Language Arts

Midterm

6th Grade

Select your name from the pull down menu

 

Part A. Mark on your scantron sheet (A) for singular if the subject and verb are singular.  Mark (B) for Plural if the subject and verb are plural.

1. Felicia runs                            6. We sing

2. Happiness is                          7. Fire burns

3. People listen                          8. Ambassadors meet

4. Rain falls                                9. Water boils

5. Puppies play                          10. Vines grow

Part B. Select the correct verb form from the parentheses in each of the following.

11. Neither of my sisters ( A. plays, B. play) a musical instrument.

12. Fortunately, none of the equipment (A. has, B. have) been damaged.

13. During Hanukkah, a few of our relatives usually (A. visits, B. visit).

14. Someone (A. misses, B. miss) the bus almost every day.

15. Most of my friends (A. enjoys, B. enjoy) the music of Tracy Chapman.

16. Almost all of that paint (A. was, B. were) used for the bathroom.

17. On Mondays and Thursdays many of them (A. stays, B. stay) for soccer practice.

18. One of the hula dancers (A. is, B. are) wearing a lei, or wreath of flowers.

19. Anyone from Mrs. Shearer’s art class (A. is, B. are) eligible for the contest.

20. In Mr. Gee’s class everybody (A. works, B. work) hard on group projects.

Part C. In each of the following sentences, select the correct modifier in parentheses.

21. Do you know Persian (A. well, B. good) enough to translate for us?

22. For once, your bedroom looks (A. good, B. well)!

23. These pears taste (A. well, B. good).

24. Many people can speak two languages equally (A. good, B. well).

25. A little exercise would be (A. well, B. good) for you.

26. The puppy does not feel (A. good, B. well), so we are taking him to the vet.

27. Roses do not grow (A. well, B. good) for me.

Part D. Reading Comprehension Ta-Na-E-Ka

Bubble in the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.

28. Which of the following events happens earliest in the story?

a. Mary sleeps in the restaurant.                 b. Mary pays for a hamburger and a milkshake.

c. Ernie gives Mary a sweater to wear.       d. Mary stays at the restaurant and works for food.

29. Ta-Na-E-Ka is a Kaw ritual for

a. both boys and girls                    b. girls who will turn sixteen

c. boys only                                  d. the elders on the reservation

30. Mary chooses the river side of the woods because

a. she can fish in the river and find food easily                                              b. she has a deal worked out with Ernie, the restaurant owner

c. she knows the mountains on the other side are high and treacherous         d. she plans to sleep in a boat

31. Mary is comforted to learn that Roger

a. will be spending the entire five days with her            b. will be nearby    

c. is just as frightened as she is                                    d. wants to be an accountant

32. When Ernie discovers Mary has slept in his restaurant, he

a. calls the police                      b. lets her stay and feeds her

c. returns her to her parents       d. throws her out and tells her never to return

33. When Mary returns from her Ta-Na-E-Ka, Grandfather says that

a. he enjoyed the sweet flavor of the berries he ate on his Ta-Na-E-Ka 
b.
he is extremely disappointed in Mary for not sticking to tradition
c.
Mary has learned nothing at all from Ta-Na-E-Ka                                
d.
he found a deer on the first day that fed him throughout his Ta-Na-E-Ka

34. Mary’s ability to survive Ta-Na-E-Ka in her own way shows

a. she has used her own resourcefulness while continuing in the family tradition 
b.
she hasn’t understood what she is supposed to do
c.
she is rebelling against her family’s culture by making fun of their traditions    
d.
she isn’t smart enough to survive her Ta-Na-E-Ka in the traditional way

Literary Element: Conflict

35. Mary’s internal conflict involves

a. deciding with Roger who takes what part of the woods         
b.
feeling guilty about how she survives Ta-Na-E-Ka
c.
arguing with Grandfather about the worth of the ancient ritual  
d.
surviving the challenges of the wilderness

Part D. Cont. Reading Comprehension "The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln"

Bubble the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.

36. According to the story, Abraham Lincoln’s personality can best be described as

a. almost always gloomy                                                                 b. usually very lively; he was only saddened when his son died

c. sometimes sad, but full of life when it came time to speak             d. often full of life, but generally gloomy when he spoke

37. Which of the following provides the best evidence that Lincoln had little formal education?

a. He was a sloppy dresser and owned only one suit in his entire life.
b. He mispronounced words like
there as “thar,” and can as “kin.”
c.
He was unable to hold intelligent discussions on Shakespeare’s plays.   
d.
He was always a poor man who tried to keep to his roots by insisting people call him Abe.

38. The title of the story," The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln,” is appropriate because

a. the piece explains all the strange circumstances concerning his death           
b.
the author is using humor; Lincoln was actually a simple person, almost too good to be true
c.
it explains the mystery of how Lincoln led the nation through the Civil War   
d.
it describes a complex man who was never fully understood, even by his closest friends

39. Which of the following best describes Lincoln’s goals during the war?

a. At first, Lincoln wanted to preserve the Union. It was later that slavery became such an important issue.
b.
At first, he merely wanted to eliminate slavery. It was later that preserving the Union became important.
c.
He hoped to use the war to make himself one of the most popular presidents of all time.
d.
He wanted to keep the North separate from the South because he hated the practice of slavery.

40. Which of the following is a surprise that was discussed in the story?

a. Lincoln grew up in a log cabin.                            b. Lincoln often looked serious in photographs.

c. Lincoln led the nation through the Civil War.        d. Lincoln was a wealthy man.

41. Instead of being a sloppy dresser, Lincoln actually

a. was simply careless about his appearance             b. had a good tailor make two suits for him each year

c. allowed his wife to decide what he would wear      d. wished he could wear a uniform

Literary Element: Description "Brother"

Bubble the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.

42. Maya Angelou describes herself as a child as being

a. continually picked on by Bailey    b. awkward and rather unattractive

c. a pickle thief                                d. loved less than Bailey by her mother

43. Which of the following is the best example of description?

a. “He could even pray out loud in church . . .”
b.
“[H]e dipped the strainer . . . into the barrel and fished for two . . . pickles.”
c.
“Where I was big, elbowy, and grating, he was small, graceful, and smooth. . . .”
d.
“He finished chores, homework, read more books than I, and played the group games. . . .”

Reading Skills and Strategies: Finding the Main Idea

Bubble the letter of the best answer to each of the following items.

44. Which of the following best describes the main idea of Angelou’s story?

a. Bailey likes to steal pickles.     b. Bailey protects his sister when others make fun of her.

c. Bailey is good at games.          d. Bailey is the greatest person in her life.

45. Angelou supports her main idea with details such as

a. her brother’s argument with Mrs. Coleman's son         b. Bailey’s ability to make time for many activities

c. Bailey’s inability to sleep                                             d. her brother’s fondness for writing to her

Language Link: General and Specific Modifiers

For each sentence, replace the italicized general modifier with the best specific modifier. Bubble letter of the modifier on the scantron sheet.

46. Jeannie’s new boyfriend is funny.

a. attractive b. likable c. interesting d. witty

47. The child stared hard out the window at the ice cream truck.

a. longingly b. well c. horribly d. nicely

48. Even though he was only fourteen, Brett was a good ball player.

a. fun b. cute c. spectacular d. bad

49. Claudia was not very interested in fashion until she finished college.

a. marginally b. finally c. really d. intensely

50. Mark thought his grandfather’s Christmas gift was great.

a. dull b. stupendous c. interesting d. very good

Part E. Vocabulary "The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln"

Match the definition on the left with the Word to Own on the right. Bubble in the letter of the Word to Own on your scantron sheet

1A. awkward; lacking grace or elegance                                                                            a. paramount
2A.
reserved; choosing not to talk about what one thinks or feels                                        b. patronized
3A.
facial expression or the way one holds oneself                                                              c. reticent
4A.
most important                                                                                                            d. gawky
5A. events, objects, or situations that supposedly tell what will happen in the future             e. crusade
6A.
was a regular customer of                                                                                           a. repose
7A.
liveliness; life                                                                                                               b. defy
8A.
restful state                                                                                                                 c. omens
9A.
struggle for a cause or belief                                                                                        d. countenance
10A.
resist completely                                                                                                       e. animation