Study Guide

English
Name
Reading Comprehension
Directions: Read the selection. Then answer each question.

The Works of Homer

Background on Homer
1 Around three thousand years ago, a Greek poet named Homer wrote two epic, or very
long, poems that have inspired many other writers throughout history and are still read
today. Homer’s epic poems are called The Iliad and The Odyssey. Historians are
uncertain about many details of Homer’s life. In fact, so little is known that some
people wonder if Homer even existed! Since Homer wrote his famous poems so long
ago, we don’t know if he wrote them by himself. Could he have had help authoring
these masterpieces?

The Iliad
2 The Iliad is an epic poem about Greek mythology, war, and love. It describes a war
between the Greeks and the Trojans. The war started because a Trojan prince named
Paris fell in love with a Greek queen named Helen. In secret, Paris took Helen back
to Troy. When the Greeks discovered Helen missing, they started a war with Troy.
Helen’s role in starting the Trojan War is why people describe her as “the face that
launched a thousand ships.” After much fighting, the Greeks won the war.

The Odyssey
3 The Odyssey is about the journey of a Greek soldier named Odysseus after the
Trojan War. On his journey home, Odysseus and his army encounter obstacles. First,
they face a one-eyed monster called the Cyclops. Then, Odysseus and his army find
themselves in the land of a witch named Circe, who turns most of the men into pigs.
Odysseus befriends
Circe, and she turns the pigs back into men. Odysseus’s journey from
After leaving Circe’s island, Odysseus and his Troy back to his home in
army fight and escape a six-headed sea monster. Ithaca, Greece, takes ten
Finally, they must avoid the Sirens, whose years. This is the same
beautiful songs lure sailors into crashing their amount of time the Trojan
ships. Eventually the army returns home to War lasted.
Greece, and Odysseus is reunited with his wife
and son.

1 What can the reader conclude about Helen from this sentence?
When the Greeks discovered Helen missing, they started a war with Troy.
A Helen was beautiful.
B Helen was an important queen.
C Helen wanted the Greeks to start a war.
D Helen was excited about her new life with Paris.

Unit 1 Test 9
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2 Read the first sentence from paragraph 1. Circle the two underlined details that
support the idea that Homer’s poetry is well-known.
Around three thousand years ago, a Greek poet named Homer wrote two
epic, or very long, poems that have inspired many other writers
throughout history and are still read today.

3 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
Part A
Based on the sidebar, Odysseus’s journey could best be described as —
A boring
B too short
C enjoyable
D very long
Part B
Which phrase from the selection supports your answer in Part A?
A journey from Troy
B his home in Ithaca, Greece
C takes ten years
D Odysseus and his army encounter obstacles
4 What text feature helps the reader know what each paragraph is about?
A selection title
B section headings
C poem names in italics
D sidebar

5 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part
B. Part A
Because not much is known about Homer, some people —
A doubt that he existed
B doubt that he is famous
C think he wrote more poems than we know
D think he wrote poems under a different name
Part B
Which sentence or phrase from the selection supports your answer in Part A?
A Historians are uncertain about many details of Homer’s life.
B ... some people wonder if Homer even existed!
C ... we don’t know if he wrote them by himself.
D Could he have had help authoring these masterpieces?

Unit 1 Test 10
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Name
6 The author ends the selection with the ideas in paragraph 3 most likely to show that —
A The Odyssey was Homer’s favorite poem
B the events of The Odyssey take place after The Iliad
C The Iliad is a more important poem than The Odyssey
D the events of The Iliad are more exciting than The Odyssey

Directions: Read the selection. Then answer each question.

Remembering Lisbon
1 It was a hot summer day, and while all the windows in the apartment were open, there
was barely a breeze coming through. I looked over at my dad and he looked
thoughtful, so I asked what was on his mind.
2 “This weather reminds me of the summer I spent with my relatives in Lisbon,” Dad
said. He went to the bookcase and pulled out a small book. Then he turned to a page
and began to read:
3 “Family I didn’t know before
Tasting food and learning the lore.
Sunsets like fire
Of this, I’ll never tire.
Days gone too fast Can’t
this summer last?”
4 “I wrote this while I was there,” Dad laughed. “I thought I was a great poet.”
5 “Portugal?” I asked. “I didn’t even know we had any family in Portugal.”
6 “Oh, yes, David,” he replied. Then, he began to tell stories I had never heard before
—about my great aunt and her family in Lisbon’s central neighborhood. He told me
about meeting up with his cousins’ friends and feeding the pigeons in the public
square. Aunt Claudia’s arroz doce, a rice pudding with cinnamon, sounded
delicious, as did all the fresh seafood that he told me he ate in Lisbon.
7 “Lisbon sounds amazing, Dad—do you think we could go someday?” I asked.
8 “That is a great idea, David! I’d love to see my aunt and cousins again and have the
whole family experience Lisbon with me this time.”

Unit 1 Test 11
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7 This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part
B. Part A
Who is the narrator of the selection?
A Dad
B David
C Aunt Claudia
D Dad’s cousin
Part B
Which sentence from the selection supports your answer in Part A?
A I looked over at my dad and he looked thoughtful...
B “I didn’t even know we had any family in Portugal.”
C “Oh, yes, David,” he replied.
D Then, he began to tell stories I had never heard before...

8 Read this sentence from paragraph 6. Circle two words that show that the
selection
is written in first person.
Then, he began to tell stories I had never heard before—about my
great aunt and her family in Lisbon’s central neighborhood.

9 In the father’s poem, the simile “sunsets like fire” means —

A the temperature is hot
B the sky is the color of flames
C he can see fire in the distance
D the sunsets are difficult to watch

10 The rhyming words fast and last in the poem emphasize that —
A the poet wants the sun to stay up longer
B the poet is impatient for the summer to end
C the poet knows he will never return to Lisbon
D the poet does not want his time in Lisbon to end

Unit 1 Test 12
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 Language Conventions
Directions: Choose the best answer to each question.

1-What type of sentence is this? "The sun sets in the west."

a. Declarative
b. Interrogative
c. Imperative
d. Exclamatory

2-Choose the correct type of sentence. "Did you finish your homework?"
a. Declarative
b. Interrogative
c. Imperative
d. Exclamatory

3-Identify the sentence type. "Be careful with that glass!"

a. Declarative
b. Interrogative
c. Imperative
d. Exclamatory

4-Select the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.

a. The team are playing well.
b. The team is playing well.
c. The team am playing well.
d. The team be playing well.

5-Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence. "The group of students _____
excited about the field trip."
a. is
b. are
c. am
d. be
6-Which sentence has a subject-verb agreement error?
a. Each of the books are on the shelf.
b. Every student in the class has finished their assignment.
c. The team have won the championship.
d. The cat and the dog is playing in the yard.

7-Identify the compound sentence.

a. She likes to read, but she doesn't enjoy math.
b. Although it rained, we went to the beach.
c. I finished my homework early.
d. The cat sleeps on the windowsill.

8-Choose the complex sentence.

a. The sun is shining, and the birds are singing.
b. I will go to the park after I finish my chores.
c. Run quickly before you miss the bus.
d. My sister and I walked to school together.

9-Which sentence is compound?

a. The dog barked loudly.
b. I went to the store because I needed groceries.
c. He played the guitar and sang a song.
d. We found the lost keys.

10-Identify the proper noun in the sentence. "The brave knight defeated the dragon."
a. brave
b. knight
c. defeated
d. dragon

11-Choose the common noun. "We visited the Grand Canyon during our summer
 vacation."
a. Grand Canyon
b. summer
c. vacation
d. visited

Vocabulary
Use these sentences in meaningful words:

Marine
……………………………………………………………………….

ecosystem
………………………………………………………………………….

Flying bridge
…………………………………………………………………………

nautical
…………………………………………………………………………

Chlorophyll

……………………………………………………………

Fill in the blanks using the vocabulary words

1-Many ________ are proud to be active __________ of their country.
2-The ________ department is responsible for the __________ of visas and permits.
3-The students were __________ to the prestigious science program.
4- ________ are scientists who study the possibility of life on other planets.
5-In space, special __________ help detect changes in the environment.
6- Mars ___________ sent back valuable data about the planet's surface.
7-Scientists are intrigued by the possibility of finding __________ on distant planets.
8-Establishing a __________ on Mars is a challenging goal for space exploration.
 Writing Prompt
Write a personal narrative about a memorable holiday that you spent with your family.
Remember to use the first-person point of view to help you develop specific sensory
details to describe your holiday.

Manage your time carefully so that you can

• plan your essay;
• write your essay and
• revise and edit your essay.
Be sure to include
• an introduction;
• specific details about the setting and sequence of events; and
• a conclusion that summarizes the personal narrative.
Your response should be a narrative with five paragraphs. Write your essay on a
separate sheet of paper.
Unit 1 Test 14
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