Grade 6

Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics, Junior Division

Student Booklet
SPRING 2009

Language
RELEASED SELECTIONS AND ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

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Please note: The format of these booklets is slightly different from that used for the assessment. The items themselves remain the same.

Reading

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Echoing Howls
Were here! cried the twins, all excited by the sight of the main entrance to the provincial park. The park is an animal refuge where the public can view animals in their natural habitat while protected by fences in certain places. Tours are conducted by trained guides. We had never been here before, I have to say, especially not so late at night. We had heard about the public wolf howling expedition, and thats why this moment was so eagerly awaited by each member of our family. It was also a night of the full moon, the best time to hear the howling of wolves. My only problem was that I had to share the responsibility of watching my eight-yearold twin brothers, Patrick and Eric, with my father. He had been very clear about this: Dont let them out of your sight, Lisa! You know how they are; you can expect just about anything. First, a guide led us to the edge of the forest where, to our great joy, we found observation platforms where we could observe the activities of raccoons. Surprisingly enough, these little animals come out at nightfallthanks to their excellent night vision. They often travel at night to their favourite hunting ground to eat their fill. We could see them very clearly, with the white fur around their eyes shining in the night. As we continued down a path, we heard a loud screeching. What could that possibly be? I asked. We realized that owls were trying to keep us away with their cries. When we stopped, and listened very carefully, we could hear them calling to each other. The guide informed us that their huge eyes could capture the slightest rays of light. This is how they can see well enough to trap small mice at dusk. Continuing our tour, we didnt expect to see anything more awesome than these owls. Then the guide pointed out the batsanimals that cant really be described as birds, even though they fly. We watched them swoop around in the night air for a while, but Patrick, who is afraid of bats, was hanging on to my jeans, so we didnt stay long.
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Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Reading

Soon after, we put on military night-vision goggles for a unique experiencethe chance to observe wolves in the middle of the night. Our guide, a master in the art of imitating animal cries, began to howl. For the first time in their lives my brothers were listening attentively because they didnt want to miss anything. Also, we had been warned to keep quiet. The wolves responded immediately. At first, just one or two wolves howled. After a while they all began howling at once. What a concert! Youd have thought they were howling just for the fun of it. What cries! What voices! What a mournful choir! Wed never heard anything like it. It was breathtaking. I feel goosebumps even now, just thinking about it! We had to leave, reluctantly, because of the late hour. Moving quickly, we were on our way out when I realized I had lost sight of Eric. Where was he? I started to panic, as it was my responsibility to keep an eye on him. The panic didnt last long. In a moment, a small, odd voicean awkward yet familiar howlingattracted our attention. That sounds like Eric trying to howl like the wolves, I thought to myself. In the light of the moon, we found the lost twin, howling on all fours on the observation platform.

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EQAO, 2006

Student Booklet: Language 2

Reading From whose point of view is this text written? a b c d Lisas * the twins the guides the fathers
EQRE21109.091

Grade 6, Spring 2009

In paragraph 1, the word refuge means a b c d a fence. a safe place. * an entrance. an animal clinic.

EQRE21116.091

According to this text, platforms allow visitors to a b c d be safe. hear owls. view animals. * move quickly.

EQRE21100.091

In paragraph 5, the owls begin screeching because a b c d visitors are getting too close. * it is too dark for them to see. they are trying to attract mice. they are being chased by wolves.

EQRE21112.091

In paragraph 9, the wolves start howling because EQRE21104.091 a b c d the guide howls. * there is a full moon. the visitors are quiet. they want to have fun.

Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Reading
EQRE21113.091

In paragraph 9, the word what is used repeatedly to a b c d ask questions. create rhymes. show amazement. * express confusion.

The word awkward as used in paragraph 11 means Eric EQRE21115.091 a b c d lacks skill. * acts strange. moves clumsily. sounds confident.

What do all of the animals in this text have in common? a b c d They live in a protected area. * They hunt together in groups. They sleep during the nighttime. They make loud sounds at night.

EQRE21105.091

Which animals show awareness of the visitors? a b c d bats owls * mice raccoons

EQRE21106.091

One of the things that upsets Lisa in this text is that a b c d the twins cry. she loses sight of Eric. * an owl screeches loudly. she has to wear goggles.

EQRE21101.091

Student Booklet: Language 2

Reading

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Identify one of Lisas feelings during her tour of the animal refuge and explain why she feels this way. Use specific details from the text to support your answer. EQRE21102.091

Explain whether paragraphs 1013 provide an effective ending. Support your answer using specific details from the text. EQRE21114.091

Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Writing

Writing Multiple-Choice
Choose the words that best complete the sentence. EQWE20272 The athlete was on the front page of the newspaper __________ she set new records in relay _________ distance running. a b c d that, or still, and however, or because, and * Choose the best closing sentence for the following paragraph. The most important meal of the day is breakfast. Research shows that students who eat a well-balanced breakfast every morning do better in school than students who skip breakfast. Eating a breakfast of fruit and cheese, for example, provides your body with energy. Skipping breakfast can leave you feeling tired in class. __________________________ EQWE20271 a Choose the sentence that is written correctly. a Throughout the day, she had walked over slippery forest trails and snow-covered hilltops. * EQWE20291 Throughout the day she had walked over slippery, forest, trails and snow, covered hilltops. Throughout the day, she had walked over slippery, forest trails and snow-covered, hilltops. Throughout the day, she had walked, over slippery forest trails, and snow, covered hilltops. b c d You need to eat three healthy meals every day. If you skip breakfast, be sure to take your vitamins. You can learn more effectively if you eat breakfast daily. * C-W15 Include foods from all of the food groups in your breakfast.

Choose the word that is spelled correctly. The Canadian federal __________ is located in EQWE20278 Ottawa. a b c d goverment govenment governmint government *

Student Booklet: Language 2

Reading

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Freeze-Up
by Raymond Souster I wonder at what exact moment (I wish Id been there) something or someone said Thats the very last drop going over. And the startled waterfall suddenly couldnt budge and knew it was so.
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The Islands
by Margaret Atwood There are two of them: One larger, with steep granite cliffs facing us, dropping sheer to the deep lake; the other smaller, closer to land, with a reef running out from it and dead trees grey, waist-high in the water.
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Freeze-Up by Raymond Souster is reprinted from Collected Poems of Raymond Souster by permission of Oberon Press. The Islands from The Circle Game 1996 by Margaret Atwood. Reproduced with the permission of House of Anansi Press, Toronto.

Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Reading
EQRE21244.101

What is being described in Freeze-Up? a b c d a cold winter a drop of water a startled person a moment in time *

The Islands is organized by a b c d contrasting the two islands. * moving from smaller to larger. describing the closest island first. explaining the islands similarities.

EQRE21245.101

The word sheer as used in line 3 of The Islands means a b c d slowly. steeply. * waist-high. see-through.

EQRE21248.101

What is farthest away from the mainland? a b c d the reef the cliffs * the dead trees the smaller island

EQRE21240.101

Student Booklet: Language 2

Reading

Grade 6, Spring 2009

What conclusions can be made about the speaker in the poem Freeze-Up? Use specific details from EQRE21243.101 the poem and your own ideas to support your answer.

Compare these two poems. Use specific details and examples from the poems and your own ideas EQRE21242.101 to support your answer.

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Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Writing

Write a story in which someones life is changed for the better after receiving a letter in the mail.

Ideas for My Story EQWE20322

Remember: Check over your work. Check your spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Student Booklet: Language 2

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Writing Write your story here.

Grade 6, Spring 2009

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Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Writing

Student Booklet: Language 2

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Reading

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Funny Money
knowing how to recognize counterfeit money just makes cents! So in 2004, the bank of Canada began to print bills with new, easy-to-use security features.

The Fine Print In the tiny microprinting next to the Parliament building pictures are the words THE CENTRE bLOCk OF PARLIAMENT LDIFICE DU CENTRE DU PARLEMENT. With each line, the printing gets smaller and smaller. Now You See It A watermark showing a ghostly image of the Queen appears when you hold a bill up to the light.

Cool Threads The security thread changes from gold to green when you tilt the bill. On the thread, you can see 20 CAN.

Nice Touch Intaglio or raised printing is featured on the large number in the right-hand corner, on the coat of arms, and on the words bANk OF CANADA bANQUE DU CANADA.

On the Move A hologram in the tiny metallic strip seems to move and change colour. Numerals and maple leaves seem to dance up the side of the bill.

See the Light When you hold the bill up to the light, the lines on the front and back form a perfect 20.

Adapted from Owl magazine, Funny Money, by Janice Weaver, May 2005 Owl. Used with permission of Bayard Presse Canada Inc. Photos Bank of Canada

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Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Reading
EQRE31959.172

A watermark is most like a a b c d dark stain. faint design. * metallic image. colourful thread.

Which feature can you see only if you hold the bill up to the light? a b c d the hologram the perfect 20 * the raised printing the changes in the security thread

EQRE31958.172

The images of the individual security features accompany the text boxes to a b c d provide a closer view. * contrast with older bills. repeat information in the text boxes. demonstrate the queens appearance.

EQRE31961.172

The word specimen appears on the image of the 20-dollar bill to indicate that the bill is a b c d a fake. illegal. a sample. * protected.

EQRE31963.172

Student Booklet: Language 2

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Reading

Grade 6, Spring 2009

What makes the security features easy to use? Use two examples from the text to support your EQRE31965.172 answer.

In the sentence knowing how to recognize counterfeit money just makes cents! what is the significance of the word cents? Use information from the text and your own ideas to support EQRE31964.172 your answer.

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Student Booklet: Language 2

Grade 6, Spring 2009

Writing

Writing Multiple-Choice
Choose the words that best complete the sentence below. EQWE20280 Teachers ________ students skills through ________ work ________. a b c d measure, their, habits * measure, there, habits messure, there, habbits measure, their, habbets d c Choose the sentence that is written correctly. a b Sara, went home to find her brother eating.
EQWE20290

In the morning, Michael walked to the store. * Connie wandered around the mall until, her mother arrived. Jamal fed the birds, in the bird feeder just outside his house.

Which is the best way to combine the information in the following sentences? EQWE20276 It was late at night. The raccoon woke up. The full harvest moon rose in the black sky. a It was late at night, the full harvest moon rose in the black sky but the raccoon woke up. Late at night, the raccoon woke up as the full harvest moon rose in the black sky. * It was late at night, the raccoon woke up, the full harvest moon rose in the black sky. It was late at night when the raccoon woke up, the full harvest moon rose in the black sky.

Choose the word that is spelled correctly.EQWE20285 a b c d sadest funniest * daintyest prouddest

Student Booklet: Language 2

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