Benchmark Practice: Ant Farm

Part A: Read the sentence from the text. “He always called this the Surveillance Circle, even though it wasn’t really a circle; this time it was an upward-sloping, narrow piece of ground.”

What does the word Surveillance most likely mean?

• safety

• construction

• understanding

• viewing

Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?

• “When they reached the job site, Dad looked around for a spot from which his son could watch the action.”

• “It was a safe distance away from the area marked out for the foundation.”

• “Dad knew that construction could be a dangerous business, and he made sure Murphy knew it, too.”

• “Murphy understood that if he ever ran onto the field near the machines, he would never get to come along again.”

Read the sentences from the text.

What is similar in Murphy watching the ant farm over breakfast and Murphy watching the workers at the job site?

• both show boring activity

• both show how excavators work

• both show a problem that needs solving

• both show how ants can help humans

Read the sentences from the text.

“Murphy was on pins and needles trying to figure out what was going on, but he knew better than to leave his post. When a tall man in a hard hat walked out to talk to his dad, Murphy could hear a few words of their conversation: ‘solid bedrock’ . . . ‘find just the right spot’ . . . ‘expensive!’

What does the use of the phrase “on pins and needles” suggest about Murphy? Select two choices.

• He wanted to understand why the excavator was not digging.

• He was annoyed that the excavator was not digging properly.

• He was not surprised because he had predicted this happening.

• He felt so excited about the excavation that his hands were tingling.

• He felt uncomfortable because the situation was suddenly tense.

The following question has two parts.

Part A: Read the sentence from the text. “Murphy watched in anticipation as his father started up the excavator and drove toward a marked-out area.”

What does the word anticipation mean in this sentence?

• great fear

• safety

• hope

• silence

Part B: Which phrase from the text best supports your answer in part A?

• “moved to”

• “looking forward to”

• “carefully observed”

• “arrived at the right spot”

The following question has two parts.

Part A: Read the sentence from the text. “Should he open up and tell his father that he could understand insects? He decided against it.”

What does the idiom “open up” mean?

• reveal a secret

• act very quickly

• proceed very slowly

• ask his father’s permission

Part B: Which detail from the text best supports your answer in part A?

• “’How on Earth did you know I should’”

• “’That was weird!’”

• “Murphy thought hard”

• “tell his father that he could communicate”

The following question has two parts.

Part A: Which statement best expresses the theme of the text?

• Construction sites can be dangerous.

• Ants and humans are both hard workers.

• Solutions can come from unexpected sources.

• Parents should always listen to their children.

Part B: Which detail from the text best supports your answer in part A?

• “he admired the smooth way they turned around, and the way his dad could open and close the huge shovel from inside his cab.”

• “Murphy understood that if he ever ran onto the field near the machines, he would never get to come along again.”

• “Later, Murphy’s father asked, ‘How on Earth did you know I should approach that spot from a few feet back?’”

• “Slowly the bucket rose up, removing the most gigantic rock Murphy had ever seen.”