8th Grade Reading TAKS 2006

By telling this story from Leanna’s point of view, the author helps the reader understand —
1. how the Hindenburg disaster affected American children
2. why Leanna’s father was a respected newspaper reporter
3. what it feels like to witness a tragic event
4. why Leanna is so interested in science and journalism
The reader can conclude that Leanna —
1. will design her own airship someday
2. admires her father’s skill as a reporter
3. hopes to be a scientist when she is older
4. wishes she had not won the essay contest
What is paragraph 12 mainly about?
1. How the lights on the Hindenburg worked
2. The Hindenburg’s four giant fins
3. How the Hindenburg operated
4. The Hindenburg’s appearance
Which is the best summary of this story?
1. Leanna and her father admire the Hindenburg as it prepares to land. As it gets closer, she thinks she sees passengers taking pictures with flashbulbs. To her surprise, she soon realizes that the airship is on fire. The fire begins to spread, and after a few seconds the Hindenburg crashes to the ground.
2. Leanna writes an essay about why she should attend the landing of the famous airship Hindenburg. In her essay she writes that American scientists are as intelligent as German scientists, and she wonders why America does not have its own large flying machine. She thinks the United States should commit itself to building something even more wonderful.
3. After winning a school contest to write a story about the Hindenburg, Leanna travels with her father to the town of Lakehurst to see the landing of the airship. Upon its arrival, however, the airship catches on fire. While her father captures the terrifying scene with a camera, Leanna records her impressions on paper.
4. Leanna wins an essay contest to cover the Hindenburg’s landing. As she and her father drive to Lakehurst, Leanna worries that she won’t arrive in time and wishes that her father would drive faster. When they finally arrive, Leanna takes notes about the size of the crowd gathered to welcome the huge airship and about the Hindenburg’s sleek appearance.
In paragraph 1, the author establishes a mood of —
1. appreciation
2. anticipation
3. uncertainty
4. confidence
Paragraph 4 is important to the story because it —
1. explains why the Hindenburg is such an important news story
2. gives details about what Leanna expects to see at the Hindenburg’s landing
3. explains why Leanna is writing a story about the Hindenburg
4. describes what Leanna plans to write in her story about the Hindenburg
Which sentence from the story supports the idea that Leanna has learned that being a journalist can be challenging?
1. They drove through the base, and when they neared the landing area, Leanna was taken aback by the huge number of cars already parked and the crowd of people waiting for the ship.
2. For the next few minutes, Leanna scribbled ideas and chewed her pencil.
3. In her essay Leanna had explained that her two loves were science and journalism, and reporting on the airship would be a great way for her to combine the two.
4. It all seemed too immense to comprehend.
Look at this chart of information from the story.

Which detail belongs on the empty line?
1. The airship arrives at Lakehurst Naval Air Station.
2. Leanna’s father points at a fin on the airship.
3. The airship crumples to the ground and collapses.
4. Leanna and her father park far from the airfield.
Which sentence supports the idea that Leanna trusts her father’s judgment?
1. Out of habit he started to reach for his
  press badge, but Leanna cleared her throat loudly and handed him hers with a smile.
2. If he thought this was the best place to get the story, it probably was.
3. Always the newsman, he had grabbed his camera from the backseat of the car and was busy adjusting the lens.
4. Leanna thought that it must be wonderful to be a respected reporter like her father.
At the start of the story, Leanna wants the car to go faster because she —
1. becomes bored when her father drives
  slowly
2. is apprehensive about visiting Lakehurst
  Naval Air Station
3. wants to reach the naval base in time to see the fire
4. does not want to miss her chance to report on the event
What does the author mean by this line?
1. The firefighters are not trained to handle such a big fire.
2. Leanna feels that the efforts of the
  firefighters are hopeless.
3. The fire has caused the whole area to
  start burning.
4. Leanna has never seen such a large fire.
In paragraph 6, the word revitalizing
means —
1. not disturbing
2. making effective again
3. not improving
4. occurring later
The author wrote this selection most likely
to —
1. blame farmers for the dust storms that
  occurred during the 1930s
2. describe how the U.S. government
  encouraged the agricultural industry
3. tell the reader about a devastating time in U.S. history
4. portray people who lived on the Great
  Plains as rugged and hardworking
In this selection, one of the causes of the dust
storms is linked to —
1. the planting of prairie grasses
2. support for the war
3. unproductive farms
4. low-paying agricultural jobs
Which sentence best shows that farmers at
first benefited from plowing up grassland and
planting wheat?
1. A federal program encouraged farmers to utilize new methods that would protect the precious topsoil from eroding.
2. Farmers were eager to do their part to help feed the soldiers overseas.
3. As farmers increased their production,
  their own profits increased.
4. During World War I, the U.S. government encouraged farmers to support the war effort by planting more wheat.
What is the most likely reason the author has
chosen to tell about something that took place
long ago?
1. She has vivid memories of a difficult time in her life.
2. She has spent her life regretting the past.
3. She has fond memories of the close
  relationship she had with her family.
4. She fears that another catastrophe will happen during her lifetime.
Many Dust Bowl farmers borrowed money
because —
1. they needed equipment to try new
  farming methods
2. they needed extra funds to make the move to California
3. they could not afford even basic
  necessities
4. the government was providing loans so farmers could plant more wheat
Maggie’s older sister is portrayed as being —
1. stubborn
2. daring
3. insincere
4. protective
Paragraph 2 is mainly about —
1. the parts of the house that are the dirtiest
2. how the family cleans after a dust storm
3. why the family members spend hours
  washing the dishes
4. how long it takes to clean the house
Read the dictionary entry below for the word
cover.
cover \'ko-ver\ n 1. something that is placed
or spread over someone 2. a binding for a book
3. something that provides shelter
4. something that screens or disguises

Which definition represents the meaning of
cover as it is used in paragraph 4?
1. Definition 1
2. Definition 2
3. Definition 3
4. Definition 4
The reader can conclude that a
life-threatening problem during the Dust
Bowl days was —
1. applying for loans
2. deciding whether to move to California
3. trying to keep the house clean
4. developing dust pneumonia
Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”
to answer questions 22–24.

Which conclusion about the Dust Bowl era is
supported by information in both selections?
1. People thought moving to California
  would offer them a brighter future.
2. Farmers blamed their difficulties on the invention of the tractor.
3. The accumulation of dust caused damage to farm equipment that was not repairable.
4. Farmers in the Great Plains region were less skilled than farmers in other areas.
Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”
to answer questions 22–24.

What is a major idea found in both selections?
1. Ignoring good advice
2. Showing one’s patriotism
3. Giving up easily
4. Coping with hardship
Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”
to answer questions 22–24.

How is the author’s approach to writing
“The Black Blizzards” different from the
author’s approach in “Dust Bowl Days”?
1. “The Black Blizzards” presents factual
  information in a general way, while “Dust Bowl Days” focuses mainly on one person’s experience.
2. “The Black Blizzards” aims to educate
  readers about the period, while “Dust
  Bowl Days” tries to gain the reader’s
  sympathy for people who lived during the period.
3. “The Black Blizzards” was probably
  written for a magazine, while “Dust Bowl Days” was probably written for a history textbook.
4. “The Black Blizzards” is meant to warn people about upsetting the balance of nature, while “Dust Bowl Days” is meant to emphasize what has been learned about farming as a result of past experiences.
What are paragraphs 6 through 8 mainly about?
1. Why officials sometimes took away
  Taylor’s victories
2. The poor treatment Taylor experienced as a racer
3. How other racers defeated Taylor in
  competitions
4. The reasons the crowds would yell at
  Taylor
Which word best describes the tone in
paragraph 27?
1. Relieved
2. Determined
3. Angry
4. Nervous
Why did the race promoters want Taylor to
participate in races?
1. They knew that they would earn more
  money from the large crowds.
2. They didn’t want to pay him for bringing in so many spectators.
3. They were afraid that the large crowds
  would interfere with the race.
4. They didn’t want the crowds to encourage Taylor’s racing career.
Which sentence from the selection supports
the idea that Taylor was not completely
discouraged by the publisher’s decision?
1. I knew I had his attention when the man leaned back and scratched his chin while he looked at me.
2. “No, it wasn’t always easy,” I said, “but I’m not the kind of man to complain.”
3. “Because I raced so much in Europe,
  Australia, and the United States, I made up to $35,000 a year.”
4. After all, losing one race didn’t mean the season was over.
Look at the web of information from the selection.

Which idea belongs in the empty circle?
1. Circumstances That Caused Taylor to Lose Most of His Races
2. Reasons Taylor Was Not Allowed in the Racing Association
3. Memories Taylor Had of Cycling Competitions
4. Reasons the Publisher Wouldn’t Buy Taylor’s Book
Because the story is told from Taylor’s point of
view, the reader can —
1. understand the personal challenges
  Taylor faced
2. realize what it was like to live in the early 1900s
3. tell that having a manuscript published is hard work
4. recognize the personality of the publisher
The reader can conclude that the publisher
believed —
1. Taylor was not as good a racer as he
  claimed to be
2. people would not enjoy reading about a professional cyclist
3. Taylor had not been honest about
  everything in his book
4. white people would not be interested in Taylor’s story
Read this sentence from paragraph 10 of the
selection.

What did Taylor mean by these words?
1. He planned to continue racing until his
  retirement.
2. The meeting was running a lot longer
  than he had expected.
3. There was a slim chance that his book would be published.
4. The two men had not yet talked about the book’s ending.
Taylor thought the publisher had not read his
book because the publisher —
1. refused to answer any of Taylor’s
  questions
2. was not very interested in his story
3. did not know why Taylor’s nickname was Major
4. was unwilling to publish Taylor’s book
Look at the time line of Taylor’s life.

What belongs in the empty box?
1. Adopted the name Major Taylor
2. Met with publishers about his book
3. Published his book and worked to sell it
4. Became one of the top cyclists in the world
The reader can conclude that Taylor’s victories
were taken away from him by officials
because —The reader can conclude that Taylor’s victories
were taken away from him by officials
because —
1. he did not follow the competition’s official rules
2. the officials didn’t want an African
  American to win
3. other cyclists were threatening to
  withdraw from races
4. the officials thought he was cheating
  during the races
Read the dictionary entry for draw.

draw \'dro.\ v 1. to mark or lay out; trace
2. to inhale or suck in 3. to come out even in a
contest; tie 4. to bring toward oneself; attract

Which definition best describes the way draw
is used in paragraph 12?
1. Definition 1
2. Definition 2
3. Definition 3
4. Definition 4
In paragraph 5, the word excruciating means
the pain was —
1. spreading
2. fading quickly
3. intense
4. coming and going
What can the reader conclude about Cassidy?
1. She doesn’t really enjoy hiking in the
  mountains.
2. She is afraid of being alone in the dark.
3. She is worried that her mother won’t call.
4. She is determined to reach her goal.
Cassidy’s mother will probably not be worried
about Cassidy and her father because she —
1. doesn’t think that hiking is dangerous
2. knows that Cassidy and her father are
  experienced climbers
3. won’t be expecting them to call again that day
4. knows there is a park ranger station
  located nearby
Read the first sentence from a summary of
this story.

Which of the following sets of sentences best
completes the summary?
1. He falls 20 feet down the mountain and struggles to bring himself back up to the trail. He tells Cassidy that he may have a broken leg and other injuries.
2. Cassidy leaves her backpack with her
  father and starts down the trail. She
  knows she needs to hurry and tries to
  quicken her pace as she watches the sun slowly go down.
3. During the fall her father loses his
  backpack. His truck keys and cell phone are in the backpack. Her father knows he can’t make it back to their truck since his leg might be broken.
4. Cassidy must go find help at the ranger station. With the sun beginning to sink, Cassidy knows she must hurry. Though she is tired, Cassidy makes it to the station before dark.
What is the tone of paragraphs 15 through 17?
1. Hopelessness
2. Insecurity
3. Joyfulness
4. Persistence
Why does Cassidy give her father her jacket?
1. She thinks her father can put it under his injured leg.
2. She is trying to make her father
  comfortable.
3. She hopes the jacket will be easy to see from a helicopter.
4. She doesn’t want the jacket to slow her down on her way for help.
Paragraphs 3 through 7 are important to this
story because they —
1. show that Cassidy is an experienced hiker
2. explain why Cassidy must go for help
3. describe what happened to the cell phone
4. tell why Cassidy’s mother remained at
  home
The reader can conclude that Cassidy’s
father —
1. is not a very experienced hiker
2. fears that Cassidy was hurt when the trail collapsed
3. knows the rangers may not find him
  without Cassidy’s help
4. is careless when it comes to hiking safely
Cassidy’s father reminds her that they have
hiked the same mountains most of her life in
order to —
1. increase her confidence
2. let her know she is behaving childishly
3. convince her of the seriousness of the
  situation
4. remind her to climb slowly
Which idea from the story shows that Cassidy
is determined to save her father?
1. Cassidy leaves her father the backpack.
2. Cassidy realizes the ranger station is close when she reaches the road.
3. Cassidy informs the ranger that her
  father was hurt badly on the trail.
4. Cassidy refuses to rest even though she is tired.
For Cassidy, the setting sun symbolizes —
1. fading hope
2. problems ending
3. continued pain
4. help approaching
The most likely reason the author wrote this
story is to —
1. warn readers of the dangers of hiking in the mountains
2. share a story about a girl who helps
  rescue her father
3. persuade readers to go hiking only when it is daylight
4. describe how rangers help rescue a girl and her father

8th Grade Reading TAKS 2006

Quiz

Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”to answer questions 22–24.

Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”to answer questions 22–24.

Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”to answer questions 22–24.

Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”
to answer questions 22–24.

Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”
to answer questions 22–24.

Use “The Black Blizzards” and “Dust Bowl Days”
to answer questions 22–24.