Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions (All reading passages can be found at the end of the document.) Acquisition of Vocabulary Standard Lincoln and the Whetstone Reading Passage Questions 1.
“He found him in the hay field, and was urging his cause when the dinner bell sounded. The farmer invited him to dinner, but Lincoln declined politely, and added, ‘If you will let me have the scythe while you are gone I will mow ’round the field a couple of times.’ ” The information in these sentences suggests that a scythe is an instrument used for: A. welcoming visitors. B. sounding alarms. C. preparing meals. D. harvesting hay.
2. “Lincoln smoothed his hair back from his brows a moment, in deep thought; then his face lighted up.” The author uses the phrase his face lighted up to show that Lincoln A. is amused. B. recalls something. C. is puzzled. D. feels embarrassed. Wheels of Wonder Reading Passage Questions 3. “WOW partners with schools, state agencies, and other local groups to ensure the success of its programs and to find additional ways to serve the community with bicycles.” The word partners suggests that WOW is A. practical. B. successful. C. cooperative. D. popular. Albert Reading Passage Questions 4.
“For the time being, only one thing was on the nestlings’ minds: learning how to fly. Unfortunately, this skill seemed to elude them. Especially Albert. Every time he tried to fly, his legs got in the way.” What does the word elude mean? A. bore B. govern C. escape D. threaten
Updated August 2007
5. “Leopold had left to soar on his own and explore the territory.” The word soar suggests that Leopold A. flies often. B. is a skilled flier. C. has difficulty flying. D. flies short distances. Saturday Afternoon, When Chores Are Done Reading Passage Questions 6. “Now my hands work swiftly, doing easy what was once so hard to do.” These lines imply that the speaker now plaits in movements that are A. careless. B. elegant. C. practiced. D. unsteady. 7. “Time to gather life together before it unravels like an old jump rope and comes apart at the ends.” The poet uses the simile like an old jump rope to show that the speaker A. works to keep the parts of her life connected. B. has enjoyed a long and satisfying life. C. wishes she had a more exciting life. D. thinks that life is just a game. Shifting Sands Reading Passage Questions 8. “The dunes attract many lightning strikes with their high profile along the flat shoreline.” What does the author mean when she describes the dunes as having a high profile? A. They are well-known by many famous people. B. They are taller than other objects in the area. C. Their dampness attracts powerful electrical charges. D. Their outline is visible from a distance along the beach. Planning a Canal Reading Process Questions 9. “Accordingly, the Atlantic Ocean in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west are far apart along both continents. But in Central America, at the base of North America, the land narrows dramatically, and in Panama, the two oceans come within just fifty miles of each other.” The author uses the word dramatically to show that the land narrows in a way that is A. abrupt. B. beautiful. C. exciting. D. subtle.
Updated August 2007
10. The author states that “The United States had toyed with the idea of building a canal since the early 1800s.” The author’s statement means that the United States government had A. behaved in an immature fashion. B. constructed several scale models. C. occasionally thought about the project. D. had difficulty in maintaining interest. Yellow Man in the Moonlight Reading Passage Questions 11. “Before sunrise, I packed enough provisions to get me to Yellow Man by midday and back to the truck by nightfall.” What are the provisions mentioned in this sentence? A. supplies B. instructions C. outer clothes D. guide books 12. “The error I made in reading the map would cost me.” What does the narrator mean in this statement? A. She would have to pay an extra fee for camping overnight in the park. B. She had underestimated the distance to the site of the rock art. C. She would be embarrassed to admit to the ranger that she had not followed the map. D. She had lost so much time that she would be unable to return to her truck by nightfall. Fir Crest Recreation Center Reading Passage Questions
13. “Henna paint, made from crushed leaves, may be used to create impermanent, tattoo-like body art. Henna tattoos last for ten to fifteen days and will then naturally begin to fade.” What does the prefix im- mean in the word impermanent? A. strongly B. into C. between D. not How Mephisto Moved In Reading Passage Questions 14. “He took my dismissal as encouragement, replying with a little meow that sounded like, ‘I thought you would never ask.’ My heart softened. The poor little guy was soaked.” When the narrator says, “My heart softened,” it means that she begins to feel A. impatient. B. worried. C. sympathetic. D. excited.
Updated August 2007
First Lady of the World Reading Passage Questions 15. When the author says in paragraph 6 that Eleanor Roosevelt “plunged into what was to become a lifetime of public service” during World War I, she suggests that Eleanor Roosevelt began her volunteer work with A. shyness and reluctance. B. seriousness and dedication. C. strong encouragement from her family. D. intent to help the career of her husband. 16. “American statesman Adlai Stevenson said that Eleanor Roosevelt ‘would rather light a candle than curse the darkness.’ ” What did Stevenson mean by this statement? A. She brightened her surroundings with her presence. B. She preferred to visit places that had plenty of light. C. She tried to correct injustice instead of voicing complaints. D. She encouraged people to conserve electricity. Summer Camp Reading Passage Questions 17. “Fathers hefted our trunks, carried them into our cabins, and set them down at the foot of our bunks.” (Paragraph 4) In the sentence above, what does the word hefted mean? A. propped up B. opened C. set up D. lifted 18. “Most of the girls in my cabin won’t be able to do it. Most of them are first-year campers, and they’ll end up relegated to ‘Beginner’s Bay,’ which doesn’t get any deeper than three feet or so.” (Paragraph 6) What does relegated mean in the second sentence? A. carried B. assigned C. reported D. announced Silent Picture Show Reading Passage Questions 19. According to the dictionary, the word “talkie” entered the English language in the early 1900s. Explain what a “talkie” was and how the film industry helped introduce this word to the English language. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
Updated August 2007
20. “Keaton capitalized on dream sequences and trick photography to enhance his art. In two of his best films, The Navigator (1924) and The General (1926), Keaton dealt with the same theme—the individual pitting his will against an inanimate object. It was the theme that worked the best for him, and he made the most of it.” In these sentences, what does capitalized mean? A. improved on something B. thought about something C. struggled against something D. took advantage of something
Updated August 2007
Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions (All reading passages can be found at the end of the document.) Reading Process Standard Lincoln and the Whetstone Reading Passage Questions 1. What does this passage suggest about Lincoln? A. He has a sharp memory. B. He has a curious nature. C. He is an honest person. D. He is a popular politician. 2. As President, how does Lincoln show his appreciation toward the farmer and his wife? A. He offers to mow the field again. B. He treats them as honored guests. C. He reveals where he put a whetstone. D. He invites them to a private dinner. Wheels of Wonder Reading Passage Questions 3. WOW members and WOW volunteers are alike in that they both A. receive a discount on purchases. B. help with the quarterly newsletter. C. deal with the customers. D. work in the repair shop. Albert Reading Passage Questions 4. How are Albert’s and Leopold’s first experiences in the air different from each other? A. Albert crashes on the cliff, whereas Leopold receives food midair. B. Albert’s experience is caused by fear, whereas Leopold is motivated by food. C. Albert tries to fly by himself, whereas Leopold receives help from the parents. D. Albert stays close to the nest, whereas Leopold flies out of sight immediately. 5. What finally motivates Albert to learn to fly? A. He is scared and his mother is in the aerie. B. He is hungry and his father appears with food. C. He is lonely and wants to explore with his brother. D. He is jealous and wants to fly better than his brother.
Updated August 2007
Saturday Afternoon, When Chores Are Done Reading Passage Questions 6. The speaker decides to look for Melinda and Carla because she A. wants to teach them how to plait their hair. B. thinks it is too late to be playing outside. C. wants to ask them to help prepare supper. D. thinks they have become unusually quiet. 7. While the speaker plaits her hair, she realizes that she A. is pleased that her work is done. B. has little time to sit and reflect. C. wishes her mother could be there. D. has unhappy childhood memories. Shifting Sands Reading Passage Questions 8. What is this passage mostly about? A. what happens when lightning strikes along a shoreline B. the history and uncertain future of a sand dune system C. how a miniature golf course disappeared under a sand dune D. the effects of summer and winter winds on a coastal community Planning a Canal Reading Passage Questions 9. What was the main reason for relocating the canal from Nicaragua to Panama? A. the sea creatures B. lack of technology C. volcanic activity D. cost of construction 10. How did President Theodore Roosevelt overcome the greatest obstacle to his proposed canal plan? A. He forced France to sell its rights to the canal. B. He relocated the site from Nicaragua to Panama. C. He encouraged Panama to pursue independence. D. He convinced Congress that the canal was a necessity. 11. State and explain one reason that building the Panama Canal remained only a dream prior to de Lesseps’ proposal. Use information from the passage to support your answer. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
Updated August 2007
Yellow Man in Moonlight Reading Passage Questions 12. Why does the narrator want to visit the site of Yellow Man? A. She is doing research for a children’s book on rock art. B. She is fascinated by the culture of the Anasazi people. C. She wants to prove that she can find the site alone. D. She plans to write a novel about the Anasazi people. 13. “Before sunrise, I packed enough provisions to get me to Yellow Man by midday and back to the truck by nightfall.” What are the provisions mentioned in this sentence? A. supplies B. instructions C. outer clothes D. guide books Fir Crest Recreation Center Reading Passage Questions 14. Which class is likely to be one of the additional classes mentioned at the end of the passage? A. Making Bread for Adults B. Intro to Rock Climbing C. Writing a Research Paper D. The Basics of Mathematics How Mephisto Moved In Reading Passage Questions 15. Why does the narrator feel “oddly sad” when she wakes up? A. She has slept restlessly because of the cat. B. She is unexpectedly reluctant for the cat to leave. C. She is disappointed that the weather is still cold and rainy. D. She thinks about how heartbroken the cat’s owner must be. First Lady of the World Reading Passage Questions 16. Which event finally caused Eleanor Roosevelt to begin speaking out on public issues? A. Franklin’s sudden illness from polio B. Franklin’s election to the presidency C. the country’s entrance into World War II D. the country’s economic problems during the Depression 17. Eleanor Roosevelt stated that “Somewhere along the line, we discover what we really are.” How does the author show that Eleanor changed over the course of her adult life? What were two reasons why she changed? Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points)
Updated August 2007
Summer Camp Reading Passage Questions 18. Which words best describe the way the narrator portrays herself as a child at camp? A. bashful and withdrawn B. confident and determined C. trustworthy and responsible D. thoughtful and understanding 19. Which word best describes the narrator’s attitude toward attending summer camp? A. gloomy B. regretful C. humorous D. sentimental Silent Picture Shows Reading Passage Questions 20. The films of Charlie Chaplin differed from most other films of his time in which way? A. His films had plots that were developed through dream sequences and trick photography. B. His films featured the humorous appearance and actions of a character in a costume. C. His films were based on the conflict between people and inanimate objects. D. His films included more fully developed characters and clearly defined plots. 21. Which detail from the passage suggests that silent movies may have been as stimulating as the early talking pictures? A. “... moviegoers used their imaginations to supply the dialogue to the events taking place before them on the screen.” B. “It didn’t take producers long to discover which genres worked well in silent films.” C. “Chaplin added depth of character and plot structure to the developing art form ...” D. “Keaton capitalized on dream sequences and trick photography to enhance his art.”
Updated August 2007
Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions (All reading passages can be found at the end of the document.) Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard Lincoln and the Whetstone Reading Passage Questions 1. The setting at the beginning of the passage is most likely intended to show that Lincoln A. prefers farm life to public office. B. feels comfortable with farmers. C. expects to return to farm life later. D. lives a short distance from the farm. 2. What are two distinct parts to the passage “Lincoln and the Whetstone”? Using information from the passage, describe how Lincoln is characterized in the two parts of the passage. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points) 3. Which word best describes the relationship between Lincoln and the farmer both times they meet? A. awkward B. doubtful C. respectful D. joyous 4. Which theme best applies to the passage? A. There is a time for work and there is a time for play. B. Sometimes what you search for is in your own back yard. C. There is more than just one way to do something. D. Sometimes it is best to make do with what you have. Albert Reading Passage Questions 5. Which sentence from the passage most strongly develops a mood of pity? A. “For several days Albert continued his stubborn resistance to learning how to fly.” B. “Albert grabbed the morsel with his talons, puffed out his feathers, then dove into dinner.” C. “. . . Albert’s fear kept him from taking the plunge off the 150-foot cliff.” D. “Hungry and tired and alone, Albert rocked back and forth on his dark, narrow perch.” 6. Which statement best shows how competition between Albert and Leopold affects the plot of the story? A. Albert watches his brother fly, and decides that he wants to fly as well as Leopold. B. Because Leopold goes on flights with his mother, Albert feels rejected. C. Albert sees that Leopold has won the approval of his parents, so Albert competes for attention. D. Because Leopold gets most of the food the parents bring, Albert must fly soon to find food.
Updated August 2007
7. Which statement best represents a turning point in the story? A. “Suddenly he seemed to know that if he were to survive, he must learn how to fly . . . ” B. “Albert jumped up and down and screeched for them to rescue him, but they could do nothing.” C. “When he tried to climb the rocks to the ridge top, he slid backward on his rear.” D. “Albert watched as his brother pumped his wings wildly and zigzagged far above the ground.” 8. Identify two words or phrases that the author uses to create a mood of fear when Albert falls out of the nest. Explain how each word or phrase contributes to the mood of fear. Use information from the passage to support your answer. | Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points) 9. Which thematic statement applies to this passage? A. Family members must remain loyal to each other. B. The instinct to survive overcomes incredible odds. C. Patience is one of the keys to solving difficult problems. D. Good things can come to those who are willing to wait.
Saturday Afternoon, When Chores Are Done Reading Passage Questions 10. Identify the flashback in the poem. Explain how the use of flashback contributes to the mood of the poem. Write your answer on a separate. (2 points) 11. “Older daughter, you are learning what I am learning: to gather the strands together with strong fingers, to keep what we do from coming apart at the seams.” The speaker and her older daughter are alike in that they are both learning to A. enjoy their lives more. B. lead more independent lives. C. create a sense of order in their lives. D. accept changes in their lives.
Updated August 2007
Yellow Man by Moonlight Reading Passage Questions 12. How are the narrator’s decisions influenced by the setting? A. She sleeps near a wall in the ruins because she wants to see the rock art in moonlight. B. She camps overnight because it is late and the trails are hard to follow. C. She hikes hurriedly because the historical site is several miles away. D. She chooses the wrong path because the sun is shining in her eyes. 13. What part of the ranger’s initial interaction with the narrator foreshadows what happens later in the story? A. He tells her that vandalism has been a problem; she finds the site in good condition. B. He acts surprised that she wants to visit Yellow Man; she becomes fascinated by it. C. He cautions her to follow the map closely; she later loses her way. D. He explains that the Yellow Man site is closed to visitors; he then allows her to go there.
14. How is the narrator affected by seeing the rock art site? A. She is confused by the variety of drawings. B. She is curious about the origin of the drawings. C. She is surprised by the condition of the drawings. D. She is disappointed that there are so few drawings. 15. Using four examples from the passage, explain how the author creates a sense of mystery. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points) 16. How does the interaction between the narrator and the park ranger affect the plot? A. The ranger agrees to allow the narrator to visit the site of Yellow Man. B. The ranger reminds the narrator to stay on the trail to see Yellow Man. C. The narrator does not disturb the ruins because the ranger has warned her. D. The narrator gets lost because the ranger’s instructions are confusing How Mephisto Moved In Reading Passage Questions 17. How does the setting of this passage influence the narrator’s decisions? A. The cool morning weather makes her shut the door quickly. B. The storm makes her play with the cat rather than read. C. The weather makes her willing to let the cat into her house. D. The dark night makes her eager to look for the cat’s owner.
Updated August 2007
18. Which definition describes the character of the narrator? flat—has only one outstanding characteristic dynamic—undergoes a change in the story round—is complex and multidimensional static—does not change during the story A. flat B. dynamic C. round D. static 19. Identify the climax, or turning point, of this passage. Use information from the passage to support your answer. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points) 20. Which statement best states the theme of this passage? A. New friendships can occur when least expected. B. First impressions can be misleading. C. Unexpected events can be upsetting. D. Unwanted experiences can lead to major conflict. Summer Camp Reading Passage Questions 21. Which thematic statement best applies to this passage? A. Memories make the past seem better than it really was. B. Childhood memories can be a source of much pleasure. C. Being the best is more important to adults than to children. D. Past experiences help people deal with today’s challenges. 22. Identify three examples of sensory details from the passage. Include a detail for sight, a detail for sound and a detail for touch. Then, explain how the use of sensory details contributes to the reader’s understanding of the narrator’s camp experience. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points) 23. How does the narrator act toward the other characters after they are all down at the lake? A. The narrator tries to help the shyer campers fit in. B. The narrator tries to show off during her swimming test. C. The narrator tries to hide the fact that she is a weak swimmer. D. The narrator tries to help the younger campersavoid mistakes.
Updated August 2007
24. “I see the rocky shore, the land beyond it covered in pine needles and shade from the immense trees standing guard above me. Behind them I see the mountains, all around me.” (Paragraph 8) Why does the narrator use personification to describe the large trees in the sentences above? A. to indicate that they make her feel confined to the lake B. to demonstrate that they provide relief from the hot sun C. to show that they make her feel protected in the camp D. to show that they look beautiful against the mountains 25. Which literary technique does the author use to tell the story? A. flashback B. hyperbole C. foreshadowing D. onomatopoeia
Updated August 2007
Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions (All reading passages can be found at the end of the document.) Reading Applications: Informational Text Standard Wheels of Wonder Reading Passage Questions 1. Which statement best describes the author’s viewpoint about Wheels of Wonder? A. It is in desperate need of help. B. It is a worthwhile organization. C. It is growing faster than expected. D. It is an ideal place to meet people. 2. What is the purpose of the bold headings throughout the passage? A. to identify three programs at WOW B. to provide three ways to contact WOW C. to highlight three accomplishments of WOW over the years D. to divide the information on WOW into three main sections 3. Who is most likely the intended audience for this passage? Use two details from the passage to support your answer. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points) 4. The “Wheels of Wonder” passage is most similar to A. an editorial in a local newspaper. B. a set of detailed instructions. C. an informational brochure. D. a school bus schedule. Albert Reading Passage Questions 5. Why does the biologist feel it is so important for Albert to learn how to fly? Use information from the passage to support your answer. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper . (2 points) Shifting Sands Reading Passage Questions 6. The author most likely included the information in the first two paragraphs of the passage to A. establish the significance of Jockey’s Ridge. B. describe how Jockey’s Ridge got its name. C. emphasize how quickly the sand dunes formed. D. prove that researchers have studied sand dunes.
Updated August 2007
7. Which statement is best supported by the picture at the beginning of the passage? A. Winds cause the dunes to move three to six feet each year. B. Jockey’s Ridge is located in an area known as the Outer Banks. C. Buildings have been no match for the massive sand dunes. D. The Jockey’s Ridge dunes were formed from sand deposited by hurricane winds 8. What are two theories about the shifting of sands on Jockey’s Ridge? Using information from the passage, describe two possible solutions to the problem of sand migration. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points) 9. What was the most likely reason for including the information about fulgurites in this passage? A. to warn readers of a danger at the sand dunes B. to explain why the sand is so hot in the summer C. to prove the sand dunes should be left undisturbed D. to describe an unusual phenomenon in the sand dunes 10. How is the information in this passage organized? A. A theory of how sand dunes were formed is followed by factual evidence. B. An opinion about managing sand dunes is supported with researched facts. C. An explanation of problems related to sand dune migration is followed by possible solutions. D. A description of methods used to control sand dunes is presented in chronological order. 11. The author most likely wrote this passage in order to A. explain the potential dangers of natural events. B. criticize the developers who build on Jockey’s Ridge. C. attract tourists to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. D. describe how an act of nature can have far-reaching effects. Planning a Canal Reading Passage Questions 12. “As early as 1534, King Charles I of Spain recommended digging one [a canal].” The author probably included this sentence to A. show how long the desire for a canal had existed. B. convince readers that building the canal was a good idea. C. prove that building the canal required modern technology. D. inform readers that the project had been tried many times.
Updated August 2007
13. Using information in the passage and diagram entitled Panama’s Locks, describe one similarity and one difference between Ferdinand de Lesseps’ proposed plan and the actual construction of the canal by the United States. Give two reasons why de Lesseps’ plan failed. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (4 points) 14. With which statement would the author most likely agree? A. Building the Panama Canal cost more in money than it was worth. B. France should have been responsible for completing the Panama Canal. C. The absence of the Panama Canal almost caused the United States to lose a war. D. Completing the Panama Canal was one of the great achievements of the 20th century. 15. How is this passage organized? A. Causes and effects are explored. B. Major ideas are compared and contrasted. C. Problems are stated and possible solutions posed. D. Events are stated mostly in order. 16. The author probably would agree that determination was the key to the success of the canal project. Which statement best supports this viewpoint? A. The idea of the canal persisted until it became a reality. B. It took several centuries for the idea of the canal to form. C. Most people believed that it was impossible to build the canal. D. The completion of the canal was an important issue for national pride. Fir Crest Recreation Center Reading Passage Questions 17. Which graphic would best help the reader understand the description “Intro to Kendo: Japanese Fencing”? A. a chart of different martial arts B. a map of Hilltop Manor C. a picture of a Kendo match D. a map of Japan
18. Explain how the organizational structure of this passage helps the reader locate information. Use examples from the passage to support your explanation. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. (2 points)
Updated August 2007
First Lady of the World Reading Passage Questions 19. The author most likely wrote this passage to A. convince people that war can sometimes bring out noble qualities. B. inform the reader about a notable person in United States history. C. persuade the reader to become involved with fighting social injustice. D. captivate people with an exciting story about the civil rights movement. 20. Throughout the passage, the author implies that Eleanor Roosevelt’s greatest strength was her A. determination to overcome her extreme shyness. B. willingness to work toward solving social problems. C. ability to gain the support of high-ranking politicians. D. concern for her husband during his illness and recovery. 21. How does the author show that the Depression affected Eleanor Roosevelt’s involvement in social issues? A. by describing how she responded to people asking for help with their problems B. by explaining that her husband needed help to keep his promises to the public C. by indicating that she was worried about her husband’s success in office D. by emphasizing how people around the world honored and respected her 22. With which of these statements would the author most likely agree? A. People avoid helping others unless they receive help first. B. Social injustice has been eliminated in most places today. C. Tragic circumstances can sometimes result in personal growth. D. Physical weakness is viewed as an obstacle to effective leadership. Silent Picture Shows Reading Passage Questions 23. Which could appropriately explain how the film industry changed between 1889 and the early 1930s? A. a list of silent films released during the time period B. a graph of the number of silent films released each year C. a timeline showing major technological developments D. a table comparing the movies of the most popular actors 24. Why does the author include dates in parentheses following the names of movies in paragraphs 5 and 6? A. to emphasize the current age of the movies B. to be sure that the movies are named in chronological order C. to identify the year in which each movie was released D. to show how much time elapsed between the release of the movies Updated August 2007
25. “Silent Picture Shows” uses which overall organizational structure? A. comparison and contrast B. problem and solution C. chronology of events D. order of importance 26. According to the passage, with which statement would the author most likely agree? A. Talking films lacked the depth of the silent movies. B. Silent movies revolutionized the entertainment industry. C. Acting skills were less important in silent films than in modern ones. D. Silent pictures became useless when talking films were introduced.
Updated August 2007
Lincoln and the Whetstone 1
In 1834, when Abraham Lincoln was a candidate for the legislature, he called on a certain farmer to ask for his support. He found him in the hay field, and was urging his cause when the dinner bell sounded. The farmer invited him to dinner, but Lincoln declined politely, and added, “If you will let me have the scythe while you are goneI will mow ’round the field a couple of times.”
2
When the farmer returned he found three rows neatly mowed. The scythe lay against the gate post, but Lincoln had disappeared.
3
Nearly thirty years afterward the farmer and his wife, now grown old, were at a White House reception, and stood waiting in line to shake hands with the President.
4
When they got near him in the line Lincoln saw them, and calling an aide, told him to take them to one of the small parlors, where he would see them as soon as he got through the handshaking. Much surprised, the old couple were led away. Presently Mr. Lincoln came in, and, greeting them with an outstretched hand and a warm smile, called them by name.
5
“Do you mean to say,” exclaimed the farmer, “that you remember me after all these years?”
6
“I certainly do,” said the President, and he went on to recall the day he had mowed around 1 the farmer’s timothy field.
7
“Yes, that’s so,” said the old man, still in astonishment. “I found the field mowed and the scythe leaning up against the gate post. But I have always wanted to ask you one thing.”
8
“What is it?” asked Mr. Lincoln.
9
“I always wanted to ask you, Mr. President, what you did with the whetstone2?”
10 Lincoln smoothed his hair back from his brows a moment, in deep thought; then his face lighted up. 11 “Yes, I remember now,” he said, “I put that whetstone on top of the high gate post.” 12 And when he got back to Illinois again, the farmer found the whetstone on top of the gate post, where it had lain for more than twenty-five years. From “A Treasury of American Anecdotes,” edited by B.A. Botkin. New York: Random House, 1957. 1
timothy: a kind of long grass used for hay whetstone: a stone used for sharpening tools
2
Updated August 2007
Wheels of Wonder
Wheels of Wonder 1
Wheels of Wonder is a community bike shop that sells and services used bicycles for the public. Bicycles are sold at a low-cost with a three-month warranty. In other words, if a WOW customer is not completely satisfied, or if the merchandise purchased fails to perform properly, the customer can get a full refund.
2
Wheels of Wonder builds skills and fosters the personal growth of youth through community-based recreational and educational bicycle programs and services. WOW provides after-school riding and maintenance/safety programs; summer programs; a fullservice bike shop; classes in safety, bike repair, commuting and riding; and a program to get adults on fully outfitted commuter bikes.
3
All bicycles, parts, and supplies at WOW are donated by institutions, local businesses, and individuals. Staff, volunteers, youth, and young adults repair bikes for our programs and for sale in our bike shop. WOW partners with schools, state agencies, and other local groups to ensure the success of its programs and to find additional ways to serve the community with bicycles.
4
WOW is open Wednesday through Friday from noon until 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Your Help is Needed! Become a Member of WOW 5
As a member, you get two opportunities a year to work on your own bike using our tools, stands, and workspace. In addition, you also receive a 10% discount in the shop and have the wonderful feeling of knowing that you support our programs. (See membership form below.)
Updated August 2007
Volunteer at WOW 6
As a volunteer, you may contribute to all of our programs. This could mean writing the quarterly newsletter, updating our Web pages, answering the telephone, helping customers, and repairing bicycles.
Attend WOW Classes and Events 7
Wheels of Wonder offers classes, organized rides, and special events, all of which help support our mission.
Make a Donation to WOW 8
If you have a bicycle or any bicycle-related equipment that you have outgrown or no longer use, dust it off and bring it to WOW. Better yet, just bring it—we’ll take care of the dust.
9
If nothing else, you can help by simply riding your bike! While you’re at it, ride your bike everywhere you can. At WOW, we believe that bicycling has a ripple effect. It only takes one cyclist to get a whole community moving in the right direction.
---------------------------------------------------------
Reprinted by permission of the Community Cycling Center, 1700 NE Alberta, Portland, Oregon 97211.Permission: © Community Cycling Center.
Updated August 2007
Albert 1
One chilly spring morning high in the mountains of Colorado, two small peregrine falcons were born. No soft feathers or grass lined their nest, or aerie. Their home was a hard ledge covered with dirt and small rocks near the top of a towering cliff. Frosty winds blew around the precipice, and snow glistened in the forested foothills below. Yet the peregrines were not uncomfortable. Their mother and father tended them carefully—feeding the nestlings when they were hungry and shielding them from the wind with their larger, soft bodies.
2
At first the two peregrines spent most of their time sleeping. Born blind and helpless, they could do little but eat. Yet soon long, tapering gray and white feathers replaced their soft downy ones. Their yellow feet grew large and strong. By the time they were only six weeks old, they were as big and handsome as their parents.
3
The two young peregrines, absorbed in their own affairs, were not aware that they were being watched. A wildlife biologist was studying them. For six weeks she had been writing down everything she saw them doing, for these birds were special. They belonged to a race known as Falco peregrinus anatum, the American peregrine falcon. Peregrine falcons are the fastest of all living creatures. They are also endangered, which means so few are left in the world that their species may not survive into the next century.
4
The young falcons did not know this, of course. Nor did they know that the biologist had named them Albert and Leopold for ease in her note taking. For the time being, only one thing was on the nestlings’ minds: learning how to fly.
5
Unfortunately, this skill seemed to elude them. Especially Albert. Every time he tried to fly, his legs got in the way. When he ran along the cliff, he fell down. When he tried to climb the rocks to the ridge top, he slid backward on his rear. It seemed improbable that he would ever live up to the peregrine label “king of the air.”
6
Leopold, however, was more adept. He could hop a foot or two into the air and beat his wings so rapidly that he stayed airborne for several seconds.
7
Because Leopold could move so fast, he usually got first grab at the food, which was unfortunate for Albert. Then the day came when Leopold jumped off the ledge and actually flew. Albert watched as his brother pumped his wings wildly and zigzagged far above the ground, wailing a high-pitched Ki! Ki! Ki! Instantly Albert’s father soared by and reached out with his talons to pass food to Leopold in midair.
8
Now Albert was starving, too, and he squealed for attention, but his father had already left. After an hour the adult peregrine returned carrying more food. He flew by Albert and dangled it in front of his son’s beak. This was strange. Always before he’d dropped it off at Albert’s feet. Albert screeched his annoyance. His father merely called out a soft echupchupp and continued flying in front of him. Albert squealed louder. He was petrified.
Updated August 2007
9
The biologist, who was watching carefully, held her breath. She realized how important it was that the young peregrine learn to fly—and fly well. He was a hunter, and his skill at procuring food would make all the difference to his survival. At this point for his species, the success of each individual peregrine counted.
10 Albert ran back and forth. He jumped up and down, begging, but he would not fly. Finally his father gave up and deposited the meal at Albert’s feet. 11 For several days Albert continued his stubborn resistance to learning how to fly. He preferred to go hungry rather than work for his dinner. Leopold’s skill was increasing daily, but Albert’s fear kept him from taking the plunge off the 150-foot cliff. 12 The biologist began to worry. She observed that Albert was getting less and less food, but there was nothing she could do. Then, one hot morning in July, Albert was not fed at all. 13 Leopold had left to soar on his own and explore the territory. The adult peregrines had not been seen since daybreak. At lunchtime Albert’s father was at last spotted bringing home food for his timid offspring. 14 Albert, ravenous with hunger, was beside himself with excitement. He leaped into the air and, without thinking, jumped off the cliff. Finding himself in midair, he panicked. Floating down, down, down like a parachute, he crashed upon a rock halfway down the cliff. He tried desperately to grasp the boulder but slid backward. 15 Albert shrieked. He took off again and tried to hop and flutter back to the nest, but he didn’t have the energy to climb the sheer cliff wall. High above him towered the aerie. Albert slid down to a level spot. He sat back and screeched for help. 16 At last, when the sun began sinking in the sky, Leopold and his mother returned to the aerie. Albert jumped up and down and screeched for them to rescue him, but they could do nothing. Hungry and tired and alone, Albert rocked back and forth on his dark, narrow perch. 17 Soon afterward Albert’s father returned to soar above the cliff. From his powerful talons dangled a tasty meal for his nestling. 18 Food! Albert stopped screeching. Suddenly he seemed to know that if he were to survive, he must learn how to fly—and fly now. 19 Giving his feathers a shake, Albert stood up straight. With Leopold crying from above, he leaped into the air. Wings flapping like electric beaters, he lifted himself higherand higher in furious fits and spurts, until at last he stumbled upon the aerie. 20 Quickly Albert’s father soared over and dropped the food at his feet. Albert grabbed the morsel with his talons, puffed out his feathers, then dove into dinner. Like his brother, Albert had at last become a fledgling. Reprinted by permission of CRICKET magazine, May 1996, Vol. 23, No. 9, © 1996 by Marcy Cottrell Houle.
Updated August 2007
Saturday Afternoon, When Chores Are Done 1
I’ve cleaned house and the kitchen smells like pine. I can hear the kids yelling through the back screen door. While they play tug-of-war with an old jump rope and while these blackeyed peas boil on the stove, I’m gonna sit here at the table and plait1 my hair.
2
I oil my hair and brush it soft. Then, with the brush in my lap, I gather the hair in my hands, pull the strands smooth and tight, and weave three sections into a fat shiny braid that hangs straight down my back.
3
I remember mama teaching me to plait my hair one Saturday afternoon when chores were done. My fingers were stubby and short. I could barely hold three strands at once, and my braids would fray apart no sooner than I’d finished them. Mama said, “Just takes practice, is all.” Now my hands work swiftly, doing easy what was once so hard to do.
4
Between time on the job, keeping house, and raising two girls by myself, there’s never much time like this, for thinking and being alone. Time to gather life together before it unravels like an old jump rope and comes apart at the ends.
1
plait: to braid
Updated August 2007
5
Suddenly I notice the silence. The noisy tug-of-war has stopped. I get up to check out back, see what my girls are up to now. I look out over the kitchen sink, where the sweet potato plant spreads green in the window. They sit quietly on the back porch steps, Melinda plaiting Carla’s hair into a crooked braid.
6
Older daughter, you are learning what I am learning: to gather the strands together with strong fingers, to keep what we do from coming apart at the seams.
© 2002 Harryette Mullen. Used with author’s permission.
Updated August 2007
Shifting Sands 1
The carpeted holes of a miniature golf course lie buried beneath many feet of sand. Now and again, depending on how the winds blow, the turrets of a small castle that once guarded the eighth hole reappear above one edge of the massive sand dunes named Jockey’s Ridge.
2
Jockey’s Ridge is the largest natural sand dune system in the eastern United States. Nearly 100 feet tall and lacking vegetation, the dunes cover more than 400 acres on the thin strip of land in North Carolina known as the Outer Banks.
3
The sand is blown back and forth by the prevailing winds, so the dunes are always moving. In the summer, lighter southwest winds move the sands one way, then stronger winter winds from the northeast move them back again. In fact, these winds cause the dunes to move three to six feet southwest each year.
4
Over time, man-made structures have been no match for the shifting sands. In the late 1880s, one hotel was covered by sand before it could be completely dismantled and moved to a nearby site. More recently, the brick-lined holes of a miniature golf course were buried under the sand.
5
The Jockey’s Ridge dunes were originally formed when strong hurricane storm waves picked up sand from the shoals off the North Carolina coastline and deposited it on the shore. Each year the winds took it from there, and, grain by grain, a series of dunes developed.
6
Jockey’s Ridge is a popular tourist attraction. During most of the year, the dunes are filled with visitors running up, rolling down, and hang gliding from the immense sand hills. Climbers enjoy sunrises over the ocean and sunsets over the sound at the beginning and end of each day.
7
The sand is hot in the summer. It can be thirty degrees hotter than the air temperature. The dunes attract many lightning strikes with their high profile along the flat shoreline. When lightning hits the sand, the temperature can reach 15,000°C, or twice the temperature of the Updated August 2007
surface of the sun, melting the quartz sand into silica glass tubes called fulgurites, which can be as long as six feet. 8
Over the last quarter of a century, Jockey’s Ridge has moved several hundred feet southwest and has begun to flatten out, threatening to bury nearby houses and roads. Scientists and local residents are studying the process carefully, trying to understand why the dunes now seem to be steadily moving and shrinking, and what should be done about it.
9
Many geologists believe that the dune migration is a natural process, perhaps the result of changes in wind patterns over recent years. Others believe that commercial and residential development of the barrier islands has interfered with the cycle of shifting sand on Jockey’s Ridge.
10 Debate continues about what to do with the moving dunes. Should at-risk areas of the dunes be fenced in, or should dump trucks be used to keep moving the sand back where people want it to be? Should plants and grass be grown on the dunes to keep them from moving, or should the dunes be allowed to go whichever way the wind blows? 11 While each proposal for handling the moving sands of Jockey’s Ridge has its own set of problems and issues, one thing is certain. The turrets of the castle that used to decorate the now-buried miniature golf course are an eerie reminder of the vastness and power of the moving dunes. Reprinted by permission of CRICKET magazine, November 2000, Vol. 28, No. 3, text © 2000 by Lyn Bourdow.
Updated August 2007
The Panama Canal is 50 miles long and spans the Isthmus of Panama to join the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It cuts southeastward across the narrowest point between the oceans. Built 1904—1914 at an initial cost of $366,650,000, the canal was an impressive engineering feat. Because it spans mountainous terrain, the canal has a system of six massive pairs of locks, or enclosures, to raise and lower ships as they pass to different levels. The gates at each end of a lock can be opened in two minutes, and the lock may be filled or emptied in less than 10 minutes. A 30,000-pound chain prevents ships from ramming the gates before they open. Two artificial lakes, Gatun and Madden, have been created to supply water to the locks. For large ships, the total passage time through the canal is approximately 8 hours.
Planning a Canal 1
The east and west coasts of much of North and South America are hundreds, even thousands, of miles apart. Accordingly, the Atlantic Ocean in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west are far apart along both continents. But in Central America, at the base of North America, the land narrows dramatically, and in Panama, the two oceans come within just fifty miles of each other.
2
The closeness of the oceans at that point was extremely frustrating to early kings, explorers, and military leaders. A ship could sail easily from Europe to the Atlantic coast of the Americas. But to continue on to the Pacific Ocean, the ship would have to go around Cape Horn at the tip of South America—a dangerous journey that took many weeks. Sailors knew that a canal across Central America would make the trip much shorter, and a canal would encourage trade and exploration. Most important of all, it would save time.
3
The possibility was exciting, and for centuries, people thought about building a canal. As early as 1534, King Charles I of Spain recommended digging one. In 1804, German scholar Alexander von Humboldt mapped out routes for a canal across Central America. Spain formed a company in 1819 solely to attempt to build a canal through Panama.
Updated August 2007
4
Unfortunately for travelers, none of these early efforts amounted to anything. One problem was technology. Digging a fifty-mile canal was a massive job that required heavy machinery and specialized tools. Then there was the question of money. Building a canal was expensive, and no nation or company was willing to put the huge amount of money needed into the project. Perhaps the biggest issue was the land itself. Central America was full of mountains, rain forests, and swamps. Nicaragua (north of the final building site of Panama), once considered as a possible spot for a canal, was rejected because of volcanic action. In addition, mosquitoes and tropical diseases thrived in the Central American heat. The combination of such conditions meant the real possibility of illness or death.
5
So the canal remained a dream—until the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Then the race to build one began with France. Having just been defeated in the Franco-Prussian War by Prussia, France was eager to prove itself as a nation. Constructing a Central American canal seemed the perfect solution. The French were determined to use their engineering know-how to succeed. Once the canal was built, they could decide who got to use it and how much to charge for the privilege.
Updated August 2007
6
In 1875, French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps proposed a sea-level route across the Panamanian isthmus,2 which at the time was owned by Colombia. De Lesseps’s plan did not involve locks to raise and lower the water level. He envisioned the canal as one long ditch, with water flowing freely between the oceans. Although a few scientists questioned whether this approach would work and some expressed concern over the mixing of different sea creatures, most of France applauded the idea. The French government paid Colombia for the right to build a canal, and de Lesseps went to work in 1881.
7
The skeptics were correct. De Lesseps badly underestimated how much earth had to be moved, and working conditions were even worse than had been anticipated. In 1887, after six years of trying, de Lesseps finally admitted that locks were necessary. By then, the French had spent millions of dollars and no longer had enough money to continue the project. After 1889, the French kept a lightly manned crew on the site to maintain their rights. By 1899, France had formally given up work on the Panama Canal.
8
The United States had toyed with the idea of building a canal since the early 1800s. By 1900, however, it had become clear that a canal was a necessity. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, an American naval ship in the northern Pacific had been called to the Atlantic Ocean. Its journey around Cape Horn had taken more than two months. A world-class navy could not afford such delays. Eager to guarantee safe and quick passage for naval ships, U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt proposed buying France’s rights to the Panamanian route, building a canal, and paying Colombia for the strip of land surrounding it.
1
breakwater: a barrier constructed off the coast to lessen the impact of ocean waves isthmus: narrow strip of land connecting two larger land masses
2
Updated August 2007
9
The plan easily won Congress’ approval, and France was willing to sell its rights. The only problem was Colombia, which refused the United States’ terms. Furious, Roosevelt encouraged the Panamanian people to stage a rebellion against Colombia. In 1903, with U.S. backing, Panama soon won its independence. Its leaders eagerly agreed to let the United States build the canal.
10 Today, Roosevelt’s aggressive behavior is hard to defend. But in 1903, few Americans or Panamanians questioned his tactics. Just as it had been with France, national pride was an important issue. The United States had the chance to dig the canal that France could not. If America succeeded, it could control traffic between the Atlantic and the Pacific and finally bring together the two oceans. In 1904, construction officially began on what would become the Panama Canal.
Excerpts from COBBLESTONE’S April 2001 issue: The Panama Canal, © 2001, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Carus Publishing Company.
Updated August 2007
Yellow Man by Moonlight 1
“Yellow Man?” The park ranger removed his glasses as he asked this question. “You want to see Yellow Man?”
2
“Yes,” I said, “I do. Here is a letter from my publisher to explain why.”
3
I was in the visitors’ center in Canyonlands National Park, southern Utah. To see a certain rock-art site called Yellow Man, I needed the ranger’s permission. The letter I gave him explained that I was working on a book for children about rock art, those paintings and etchings on stone done by the Anasazi, an ancient people of North America.
4
“Yellow Man is off-limits,” the ranger said. “We’ve closed the area because of vandalism.”
5
“I wonder if you might make an exception for me?” I asked as politely as I could. “I promise not to harm anything.”
6
The ranger avoided my eyes for a moment. Then he turned to me, handed back the letter, and said,” OK, you don’t look like a vandal to me. I’ll draw you a map. Follow it closely because there are few trails out there.”
7
“Thank you so much,” I said, shaking his hand.
8
As I left the visitors’ center, the ranger asked if I knew my way around in the wilderness. “Yes,” I said. “I’ve done this sort of thing before.”
9
I slept on the ground near the visitors’ center that night, warm inside my sleeping bag. Before sunrise, I packed enough provisions to get me to Yellow Man by midday and back to the truck by nightfall.
10 By dawn I was on my way into the heart of Canyonlands, a maze of red rock country, a landscape cut by ravines and canyons the colors of deerskin and sunsets. The trees that grow in the park are stunted by the dryness. In some places, what grows appears to spring straight from the rocks. 11 As I hiked along, taking a trail that would go nine miles into the interior of the park, I thought of the ancient people who had once lived there. One of them, perhaps with the help of a friend, had painted the image I was off to see, Yellow Man. It would be exciting to see a picture that was painted on a rock at least a thousand years ago. 12 At some point in my trek, I took a wrong turn. By the time I realized my mistake, the afternoon sun was in my eyes. It worried me because I had not brought overnight equipment with me. The error I made in reading the map would cost me. 13 I retraced my steps, read and reread the map. Finally, at four in the afternoon, I stood before the image of Yellow Man. He took my breath away. 14 I judge Yellow Man to be about twenty-four inches high. The figure had been painted with pure yellow pigment. The yellow could have come from crushed yellow flowers. His arms and legs are dancing. His face is round, the mouth smiles, and his ears stick out from the sides of his head.
Updated August 2007
15 Yellow Man is painted on a natural wall of red sandstone. Above, the wall sticks out to form an overhang that protects him from rain and sun. 16 Near him on the wall are smaller drawings of mountain sheep, antelope, and a single bird with outspread wings. I wondered if the same artist had done all the drawings, or if several had worked at different times. 17 It was after five the next time I checked my watch, too late to walk nine miles back to the visitors’ center. I had little with me to make camp, but I felt it unsafe to risk becoming lost in the dark. 18 When I explored, I found the ruins of a small settlement, dwellings once occupied by people living in Yellow Man’s time. The stone block remains of rooms were crumbling and roofless. For me, one of them would be shelter for the night. 19 As night fell, the warm glow of a nearly full moon gave me the light I needed. I would sleep in the ruins, curled against a wall older than I could imagine. 20 I slept soundly for many hours. I woke up afraid in the night, not knowing where I was. I got up and ran to the base of Yellow Man’s wall. There he was, lively and bright in the moonlight. 21 I sat in the sand for a while, until I felt calm again. Then I returned to my tiny stone room and slept until dawn. 22 After waving goodbye to Yellow Man, I returned to the visitors’ center. The ranger was there. 23 “How did it go?” he asked. “Worth the trouble?” 24 “Yes,” I told him. “Well worth it.” Copyright © 1995 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio.
Updated August 2007
Updated August 2007
Flyer from Cedar Hills Recreational Center (renamed “Fir Crest Recreation Center”) (adapted and edited text)
Updated August 2007
How Mephisto Moved In 1 One rainy, April night, several years ago, Mephisto found me. I had backed my car into the driveway. I was carrying too many books to manage an umbrella, so I dashed from the garage to the side door of my home, fumbling for my keys. 2 A drenched gray cat appeared as if from nowhere, meowing loudly and insistently. I was not a cat person. My then-housemates were a pair of birds named Grace and Disgrace and from the avian perspective, cats and birds don’t mix. So I sternly said, “Go home! Shoo!” He took my dismissal as encouragement, replying with a little meow that sounded like, “I thought you would never ask.” My heart softened. The poor little guy was soaked. Maybe he could come in for just a few minutes and dry off. 3 The visitor wasted no time finding the kitchen and didn’t wait politely for me to offer him food. He made his wishes known immediately. “Little cat, you are going to go home as soon as it stops raining,” I chided him. “You can wait.” 4 In response, he rubbed his damp whiskers against the leg of my jeans and continued his pitiful little pleas for food. Although he certainly looked like he was well-fed, maybe he was lost and hadn’t eaten in days! 5 I remembered that cats are supposed to like tuna, although I soon learned that the word “like” doesn’t come close to describing what he felt. As soon as I spooned a little tuna into a bowl, he gobbled it immediately and begged for more. He ate the entire can in a few minutes. 6 Bedtime arrived, and it was still pouring rain. Should I let him stay for just one night? Maybe a heartbroken child was crying herself to sleep because of her missing kitty. I had never seen a cat in the neighborhood that looked like him. What if I put him outside and he couldn’t find his way home? 7 Then I thought of an even more serious matter. What if he. . . you know. . . did his business on the carpet? I thought long and hard about a way to overcome this potential problem (even though I did not like cats). I poured a pile of the fine gravel the birds used into a disposable roasting pan. Then, feigning resignation to an unhappy fate, I said, “OK, you can stay, but in the morning out you go, rain or shine.” 8 When I fluffed my pillows and settled down in bed, I found that there was a slight change in my nightly ritual of reading. There was a cat on my lap. Every time I paused in my petting, he gently touched my face. My head was telling me that this meant that he had a loving home and was accustomed to human interaction, but my heart said, “He likes me!” Updated August 2007
9 Neither of us got much sleep. He was used to it, but I awoke not refreshed— and oddly sad—that the moment of truth had arrived. I told him firmly that it was time to go home. He followed me to the back door and sat on his haunches. What a beautiful creature! His coat was mostly gray, with just a few little white hairs on the front of his chest. The rain had subsided. I found myself wishing for another downpour so I would have an excuse to let him stay. 10 “OK, here’s the deal,” I said. “I’m going to open the door and count to 10. If you walk out, you’re on your own. If not, you stay.” He cautiously padded over to the door and sniffed the cool air. He had not used the makeshift litter box, so I assumed he would be eager to get back outside. But he stopped before walking out and turned to face me, giving me a look that seemed to say, “What am I, crazy? Leave a place where they serve tuna?” I continued to count all the way to 10—OK, seven through 10 went really fast. He kept shifting his glance from the door back to me and eventually walked over to rub against my legs. 11 “So, you want to stay, huh? Well, I left out some of the details. This isn’t final— we need to find out if you’re expected elsewhere. If you stay, you will be an indoor cat and you will not terrorize my birds. And your name will be Mephisto.” The terms seemed acceptable to him. “How Mephisto Moved In” by Ginny McCaskey, Cats Magazine, November 2000, Volume LVI, No.11, pp. 19–20 (excerpted text)
Updated August 2007
First Lady of the World
1 On a hot August day in 1943, a tall woman in a crisp Red Cross uniform moved quietly from bed to bed in a military field hospital. She spoke softly to each man, calling him by name and offering words of comfort. Eleanor Roosevelt had been traveling for weeks, visiting seventeen islands, Australia, and New Zealand during her five-week tour. After a similar tour of bombed-out London during 1942, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had said, “You have certainly left golden footprints behind you.” 2 Indeed she had. As the president’s wife, Eleanor Roosevelt brought support to millions by fighting for human rights and the freedom of the world’s oppressed people. 3 Eleanor was a shy young woman when she married Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1905. Leading a quiet life, her activities were dominated by Franklin and his mother, Sara. It was Sara who arranged her days, furnished her home in New York, sat at the head of the table, and instructed her on the upbringing of the five babies Eleanor and Franklin eventually had. (They had six children, but one child died in infancy.) 4 In 1910, Eleanor’s life changed. Franklin’s political ambitions took him first to Albany as a state senator and then to Washington as assistant secretary of the Navy. Eleanor became a reluctant hostess to the stream of visitors they entertained. As Franklin’s activities took him from home more and more, she felt increasingly alone. 5 Fighting her shyness, she searched for meaningful things to do. She wanted to be useful. “Somewhere along the line,” she wrote later, “we discover what we really are.” Updated August 2007
6 During World War I, Eleanor plunged into what was to become a lifetime of public service. With tireless energy, she divided her time between serving at a soldiers’ canteen, visiting the wounded, working for the Navy Red Cross, and running her own large household. One family member called her “the willing workhorse.” Eleanor was concerned about the misfortunes of others, and she wanted to do something about them. 7 Many social injustices existed in the United States, a country that prided itself on freedom and equality. Women could not vote; children spent twelve hours a day working in factory sweatshops; coal miners risked their lives working deep underground in unsafe conditions; black Americans lived in separate neighborhoods and attended separate schools. But it took Franklin’s near fatal polio attack to force Eleanor to begin speaking out against existing problems. Representing her husband, she campaigned for fair wages and shorter working hours. She organized women’s political groups and pushed hard for the passage of child labor laws. 8 With Franklin’s recovery came his return to political office. After serving as governor of New York, he rose to the nation’s highest office, the presidency, in 1932. When Eleanor and Franklin moved into the White House, the country was suffering the tragedies of the Depression. People everywhere were homeless, hungry, and out of work. President Roosevelt pledged new jobs and support in his New Deal for Americans. The first lady also went to work. Answering the letters that poured in asking for her help, she tried to find answers to the problems people described. “We are all of us brothers,” she said, “regardless of race, creed, or color.” 9 The president established government programs to provide jobs, while the first lady worked within the programs, traveling across the country and volunteering wherever she could. In soup kitchens, coal miners’ huts, and camps for the homeless, she offered her love, her time, and a ready hand to thousands of people. They did not forget her. 10 Continuing to fight prejudice, Eleanor worked with the nation’s leaders to ensure equal rights for black Americans. In her books, magazine articles, and news column, she spoke out against segregation. She worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and local civic groups to rid the country of this unjust practice. “There is so much to do,” she once told a friend.
Updated August 2007
11 In her twelve years as first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt reached out with her mind and heart to help people in need. Whether supporting a home for troubled boys or a group of amputees from World War II, she never turned away from a problem. American statesman Adlai Stevenson said of her, “She would rather light a candle than curse the darkness.” That candle still glows today. Excerpts from COBBLESTONE’S November, 1986 issue: Eleanor Roosevelt, © 1986, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Carus Publishing Company.
Updated August 2007
Summer Camp 1 This summer I’ll be working in a small, women’s clothing store; it’s not incredibly exciting, but I like my work. Still, I remember the years I spent at summer camp and I know I’ll never feel that way again. 2 A giggling bunch of girls, aged eight and nine, scurries as a group down the dusty, rutted path to the lake. We have messily braided hair, skinny legs with scabby knees, and dirty sandals and feet. We pass the infirmary1, the weathered, ancient dining hall, and the newer lodge. 3 We girls head down the hill, covered in bark chips that get in everyone’s shoes, pass through the Senior Boys Unit, cross a small field, and reach the edge of the lake. 4 Earlier today, between noon and three o’clock, we arrived at camp. Fathers hefted our trunks, carried them into our cabins, and set them down at the foot of our bunks. Siblings bestowed upon us wisdom gained from previous years (“Don’t eat the gruel.” “Shower at least twice a week.”) along with contraband candy to hide in said trunks, and mothers kissed us good-bye. 5 Once all ten of us girls made it into our cabin, we met our counselors and C.I.T. (counselor in training) and played a name game. Then we changed into our swimsuits and trooped down to the lake to take the ever-important swim test. 6 Now that we’re here, we hang our towels on the rough log fence and remove our shoes, shirts, and shorts. With the dirt and grass tickling our toes, we proceed down onto the dock and pair off. One partner swims while the other counts laps. You have to swim nine laps, or eighteen lengths, to be able to go into the deeper water, an area aspired to by all because it contains the float, which is fun to load with more than the ten-camper limit and try to tip over. Most of the girls in my cabin won’t be able to do it. Most of them are first-year campers, and they’ll end up relegated to “Beginner’s Bay,” which doesn’t get any deeper than three feet or so. I’m a veteran, and at age nine this is my second year of camp. I’ll make all eighteen lengths or die trying. 7 My partner, a small eight-year-old with wispy, dark brown hair, whispers to me that I can go first. Not a problem. My confidence is astronomical and absolutely unshakable. I jump right in with a splash that wets my partner and the other chickens on the dock who want to count first. Then I start to swim: one lap of breaststroke, one lap of backstroke, one lap of freestyle, and six more any way choose, including the dog paddle or any other method of staying afloat that propels me through the water. I’m glad when I swim to the other dock and back for the last time, diving underwater to cover the last yard or so. Now that I’m done, I relax for a moment, reveling in everything about me. 8 The tips of my toes barely reach the gravelly bottom as I tread water. Moving into shallower depths is always an option, but I prefer proving my endurance to the onlookers I’m sure are watching. Looking up, really looking for the first time since last year, I can see the dock, a light pine color with blue painted edges. I see the rocky shore, the land beyond it covered in pine needles and shade from the immense trees standing guard above me. Behind them I see the mountains, all around me. The lake stretches out for miles, edged by the mountains, and the sun reflects off the water so brightly that I have to look away. 1
infirmary: medical clinic Updated August 2007
9 The birds sing their tuneless songs from the pines while the lake gurgles and splashes in endlessly breaking waves that never reach the shore. Simultaneously I smell the pines and the water, and the sensations are home, security. This is where I belong. 10 I dog-paddle over to the ladder, feeling water splash and lap against me. Grasping the slippery, blue wood in my small hands, I haul myself up far enough to put my foot on the first rung, feeling the edge of it jabbing my foot, the rough paint mixed with sand for traction. I climb out and stand on the smooth, damp dock, wrapping my terry cloth towel around my shoulders. Everything is dripping: hair, bathing suit, self. The sun warms me. 11 Then I feel that familiar premonitory2 sensation in my nose. Ahchoo! I sneeze violently, and the water is gone, leaving that peculiar empty feeling. It’s an affirmation3 of a sort, that summer is here, and I’m where I should be. Reprinted by permission of Cricket Magazine Group, Carus Publishing Company, from the March/April 2003 issue of CICADA magazine, Volume 5, Number 4, © 2003 by Carus Publishing Company. 2
premonitory: warning affirmation: positive statement
3
Updated August 2007
Silent Picture Shows 1
Thomas Alva Edison set the movie industry in motion. The inventor himself was not all that impressed with the concept of motion pictures; he figured the novelty would quickly wear off. How wrong he was! Film Fascinates
2
The first “moving” pictures in 1889 were peep shows viewed through Edison’s Kinetoscope. A length of film revolved on spools inside a cabinet. When a coin was dropped into a slot, an electric light shone on the film. The viewer watched the film through a peephole just big enough for the human eye. The films were about fifty feet in length and ran for less than a minute. Some early Edison films featured a dog with a bone, a baby being bathed, dances, and vaudeville1 scenes.
3
By 1908, the American public had become fascinated with the idea of movies, and nickelodeons were being built all over the country. Although these early motion picture theaters lacked the luxuries of today’s plush theaters in mall settings, the magic of Hollywood was perhaps even more alive in those early days than it is now because of its novelty. And although sound had not been invented, moviegoers used their imaginations to supply the dialogue to the events taking place before them on the screen. The era of the silent movie had begun. Laughter Sells
4
It didn’t take producers long to discover which genres worked well in silent films. Comedy became popular early in the industry’s development. The Keystone Kops featured fastpaced, slapstick humor and often violent action; typical escapades included the pie in the face, the wild car chase scene, and wild animals on the loose. Actor/producer Mack Sennett came to Los Angeles in 1912 to work for the Keystone Company. Sennett gave many comedians their start in films, including Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
5
Charles Spencer Chaplin became the most recognized film figure in the world during the era of the silent movie. Chaplin added depth of character and plot structure to the developing art form, rather than relying on simple gags and gimmicks for laughs. His tramp2 character, for which he became famous, first appeared in Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914). The tramp’s costume was appealing and immediately identifiable—the too-big shoes and pants, the formal vest, and the too-small coat. The derby hat, which he doffed3 to all he met, contrasted with his funny moustache, and it, too, became a trademark of the little tramp’s character. Some of Chaplin’s most famous movies included The Kid (1920), The Gold Rush (1925), and City Lights (1931).
1
vaudeville: variety show tramp: a foot traveler; a wanderer 3 doffed: lifted off 2
Updated August 2007
6
Chaplin’s biggest rival was Buster Keaton, who began in films in 1917. Keaton capitalized on dream sequences and trick photography to enhance his art. In two of his best films, The navigator (1924) and The General (1926), Keaton dealt with the same theme—the individual pitting his will against an inanimate4 object. It was the theme that worked the best for him, and he made the most of it.
7
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are probably the most memorable team in the history of silent films. Actually, they entered the industry separately; it wasn’t until 1927 that they began to work as a team. Incompetence ruled their world and endeared them to their audiences. In The Music Box (1932), the two struggle valiantly to get a piano up a flight of stairs half a mountain high, only to succeed in destroying everything in their path. Two of the best-known Laurel and Hardy films, Our Relations and Way Out West, were produced after the advent of sound. The two made the transition to sound more effectively than either Chaplin or Keaton. Talkies Emerge
8
By 1929 the silent film era was nearing its end. The technology for “talkies” had been developed, and silent-screen stars were frantically studying voice and diction5 in an attempt to make the transition. The majority of theaters throughout the country had been wired for sound. Silent pictures were about to become film history.
“Silent Picture Shows” from Ideals Magazine, Volume 41, No. 2. Copyright © 1984 by Ideals Publications. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updated August 2007
Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions Answer Key Question Answer No.
Type
Content Standard
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
D B C C B C A B A C A C D C B C D B S D
MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC SA MC
Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary Acquisition of Vocabulary
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
A B D A B D B B A C S A A B B A E B D D
MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC SA MC SA MC MC MC ER MC MC MC
Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process Reading Process
Content Standard Benchkmark(s) A C C A C C C A A C A C E C A C A A D A
March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice May 2007 May 2007 May 2007 May 2007
B A A A B A A A A M B A A A B B A A B A
March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice May 2007 May 2007 May 2007
Test Date
Please refer to the specific test answer key for all extended responss and short answer scoring rubrics.
Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions Answer Key Question Answer No.
Type
Content Standard
Content Standard Test Date Benchkmark(s) B May 2007
21
A
MC
Reading Process
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
B D S C S A C E D C D A E D D A C S B B A C C C C B
MC MC SA MC SA MC MC ER MC MC MC MC ER MC MC MC MC SA MC MC MC MC MC MC MC MC
Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text Reading Applications Informational Text
D A D A B B C D B A D B C D A D C A D B D D C A A D
March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice May 2007 May 2007 May 2007 May 2007
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
B S C B D A A E B S C B
MC SA MC MC MC MC MC ER MC SA MC MC
Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text
B C A E F C C F E F A B
March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2005 March 2006
Please refer to the specific test answer key for all extended responss and short answer scoring rubrics.
Grade 8 Reading OAT Authentic Questions Answer Key Question Answer No. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
C B E A C B S A B E B C A
Type MC MC ER MC MC MC SA MC MC ER MC MC MC
Content Standard Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text Reading Applications Literary Text
Content Standard Benchkmark(s) A B C A B A C E E F A F F
Test Date March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 March 2006 Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice Half-Length Practice May 2007 May 2007 May 2007 May 2007 May 2007
Please refer to the specific test answer key for all extended responss and short answer scoring rubrics.
