Reading test

General directions

The test consists of a series of articles, each of which is followed by several questions.Click on the appropriate link to call up each article, read the story and then answer the questions. There is one correct answer for each question. Click on the answer you think is correct.Your answers will be recorded and at the end of the test you will learn your score, as well as the correct answers to questions you missed. A passing score is 75 percent.

  Read Story 1

1. Why did Steven Tousignant's parents decide to teach him at home?

They were not satisfied with local public schools

They felt that because of a mild disability he needed one-on-one teaching.

They decided that it would be an interesting family project to teach a child at home.

They feared that others would interfere with his education.

2. What does Steven see as the biggest benefit of being home taught?

He didn't have to spend as much time at his studies.

He was able to make more friends.

His mother was always taking him to interesting places.

He was surrounded by many new and exciting ideas.

3. For which of the following aspects of home schooling does Minnesota have standards?

number of hours spent in class each day

kind of textbooks used

number of days spent in school each year

number of children in a family who may be taught at home

4. How did Steve's parents make sure he had a social life?

They insisted that his older brothers and sisters involve him in their activities.

They enrolled him in a few advanced classes in public school.

They invited neighborhood children his age to parties and get-togethers after school.

They had him play sports and join youth groups, where he would meet others his age.

5. How does Steve feel about going to college after having been taught at home all his life?

He looks forward to it confidently.

He thinks it will be too different from learning at home, and that he won't like it.

He is concerned that other students will be better prepared than he is.

He's looking forward to being taught by professional educators in a school setting, instead of home.

6. What evidence is provided to show that Steve's home schooling has been successful?

Steve was valedictorian of his class.

Steve's parents are proud of him.

Steve has always done well on standardized tests.

Steve plays the piano and guitar.

7. How does the author of the article seem to feel about home schooling?

It is risky, and often fails to provide a good education.

It can work if the student and parents are dedicated.

For most parents, it is not a good idea.

It is the best way to educate a child.

8. Which of the following is an opinion, not a fact, about Steven?

He has a real wisdom that you don't see in a lot of people.

He is a poet, musician, and reader.

He plans eventually to go to a four-year university.

He participates in the family debates.

9. Who did most of the work of teaching Steven?

his father

his mother

his older sisters and brothers

visiting teachers

10. In this article Steven Tousignant is described as

rigid and serious.

light-hearted and carefree.

worried and a loner.

bright and disarmingly funny.

  Read Story 2

11. What feeling does the author try to communicate about the topic?

serious

light-hearted

critical

silly

12. What question does this article try to answer?

Are Light Twinkies healthier than regular Twinkies?

Why do people like sugary, fatty foods?

Do Light Twinkies taste as good as regular Twinkies?

Why did the Hostess company invent Light Twinkies?

13. How does the author feel about eating healthy foods?

He wouldn't eat anything else.

He doesn't like the way they taste.

He thinks they're only for sick people.

He feels he should eat them.

14. What is the result of the author's research on Light Twinkies?

Light Twinkies taste as good as regular Twinkies.

Light Twinkies don't taste as good as regular Twinkies.

Light Twinkies don't taste anything like regular Twinkies.

Light Twinkies taste like Twinkies with the Twink taken out.

15. Why does the author call Light Twinkies "healthier"?

They are lower in fat than regular Twinkies.

They contain no sugar.

They contain high amounts of fiber.

They belong to a different food group.

16. Why was the author interested in finding out about the new Light Twinkies?

He thought they might be better for his son.

He wanted a good reason to eat some Twinkies.

He's writing a research article on health trends.

He had been eating Twinkies all along, and wondered if he should switch to Light Twinkies.

17. Which statement is a fact, not an opinion, from this article?

Light Twinkies taste like damp Styrofoam with a core of sweetened library paste.

Eating Cap'n Crunch is like eating tiny pieces of glazed sea coral.

Some cereals taste like they contain actual chunks of tree bark.

Light Twinkies are sold in packages of two.

18. How does the author feel about Cap'n Crunch?

He thinks it looks hideous.

He loves to have it for breakfast.

He hates the taste.

He thinks it shouldn't be sold as a food.

19. What difference did the author see between Light Twinkies and regular Twinkies?

Light Twinkies look just the same as regular Twinkies; there are no differences.

Light Twinkies are darker in color than regular Twinkies.

Light Twinkies are fluffier-looking than regular Twinkies.

Light Twinkies are smaller than regular Twinkies.

20. Which statement is true about the author?

Twinkies are a regular part of his diet.

He is unsure whether he likes Light Twinkies.

He is a doctor and a writer.

He is sure that his son will learn to like Cap'n Crunch.

  Read Story 3

21. The students alternate between lunch-recess and "collaboratives." Collaboratives are

large groups of teachers, parents, and principals.

pairs of students.

small groups of students, teachers, and specialists.

school meetings

22. According to the chart, "Year-round schools," the state that has the largest number of year-round public schools is

California

Texas.

Utah.

North Carolina

23. Which of the following statements is not true?

Year-round schools are a way to hold down building costs.

The year-round schedule gives teachers time to exchange ideas.

By September 3, Sigurd Olson students will have completed five weeks of school.

Teachers find Sigurd Olson's traditional program boring.

24. The main idea of this article is that

The year-round school will change the way students learn and live.

students should work in collaboratives.

Sigurd Olson school has a nine-hour school day.

the year-round school divides its day into three parts.

25. At the time this article was written, how many states had at least one public year-round school?

12

20

39

50

26. One problem the year-round school may present is

finding time to reinforce reading and writing skills.

finding time for summer vacations.

deciding what to do with the last three hours of the school day.

allowing teachers time to prepare lesson plans.

27. According to the article, 12 schools around the state, including Sigurd Olson, receive special state funding to

develop ways to improve family involvement.

research the effects of the 9-hour day on students.

improve the quality of school lunches.

promote the benefits of creative activities.

28. After reading the article, which statement about the future of year-round schools is probably true?

There will be more year-round schools in the future.

There will be fewer year-round schools in the future.

There will be the same number of year-round schools in the future.

There will be no year-round schools next year.

29. Which of the following statements is an opinion, not a fact, about year-round schools?

There are hundreds of year-round schools across the nation.

Classes vary from dance to fishing lessons to arts and crafts.

Having a reputation as an innovative, risk-taking school is great.

Principal Gupton's students spend as many days in school as other Minneapolis students.

30. What is one advantage of the 9-hour school day?

Community members can offer the students many creative activities.

There will be more time for traditional classroom instruction.

The teachers will have less time to plan lessons for the next day.

The students will spend more time in recess than in teacher-directed lessons.

  Read Story 4

31. Why would the message left on her answering machine get the author's attention?

She feels strongly about preparing Mexican foods properly.

She is pleased that her friend is eating Mexican food.

She expected to be invited to her friend's for dinner.

She is surprised that her friend learned to eat a burrito correctly.

32. Why does the author emphasize the ingredients elbow macaroni and mozzarella cheese in describing a Mexican-style meal?

These are authentic Mexican ingredients.

These are never used in authentic Mexican foods.

These are the ingredients she likes best.

These are the ingredients she likes least.

33. How does the author remember Grandma Cosme in this article?

as a guide and teacher.

as the perfect baby-sitter.

as an embarrassing connection to a different culture.

as a skillful cook.

34. Why is there no such thing as "pure Mexican" cuisine?

Mexican cuisine has many ingredients.

Most food described as "Mexican" actually originated elsewhere.

Mexican cooking varies from place to place in Mexico.

Americans eat food from all over the world.

35. For the author, the smells of authentic Mexican foods being cooked are a reminder of

how difficult school was.

her childhood in Santa Fe and Minneapolis.

New Mexican restaurants.

Christmas packages from New Mexico.

36. What is the author's main objection to the Mexican foods offered by restaurants in Minnesota?

They are cooked using old-fashioned methods.

They are too spicy

They are unhealthy foods for a regular diet.

They don't resemble authentic dishes.

37. How did the author react to her first experience with extremely hot and spicy Mexican food?

She immediately loved the spiciness of the dish.

She didn't like it and refused to eat it.

She tasted it and it made her sick.

She was stunned by its spiciness but learned to like it.

38. Why does the author consider Mexican food "soul food"?

She considers it a cuisine of the common people.

It is cuisine that her whole family likes.

It fills her stomach and raises her spirits.

It contains very simple, cheap ingredients.

39. The story the author tells about what happened when she took a tortilla baloney sandwich to school shows that

even as a child, she preferred Mexican cuisine.

she wanted to fit in at her new school and be like her friends.

she wanted everyone to know that she was Chicana.

she liked to experiment with foods at an early age.

40. According to the author, which of the following is "authentic" to New Mexico food?

deep-fried foods

lots of cheese

sour cream

green chiles