Iready 7th Assessment 3

Assessment 3
Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow.
Charles Dickens’ novel Oliver Twist tells the story of an orphan boy in 19th century London. In this excerpt,
Oliver is moved from the orphanage where he has lived since birth to labor in a public workhouse.
from Oliver Twist

Excerpts from Oliver Twist: Two Volumes in One by Charles Dickens, published by Hurd and Houghton, 1874.
1 Oliver Twist’s ninth birthday found him a pale, thin child, somewhat diminutive in stature, and
decidedly small in circumference. But nature or inheritance had implanted a good sturdy spirit in Oliver’s
breast. It had had plenty of room to expand, thanks to the spare diet of the establishment; and perhaps to this
circumstance may be attributed his having any ninth birth-day at all. Be this as it may, however, it was his
ninth birthday; and he was keeping it in the coal-cellar with a select party of two other young gentleman . . .
when Mrs. Mann, the good lady of the house, was unexpectedly startled by the apparition of Mr. Bumble, the
beadle1, striving to undo the wicket of the garden-gate.
2 “Goodness gracious! Is that you, Mr. Bumble, sir?” said Mrs. Mann, thrusting her head out of the
window in well-affected ecstasies of joy. . . .
3 Now, Mr. Bumble was a fat man, and a choleric2; so, instead of responding to this open-hearted
salutation in a kindred spirit, he gave the little wicket a tremendous shake, and then bestowed upon it a kick
which could have emanated from no leg but a beadle’s.
4 “Lor, only think,” said Mrs. Mann, running out,—for the three boys had been removed by this
time,—“only think of that! That I should have forgotten that the gate was bolted on the inside, on account of
them dear children! Walk in sir; walk in, pray, Mr. Bumble, do, sir.”
5 Although this invitation was accompanied with a curtsey that might have softened the heart of a
church-warden, it by no means mollified the beadle.
6 “Do you think this respectful or proper conduct, Mrs. Mann,” inquired Mr. Bumble, grasping his
cane, “to keep the parish officers a waiting at your garden-gate, when they come here upon porochial3 business
with the porochial orphans? Are you aweer, Mrs. Mann, that you are, as I may say, a porochial delegate, and a
stipendiary 4?”
7 “I’m sure Mr. Bumble, that I was only a telling one or two of the dear children as is so fond of you,
that it was you a coming,” replied Mrs. Mann with great humility.
1
beadle: a parish (village) peace officer
2
choleric: ill-tempered
3
porochial: Mr. Bumble’s pronunciation of the word parochial, which means having to do with a parish or village
4
stipendiary: someone who receives a stipend, or salary, for performing a service (in Mrs. Mann’s case, providing
a home for orphaned children) Go On
North Carolina Assessment 3 73
©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.
8 Mr. Bumble had a great idea of his oratorical5 powers and his importance. He had displayed the one,
and vindicated the other. He relaxed.
9 “Well, well, Mrs. Mann,” he replied in a calmer tone; “it may be as you say; it may be. Lead the way
in, Mrs. Mann, for I come on business, and have something to say.” . . .
10 “And now about business,” said the beadle, taking out a leathern pocket-book. “The child that was
half-baptized Oliver Twist, is nine year old to-day.”
11 “Bless him!” interposed Mrs. Mann, inflaming her left eye with the corner of her apron.
12 “And notwithstanding a offered reward of ten pound, which was afterwards increased to twenty
pound. Notwithstanding the most superlative, and, I may say, supernat’ral exertions on the part of this
parish,” said Bumble, “we have never been able to discover who is his father, or what was his mother’s
settlement, name, or condition.”
13 He . . . . added, “Oliver being now too old to remain here, the board have determined to have him
back into the house. I have come out myself to take him there. So let me see him at once.”
14 “I’ll fetch him directly,” said Mrs. Mann, leaving the room for that purpose. Oliver, having had by
this time as much of the outer coat of dirt which encrusted his face and hands, removed, as could be scrubbed
off in one washing, was led into the room by his benevolent6 protectress.
15 “Make a bow to the gentleman, Oliver,” said Mrs. Mann.
16 Oliver made a bow, which was divided between the beadle on the chair, and the cocked hat on the
table.
17 “Will you go along with me, Oliver?” said Mr. Bumble, in a majestic voice.
18 Oliver was about to say that he would go along with anybody with great readiness, when, glancing
upward, he caught sight of Mrs. Mann, who had got behind the beadle’s chair, and was shaking her fist at him
with a furious countenance. He took the hint at once, for the fist had been too often impressed upon his body
not to be deeply impressed upon his recollection.
19 “Will she go with me?” inquired poor Oliver.
20 “No, she can’t,” replied Mr. Bumble. “But she’ll come and see you sometimes.”
21 This was no very great consolation to the child. With the slice of bread in his hand, and the little
brown-cloth parish cap on his head, Oliver was then led away by Mr. Bumble from the wretched home where
one kind word or look had never lighted the gloom of his infant years. And yet he burst into an agony of
childish grief, as the cottage-gate closed after him. Wretched as were the little companions in misery he was
leaving behind, they were the only friends he had ever known; and a sense of his loneliness in the great wide
world, sank into the child’s heart for the first time.
5
oratorical: having to do with speechmaking
6
benevolent: usually means harmless, but in this case the word is used in irony to point out that Mrs. Mann tries
to appear harmless but in reality treats Oliver cruelly
74 North Carolina Assessment 3

1 Read this sentence from the passage.
Although this invitation was accompanied with a curtsey that might have softened the
heart of a church-warden, it by no means mollified the beadle.
Which of these best describes the meaning of the phrase “softened the heart” in this sentence?
A amused
B removed the anger
C comforted
D gave a heart attack
2 Why does Mr. Bumble visit Oliver in the orphanage?
A Oliver is too old to stay in the orphanage, so Mr. Bumble must place him elsewhere.
B Mr. Bumble has information about Oliver’s parents, and he came to tell Oliver.
C Mr. Bumble knows Mrs. Mann is unkind to Oliver, so he wants to help him.
D Oliver is having a birthday party, and Mr. Bumble comes to celebrate.
3 Read this sentence from paragraph 21.
And yet he burst into an agony of childish grief, as the cottage-gate closed after him.
Why does Oliver feel grief?

A because he is leaving behind his only friends
B because he does not want to go to work
C because he is afraid of Mr. Bumble
D because his birthday party is interrupted
4 Which of these most accurately expresses a theme of the passage?
A Friendships are difficult for those without family.

B Even an unhappy life can be hard to leave behind.
C Children should begin working at a young age.
D Birthdays often bring new adventures.
Go On
5 If Oliver were the narrator of the story, how would it be different?
A It would include more details about Mrs. Mann’s thoughts.

B The reader would learn who Oliver’s parents are.
C It would include more details about Oliver’s feelings.
D The reader would learn more about Mr. Bumble’s job.
6 One of the central ideas in the passage is that Mrs. Mann is unkind to the children. Which
sentence from the passage best supports that idea?
A “‘Lor, only think,’ said Mrs. Mann, running out,—for the three boys had been removed by
this time,—‘only think of that!’”
B “‘Bless him!’ interposed Mrs. Mann, inflaming her left eye with the corner of her apron.
C “Oliver, having had by this time as much of the outer coat of dirt which encrusted his face
and hands, removed, as could be scrubbed off in one washing, was led into the room by
his benevolent protectress.”
D “He took the hint at once, for the fist had been too often impressed upon his body not to
be deeply impressed upon his recollection.”
7 Read this summary of the passage.
Oliver Twist lives in a dismal orphanage run by Mrs. Mann. Though there was a twenty
pound reward for information, no one knows anything about Oliver’s parents. Gruff Mr.
Bumble, a parish officer, comes to take Oliver away to the workhouse. Though Oliver is glad
to leave Mrs. Mann, he is sad to leave the only home he has ever known.
Which sentence should be removed from the summary?

A Oliver Twist lives in a dismal orphanage run by Mrs. Mann.
B Though there was a twenty pound reward for information, no one knows anything about
Oliver’s parents.
C Gruff Mr. Bumble, a parish officer, comes to take Oliver away to the workhouse.
D Though Oliver is glad to leave Mrs. Mann, he is sad to leave the only home he has ever
known.

Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow it.
The Aqua-Lung—Bringing Ocean Exploration to

New Depths
by Jess Therell
1 Jacques Cousteau was an adventurer and an explorer with a passion for the ocean. He wanted not
only to observe what was beneath the ocean’s surface, but also to protect it by making the public aware of its
importance. For this reason, many people also view him as an environmentalist.
2 Cousteau accomplished many things during his distinguished career. He helped author dozens of
books about the ocean. He made a number of films, and he led several expeditions aboard his ship, Calypso.
The explorer even created an underwater camera. Along with an engineer by the name of Emile Gagnan,
Cousteau also invented the Aqua-Lung. This was a device that could be used to breathe underwater. Perhaps
the most important outcome of the creation of the Aqua-Lung was that it made it possible for more people to
explore the ocean’s depths.
The Aqua-Lung—An Overview of its Invention
3 The inspiration for the most important part of the Aqua-Lung was a regulator designed by Emile
Gagnan. It was first used for car engines. Its chief feature was that it helped supply the exact amount of fuel
needed for an engine to run, reducing unnecessary usage and minimizing waste.
4 Cousteau adapted Gagnan’s invention to create the “demand regulator,” the defining component of the
Aqua-Lung system. The regulator is the piece that fits into the diver’s mouth. The other essential parts were tanks
containing air that were strapped to the diver’s back, as well as a hose to carry air from the tank to the regulator.
5 The design of the Aqua-Lung was completed in the early 1940s. It was available for purchase in
France a short time later. Within a decade, the system was being sold in several countries throughout the
world.
What Made the Aqua-Lung Different?
6 The Aqua-Lung differed from most underwater devices that existed at the time in two main ways.
First, it allowed divers to stay underwater for a much longer period of time. Before the invention of the
Aqua-Lung, divers could only remain underwater for a matter of minutes before their air ran out. With the
Aqua-Lung, that time could be extended to an hour or even more.
7 Second, it addressed the issue of air pressure. Pressure rapidly increases as water depth increases. In
order to breathe without risk of harm in deep water, any inhaled air must have the same pressure as the
surrounding water. The Aqua-Lung regulator automatically adjusted the pressure of the air in the tank to
equalize air and water pressure, which made diving safer.
Do Cousteau and Gagnan Deserve All the Credit?
8 While Cousteau and Gagnan’s self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) known as
the Aqua-Lung was an important new creation, it may not have been the revolutionary advancement many
people seem to think. Cousteau and Gagnan built on the work of those who came before by modifying
existing technologies and devices. This practice is common among inventors and scientists.
Go On
9 Support for the above claim can be found by looking at the history of ocean exploration and the devices
that preceded the “invention” of the Aqua-Lung. First, it is important to note that people have always been
intrigued by the ocean. Hundreds of years ago, people were already searching for ways to “breathe” underwater so
they could stay beneath the surface longer and go deeper. They used hollow reeds as snorkels and wooden barrels
as crude air tanks. Although these devices have little in common with the Aqua-Lung and other equipment
currently on the market, they show that many people had aspirations and ideas that were similar to Cousteau’s.
10 Second, the Aqua-Lung emerged after very similar devices had already been invented. By far the
most notable one was the apparatus that was developed by Captain Yves Le Prieur in 1925. The main
difference between it and the Aqua-Lung was air flow. Le Prieur’s SCUBA released air constantly. The
Cousteau/Gagnan device released it “on demand”—when the diver inhaled. Certainly, the world-famous
Cousteau owed much of the credit for the creation of the Aqua-Lung to the comparatively unknown Le Prieur.
The Impact of the Aqua-Lung
11 Although Cousteau and Gagnan built on earlier technology, their invention did open the world of
diving to more people. The Aqua-Lung made SCUBA diving simpler, safer, and accessible to the public. In the
decades after the device became available, countless individuals adopted underwater diving as a hobby. Aqua-
Lung is still a brand name that appears on many types of diving equipment, from regulators to masks to fins.
12 Cousteau’s greatest legacy as a conservationist may have been giving ordinary people the tools
needed to view the wonders of the ocean firsthand. Movies and books can certainly show people the beauty of
marine life and explain why it needs protection. However, seeing the splendor of the ocean and some of its
marvels in person is likely to be much more convincing than anything that appears on a screen or in print.
8 Read these sentences from paragraph 8.
While Cousteau and Gagnan’s self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)

known as the Aqua-Lung was an important new creation, it may not have been the
revolutionary advancement many people seem to think. Cousteau and Gagnan built on the
work of those who came before by modifying existing technologies and devices.
How do the details in paragraph 9 support the idea contained in these sentences, either
directly or indirectly?
A Long ago, people used hollow reeds and wooden barrels as air tanks. Cousteau and
Gagnan stole these ideas when they invented the Aqua-Lung.
B Although people had come up with crude diving devices in the past, the Aqua-Lung was
completely different from anything that had ever come before.
C Over the centuries, people have searched for ways to improve existing diving equipment.
Cousteau and Gagnan were simply the latest in a long line of inventors seeking to
improve diving technology.
D Because people have always been fascinated by the ocean, they have always been trying
to invent devices that will help them stay underwater longer.

9 Read this sentence from the passage.
Cousteau’s greatest legacy as a conservationist may have been giving ordinary people the
tools needed to view the wonders of the ocean firsthand.
What connotation does the phrase “ordinary people” have in this sentence?
A uneducated people
B dull and tiresome people
C people who are neither explorers nor scientists
D people who do not know how to swim
10 Which sentence from the passage supports the author’s idea that the Aqua-Lung was better
than previous diving equipment?
A “Perhaps the most important outcome of the creation of the Aqua-Lung was that it made
it possible for more people to explore the ocean’s depths.”
B “The Aqua-Lung differed from most underwater devices that existed at the time in two
main ways.”
C “In order to breathe without risk of harm in deep water, any inhaled air must have the
same pressure as the surrounding water.”
D “The Aqua-Lung regulator automatically adjusted the pressure of the air in the tank to
equalize air and water pressure, which made diving safer.”
11 Which are two central ideas of the passage?

A Jacques Cousteau promoted the conservation of our oceans; over the centuries, many
people have invented devices similar to the Aqua-Lung to assist divers.
B The Aqua-Lung differs from Le Prieur’s SCUBA in one important way; Aqua-Lung is still a
brand of equipment sold today.
C Cousteau and Gagnan might not deserve all the credit for inventing the Aqua-Lung;
Jacques Cousteau helped write dozens of books about the oceans.
D The Aqua-Lung allowed longer, safer dives; Cousteau and Gagnan built upon previous
technologies when creating their Aqua-Lung.
Go On
12 What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage?
A to give facts about a valuable invention and its impact on diving

B to make readers question Cousteau’s contribution to the world of diving
C to explain the differences between the Aqua-Lung and Le Prieur’s invention
D to describe how diving has changed and improved over the years
13 Which of the following best summarizes the ideas of the passage in the correct order?
A Cousteau invented the Aqua-Lung, which is still used today. Cousteau’s legacy is that he
opened the world of deep sea diving to more people. He also made movies about the
underwater world. His movies introduced more people to the ocean than any invention
ever could.
B Cousteau, inspired by Gagnan’s invention of the regulator, developed the Aqua-Lung which
used a demand regulator to provide air for deep sea divers. Cousteau’s invention allowed
people to breathe normally underwater, which meant people could make longer dives and
dive deeper than they could before. Although it was not a brand new invention, it opened
the world of diving to more people. This is Cousteau’s greatest legacy.
C Gagnan invented the regulator. It was originally meant to control the amount of gasoline
an engine uses. Cousteau adapted this invention in his Aqua-Lung to regulate the air a
deep sea diver uses. Today, people disagree about the originality of Cousteau’s invention
but most agree that without it, the ocean could not have been explored.
D Gagnan invented the regulator, which was later adapted by Cousteau to develop the
Aqua-Lung. Both inventors claim credit for the invention. However, both inventors
also drew on the work of earlier inventors, so neither can claim that his invention is an
entirely original idea. People have been using simple devices such as reeds and wooden
barrels to breathe underwater for hundreds of years.

Read the passages. Then answer the questions that follow.
This excerpt is from a novel called O Pioneers! by Willa Cather. The book is set in Hanover, Nebraska, between
1883 and 1890. In this passage you will meet Alexandra Bergson and Carl Linstrum, two of the novel’s main
characters.
Excerpt from O Pioneers!

Excerpts from O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, published by Houghton Mifflin Company, 1913.
1 For the first three years after John Bergson’s death, the affairs of his family prospered. Then came the
hard times that brought every one on the Divide to the brink of despair; three years of drought and failure,
the last struggle of a wild soil against the encroaching plowshare. The first of these fruitless summers the
Bergson boys bore courageously. The failure of the corn crop made labor cheap. Lou and Oscar hired two men
and put in bigger crops than ever before. They lost everything they spent. The whole country was discouraged.
Farmers who were already in debt had to give up their land. A few foreclosures demoralized the county. The
settlers sat about on the wooden sidewalks in the little town and told each other that the country was never
meant for men to live in; the thing to do was to get back to Iowa, to Illinois, to any place that had been proved
habitable. The Bergson boys, certainly, would have been happier with their uncle Otto, in the bakery shop in
Chicago. Like most of their neighbors, they were meant to follow in paths already marked out for them, not to
break trails in a new country. A steady job, a few holidays, nothing to think about, and they would have been
very happy. It was no fault of theirs that they had been dragged into the wilderness when they were little boys.
A pioneer should have imagination, should be able to enjoy the idea of things more than the things
themselves.
2 The second of these barren summers was passing. One September afternoon Alexandra had gone
over to the garden across the draw to dig sweet potatoes—they had been thriving upon the weather that was
fatal to everything else. But when Carl Linstrum came up the garden rows to find her, she was not working.
She was standing lost in thought, leaning upon her pitchfork, her sunbonnet lying beside her on the ground.
The dry garden patch smelled of drying vines and was strewn with yellow seed-cucumbers and pumpkins and
citrons. At one end, next the rhubarb, grew feathery asparagus, with red berries. Down the middle of the
garden was a row of gooseberry and currant bushes. A few tough zinnias and marigolds and a row of scarlet
sage bore witness to the buckets of water that Mrs. Bergson had carried there after sundown, against the
prohibition of her sons. Carl came quietly and slowly up the garden path, looking intently at Alexandra. She
did not hear him. She was standing perfectly still, with that serious ease so characteristic of her. Her thick,
reddish braids, twisted about her head, fairly burned in the sunlight. The air was cool enough to make the
warm sun pleasant on one’s back and shoulders, and so clear that the eye could follow a hawk up and up, into
the blazing blue depths of the sky. Even Carl, never a very cheerful boy, and considerably darkened by these
last two bitter years, loved the country on days like this, felt something strong and young and wild come out
of it, that laughed at care.
3 “Alexandra,” he said as he approached her, “I want to talk to you. Let’s sit down by the gooseberry
bushes.” He picked up her sack of potatoes and they crossed the garden. “Boys gone to town?” he asked as he
sank down on the warm, sun-baked earth. “Well, we have made up our minds at last, Alexandra. We are
really going away.”
Go On
4 She looked at him as if she were a little frightened. “Really, Carl? Is it settled?”
5 “Yes, father has heard from St. Louis, and they will give him back his old job in the cigar factory. He
must be there by the first of November. They are taking on new men then. We will sell the place for whatever
we can get, and auction the stock. We haven’t enough to ship. I am going to learn engraving with a German
engraver there, and then try to get work in Chicago.”
6 Alexandra’s hands dropped in her lap. Her eyes became dreamy and filled with tears. Carl’s sensitive
lower lip trembled. He scratched in the soft earth beside him with a stick. “That’s all I hate about it, Alexandra,”
he said slowly. “You’ve stood by us through so much and helped father out so many times, and now it seems as if
we were running off and leaving you to face the worst of it. But it isn’t as if we could really ever be of any help to
you. We are only one more drag, one more thing you look out for and feel responsible for. Father was never
meant for a farmer, you know that. And I hate it. We’d only get in deeper and deeper.”
7 “Yes, yes, Carl, I know. You are wasting your life here. You are able to do much better things. You are
nearly nineteen now, and I wouldn’t have you stay. I’ve always hoped you would get away. But I can’t help
feeling scared when I think how I will miss you—more than you will ever know.” She brushed the tears from
her cheeks, not trying to hide them.

Women on the Lone Prairie
by Sean McCollum, Scholastic Update
1 So much of the popular history of the Wild West has focused on gunfighters and gunfights, cowboys
and Indians, that it would be easy to think that the West was only about guys and guns. But the experiences of
women paint a more accurate picture of America’s westward expansion. It was ordinary settlers—equipped
with little more than pluck and a plow—who helped settle a desolate land.
2 The Great Plains—extending from the Missouri River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the
west, and from Canada in the north to the Texas Panhandle in the south—was one of the toughest, most
inhospitable regions of America yet to be settled. It had only two natural resources: grass and soil. Still, once
choicer lands were gone, settlers from the eastern states and immigrants from overseas saw the prairie as a
place to escape poverty or persecution—and, perhaps, to own a piece of land.
3 The settling of the prairie began in the 1850s. Then, following the upheaval of the Civil War (1861–
1865), it accelerated. In 1860, for example, 28,000 white settlers lived in the Nebraska Territory. Seven years
later, when Nebraska became the 37th state, the population was 100,000.
4 Pioneer families stood shoulder to shoulder to settle the harsh land, with women fighting fires, fear,
and locusts right beside men. Their stories, recalled in diaries, letters, and memoirs, provide a glimpse into the
social history of this unique time.
She’s Leaving Home
5 To encourage settlement of the West, the U.S. government passed the Homestead Act in 1862. The
Act offered up to 160 acres of free land to any settlers—or homesteaders, as they came to be known—who met
two requirements: that they begin developing the land within six months of claiming it, and that they then
live on the land for five years. After this period, the homesteader could claim ownership—what was called
“proving up” a land claim.
6 “The year was 1894. [My fiance] was convinced that our best chance to make something of ourselves
was to avail ourselves of the offer of free land,” wrote Rachel Calof, a Jewish immigrant from Russia, who was
18 when she joined her new husband in North Dakota. “[Homesteading] seemed a godsend to penniless
people who otherwise could not hope to buy land.”
7 For other homesteaders, the decision to go west was not always so full of hope.
8 “My memory goes back . . . to a . . . library table strewn with literature extolling a new haven for
immigrants—Kansas,” remembered Mrs. W. B. Caton. “To me it spelled destruction, desperadoes, and
cyclones. I could not agree with my husband that any good could come out of such a country, but . . .
October 1, 1879, saw us—a wagon, three horses, and our humble household necessities—bound for the
‘Promised Land.’ ”
Trials, Tribulations, and the Pioneer Spirit
9 The fierce weather of the Great Plains could break the will and hopes of a homesteader in an
afternoon.
Go On
10 “The wheat grew well [in 1900],” remembered Rachel Calof, “and, at last, was ready for cutting.
On a fine clear morning [my husband] . . . made . . . preparations . . . to reap the golden harvest. Our spirits
soared. . . . It was not to be. . . . Shortly before noon, a dark cloud suddenly boiled up in the sky. Then suddenly
the hailstorm, the scourge of the prairie farmer, was upon us. It was of such intensity that in a few minutes
practically all for which we had suffered and labored was destroyed.”
11 During dry summers, furious prairie fires were an equal threat, as were tornadoes and plagues of
locusts that ate everything in their path, even the clothing off people’s backs.
12 A homesteader’s isolated life presented dangers of its own. The nearest neighbor, doctor, or town
could be dozens of miles away. In some instances, loneliness drove settlers mad. And isolation could turn
common events into crises, as homesteader Annette Lecleve Botkin recalled.
13 “My parents settled in Kansas, in 1873. Their house was three miles from the nearest neighbor, [the]
nearest trading post over sixteen miles away.
14 “It was the last of July, and my father was thinking of the long winter ahead. . . . The little house had
to be kept warm, for there were a couple of little children already in the home, and another on the way. So my
father rose early and started on his all-day trip . . . to get a load of wood. . . .
15 “He had no sooner gotten out of sight, than my mother knew . . . that it was time [to give birth]. Now
that was a terrifying situation. Alone with two babies, not a neighbor nor doctor to be gotten.
16 “So my mother got the baby clothes together on a chair by the bed, water and scissors and what else
was needed to take care of the baby; drew a bucket of fresh water from a sixty-foot well; made some bread-
and-butter sandwiches; set out some milk for the babies. At about noon the stork left a fine baby boy. My
father arrived home about dusk with a big load of wood. My mother, having fainted a number of times in her
attempt to dress the baby, had succeeded at last; and when father came in he found a very uncomfortable but
brave and thankful mother . . .”
17 “It might seem a cheerless life,” said one woman, reflecting on the challenges of her pioneer days,
“but there were compensations: the thrill of conquering a new country; the wonderful atmosphere; the
attraction of the prairie, which simply gets into your blood and makes you dissatisfied away from it; the
low-lying hills and the unobstructed view of the horizon; and the fleecy clouds driven by the never-failing
winds. The pioneer spirit was continuous in our family.”
14 Look at the third sentence in paragraph 1 of the excerpt from O Pioneers! Which phrase from
the paragraph helps the reader understand the meaning of the phrase “fruitless summers”?
A “failure of the corn crop”
B “made labor cheap”
C “everything they spent”
D “in the little town”

15 In the excerpt from O Pioneers!, why did Mrs. Bergson’s sons forbid her to water the flowers?
A The flowers encouraged the growth of sweet potatoes.

B The flowers interfered with the growth of their other crops.
C They felt she was working too hard carrying the water buckets.
D They felt she was wasting precious water on a luxury.
16 The author of O Pioneers! uses a third person narrator to show the innermost thoughts and
feelings of the characters. Which sentence from the excerpt best reflects how the author
develops this point of view in the excerpt?
A “Lou and Oscar hired two men and put in bigger crops than ever before.”
B “The second of these barren summers was passing.”
C “Alexandra’s hands dropped in her lap.”
D “She brushed the tears from her cheeks, not trying to hide them.”
17 Based on the excerpt, what is one theme that can be found in O Pioneers!?
A Hardships can be overcome with hard work.

B The pioneer life was a difficult and lonely one.
C Difficult times can dampen even the most cheerful spirit.
D Nothing can grow during drought years.
18 Which sentence from the passage best shows that Carl cares deeply for Alexandra and his
feelings for her affect his feelings about his upcoming move?
A “For the first three years after John Bergson’s death, the affairs of his family prospered.”
B “One September afternoon Alexandra had gone over to the garden across the draw
to dig sweet potatoes—they had been thriving upon the weather that was fatal to
everything else.”
C “’Yes, father has heard from St. Louis, and they will give him back his old job in the
cigar factory.’”
D “’You’ve stood by us through so much and helped father out so many times, and now it
seems as if we were running off and leaving you to face the worst of it.’”
Go On
19 One central idea of the excerpt from O Pioneers! is that the land the pioneers worked was
both challenging and beautiful. Which of these sentences from the excerpt best shows this
theme?
A “Then came the hard times that brought every one on the Divide to the brink of despair;
three years of drought and failure, the last struggle of a wild soil against the encroaching
plowshare.”
B “Even Carl, never a very cheerful boy, and considerably darkened by these last two bitter
years, loved the country on days like this, felt something strong and young and wild come
out of it, that laughed at care.”
C “‘I am going to learn engraving with a German engraver there, and then try to get work
in Chicago.’”
D “‘You’ve stood by us through so much and helped father out so many times, and now it
seems as if we were running off and leaving you to face the worst of it.’”
20 How does the setting affect the events in the excerpt from O Pioneers!?
A Great distances between towns make some pioneers feel isolated.

B Mr. Bergson dies because no doctor lives in their area.
C The drought is forcing many settlers to leave the frontier.
D Hailstorms, fires, and insects have destroyed most of the pioneers’ crops.
21 Which sentence from “Women on the Lone Prairie” best shows that the Homestead Act had
the effect of offering hope to those who might otherwise live in poverty?
A “The settling of the prairie began in the 1850s.”
B “Pioneer families stood shoulder to shoulder to settle the harsh land, with women
fighting fires, fear, and locusts right beside men.”
C “’[Homesteading] seemed a godsend to penniless people who otherwise could not hope
to buy land.’”
D “’To me it spelled destruction, desperadoes, and cyclones.’”

22 The author of “Women on the Lone Prairie” believes that the stories of pioneer women give
insight into the history of the Great Plains. Which sentence from the passage best supports
this statement?
A “In 1860, for example, 28,000 white settlers lived in the Nebraska Territory.”
B “Then, following the upheaval of the Civil War (1861–1865), it accelerated.”
C “Pioneer families stood shoulder to shoulder to settle the harsh land, with women
fighting fires, fear, and locusts right beside men.”
D “Their stories, recalled in diaries, letters, and memoirs, provide a glimpse into the social
history of this unique time.”
23 In paragraph 8 of “Women on the Lone Prairie,” Mrs. W. B. Caton mentions being “bound for
the ‘Promised Land.’” What does she mean by “Promised Land”?
A land that promised to be dangerous and frightening
B land granted to her family by the U.S. Government
C land developed by the Homestead Act of 1862
D land where the settlers expected to find greater happiness
24 Why did the author write “Women on the Lone Prairie”?
A to give facts about women’s roles in settling the Great Plains

B to describe in detail the Homestead Act of 1862
C to argue that popular history is entirely wrong about westward expansion
D to compare the lives of pioneer women to the lives of those living now
25 Which claim from “Women on the Lone Prairie” is not supported by evidence in the text?
A The Homestead Act encouraged settlement of the West.

B Harsh weather could quickly destroy a homesteader’s dreams.
C The loneliness of life on the plains could drive settlers mad.
D Isolation could create crises out of common events.
Go On
26 Which sentence pair best explains two central ideas from “Women on the Lone Prairie”?
A Settlement of the Great Plains was difficult. Women stood with the men to face the
challenges.
B The Wild West was first settled by men with guns. Later, women came to bring culture
and civilization.
C Women helped settle the desolate Great Plains. Most people gave up and left before they
had “proved up” their land claims.
D Homesteaders lived in isolation. Annette Lecleve Botkin’s mother gave birth alone in a
little house.
27 “Women on the Lone Prairie” calls the Great Plains “one of the toughest, most inhospitable
regions of America.” Which sentence from O Pioneers! best supports this description?
A “For the first three years after John Bergson’s death, the affairs of his family prospered.”
B “The settlers sat about on the wooden sidewalks in the little town and told each other
that the country was never meant for men to live in.”
C “The dry garden patch smelled of drying vines and was strewn with yellow seed-
cucumbers and pumpkins and citrons.”
D “Her thick, reddish braids, twisted about her head, fairly burned in the sunlight.”
28 Which of the following threats described in “Women on the Lone Prairie” causes Alexandra’s
tears at the end of the O Pioneers! excerpt?
A loneliness
B prairie fires
C plagues of locusts
D hailstorms
29 An unnamed woman in “Women on the Lone Prairie” says “there were compensations” to the
pioneer life, meaning that the life was not all about hardship. What example from O Pioneers!
best supports this idea?
A Settlers in town talk about how they were better off moving back east.
B The Bergson boys were very young when they moved to Nebraska.
C Alexandra watches a hawk soaring in the clear, blue skies.
D Mrs. Bergson’s sons forbid her from using water for her flowers.

This is a rough draft of a report. It has some mistakes. Read the report. Then answer the questions that
follow.
The Samurai in Japan

The samurai (SAM-uh-ry) were Japanese soldiers. As members of the warrior class,
the samurai protected Japanese aristocrats. Eventually, samurai gained their own
political power and controlled important administrative and military positions. The
samurai later ruled Japan for hundreds of years, a long time.
The samurai class developed between the 900s and the 1100s. As three powerful
clans clashed over land, wealthy landowners hired private armies, or samurai, to help them
protect their property. Pledging to defend their lords, honor was the most valued quality.
The samurai code of honor was called bushido, a word meaning “the way of the warrior.”
According to bushido, samurai were expected to show courage, loyalty, honor, and obedience
to the lords they served like medieval knights. They valued self-discipline and duty. Samurai
were admired for their skills in riding horses and using weapons. Samurai fought with many
weapons. One of the samurai’s special privileges was being allowed to carry both a long, curved
sword and a short, curved sword. In battle, samurai wore helmets and armor. To protect their
arms and legs, they wore leather shin guards and thigh guards. On their bodies, they wore
metal shoulder guards, a chest protector on their bodies, and on their faces they wore an
iron mask. Go On
During a long time of peace in Japan, the role of the courageous honorable samurai
changed. There were no wars for them to fight. Then, in 1876, Emperor Meiji forbid the
wearing of swords. Because the samurai way of life ended, they are still remembered
today.
30 Read this sentence from the report. 32 Read this sentence from the report.
The samurai later ruled Japan for The samurai code of honor was called
hundreds of years, a long time. bushido, a word meaning “the way of
the warrior.”
Which phrase could be deleted without
changing the meaning of the sentence? The underlined group of words is
called a dependent clause. How does a
A the samurai dependent clause function in a sentence?
B later ruled A It gives more information about
C ruled Japan the main part of the sentence, but
it could not stand alone as its own
D a long time sentence.
B It gives more information about
the main part of the sentence,
31 Read this sentence from the report. and it could stand alone as its own
sentence.
Pledging to defend their lords, honor
was the most valued quality.
C It cannot stand alone as its own
sentence, and it always appears at
Which is the best way to rewrite this the end of the sentence in which it
sentence? appears.
A Pledging to defend their lords, the D It can stand alone as its own
most valued quality was honor. sentence, but it is attached to the
main part of the sentence using a
B The samurai, pledging to defend comma.
their lords, honor was the most
valued quality.
C Pledging to defend their lords, the
samurai valued honor over all other
qualities.
D The most valued quality, pledging to
defend their lords, was honor.

33 Read this sentence from the report. 35 Read this sentence from the report.
On their bodies, they wore metal During a long time of peace in Japan,
shoulder guards, a chest protector on the role of the courageous honorable
their bodies, and on their faces they samurai changed.
wore an iron mask.
Which of the following should replace
What is the best way to revise this the underlined part to make the
sentence? sentence correct?
A On their bodies they wore metal A courageous, honorable,
shoulder guards, on their bodies
they wore a chest protector, and on
B honorable courageous
their faces an iron mask. C courageous, honorable
B On their bodies they wore metal D courageous, and honorable
shoulder guards and a chest
protector, and on their faces they
wore an iron mask.
C On their bodies and faces they wore
metal shoulder guards and a chest
protector and an iron mask.
D On their bodies they wore metal
shoulder guards, a chest protector,
an iron mask, and this was on their
faces.
34 Read this sentence from the report.
Because the samurai way of life

ended, they are still remembered
today.
Which word should replace the

underlined word to clarify the meaning
of the sentence?
A Although
B However
C Unfortunately
D Before
Go On
Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow.
Hog Wild Over Video Games

by Moesha Harper
1 Do you like playing video games? If so, then you have something in common with a certain four-
legged barnyard animal. Pigs are some of the smartest animals on earth. They are smarter than dogs and as
intelligent as a three-year-old human child. They are so smart, in fact, they can even learn how to play simple
video games.
2 Dr. Stanley Curtis, an animal sciences researcher at Penn State University, ran an experiment in
which he trained pigs to play video games by controlling a joystick with their snouts and teeth. First, over a
period of several weeks, Curtis taught the pigs to use the joystick and then to mentally connect the movement
of the joystick to the motion of the cursor on screen. Once they understood how to move the cursor, teaching
them to play games was easy. Curtis said the pigs got the point within minutes, learning at a rate as fast as
chimpanzees.
3 One of the games the pigs played was a matching game. The pigs’ job was to move a single shape
across the monitor so that it touched the matching shape on the other side of the screen. They also learned to
play an identification game. The pigs were first shown one shape. Then they were shown that same shape along
with a new shape. In just a handful of tries, they were able to use the cursor to tell apart the new shape from
the shape they had already seen.
4 Curtis and his research team used candy to reward the pigs for playing the games correctly. When
the pigs were successful, a bell rang to alert the pig that a treat was on its way. The treat would then fall
through a tube for the pig to gobble up.
5 Not only did the pigs take to the games quickly, they actually seemed to enjoy them. Or at the very
least, they looked forward to their sugary reward for playing. When the experiment was underway, Curtis said
that the pigs actually begged to play the games, pushing to be first out of their pens so they could hurry up the
ramp and start playing.
6 But why teach pigs how to play video games in the first place? Curtis believes that by finding out
more about how pigs’ minds work, people will be able to take better care of them. Eventually, Curtis hopes to
help pigs learn a simple language by teaching them to recognize symbols that stand for objects. That way,
humans and pigs could communicate with each other directly.
7 As of now, researchers have shown pigs how to turn on the heat if their barn gets too cold and to turn
it back off if they get too hot. Perhaps someday, people will be able to ask pigs about what kinds of living
quarters make them most content—or even about what kinds of video games they like playing best.

36 Read this sentence from the passage. 39 Which statement is best supported by
information in the passage?
They also learned to play an
identification game. A Pigs prefer joysticks to regular game
pads.
The Latin root word “ident” means “the
B Pigs are smarter than dogs and
same.” Based on this information, what
chimpanzees.
does the word “identification” in this
sentence most likely mean? C Pigs can recognize and match simple
shapes.
A challenging to a competition
D Pigs can play video games as well as
B recognizing two things that are human children.
similar
C amusing with a game
D pronouncing a word correctly 40 A central idea of the text is that pigs can
learn to play video games. Which best
restates a second central idea?
37 How did learning to use a joystick help A Some day this research may lead
the pigs in the experiment? to direct communication between
humans and pigs.
A The pigs developed eye-snout
coordination when they used the B Pigs can be taught a variety of
joystick. games, which has been shown to
increase their intelligence.
B By using the joystick, the pigs found
hidden treasures. C Researchers have not yet found a
practical use for this discovery.
C The pigs increased their learning
rate when they used the joystick. D Pigs can learn how to recognize
symbols that most children cannot
D By using the joystick, the pigs were recognize.
able to play the game.
41 Which best describes the author’s

38 Look at this sentence from paragraph 4.
purpose for writing “Hog Wild Over
Video Games”?
The treat would then fall through a
tube for the pig to gobble up. A to prove that pigs are smarter than
dogs and small children
How would the meaning of the sentence
change if you substituted “eat” for B to entertain readers with descriptions
“gobble up”? of pigs playing video games
A The pigs would seem friendlier. C to inform readers about interesting

research in animal behavior
B The pigs would seem less eager.
D to argue that scientific research on
C The pigs would seem hungrier. animals should be stopped
D The pigs would seem more
intelligent. Go On
Read the poem. Then answer the questions that follow.
This poem was composed by Emma Lazarus in 1883 as part of an auction to help raise funds to construct the
base of the Statue of Liberty while the statue itself was being built in France. Today, visitors can read the poem as
they enter the base of the statue.
The New Colossus

by Emma Lazarus, engraved on a
bronze plaque and mounted inside the monument in 1903.
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame1,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
5 Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
10 With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
1
The opening lines of the poem refer to the Colossus of Rhodes, an ancient statue that stood
over the entrance to a busy harbor on the Greek island of Rhodes.

42 What important change happens in the last six lines of the sonnet “The New Colossus”?
A The poet alters the direction of the poem by introducing metaphors.

B The poet distinguishes between America and ancient lands.
C The poem’s meaning is summarized in words spoken by the Statue of Liberty.
D The physical features of the Statue of Liberty are described in detail.
43 Read the following lines from the end of “The New Colossus.”
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
How does the effect of the alliteration in the first line differ from that in the second?
A The hard “t” sounds reflect difficulty, while the soft “l” sounds are comforting.
B The hard “t” sounds create no emotion, while the soft “l” sounds are soothing.
C The hard “t” sounds produce a calm feeling, while the soft “l” sounds are unsettling.
D The hard “t” sounds show struggle, while the soft “l” sounds are more intense.
44 Which of the following is a theme of the “The New Colossus”?
A The poor will be unable to reach America.

B America is just as welcoming as any country in Europe.
C The poor and rejected will all be welcomed in America.
D America only turns its back on people who are criminals.
45 How does the author develop the theme over the course of the poem?
A by beginning the poem with a calm tone and ending it with an angry tone
B by describing the Statue of Liberty from a physical and then emotional viewpoint
C by giving examples of how people treat one another in different countries
D by providing reasons why living in America is better than living in any other country
Go On
46 Which of the following lines supports the idea that America is younger than other countries?
A “With conquering limbs astride from land to land;”

B “Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand”
C “The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.”
D “‘Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!’ cries she”
47 Which of the following statements best summarizes “The New Colossus”?
A The poorer people are in Europe, the more likely they are to be welcomed into America.
B The Statue of Liberty symbolizes a difference between America and the rest of the world.
C It is important that Americans have a statue, just as the Greeks had a statue.
D The Statue of Liberty, given to America by France, stands for peace among all nations.

Read the passages. Then answer the questions that follow.
The (Untrue) Story of John Smith and Pocahontas

by Reginald Walters
1 The love story between Captain John Smith and Pocahontas is one of the great legends of American
history. It goes like this: In 1607, the fearless captain arrives in Virginia with the Jamestown settlers and is
soon captured by the local Native Americans. When their chief prepares to execute the Englishman, the
chief’s daughter Pocahontas throws herself over him, crying out, “You’ll have to kill me, too!” (Or something
to that effect. Pocahontas doesn’t actually speak English.)
2 Anyway, who wouldn’t be smitten by such behavior? Tough guy in a foreign land finds himself
rescued by a lovely young princess. Who wouldn’t fall in love? The problem, say historians, is that this famous
scene probably never happened. Captain Smith—brave, yes, but also a bit of a huckster and a first-class
storyteller—made it up. And a couple hundred years later, some Virginians, for reasons that will be explained,
conveniently decided to believe him.
3 First, though, who were John Smith and Pocahontas, really? The son of a yeoman, or farmer, Smith
joined the army and fought all over Europe. As he told it, his military exploits were spectacularly heroic, and
historians now actually believe him on this point. In 1607, at the age of 27, he joined 103 other Jamestown settlers,
many of whom were “gentlemen,” or of higher social rank than Smith. He thought he knew more about the world
than they did, and he may well have, but they weren’t going to accept a superior attitude from a farmer’s son and
a loudmouth to boot. They arrested Smith on the voyage to America, and several months after they arrived at
Jamestown, they were happy to send him off on a dangerous mission into Native American territory.
4 The Indians of coastal Virginia called their land Tsenacomoco. Organized into about 30 tribes—
some small, some large, some powerful, some weak—they lived in villages along the rivers, each of which was
ruled by a weroance, or chief. All the tribes together, in turn, were ruled—some voluntarily, some against their
will—by the paramount1 chief, Powhatan. Living a life of riches and respect, Powhatan married many wives
and produced more offspring than he could count. His favorite child, however, was undoubtedly Pocahontas.
Like many in Tsenacomoco, she had more than one name: “Amonute” was one, whereas “Matoaka” was a
secret personal name. “Pocahontas” was a nickname that referred to her playfulness. According to some
historians, Pocahontas earned this pet name by teasing her important but aging father.
5 Pocahontas lived near her father in his capital of Werowocomoco, and she likely was there when
warriors led John Smith into the village in December 1607. Having been surprised and captured after a brief
skirmish, Smith probably had dust, dirt, and even a bit of blood clotting his thick beard. One imagines him
afraid but refusing to show it. Whatever the case, if Pocahontas was watching, she saw him disappear into
Powhatan’s longhouse.2 What happened inside was known only to Powhatan and his advisers, who did not
write historical accounts, and Smith, who did. Seventeen years later, Smith wrote that Powhatan’s men
grabbed him and forced him to the floor, where they planned to beat him with their clubs. Then, “Pocahontas,
the King’s dearest daughter,” took “his head in her arms, and laid her own upon his to save him from death.”
1
paramount: most important
2
longhouse: a long, wooden multifamily house used by various Native American tribes in the eastern regions
of North America Go On
6 Most historians who study the Virginia Indians doubt this version of events, however. Pocahontas,
then about 11 years old, probably was not allowed inside the longhouse for such an important event. (More
likely, she was busy helping to prepare a feast.) Instead, historians think that Powhatan performed a ritual—
one that perhaps frightened Smith—meant to ceremonially adopt the Englishman. Rather than kill Smith, the
paramount chief hoped to bring him into the family, to claim the Englishman’s power as his own. Anyway,
Smith’s story changed many times over the years. In a letter written soon after his capture, Smith says nothing
of Pocahontas. So who could really believe anything he said?
7 Virginians, that’s who. Early in the 1800s, the United States looked for stories to explain its
remarkable birth. New Englanders had the best tales to tell: the Mayflower, the Pilgrims, a friendly Native
American named Squanto, and, of course, the first Thanksgiving. Even though the Virginians arrived in
America first, what did they have? John Smith and Pocahontas, of course! In order to outshine New England,
Virginians ignored the problems with Smith’s story. Instead of a loudmouth, he became dashing. Pocahontas,
meanwhile, transformed from a mischievous 11-year-old girl into a princess—despite the fact that the Indians
of Tsenacomoco had no princesses.
8 The legend proved to be a hit, and no wonder. Sometimes the best history is trumped by a good story.

The following passage is an excerpt from an account that Captain John Smith wrote about his own experiences at
the Jamestown colony in Virginia. In 1607, during an expedition to find food for the colony, Smith was captured
by a group of Powhatan Indians. His companions were killed. The excerpt begins after Smith has been held
captive for several weeks and marched from village to village. He has also participated in a strange ceremony
meant to determine if his intentions toward the Powhatans are friendly or hostile. Although The General History
of Virginia is a firsthand account, notice that the author refers to himself in the third person, as “Captain Smith”
(rather than “I”).
from The General History of Virginia (1624)

Excerpt from History of Virginia, New England and the Summer Isles by Captain John Smith,
published by MacLehose, 1907.
1 At last they brought him to the village of Werowocomoco to see Powhatan, their Emperor.1 More
than 200 grim courtiers stood staring at him as if he were a monster, till Powhatan and his attendants put on
their greatest finery. Before a fire, upon a seat like a bed, he sat covered with a great robe made of raccoon
skins with all the tails hanging from it. On either side of him sat young two girls of 16 or 18 years. Along each
side of the house stood two rows of men, and behind them stood as many women. All their heads and
shoulders were painted red, many of their heads were bedecked with white bird feathers, and they each wore a
great chain of white beads about their necks. When Captain Smith was brought before the King,2 all the
people gave a great shout. The queen of Appomattoc3 brought him water to wash his hands, and another
brought him a bunch of feathers, instead of a towel, to dry them.
2 After they had presented him with a feast in their best barbarous4 manner, they held a long
discussion. At the end of that discussion, two great stones were brought before Powhatan. Then, as many of
them as could do so grabbed Captain Smith. They dragged him to them and laid his head on the stones, ready
with their clubs to beat out his brains. But Pocahontas, the King’s dearest daughter, begged them to stop.
When her entreaties failed, she put his head in her arms and laid her own upon his to save him from death.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor was contented that Captain Smith should live . . .
3 Two days later, Powhatan disguised himself in his most fearsome manner. He had Captain Smith
brought to a large house in the woods, where he was left alone upon a mat by the fire. Not long afterward,
from behind a mat that divided the house, there came the most mournful noise the Captain had ever heard.
Then Powhatan appeared, looking more like a devil than a man . . . Powhatan told Captain Smith that now
they were friends. He said that Smith should back go to Jamestown and send Powhatan two great guns and a
millstone.5 In exchange, Powhatan would give him the country of Capahowasic6 and forever consider him his
son Nantaquoud.7
1
Smith calls Powhatan the “Emperor” because he was the chief of a confederacy of about 30 tribes, comprising about 14,000
Powhatan Indians. Each tribe had its own chief, but they all paid tribute to Powhatan (who was also known as Werowocomoco).
The village of Werowocomoco, located about 15 miles from Jamestown, was the capital of the Powhatan Confederacy.
2
King: Smith also refers to Powhatan as the “King.”
3
Appomattoc: one of the tribes in the Powhatan Confederacy. The queen of Appomattoc is the wife of the chief of that tribe.
4
barbarous: savage
5
millstone: large stone wheel used to grind grain
6
Capahowasic: nearby tribal land
7
Nantaquoud: an honorary tribal name. In other words, Powhatan is adopting Smith as his honorary son. Go On
4 So Powhatan sent Captain Smith to Jamestown with 12 guides. That night they quartered 81 in the
woods. Every hour he still expected (as he had done throughout his imprisonment) to be put to one death or
another, despite all their feasting. But almighty God (by His divine providence) had softened the hearts of
those stern barbarians,92giving them compassion.
5 The next morning they arrived at the Jamestown fort, where Captain Smith treated them kindly and
showed Rawhunt, Powhatan’s trusty servant, two small canons and a millstone to take back to Powhatan.
However, they found them too heavy to carry. Smith fired the canons, which had been loaded with stones, into
the boughs of a great tree covered with icicles. When the ice and branches came tumbling down, it frightened
the poor savages so much that they ran away, half dead with fear. But finally they came back, and were sent
home with enough presents for Powhatan and his women and children that everyone was satisfied . . .
6 Now every four or five days, Pocahontas with her attendants brought him so much food that she
saved many of their lives. Otherwise, they would have starved with hunger . . .
7 He told the Jamestown settlers about the plenty he had seen, especially at Werowocomoco, and of the
dignity and generosity of Powhatan (which till that time was unknown). What he told them (especially about
the love of Pocahontas) so revived their dead spirits that they abandoned all their fears . . .
8
quartered: slept; camped out
9
barbarians: savages
48 In the opening paragraph of “The (Untrue) Story of John Smith and Pocahontas,” what is one
technique the author uses to show that he or she disagrees with another historical perspective
or position?
A The author uses a humorous, casual tone to suggest that the other position is ridiculous.
B The author uses a frustrated, angry tone to suggest that the other position is false and
even dangerous.
C The author immediately presents several pieces of evidence to disprove the other
position.
D The author at first claims to believe that the other position is accurate.
49 How do paragraphs 2 and 3 of “The (Untrue) Story of John Smith and Pocahantas” support
the author’s idea that Smith’s account of his own experiences is largely untrue?
A by providing details about John Smith’s duties in the military
B by establishing that John Smith was a brave but flawed individual
C by stating when and where most of John Smith’s life events occurred
D by portraying John Smith as a dangerous criminal who could not be trusted

50 In paragraph 5 of “The (Untrue) Story 52 What is the author’s explanation in
of John Smith and Pocahontas,” how “The (Untrue) Story of John Smith and
does the author support his point of Pocahontas” for why some people
view about the accuracy of John Smith’s believed John Smith’s “untrue” version
account of what happened in the of historical events?
longhouse?
A The people of Virginia ignored the
A by implying that Pocahontas could factual errors in Smith’s account
not possibly have seen Smith because they wanted a story that was
disappear into the longhouse better than New England’s stories.
B by implying that Powhatan and his B The people of Virginia did not
advisors chose not to contradict appreciate Northern historians
Smith’s published version of what pointing out mistakes and criticizing
happened their state heroes.
C by implying that if Powhatan had C The people of New England ignored
written a historical account, his factual errors in their historical
version of what happened would accounts, so Virginians decided that
have been different from Smith’s they would take the same approach.
D by implying that Smith’s version D The people of New England arrived
of what happened must be true in America first, so Virginians felt
because it is the only written that their state needed to have
historical record some other claim to fame.
51 Which of the following is the most 53 Throughout “The (Untrue) Story of John
important way the author of “The Smith and Pocahontas,” the author argues
(Untrue) Story of John Smith and that the traditional story of John Smith and
Pocahontas” develops the central idea of Pocahontas is “untrue.” The author uses all
the passage? of the following evidence to support that
claim except which detail or idea?
A by revealing that Pocahontas was
probably considered mischievous A Smith changed his story many times
over the years and did not mention
B by quoting from John Smith’s account Pocahontas in a letter he wrote soon
of how Pocahantas saved him
after his capture.
C by providing historical background B Pocahontas was Powhatan’s favorite
about Powhatan and his family
daughter and may have liked to
D by pointing out reasons to question tease her powerful father.
John Smith’s motives
C Historians believe that Powhatan
was performing a ritual intended to
claim Smith’s power as his own.
D Pocahontas was too young to have
been allowed inside the longhouse
during the ceremony Smith describes.
Go On
54 Read the following dictionary entry.
consider (v)
1. to be thoughtful of
2. to examine
3. to think about carefully for better understanding
4. to regard as
5. to think about all sides of an argument
Now read this sentence from “The General History of Virginia.”
In exchange, Powhatan would give him the country of Capahowasic and forever consider
him his son Nantaquoud.
Which meaning of “consider” is used in the sentence from the passage?

A to examine
B to be thoughtful of
C to regard as
D to think about all sides of an argument
55 In paragraph 3 of “The General History of Virginia,” why does Smith use the phrase “looking
more like a devil than a man” when he refers to Powhatan?
A He mistook Powhatan for an evil spirit.
B The firelight was playing tricks on him.
C Powhatan had evil intentions toward Smith.
D Powhatan’s appearance was alarming.
56 What is one inference you can make about the Jamestown settlers based on the final three
paragraphs of “The General History of Virginia”?
A The Jamestown settlers were not skilled at farming, hunting, or fishing.
B Powhatan was not aware that his daughter was helping the Jamestown settlers.
C The Jamestown settlers were not convinced that Smith’s story was true.
D Smith’s story gave the Jamestown settlers hope that they might join Powhatan’s tribe.

57 According to information in “The 59 “The (Untrue) Story of John Smith and
General History of Virginia,” which Pocahontas” specifically challenges which
statement is accurate? of the following quotations from Smith’s
own account?
A Werowocomoco was the name
of the country in which all of the A “At last they brought him to the
Powhatan Indian tribes lived. village of Werowocomoco to see
Powhatan, their Emperor.”
B The ceremonial dress and rituals of
the Powhatan Indians showed that B “All their heads and shoulders were
they planned to wage war against painted red, many of their heads were
the Jamestown colony. bedecked with white bird feathers,
and they each wore a great chain of
C The Powhatan Indians were well white beads about their necks.”
experienced with firearms by the
time they captured Smith and his C “But Pocahontas, the King’s dearest
companions. daughter, begged them to stop.”
D Smith assumed because of his D “In exchange, Powhatan would give
interpretation of events that the him the country of Capahowasic
Powhatan Indians intended to and forever consider him his son
kill him. Nantaquoud.”
60 In “The (Untrue) Story of John Smith

58 Which statement best describes the and Pocahontas,” the author describes
overall impact of Smith’s word choice in Smith as “brave, yes, but also a bit of
the excerpt from “The General History of a huckster.” Where in his own account
Virginia”? does Smith appear to be bragging or
A Smith probably uses the words “selling” himself to his readers?
Emperor, courtiers, King, and queen A when he says that “Powhatan and
to mock the Powhatan Indians. his attendants put on their greatest
B Smith probably refers to himself finery” when Smith was brought to
as “Captain Smith” rather than see Powhatan
“I” so that his account seems more B when he says that the “queen of
objective and believable. Appomattoc brought him water to
C By using the words dearest, friends, wash his hands” before the feast
son, generosity, and love, Smith C when he says that “Powhatan sent
establishes a warm, affectionate Captain Smith to Jamestown with
tone. 12 guides” after Smith’s release
D By using the words monster, from Werowocomoco
barbarous, devil, barbarians, D when he says that the Jamestown
and savages, Smith proves that settlers “abandoned all their fears”
the Powhatan Indians meant to after he told them about Powhatan
harm him. and “the love of Pocahontas”
Go On
This is a rough draft of a report. It has some mistakes. Read the report. Then answer the questions that
follow.
Contributions of the Roman Empire: Concrete

Around two thousand years ago, Roman engineers found a way to make concrete.
Concrete is a strong durable building material made by mixing aggregate (usually sand and
gravel) with a lime-and-water mortar. Thousands of years previously, engineers in China,
Egypt, and other countries had used mortars of mud, straw, and other things to cement
stones together. The difference between Roman concrete and other mortars was
strength and hardness. Roman concrete hardened so well, but it was used under water to
build bridges. Some of their bridges are still in use today.
Four main factors gave Roman concrete its strength. First, discovering a secret
ingredient, pozzolan was used. This fine ash came from the volcanoes near Naples and
Rome. Using this ash in the mixture created the chemical reaction that “baked” the
concrete solid. Second, Romans were very particular about the ratios of the ingredients
in their concrete. Third, they matched the size of the stones to their purposes. There
were stones that were larger stones that went into foundations. Stones were lighter and
smaller as a structure’s walls grew. Finally, Roman concrete did not pour like today’s
concrete; as a result, it had to be pressed, or tamped, into the holes in between the
stones with a special tool.

oncrete is a strong durable building material made by mixing aggregate (usually sand and
C
gravel) with lime-and-water mortar.
Which of the following should replace the underlined part to make the sentence correct?
A Concrete is a strong, durable building material
B Concrete is a durable strong building material
C Concrete is a strong, durable, building material
D Concrete is a strong, and durable building material
Roman concrete hardened so well, but it was used under water to build bridges.
Which of the following revisions makes the meaning of the sentence clearer?
A Roman concrete hardened so well, and it was used under water to build bridges.
B Roman concrete hardened so well, yet it was used under water to build bridges.
C Because Roman concrete hardened so well, it was used under water to build bridges.
D Even though Roman concrete hardened so well, it was used under water to build bridges.
First, discovering a secret ingredient, pozzolan was used.
What is the best way to revise this sentence?

A Pozzolan was used first after discovering a secret ingredient.
B First, the Romans discovered a secret ingredient, pozzolan.
C Pozzolan was used by the Romans first discovering a secret ingredient.
D First, discovering a secret ingredient, pozzolan was used by the Romans.
Go On
64 Which of the following phrases from the passage is an adverb phrase?
A Some of their bridges

B Four main factors
C the size of the stones
D like today’s concrete
There were stones that were larger stones that went into foundations.
What is the best way to revise this sentence?

A Into foundations went stones and they were larger.
B Stones that were larger than other stones went into foundations.
C Stones, which were larger, are the stones that went into foundations.
D Larger stones went into foundations.
STOP
Ready® North Carolina, Common Core—ELA Assessments, Grade 7
Name
Answer Form
Contents
Teacher Grade
School City
Assessment 3
1. A B C D 18. A B C D 35. A B C D 52. A B C D
Cut along the dotted line.

15. A B C D 32. A B C D 49. A B C D
16. A B C D 33. A B C D 50. A B C D
17. A B C D 34. A B C D 51. A B C D

Barbara Bockman, “Rocks in My Pocket” adapted from Hopstoch, April/May 2009, Volume 20, Issue 6. Copyright © 2009 by
Barbara Bockman. Reprinted with permission.
Jeremy Rosenthal, adapted excerpt from “Underused Parks Work to Create Awareness, Access.” School of Communication,
University of Miami.
David George Gordon, adapted “Are Our National Treasures in Danger?” from Current Science, October 31, 1997. Copyright ©
1997 by Weekly Reader, Scholastic Inc. Reprinted with permission of Scholastic Inc.

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Assessment 3

Read the passage. Then answer the questions that follow.

from Oliver Twist

74 North Carolina Assessment 3

2 Why does Mr. Bumble visit Oliver in the orphanage?

3 Read this sentence from paragraph 21.

Why does Oliver feel grief?

4 Which of these most accurately expresses a theme of the passage?

A Friendships are difficult for those without family.

A It would include more details about Mrs. Mann’s thoughts.

7 Read this summary of the passage.

Which sentence should be removed from the summary?

76 North Carolina Assessment 3

The Aqua-Lung—Bringing Ocean Exploration to

8 Read these sentences from paragraph 8.

While Cousteau and Gagnan’s self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)

78 North Carolina Assessment 3

11 Which are two central ideas of the passage?

A to give facts about a valuable invention and its impact on diving

80 North Carolina Assessment 3

Excerpt from O Pioneers!

82 North Carolina Assessment 3

84 North Carolina Assessment 3

A The flowers encouraged the growth of sweet potatoes.

A Hardships can be overcome with hard work.

A Great distances between towns make some pioneers feel isolated.

86 North Carolina Assessment 3

24 Why did the author write “Women on the Lone Prairie”?

A to give facts about women’s roles in settling the Great Plains

A The Homestead Act encouraged settlement of the West.

88 North Carolina Assessment 3

The Samurai in Japan

samurai later ruled Japan for hundreds of years, a long time.

90 North Carolina Assessment 3

34 Read this sentence from the report.

Because the samurai way of life

Which word should replace the

Hog Wild Over Video Games

92 North Carolina Assessment 3

41 Which best describes the author’s

A The pigs would seem friendlier. C to inform readers about interesting

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame1,

94 North Carolina Assessment 3

A The poet alters the direction of the poem by introducing metaphors.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

44 Which of the following is a theme of the “The New Colossus”?

A The poor will be unable to reach America.

A “With conquering limbs astride from land to land;”

47 Which of the following statements best summarizes “The New Colossus”?

96 North Carolina Assessment 3

The (Untrue) Story of John Smith and Pocahontas

98 North Carolina Assessment 3

from The General History of Virginia (1624)

100 North Carolina Assessment 3

Now read this sentence from “The General History of Virginia.”

Which meaning of “consider” is used in the sentence from the passage?

102 North Carolina Assessment 3

60 In “The (Untrue) Story of John Smith

While Cousteau and Gagnan’s self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)

Because the samurai way of life