School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Reading/ELA, Grade 5

Reading/ELA | Informational | Literary | Writing | Language | Listening | Speaking

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Standard 1.0 General Reading Processes

Topic D. Vocabulary

Indicator 3. Understand, acquire, and use new vocabulary

Objective a. Use context to determine the meanings of words

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item
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

Correct Answer:
C
Resources for Objective 1.D.3.a:
Lesson Seeds | Sample Assessments | PUBLIC RELEASE ITEMS |