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Reading and Written Composition

Directions
Read the two selections and the viewing and representing piece. Then answer the questions that follow.

 

 

 

Use "A Brother in Need" to answer questions 1-14.

1 Whose plan is it to bury the body in the forest?
     
A Gan's
B Hanh's
C Duc's
D Gan's friends'
 
8 In paragraph 14, the author describes Gan as “wringing his hands” to show that Gan is —
  
F nervous about the mandarin’s attitude
G disgusted with his poor brother
H concerned about his friend’s response
J irritated with his wife
 

 

2 Hanh says that the mandarin has never liked Gan because —
 
F Gan is rich and popular
G the mandarin disliked Gan’s father
H Gan cheated Duc
J the mandarin wants Gan’s land
9 The author builds suspense by —
  
A using a flashback to explain why the mandarin dislikes Gan
B emphasizing the differences between Gan and Duc
C highlighting the refusal of Gan’s friends to help bury the body
D describing Gan as a greedy and ambitious man
 

 

3 Paragraphs 16 through 21 are mostly about —
  
A the many loyal friends Gan has made
B Gan’s attempts to further cheat his brother
C Gan’s rise to popularity and riches
D the unwillingness of Gan’s friends to help him
10 Gan believes that Hanh’s story about the beggar is true because —
  
F Gan has consistently told her to beware of beggars
G she has often shown her compassion toward others
H Gan expects something bad to happen
J she often makes hasty decisions
 

 

4 After learning that Gan did not murder anyone, the mandarin is not upset about the night’s activities because —
  
F Hanh has taught them all a valuable lesson
G he has always thought that Gan was innocent
H Hanh has always been a good wife
J he respects Gan’s friends for coming forward
11 One way this story resembles a fable is that —
  
A the story is set in a foreign country
B the story conveys a clear lesson
C the events could never have happened
D an animal plays an important role in the story
   
5 Gan’s problem in the story begins when —
 
A Hanh tells him about the death of the beggar
B his friends follow Gan and Duc into the forest
C Duc begins to grow poorer and thinner
D the mandarin discovers what Gan has done
12 In paragraph 1, the author uses the word allowed to emphasize —
  
F Duc’s lack of knowledge about farming
G the abundance of Gan’s wealth
H Hanh’s insistence that Duc receive something
J the stinginess of Gan’s gift to his brother
   
6 The reason Hanh is unhappy with Gan is that —
 
F she wants him to claim all his father’s land
G he is spending too much time with his friends
H the mandarin may take away Gan’s land
J she wants him to treat Duc with respect
13 In paragraph 19, the friend’s expression changes because he —
  
A knows that he will not help Gan as he had offered
B is pleased by Gan’s visit
C hopes that Gan will be caught by the mandarin
D is concerned about his sick grandmother
   
7 Which sentence from the story best conveys Gan’s stubbornness?
  
A But this conversation took place many times, and Gan never listened.
B One evening Gan came home to find his wife in tears.
C In faltering words, Gan told why he had come.
D So Gan hurried to the home of the man who had dined most at his table.
14 In paragraph 37, the author writes that “Gan’s accusers looked at their feet” to show that the accusers are —
  
F ashamed of Gan’s behavior
G disappointed in the mandarin’s decision
H embarrassed about their own actions
J relieved that Gan will avoid jail

Use "My Bold Brother Carmen" to answer questions 15-28.

15 Which of the following words is a synonym for the word mustering in paragraph 45?
 
A Moving
B Gathering
C Placing
D Separating
22 Because this article is written about past events, the author —
  
F is still confused about why he once envied his brother
G mixes some of the factual events with fictional events
H expresses a clearer understanding of his brother and himself
J still has dreams of becoming a professional writer
 

 

16 In New York City Carmen worked as a —
 
F librarian
G college professor
H graphic designer
J woodworker
23 In paragraph 41, the author uses figurative language to describe Carmen’s —
  
A difficulty expressing his feelings
B apology for calling so late
C confusion about his divorce
D refusal to accept responsibility
 
17 Paragraph 46 is mainly about —
  
A Carmen’s sense of loss as his marriage unraveled
B the author’s feelings of envy and cowardice
C Carmen’s eventual success in his career
D the author’s change in attitude toward his brother
24 What is an overall theme expressed in the article?
  
F The relationships between brothers are usually stronger than those between sisters.
G Focusing on professional goals rather than family leads to disappointment.
H In order to succeed, a marriage must be based on honesty.
J Happiness is found in being satisfied with personal achievements.
 
18 Which words from paragraphs 31 and 32 help the reader understand the meaning of the word regaled?
  
F farthest, unsophisticated, foreign
G felt, compared, visited
H significant, achievements, failure
J tell, relate, share
25 Because the author describes the events of his life in the order in which they occurred, it is easier for the reader to —
   
A understand why Carmen’s marriages failed
B see how his relationship with Carmen changed
C appreciate what the brothers achieved in life
D understand the effects of attending boarding school
 

 

19 After Carmen’s first marriage failed, the
author noticed that his brother seemed —
  
A  angry
B  tired
C  relieved
D embarrassed
26 Which of the following sentences from the article explains the author’s primary conflict?
  
F The farthest I’d been from home, by contrast, was Rhode Island.
G Almost in desperation, I turned back to simple things.
H An internal voice said I lacked guts.
J “But the sign says to keep out,” I warned.
   
20 The source of the author’s conflict with his brother was —
  
F the rude and inconsiderate way in which Carmen treated the author
G the author’s envy of Carmen’s talents and lifestyle
H Carmen’s unwillingness to share his life with the author
J the author’s belief that being a professional artist was a foolish career choice
27 The audience that would probably relate most to the article’s central message would be —
  
A siblings
B artists
C teachers
D parents
   
21 Carmen’s telephone call to his brother after the failure of Carmen’s second marriage indicates —
   
A the author’s foolish jealousy
B Carmen’s need for a family connection
C Carmen’s faults as a husband
D the author’s disappointment in Carmen
28 By the end of the article, the author and his brother became stronger people because of their —
  
F competition with each other
G individual career choices
H compassion and support for each other
J international traveling experiences

Use "A Brother in Need" and "My Bold Brother Carmen" to answer questions 29 and 30.

29 Both Gan and the author of “My Bold Brother Carmen” mature because —
  
A they overcome the loss of a parent
B they are able to influence those around them
C they eventually attain financial success
D they develop a greater appreciation for family
30 What is one idea addressed in both “A Brother in Need” and “My Bold Brother Carmen”?
  
F The importance of growth in relationships
G The power of money to change a person
H The consequences of marrying early in life
J The value of manual labor

Use the visual representation to answer questions 31—33.

31 The reader can tell that the movie’s primary purpose is to —
 
A attract the viewer with adventure, action, mystery, and suspense
B make the viewer understand the value of movies for the whole family
C convince the viewer that high school can be difficult
D entertain the viewer with an amusing story about a helpful kid sister
33 The reader can conclude that the movie is primarily intended for an audience of —
 
A movie critics
B adults
C families
D young children
 

 

32 The movie’s producers chose this photograph because it shows that —
   
F the sisters are close despite their differences
G the rumor has had a devastating effect on the older sister
H the sisters have unique personalities
J the kid sister is irritating to the older
sister
 

Short Answer Questions:
Students were asked to answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper. These questions will NOT be scored as part of the interactive online versions of the released TAKS tests.

How does Gan change from the beginning to the end of “A Brother in Need”? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

In “My Bold Brother Carmen,” who do you think is more successful, the author or his brother Carmen? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.

Which of the siblings from “A Brother in Need” and “My Bold Brother Carmen” would you like to have as a brother? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from both selections.

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