MCAS Practice

Read the sentences from paragraph 8 of the folktale below. "For a moment he thought, “I don’t know these people at all. They might be unkind to a stranger.” In the sentences, what does the prefix un mean in the word unkind?

• not

• half

• over

• very

Reread paragraphs 1 and 2 of the article. Based on paragraph 2, what does the word varieties mean?

• types

• places

• animals

• numbers

Which sentence best states a theme of the passage?

• New opportunities take careful planning.

• Inspiration can be found in unlikely places.

• Success can be ensured by having many different goals.

• Hope should not be limited by the expectations of others.

• 3, 2, 4

• 2, 4, 1

• 4, 1, 2

• 3, 4, 1

• 1, 2, 3

Which of the following is a compound sentence?

• She likes to swim, and he likes to run.

• Although it was raining, she went for a walk.

• She runs fast.

• When the bell rings, we go home.

Answer explanation

The compound sentence is 'She likes to swim, and he likes to run.' because it consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

• My favorite foods, are pizza, hamburgers, and ice cream.

• My favorite foods are, pizza, hamburgers, and ice cream.

• My favorite foods are pizza, hamburgers, and ice cream.

• My favorite foods are pizza hamburgers, and ice cream.

What is the main idea of a passage?

• The central point or message the author wants to convey

• The first sentence of the passage

• The last sentence of the passage

• A minor detail mentioned in the passage

Which word is a synonym for 'happy'?

• Sad

• Joyful

• Angry

• Tired

Identify the verb in the following sentence: 'She quickly ran to the store.'

• She

• Quickly

• Ran

• Store

What is the purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph?

• To conclude the paragraph

• To introduce the main idea of the paragraph

• To provide evidence for the main idea

• To confuse the reader