Assessment C omprehensive A ssessment of R eading S trategies Plus CARS series G Name
Table of Contents For the Student...................................................... 2 Pretest Part 1........................................................... 4 Part 2........................................................... 7 Part 3.......................................................... 10 Part 4.......................................................... 13 Part 5.......................................................... 16 Benchmark 1........................................................ 20 Benchmark 2........................................................ 24 Benchmark 3........................................................ 28 Benchmark 4........................................................ 32 Benchmark 5........................................................ 36 Post Test Part 1.......................................................... 41 Part 2.......................................................... 44 Part 3.......................................................... 47 Part 4.......................................................... 50 Part 5.......................................................... 53 Pretest Answer Form.................................................. 57 Self-assessment 1..................................................... 58 Post Test Answer Form................................................ 59 Self-assessment 2..................................................... 60 Benchmark Answer Form.............................................. 61
For the Student Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies (CARS Series) is a reading program that gives you practice with 12 reading strategies. In CARS Book G you will complete a Pretest and a Post Test. Each test contains reading passages and questions about the passages. After you read each passage, you will answer 12 questions. Each question helps you practice a particular reading strategy. You will also complete 5 Benchmark tests. Each test contains longer reading passages, followed by 12 questions for you to answer. These Benchmarks will help keep your reading skills sharp and allow your teacher to see how well you are reading. CARS Book G will help you get the most from your reading. You will understand what important information to look for as you read. You will also learn to judge your own work and set reading goals. By the time you finish working with this book, you will be a better reader. 2
Pretest Your teacher will tell you when to take each part of the Pretest. The Pretest will help your teacher find out how well you understand what you read. Then your teacher can decide how to best help you to become an even better reader. After you finish the Pretest, you will complete a self-assessment. This self-assessment will help you judge your own work. It will also help you set goals for future reading success. Part 1... 4 Part 2... 7 Part 3... 10 Part 4... 13 Part 5... 16 Pretest Answer Form... 57 Self-assessment 1... 58 Pretest 3
Pretest: Part 1 Read this history article about a war heroine. Then answer questions about the article. Choose the best answer for Numbers 1 through 12. Revolutionary Heroine Paul Revere is best known for his historic midnight ride on horseback during the American Revolution. In 1775, Paul Revere rode through the streets of Massachusetts towns to warn colonists that British troops were approaching. Another person made a similar, less-celebrated ride just two years later. That person was a 16-year-old girl named Sybil Ludington. Sybil was with her father, Colonel Henry Ludington, at their home in New York when a messenger brought distressing news. The news revealed that British troops had set fire to the town of Danbury, Connecticut, which was about 15 miles southeast of the Ludington house. British troops were marching toward New York. The colonel needed to warn his countrymen about the impending raid. The men were scattered over a wide area around the Ludington house. However, the colonel also needed to stay home to organize the men when they arrived. statue honoring Sybil and her horse, Star Without hesitation, Sybil volunteered to take her father s horse, Star, and alert the colonists. Though he did not want to let his daughter attempt such a dangerous mission, Colonel Ludington finally relented. Sybil rode off while her father remained at their home to prepare his men for battle. Young Sybil rode through the night, battling biting winds and driving rain, shouting, The British are burning Danbury. Meet at Ludingtons. Several hours later, an exhausted Sybil arrived home after completing the 40-mile ride. Not realizing that she d performed a heroic deed, Sybil was surprised to be met by the jubilant cheers of hundreds of colonists who had assembled at the Ludingtons home. By dawn, Colonel Ludington had organized his men and had marched off to Danbury where they were able to force the British to retreat. Sybil s contribution to the war was not forgotten. Visitors to Putnam County, New York can retrace the path she took during her midnight ride by following markers placed along the route. A statue of Sybil and Star also stands in Carmel, New York, honoring her courage and patriotism. In 1975, Sybil was honored with a commemorative stamp to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. 4 Pretest
Finding Main Idea 1. What is the main idea of paragraph 3? Colonel Ludington persuades his daughter to take his horse to warn the colonists. Sybil successfully completes her 40-mile ride. Colonel Ludington receives distressing news from a messenger. Sybil convinces her father to let her alert the colonists about the British. Recognizing Cause and Effect 4. Sybil was surprised to hear the cheers of hundreds of people because she did not expect that the men would have already gathered at her home. did not think she had performed a task worthy of such praise. did not think that she had succeeded in what she set out to do. thought that the men would have already left to prevent the British from attacking. Recalling Facts and Details 2. Which of these can be found in New York today? a statue of Colonel Ludington and his daughter a statue of Sybil and her father s horse, Star a monument in memory of Sybil and her father a plaque explaining Sybil s bravery during the American Revolution Comparing and Contrasting 5. How were Paul Revere and Sybil Ludington alike? They both began their historic rides at midnight. They both rode on horseback to warn colonists about British troops. They both prevented the British from entering New York. They both completed rides that were 40 miles long. Understanding Sequence 3. The boxes tell about some things that happened in the article. Colonel Ludington waited at his home to organize his men. What belongs in the empty box? A B C D Sybil was met by jubilant cheers. British troops were forced to retreat. Colonel Ludington and his men marched off to Danbury. Sybil rode through the night shouting, The British are burning Danbury. The colonel received distressing news from a messenger. Making Predictions 6. Predict what would have happened if no one had warned the colonists about the British advance. The British would have taken control of Connecticut and moved on to New York. The British would have been declared victors of the revolution. The British would have been forced to retreat eventually. The British would have marched through Connecticut, leaving the region undisturbed. Pretest 5
Benchmarks Your teacher will tell you when to take each test. These Benchmarks will help you keep your reading skills sharp. They will also help your teacher see how well you continue to meet your reading goals. Benchmark 1... 20 Benchmark 2... 24 Benchmark 3... 28 Benchmark 4... 32 Benchmark 5... 36 Benchmark Answer Form... 61 Benchmarks 19
Benchmark 1 Read this article about the ancient pyramids. Then answer questions about the article. Choose the best answer for Numbers 1 through 12. A Glimpse of the Past Each year, millions of people visit the ancient pyramids of Egypt. Many become awed simply at the sight of these towering structures. Though they are an impressive tourist attraction, the pyramids once played a major role in the life of the Egyptians. The pyramids are the oldest stone structures in the world. They are also among the world s largest buildings. The base of a pyramid is square, with four faces that narrow to a point at the top. Each face is a triangle. The Egyptians designed the pyramid so that each face was directed toward one of the four cardinal points north, south, east, and west. The Egyptians did not have the benefit of a compass to help them determine where each face of the pyramid should be constructed. Instead, they tracked the rising and setting of the sun. Pyramids developed out of the ancient Egyptian belief in the afterlife, or life after death. Egyptians believed that after death, people began a new life in another world. In order to enter this world, the person s body must be preserved and protected. Egyptian kings, called pharaohs, wanted their bodies to last forever, so they had pyramids built as tombs to protect their bodies after death. Egyptian citizens believed that burying royalty in this way would bring good luck to the pharaoh s people. Constructing a pyramid was like trying to build a mountain. It was an enormous undertaking, as well as a backbreaking one. Laborers spent long hours in the desert heat, hauling tons of stone blocks. These men built the pyramids without the help of modern tools or heavy equipment such as cranes and bulldozers. To make matters worse, the stones used to build most pyramids were not close at hand. Limestone and granite had to be mined in distant quarries. The quarries were located close to the banks of the Nile River. There, laborers shaped stone into blocks using stone and copper hand pyramids at Giza tools, such as chisels and drills. Then they loaded the blocks onto barges. Men paddled the barges down the river to the building site. Sometimes, thousands of men worked year in, year out, on a single pyramid. 20 Benchmark 1
To transport the blocks from the river to the building site, laborers built a road, called a causeway. The men hauled the stone blocks up the causeway to the base of the pyramid. Finally, construction could begin. Large groups of men used wooden rollers to move the massive blocks. As work progressed, ramps were constructed along the sides of the pyramid. In this way, the blocks could be rolled up to the next level of construction. As each level of the pyramid was completed, the workers began another level. Each new level was smaller than the last. After a pharaoh died, his body was preserved with oil and resin. Resin is a sticky plant substance. The body was then wrapped with strips of linen. Next, the body was placed inside the burial chamber of the pyramid. Many of the pharaoh s possessions were also placed inside the burial chamber. Often, musical instruments, furniture, pottery, gold, and jewels were placed near the king. Funerals were held inside the pyramid. After the funeral, the burial chamber was sealed. Mourners exited through an escape tunnel that was then also sealed off. Now no one could enter the pyramid again. The main purpose of the pyramids was to protect a pharaoh s body and his belongings. Egyptians went to great lengths to guard against looting. Secret rooms, tunnels, and traps were constructed inside most pyramids to discourage would-be robbers. However, even these precautions were not enough. Many pyramids were eventually robbed of their treasures. The use of the pyramids lasted about 1,100 years, from 2700 b.c. to 1600 b.c. Similar structures were later created to provide better protection. Egyptians Mummies were often placed in a sarcophagus like this one. eventually adopted other burial methods that did not involve pyramids. Today, the pyramids still tower above the desert sands of Egypt. Until the twentieth century, the pyramids remained remarkably intact despite the eroding forces of sand, wind, and water. It is only in the last 100 years that the stone has begun to wear away at a more rapid pace. Scientists blame this on the combination of age and air pollution. They fear that the pyramids may crumble one day if effective methods of preservation are not found. Until that time, the pyramids will continue to serve as a reminder of a civilization that prospered long ago. Benchmark 1 21
Finding Main Idea 1. What is the main idea of paragraph 4? Most pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs. Laborers often worked on one pyramid for many years. The stones for the pyramids had to be mined. Construction of a pyramid was a complex task. Recognizing Cause and Effect 4. The boxes show a cause-and-effect relationship. Cause Egyptians did not have the benefit of a compass to guide them. Effect What belongs in the empty box? They studied landmarks along the Nile. They tracked stars in the night sky. They tracked the rising and setting of the sun. They made the base of the pyramid into a square. Recalling Facts and Details 2. The pyramids were built without the benefit of barges. ramps. heavy equipment. wooden rollers. Comparing and Contrasting 5. A pharaoh can best be compared to a professor. a judge. an emperor. a carpenter. Understanding Sequence 3. The boxes tell about some of the steps in the construction of a pyramid. Limestone and granite are shaped into blocks. Barges bring the stones to the building site. Wooden rollers are used to move the stone blocks. 1 2 3 4 Which of these belongs in box 3? Ramps are made. A causeway is built. Stone is mined. Construction of the pyramid begins. Making Predictions 6. A burial chamber is discovered in an ancient tomb. Predict which of these is discovered inside. a chisel a barge a radio a necklace 22 Benchmark 1
Post Test Your teacher will tell you when to take each part of the Post Test. The Post Test will help your teacher see how your reading has improved. After you finish the Post Test, you will complete a self-assessment. This self-assessment will help you judge your own work. It will also help you see how well you are meeting your reading goals. Part 1... 41 Part 2... 44 Part 3... 47 Part 4... 50 Part 5... 53 Post Test Answer Form... 59 Self-assessment 2... 60 40 Post Test
Post Test: Part 1 Read this journal entry written over one hundred years ago. Then answer questions about the journal entry. Choose the best answer for Numbers 1 through 12. April 6, 1862 A short time ago, I was wakened by the sound of cannons booming in the distance. To my surprise, it was our own Union cannons being fired, not those of the Confederate army. I d barely rubbed the sleep from my eyes when the sergeant of our unit called for us to assemble. The sun had yet to even rise over our camp. After we assembled, we were told that General Grant is preparing for a major battle in this small town of Pittsburg Landing, which is located in Shiloh. The sergeant explained that we would soon mount an attack on a Southern unit located just a short distance from here. This region is a crucial site for us in Tennessee. With Pittsburg Landing being in the southern part of the state, we might have a chance of chasing the Southern army out of the state for good. We took control of Fort Donelson in northern Tennessee this past February. It was a horrifying battle. So many men, and so many boys about my age, lost their lives in the battle. I remember turning my head so that I would not have to look at the lifeless faces of the young, many of whom were carrying rifles instead of drums, as I was. Sometimes at night, I still see their faces, lifelike portraits forever painted in my memory. I would never reveal this to my sergeant, but I am of two minds about this war. I know it s important to keep the Union together, but I believe that the cost is much too high. So many have given their life for the cause. As I write this, I hear birds beginning to chirp against the background of an exquisite sunrise. It s as though nature does not realize the battle that is likely to play out in just a few short hours. The sergeant is preparing to march the unit out. He s calling for me to begin playing to signal the men to fall into formation. I know the sergeant will keep me a safe distance from danger, but I wonder about the others. I look around at the proud, brave men beyond my tent, and I wonder which are the faces that I will not see tomorrow. Post Test 41
Finding Main Idea 1. What is the journal entry mostly about? a battle in Pittsburg Landing morning preparations for a battle an army unit under attack typical activities in an army camp Recognizing Cause and Effect 4. The journal writer was wakened by the sound of drums in the distance. the sound of Confederate gunfire. the call of a sergeant s summoning the troops. the sound of cannons being fired by the Union army. Recalling Facts and Details 2. What is the setting for the journal entry? A a Union camp B northern Tennessee C Pittsburg, Pennsylvania D a bloody battlefield Comparing and Contrasting 5. The faces of dead soldiers are compared to revealing images. lifeless photographs. exquisite sunrises. lifelike portraits. Understanding Sequence 3. The boxes tell about some events described in the journal entry. A battle takes place at Fort Donelson. Union soldiers are told of General Grant s plan. What belongs in the empty box? A A battle begins at Pittsburgh Landing. B The Union army marches toward Shiloh. C The Southern Army is driven out of northern Tennessee. D The sergeant prepares to march the unit out. Making Predictions 6. Predict which of these will most likely happen to the writer of the journal entry. He will lose his life during the battle at Shiloh. He will leave the Union army and return home to his family. He will escape harm and survive the battle at Shiloh. He will request to stay safely behind, instead of joining the army at Shiloh. 42 Post Test