8th Grade Reading

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8th Grade Reading

• CATS Review

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Blue Racerby Julie Heller
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The poet uses repetition of the words "pulse and
twist" to draw a comparison between

• the snake's movement and the movement of water.
• the dead leaves and the snake playing dead.
• the father's hand and the snake's movement.
• the glint of the sunlight and the snake's tail.

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The poet uses the simile "like water" to show

• the slow and winding motion of the snake.
• how fluidly and smoothly the snake moves.
• that the snake is wet from being on the ground.
• that snakes do not have bones in their bodies

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A major theme of this poem is that

• jealousy can completely destroy a person.
• actions can truly speak louder than words.
• life moves fast, like a snake in the woods.
• danger is around every corner, so beware.

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The "thick blue veins" in the father's hands that
"pulse and twist" are symbolic of

• water because the veins are also blue like water.
  
• life because blood is pumping through them.
• trees because their branches twist in the wind.
• sticks because they are often bent and curved

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What does the metaphor "the white scar of a snake
carved into rotting growth" mean?

• The snake is actually dead and is decomposing.
• The snake's white belly looks like a scar.
• The snake has scars on its body from an injury.
• They found a carving someone made on a tree.

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 In the context of this poem, the word brush means

• to touch something very lightly.
• an instrument for untangling hair.
• grass, sticks, and fallen leaves.
• a brief encounter or a meeting.

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The speaker of the poem runs through the woods to

• get far away from the snake because she is afraid
  of it.
• get home a little more quickly because she is
  very tired.
• show her father she can move as fast as a blue
  racer.
• catch the snake so she can bring it home to keep
  for a pet.

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No More Cafeterias!by Julie Heller      Some
students often say that lunch is one of their
favorite parts of the school day because it
provides them the opportunity to socialize with
their friends while giving their brains a
much-needed break. Many students, however, find
the time they must spend in the cafeteria to be
stressful and unpleasant, even on a good day.
Cafeterias are loud, messy arenas that are often
overcrowded and not adequately supervised. There
are food fights, increased bullying, and a
harried wolfing down of substandard meals. These
problems combine with the noise and confusion to
create what amounts to an unhealthy and
unproductive part of every school
day.     Still, students need to eat, and they
need time to socialize. So what's the solution?
Maybe we should change our lunch system to
reflect the system that's used in Japan. The
Japanese recognize that students cannot remain
sedentary or inactive all day. They also realize
that students need a nutritious meal that will
provide them with the carbohydrates and proteins
necessary for thinking and learning. Here's how
they do it.     First, all students eat lunch in
a classroom. At the elementary level, that
classroom is their primary classroom. At the
intermediate and secondary levels, the classroom
is whichever room they are scheduled to be in
just before lunch. The noise level is
dramatically reduced from that of the typical
cafeteria because there are no more than thirty
students dining at one time.
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 Second, the students are responsible for the
dining space. That includes transforming the room
into an acceptable dining space, cleaning that
space after they finish eating, and turning the
room back into a learning environment once lunch
is finished. If all the students were responsible
for cleaning up the mess, would they start a food
fight? If there were a good chance they would get
caught and be punished for misbehaving, wouldn't
they be less tempted to engage in such
behaviors?     Third, students no longer have to
spend half their time waiting in line to purchase
foods that aren't healthy. The cooks bring lunch
around on carts to each classroom. Students can
opt to either bring their lunch from home or
purchase a meal off the cart. Besides being
brought to each classroom, this option is
different because there is only one meal choice
offered, and that meal is healthy. The lunch I
ate while visiting a school in Japan consisted of
rice with jacko (tiny whole fish), seaweed, a
piece of grilled salmon, and milk.     With this
system in place instead of the crowded, noisy
cafeterias, imagine how much more peaceful and
relaxing lunch would be. Students would be able
to eat their lunch at a pace that encourages good
digestion, and they would have plenty of time to
talk with friends, read, or just relax before
their afternoon classes begin. No more chaos!
Serving only one meal choice a dayand a healthy
choice, at thatwould make this a feasible
approach to lunch that every school in America
could easily create.
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The author of this article supports her
perspective or opinion most effectively with

• quotes from authorities who have studied
  cafeterias.
• interviews with students who favor the Japanese
  system.
• personal experiences from visiting Japanese
  schools.
• stories from eating lunch in an American
  cafeteria.

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According to the author, cafeterias can be
stressful environments for some students because

• there are too many different foods to choose
  from.
• they would rather have another class instead of
  lunch.
• there are usually not enough seats for all the
  students.
• they feel isolated from their friends and
  vulnerable.

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There is no evidence offered in the article to
support the idea that American school lunch

• should not be served in a traditional cafeteria.
• is a meal that many students would rather skip.
• consists of junk food and other unhealthy
  choices.
• can become part of a needed rest for students.

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The word sedentary in paragraph two means

• anxious.
• energetic.
• curious.
• inactive.

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The word arena is used in place of "cafeteria" to
suggest that

• cafeterias are productive places in schools.
• students eat like animals putting on a show.
• students need other places to socialize and eat.
• the cafeteria is no different from the classroom.

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The author would most likely agree with which
statement?

• Japanese schools should have their students eat
  in the cafeterias.
• The lunch period should be quiet so the students
  can eat in peace.
• Eating in a classroom is a better system than
  eating in cafeterias.
• Food fights and bullying are just a normal part
  of growing up.

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The word substandard in paragraph one means

• not a standard.
• the same standard.
• above standard.
• below standard.

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An additional benefit of the Japanese system for
school lunch is

• support for trying a variety of different foods
  during school lunch.
• improved student attendance because students love
  lunch period.
• a greater sense of responsibility for cleaning up
  after themselves.
• an increased awareness of the nutritious foods
  found in a healthy diet.

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How English Class Saved My Lifeby Julie
Heller      I know what you're thinking. No way,
right? English class is the most boring class of
the day, right? I mean, why do I need to take
English class when I already speak English?
Right? Yeah, well I felt that way, too, until
last summer when English class literally saved my
life.     Let me explain.     My foster family,
the Jamesons, decided to take a vacation. Sounds
great, huh? Maybe Disneyland or a week on the
beach? No way. They wanted to go to the desert.
Long story short, we drove half way across the
country to camp out in the Great Basin
Desert.     "Josh, be sure to pack your warmest
clothing," Mrs. Jameson yelled up the stairs.
"The desert is cold at night, but don't worry. It
won't leave you cold. Just wait until you see the
stars."     We finally arrived at the Great
Basin National Park, and I have to admit it was
different than I imagined.     "Amazing, isn't
it?" Mr. Jameson asked me as we looked out over
the desert's vast, silent valleys. I just grunted
back at him and put my earphones back in. No
matter what changed in my life, no matter how
many times I failed, my music was always
there.     Later that night, I sat inside my
tent and listened to the Jamesons telling stories
around the fire they made. They thought it was so
easy. Telling stories. Reading stories. I
couldn't even pass English class. I couldn't
understand those stupid stories. Suddenly angry,
I left the tent. They didn't even notice.
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 The air was colder, but the stars were amazing.
I had to admit it. I turned off my music as I
walked and listened to the desert. Coyotes
howling. Owls hooting. Clawing. Scurrying.
Something wet hit my face. I looked up and
realized it was snowing! In the desert in July!
And I was lost.     I wandered for hours but
couldn't find our camp. The temperature continued
to drop. I found a tree with deep crevices in the
trunk and took shelter. My hands were getting
numb, and I knew I was in trouble. Then I
remembered Jack London and his story that we read
in English class, "To Build a Fire." I knew I
needed to keep warm, so I gathered up the
branches around the base of the tree, piled up
some dry grasses for kindling, and used the
matches in my pocket to get the fire going. Just
like in Jack's story. It worked!     I spent the
night keeping that fire going and listening to
the sounds of the desert. In the morning, the
Jamesons found me. I was only about a half-mile
away.     "Look at you," Mrs. Jameson said, when
I told her how I'd remembered that story from
English class, "making use of those 'stupid'
stories from English class. Now all you have to
do is write your own because your friends aren't
going to believe how English class saved your
life!"
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What is one effect of getting lost in the desert?

• Josh decides that he wants to be a foster parent
  when he is an adult.
• Josh realizes that the desert is an ideal place
  for vacationing families.
• Josh realizes he wants to pursue the study of
  astronomy and the stars.
• Josh realizes he can use his knowledge to take
  care of himself.

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How is Josh's story similar to Jack London's
story?

• They must both light a fire in order to survive
  in the wilderness.
• They are both afraid of being across the country
  and in a strange place.
• They both finally overcome loneliness and connect
  with nature.
• They are both happy to be able to sleep beneath
  the beautiful stars.

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The last paragraph of the story is best
summarized by which of the following statements?

• Mrs. Jameson thinks the stories English teachers
  assign students to read are stupid.
• Neither Mrs. Jameson nor Josh has any respect for
  fiction or the power of stories.
• Mrs. Jameson compliments Josh on his reading and
  encourages him to write.
• Mrs. Jameson tells Josh that his friends are not
  good because they will think he lies.

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The word vast most likely means

• deep and narrow.
• big and wide open.
• dark and brooding.
• noisy and chaotic.

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Because Josh gets lost in the desert, he learns
that

• the desert is one of the most dangerous places in
  the world.
• he really does understand the stories he reads in
  English.
• it is important to always carry matches wherever
  he goes.
• living with a foster family can put his life at
  risk.

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The purpose of this text is to

• persuade the reader to live in a desert
  environment.
• inform the reader about the dangers of the
  desert.
• entertain the reader with an engaging story.
• explain to the reader what a foster family is
  like.

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 What prediction is most logical when considering
Josh's experiences?

• He will pack more carefully for the next vacation
  he takes.
• He will take a greater interest in reading and do
  well in English.
• He will become a scientist and study temperature
  in deserts.
• He will report the Jamesons for taking him on a
  dangerous trip.

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Josh gets angry when the Jamesons are telling
stories around the fire because

• he is really tired from all the driving and wants
  to go to sleep.
• he is trying to read a book he brought with him
  but cannot.
• he thinks he cannot understand stories he reads
  in English class.
• they are being loud, and he cannot hear his music
  very well.

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To solve his problem, Josh uses what he

• learns from a story.
• hears in his music.
• remembers from TV.
• hears the family say.

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After Josh realizes he is lost, he

• listens to music and waits.
• takes shelter by a big tree.
• decides to keep walking.
• screams so he will be found.

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When Mrs. Jameson says "It (the desert) won't
leave you cold," what does she mean?

• Josh should wear a jacket.
• The desert is not inspiring.
• The desert will not bore him.
• Mrs. Jameson likes heat.

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Josh gains confidence in his reading and writing
skills because

• he tells stories around the fire with the rest of
  the family.
• his foster father reminds him that he needs to
  pass English.
• he spends his vacation time reading stories and
  writing.
• he remembers a story he read and uses it to save
  himself.

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The problem that Josh has while on this vacation
is that he

• is afraid of snakes.
• gets lost at night.
• forgets his books.
• is not very friendly.

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How does the setting affect Josh?

• It allows him time to be alone and reflect.
• He becomes irritable because of the intense heat.
  
• It makes him cry because he is afraid of the
  dark.
• The desert is so hot that he drinks more water.

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When Josh realizes the Jameson family is taking
him on vacation, he hopes they will go to

• Disneyland.
• Cape Cod.
• the desert.
• Louisiana.