TAKS 2009 Exit Level ELA Online Test

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READING SECTION

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

Use “Breakfast in Virginia” to answer questions 1–11.

1What is one difference between Corporal Ellis and Corporal Williams?

ACorporal Williams is black, and Corporal Ellis is white.

BCorporal Williams is from the South, and Corporal Ellis is from the North.

CCorporal Ellis wants to eat breakfast, but Corporal Williams is not hungry.

DCorporal Ellis likes the elderly man, but Corporal Williams does not.

2In paragraph 8, the word brusquely means —

Fharshly

Gharmlessly

Hcuriously

Jloudly

3Which of these is the best plot summary of the selection?

ACorporal Williams and Corporal Ellis are traveling on a segregated train during World War II. When the two soldiers are told they cannot eat in the dining car, an elderly white man tells the steward that the men are his guests. Despite the man’s efforts, the soldiers are forbidden to sit in the car. The elderly man apologizes to the soldiers for the steward’s behavior and asks them whether they would like to dine with him in his compartment.

BCorporal Williams and Corporal Ellis are two African American soldiers traveling aboard a train headed to Washington, D.C. The two soldiers have difficulty finding a place to dine aboard the train because of Jim Crow laws. Corporal Ellis, who is from New York, decides that they should attempt to eat in the dining car. Corporal Williams, who is from Georgia, has never eaten in a diner before but nonetheless follows his friend.

CCorporal Williams and Corporal Ellis are aboard a train bound for Washington, D.C., during World War II. Both soldiers are African American and have no access to food in the Jim Crow coach. In the dining car an elderly white man asks them to join him, but the steward will not permit them to eat with whites. The elderly man insists that the soldiers eat with him in his private compartment, where he treats them with respect and courtesy.

DCorporal Williams and Corporal Ellis befriend an elderly white man aboard a train during World War II. The two soldiers find themselves dining in the man’s private compartment. The man tells the soldiers of his own son, who is fighting in North Africa. During breakfast Corporal Williams says that this is the first time he has dined with a white man. He then thanks the elderly man for his kindness.

4Read the following dictionary entry.

Which definition best matches the way the word service is used in paragraph 7?

FDefinition 1

GDefinition 2

HDefinition 3

JDefinition 4

5Why is the train setting of the story important?

AIt highlights the effects of segregation.

BIt shows that transportation was difficult during the war.

CIt stresses the cruelty of the steward.

DIt emphasizes the importance of the passing landscape.

6What is Corporal Williams’s primary internal conflict?

FHe doesn’t know how he will be able to get a meal.

GHe doesn’t know how to respond to the elderly man’s kindness.

HHe knows that once he gets off the train, he will have to go to war.

JHe worries about traveling from the South to the North.

7Which line best demonstrates how indignant the elderly man feels?

AThe sole occupant of the table was a tall, distinguished gray-haired man.

B“I am embarrassed, steward, both for you and for my guests.”

CThe elderly man rose, gave his name, shook hands with the two colored soldiers, and the three of them sat down at the table.

D“I will have the porter bring a table,” he said.

8In paragraph 21, the dome of the Capitol symbolizes —

Fthe possibility of equality for all people

Gthe distance the train has traveled

Hthe potential victory over Hitlerism

Jthe difficulty of being a soldier

9Which of these best conveys the reality of Jim Crow laws?

A“I can eat without butter,” said the corporal.

BThey took turns sleeping for a few hours.

C“You boys can’t sit here.”

DFor the first time his eyes met those of his host.

10The reader can infer that the elderly man —

Fidentifies with the two corporals because his son is a soldier

Gbelieves there should be two separate types of cars on the train

Hperforms an act of kindness because he feels superior to the two soldiers

Jis on the train because he is going to visit his son

11The author uses sentence fragments at the beginning of paragraph 1 and at the end of paragraph 3 to —

Aquicken the pace of the story for the reader

Bhighlight the brutality of war for everyone involved

Cemphasize the ethnicity of the major characters

Dshow the reader that the two soldiers are very brave

Use “The Crystal Night” to answer questions 12–22.

12Which words from paragraph 8 best help the reader understand the meaning of the word ransacked in paragraph 13?

Fsmashing furniture and dishes

Gbeasts of prey

Hmilitary decorations

Jmy mother found the courage to say

13What caused Landau’s temple to burn?

AThe building was old and made mostly of wood.

BIt was bombed during the war by the Russians and Americans.

CAngry Germans set fire to it after a Polish Jew killed a German in Paris.

DFleeing German Jews burned the temple so the Germans could not occupy it.

14Paragraphs 13 through 15 are mainly about —

Fthe family and other Jews fleeing their homes

Gthe family boarding the train to flee to their relatives

Hthe family’s decision to pack up their belongings

Jthe kindness of the narrator’s mother toward her neighbors

15Why was the family’s house not destroyed?

AThe German soldiers did not have time to raid the house.

BThe narrator’s mother was able to put out the fire.

CThe U.S. government instructed the Germans not to harm it.

DThe narrator’s parents had served in the German military.

16In paragraph 8, the author uses a simile to —

Fdescribe how courageous her mother was

Gdepict the power of the soldiers’ weapons

Hillustrate the brutality displayed by the German soldiers

Jshow that her mother and father had served Germany

17In paragraph 16, the two burning Sabbath candles symbolize —

Aunity

Bfire

Cnight

Dhope

18Which of these best describes the primary conflict faced by the narrator and her family?

FThey had to replace the belongings damaged by the German soldiers.

GThey could no longer practice their religion freely.

HThey were forced to separate because of the impending war.

JThey had to leave their home and country to survive.

19Paragraphs 2 and 3 are important to the selection because they —

Acontrast the narrator’s life before and after Hitler’s rise to power

Bprovide a reason why the narrator’s family had to leave Landau

Cdetail the narrator’s nostalgia for her childhood

Dexplain that the narrator is Jewish

20In paragraph 8, the author’s use of vivid verbs —

Fshows how significant the war medals were to her mother

Gexpresses how afraid of the German soldiers she was

Hportrays the abrupt and frenzied nature of the soldiers’ invasion

Jdetails the family’s reaction to the soldiers’ invasion

21How was the narrator’s visit to Landau in 1961 important?

AShe fully understood how fortunate she and her family had been to escape.

BShe needed to revisit Landau to remember what had happened.

CIt enabled her to finally let go of her past.

DIt allowed her husband to understand what she had gone through.

22Which of these best expresses the narrator’s realization of the danger her family faced?

FDuring the dreary days of early November, the damp, cold mood of Mother Nature reflected our own only too well.

GAfter they left, my mother sent my brother and me to bed.

HWe were fortunate to have distant relatives who ran a small hotel in Mannheim.

JNow my brother and I could read the sadness and fear in our parents’ eyes.

Use “Breakfast in Virginia” and “The Crystal Night” to answer questions 23–25.

23What historical element do the selections have in common?

ABoth show how Jim Crow laws were enforced.

BBoth detail the persecution of Jews.

CBoth occur while Hitler was in power.

DBoth highlight the separation between the South and the North.

24What makes the persecuted characters in both selections feel better?

FSleep

GHospitality

HTravel

JHumor

25Both selections end on a note of —

Asadness

Belation

Cfear

Dgratitude

Use the visual representation to answer questions 26–28.

26The Delano Courier-Times is —

FCésar Chávez’s union

Gthe newspaper publishing the photo

HRobert Kennedy’s political slogan

Jthe organization promoting a nonviolent resolution

27The photographer chooses to capture both men looking away from the camera in order to —

Afocus the viewer’s attention on the act of breaking bread

Bshow that the men have no interest in being photographed

Crepresent a moment in which both men are unaware of the camera

Dindicate that the men’s physical characteristics do not matter

28The use of the term “breaks bread” —

Fhighlights the struggle between politicians and union leaders

Gemphasizes the symbolic nature of the act

Hmirrors the violence of the strike

Jforeshadows the future of the farmers

REVISING AND EDITING SECTION

DIRECTIONS
Read the two selections and the viewing and representing piece. Then read each question and mark the circle next to the correct answer.

29Which sentence could most logically follow sentence 2 and add to the ideas in the first paragraph (sentences 1–5)?

AThey just don’t like to take them, so they resist.

BMy nephew takes an afternoon nap at his nursery school.

CTeenagers don’t have time for them.

DThey enjoy exploring their world by walking and running.

30What is the most effective way to revise sentence 5?

FI’m referring to the short rest periods. Rest periods that are known as naps.

GI’m referring to the short rest periods and known as naps.

HI’m referring to the short rest periods, they are known as naps.

JI’m referring to the short rest periods known as naps.

31What change, if any, should be made in sentence 6?

AChange knowing to know

BChange that to it

CChange important to importent

DMake no change

32What is the most effective way to revise sentence 7?

FResearch has shown that even a small amount of sleep, such as a 20-minute nap, can provide some benefits.

GResearch, such as a 20-minute nap, has shown that even a small amount of sleep can provide some benefits.

HResearch has shown that even a small amount of sleep, which can provide some benefits, is a 20-minute nap.

JResearch has shown that even a small amount of sleep. It can provide some benefits, such as a 20-minute nap.

33What change, if any, should be made in sentence 9?

AChange have suggested to has suggested

BChange brief to breif

CChange producing to productive

DMake no change

34What change, if any, should be made in sentence 13?

FChange provides to provided

GChange quite to quiet

HChange a power nap to it

JMake no change

35What is the most effective way to revise sentence 15?

AFor about $14 a sleepy worker can climb into a special chair and slip on a set of headphones, then you start snoozing.

BFor about $14 a sleepy worker can climb into a special chair and slipping on a set of headphones to start snoozing.

CFor about $14 a sleepy worker can climb into a special chair, and can slip on a set of headphones, and can start snoozing.

DFor about $14 a sleepy worker can climb into a special chair, slip on a set of headphones, and start snoozing.

36What change, if any, should be made in sentence 18?

FChange the comma to a semicolon

GChange residant to resident

HChange her workday to their workday

JMake no change

37What change, if any, should be made in sentence 19?

ADelete the quotation marks at the beginning of the sentence

BChange definitely to definetely

CInsert a comma after again

DMake no change

38What change should be made in sentence 20?

FDelete the first comma

GChange is now opening to are now opening

HChange Canada’s to Canadas’

JChange International Airport to international airport

39What change, if any, should be made in sentence 6?

AChange I to We

BChange starred to stared

CInsert a comma after picture

DMake no change

40What is the most effective way to combine sentences 11 and 12?

FTheir ponytails swung from side to side, talking about sock hops and drive-ins.

GSince their ponytails swung from side to side, they talked about sock hops and drive-ins.

HTheir ponytails swung from side to side, they talked about sock hops and drive-ins.

JTheir ponytails swung from side to side as they talked about sock hops and drive-ins.

41Which sentence could best follow and support sentence 14?

AThey didn’t look like everyone else did.

BStudents in the 1950s had fewer lunch choices.

CAunt Sharon had been a cheerleader in high school.

DThey wore leather jackets and had much longer hair.

42What is the most effective way to revise sentence 16?

FAfter school a boy drove Sharon home, his name was Steve.

GAfter school a boy named Steve, he drove Sharon home.

HAfter school a boy who drove Sharon home named Steve.

JAfter school a boy named Steve drove Sharon home.

43What change, if any, should be made in sentence 18?

AChange paid to payed

BChange no attention to any attention

CChange me to them

DMake no change

44What change, if any, should be made in sentence 22?

FChange profile to profille

GChange native american to Native American

HChange filled to filling

JMake no change

45What change, if any, should be made in sentence 23?

AChange soft to softer

BInsert it after hum

CChange accompanyed to accompanied

DMake no change

46What change, if any, should be made in sentence 24?

FChange the comma to a question mark

GChange complained to complanned

HInsert quotation marks after the period

JMake no change

47Which transition word or phrase should be added to the beginning of sentence 35?

AFor example

BInstead

CLikewise

DMoreover

48What change should be made in sentence 36?

FInsert a comma after played

GChange the comma after background to a semicolon

HChange begins to began

JChange with to there were

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