Student Team Literature Standardized Reading Practice Test

1 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 1 Student team Literature Standardized Reading Practice Test Maniac magee (Harper Trophy Newbery Edition, 1990) DIRECTIONS Choose the word that means the same, or about the same, as the underlined word. Then circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE A Accurate means the same as A boring B exciting C exact D very long 1. A suspicious person is one who is - A mistrustful B interesting C angry D quiet 2. Solitude means F hurry G loyalty H aloneness J noise 3. To do something frantically means to do it - A carefully B slowly C regretfully D wildly 4. A glum person is one who is - F cheerful G careless H boring J sad 5.

2 Another word for cunning is - A kindness B embarrassment C cleverness D weakness 6. Reluctant means - F unwilling G enthusiastic H devoted J irritating 7. Another word for aroma is - A interest B texture C smell D delight 8. To endure is to - F create G put up with H set aside J describe 9. Someone who is hysterical is - A an art lover B dedicated to his or her work C wildly emotional D well dressed 10. A chaotic situation is very - F peaceful G well organized H inspiring J disorderly Reading Vocabulary 2 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 DIRECTIONS Read the sentence in the box.

3 Then choose the answer in which the underlined word is used in the same way. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. 11 In which sentence does the word volume mean the same thing as in the sentence above? A Dante took down a heavy volume from the bookshelf. B The perfume spread quickly to fill the entire volume of the room. C I found a huge volume of information about my topic in this article. D Mama asked Sheryl to turn down the volume on her tape player. 12 In which sentence does the word pitch mean the same thing as in the sentence above? F The highway crewmen used hot pitch and gravel to resurface the road. G The runner streaked toward second just as Jorge sent a high, fast pitch over the plate.

4 H The choir director gave us the pitch on the piano before we began to sing. J Emotions were at a high pitch when the election results finally came in. 13 In which sentence does the word polish mean the same thing as in the sentence above? A It is important to polish your writing before you do your final draft. B Ernest knew he had to polish his shoes before he went to church. C Sheyann wanted to polish off her homework quickly so she could watch television. D Antoine signed up for the dance class so he could polish his steps. 14 In which sentence does the word beat mean the same thing as in the sentence above? F Grandma beat the eggs before she added the milk and sugar. G Brian could beat his brother in wrestling, but not in basketball or chess.

5 H The drum major used his long baton to beat the time during the parade. J Hundreds of students taking the shortcut soon beat a path through the bushes. SAMPLE B In which sentence does the word point mean the same thing as in the sentence above? A Marcia broke the point of her pencil. B It is usually rude to point at people. C If you listen carefully you will understand the point I am making. D John paddled the canoe around the point and up the little stream. The point of Amanda s suggestion was to help Maniac be accepted in the East End. The volume of the laugh coming from Screecher s throat was amazingly loud. Grayson s finest moment was the pitchthat struck out Willie Mays. It took Maniac less time to polish off his sandwich than it had taken Grayson to go and get it.

6 Mars Bar was furious when Maniac beat him while running backward. Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 3 DIRECTIONS As you read each sentence, use the other words in the sentence to help you figure out what the underlined word means. Then circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE C Maniac slipped his fingers into the old glove slowly, timidly, as though entering a holy place. Timidly means A roughly B jokingly C shyly D furiously 15 The crowd was clamoring wildly as Maniac ran around the bases for another home run. Clamoring means - A shouting B racing C yawning D observing 16 McNab flinched to avoid the ball that was coming straight at him.

7 Flinched means - F blinked G dodged H caught J glared 17 A little of the glare lingered in the lady s eyes as she sent Maniac home. Lingered means - A remained B scolded C hurried D smiled 18 When Grayson said, I was a pitcher, his voice was no longer worn and tired, but fresh and robust. Robust means F sleepy G silly H angry J strong 19 Grayson s special stopball pitch had a peculiar way of hanging in the air that Maniac had never seen before. Peculiar means - A fast B strange C ordinary D uninteresting 20 Grayson couldn t stop laughing at the ludicrous sight of Maniac in clothes twice as big as he was.

8 Ludicrous means - F tiresome G frightening H silly J huge 4 Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 DIRECTIONS Read each passage. Then read each question about the passage. Decide which is the best answer. Circle the letter for the answer you have chosen. SAMPLE Amanda was happy to give up her room to Maniac. It gave her an excuse to sleep with Hester and Lester every night. Most of the time during the day the little ones drove her crazy; she couldn t stand to be in the same hemisphere with them. But at night, the best thing was to have them snuggled up on both sides of her. It made no sense, but that s how it was.

9 Mr. Beale divided the little ones room into two sections with a panel of plywood, and Amanda moved her stuff into the back part. Except for her suitcase of books that stayed in her old room, with Maniac. The way Maniac fit in, you would have thought he was born there. He played with the little ones and read them stories and taught them things. He took Bow Wow out for runs and he did the dishes without anybody asking. (Which made Amanda feel guilty, so she started to dry.) He carried out the trash, mowed the grass, cleaned up his own spills, turned out lights, put the cap back on the toothpaste tube, flushed the toilet, and Mrs. Beale called it the miracle on Sycamore Street he kept his room neat. 1 Amanda was happy that Maniac came to live with the Beales because A she always wanted a brother.

10 B her father redecorated her room when Maniac came. C she was tired of taking out the trash and mowing the lawn. D it gave her an excuse to sleep with her little sister and brother. 2 The best title for this passage is F Chores at the Beales House. G Amanda s New Room. H Maniac Moves In. J Mrs. Beale s Miracle. Reading Comprehension Talent Development Secondary Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 2012 5 Chapter 18 Amanda tried to reason with him. You can t listen to that old coot. He s goofy. He s always saying stuff like that. You can t go because of something one nutty old coot says. Maniac pointed out that it wasn t the nutty old coot who chalked up the front of the house.