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"ELA 6 2025 Practice Test"

In this passage, you will learn the true story of how two young brothers, Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier of France, became inventors of hot-air balloon flight in 1783. Read the passage. Then answer the questions.

Flying Balloons: The Story of the Montgolfier Brothers

by Joseph Taylor

1 Greek, Latin, and theology were the subjects taught in his school, but it was science and mathematics that interested Joseph Montgolfier. As often as he could, he would steal time from his studies to escape outdoors, where he could let his mind wander and ponder nature.

2 One day, he found himself considering the possibility of flight. Though many had tried, no human had ever flown before. Most people thought it impossible. One noted scientist put it bluntly: “It has been proved that we human beings are incapable of rising from the ground and soaring in the air. Why waste time on attempts at changing nature’s basic laws?”

3 Joseph had other ideas. He saw that many things in nature—bubbles, steam, clouds—did rise. “Surely, a human could lift off the ground and fly, too,” he told his brother Étienne.

4 Étienne nodded his agreement. “But how?”

5 Joseph grew so frustrated with his formal studies and his father’s rigid ways that he left school. He found a job picking mulberry leaves on a farm that raised silkworms. It wasn’t exactly the life of a prosperous merchant’s son, and his father soon had him returned to school. Joseph only grew more determined to study science and mathematics.

6 Meanwhile, Étienne excelled in school, much to his father’s delight. When he grew up, he became an architect, then, when his father retired, manager of the family business.

7 Joseph, though, stumbled from one failed career endeavor to the next. Although he devised new kinds of paper and manufacturing techniques, most of the family was dismissive of his attempts at papermakin. Meanwhile, Joseph’s dream of flight remained just a dream. Perhaps, he started to think, it always would.

8 Then one dreary November day in 1782, as forty‑two‑year‑old Joseph warmed himself beside the fire in his apartment in Avignon, an idea came to him. He noticed how quickly the smoke rose up the chimney. Could it be, he wondered, that something could float up with it?

9 He glued together a few pieces of paper to make a small bag, then carefully held it upside down above the flame. When he released it, the bag flew up the chimney with the smoke.

10 His heart racing, Joseph borrowed some green silk taffeta from his landlady and sewed a larger bag using the dress material. When he filled the bag with smoke, he could hardly believe his eyes. It lifted out of his hands and rose up to the ceiling.

11 After sending a hurried note to Étienne, Joseph made for Annonay to show his younger brother his discovery. “It’s incredible!” Étienne agreed.

12 The brothers quickly set to work experimenting. For months they tested many different bags—small and large, paper and cloth, square and round, some inflated over a smoky fire on the ground, others carrying kettles of fire up with them. Finally, they designed a large, round bag constructed of layers of paper and cloth that did not carry a kettle. It was 110 feet in circumference, weighed approximately 500 pounds—and was held together by more than 1,800 buttons!

13 Rumors of the Montgolfier brothers’ experiments eventually aroused curiosity, and they were invited to give a public demonstration of their “machine.” On 4 June 1783, surrounded by a crowd of local officials and townspeople, Joseph and Étienne built a smoky fire in a grate using straw and wool and sent their balloon aloft. It rose more than 3,000 feet and drifted for ten minutes before landing in a vineyard. The brothers agreed that the machine could have stayed up longer had the smoke not escaped from its buttoned sides. But the crowd was far from disappointed. Everyone rushed to congratulate them.

14 Soon the Academy of Sciences and the king and queen themselves, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, invited the Montgolfiers to Paris to demonstrate their invention. Joseph and Étienne were overjoyed. All they needed was some time to construct a better “aerostat,” as they now called the balloon.

15 But time was something they did not have. A few weeks after their triumph, they learned that their demonstration had prompted a prominent Parisian scientist, Jacques Charles, to begin work on a similar machine. Stunned, the brothers decided that the more worldly Étienne should go to Paris to keep up with events and oversee the construction of their new aerostat.

16 On 27 August 1783, thousands of people assembled in Paris to witness the flight of Charles’s Le Globe. When it was unveiled, Étienne and his new friend, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier, an ambitious young scientist, gasped at its small size. Then Étienne realized why it was so small. “He’s using inflammable air!”

17 Indeed, unlike the Montgolfiers’ aerostat, Charles’s was filled with a gas discovered seventeen years earlier that would soon become known as hydrogen. It was lighter than air—but also explosive. When Charles heard first reports of the Montgolfiers’ flight, he may have believed, with other scientists, that their balloon was lifted with this gas.

18 Forty-five minutes after Le Globe lifted off, the Charles aerostat burst. Although Charles’s flight was not completely successful, Paris now buzzed with excitement. People talked about exploring the “air ocean” the way they had the sea.

19 A few weeks later, on 12 September, Étienne demonstrated his new, handsewn aerostat to members of the Academy of Sciences. Though the balloon rose up into the air, a sudden rain sent it crashing to the ground, destroying it. Étienne was horrified. The great demonstration before the king and queen was scheduled in less than a week! Trying not to panic, he and his workers quickly began to construct an entirely new aerostat.

20 Not only did they finish in time, but Étienne took the opportunity to add a wicker basket to the new design. This aerostat would carry passengers.

21 On 19 September, near the royal palace at Versailles, the king and queen watched expectantly as the Montgolfier aerostat took off, with a sheep, a rooster, and a duck in its basket. A gust of wind knocked the balloon against its support mast, tearing it slightly. Once in the air, another gust tilted it and sent a plume of smoke streaming out its side. Étienne grimaced and closed one eye. But the aerostat continued at an angle, traveling two miles in eight minutes before landing safely in a small meadow.

Hand-colored etching depicting the hot-air balloon, released by the Montgolfier brothers, ascending from the Palace of Versailles before the royal family. Dated 1783.

“Flying Balloons: The Story of the Montgolfier Brothers” by Joseph Taylor. Copyright April 2008 by Cricket Media. Reproduced with permission of Open Court Publishing Company via Copyright Clearance Center.

Read paragraphs 2 and 3. Why did Joseph believe that human flight was possible?

Which quote from the passage is best supported by the image and caption found at the end of the passage?

Part A

Based on the passage, which statement best describes Joseph?

Part B

Which quotation from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

In paragraph 7, what does the word endeavor mean?

Part A

By describing Étienne as “worldly” in paragraph 15, what does the author suggest about him?

Part B

Which quotation from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

Part A

Which statement is a central idea of the passage?

Part B

Which quotation from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

Read the passage. Then answer the questions.

How a Foolish Wolf Learned to Be Satisfied

1 A dissatisfied wolf, sitting one day in the door of his house, saw a crow fly by.

2 “How is it,” thought he, “that so good for nothing a creature can fly, while I can not? I would indeed be happy were I able to soar through the air.”

3 With that he set about planning to get some wings, and being clever, as creatures go, he soon had an idea that he thought very fine. So he polished his boots; laid out his best clothes; and went to bed chuckling with glee, over what he was going to do.

4 Next morning, looking very fine, he was out betimes, and met a fat grey goose on her way to market, with her basket on her wing.

5 “Good morning!” said the goose. And having no more than a bowing acquaintance, she would have passed with a courtesy, but the wolf, as if quite by accident, scraped against her and caught his buttons in her feathers.

6 “Oh, madam, excuse me!” he cried, making such a fuss about getting loose that the goose was quite flurried, and glad enough to excuse him and go on her way. But that was not the end of the matter, for she had gone but a few steps when the wolf called after her.

7 “Madam, madam, you have lost something!” and came running up with a feather. “Oh!” said the goose, “is that all you have? You might have saved your breath, for feathers are of no use to me after they fall out.”

8 “Oh!” cried the wolf, “I could not think it was worthless, for I so admire your beautiful wings. I wonder you are not flying all the time, instead of going along the ground, as we poor creatures must be content to do. Perhaps you will give me this beautiful feather for a keepsake.”

9 The goose, too honest to be puffed up by this flattery, gave him the feather, wondering how it was that no one had ever before called her modest plumage “beautiful.”

10 “Well begun is half done,” thought the wolf, as he trotted off; for having won the good will of the honest goose by his flattery, she made no objection to his walking along the road with her every morning.

11 “Dear me, something is pinching me!” the goose would say, as they parted at the crossroads.

12 “It is the sun beating down,” the wolf would reply, or else, “A fly is biting you.” And he would be off through the woods with another feather, while the poor goose preened her wings, never guessing why they were ruffled.

13 At last the wolf had enough feathers and sat at home, with wire and string, making a pair of wings; nor was he the least bothered that he had not come by the feathers honestly.

14 When the wings were finished he fastened them to his sides, twisting the wire and string around his poor body till he could scarcely breathe; but he paid no attention to that, since he thought he looked so grand, and strutting before the glass he cried:

15 “How the birds and the fowls will envy me! I will outfly them all, and the ugly black crows will not dare caw at me anymore!”

16 Now he must show the goose what a handsome bird he made—not a delicate thing to do, you’ll agree, since his wings were made of the goose’s feathers.

17 When the grey goose saw him she was indeed surprised.

18 “Do not, I beg of you, try to fly!” she cried. Whereupon the wolf thought she was angry because he had stolen her feathers.

19 “Oh, no!” cried the goose. “Of what use are they to me now? I have new ones in place of them. If it were meant for you to fly, you would have wings. What should we all come to, I would like to know, if each wished to do the other’s work, instead of what we are fitted for? If I tried to be a canary what kind of singing do you think I could do? I am indeed thankful that I am a goose, and shall be the best goose I know how to be!”

20 And this was wisdom from a goose, for aught people say they are silly.

21 But what did the wolf care for all this!

22 Only sorry that he had delayed trying his wings, he bade her good-bye, and trotted off, looking too vain and silly for anything. It is true he could not go very fast, as his wings did not lie flat when he tried to run, as did those of the goose.

23 “But one cannot have everything!” thought he, “and it will be so glorious to fly that I shall not want to run anymore.”

24 Finally he reached the top of a hill so high that his nose was poking into the clouds, while the cattle in the valley below looked like specks.

25 “Ah!” exclaimed the wolf, trying to spread his wings, “this is something like it!”

26 His wings did not spread and flap as he expected, but he was quite certain that when he started to fly the wind would make them go; so swelling out his chest, he looked about to see if anyone was watching.

27 “Ha, ha!” he laughed, seeing the fox and the weasel and some other of his comrades below on the hill, “now they shall see a sight that will open their eyes!”

28 He gave a mighty leap into the air!

29 Crash, bang! crash, bang! down through tree-tops and bushes; rolling over and over; bumping on stones; scraping his shins on the sharp rocks, and into the creek at the bottom, came the wolf with his fine wings!

30 “Oh, let me get rid of these!” he cried, but they were so twisted about him that there was no getting them loose.

31 “Ho, ho!” laughed a hunter coming along, “you are caught in a trap, my fine fellow!” So he tied a rope round the wolf’s neck, and led him along like a calf.

32 “Oh, sir!” cried the wolf, “let me go! I have harmed no one but myself. I was trying to fly.”

33 “He, ho!” laughed the hunter, “so these are your wings, and it is you who have been plucking the feathers from my good goose. It is true that you have harmed no one but yourself; but that you may have time to think over your folly, I shall take you home with me and set you to churning my butter.”

34 While the wolf was treading the milk into fine butter he thought somewhat in this wise:

35 “Had I heeded the grey goose and been satisfied to be a good wolf, I should be safe in my house to-day!”

36 So much for being envious! For what was it but envy that got the wolf into all this trouble? And of what use are other creatures’ wings to us, when we do not know how to use them?

In the public domain.

In paragraph 6, what does the word flurried mean?

In paragraph 8, what does the word keepsake mean?

Part A

Read paragraphs 10 through 12. What is suggested about the wolf?

Part B

Which phrase taken from the passage best supports the answer to part A?

Part A

What is a theme of the passage?

Part B

Which sentence taken from the passage best supports the answer to part A?

Part A

Which statement best describes how the goose reacts to the wolf when she sees his wings?

Part B

Which quotation from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

The descriptive language in paragraph 29 mainly contributes to the development of the plot by showing that the wolf

Select from the lists of choices to complete the sentences.

Today you will read the passage “The Pedlar of Swaffham” and the passage “The Wheat on the Chessboard.” Then you will answer questions about the passages and write a response in which you analyze both texts.

Read the passage “The Pedlar of Swaffham.” Then answer the questions.

The Pedlar of Swaffham

retold by Kendal A. Rautzhan

1 In Norfolk, England, in a village called Swaffham, there once lived a poor pedlar. The pedlar had a cottage, a small yard with a big oak tree, and a loyal dog as his constant companion. Every day he traveled from village to village with his pack on his back.

2 “What do you need?” he would shout. “I have gloves, ribbons, pins, needles, thread, necklaces, and wooden spoons.”

3 Although the townsfolk enjoyed the friendly pedlar’s company, he rarely sold anything. He’d often come home tired and hungry. But as poor as he was, the pedlar always made certain that his dog was well fed and that he had a few coins to give his church every week.

4 One night the pedlar had an unusual dream. He was standing on London Bridge, surrounded by fine shops and homes. On the River Thames below, graceful swans floated among gleaming ships and rowboats. As the pedlar admired the scene, he heard a voice in the distance.

5 “Go to London and stand on the bridge,” the voice urged him. “There you will hear happy news.”

6 When the pedlar awoke the next morning, he paid no attention to the dream or its mysterious message. But that night, he dreamed the same dream again, and the next night, he dreamed it a third time.

7 But London is so far away, the pedlar thought. He sorted through his pack, which still held plenty of goods. Perhaps he could sell some things as he traveled, just enough to pay for food and shelter.

8 The next morning, the pedlar and his dog set off for London. To his dismay, the journey was even longer and harder than he’d expected. He didn’t sell much along the way, so when he finally reached the bridge, his muscles ached from exhaustion.

9 Still, the pedlar was encouraged, for the bridge looked just as it had in his dream. There were elegant shops and houses, and hundreds of people bustled about. The River Thames was just as he had dreamed, too, with swans, ships, and little boats rowed by men wearing red caps.

10 All day the pedlar stayed on the bridge, waiting to hear the happy news. But instead he heard the shouts of men carrying loads who pushed past him. “Out of my way!” they cried. The next day was the same.

11 On the third day, a shopkeeper who had noticed the pedlar standing around approached him.

12 “I can see you’re from the country,” the shopkeeper observed with a haughty smile. “City folks don’t want village goods. You don’t expect to sell your things here, do you?”

13 “No, I suppose not,” replied the pedlar.

14 “Then what exactly are you doing?” the shopkeeper inquired.

15 “Well, sir,” the pedlar began, “I’m waiting. For three nights straight, I dreamed that if I came and stood on London Bridge, I would hear good news.”

16 “You came all this way  . . .  because of a dream? To hear good news?” the shopkeeper asked in disbelief.

17 “Er—yes,” said the pedlar, feeling embarrassed.

18 The shopkeeper chuckled. “Dreams are nothing but nonsense,” he declared. “Why, just last night I dreamed I was in a village with some ridiculous name—Swaffham—outside some poor pedlar’s cottage. I started digging around a big oak tree, through stones and dirt, until I discovered a heap of gold coins.

19 “Can you imagine if I were to walk all the way to this Swaffham place, just because of some foolish dream? Of course not!” the shopkeeper bellowed. “A man belongs at home, where he can handle his business. My advice? Return to where you came from.”

20 “I believe I will,” said the pedlar, grinning. “Many thanks for your wisdom.”

21 And without a moment’s hesitation, the pedlar and his dog headed back to Swaffham.

22 When they arrived home three days later, the pedlar pulled out his shovel and began to dig around the big oak tree. It wasn’t long before he came upon the treasure: heaps of gold coins, so many that it took him two days to count them all.

23 But the pedlar didn’t forget to share his wealth with his beloved village. His church had been crumbling into ruins for many years, so he paid to have it restored to its proper glory. When the pedlar died at a ripe old age, the people of Swaffham put up a statue of him with his pack on his back and his loyal dog by his side.

Historical Note

Many believe that the legendary pedlar is based on John Chapman, a 15th-century church warden. Swaffham Church records show that Chapman paid to build a new north aisle and repair the church spire in 1462. Today, wood carvings of Chapman and his little dog are displayed at each end of Swaffham Church’s front pew, honoring his generosity. The pair is also featured on the Swaffham town sign.

“The Pedlar of Swaffham” retold by Kendal A. Rautzhan. Copyright 2012 by Cricket Media. Reproduced with permission of Cricket Media via Copyright Clearance Center.

Today you will read the passage “The Pedlar of Swaffham” and the passage “The Wheat on the Chessboard.” Then you will answer questions about the passages and write a response in which you analyze both texts.

Read the passage “The Wheat on the Chessboard.” Then answer the questions.

The Wheat on the Chessboard: An Old Tale from India

by Liz Huyck

1 Long ago, a wise Indian mathematician called Sessa invented the game of chess to amuse his friend the king. The king was delighted with the game and told Sessa to name anything he liked as his reward, boasting that the wealth of his kingdom was limitless. But instead of gold, jewels, elephants, or palaces, after much thought Sessa told the king that he wished only a few grains of wheat.

2 “What?!?” exclaimed the king, greatly astonished.

3 “I am a simple man,” replied Sessa, “and my wants are few. But since you enjoy my chessboard so much, give me a single grain of wheat for the first square, two grains for the second, four for the third, and so on. For each square double the last, as each day of play doubles our delight. That will mean more to me than all the riches in the world.”

4 “Very well!” said the king, a little irritated, thinking that Sessa was mocking his wealth. “If that’s all he wants,” he told his treasurer, “give it to him!”

5 The first day, the treasurer presented Sessa with a single grain of wheat, to the huge amusement of the court. The second day, he got two, on a little cushion. The great lords roared with laughter. But Sessa kept his thoughts to himself.

6 On the ninth day, Sessa received 256 grains, enough to make a small handful. But the very next day, he had two handfuls. It took Sessa 16 days to get enough wheat to fill a large bag. But only one more day to get two bags. The day after, he had four bags. The courtiers stopped laughing and started whispering.

7 By the end of the month, wagons filled with grain were rumbling toward Sessa’s house, and the treasurer began to look worried. Quaking in his boots, he went to see the king.

8 “Highness!” he trembled. “Please look over my calculations, but I don’t think they are in error. By his simple doubling, Sessa has now collected nearly all our stores of wheat! What shall we do? If we continue at this rate the treasury will soon be bankrupt, and I doubt there is enough wheat in the entire world to pay him!”

9 The king was amazed by the treasurer’s words, but he checked and double-checked the arithmetic, and there was no doubt. In horror he saw that by the last of the 64 squares, he would owe Sessa a total of 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 grains of wheat! He could not even imagine so many grains—they would make a pile of wheat larger than the largest mountain. That much wheat could not be gathered if all of India grew nothing else for the next 2,000 centuries!

10 There was nothing for the king to do but call Sessa before him, confess the foolishness of his rash promise, and take back his boasts about his limitless wealth.

11 “Sire!” Sessa replied. “Let us say no more about the wheat. I am happy with what I have already—I forgive you the second half of the chessboard.”

12 With that the king and Sessa remained the best of friends and enjoyed many games of chess together. And the clever Sessa got the real reward he had wanted all along—a wiser and more mathematical king.

Historical Note

Though no one can say for sure if it really happened, this story has been around for as long as chess, which was probably invented in northern India about 1,500 years ago. It is a fun illustration of how quickly a series of numbers that grows by multiplying can get out of hand, even if it starts out slowly. The amount of wheat for just the first square on the second half of the chessboard is as much as the entire first half!

“The Wheat on the Chessboard” by Liz Huyck. Copyright September 2012 by Cricket Media. Reproduced with permission of Cricket Media via Copyright Clearance Center.

What is the meaning of the word haughty as it is used in paragraph 12 of the passage “The Pedlar of Swaffham”?

Part A

How do paragraphs 1 through 3 in “The Pedlar of Swaffham” contribute to the development of the plot of the passage?

Part B

Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

Which two details should be included in a summary of the passage “The Pedlar of Swaffham”?

What is the meaning of the word bankrupt as it is used in paragraph 8 of “The Wheat on the Chessboard”?

Select from the lists of choices to complete the sentence based on information from the passage “The Wheat on the Chessboard.”

Complete the chart by indicating whether the description applies only to the pedlar, only to the king, or to both the pedlar and the king.

The main characters in “The Pedlar of Swaffham” and “The Wheat on the Chessboard” share similar character traits. Write a response analyzing how their shared traits contribute to the development of the theme of the two stories. Use evidence from both passages to support your ideas.

Today you will read the passages “Dissect a Flower” and “Venus Flytrap.” Then you will answer questions about the passages and write a response in which you analyze both texts.

This passage describes an activity where students could dissect, or take apart and examine, the parts of a flower. Read the passage “Dissect a Flower.” Then answer the questions.

Dissect a Flower

by Svenja Lohner

1 Springtime is when nature appears to come back to life after winter. Trees grow leaves, grass gets green, and flowers sprout, displaying beautiful colors and sometimes spreading a delightful scent. But have you ever looked at a flower in more detail? What parts do flowers consist of? Are all flowers alike? In this activity you will find out by dissecting, or taking apart, a flower piece by piece. How many plant parts do you think you can identify?

Background

2 Plants that make flowers are known as flowering plants. But do flowers only exist to make plants look pretty? Not quite! Although they can be beautiful to us, flowers are made to attract pollinators for reproduction. This means the flowers are a crucial part of the process in growing seeds to make more plants. If you look closely at a flower, you might see that it is made of many different parts, each of which has a specific purpose.

3 Some flowering plants have a stem, which is a long stalk that carries water and nutrients and supports the flower. Leaves produce the food for the plant by photosynthesis, a process that helps make plant food from light, carbon dioxide, and water.

4 When you look at the flower of a flowering plant, the most obvious parts are probably the petals. They can vary in size and shape but are usually brightly colored. Their purpose is to attract the bees and other insects that help to pollinate the plants. You might be surprised to learn that some flowers—in the botanical world they are called “perfect flowers”—have male parts and female parts, and each plays an important role during pollination.

5 The male parts, called stamens, look like long stalks (known as filaments) with a little round shape at their end (called the anther), which contains the plant pollen. This bright yellow or orange dust is what insects carry from one plant to another. Pollination occurs if the pollen gets carried to the female parts of a new flower, called the pistil. The pistil is usually a long stalk located in the center of the flower and is also made up of several parts. Most importantly it contains the ovary at its bottom, which houses the female plant eggs called ovules. When pollen is dropped into the pistil of a flower, the eggs, or ovules, inside the plant ovaries are fertilized. The fertilized ovules then grow into plant seeds, and the ovary becomes the fruit.

6 As you can see, a flower is much more than just beautiful to look at: it is essential for a plant to create more plants. Take a closer look at the many different plant parts in this activity, and see how they differ from one flower to another!

Materials

• Three different large fresh flowering plants, such as roses, tulips, lilies, petunias, carnations or irises. You will need at least the stem with a flower attached for each of these. Note: Make sure you select “perfect flowers,” which have male (stamen) and female (pistil) plant parts, such as those listed above. If you have allergies to certain plants, make sure that you use an alternative.

• Glass or cup with water

• Six paper plates

• Tweezers

• Scissors

• Magnifying glass or hand lens (optional)

• At least one additional (intact) specimen of each of the flower types you chose to dissect (optional)

• Paper (optional)

• Colored pencils (optional)

• Poster-sized paper or poster board (optional)

• Tape (optional)

• One or more vegetables or fruits, such as carrots, beets, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, apples, peppers, lettuce, peas, corn or cabbage (optional)

Preparation

• Label each of the paper plates with one plant part (“Stem,” “Petal,” “Leaf,” “Pistil” and “Stamen”).

• Label one extra paper plate “Other.”

• Draw lines onto each paper plate to divide it into three sections.

• Label each section on each plate with a name of one of the three flowering plants.

Procedure

• Carefully look at each of the flowering plants. If you have a magnifying glass, you can use it to examine your plants and their flowers. What does each plant and flower look like?

• Choose one of your flowering plants, and start your plant dissection. Use your hands, scissors or tweezers and carefully take apart your plant. Which plant parts can you identify?

• Once you have removed one part of the plant, try to identify it, and place it on the corresponding plate. Put it in the section that is labeled with the right plant name. Can you find a plant part for each plate?

• If you cannot identify a specific plant part, place it on the “Other” plate.

• When you have finished taking the first plant apart look at all its different parts. How do different parts within one plant compare?

• Next repeat the dissection with the remaining two flowering plants. Then compare the plant parts on each paper plate. What do you notice about the same plant part from different flowering plants?

• Look at all the plant parts that you placed on the “Other” plate. What do you think these plant parts are? How can you find out?

“Dissect a Flower” by Svenja Lohner. Copyright 2019 by Scientific American. Reproduced with permission of Scientific American via Copyright Clearance Center.

Today you will read the passages “Dissect a Flower” and “Venus Flytrap.” Then you will answer questions about the passages and write a response in which you analyze both texts.

Read the passage “Venus Flytrap.” Then answer the questions.

Venus Flytrap

1 The Venus flytrap is a flowering plant best known for its carnivorous eating habits. The “trap” is made of two hinged lobes at the end of each leaf. On the inner surfaces of the lobes are hair-like projections called trichomes that cause the lobes to snap shut when prey comes in contact with them. This type of movement is called thigmonasty—a nondirectional plant response to being touched. To prevent the plant from wasting energy if prey isn’t actually there, the trap will only shut when the trichomes are touched multiple times. The hinged traps are edged with small bristles that interlock when the trap shuts to ensure the prey can’t squirm out. There are other carnivorous plants in the wild, but the Venus flytrap is one of the very few that exhibits motion to actively trap its prey.

RANGE

2 The Venus flytrap is endemic to North and South Carolina, but it has been introduced to a few other states, including Florida and New Jersey. It is popular as a potted plant in many parts of the world, but unfortunately most of the Venus flytraps sold have been cultivated or collected from declining wild populations.

3 The plant grows in moist, acidic soil that may be poor in nutrients. Venus flytraps need an open understory (the part of the forest below the canopy) to live. Part of what keeps the understory open is natural fires that sweep through and burn away parts of trees and shrubs. These fires can become dangerous to humans, so often we stop them before they have a chance to provide benefits to the forest. This results in less suitable habitat for the sun-loving Venus flytrap.

DIET

4 The Venus flytrap gets some of its nutrients from the soil, but to supplement its diet, the plant eats insects and arachnids. Ants, beetles, grasshoppers, flying insects, and spiders are all victims of the flytrap. It can take a Venus flytrap three to five days to digest an organism, and it may go months between meals.

LIFE HISTORY

5 Venus flytraps are perennial plants, which means they bloom year after year. The flowers are white with green veins running from the base of the petal toward the edges. Pollinated flowers eventually give rise to seeds.

6 Each trap on the plant can only open and close several times before it dies and falls off. Then the plant produces a new trap from its underground stems. The lifespan of the Venus flytrap isn’t known for certain, but it’s been estimated to live up to 20 years and possibly longer.

CONSERVATION

7 The Venus flytrap is internationally listed as vulnerable. It is also under consideration for federal listing on the U.S. endangered species list. This species is threatened by overcollection, habitat destruction, and fire suppression.

FUN FACT

8 Like all plants, the Venus flytrap gets its energy from the sun in a process called photosynthesis. It digests insects and arachnids to get nutrients that are not available in the surrounding environment.

© 2021 National Wildlife Federation. All Rights Reserved.

In paragraph 5 of “Dissect a Flower,” the pistil is the part of the plant that

What are two purposes for including the picture of the flower in “Dissect a Flower”?

Select from the lists of choices to complete the following sentence.

Part A

What is the meaning of digest as it is used in paragraph 4 of “Venus Flytrap”?

Part B

Which quotation from paragraph 4 best supports the answer to Part A?

According to “Venus Flytrap,” what effect do forest fires have on the survival of Venus flytraps?

Based on “Venus Flytrap,” create a summary of the Venus flytrap’s life cycle. From the following list, select the four most important details and place them in the correct order in the table. Two details will not be used.

According to “Dissect a Flower” and “Venus Flytrap,” what are two ways in which Venus flytraps are similar to other plants?

Read each statement and select a box to show whether it is supported by “Dissect a Flower,” “Venus Flytrap,” or both passages. Choose only one box per row.

You have read two passages about plants. “Dissect a Flower” provides an experiment a reader can perform to learn about plants, while “Venus Flytrap” provides facts and descriptions to help the reader learn. Which type of passage provides a better opportunity for learning?

Write a response arguing whether a reader learns more from thinking through an experiment or from thinking through facts and descriptions. Use information from both passages in your argument.

Today you will read Part 1 and Part 2 from the book The One and Only Ivan. Then you will answer questions about the selections and write a response in which you analyze both texts.

Read Part 1 from The One and Only Ivan. Then answer the questions.

Part 1 from The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate

the exit 8 big top mall and video arcade

1 I live in a human habitat called the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. We are conveniently located off I-95, with shows at two, four, and seven, 365 days a year.

2 Mack says that when he answers the trilling telephone.

3 Mack works here at the mall. He is the boss.

4 I work here too. I am the gorilla.

5 At the Big Top Mall, a creaky-music carousel spins all day, and monkeys and parrots live amid the merchants. In the middle of the mall is a ring with benches where humans can sit on their rumps while they eat soft pretzels. The floor is covered with sawdust made of dead trees.

6 My domain is at one end of the ring. I live here because I am too much gorilla and not enough human.

7 Stella’s domain is next to mine. Stella is an elephant. She and Bob, who is a dog, are my dearest friends.

8 At present, I do not have any gorilla friends.

9 My domain is made of thick glass and rusty metal and rough cement. Stella’s domain is made of metal bars. The sun bears’ domain is wood; the parrots’ is wire mesh.

10 Three of my walls are glass. One of them is cracked, and a small piece, about the size of my hand, is missing from its bottom corner. I made the hole with a baseball bat Mack gave me for my sixth birthday. After that he took the bat away, but he let me keep the baseball that came with it.

11 A jungle scene is painted on one of my domain walls. It has a waterfall without water and flowers without scent and trees without roots. I didn’t paint it, but I enjoy the way the shapes flow across my wall, even if it isn’t much of a jungle.

12 I am lucky my domain has three windowed walls. I can see the whole mall and a bit of the world beyond; the frantic pinball machines, the pink billows of cotton candy, the vast and treeless parking lot.

13 Beyond the lot is a freeway where cars stampede without end. A giant sign at its edge beckons them to stop and rest like gazelles at a watering hole.

14 The sign is faded, the colors bleeding, but I know what it says. Mack read its words aloud one day: “COME TO THE EXIT 8 BIG TOP MALL AND VIDEO ARCADE, HOME OF THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, MIGHTY SILVERBACK!”

15 Sadly, I cannot read, although I wish I could. Reading stories would make a fine way to fill my empty hours.

16 Once, however, I was able to enjoy a book left in my domain by one of my keepers.

17 It tasted like termite.

18 The freeway billboard has a drawing of Mack in his clown clothes and Stella on her hind legs and an angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.

19 That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake. I am never angry.

20 Anger is precious. A silverback uses anger to maintain order and warn his troop of danger. When my father beat his chest, it was to say, Beware, listen, I am in charge. I am angry to protect you, because that is what I was born to do.

21 Here in my domain, there is no one to protect.

© 2012 by Katherine Applegate. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

Today you will read Part 1 and Part 2 from the book The One and Only Ivan. Then you will answer questions about the selections and write a response in which you analyze both texts.

Ivan has been moved from the mall to a zoo. Kinyani is another gorilla at the zoo, Ruby is a young elephant Ivan knew at the mall, and Maya is a zookeeper. Read Part 2 from The One and Only Ivan. Then answer the questions.

Part 2 from The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate

door

1 Today the humans lead me to a door.

2 On the other side, Kinyani and the others wait for me.

3 I’m not ready for this. I’m not ready to be a silverback.

4 I’m Ivan, just Ivan, only Ivan.

5 I decide it’s not a good day to socialize.

6 I’ll try again tomorrow.

wondering

7 All night I lie awake, wondering about Ruby.

8 Has she already walked through a door like the one I’m facing?

9 Was she as scared as I am? Scared the way she must have been that day she fell in the hole?

10 I think of Ruby’s endless curiosity, and of the questions she loved to ask. Have you ever danced with a tiger, Ivan? Will your fur turn blue? Why doesn’t that little boy have a tail?

11 If Ruby were here with me, she’d be asking: What’s on the other side of the door, Ivan?

12 Ruby would want to know, and she would have been through that door by now.

ready

13 “Want to try again, Ivan?” Maya asks. I think of Ruby, and I tell myself it’s time.

14 The door opens.

outside at last

15 Sky.

16 Grass.

17 Tree.

18 Ant.

19 Stick.

20 Bird.

21 Dirt.

22 Cloud.

23 Wind.

24 Flower.

25 Rock.

26 Rain.

27 Mine.

28 Mine.

29 Mine.

oops

30 I sniff, approach, strut a bit, but the others don’t welcome me. They have sharp teeth and loud voices.

31 Did I do something wrong?

32 Kinyani chases me. She throws a stick at me. She corners me.

33 I know that she’s testing me to see if I’m a true silverback, one who can protect her family.

34 I cower and hide my eyes.

35 Maya lets me back into my cage.

what it was like

36 I lie awake and try to remember what it was like, being a gorilla.

37 How did we move? How did we touch? How did we know who was boss?

38 I try to think past the babies and the motorbikes and the popcorn and the short pants.

39 I try to imagine Ivan as he might have been.

pretending

40 The juvenile male approaches. He’s eyeing my food hungrily.

41 I imagine a different Ivan, my father’s son.

42 I grumble and swat and swagger. I beat my chest till the whole world hears.

43 Kinyani watches, and so do the others.

44 I move toward the young upstart, and he retreats.

45 Almost as if he believes I’m the silverback I’m pretending to be.

nest

46 I’m making a nest on the ground. It isn’t a true jungle nest. The leaves are inferior and the sticks are brittle. They snap when I weave them into place.

47 The others watch, grunting their disapproval: too small, too flimsy, an ugly thing to see.

48 But when I climb into that leafy cradle, it’s like floating on treetop mist.

more tv

49 Maya wants me to go back to my glass cage. I can tell, because she is tempting me toward the door with a trail of tiny marshmallows.

50 I try to ignore her. I don’t want to leave the outside. It’s a cloudless day, and I’ve found just the right spot for a nap. But I relent when she adds yogurt raisins to the trail. She knows my weaknesses all too well.

51 In the glass cage, the TV is on. It’s another nature show, jerky and unfocused.

52 I expect to see gorillas, but none appear.

53 I hear a shrill sound, like a toy trumpet.

54 My heart quickens.

55 I rush close to the screen, and there she is.

56 Ruby.

57 She is rolling in a lovely pool of mud with two other young elephants.

58 Another elephant approaches. She towers over Ruby. She strokes Ruby, nudges her. She makes soft noises.

59 They stand side by side, just the way Stella and Ruby used to do. Their trunks entwine. I see something new in Ruby’s eyes, and I know what it is.

60 It’s joy.

61 I watch the whole thing, and then Maya plays it again for me, and again. At last she turns off the TV and carries it out of the cage.

62 I put my hand to the glass. Maya looks over.

63 Thank you, I try to say with my eyes. Thank you.

it

64 Kinyani ambles toward me. She taps me on the shoulder and knuckle runs away.

65 I watch her, arms crossed over my chest. I’m careful not to make a sound.

66 I’m not sure what we’re doing.

67 She ambles back, shoves at me, dashes past. And then I realize what’s happening.

68 We’re playing.

69 We’re playing tag.

70 And I’m it.

© 2012 by Katherine Applegate. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

Part A

Based on details in Part 1 of The One and Only Ivan, which statement best describes Ivan’s point of view toward his situation compared to gorillas living in the wild?

Part B

What evidence from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

In paragraph 13 of Part 1 of The One and Only Ivan, the phrase cars stampede without end has the main effect of emphasizing how the cars

How do Ivan’s thoughts about Ruby change throughout Part 2 of The One and Only Ivan?

In paragraphs 27 through 29 from Part 2 of The One and Only Ivan, the repetition of the word Mine suggests that Ivan’s connection with the outdoors is

In paragraph 48 from Part 2 of The One and Only Ivan, what does Ivan most likely mean when he says climbing into the nest is like floating on treetop mist?

Part A

In Part 2 of The One and Only Ivan, how do the interactions between Ivan and Maya contribute to the development of the plot?

Part B

What evidence from Part 2 of The One and Only Ivan best supports the answer to Part A?

Read each statement in the chart describing Ivan’s interactions with humans in both parts of The One and Only Ivan. Select the appropriate box to indicate whether the statement applies to Ivan’s interactions with Mack from Part 1, his interactions with Maya from Part 2, or with both characters.

Part A

What is the theme of both parts of The One and Only Ivan?

Part B

What evidence best supports the answer to Part A?

Part A

In both parts of The One and Only Ivan, how does the author develop Ivan’s point of view in a similar way?

Part B

Which details best support the answer to Part A? Select one detail from each part of The One and Only Ivan.

In both parts of The One and Only Ivan, the author shows how Ivan interacts with other characters. Analyze these interactions and write a response in which you compare his relationships in Part 1 with his relationships in Part 2. Be sure to use specific details from both parts to support your response.