Selection: D-8

D-8

Grade level: 4

Word count: 1517 words

Author: Mary Dunn

Synopsis: Crows are smart survivors who also know how to have a good time.

Excerpt: But a crow's favorite food is pig heart. A crow will do just about anything to get at this treat. Knowing this, one scientist used pig heart to test the crow's thinking skills. He placed pieces of pig heart in a tiny bucket, and put the bucket inside a tall plastic tube. Beside the tube, he put a piece of wire. Then he watched to see what the crow would do. First, it pecked at the tube to see if it could get the food. No luck. Next, the crow put its beak into the tube, but it couldn't reach the snack. Then the crow picked up the wire and pushed it into the tube, but it couldn't pull out the meat. The crow then used its beak to bend the wire into a hook. Finally, the crow used the hook like a tool. Pulling out the bucket by the handle, the crow got its treat.

Question: Read this excerpt. Which two of the following characteristics best describe the crow that participated in this experiment?

1. intelligent
2. determined
3. fearless
4. confused
5. friendly

Selection: D-30

D-30

Grade level: 4

Word count: 1338 words

Author: Lionel Beasley

Synopsis: Satellites keep an eye on everything, from the oldest stars to the latest forecast.

Excerpt: Maybe you've heard of the most famous astronomical satellite: the Hubble telescope. Launched in 1990, this telescope can look so far into space that we can see stars that formed right after the Big Bang created our galaxy. Those starts are about 13.77 billion years old.

As you've already learned, a satellite must be launched into space. But as you've probably noticed when you jump in the air, only to quickly fall to the ground, gravity is tough to beat. And a satellite is a lot heavier than you are. The first human-made satellite, Sputnik, was launched in 1957 and weighed 184 pounds. In contrast, the Hubble telescope weighs 24,500 pounds.

Question: Three of these statements about Sputnik and Hubble are correct. Which one is not correct?

1. They weighed the same amount.
2. They were both launched after 1950.
3. They are both human-made satellites.
4. They both orbited the Earth.

Selection: D-25

D-25

Grade level: 4

Word count: 1511 words

Author: John R. Corvell

Synopsis: Now come on. There's no such thing as a bird the size of an elephant. Is there?

Excerpt: "All I can say," said one of the others, "is that it's too bad you didn't bring the evidence with you. We could all have had fresh egg for supper."

The men laughed and told Pierre to pick up the oars and carry them over to one of the boats. On the trip back to the ship, Pierre's tall tale was the topic of much joking.

Question: Which statement best describes the sailors' reaction to Pierre's story?

1. They made fun of the story.
2. They believed the story.
3. They ignored the story.
4. They felt afraid from the story.

Selection: D-19

D-19

Grade level: 4

Word count: 1073 words

Author: Christine Venzon

Synopsis: While watching a baseball game, Adrian finds out the sport has its own special language.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: The tone of a text is the author's attitude toward the topic. Which of the following best describe the tone of this selection?

1. humorous and cheerful.
2. angry and bitter.
3. undecided and frightened.
4. sincere and doubtful.

Selection: D-5

D-5

Grade level: 4

Word count: 1577 words

Author: Mary Dunn

Synopsis: Things are not going right for Peter--not at all. But it's nothing a few jelly beans can't fix.

Excerpt: The three of us march back to 4C, and Uncle Jesse adds the parsley to the pot. The liquid is now bubbling like a volcano, and I fear it might erupt at any second.

"I'll set the table," says Uncle Jesse, "and you can get those giant bowls from the cabinet," he says.

When I head back into the kitchen, I notice the spice rack and pull down a jar of cinnamon. "Why not?" I think, and I add some to the pot. Then I grab a bowl and bring it out to the table.

Question: Peter compares the pot of soup bubbling on the stove to

1. an erupting volcano.
2. a powerful earthquake.
3. a flooding river.
4. an overflowing fountain.