Reading Practice Test 2

1. Read the following text and answer the following question.There are many different ways to prepare hot chocolate. One way is to heat water until it starts boiling. Be careful so you do not burn your hand. Add the cocoa to your water and stir until it mixes. Then you can add a splash of milk for taste and to help cool it down a little. `Adding marshmallows gives it a creamy taste and it is fun to drink the half melted ones. Marshmallows melt quickly, so be sure to add a few extra. The hot chocolate treat is delicious.

What is the Author's Purpose?

2. DIRECTIONS: Read each passage and identify how the information is being organized.There are two kinds of metamorphosis: complete and incomplete. Animals that undergo complete metamorphoses, like frogs and butterflies, begin life in one form, and then at a stage in their lives, they change into a completely different form. In contrast, animals that undergo incomplete metamorphosis have no pupa stage in their life cycle.

3. 5

The albatross is a big bird that spends most of its time flying over oceans. It is about three feet tall when it is standing, and its wingspan can get up to eight feet, which is quite a bit longer than an average‐sized man.
The albatross returns to land to breed and mates for life. The female lays only one egg, and both parents care for the baby. Most albatrosses live for around 30 years, but they can live to
be as old as 70! Albatrosses eat crabs, fish, squid, and sometimes dead penguins. They either snatch food from the water’s surface or dive for it. They have to be careful of tiger sharks, who will make a meal out of an albatross if they can catch one. The albatross is an endangered species. They often die when diving into the ocean for food because they get tangled in fishing lines and drown. Being followed by an albatross while at sea is supposed to be good luck.

Does the albatross have a predator?

4. 2

The albatross is a big bird that spends most of its time flying over oceans. It is about three feet tall when it is standing, and its wingspan can get up to eight feet, which is quite a bit longer than an average‐sized man.
The albatross returns to land to breed and mates for life. The female lays only one egg, and both parents care for the baby. Most albatrosses live for around 30 years, but they can live to
be as old as 70! Albatrosses eat crabs, fish, squid, and sometimes dead penguins. They either snatch food from the water’s surface or dive for it. They have to be careful of tiger sharks, who will make a meal out of an albatross if they can catch one. The albatross is an endangered species. They often die when diving into the ocean for food because they get tangled in fishing lines and drown. Being followed by an albatross while at sea is supposed to be good luck.

How big is an albatross?

5. Read about the artist. Then answer the question below.

Vincent Van Gogh was born in 1853. He is a very famous artist now. But during his lifetime, hardly anyone knew about him or his work. Today his paintings are among the most expensive artworks in the world. But Vincent only sold one painting while he was alive. Vincent was born in Holland, where the weather is usually dark and rainy. When he grew up, he moved to the south of France, where the sun shines more brightly and the colors are more vivid. Vincent loved bright colors, and he used them boldly in all of his paintings. He used a lot of paint and applied it in very thick strokes so that his paintings actually have texture. Vincent painted a lot of pictures of flowers in vases, and a lot of landscapes. He also painted still lifes, buildings, and people. Two of his most famous paintings are called Starry Night, and Sunflowers. Most artists sign their names on their paintings when they have finished it. But in 1888, Vincent painted four pictures of sunflowers. He only signed two of the paintings. Art experts believe that this is because he wasn’t happy with the other two. Today you can see his paintings in museums all around the world.

Why do art experts think Vincent didn’t sign some of his paintings?

6. Civil disobedience is the refusal to obey certain laws or to pay taxes and fines and is a peaceful form of political protest. Just because something is the law doesn’t mean it is right. For example, segregation used to be legal in this country, and it was only changed by many years of dedicated civil disobedience by people who wanted to do what was right, not just what was legal. Civil disobedience makes the government more accountable and is sometimes the only way that laws that are deeply rooted in damaging customs (like segregation) can be changed. Some Americans that are famous for their civil disobedience are Rosa Parks, who refused to give her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery Alabama, and Martin Luther King Jr. who advocated peaceful civil disobedience as a way to advance the rights of black Americans. Our country is what it is today largely thanks to acts of civil disobedience by brave and thoughtful Americans.

Rosa Parks is famous for:

7. Which word/phrase in the sentence below is redundant and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence?If you want to become better at calculus, you should start by reviewing the basic fundamentals of mathematics.

8. In many states, teens cannot get their learners' permits until they are at least 16 years of age. While this has been the law for decades, states should consider letting teens receive their permit earlier. Many teens get their first job at age 15 and need a reliable way to get to and from work.                  , in a survey of 15-year-olds who did not have a job, a lack of reliable transportation was their number one reason for not seeking employment.

Which transition best connects the two supporting claims?

9. Teachers should limit the amount of homework students are assigned each night. Students must complete multiple homework assignments from multiple classes each night, which can result in hours of homework to complete.                , students have extracurricular activities and other obligations when the school day ends.

Which transition best connects the two pieces of supporting evidence?

10. DIRECTIONS: Identify the structure of each passage. After laying only a single egg, the female penguin heads out to sea and stays there until it is almost time for the egg to hatch. The male penguin incubates the egg, carrying it between his legs and under his feathers to keep it warm. Just before it is time for the egg to hatch, the female returns to land.