Bronze Reading 1

As the final whistle blew, the once electric crowd fell into an eerie silence, the stadium now haunted by the weight of defeat. What does the word eerie most likely mean based on the context?

• Peaceful and quiet

• Unnaturally strange or frightening

• Joyful and energetic

• Calm and relaxing

The manager described the new employee as persistent, while others whispered that he was downright pushy. What is the effect of choosing the word pushy instead of persistent?

• It suggests the employee is determined in a good way

• It conveys a neutral tone about the employee’s actions

• It adds a positive spin on the employee’s behavior

• It implies a negative tone, showing annoyance with the employee

The clouds were cotton candy in the sky, soft and pink in the glow of the setting sun. What is the effect of this figurative language?

• It gives a scientific explanation of clouds

• It helps readers visualize the sky vividly and adds a calm mood

• It emphasizes how dangerous the weather was

• It makes the sentence more confusing by using food-related imagery

Just like turtle facing the hare, the small team stood fearless against the undefeated champions. What does this allusion to the fable of The Turtle and the Hare add to the sentence?

• It explains that the small team had no chance

• It shows the match was unfair

• It suggests the team was weak but brave

• It proves the team was physically stronger

Which sentence best shows the difference between being resolute and strong headed?

• He listened carefully and changed his mind when needed

• She stayed calm but gave up quickly

• He stuck to his decision with quiet strength, though he still considered others’ views

• She refused to listen to anyone and insisted her way was the only way

The word auditorium comes from the Latin root aud- meaning “to hear.” What is the most likely purpose of an auditorium?

• A place to play sports

• A place to read books

• A place to listen to performances or speeches

• A place to do scientific experiments

You come across the word metamorphosis in a science article and use a dictionary to find its meaning. How does this help you?

• It lets you memorize the spelling

• It confirms your guess using the exact definition

• It replaces the word with a simpler one

• It avoids reading the rest of the text