Local ssessment Item ank Reading Grade 6 Progress ssessment 4 Student Name: ate: This assessment is designed to provide information about reading comprehension skills. It contains a reading passage with multiple choice, short answer, and constructed response items. Read the passage and then mark the bubble with the correct answer on the multiple choice items. Write responses to the short answer and constructed response items in the box provided. Refer back to the passage as necessary. You may mark up the passage in any way that is helpful in answering the items.
Read this poem about two women named X and Y. Then answer the questions that follow. Mrs. X and Mrs. Y Stacey Sparks Mrs. X went to work at a bank every day. Her suit was brown, her expression was gray. s she drove into work, her heart sank like a stone. I wish it were over, the woman would moan. ll day she signed papers and added up sums. 5 She stared at the clock and twiddled her thumbs. t the end of the month she was paid a huge fee, nd she tried hard to smile, and she said, Lucky me! She listed the things that her salary bought ut dreamed of her freedom and got lost in thought. 10 Her kids watched her worry and grumble and grump, nd they secretly hoped they would never grow up! Mrs. Y had a job as a traveling clown, With her wig and red nose she drove all over town. t parties, in classrooms, she made children giggle; 15 She talked with a lisp, she walked with a wiggle. She held a fake daisy that squirted out water; She carried a horn and a jumbo flyswatter. She tripped over cobwebs and rolled like a ball. She performed in Town Square and performed at the mall. 20 Her pay was quite modest, but her grin was immense. She said she was lucky to live on nonsense. Her kids watched her juggle with fire and food nd thought to be grown up would be very good. 1 In the first line of Mrs. X and Mrs. Y, what does the word bank mean? a mass of clouds something formed into a pile a business that offers money services to save or store for the future 2 In line 2, the word gray means a mixture of white and black. not happy. filled with hope. cheerful. Progress ssessment 4 1
3 s she drove into work, her heart sank like a stone. This line suggests that Mrs. X was feeling sad or depressed. excited about work. a pain in her chest. frightened of everything. 4 escribe what a day in the life of Mrs. X is like, based on details from the poem. 2 Progress ssessment 4
5 Which line in the poem uses alliteration? She stared at the clock and twiddled her thumbs. ut dreamed of her freedom and got lost in thought. Her kids watched her worry and grumble and grump, She held a fake daisy that squirted out water; 7 If Mrs. Y were to teach Mrs. X a lesson about life, what would that lesson be? anks are unhappy places. Happiness is less important than riches. hildren never imitate their parents. Money may not buy you happiness. 6 Which word from the poem has three syllables? flyswatter cobwebs immense performed 8 What does the speaker in this poem suggest about the children of each woman? Mrs. X s children are probably better in math than Mrs. Y s children. The mothers attitudes affect how the children feel about growing up. Mrs. Y s. children are probably better athletes than Mrs. X s children. oth sets of children are looking forward to choosing their careers. 9 ased on this poem, what do you think Mrs. X will do next week? Explain. Progress ssessment 4 3
10 What are the essential differences between Mrs. X and Mrs. Y? Use details from the poem to support your answer. 4 Progress ssessment 4
Read this passage about new money. Then answer the questions that follow. New $5 ill Enters irculation WSHINGTON,.. (March 13, 2008) The first new $5 bill was issued by the Federal Reserve today. It was spent at the gift shop at President Lincoln s ottage at the Soldiers Home in Washington,.. This historic site was once used by President Lincoln as a White House summer retreat. Michael Lambert, an assistant director at the Federal Reserve oard, spent the first new $5 bill on a book of President Lincoln s speeches. President Lincoln s portrait was featured on the old $5 bill and continues to appear on the new bill. The redesigned $5 bill s enhanced security features help ensure we stay ahead of counterfeiters and protect your hard-earned money, Lambert said. It only takes a few seconds to check the new $5 bill to make sure it s genuine. If you know how to check its security features, you can easily be confident it's real. Today, the Federal Reserve will begin distributing the new $5 bills to banks. These banks will then distribute them to businesses and consumers. You don t have to trade in your old bills for new ones. oth the new $5 bills and the older-design $5 bills will continue to maintain their full value. The new $5 bill uses state-of-the-art security features. Hold the bill to the light to check for these features: FIVE OLLR Watermarks: There are now two watermarks on the $5 bill. large number 5 watermark is located in a blank space to the right of the portrait. second watermark a column of three smaller 5 s is to the left of the portrait. Security Thread: thread runs from the top to the bottom of the new bill, to the right of the portrait. The thread glows blue when held under ultraviolet light. President Lincoln s ottage at the Soldiers Home was chosen as the location to spend the first new $5 bill because of its significance to President Lincoln. President Lincoln established the United States Secret Service just before his death. The agency s main mission was protecting the nation's money from counterfeiters. Every person or business that gets a counterfeit bill experiences a real economic loss. In 2007, $61.4 million in counterfeit money was passed in the United States. Everyone who uses U.S. currency is on the front line of defense against counterfeiters, said Michael Merritt, eputy ssistant irector, U.S. Secret Service. Progress ssessment 4 5
The best way to protect yourself is to learn the security features. It s simple, it s quick, and it can save you from accepting a fake. s with the redesigned $10, $20, and $50 bills that preceded it, the new $5 bill features an merican symbol of freedom printed in the background. The Great Seal of the United States, featuring an eagle and shield, is printed in purple on the front of the bill. dditional design elements include: The large, easy-to-read number 5 in the lower right corner on the back of the bill. This number, printed in purple ink, helps people with visual impairments see the value of the bill. The oval borders around President Lincoln s portrait on the front and the Lincoln Memorial vignette on the back have been removed. The new $5 bill s most obvious difference is the addition of light purple in the center of the bill. However, consumers should use the watermarks and security thread, not color, to make sure a bill is real. (Source: U.S. ureau of Printing and Engraving press release) 11 The words in bold in the first line of this passage indicate where and when the article was published. how to use $5 bills to make purchases. when and where braham Lincoln died. how to print counterfeit money. 13 This passage is most like a biography. public announcement. party invitation. menu. 14 Why did Mike Lambert speak to the author of this passage on March 13, 2008? 12 What is this passage mainly about? portraits of President braham Lincoln the Federal Reserve s role in making money what makes the new $5 bill special people who make counterfeit U.S. bills The author arranged to release newly printed $5 bills to Michael Lambert. The Secret Service wanted the public to understand its responsibilities. The new $5 bill was being introduced to the public that day. Mike Lambert co-authored the passage with the author. 6 Progress ssessment 4
15 In the first paragraph, what does the word retreat mean? 18 In this passage, the word redesigned means to enjoy twice not designed. to reward again designed again. a movement back one who designs. a relaxing place designed well. 16 In this passage, the purpose of quoting Michael Lambert and Michael Merritt is to remind people that braham Lincoln made difficult decisions. explain how the new $5 bill is an improvement over the old $5 bill. calculate how much $5 can buy in the twenty-first century. identify who in the United States might try to counterfeit money. 19 What effect do the new features have on the new $5 bill? a more pleasing design better security a larger-sized bill higher value 20 Which sentence states a main idea of the passage? 17 What do you learn about from the illustrations in this passage? the features of President braham Lincoln how to identify the new $5 bill the difference between security threads and security threats how the new $5 bill is produced The new $5 bill uses state-of-the-art security features. President Lincoln established the United States Secret Service just before his death. In 2007, $61.4 million in counterfeit money was passed in the United States. The new bill s most obvious difference is the addition of light purple in the center of the bill. Progress ssessment 4 7
21 Which words from the passage are synonyms? 22 Which statement from the passage expresses a bias in favor of the new $5 bill? fake and counterfeit protect and established real and obvious mission and security The redesigned $5 bill s enhanced security features help ensure we stay ahead of counterfeiters and protect your hard-earned money. The new $5 bill uses state-of-the-art security features. Hold the bill to the light to check for these features. President Lincoln s ottage at Soldiers Home was chosen as the location to spend the first new $5 bill because of its significance to President Lincoln. 23 Explain the author s purpose in writing this passage. 8 Progress ssessment 4
24 How is President braham Lincoln part of both the past and the present in this passage? Explain. 25 Fill in the chart below using details from the passage. Special Features of the New $5 ill ppearance Security Progress ssessment 4 9