Kami Export - Workshop 6 Assessment Level A

Name:
Ha Nguyen Date: June 5, 2021
Workshop 6 End-of-Workshop
Assessment (Level a)
DIRECTIONS: This is a reading test. Follow the directions for each part of the test, and choose
the best answer to each question.
PRACTICE QUESTION A
Read the sentence. Then answer the question.
When Kate found an investor who would help launch her smartphone
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
app, she was on cloud nine.
What is the meaning of the underlined phrase?

A feeling confused
B feeling happy
C being shy
D being greedy
PRACTICE QUESTION B
When people want to start a business, they need to consider many things. For each
R180U_C_PETE_AS_W6_End_a.pdf
definition in the left column, check the box on the right under the term it describes.
Budget Expense Profit
A financial gain
Something that costs money
A plan for how to spend money
Go on u
Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 1 of 19

Reading (Comprehension and Language)
Directions: Read the passage. Then answer questions 1–6.
Jack Ma’s Path to Success

1 One of the world’s richest people is a billionaire named Jack Ma. He
is the cofounder of a large tech company. It is a Chinese e-commerce
company called Alibaba. Alibaba is an online shopping site that connects
millions of businesses and customers.
2 Running a successful company was not something many people

would have expected of Jack Ma. In 1964, Jack Ma was born “Ma Yun”
in Hangzhou, China. His parents were not businesspeople. They were
performers who earned money as storytellers.

3 As a child, Ma wanted to learn English. So he decided to dig in and teach
himself. When he was a teenager, he would give unofficial tours to foreign
tourists. He continued this for several years, and his English skills improved.
He became pen pals with one tourist who gave him the nickname “Jack.”
4 Ma’s language-learning skills did not match his skills in other areas.
He struggled in academics and faced many setbacks. When he applied for
college, he failed the entrance exam twice.
5 Finally, Ma did get into college and graduated with a degree in English.
After he graduated, the challenges continued. He was rejected from job
after job.
6 Ma eventually got a job as an English teacher and also worked as a

translator. In 1995, a trip to the United States changed everything. Ma was
working as a translator for a business project. During this trip, Ma and his
friends learned about the Internet. Ma learned how to search online.
7 As he was exploring the Internet, he did searches for goods in China.

He discovered that it was difficult to find information about Chinese
goods online. So Ma and his friends started a small Internet company. It
was a website that listed Chinese businesses. This site was one of China’s
first Internet companies.
Go on u

Reading (Comprehension and Language) (Continued)
8 The site was an interesting idea, but the company failed. That failure
turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After the business failed, Ma took
a job for the Chinese government. One of his assignments was to give
tours to American visitors. One day he met an American named Jerry
Yang, cofounder of Yahoo.
9 The meeting with Yang turned out to be very important for Ma. Ma
asked Yang four questions about the Internet. Later, in 1999, Ma started
Alibaba with a group of friends. Years later, Alibaba needed investors, and
Yang took a risk and invested in Ma’s business. The deal worked out for
both Yang and Ma. By 2015, Alibaba had grown to be worth more than
$150 billion.
1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A to entertain
B to criticize
C to inform
D to persuade
2. Read the sentence from paragraph 2. Then answer the question.

Running a successful company was not something many people would
have expected of Jack Ma.
Which of the following words is not in the same word family as successful?
A unsuccessful
B unsure
C success
D successfully
Go on u

3. What is a central idea of the passage?

A Jack Ma had good ideas, but lacked confidence.
B Jack Ma found success early in his life.
C Jack Ma had many goals, but gave up on them.
D Jack Ma overcame failure to earn success.
4. Read the sentences from paragraph 8. Then answer the question.

That failure turned out to be a blessing in disguise. After the business
failed, Ma took a job for the Chinese government.
What does the underlined idiom mean?

A something good that is unexpected
B something bad that happens
C something that is impossible
D something that is easy to fix
5. What type of skills did Ma most likely learn from giving tours as a teenager?
A management skills
B financial skills
C computer skills
D social skills
Go on u

6. Read the excerpt from the passage. Then circle two underlined sentences
that show challenges Jack Ma faced.
As a child, Ma wanted to learn English. So he decided to dig in and
teach himself. When he was a teenager, he would give unofficial tours
to foreign tourists. He continued this for several years, and his English
skills improved. He became pen pals with one tourist who gave him the
nickname “Jack.”
Ma’s language-learning skills did not match his skills in other areas.
He struggled in academics and faced many setbacks. When he applied for
college, he failed the entrance exam twice.
Directions: Read the passage. Then answer questions 7–14.
Making the Minimum

1 “How much money will I earn per hour?” That is the first question
many people ask when they consider a job. The wages, or income, people
earn can affect many aspects of their lives.
2 “The job pays minimum wage” is something most people don’t want to
hear during an interview. Minimum wage is the lowest hourly pay that
employers may legally pay workers. This wage can vary depending on
where people live and the type of industry they are in.
3 In the United States, there is a set federal minimum wage for the
country. The US set its first minimum wage in 1938. It was part of the
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This law was established to improve
working conditions and help workers earn enough money to meet the
cost of living.
4 The wage established by the FLSA was 25 cents per hour. In 1940, the
minimum wage went up to 30 cents. By 1950, that wage had increased
to 75 cents. Since then, the federal minimum wage has been raised over
20 times.
Go on u

5 The federal minimum wage applies to every state. However, states and
cities can set their own minimum wages. The hourly minimum wage in a
state or city can be higher than the federal rate, but it cannot be lower.
6 In May of 2015, the city of San Francisco raised its minimum wage
from $10.74 to $12.25. At the time, the federal minimum wage was
$7.25. The wage increase in San Francisco raises an important question:
Does raising the minimum wage help or hurt the economy?
7 People disagree on the answer to this question. Many supporters of

raising the minimum wage claim that people who earn a higher wage will
spend more. As a result, local business would earn more. This process
could boost an area’s economy.
8 Opponents of raising the minimum wage claim that higher wages can
put too much of a strain on employers. They claim higher wages can lead
to higher unemployment. For instance, imagine a small store that pays
its workers $10.00 per hour. Then the city’s minimum wage is raised to
$12.00 per hour. The store cannot afford the $2 increase. So it has to lay
off many of its workers.
Higher wages may hurt employers while helping employees. A

9
minimum wage increase can solve one problem while creating another. So
the debate goes on. What do you think?
Go on u

Sidebar: Minimum Wages Around the Globe

1 In 1894, New Zealand passed the world’s first national minimum
wage law. Australia and the United Kingdom soon followed. Today,
most countries have a national minimum wage.
2 Minimum wages vary widely from country to country. Australia leads the
world with a national hourly minimum wage of $16.87 in Australian dollars.
That is equal to about $15 in US dollars. India has one of the lowest
minimum wages, with an hourly rate of about 30 cents.
Minimum Wages: 1960–2016

$15.00
KEY
US Federal
Minimum Wage
Hourly Wage (US Dollars)
$10.00
California
New Zealand*
* Wages in New Zealand were

$5.00 converted from NZ dollars to
US dollars, based on current
exchange rates.
$0
1960 1980 2000 2016
Year
Go on u

7. Read the sentence from paragraph 3. Then answer the question.

This law was established to improve working conditions and help
workers earn enough money to meet the cost of living.
Which word is not in the same word family as established?

A establishes
B establishing
C estimation
D establishment
8. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A to argue in favor of raising the minimum wage
B to provide facts about the minimum wage
C to entertain readers with a story about the minimum wage
D to persuade cities to change their minimum wage
9. According to the passage, what is true of the minimum wage of any US state?
A It can be higher than the federal rate.
B It must be changed each year.

C It can be lower than the federal rate.
D It must be raised every few years.
Go on u

10. The passage compares the minimum wage in different countries around the
world. For each fact in the left column, check the box on the right under the
country it describes.
Australia United New India

States Zealand
It passed the world’s first

minimum wage law in 1894.
It has one of the lowest

minimum wages in the world.
It set its first minimum wage

in 1938.
It has the highest minimum

wage in the world.
11. According to the passage, what is an argument against raising the

minimum wage?
A It can cause reckless spending.
B It will force businesses to lower prices.
C It will make workers less productive.

D It can cause layoffs.
12. How is the “Minimum Wages Around the Globe” sidebar different from
the passage?
A The passage focuses on minimum wage increases, but the “Minimum
Wages Around the Globe” sidebar focuses on decreases.
B The passage focuses on the minimum wage in US cities, but the “Minimum
Wages Around the Globe” sidebar focuses on US states.
C The passage focuses on the US, but the “Minimum Wages Around the
Globe” sidebar includes facts about other countries.
D The passage focuses on workers, but the “Minimum Wages Around the
Globe” sidebar includes facts about employers.
Go on u

13. According to the graph, which two statements are true about wages in 2016?
A New Zealand’s hourly minimum wage was higher than the US federal
minimum wage.
B California’s hourly minimum wage was the same as the US federal
minimum wage.
C New Zealand’s hourly minimum wage was the same as the US federal
minimum wage.
D The US federal hourly minimum wage was lower than California’s
minimum wage.
E California’s hourly minimum wage was higher than New Zealand’s

minimum wage.
14. Which statement is supported by both the bar graph and the passage?
A The US federal minimum wage is too high.
B The US federal minimum wage is the lowest in the world.
C The US federal minimum wage will continue to go up.
D The US federal minimum wage will soon be the highest in the world.
Go on u

Directions: Read the play. Then answer questions 15–19.
Credit Crisis
Characters
Jayden: teenage boy
Marc: teenage boy; Jayden’s friend
Alicia: Jayden’s sister
Mom: mother of Jayden and Alicia
Dad: father of Jayden and Alicia
Scene 1
(Two teenage boys, Marc and Jayden, are in Jayden’s room. It’s Saturday night.
The boys are sitting at a desk, staring at a laptop.)
MARC: (pointing to the computer screen) Those sneakers are awesome! You
should buy them.
JAYDEN: Yeah, they’re pretty cool. And look, they have the blue ones in
my size.
MARC: (smiling) Trina will definitely notice you when you step onto the
basketball court in those!
JAYDEN: (smiling and moving the mouse so that it hovers over “Buy Now”
button on the screen) But they are $200. That is more than I have in the
bank right now.
MARC: Come on, don’t be such a baby. It will take like two weeks for the
purchase to go through. Just log a few extra hours tutoring between now
and then.
JAYDEN: (clicking the “Buy Now” button) You’re right! I deserve these
shoes! (The boys high-five each other.)
Go on u

Scene 2
(Three days have passed. It’s Wednesday night, and Jayden is alone in his room.
He is pacing and talking on his cell phone.)
JAYDEN: (in a low voice) Marc, I told you this was a bad idea. I shouldn’t
have let you twist my arm. My credit card bill came today, and the
sneakers are already on it.
MARC: Wow! Sorry, bro. Guess I was wrong about when the charge would
show up.
JAYDEN: (stops pacing and raises his voice) Maybe you could lend me $200
to show me how sorry you are!
MARC: (laughing) Yeah, right. I’m broke. You won’t like what I’m about to
say, but I think you’ve got to tell your parents.
JAYDEN: (yelling) Are you crazy? No way! This happened to Alicia last
month, and she was grounded for weeks.
MARC: I’m not sure what other choice you have. You could just sell your
car.
JAYDEN: (laughing sarcastically) Yeah, very funny. I’ve gotta go. Talk to
you later.
(Jayden tosses the phone on the bed angrily.)
Scene 3
(The next morning Mom, Dad, Alicia, and Jayden are at the kitchen table.
Jayden is staring at his glass of juice.)
MOM: You look worried, Jay. Is something wrong?
JAYDEN: (looking down and mumbling) Nah.
ALICIA: Real convincing, Jay.
JAYDEN: (looking up and sneering at Alicia) This doesn’t concern you.
Go on u

MOM: Well, who does it concern?
JAYDEN: I— (pausing)
ALICIA: Spit it out!
DAD: Alicia, you’re really not helping.
JAYDEN: I did something stupid.
MOM: (looking worried) Oh, honey, just tell us. We all make mistakes.
JAYDEN: (with a sigh) My credit card bill came yesterday. The balance is
really high, and I can’t—

DAD: (interrupting in a loud voice) We just went through this with Alicia.
You two are so alike!
MOM: Please, let’s try to stay calm. First of all, lots of young people have
trouble with money. Why, I remember a time when your dad bought—
DAD: We don’t need to mention that. That was a long time ago.
MOM: (smirking) I’ll drop it if you’ll stay calm.

DAD: (nodding) Jay, let’s see the bill.
JAYDEN: (taking a folded paper out of his pocket) I’m really sorry.
MOM: (looking at the bill with Dad) First, you’re cutting up your credit
card. You will be using cash from now on.
DAD: How much do you have in your account, Jay?
JAYDEN: Um, 70 bucks.
DAD: After school tomorrow I’ll take you to the bank. You can give us $50.
We’ll use it toward the credit card bill. We will pay the rest of your balance.
JAYDEN: Awesome! Thanks!
DAD: Don’t thank us yet. You’ll pay us back a little each week from your
tutoring money.
Go on u

MOM: And—
JAYDEN: I know. I’m grounded, right?
MOM: Yup, you’re grounded for the next two weeks.
15. Read the excerpt from Scene 2. Then answer the question.
JAYDEN: (in a low voice) Marc, I told you this was a bad idea. I shouldn’t
have let you twist my arm. My credit card bill came today, and the sneakers
are already on it.
What does the underlined idiom mean?

A injure someone
B persuade someone
C deceive someone
D discourage someone
16. Where do the play’s key events take place?

A The conflict begins in the kitchen, and the resolution happens in Jayden’s
room.
B The conflict begins at the bank, and the resolution happens in Marc’s
room.
C The conflict begins in the kitchen, and the resolution happens at the bank.
D The conflict begins in Jayden’s room, and the resolution happens in the
kitchen.
Go on u

17. In the play, the characters’ actions contribute to the plot in different ways.
Draw a line from each character on the left to the action that best describes
how that character contributes to the plot.
Mom Reacts angrily to Jayden’s mistake
Marc Pressures Jayden during his confession
Dad Reacts calmly to Jayden’s mistake
Alicia Pressures Jayden to make the purchase

18. When does Jayden decide to confess?

A while he is shopping online with Marc
B when he gets his credit card bill
C when he calls Marc
D while he talks to his parents
19. PART A
Which sentence best states a theme of the play?

A Friends can help each other overcome challenges.
B Giving in to peer pressure can lead to bad decisions.
C Friends need to be loyal to each other.
D Giving in to jealousy can be dangerous.
PART B
Which excerpt from the play best supports the answer to Part A?
A “Come on, don’t be such a baby. It will take like two weeks for the
purchase to go through.” (Scene 1)
B “You won’t like what I’m about to say, but I think you’ve got to tell your
parents.” (Scene 2)
C “I’m not sure what other choice you have.” (Scene 2)
D “We don’t need to mention that. That was a long time ago.” (Scene 3)
Go on u

Constructed Response
Directions: Write your answer in your own words on the lines below. Use complete sentences.
20. What are the authors’ purposes in “Jack Ma’s Path to Success” and “Making
the Minimum”? How do the authors achieve their purposes? Write a
paragraph to explain.
About "Jack Ma's Path to Success" I think the author's purpose want to share positive
energy for people. For those who feel hopeless and want to give up. He achieves his
purpose by talking about Jack Ma. Jack Ma was overcome many challenges but he didn't
give up and now he is an owner of a company.
Making
21. In “Credit Crisis,” what are the key plot events? In a paragraph, explain the
sequence of events that make up the beginning, middle, and end of the
drama. Use details from the play to support your answer.
Go on u

Writing & Conventions
Directions: The following excerpt from a student’s essay contains errors. Read the excerpt.
Then answer questions 22–27.
(1)Sticking to a budget can be a challenge. (2) To create a budget that
works for you, think about the following your needs, your wants, and
your goals. (3) Then create a budget following these simple steps. (4) _____,
determine how much money you earn per month. (5) This can be money
from a job and/or an allowance. (6) _____ you have estimated that
amount, think about your expenses. (7) How much do you spend on things
like clothing, movies, and your phone bill? (8) Be honest with yourself you
may be spending more than you think!
Once you have made an expense list, divide the list into what is
(9)
important and what isn’t. (10) Come up with an amount that you need to
spend on necessary expenses each month. (11) Subtract that amount from
your earnings amount. (12) _____, create a budget with a set amount that
you can spend each month. (13) Whenever you feel tempted to break the
budget, ask yourself Is it really worth it?
22. What is the correct way to punctuate the underlined part of sentence 2?
A the following your needs: your wants, and your goals
B the following: your needs, your wants, and your goals
C the following; your needs, your wants, and your goals

D the following, your needs, your wants, and your goals
23. Which transition phrase best completes sentence 4?

A As an alternative
B Despite this
C In conclusion
D First of all
Go on u

Writing & Conventions (Continued)
24. Which transition word or phrase best completes sentence 6?

A After
B In fact
C Eventually
D In contrast
25. What is the best way to revise sentence 8?

A Be honest with yourself you may—be spending more than you think!
B Be honest with yourself—you may be spending more than you think!

C Be honest with—yourself you may be spending more than you think!
D Be honest with yourself you may be—spending more than you think!
26. Which transition word or phrase best completes sentence 12?

A Instead of
B Previously
C In general
D Lastly
27. What is the best way to revise sentence 13?

A Whenever you feel tempted to break the budget, ask yourself; Is it: really
worth it?
B Whenever you feel tempted to break the budget ask; yourself Is it really
worth it?
C Whenever you feel tempted to break the budget, ask yourself: Is it really
worth it?
D Whenever you feel tempted to break the budget, ask yourself Is: it really
worth it?
Go on u

Writing & Conventions (Continued)
Writing Prompt
28. Imagine a person who starts with nothing, makes a huge fortune, and then
loses it all in the end. Write a narrative essay telling what happens and what
the character learns from the experience. You may write your narrative in
the first or third person.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt conducts ongoing item analysis to assess item performance over time and
with various student populations. STOP

Kami Export - Workshop 6 Assessment Level A

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Kami Export - Workshop 6 Assessment Level A

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Name:

Ha Nguyen Date: June 5, 2021

Read the sentence. Then answer the question.

app, she was on cloud nine.

What is the meaning of the underlined phrase?

Budget Expense Profit

Something that costs money

A plan for how to spend money

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 1 of 19

Jack Ma’s Path to Success

2 Running a successful company was not something many people

performers who earned money as storytellers.

6 Ma eventually got a job as an English teacher and also worked as a

7 As he was exploring the Internet, he did searches for goods in China.

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 2 of 19

1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

2. Read the sentence from paragraph 2. Then answer the question.

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 3 of 19

3. What is a central idea of the passage?

4. Read the sentences from paragraph 8. Then answer the question.

failed, Ma took a job for the Chinese government.

What does the underlined idiom mean?

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 4 of 19

college, he failed the entrance exam twice.

Directions: Read the passage. Then answer questions 7–14.

Making the Minimum

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 5 of 19

7 People disagree on the answer to this question. Many supporters of

Higher wages may hurt employers while helping employees. A

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 6 of 19

Sidebar: Minimum Wages Around the Globe

Minimum Wages: 1960–2016

* Wages in New Zealand were

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 7 of 19

7. Read the sentence from paragraph 3. Then answer the question.

Which word is not in the same word family as established?

8. What is the main purpose of the passage?

B It must be changed each year.

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 8 of 19

Australia United New India

It passed the world’s first

It has one of the lowest

It set its first minimum wage

It has the highest minimum

11. According to the passage, what is an argument against raising the

C It will make workers less productive.

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 9 of 19

E California’s hourly minimum wage was higher than New Zealand’s

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 10 of 19

Directions: Read the play. Then answer questions 15–19.

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 11 of 19

(Jayden tosses the phone on the bed angrily.)

MOM: You look worried, Jay. Is something wrong?

JAYDEN: (looking down and mumbling) Nah.

ALICIA: Real convincing, Jay.

JAYDEN: (looking up and sneering at Alicia) This doesn’t concern you.

Universal | Stage C | ReaL Book | Workshop 6 | End of Workshop | Level a Page 12 of 19

MOM: Well, who does it concern?

ALICIA: Spit it out!

DAD: Alicia, you’re really not helping.

JAYDEN: I did something stupid.

really high, and I can’t—

MOM: (smirking) I’ll drop it if you’ll stay calm.