Literary Analysis and Reading Skills Read the passage from an origin myth. Then, answer the question(s).

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1 Benchmark Test 1 MULTIPLE CHOICE Read the passage from an origin myth. Then, answer the question(s). (1) Long, long ago, when our people first came to this land, it was totally flat and covered with dry sand. (2) As hard as the people worked, they were unable to grow trees for shelter or plants for food. (3) The land seemed merciless, and many people grew weak and suffered mortal illnesses. (4) One day, two young women walked out into the hot, dry desert. (5) "Please, Great Spirit," they called to the sky. (6) "Please revive our land with rain, green plants, and rolling hills." (7) The Great Spirit was moved by their prayer. (8) "Please," they cried, "bring a rushing river filled with bountiful fish for us to eat." (9) The omnipotent Great Spirit brought a long rainy season to transform the land. (10) The sand washed away, causing hills to form along a rushing river's banks. (11) Out of the drenched earth, green plants sprouted. (12) In modern times, our fertile and beautiful valley represents the Great Spirit's reaction to the ancient women's pleas for help. 1. Which answer choice best summarizes the aspect of the world this origin myth explains? a. It explains how features of the land came into being. c. It describes the traditional roles and duties of women in a specific society. b. It describes the religious rites of a culture. d. It explains the causes of seasonal weather patterns. 2. Which details from the passage are the best examples of archetypal elements often found in myths? a. "The land seemed merciless"; "many people grew weak"; "In modern times" c. "Long, long ago"; "The Great Spirit was moved"; "Out of the drenched b. "covered with dry sand"; "as hard as the people worked"; "green plants and rolling hills" earth, green plants sprouted" d. "this land...was totally flat"; "ancient women's pleas"; "In modern times" 3. Which of the following sentences from the passage contains a detail that suggests the religious beliefs of this culture? a. sentence 3 c. sentence 9 b. sentence 4 d. sentence 10 Answer the following question(s). 4. Which statement best describes an archetypal character? a. The character is a hero and is the central figure in a narrative. c. The character shows many different traits and has faults as well as virtues. b. The character develops and grows as the story progresses. d. The character is a hero whose attributes are similar in literature from many different cultures and eras. Copyright Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 1

2 5. What is a stanza in poetry? a. a line that repeats in a regular pattern throughout a poem b. a set of consecutive lines that forms a unit within a poem c. a pair of rhyming lines at the end of a poem d. a poem that has a specific length and fixed pattern of rhyme 6. Which answer choice best identifies the qualities of poetry written in Puritan Plain Style? a. ornate language; short sentences; personal, confessional topics c. use of clever puns; complex sentences; political topics b. short words; direct statements; references to both everyday activities and religious devotion d. short words; experimental forms; references to exotic locations Read the poem. Then, answer the question(s). 7. What does the little stone most likely symbolize in the poem? a. someone who fears being alone c. someone who has an independent, free spirit b. someone who is unclear about his or her career choice d. someone who is careless and irresponsible Copyright Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 2

3 Read the introduction to and excerpt from the poem "Eldorado" by Edgar Allan Poe. Then, answer the question(s). Eldorado was an imaginary city abounding in gold, and thought by sixteenth-century Spaniards to exist in America. 8. What does Eldorado most likely symbolize in the poem? a. death c. birth b. fulfillment d. youth Read this passage from an exploration narrative. Then, answer the question(s). (1) On the first day that we ventured away from the encampment, our native guides took us to a deep canyon surrounded by steep cliffs of coppery, red rock. (2) On horseback, we began a long and perilous trek down to the canyon's floor. (3) The narrow paths were hardly visible, and we were often frightened by the heights. (4) Surely each of us could have easily fallen to his death. (5) However, the strange and new plants and animals we encountered along the way were fascinating, particularly to Ramirez. (6) Often, he asked us to pause while he sketched a specimen or attempted to gain pertinent information from our guides. 9. Which word signals the fact that the author found the journey interesting as well as scary? a. however c. surely b. perilous d. heights 10. What is the main purpose of this exploration narrative? a. to provide a firsthand account of the author's experiences in a strange, new place b. to warn people about the dangers of hiking through canyons c. to explain European customs to the native people d. to persuade readers to be prepared for conflicts in the wilderness Copyright Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 3

4 11. For which audience did the author most likely write this account? a. very young children c. readers back home who were interested in the expedition b. readers seeking scientific data about canyons d. film-makers looking for movie ideas 12. The answer choices list four events from the narrative. Which one occurs before the other three? a. We began a long trek down to the canyon floor. c. We encountered strange and new plants and animals. b. Our guides took us to a deep canyon. d. Ramirez sketched specimens. Answer the following question(s). 13. Which of the following sentences is an example of inversion? a. The lights begin to twinkle from the c. A hunger seized my heart. rocks. b. The air a solemn stillness holds. d. No life may fail beyond the grave. 14. Which answer choice contains the best revision of this sentence, following standard English syntax? The moping owl does to the moon complain. a. The moping owl complains to the moon. b. Does the moping owl complain to the moon? c. To the moon, complains the owl moping. d. Moping, the owl does to the moon complain. 15. Which of the following literary elements would you always find in a poem with a central conceit? a. internal rhyme c. sound devices b. related metaphors d. blank verse 16. Which of the following features is not a characteristic of a conceit? a. It uses the word like to draw a comparison. c. It compares two or more apparently unlike things. b. It is developed throughout several lines d. It reveals similarities between two or or stanzas. more unlike things. 17. Which of the following strategies would NOT help you identify an author's philosophical assumptions or beliefs? a. Look for words that express negative or positive attitudes. c. Look for details that suggest a point of view with which someone could b. Look for statements that stem from a particular idea of right and wrong. disagree. d. Look for credible and verifiable facts that support a clear main idea. Copyright Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 4

5 Read the passage from Drake's Great Armada by Captain Walter Bigges. Then, answer the question(s). (1) After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of our Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind for a few days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. (2) And being arrived near that part of Spain which is called the Moors, we happened to espy divers sails, which kept their course close by the shore, the weather being fair and calm. (3) The General caused the Vice-Admiral to go with the pinnaces well manned to see what they were; who upon sight of the said pinnaces approaching near unto them, abandoned for the most part all their ships, being Frenchmen, laden all with salt, and bound homewards into France. 18. Which answer choice gives the best paraphrase of sentence 1? a. We were sailing away from Spain on September 14, 1585, when we experienced a few days of little wind. b. We set sail on September 14, 1585, after taking a course in Spain, and met with a few days of insufficient wind. c. After returning home, we set off for Spain on a day with very light winds and periods of calm. d. After we set sail for Spain on September 14, 1585, we experienced a few days of light winds or no winds at all. 19. Which is the best way to break down sentence 2 to isolate its central meaning? a. SUBJECT: part of Spain; VERB: is called the Moors; CENTRAL IDEA: That part of Spain is called the Moors. c. SUBJECT: We; VERB: saw sails (ships) traveling close to shore; CENTRAL IDEA: We saw ships b. SUBJECT: the shore; VERB: was fair and calm; CENTRAL IDEA: The shore was fair and calm. Answer the following question(s). sailing close to shore. d. SUBJECT: course; VERB: the sails kept close; CENTRAL IDEA: The course the ships took was close. 20. Which of the following qualities in a text would most likely cause you to adjust your reading rate by slowing down? a. The language is simple and c. The passage is short. straightforward. b. The structure is complex. d. The passage is a narrative. Vocabulary 21. The Latin roots -trud- and -trus- mean "push" or "thrust." Using this knowledge, choose the answer that best describes how you would most likely feel toward an intruder. a. pleased c. annoyed b. eager d. bored 22. Which answer choice contains a base word that means "danger"? a. friendship c. visible b. perilous d. important Copyright Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 5

6 Grammar 23. Which of the following contains a coordinating conjunction? a. Joe asked us to stay awhile. c. Barbara asked us to listen to whatever Sid had to say. b. George and Kevin like salsa, and Allison likes disco. d. While Jim strummed his guitar, Karen danced around the room. 24. Which of the following contains a coordinating conjunction? a. I wanted to call, but it was too late. c. The largest of all falcons is the arctic falcon. b. Above us, wispy clouds filled the sky. d. The pile of dry leaves had grown much larger. ESSAY 1. Imagine that your favorite author is coming to your school to speak to your class. Write an introduction for the author's presentation. Include information about the author's life and work. Explain why this author is of interest to your teacher and classmates. 2. Choose a childhood experience in which you learned something new. For example, you may have learned how to do a skateboard stunt or figured out the solution to a challenging math problem. Write an autobiographical narrative in which you describe your experience. Use sensory details and a clear organizational structure to paint a vivid picture of your experience for your readers. 3. Think of an experience you had that changed an aspect of your life. Write a reflective essay in which you describe the experience and explain its significance. Copyright Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 6