Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or
answers the question.
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PART 1:
COMPREHENSION
Directions
Kayla wants to make the world a better place. Read the
selection to see how she might solve her problem. Then answer the following
questions.
Kayla’s Problem
“It’s just so frustrating to be in that
under-fourteen category,” muttered Kayla. “You want to do your bit to make the world a
better place, but nobody lets you if you’re not already fourteen.”
“Well,”
said Kayla’s mother, giving her daughter a meaningful glance, “you could always try
cleaning up your room.”
“Right, Mom, that’s just what I had in mind as my
contribution to the good of humanity.”
“On a serious note, Kayla, I really appreciate
all you do around here—taking care of your brothers after school and getting dinner ready for
all of us.”
“But I want to do something that helps other people, people outside our
family. Whenever I try to volunteer, they tell me to call back when I’m finally
fourteen—a whole year-and-a-half from now. And you remember the disaster of my attempts to
convert Charlie into a therapy dog.”
Hearing his name, Charlie thumped his bushy golden
tail, smiled up at Kayla, and resumed his nap. “Kayla, I admire your eagerness to make a
difference,” her mother reassured her, and then resumed entering data into her
computer.
Seeing that Charlie and her mother were clearly preoccupied, Kayla retreated upstairs to
telephone her friend Claudia. No answer. Out of sheer boredom, Kayla started to neaten up her room.
In the process, she found an interesting-looking magazine halfway through a pile of discarded
clothes. Flipping through it, she completed a personality inventory, calculated her body-mass index,
and coveted a pair of pink suede sandals.
Suddenly she stopped flipping and concentrated on a
full-page advertisement, showing a child with a bald head. “Would you be willing to help this
child?” asked the headline in 24-point type. The ad explained that the child was suffering from
a medical condition that caused hair loss. It explained that many children were in similar situations
and could be helped by volunteers willing to donate their hair for prosthetic wigs. Kayla read
through the list of conditions—hair in a braid at least ten inches long, no dyed hair, no gray
hair—and realized that she met all the conditions. The sponsoring organization was actually
seeking donations from young people.
Kayla walked to her mirror, picked up her hairbrush, and
pulled it gently through her long, slightly wavy, red hair. She loved her hair and the way that
everyone commented on it. The question was, how much did she love it?
Then she remembered the
picture and thought about her own good fortune. Her hair would be short, but not gone. And it would
grow back. Kayla made up her mind. The ad had said that parental permission was required, so Kayla
gathered up the magazine and headed downstairs.
“Hey, Mom,” she said. “Can I
interrupt you for just a minute to talk about something important?”
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1)
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(1 point) Based on her actions in the story, Kayla seemed to be
a) | athletic. | b) | idealistic. | c) | selfish. | d) | intelligent. |
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2)
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(1 point) What is the setting of this story?
a) | a family
home | b) | a beauty salon | c) | a business | d) | a school |
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3)
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(1 point) From the tone of their conversation, how did Kayla’s mother feel toward
her daughter?
a) | bothered that Kayla was so
messy | b) | grateful that Kayla was a good person | c) | proud that Kayla did so well in
school | d) | pleased that Kayla was such a good cook |
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4)
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(1 point) What was Kayla’s conflict?
a) | She wished her mother would pay more
attention to her. | b) | She was tired of taking care of her brothers every
day. | c) | She wanted to help people but couldn’t find a way to do
it. | d) | She wanted to use the computer but her mother was using
it. |
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5)
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(1 point) Which of these events from the story happened first?
a) | Kayla went
downstairs. | b) | Kayla looked in the mirror. | c) | Kayla called Claudia. | d) | Kayla opened a
magazine. |
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6)
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(1 point) Kayla probably looked at herself in the mirror because she
was
a) | getting ready to go
out. | b) | considering dying her hair. | c) | concerned about her
looks. | d) | imagining having short hair. |
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7)
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(1 point) This story is best classified as
a) | historical
fiction. | b) | science fiction. | c) | realistic fiction. | d) | fantasy. |
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8)
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(1 point) Why did Kayla pick up the magazine?
a) | She wanted to find a way to help
others. | b) | She was feeling bored. | c) | She was trying to decide whether to subscribe. | d) | She had to return it to Claudia
soon. |
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9)
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(1 point) What did Kayla probably do next?
a) | get her mother’s permission to
go out | b) | start getting dinner ready for the family | c) | ask her mother for a ride to Claudia’s
house | d) | talk with her mother about donating her
hair |
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10)
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(1 point) The conversation at the beginning of the story foreshadowed which later event
in the story?
a) | Kayla’s mother working at the
computer | b) | Kayla’s dog working as a therapy dog | c) | Kayla’s calling her friend
Claudia | d) | Kayla’s intended plans for her hair |
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11)
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(1 point) What did Kayla do just after she called Claudia?
a) | began cleaning up her
room | b) | thought about cutting her hair | c) | looked through a
magazine | d) | talked to her mother |
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Directions
Read this selection about Alfred Nobel, the creator of
the Nobel Prize. Then answer the following questions.
The Man Behind the
Prize
The Nobel Prizes, awarded every year in the fields of
literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, economics, and peace, are well-known throughout the world.
They are the world’s most prestigious prizes. Much less well-known is the man behind the
awards, Alfred Nobel.
Nobel’s most notable achievement was his invention of dynamite. An
inventor and businessman, Nobel held 355 patents on his inventions and was one of the wealthiest men
in the world at the time of his death in 1896. In his will, Nobel established prizes to be awarded to
those who “have made the greatest contribution to serve mankind.”
Alfred Nobel was
born on October 21, 1833, in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Immanuel Nobel and Andriette Ahlsell
Nobel. Immanuel Nobel was an engineer and inventor, involved in the construction of bridges and
buildings. Because of financial difficulties, Alfred’s father relocated to Russia in 1837, and
his mother stayed behind and started a grocery store to provide for the family. Immanuel Nobel became
successful in Russia, selling the floating sea mines that kept the British navy from attacking St.
Petersburg. In 1842, the family was reunited in St. Petersburg. The education of the four Nobel
brothers was entrusted to private tutors. At seventeen, Alfred was fluent in Swedish, Russian,
French, English, and German. His education had given him a fine background in literature and natural
sciences.
Although Nobel was interested in poetry, his father wanted him to become a chemical
engineer. Nobel was sent to study in a private laboratory in Paris. Ascanio Sobrero, an Italian
chemist who had recently invented the highly explosive nitroglycerine, was also there. Nobel wanted
to develop a stable form of nitroglycerine that could be safely used in the construction business.
Back in Russia and later in Stockholm, he followed this interest in nitroglycerine.
Working with
nitroglycerine was hazardous. The experiments killed several people, including Nobel’s younger
brother, Emil. Stockholm outlawed such experiments in the city. Nobel then worked on a barge on a
nearby lake. He found that he could mix nitroglycerine with a fine sand, creating a paste. Rods were
made from the paste. In 1867, Alfred Nobel patented his invention, which he called dynamite. He later
invented a blasting cap that could be used to set off the dynamite.
These inventions were welcomed
by the construction industry. Nobel built factories in ninety different locations to produce them. He
also worked on making substances such as synthetic rubber.
In his will, Nobel left instructions
that most of his fortune was to be used for prizes in literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, and
peace. (The economics prize was added in Nobel’s honor in 1969 by the Bank of Sweden.) After
Nobel’s death in 1896, his relatives fought the will. But his executors won, and the first
series of prizes was awarded in 1901. Now, each year on the anniversary of his death, December 10,
the Nobel Peace Prize is bestowed in Oslo, Norway. The other Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm on
the same day.
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12)
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(1 point) Which detail about the Nobel Prizes is most clearly a statement of
opinion?
a) | They are the world’s most
prestigious prizes. | b) | At seventeen, Nobel was fluent in Swedish, Russian, French, English, and
German. | c) | Working with nitroglycerine was hazardous. | d) | The Nobel Peace Prize is bestowed in Oslo,
Norway. |
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13)
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(1 point) What is the author’s purpose in this selection?
a) | to entertain the reader with a story
about an odd inventor | b) | to express personal feelings about the Nobel Prizes | c) | to present historical facts about the life of Alfred
Nobel | d) | to persuade the reader of the importance of the Nobel
Prizes |
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14)
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(1 point) The selection is mostly about
a) | the establishment of the Nobel
Prizes. | b) | the life of Alfred Nobel. | c) | the invention of dynamite. | d) | the recipients of Nobel Prizes. |
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15)
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(1 point) Which generalization about inventions is best supported by this
selection?
a) | Most inventions are the result of
team effort. | b) | Some inventions happen by accident. | c) | Most inventions require years of
effort. | d) | Inventors often end up very wealthy. |
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16)
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(1 point) Where did Nobel first become interested in
nitroglycerine?
a) | Paris | b) | Oslo | c) | Stockholm | d) | St. Petersburg |
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17)
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(1 point) The addition of sand to nitroglycerine
a) | built up the blasting
cap. | b) | made it safer to work with. | c) | caused the nitroglycerine to clump into
rods. | d) | reduced the explosive ability of
nitroglycerine. |
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18)
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(1 point) Read the following statement of fact from the selection:
In 1867, Alfred Nobel patented his invention, which he called
dynamite.
This statement could be checked by looking in
a) | an
atlas. | b) | an almanac. | c) | an encyclopedia. | d) | a dictionary. |
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Directions
Read about the interesting and inventive times in early
China. Then answer the following questions.
A Golden Age in China
In the tenth century A.D., Europe slumbered in the Dark Ages.
But in China, the same period saw the beginning of a vibrant golden age, a time of peace, prosperity,
and new ideas. This period was the beginning of the Song (pronounced soong) Dynasty. It is
truly a pity that few Americans, even well-educated ones, have ever heard of the Song.
The dynasty
began when the general Zhao Kuangyin seized power in A.D. 960 and
became the Emperor Taizu. This dynasty, referred to as the Northern Song, lasted until 1127. Under
attack, the Song fled south in 1127 and established the Southern Song dynasty, which endured until
1279.
The Song limited the power of the military and the nobility by creating an educated class,
chosen by written examinations, to run the government. To keep the exam results honest, each person
was identified only by number. Because families wanted their sons to pass the exams, more children
attended schools and became educated.
The Chinese had invented paper more than a thousand years
previously. By the Song period, blocks of carved wood were used to make prints. In 1024, the Chinese
issued the world’s first paper money. The people nicknamed the currency “flying
money” because it was so much lighter than brass coins. Around 1040, Bi Sheng invented moveable
type for printing. He carved characters or parts of characters from clay and then baked them. These
characters were then assembled in a large iron frame and printed on sheets of paper. (Europe
didn’t have moveable type until four hundred years later.) Because books were easier to make
and more people were literate, books about agriculture, inventions, and other topics spread new ideas
throughout China. There were even books to help prepare for government exams.
New kinds of rice
and ingenious methods of farming helped China prosper. Fewer people were needed to grow rice;
therefore, more people could produce other goods and services. Many moved to urban areas. Hangzhou,
the Southern Song capital, had a population of more than a million, far greater than any European
city during that period.
Song mathematicians were the first to use fractions. They also made
precise calendars based on the phases of the moon. In 1088, they built an amazing clock showing how
the sun, moon, and stars moved.
The period was also noted for its art, especially its paintings.
Artists began painting scenes of daily life, creating a valuable record of how people lived. Many
fine porcelain vases were also made under the Song.
Transportation also improved. Riverboats were
widely used, and large ships sailed on the ocean, carrying Chinese goods such as tea to distant
countries. The mariner’s compass was created. This floating compass minimized the effects of
motion and led to increased maritime trade under the Song. Its use quickly spread to the Arab world
and from there to Europe.
The first formula for gunpowder appeared in 1044 and was used in rifles
and rockets. The Song army also used a kind of flamethrower and by the thirteenth century had
powerful cannons as well. However, the Song dynasty fell to the Mongols in 1279. The long golden age
was over.
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19)
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(1 point) How did the introduction of moveable type in China compare with the
introduction of moveable type in Europe?
a) | It was introduced about fifty years
earlier in Europe. | b) | It was introduced about fifty years earlier in China. | c) | It occurred at about the same time in both
places. | d) | It was introduced several centuries earlier in
China. |
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20)
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(1 point) Which generalization about the Song Dynasty is supported by the
selection?
a) | Few important changes happened
during the Song period. | b) | China under the Song was far ahead of Europe. | c) | The Song period was a time of unrest and civil
war. | d) | The Song valued art above trade and
agriculture. |
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21)
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(1 point) According to the maps, who controlled the land to the northwest during the
Northern Song dynasty?
a) | The
Liao | b) | The Chin | c) | The Hsi Hsia | d) | The Mongols |
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22)
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(1 point) How did thirteenth-century Hangzhou compare to European capitals of the same
time?
a) | It was much
larger. | b) | It was much smaller. | c) | It was an inland city, not a port city. | d) | Its population was less
educated. |
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23)
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(1 point) Look at the maps. The Northern Song were probably attacked by
the
a) | Southern
Song. | b) | Hsi Hsia. | c) | Liao. | d) | Chin. |
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PART 2:
VOCABULARY
Directions
Mark your answer choice for the following
questions.
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24)
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(1 point) Which word has a suffix that is used to create a noun from a
verb?
a) | meaningful | b) | gently | c) | contribution | d) | disaster |
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25)
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(1 point) Read this sentence from the selection “The Man Behind the
Prize.”
In 1842, the family was reunited in St.
Petersburg.
The word
reunited has the prefix re-.
What does reunited mean?
a) | not
united | b) | too united | c) | united again | d) | possibly united |
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26)
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(1 point) What is the base word of prestigious?
a) | prestig | b) | gous | c) | prestige | d) | ous |
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27)
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(1 point) The word will has several
meanings. Which meaning is used in the following sentence?
In his will, Nobel
established prizes to be awarded.
a) | a helping verb that indicates action
in the future | b) | a helping verb that expresses an order | c) | a power of the mind | d) | a legal
document |
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28)
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(1 point) Which pair of words lists synonyms?
a) | physics—medicine | b) | prizes—awards | c) | inventor—businessman | d) | relatives—executors |
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29)
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(1 point) What does the word hazardous
mean in the following sentences?
Working with nitroglycerine was hazardous. The experiments
killed several people, including Alfred’s younger brother.
a) | fascinating | b) | secret | c) | mysterious | d) | risky |
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30)
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(1 point) The word transportation has the same prefix as the words transplant and
transcontinental. What is the meaning of the prefix trans-?
a) | move
across | b) | opposite of | c) | put on or into | d) | greater, better |
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