. Herring behave differently in light-colored tanks than they do in dark ones.