5th Grade Opinion Writing

EOG Assessment 1
Section 1
In this section you will read two passages and answer questions 1 through 5.
WRITING TASK
You will read about the many ways that families handle the competing
demands on their children’s time. While most agree that overscheduling
is a problem, some believe that participation in afterschool activities is
important to their child’s development. Others believe that children
should forgo all afterschool activities in favor of unstructured time.
Think about both sides of the discussion as presented in the texts, and
then write an opinion essay supporting either side of the debate about
afterschool activities. Explain your opinion and give reasons to support it.
Be sure to use information from BOTH texts. Write your answer on the
lines provided.
Before you begin planning and writing, you will read two passages and
answer four questions about what you have read. As you read the passages,
think about what details from the passages you might use in your opinion
essay. These are the titles of the passages you will read:
1. Letter to the Editor
2. More Than a Game
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 1
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Letter to the Editor
I recently heard from my grandson Timmy, who told me about his
soccer schedule this past season—three practices a week and then a
game on the weekend. He has also been taking pottery classes and
drum lessons. What Timmy did not tell me, his father did. Timmy was
having trouble getting his homework finished at night, and he had no
time to see friends because of all of his activities. I think that Timmy is
not alone, and that many kids today are overscheduled.
I have a radical thought. Parents, try something new and different
when school starts again. I recommend that you do not sign up your
kids for any sports or other afterschool activities. It may sound crazy to
you, but there are many good reasons to do this.
First, your kids will get a chance to be outside in nature. When I was a
boy, I used to take long hikes in nature. I loved listening to the sounds of
the birds in the trees and studying all the bugs that I found, and I became
quite an expert in both! When it was warm outside, I swam in the swimming
hole up the road. When it was cold, I bundled up and went snowshoeing.
Those afternoons helped me to learn quite a bit about the world and about
myself, and they created some of my most wonderful memories.
The American Medical Association agrees that playing in nature is
important. They say that going out into nature for unstructured play makes
kids happier and smarter and helps them learn to get along with others.
Another reason to forgo activities for a while is that your kids will have
time to read books. Literature can be a great escape and a great
teacher. Remember how your kids used to love sitting on your lap and
hearing a story when they were young? Well, here is an opportunity for
them to discover great stories for kids their own age. Go outside with
them. Sit under a tree with a snack and some good books. Nothing
better than that! As it turns out, the research supports this idea, too.
According to the Institute of Education, kids who read for pleasure do
better in school.
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Another very important thing that kids miss when they are busy with
activities is time to dream. Without imagination, we would never advance
as a society. All progress comes from somebody dreaming up new ideas
and new inventions. If kids have time, they may surprise you. You may
find them painting, drawing, writing, or even researching topics that
interest them.
Finally, with no afterschool commitments, kids will be able to get
their homework done on time. They will also have time to spend with
family and friends.
Give it a try for one semester. Experiment with a grandpa’s old-
fashioned idea. Do it for your children!
Sincerely,
Jebediah Oswald
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 3

More Than a Game
by Kyle Mashone
It’s a common problem in cities and towns across the country:

overscheduled children who scurry from one activity to another, with
little time to see friends or spend a quiet moment alone. Seeking a
solution to the madness, some adults swing hard in the other direction.
They lay down a stern law: “No afterschool activities.” Suddenly faced
with hours of unstructured time, kids will learn how to deal with
boredom, parents hope. They will spend time outdoors, enjoying Nature.
They will read a good book.
Jam-packed schedules can certainly be a problem. But the solution is
not to wipe the slate clean. Afterschool activities have been shown to
benefit children in many important ways.
Take, for example, sports. For many parents looking to cut their kids’
schedules, these are often the first to go. But team sports such as
soccer, baseball, lacrosse, and basketball are more than a game.
They promote:
• Physical Health Besides contributing to a healthy weight, regular
physical activity helps kids build bone and muscle, and maintain
healthy joints.
• Academic Performance Physical exercise increases blood flow to the
brain. It also releases natural chemicals called endorphins. These
benefits carry over to the classroom, boosting a child’s ability to
concentrate, remember important information, and solve problems.
• I mproved Mood Endorphins help contribute to relaxation and stress-
relief. They promote self-confidence and a sense of well-being.
• Communication and Cooperation Playing on a team requires
working with others toward a common goal. Kids learn to listen to
the coach and their teammates. They also improve their
communication skills. When teams review game performance,
players express themselves and learn to give and receive feedback.
• Respect for Self and Others A child who belongs to a team learns to
get along with others—including kids that he or she does not
usually encounter. Seeing how each person contributes to the team
builds a child’s respect for others. Children learn to develop
different types of friendships and expand their circle of friends.
Contributing to a team also helps kids build respect for themselves.
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• Other Life Skills On a team, children learn that doing something
well takes practice. In the struggle to show up—even though they
might not feel like it on a particular day—kids learn about how to
commit to something larger than themselves. And they come to
understand that winning isn’t everything.
Studies also show that even in afterschool activities that do not
involve teamwork, children receive many of these benefits. And by
participating in a range of activities, from art to music to computers to
nature clubs, kids begin to see what they enjoy and develop hobbies.
Of course, participation in any afterschool activity should not be a
substitute for spending time alone reading, enjoying friends, or
experiencing nature. The most important thing to remember when
considering any child’s schedule is balance.
1. Which BEST states two main ideas in “Letter to the Editor”?
A. Kids who participate in sports are often too busy. If children want to play
sports, they should give up other afterschool activities.
B. Many kids are overscheduled. To deal with this problem, parents should
encourage their children to withdraw from afterschool activities.
C. During the school year, children often have busy schedules. Parents
should make sure their kids do their homework.
D. Participating in a sport makes many kids busy and stressed. To get
physical exercise, kids should have unstructured time outdoors.
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 5

2. According to “More Than a Game,” how does participating in team sports help
students learn more in school?
A. Organized activities help students learn to use their time wisely.

B. Team sports offer information that can be used in group projects.
C. Physical exercise affects the body in ways that help the mind learn.
D. Studying the rules of sports results in more learning about other topics.
3. Both authors argue that outdoor exercise—whether alone or on a sports

team—is good for kids. What is different about the type of evidence each
author uses to support this claim?
A. “Letter to the Editor” includes evidence from the author’s personal

experience; “More Than a Game” does not.
B. “Letter to the Editor” includes evidence from the writings of professional
athletes; “More Than a Game” does not.
C. “More Than a Game” includes evidence about kids’ happiness and well-
being; “Letter to the Editor” does not.
D. “More Than a Game” includes evidence about non-sport afterschool
activities; “Letter to the Editor” does not.
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4. Explain two reasons why the author of “More Than a Game” disagrees that
kids should give up all afterschool activities.
Use details from BOTH passages to support your answer. Write your answer
on the lines provided.
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 7

5. Now that you have read “Letter to the Editor” and “More Than a Game” and
answered some questions about what you have read, create a plan for and
write your opinion essay.
WRITING TASK
You have read about the many ways that families handle the competing
demands on their children’s time. While most agree that overscheduling
is a problem, some believe that participation in afterschool activities is
important to their child’s development. Others believe that children
should forgo all afterschool activities in favor of unstructured time.
Think about both sides of the discussion as presented in the texts, and
then write an opinion essay supporting either side of the debate about
afterschool activities. Explain your opinion and give reasons to support it.
Be sure to use information from BOTH texts. Write your answer on the
lines provided.
Be sure to:
• Introduce your opinion.
• Support your opinion with reasons and details from the passages.
• Give your reasons and details in a clear order.
• Develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting
directly from the passages.
• Identify the passages by title or number when using details or facts
directly from the passages.
• Use linking words, phrases, and clauses to connect reasons.
• Use clear language and vocabulary.
• Have a strong conclusion that supports your opinion.
• Check your work for correct usage, grammar, spelling, capitalization,
and punctuation.
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Go On
EOG Assessment 1 9

STOP
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Section 2
Read the “The Old Oaken Bucket” and answer questions 6 through 11.
The Old Oaken Bucket

by Samuel Woodworth
How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,

When fond recollection presents them to view!
The orchard, the meadow, and deep-tangled wildwood,
And every loved spot which my infancy knew,
The wide-spreading pond and the mill which stood by it,
The bridge and the rock where the cataract1 fell;
The cot2 of my father, the dairy house nigh it,
And e’en the rude bucket which hung in the well.
The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket,
The moss-covered bucket which hung in the well.
That moss-covered bucket I hailed as a treasure;

For often at noon, when returned from the field,
I found it the source of an exquisite pleasure,
The purest and sweetest that nature can yield.
How ardent I seized it with hands that were glowing!
And quick to the white-pebbled bottom it fell;
Then soon, with the emblem of truth overflowing,
And dripping with coolness, it rose from the well;
The moss-covered bucket, arose from the well.
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How sweet from the green mossy brim to receive it,
As poised on the curb, it inclined to my lips!
Not a full blushing goblet could tempt me to leave it,
Though filled with the nectar that Jupiter sips.
And now, far removed from the loved situation,
The tear of regret will intrusively swell,

As fancy reverts to my father’s plantation,
And sighs for the bucket which hangs in the well;
The moss-covered bucket which hangs in the well.
1
cataract: a large waterfall or steep rapids
2
cot: a small house
6. Which statement BEST describes how the second stanza of the poem
contributes to its overall meaning?
A. It contrasts the battered old bucket with the surrounding beauty

of nature.
B. It develops the setting by listing the different features of the
family’s farm.
C. It provides detailed information about how to operate an
old-fashioned well.
D. It describes the speaker’s fond memories of drawing water from
the well.
7. Read this line from the poem.
Then soon, with the emblem of truth overflowing,
What does the phrase emblem of truth in this line refer to?
A. the deep stone well

B. the old wooden bucket
C. the pebbles at the bottom
D. the water from the well
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8. Read these lines from the poem.
And now, far removed from the loved situation,

The tear of regret will intrusively swell,
As fancy reverts to my father’s plantation,
And sighs for the bucket which hangs in the well;
Why does the speaker in the poem MOST LIKELY sigh?
A. The speaker is thirsty for a drink of water.

B. The speaker feels tired from pulling up the bucket.
C. The speaker is deeply touched remembering the old bucket.
D. The speaker wishes that the old bucket was in better shape.
9. What does the illustration help the reader understand about the poem?
A. that the speaker remembers how difficult his life on the farm used to be
B. that the speaker feels joy in recalling simple things from his childhood
C. that the speaker is bothered by how much work it used to be just to get
a drink
D. that the speaker is saddened by how far his childhood home was from
other people
10. Which words from the poem BEST express the speaker’s feelings about
his youth?
A. “How dear to my heart”

B. “I seized it”
C. “far removed”
D. “The tear of regret”
11. How does the speaker present the old oaken bucket to the reader?
A. by revealing his own thoughts and feelings about it

B. by comparing the bucket to his own childhood
C. by describing what his father thought and felt about it
D. by giving instructions for using a bucket in a well
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 13

Read the article “Home Is Where the Logs Are” and answer questions 12 through 17.
Home Is Where the Logs Are

Why Log Cabins?
In early America, the best homes were made of stone. In fact, some
colonists were so eager to imitate the great stone castles of England
and Scotland that they faked it. Early in his career, George Washington
was unable to afford a stone house, so he cut the pine boards of Mount
Vernon in a way that made them look like brick. Then he covered the
boards with a white paint mixed with sand, giving the whole house the
rough texture of stone. Of course, not everyone could afford even that.
For many, the only option was a log cabin.
Log cabins were the most basic of early American homes. They were
built in frontier areas, away from cities, and only a single tool—an ax—
was necessary to get the job done. Some Native Americans didn’t even
need an ax. They used carefully controlled fires to cut down trees and
fashion longhouses. Similar to log cabins in that they had rectangular
floor plans, longhouses were fit together with long wooden poles. Roofs
were made of leaves and bark.
In a traditional log cabin, logs are interlocked using notches. At each
end of the log, a notch, or cut, is carved. The notch on one log fits into
the notch of another, bringing the logs closer together. In this way, the
cabin is stronger and more impermeable to the elements. The warmth of
a good fire stays inside, while rain and snow stay outside.
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Cabin Materials
To build their cabins, early Americans first needed to select a good
site. They looked for spots that were sheltered from the wind and where
rainwater easily drained away from the house. Most log cabins did not
have fancy foundations, but they needed to be built on solid ground. If
a thunderstorm turned a field into a muddy swamp, the house might
float away.
Next, it was important to find excellent trees. Experienced
frontiersmen looked for strong, old-growth trees with few limbs. The
straighter the tree, the better; any curves or tapers created gaps in the
cabin’s walls. Once good trees were located, they were chopped down
and hewn of all limbs, so all that was left were straight and sturdy logs.
Building a Cabin
Then, the builder chopped the logs according to the size of his house.
If the house was to be square, all the logs could be the same length. If
it was to be rectangular, however, then half the logs needed to be one
length, and half the other. Once this was determined and the logs cut,
the cabin-builder laid two logs of equal length parallel to one another.
These marked the cabin’s sides.
Next, the builder cut notches one foot from the ends of each of the
logs, using the notches to fit the logs, one on top of another. Once the
sides were completely built up, doors and windows could be cut out of
the logs. Any gaps in the wood could be clotted with mud and leaves.
Flat roofs required nothing more than additional logs and additional
notches, and could be covered with bark and leaves. Pitched, V-shaped
roofs required nails but were sturdier and better for draining water and
snow. Regardless of roof type, the cabins generally made for solid, cozy,
and affordable homes.
Symbols
Over time, log cabins even became important in American politics. Seven
United States presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, were born in log
cabins, and many politicians used the cabin as a symbol of the common
man. Long gone were the days when Washington pretended to have a stone
house. Now everyone pretended to have been born in a cabin!
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 15

12. What does the word interlocked mean as it is used in the article?
A. hollowed out
B. trapped inside
C. pulled apart
D. fit together
13. How does the author support the claim that log cabins were the most basic
kind of home?
A. by explaining that log cabins were built in rural areas far from cities
B. by describing how notches were cut to make the logs fit tightly together
C. by explaining that only one tool was needed to build a log cabin
D. by describing how George Washington made Mount Vernon look like a
stone home
14. According to the article, which is one way early American log cabins and
Native American longhouses were different?
A. in the basic shape of the buildings

B. in the way the building materials were obtained
C. in the settings where the buildings were constructed
D. in the type of wood the buildings were made from
15. Look at the illustration. Why are the notches shaped like half circles?
A. so that air can get in the windows

B. so that the corners of the walls won’t be sharp
C. so that they will hold mud like a cup
D. so that a round log will fit in them snugly
16. Why did early log cabin builders MOST LIKELY choose trees with few limbs?
A. Such trees were easier to cut down than ones with limbs.
B. Such trees required less work to turn into logs.
C. Such trees tended to be older than ones with limbs.
D. Such trees were easier to find on the frontier.
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17. Identify a main idea in the passage and explain how that main idea is
supported by three or more details.
Use details from the passage to support your answer. Write your answer on
the lines provided.
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 17

On the following pages are the Language questions. Answer questions 18
through 24.
18. Which sentence uses the underlined word as a preposition?
A. Chelsea woke up during the night and felt chilly.

B. Grace wanted to go to the movies with her friends.
C. James figured out how to do the math problem.
D. Kyle said he would do his homework when he got around to it.
19. Choose the sentence that uses correct grammar.
A. The librarian has put the books away before the library opened.
B. By the time the sun went down, I had hiked nine miles.
C. Jake will be helping clean the house since he got home.
D. Before the visitors left the zoo, they have planned to see the lion.
20. Read the sentence and answer the question that follows.
A few years ago, my family moves from Hawaii to Maine.
Which word or words should replace the underlined verb to make the
sentence correct?
A. will move
B. has moved
C. moved
D. will have moved
21. Choose the sentence that uses correct grammar.
A. If I put the pie in at the right temperature, I will avoid burning it.
B. Yesterday, Jane says to me that she didn’t want to go to the mall.
C. The dog ran through the yard and starts to dig a hole.
D. Tamika laughed at my joked and asks if I know any others.
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Would either students and teachers be up to the challenge?
Which of the following should replace the underlined part to make the
sentence correct?
A. either students nor

B. neither students or
C. either students or
D. neither students and
If you’re bored, you can read a book, take a walk; or play a game.
sentence correct?
A. book take, a walk, or

B. book, take a walk, or
C. book; take a walk; or
D. book, take a walk or,
In order to win the contest Martha had to learn the names of all the
rivers in Canada.
sentence correct?
A. In order to win the contest Martha,

B. In order to win the contest, Martha
C. In order, to win the contest Martha
D. In order to win, the contest Martha
STOP
EOG Assessment 1 19

Section 3
Read the article “How Humpbacks Go Fishing” and answer questions 25 through 29.
How Humpbacks Go Fishing

by Linda Brown Anderson, Highlights
Humpback whales are known for feeding alone or in pairs. Most of

the time, they plow through the ocean with their huge mouths open,
scooping up thousands of tiny shrimplike creatures called krill. But
humpbacks that live near the west coast of North America have a
surprising and spectacular way of catching fish. When they spot a school
of herring, the humpbacks dive into the depths and close in on the fish
from below. A steady flow of bubbles rises to the surface, forming
a circle.
Suddenly, all of the whales explode out of the water at once, right in
the middle of the bubble-circle. Their huge mouths are open and full of
silver, wriggling fish.
Scientists wanted to know more about how the whales fed on schools
of fish. Using underwater microphones, they listened to humpbacks as
they fed. The whales made magnificent trumpetlike sounds as they
swept up and ate the fish.
The researchers also used the Crittercam, a video camera that can be
attached harmlessly to the back of a whale. It showed that the whales
waved their huge flippers back and forth as they fed.
Most researchers thought the humpbacks were fighting over the fish.
Whales are known to use bubbles and loud calls when they try to chase
away other whales. Maybe they also waved their flippers to shoo one
another away.
A Deep Mystery
Dr. Fred Sharpe had a radical idea for the late 1980s, when he began
his research. Maybe the whales were working together!
Dr. Sharpe led a team of researchers. They used sonar to “see” deeper
into the water. A sonar device sends out sound waves, then catches the
echoes of those waves after they bounce off objects, such as whales, fish,
and bubbles. Using the echoes, the sonar creates pictures of the objects.
The sonar showed that, to a humpback, bubbles are tools. A single
whale swims below the fish, carefully releasing air from its blowhole to
create a wall of bubbles.
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Also using sonar, the scientists saw other whales moving toward the
herring, chasing the fish toward the bubble wall. The herring were
reluctant to try to escape through the bubbles. The bubble-blowing whale
began to swim in a circle, making the wall of bubbles go all the way
around the fish. The fish were trapped in a bubble net!
Using an underwater microphone, the research team recorded the
sounds of the whales. The whales swam under the herring and began
their trumpetlike calls. Then the whales swam upward all at once, waving
their flippers, and gulped a large number of fish.
The whales were working together!
How did the whales use their calls and flippers to help catch their food?
To find out, Dr. Sharpe and his team placed a school of herring into an
aquarium. Then the researchers pumped in air to make a wall of bubbles.
The fish would not swim through the bubbles.
When the researchers played a recording of feeding calls by
humpbacks, the herring dashed away from the sounds. The sounds
make it easier to trap the fish in the bubble net.
The scientists also placed a model of a humpback flipper into the
aquarium. Like a real humpback flipper, the model was dark on one side
and white on the other. As the researchers turned the flipper and flashed
the white underside at the school, the fish quickly swam away.
Working as a Team
Now Dr. Sharpe understood how humpbacks feed together. One whale
forms a wall of bubbles around the fish. Other whales approach from the
sides and from below. One of the whales, the leader, makes calls from
below that send the fish toward the surface and into the ring of bubbles.
As the fish are squeezed into a tighter group, the bubble-blowing whale
continues to swim in a circle, closing the net and trapping the fish in a
bubble corral.
Finally, all of the whales swim up into the feast of fish, making
trumpetlike calls and flashing the white sides of their flippers to keep
the trapped fish from escaping between them.
Over the years, the research group has seen that humpback whales
often live and hunt together for years. Each time they go fishing, the
same whales play the same roles: bubble blower, first caller, and so on.
Thanks to Dr. Sharpe and his co-workers, we now know something
about humpback intelligence. We also know that these famous “loners”
actually can form lifelong relationships with others of their species.
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 21

25. Which sentence BEST supports the ideas that humpbacks work in groups and
form lifelong relationships with other whales?
A. “Humpback whales are known for feeding alone or in pairs.”

B. “When they spot a school of herring, the humpbacks dive into the depths
and close in on the fish from below.”
C. “Maybe they also waved their flippers to shoo one another away.”
D. “Over the years, the research group has seen that humpback whales
often live and hunt together for years.”
26. Which sentence from the article shows why scientists at first thought the
whales were fighting each other for food?
A. “Most of the time, they plow through the ocean with their huge mouths
open, scooping up thousands of tiny shrimplike creatures called krill.”
B. “Suddenly, all of the whales explode out of the water at once, right in the
middle of the bubble-circle.”
C. “Whales are known to use bubbles and loud calls when they try to chase
away other whales.”
D. “A single whale swims below the fish, carefully releasing air from its
blowhole to create a wall of bubbles.”
27. How do herring react to the bubbles the whales blow?
A. They swim toward them.

B. They won’t swim through them.
C. They swim alongside them.
D. They don’t pay attention to them.
28. According to the article, what do sonar devices use to “see” underwater?
A. sound
B. science
C. cameras
D. temperature
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29. This question has two parts. Answer Part A, and then answer Part B.
Part A
What is the MAIN way in which the author supports the claim, “The whales
were working together”?
A. by providing information on how underwater microphones are like sonar

B. by giving details about whales competing with each other for herring
C. by describing scientific evidence of the whales cooperating in a hunt
D. by telling about when Dr. Sharpe first developed his theory about whales
Part B
Which sentence from the article BEST supports the answer to Part A?
A. “Dr. Fred Sharpe had a radical idea for the late 1980s, when he began
his research.”
B. “Also using sonar, the scientists saw other whales moving toward the
herring, chasing the fish toward the bubble wall.”
C. “Using an underwater microphone, the research team recorded the
sounds of whales.”
D. “To find out, Dr. Sharpe and his team placed a school of herring into
an aquarium.“
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 23

Read the excerpt from The Secret Garden and answer questions 30 through 35.
from The Secret Garden

Excerpt from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett,
published by Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1911.
[Mary] went out into the garden as quickly as possible, and the first
thing she did was to run round and round the fountain flower garden ten
times. She counted the times carefully and when she had finished she felt
in better spirits. The sunshine made the whole place look different. The
high, deep, blue sky arched over Misselthwaite as well as over the moor,1
and she kept lifting her face and looking up into it, trying to imagine what
it would be like to lie down on one of the little snow-white clouds and float
about. She went into the first kitchen-garden and found Ben Weatherstaff
working there with two other gardeners. The change in the weather
seemed to have done him good. He spoke to her of his own accord.
“Springtime’s comin’,” he said. “Cannot tha’ smell it?”
Mary sniffed and thought she could.
“I smell something nice and fresh and damp,” she said.
“That’s th’ good rich earth,” he answered, digging away. “It’s in a
good humor makin’ ready to grow things. It’s glad when plantin’ time
comes. It’s dull in th’ winter when it’s got nowt to do. In th’ flower
gardens out there things will be stirrin’ down below in th’ dark. Th’ sun’s
warmin’ ’em. You’ll see bits o’ green spikes stickin’ out o’ th’ black earth
after a bit. . . .”
. . . Very soon she heard the soft rustling flight of wings again and
she knew at once that the robin had come again. He was very pert and
lively, and hopped about so close to her feet, and put his head on one side
and looked at her so slyly that she asked Ben Weatherstaff a question.
“Do you think he remembers me?” she said.
“Remembers thee!” said Weatherstaff indignantly. “He knows every
cabbage stump in th’ gardens, let alone th’ people. He’s never seen a
little [girl] here before, an’ he’s bent on findin’ out all about thee. Tha’s
no need to try to hide anything from him.”
“Are things stirring down below in the dark in that garden where he
lives?” Mary inquired.
“What garden?” grunted Weatherstaff, becoming surly again.
1
moor: an area of land that is full of grasses
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“The one where the old rose-trees are.” She could not help asking,
because she wanted so much to know. “Are all the flowers dead, or do
some of them come again in the summer? Are there ever any roses?”
“Ask him,” said Ben Weatherstaff, hunching his shoulders toward the
robin. “He’s the only one as knows. No one else has seen inside it for
ten year’.”
Ten years was a long time, Mary thought. She had been born ten
years ago.
She heard a chirp and a twitter, and when she looked at the bare
flower-bed at her left side there he was hopping about and pretending to
peck things out of the earth to persuade her that he had not followed
her. But she knew he had followed her and the surprise so filled her with
delight that she almost trembled a little.
“You do remember me!” she cried out. “You do! You are prettier than
anything else in the world!”
She chirped, and talked, and coaxed and he hopped, and flirted his
tail and twittered. It was as if he were talking. His red waistcoat2 was
like satin and he puffed his tiny breast out and was so fine and so grand
and so pretty that it was really as if he were showing her how important
and like a human person a robin could be.
Oh! to think that he should actually let her come as near to him as
that! . . . She was so happy that she scarcely dared to breathe.
The flower-bed was not quite bare. It was bare of flowers because the
perennial plants had been cut down for their winter rest, but there were
tall shrubs and low ones which grew together at the back of the bed, and
as the robin hopped about under them she saw him hop over a small pile
of freshly turned up earth. He stopped on it to look for a worm. . . .
Mary looked at it, not really knowing why the hole was there, and as
she looked she saw something almost buried in the newly-turned soil. It
was something like a ring of rusty iron or brass and when the robin flew
up into a tree nearby she put out her hand and picked the ring up. It was
more than a ring, however; it was an old key which looked as if it had
been buried a long time.
Mistress Mary stood up and looked at it with an almost frightened
face as it hung from her finger.
“Perhaps it has been buried for ten years,” she said in a whisper.
“Perhaps it is the key to the garden!”
2
waistcoat: vest
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 25

30. How does paragraph 1 contribute to the reader’s understanding of the
passage?
A. It lets readers know that events will be presented in order of importance.

B. It provides readers with a reason for why Mary searches for the lost key.
C. It hints that Ben Weatherstaff is the person who has hidden the lost key.
D. It sets up a joyful mood that will contrast with the thrilling mood at
the end.
31. In paragraph 1, the text describes how the change in weather has been good
for Ben. Which detail from the passage shows a similar response in Mary?
A. Mary runs around the fountain flower garden ten times.

B. Mary finds Ben digging in the first kitchen-garden.
C. Mary sniffs the air to smell the fresh, damp earth.
D. Mary asks Ben about the garden where the robin lives.
32. Which sentence from the passage supports the idea that Mary is visiting the
garden for the first time?
A. “She went into the first kitchen-garden and found Ben Weatherstaff
working there with two other gardeners.”
B. “‘In th’ flower gardens out there things will be stirrin’ down below
in th’ dark.’”
C. “Very soon she heard the soft rustling flight of wings again and she knew
at once that the robin had come again.”
D. “‘He’s never seen a little [girl] here before, an’ he’s bent on findin’ out all
about thee.’”
26 EOG Assessment 1

33. What does Ben Weatherstaff mean when he says that the earth
is in a good humor?
A. It is full of fully blooming flowers.

B. It is full of funny-looking insects.
C. It is bare after a long winter.
D. It is ready to make new plants.
34. Which statement BEST expresses the theme of the passage?
A. The beauty of nature lasts only for a short time.

B. The outdoors can be a source of great wonder.
C. Humans and nature are almost always in conflict.
D. The natural world is often a dark and unfamiliar place.
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 27

35. At the end of the passage, Mary finds a key that may open a garden gate that
has been locked for ten years. Imagine that Mary uses the key to unlock the
garden gate. What happens next? Use your imagination and the information
in the story to write a continuation of the story.
Write your answer on the lines provided.
28 EOG Assessment 1

Go On
EOG Assessment 1 29

On the following pages are the Language questions. Answer questions 36
through 43.
Yes I would love some more water James.
Which sentence uses correct punctuation?
A. Yes, I would love some more water James.

B. Yes I would love some more water, James.
C. Yes, I would love some more water, James.
D. Yes, I would, love some more water James.
I read all about it in a library book called Climbing Mount Whitney.
What is the correct way to write the title of the book?
A. ‘Climbing Mount Whitney’

B. “Climbing Mount Whitney”
C. Climbing Mount Whitney
D. “Climbing Mount Whitney”
The students eagerly lined up in the cafetearia.
Which word should replace the underlined word?
A. cafateria
B. cafeteria
C. cafeteeria
D. caffeteria
30 EOG Assessment 1

39. Read the sentences.
Charles never learned to swim when he was a boy.

He has signed up for adult swimming lessons.
Choose the BEST way to combine the two sentences.
A. Because Charles never learned to swim when he was a boy, he has

signed up for adult swimming lessons.
B. Charles has signed up for adult swimming lessons but he never learned
to swim when he was a boy.
C. Since Charles has signed up for adult swimming lessons, he never
learned to swim when he was a boy.
D. Despite the fact that Charles never learned to swim when he was a boy,
he has signed up for adult swimming lessons.
40. Read the sentence.
George is a who loves to work with clay.
Choose the correct way to spell the missing word.
A. sculptor
B. sculptour
C. sculpter
D. sculpture
41. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A. Hayley, you will be performing in the class play, right?

B. Hayley you will be performing, in the class play, right?
C. Hayley, you will be performing in the class play right?
D. Hayley you will be performing in the class play right?
Go On
EOG Assessment 1 31

While I was walking down the street, my brother came chasing after me
with a big smile on his face.
Which underlined word functions as a conjunction in the sentence?
A. While
B. down
C. after
D. with
After Carly ran six miles, she drank a glass of water, collapsed on the
couch, and was reading a magazine.
Which part of the sentence has an error in verb tense?
A. After Carly ran

B. she drank a glass of water
C. collapsed on the couch
D. was reading a magazine
STOP
32 EOG Assessment 1

Ready® Georgia Milestones Edition ELA Assessments, Grade 5 Answer Form
Name
Teacher Grade
EOG Assessment 1
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3
1. A B C D 6. A B C D 25. A B C D
2. A B C D 7. A B C D 26. A B C D
3. A B C D 8. A B C D 27. A B C D
4. See page 7. 9. A B C D 28. A B C D
5. See page 8. 10. A B C D 29A. A B C D
11. A B C D 29B. A B C D
12. A B C D 30. A B C D
13. A B C D 31. A B C D
14. A B C D 32. A B C D
15. A B C D 33. A B C D
16. A B C D 34. A B C D
17. See page 17. 35. See page 28.
Cut along the dotted line.
18. A B C D 36. A B C D
19. A B C D 37. A B C D
20. A B C D 38. A B C D
21. A B C D 39. A B C D
22. A B C D 40. A B C D
23. A B C D 41. A B C D
24. A B C D 42. A B C D
43. A B C D
65

5th Grade Opinion Writing

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EOG Assessment 1

1. Letter to the Editor

2. More Than a Game

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It’s a common problem in cities and towns across the country:

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1. Which BEST states two main ideas in “Letter to the Editor”?

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A. Organized activities help students learn to use their time wisely.

3. Both authors argue that outdoor exercise—whether alone or on a sports

A. “Letter to the Editor” includes evidence from the author’s personal

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The Old Oaken Bucket

How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood,

That moss-covered bucket I hailed as a treasure;

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The tear of regret will intrusively swell,

A. It contrasts the battered old bucket with the surrounding beauty

7. Read this line from the poem.

Then soon, with the emblem of truth overflowing,

A. the deep stone well

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And now, far removed from the loved situation,

Why does the speaker in the poem MOST LIKELY sigh?

A. The speaker is thirsty for a drink of water.

A. “How dear to my heart”

A. by revealing his own thoughts and feelings about it

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Home Is Where the Logs Are

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A. in the basic shape of the buildings

A. so that air can get in the windows

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18. Which sentence uses the underlined word as a preposition?

A. Chelsea woke up during the night and felt chilly.

19. Choose the sentence that uses correct grammar.

A few years ago, my family moves from Hawaii to Maine.

21. Choose the sentence that uses correct grammar.

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Would either students and teachers be up to the challenge?

A. either students nor

A. book take, a walk, or

A. In order to win the contest Martha,

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How Humpbacks Go Fishing

Humpback whales are known for feeding alone or in pairs. Most of

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A. “Humpback whales are known for feeding alone or in pairs.”

27. How do herring react to the bubbles the whales blow?

A. They swim toward them.

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A. by providing information on how underwater microphones are like sonar

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from The Secret Garden

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