School Improvement in Maryland

Public Release Items: Reading Grade 5

 (1) Selected Response Public Release
Read the sentence in the box. Then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way. Mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


She carefully explained each point to her father, hoping to persuade him to change his mind.

In which sentence does the word point mean the same as in the sentence above?

  1. Winning the championship was a special point in his life.
  2. The point of his speech was difficult to understand.
  3. A colored pencil needs to have a sharp point.
  4. It is not polite to point at other people.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_029.xml

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 (2) Selected Response Public Release
Read the sentence in the box. Then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way. Mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


A lack of money may force the library to close.

In which sentence does the word force mean the same as in the sentence above?

  1. The storm could force us to stop the baseball game.
  2. Pam struggled to force her foot into a shoe that did not fit.
  3. Rick tried to force a smile even though he lost the contest.
  4. The force of the wind blew her notebooks out of her hand.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_030.xml

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 (3) Selected Response Public Release
Read the sentence in the box. Then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way. Mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


The principal stood in the hall on the first day of school to direct students to their classrooms.

In which sentence does the word direct mean the same as in the sentence above?

  1. Mr. Johnson will direct the band at the concert next week.
  2. It was late, so I decided to take the most direct way to school.
  3. The police officer stood near the curb to direct the busy traffic.
  4. Direct contact with an electrical wire can cause a serious shock.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_031.xml

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 (4) Selected Response Public Release
As you read each sentence, use the other words in the sentence to help you figure out what the underlined word means. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


Because we were hungry, we walked to a restaurant in the vicinity of the ballpark where our team had just won the game.

Vicinity means —

  1. scene
  2. background
  3. attractive setting
  4. surrounding area

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_032.xml

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 (5) Selected Response Public Release
As you read each sentence, use the other words in the sentence to help you figure out what the underlined word means. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


Jason was not sure if the dog was friendly, so he approached it warily.

What does warily mean?

  1. cautiously
  2. directly
  3. furiously
  4. lazily

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_033.xml

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 (6) Selected Response Public Release
As you read each sentence, use the other words in the sentence to help you figure out what the underlined word means. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


The crowd was jubilant when the team won the championship.

Jubilant means —

  1. calm
  2. curious
  3. polite
  4. thrilled

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_034.xml

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 (7) Selected Response Public Release
As you read each sentence, use the other words in the sentence to help you figure out what the underlined word means. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.


At first my parents would not allow me to go to the movie with my friends, but they relented when I promised to be home before dinner.

What does relented mean?

  1. let go
  2. argued
  3. gave in
  4. complained

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_035.xml

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 (8) Selected Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


Which of these sentences would make the best opening sentence for a summary of this article?

  1. Animals that hibernate begin preparing for hibernation in the fall.
  2. Some animals spend the winter in a deep sleep called hibernation.
  3. Hibernating animals put on a special kind of fat called "brown fat."
  4. Hibernating animals have a special substance called HIT in their blood.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_036.xml

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 (9) Brief Constructed Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


Explain what could be added to help a reader better understand this article. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation. Write your answer in your answer book.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_037.xml

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 (10) Selected Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


What is the main idea of paragraph 6 of this article?

  1. Snakes, turtles, and frogs are cold-blooded animals.
  2. Frogs cover themselves in mud to get out of the cold.
  3. Cold-blooded animals hibernate because they cannot warm themselves.
  4. Animals often hibernate in groups in sheltered places, like rotted-out logs.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_038.xml

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 (11) Brief Constructed Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


Read this sentence from the last paragraph of this article.

Hibernation is still somewhat of a mystery and an amazing animal adaptation.

Explain whether the information in the article supports the ideas in this statement. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation. Write your answer in the box below.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_039.xml

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 (12) Selected Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


This article would be most useful to someone who —

  1. builds animal shelters
  2. lives in a very cold climate
  3. volunteers at a nature center
  4. studies the life patterns of animals

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_040.xml

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 (13) Brief Constructed Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


Explain how the title "Snug in the Snow" helps a reader understand an important idea in this article. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation. Write your answer in the box below.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_041.xml

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 (14) Selected Response Public Release
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.


According to this article, which of these statements is true?

  1. Caves are the best places to hibernate.
  2. Woodchucks sleep longer than any other animal.
  3. Animals have different ways of living during the winter.
  4. Animals that hibernate are warmer than those that stay awake all winter.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_042.xml

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 (15) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


The illustration mostly helps a reader understand this story because it shows —

  1. what is in the gum machine
  2. how to use the gum machine
  3. what a gum machine looks like
  4. where the gum machine is located

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_043.xml

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 (16) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Which of these sentences would make the best opening sentence for a summary of "Teeth for Two"?

  1. Susie agrees to trade her false teeth for Skippy's cards.
  2. Susie and Skippy have an unusual experience at the movies.
  3. Skippy notices a gum machine inside the door of the movie theater.
  4. Susie and Skippy have to hide from the other people in the audience.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_044.xml

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 (17) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Read paragraph 3 of the story.

Skippy ended up with three pieces of gum, a pair of tiny binoculars, and a deck of inch-high playing cards. I got four pieces of gum and a set of miniature false teeth.

Details in this paragraph suggest that the false teeth are —

  1. dirty
  2. old
  3. small
  4. ugly

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_045.xml

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 (18) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Details in this story suggest that the people in the audience are —

  1. careless
  2. cautious
  3. cowardly
  4. concerned

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_046.xml

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 (19) Brief Constructed Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Explain how the setting affects the actions of the characters in this story. In your response, use details from the story that support your explanation. Write your answer in the box below.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_047.xml

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 (20) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


The people in the audience are looking for the false teeth because they —

  1. think that the false teeth are real
  2. like Skippy and want to help him
  3. are not really interested in the movie
  4. cannot believe Susie wears false teeth

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_048.xml

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 (21) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Which of these quotations is most important to the plot of this story?

  1. "Look, Susie," he said, "that machine is almost empty."
  2. "How old is your sister?" a motherly voice inquired.
  3. "Poor little thing."
  4. "Let's get out of here."

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_049.xml

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 (22) Brief Constructed Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Compare Susie's and Skippy's feelings throughout this story. In your response, use details from the story that support your comparison. Write your answer in the box below.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_050.xml

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 (23) Selected Response Public Release
Read this story titled "Teeth for Two." Then answer the question below.


Because Susie is the narrator of this story, a reader is better able to —

  1. imagine Susie's appearance
  2. understand Susie's feelings
  3. predict Susie's movements
  4. question Susie's actions

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_051.xml

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