VA532143_5R_RB_VA532143_5R

VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING

Spring 2011 Released Test

GRADE 5

READING

Form R0111, CORE 1

Property of the Virginia Department of Education

by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval

system, without written permission from the copyright owner. Commonwealth of Virginia public school educators may

reproduce any portion of these released tests for non-commercial educational purposes without requesting permission.

All others should direct their written requests to the Virginia Department of Education, Division of Student Assessment

and School Improvement, at the above address or by e-mail to [email protected]v.

Reading

SAMPLE A

Aunt Jackie’s Ring

1 For Mary’s birthday, her aunt gave her a ring that was more than 100 years old. “Take

good care of it,” her aunt warned. She did just that until one day Mary looked down at her

hand and noticed the ring was gone.

2 “Aunt Jackie is going to be so disappointed in me,” thought Mary. Then Mary remembered

she put the ring in her pocket when she washed her hands at the sink. “Thank goodness!”

Mary said to herself. After that, she never took off Aunt Jackie’s ring again.

This story is mostly about —

A a normal day

B Mary’s aunt

C a special ring

D Mary’s birthday

Directions

Read the passage. Then read each question about the passage and choose the best answer.

Fill in the circle on your answer document for the answer you have chosen.

Directions

You do not need to read a passage to answer the following question. Read and answer

the question.

SAMPLE B

Read this sentence.

In this sentence, the word enjoy

means —

F like

G hear

H notice

J save

“Mrs. Johnson is my favorite

teacher, and I really enjoy

her

class,” Mario told his mother.

Go to the next

page and continue

working.

Directions: Read the story and answer the questions that follow.

Foolish Choice, Wise Lesson

1 Once there was a tailor named Nicholas who was known far and wide for making fine

clothing. Nicholas took great pride in everything he made, which is why his shop was

often busy. Every night Nicholas would retire

to the small cottage behind his shop that he

shared with his daughter, Tanya.

2 Tanya was a bright girl, but she was vain and spoiled. She wasted her days admiring

herself in the mirror and brushing her long, beautiful hair. Her father’s shop was the

busiest in the village, but she would not pick up a needle to help him. When customers

sang the praises of his well-made clothes, she snorted, “They are too plain.”

3 Nicholas loved his daughter, but he hoped to find a way to help her realize that beauty lies

within. He worried that she did not value the things that were important. He became

puzzled over the problem. One day help arrived in the form of the village peddler. Every

Saturday the peddler drove his wagon past the shops and cottages in the village. He sold

all kinds of goods, and people crowded around him to buy everything from kitchen pots to

silk dresses.

4 One Saturday while looking at the peddler’s goods, Nicholas was struck with an idea that

could help Tanya. He purchased two small boxes. One was bright gold and covered with

sparkling stones. The other was made of dark wood with worn edges and corners. At the

end of the day, Nicholas found Tanya in the cottage. He showed her the two boxes. “You

may have only one,” he told her. “Be careful how you choose.”

5 Tanya paid no attention to his warning because she was too drawn to the sparkling box.

“Oh, Papa, there is no need to be careful! The wooden box is old and ugly, and I would

be too embarrassed to own it.” She quickly seized the other box, but she gasped when

she saw the truth. “Papa!” she cried. “I thought this box was covered with diamonds, but

they are just pieces of glass!” Then she raised the lid. “This box is empty! Why would you

want to trick me?”

6 “Tanya,” Nicholas replied, “I care for you very much. I only want to teach you a valuable

lesson. Look at the boxes closely, my dear. You will find that appearances are not always

what they seem to be.”

7 As Tanya closed the box, she saw it as though with new eyes. Looking carefully at the

edges of the box, she could see where the cheap golden paint was beginning to chip.

Tanya picked away a flake of paint from the tin box. Thoughtfully, she glanced from her

soft fingers to the strong, creased hands of her father that looked worn from many years

of hard work. Tanya looked at the box he held in his own hands. It could have been more

than one hundred years old. Its former owner had loved it well. The wood was well oiled

and had a dark, pleasing shine. Despite the small bumps and scratches, it appeared

capable of lasting one hundred years more.

8 “Perhaps you should have made a more careful choice,” her father said. He took the

glittering box from her hands and replaced it with the old, worn box. The smooth wood

felt cool against her palms, and inside was a beautiful carved bird resting on rich velvet.

Tanya stared at the little bird and felt ashamed as she realized her father’s intention

. She

looked at him with sadness in her eyes and handed the box back to him.

9 “Papa, I understand what you wish to tell me. I have been very foolish. Something that

has a shiny and beautiful appearance is not always valuable. That which is inside makes

an object beautiful.”

10 Nicholas smiled at his daughter. “You have learned a great lesson today from one small

box. I hope that you will always remember that the worth of an item is often found on

the inside.”

2 In paragraph 1, the word retire means —

F to withdraw to an area

G to move in a particular way

H to find a desired location

J to remain in a place

1 The title tells the reader that the story will most likely include a —

A surprise

B new experience

C wrong decision

D gift

5 In paragraph 8, the word intention means —

A plan

B job

C appearance

D intelligence

4 In paragraph 4, why does the author use the phrase “struck with an idea”?

F To describe what Nicholas thought of the idea

G To show that the idea came to Nicholas suddenly

H To explain how the idea scared Nicholas

J To tell that Nicholas was confused by the idea

3 The author includes paragraph 2 because it tells about —

A Nicholas’s work

B Tanya’s character

C the location of the village

D the items in the box

8 Nicholas feels that Tanya should be more —

F hopeful

G relaxed

H grateful

J social

7 Which sentence supports the idea that Tanya is concerned with appearances?

A She works to make fine clothes.

B She crowds around the town peddler.

C She spends her days looking in the mirror.

D She stays in the cottage during the day.

6 In paragraph 8, Tanya most likely —

F hopes to keep the carved bird

G regrets her actions toward her father

H plans to sell the worn box

J dislikes the gift her father has given her

11 Based on the story, Nicholas can best be described as a —

A popular worker

B cautious man

C loving tailor

D caring father

10 Why does Tanya choose the sparkling box?

F She wants the carved bird inside the box.

G She wants to sell the box.

H She likes the way the box looks.

J She hopes to give the box as a gift.

9 Nicholas decides how he will teach Tanya a lesson when he —

A is making fine clothes

B sees the goods being sold by the peddler

C visits people in the village

D notices the mirror in the cottage

Go to the next

page and continue

working.

Directions: Read the article and answer the questions that follow.

Let It Snow!

1 Many people greet winter snow with a smile. They love skiing, sledding, or just throwing

snowballs. They know that the snow will provide needed moisture when it melts. For

these and other reasons, people often celebrate when the weather forecast calls for snow.

Sometimes, though, snow fails to appear even when meteorologists predict it on the

evening news. What conditions are needed to produce this frosty, white wonder?

2 When warm, moist air rises and then begins to cool, clouds will form. If the inside of a

cloud is cold enough, water will come into contact with bits of dirt and other materials

form snow crystals. Snow crystals also form when water vapor, which is the gas phase of

water, turns to ice. Eventually a collection of these snow crystals may join together to

form a snowflake. The many sides of these crystals reflect the sun’s visible white light. As

a result, the crystals appear to have a white color. As snowflakes grow heavy, they begin

to fall toward the ground. Much can happen to a snowflake as it drifts earthward

. Pieces

of the crystals may become damaged or even melt as the crystals fall.

3 Conditions must be right for snow to reach the ground without melting. First, the air must

be at or near freezing. Meteorologists use special instruments to determine whether the

air is cold enough for snow. Other factors besides temperature are important too. For one

thing, the air must contain moisture. If the air is dry, there is no water to freeze and make

snow. Also, the air must be moving in order to allow the rising and cooling action to

take place.

4 If conditions are right, snow can fall in some surprising places. Even deserts may

sometimes experience a light dusting of snow across the land. Ordinarily, though, snow

falls at higher altitudes because of the colder temperatures there. This fact explains why

ski resorts are built high in the mountains. In the towns below, less snow falls. For

example, when the temperature is in the low forties in a city like Seattle, Washington,

the temperature is in the low thirties in the nearby mountains, making it cold enough

for snow.

5 The chart gives information about locations in the United States with the greatest amount

of snowfall. Imagine how many snowflakes must exist in that much snow!

Locations in the United States With the Greatest Snowfall

United States Locations

Average Yearly

Snowfall in Inches

Valdez, Alaska

Mt. Washington, New Hampshire

Blue Canyon, California

Yakutat, Alaska

Marquette, Michigan

326.0

260.6

240.3

195.3

141.0

12 How does the author gain the reader’s attention in the first paragraph?

F By asking for an opinion about snow

G By mentioning reasons people enjoy snow

H By explaining how snow is predicted

J By listing some surprising facts about snow

14 Read this sentence from paragraph 2.

Which word uses the suffix -ward

as it is used in earthward?

F awkward

G award

H reward

J backward

Much can happen to a snowflake as it

drifts earthward

13 Read this dictionary entry.

Which meaning of materials

is used in paragraph 2?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

ma•te•ri•al (m

n. 1. Cloth

or other fabric. 2. Ideas or notes

that can be worked up. 3. What an

object is made of. 4. Something

that is studied.

-tîr'

)

17 Which of these best represents the main idea of the article?

A Many people like to have fun in the snow.

B Several conditions must occur for snow to appear.

C Snow falls in cities around the world.

D Thousands of snowflakes exist in a ball of snow.

16 In paragraph 4, why does the author use the phrase “dusting of snow”?

F To explain that the snow looks dirty

G To show that the snow falls quietly

H To illustrate the color of the snow

J To describe the small amount of snow

15 Which would be the best heading for paragraph 4?

A Where Snow Falls

B Skiing in the Mountains

C Snowing in the Deserts

D How Snowflakes Form

20 Why did the author most likely write this article?

F To explain why ski resorts are gaining popularity

G To list reasons why snow falls during certain months

H To describe the formation of snow

J To define words used by meteorologists

19 This article would most likely be found in a book titled –

A The Wonder of Weather: What Makes It Change?

B Fun in the Snow: Games and Sports for Winter Days

C The Day the Snow Stopped and Other Weather Stories

D A Collection of Winter Folktales From Around the World

18 What happens when snowflakes grow heavy inside a cloud?

F They attract more crystals.

G They slow their movement.

H They fall toward the ground.

J They freeze into a solid mass.

Go to the next

page and continue

working.

Directions: Read the story and answer the questions that follow.

Grandma Etta’s Wild Rice Soup

1 In 1888, the year that Leroy

turned 10, he was told that he

would be spending the summer

with his Grandma Etta on her

farm in central Texas. Before he

left for his grandmother’s house,

his mother had a few words to

say to him: “Now Leroy, you are

not going to stay with Grandma

just to let her cook for you all

summer. You need to help her

out too.”

2 Leroy had to admit that the first

week he was at Grandma Etta’s,

he did just what his mother

feared. He defended his actions

by telling himself that Grandma

seemed to love cooking for him.

In fact, she did not seem to mind

at all. When his parents visited,

however, he heard his mother’s

voice from the kitchen.

3 “You teach him to work the way you taught me to work, Mama. I don’t want you to let

him sit here with his feet up while you cook and clean for him. That type of behavior will

just spoil

him!”

4 After Leroy’s parents left, he watched Grandma Etta to see if she changed her treatment

of him, but she didn’t. Then one day she sighed, “I would sure like to make you some of

my special soup, Leroy, but I can’t do it alone. It is the most difficult soup in the world

to make.”

5 Leroy thought of last summer when he had that delicious broth, the sliced pieces of okra,

the chopped tomato, and the wild rice. His mouth began watering just thinking about that

tasty soup. “I’ll be glad to help make it,” Leroy said.

6 Grandma Etta smiled after hearing Leroy’s words. “First, we need some wild rice,”

Grandma Etta said.

7 Leroy turned to the cabinet and began rifling through its contents.

8 “Oh, it’s not in there,” she said. “It’s out there,” Grandma Etta replied as she pointed out

the window.

9 “Where?” Leroy asked, a bit confused. He could not imagine what Grandma Etta was

going to say.

10 “On the river,” Grandma answered.

11 Leroy soon found himself pulling the old canoe out of the chicken shed. It took him three

days to clean the canoe. Leroy thought about quitting, but he remembered that soup. He

also thought about what his mother had said.

12 Finally, Grandma Etta and Leroy glided onto the river to where the grain poked above the

water. He used sticks to knock the ripe grain heads into their canoe. Then they had to

wash the rice and let it dry in the sun for several days.

13 “Next, we need some tomatoes and okra.”

14 “No problem,” Leroy replied. He then picked enough tomatoes and okra from the garden

to make a barrel of soup. Proudly walking into the kitchen, he tumbled the vegetables

onto the table.

15 “Are we ready to cook now?” Leroy asked impatiently.

16 “Oh, yes,” she said, “just as soon as we chop wood for the fire.” After that, Leroy had to

draw water from the spring and bring down the old iron pot from the chicken shed.

Finally, the special soup began bubbling, and its sweet smell filled the air.

17 That day Leroy’s parents came to visit. He joked with Grandma Etta that they must have

smelled the cooking. She just laughed and served a bowl of the hot, steaming soup

for everyone.

18 Leroy learned how to make soup that summer, but he also learned a few other lessons as

well. Watching Grandma Etta stir the big pot of soup and scoop out a hearty portion for

everyone made Leroy realize how much hard work and love went into making Grandma

Etta’s soup. He was proud when his father asked for a second helping, but Leroy was even

prouder when Grandma Etta told his father that she and Leroy had made the

soup together.

19 Grandma Etta was right. The soup was difficult to make, but it was worth it. With each

spoonful of broth, Leroy forgot about how difficult it was to gather the ingredients. He

could only think of Grandma Etta’s love and the next time he would have the opportunity

to share this task with his grandmother.

23 Why does Leroy’s mother want Leroy to help Grandma Etta?

A She wants Leroy to learn to work.

B She thinks Grandma Etta works too hard.

C She wants Leroy to become a good cook.

D She thinks Grandma Etta should share her recipe.

22 In paragraph 7, what does the word rifling mean?

F moving

G laboring

H nudging

J searching

21 Read this dictionary entry.

Which meaning of spoil

is used in paragraph 3?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

spoil (spoil) v. 1. To damage. 2. To

disturb. 3. To cause to become selsh.

4. To rot.

26 After Leroy decides to help Grandma Etta, why must they wait several days

before making the soup?

F They have trouble removing the canoe from the shed.

G They need to let the rice dry in the sun.

H They do not have the necessary amount of rice.

J They cannot find enough okra in the garden.

25 Why is Leroy confused when Grandma Etta points out the window?

A He thinks she misunderstood him.

B He does not realize there is a nearby river.

C He has not been in the chicken shed before.

D He is used to getting food from the cabinet.

24 When Leroy agrees to help make the soup, he is unaware of —

F how challenging it will be to make

G what the soup will look like

H how delicious it will taste

J what ingredients will be in the soup

28 Which sentence from the story makes the soup seem delicious?

F “It is the most difficult soup in the world to make.”

G “First, we need some wild rice,” Grandma Etta said.

H Proudly walking into the kitchen, he tumbled the vegetables onto the table.

J Finally, the special soup began bubbling, and its sweet smell filled the air.

27 Leroy performed all of these chores for Grandma Etta EXCEPT —

A picking tomatoes and okra from the garden

B drawing water from the spring and getting the old iron pot

C knocking off the ripe grain heads and washing the rice

D stirring the pot and scooping out portions for everyone

30 Based on the story, the author most likely believes that —

F people become closer when they share the workload

G difficult recipes often taste the best

H lives change when people come to visit

J grandmothers love cooking for their families

29 This chart shows where Leroy found the ingredients for the soup.

What belongs in the empty box?

A The river

B The chicken shed

C The kitchen cabinet

D The farm

Ingredient Where It Is Found

Wild rice

Okra

Tomatoes

Water

The garden

The spring

Directions: Read the flier and answer the questions that follow.

Welcome to the Glendale City Parks Ranger Club. We are happy you

have decided to volunteer to help keep Glendale City’s eight parks

clean and attractive. With assistance from local youth, Glendale City

can continue to keep its parks beautiful all year long.

On the first day that volunteers report to their work assignments, they will receive

T-shirts, gloves, and caps. These items are green and have “Glendale City Parks Ranger”

printed on them. Volunteers will also receive name tags to be worn on their T-shirts at all

times. Since volunteers have special permission to be in all areas of the park, the Park

Ranger T-shirts, caps, and name tags let visitors know who is a volunteer.

When you arrive to work at the park, you should:

1. Report to the front office

2. Enter the time you start work and sign your name on the Volunteer Time

Sheet

3. Obtain your work assignment

4. Receive the tools you will need, such as a rake, trash bags, a paintbrush, or

plastic work gloves

All volunteers will complete park duties in groups of five. Each group will have one to two

adults with it at all times. When you have completed your assignment, do not forget to

report back to the front office to enter the time you left on the Volunteer Time Sheet.

Working as a Glendale City Parks Ranger

Butler Park

Sunnyside Park

Oak Hill Park

Mill Street Park

Mill Pond Park

Valley Park

Glendale City Park

Blue Ridge Park

During the summer, many people

utilize the services at the park each

day. The city parks provide a

pleasant place for children to have

fun, people to walk their dogs, and

families to have picnic lunches.

This chart lists the names of the

parks and the duties that need to

be completed at each one.

Glendale City Parks

Remove rocks from trails

Check playground

equipment for safety

Water the grass

Paint park benches

Rake leaves

Plant flowers

Badges should be attached to the left front of your T-shirt and worn proudly.

Thank you for donating your time to make sure the parks in Glendale City remain safe

places to play. Glendale City Parks Ranger Club appreciates its volunteers and cannot wait

to make you a member!

Park Ranger Badges

Volunteers earn badges for each hour of work completed.

Hours of Work Completed

Badge

Chipmunk Badge

Squirrel Badge

Groundhog Badge

31 What effect do volunteers have on Glendale City Parks?

A They show that the parks are for fun.

B They convince others to work at the parks.

C They help keep the parks clean.

D They make the parks appear busy.

33 Read a volunteer’s notes about the flier.

Which important detail did the volunteer leave out of the notes?

A Remove rocks from trails.

B Visit all areas of the park.

C List the duties to be completed.

D Sign in at the beginning of the shift.

What To Do My First Day of Volunteering

1. Report to park oce.

2. Pick up my T-shirt, cap, and name tag.

3. Receive my work assignment.

4. Pick up my tools.

5. Go with group to do my duties.

6. Sign out at the end of my shift.

32 How are the duties at Mill Street Park and Oak Hill Park different?

F Mill Street Park has equipment to check, while Oak Hill Park does not.

G Mill Street Park has flowers to plant, while Oak Hill Park does not.

H Mill Street Park has leaves to rake, while Oak Hill Park does not.

J Mill Street Park has grass to water, while Oak Hill Park does not.

36 Volunteers will receive their first park ranger badge after —

F completing ten hours of work

G reporting to the front office on time

H wearing the park T-shirt and cap

J working a full week at the park

35 According to the flier, the park provides for all of these activities EXCEPT a —

A playground for children to have fun

B place for people to walk dogs

C picnic area for families to eat

D place for rock collectors to meet

34 The author uses words like “clean,” “attractive,” and “beautiful” when

describing the parks to help the volunteers —

F remember to wear their T-shirts and caps

G understand the purpose of their work

H learn how to perform their duties carefully

J keep track of their donated time

37 Which guide words could be on the dictionary page with the

word “volunteer”?

A vogue – voilà

B voile – volcano

C volition – voluble

D volume – volute

38 Adding the prefix de- to the word frost forms a word that means —

F to play with frost

G to remove frost

H to look like frost

J to enjoy frost

You do not need to read a passage to answer the following questions. Read and

answer the questions.

39 Which book would be most helpful to someone who has a new pet?

A Playful Pets: Stories of Pets and Their Owners

B Why Pets Make Such Great Friends

C Pet Care: What Every Owner Needs to Know

D A Guide to Choosing Your Perfect Pet

40 Read this dictionary entry.

Which sentence is an example of definition 4?

F Matthew used the stapler once it became free

G Students are free to select their lunch menu in the school cafeteria.

H The bird sang a sweet song as it flew free from its cage.

J Collette asked us to let her know when the conference room was free.

free (fre) adj. 1. Not controlled by others.

2. Provided without payment. 3. Available

for use. 4. Able to make a choice.

Test Sequence

Number Correct Answer

Reportin