Common Core

Predictive Assessment

See what they know. Teach what they need.

CR
Constructed
Response
Assessment
(Includes Rubrics)

Test A
Reading/Language
Items 35-37

2012 Discovery Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

You have completed the multiple-choice section of this test. Your teacher will tell you when you
are to answer the following constructed response questions. These questions will be answered on
a separate sheet of paper. Remember to write your answers in complete sentences and use details
from the passages to support your answers.
Armand Hammer
While the industrialist and philanthropist Armand Hammer is not familiar to many people, throughout
his life he showed great determination to reach any goal he set. One example of his determination is his
education at medical school.
Armands father was a doctor who owned a small pharmaceutical company. Unexpectedly, Armand had
to take over the pharmaceutical company to help support his mother and brother. This meant that he could
not attend classes at medical school. Many people would have given up and decided to stick with the
pharmacy company. Armand Hammer never gave up! He came up with a plan that worked beautifully.
There were many young men in medical school who barely had enough money to feed and clothe
themselves. Armand found one of these young men who took excellent notes in class and reached an
agreement with him. Armand would pay the young man to take notes for Armand and meet with him in
the evenings to study the notes. Then, Armand would go to class only when tests were given. At this time,
attendance in lecture class was not required.
Armand and the young man both graduated from medical school at the same time.
Common Core Standard Assessed: RL.8.3 Story Elements
35. How did the incidents in Armand Hammers life show him to be an individual with great
determination?

Support your answer with details from the article.

Rubric for Question 35, Test A, Grade 8 Reading/Language

Element

Below Basic

Basic
Demonstrates a
limited
understanding of
how the incidents
reveal Armand
Hammers
determination.
Response is short
and ideas are not
well developed.

Proficient
Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding of
how the incidents
reveal Armand
Hammers
determination.
Response shows a
moderate amount of
idea development.

Outstanding
Demonstrates a
deep and thorough
understanding of
how the incidents
reveal Armand
Hammers
determination.
Response shows
thoughtful and
complex idea
development.

Content
(Depth/
Breadth of
Response)

Demonstrates a
lack of
understanding of
the article by
incorrectly
describing the
incidents in
Armand Hammers
life.

Supporting
Details

Uses no details
from the article.

Provides details
from the article, but
the details do not
support the
response.

Clearly supports
the response with
one detail from the
article.

Thoroughly
supports the
response with at
least two details
from the article.

Organization
(Structure
and
Transitions)

Uses very little or

no apparent
organizational
method.

Uses loose or
inconsistent
organization.

Uses clear
organization with a
beginning, middle,
and end; uses basic
transitional devices
(e.g., first, next,
finally, etc.).

Uses precise and

deliberate
organization,
including seamless
integration of more
advanced
transitional devices
(e.g., nevertheless,
however,
consequently, etc.).

Grammar/
Punctuation

Demonstrates little
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing
numerous errors
throughout the
response.

Demonstrates a
limited command
of grammar and
punctuation by
introducing several
errors throughout
the response.

Demonstrates an
adequate
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing few
errors throughout
the response.

Demonstrates a
clear and thorough
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing very
few or no errors in
the response.

His Last Bullet

The cold man sat hunched over a small campfire. He felt awful about shooting his horse, but he could do
nothing else. It had been in terrible pain with a badly broken leg. Unfortunately, hed used his last bullet.
Firing a gun and knowing there was no one to hear it made him feel even more alone.
His dwindling stack of firewood lay beside him in the snow. Around him, the howl of wolves came closer
as the fire grew smaller. He stuffed his almost frozen hands into his pockets and pulled up the collar of his
coat. Still, the frigid air crept in and chilled him. Frostbite had already reached his toes and was creeping
upward.
Moving ever closer to the fire, the man threw in another log to increase the heat and drive back the
wolves. He dozed for a few minutes. Suddenly realizing the fire was too small to keep the wild wolves
at bay, he threw the last two logs onto the fire and wished heartily that he was not stranded in the frozen
tundra fifty miles from the nearest human being.
Common Core Standard Assessed: RL.8.3 Story Elements
36. Describe the emotions the man felt when he fired his last bullet.

Support your answer with details from the story.

Rubric for Question 36, Test A, Grade 8 Reading/Language

Element

Below Basic

Content
(Depth/
Breadth of
Response)

Demonstrates a
lack of
understanding of
the story by
incorrectly
describing the
mans emotions
when he fired his
last bullet.

Supporting
Details

Uses no details
from the story.

Provides details
from the story, but
the details do not
support the
response.

Clearly supports
the response with
one detail from the
story.

Thoroughly
supports the
response with at
least two details
from the story.

Organization
(Structure
and
Transitions)

Uses very little or

no apparent
organizational
method.

Uses loose or
inconsistent
organization.

Uses clear
organization with a
beginning, middle,
and end; uses basic
transitional devices
(e.g., first, next,
finally, etc.).

Uses precise and

deliberate
organization,
including seamless
integration of more
advanced
transitional devices
(e.g., nevertheless,
however,
consequently, etc.).

Grammar/
Punctuation

Demonstrates little
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing
numerous errors
throughout the
response.

Demonstrates a
limited command
of grammar and
punctuation by
introducing several
errors throughout
the response.

Demonstrates an
adequate
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing few
errors throughout
the response.

Demonstrates a
clear and thorough
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing very
few or no errors in
the response.

Basic
Demonstrates a
limited
understanding of
the mans emotions
when he fired his
last bullet.
Response is short
and ideas are not
well developed.

Proficient
Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding of
the mans
emotions when he
fired his last bullet.
Response shows a
moderate amount of
idea development.

Outstanding
Demonstrates a
deep and
thorough
understanding of
the mans
emotions when
he fired his last
bullet. Response
shows thoughtful
and complex idea
development.

Prelude (excerpt)
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Pleasant it was, when woods were green,
And winds were soft and low,
To lie amid some sylvan1 scene,
Where, the long drooping boughs between,
Shadows dark and sunlight sheen
Alternate come and go;
Or where the denser grove receives
No sunlight from above,
But the dark foliage2 interweaves
In one unbroken roof of leaves,
Underneath whose sloping eaves
The shadows hardly move.
sylvancharacteristic of woods or forest regions
foliageplant or tree leaves

1
2

Common Core Standard Assessed: RL.8.2 Determine Theme / Summarize

37. How does the setting of the poem affect its theme of the beauty and comfort found in nature?

Support your answer with details from the poem.

Rubric for Question 37, Test A, Grade 8 Reading/Language

Element

Below Basic

Basic
Demonstrates a
limited
understanding of
how the setting of
the poem affects its
theme. Response is
short and ideas are
not well developed.

Proficient
Demonstrates an
adequate
understanding of
how the setting of
the poem affects its
theme. Response
shows a
moderate amount of
idea development.

Outstanding
Demonstrates a
deep and thorough
understanding of
how the setting of
the poem affects its
theme. Response
shows thoughtful
and complex idea
development.

Content
(Depth/
Breadth of
Response)

Demonstrates a
lack of
understanding of
the poem by
incorrectly
describing how the
setting of the poem
affects its theme.

Supporting
Details

Uses no details
from the poem.

Provides details
from the poem, but
the details do not
support the
response.

Clearly supports the

response with one
or two details from
the poem.

Thoroughly
supports the
response with three
or more details
from the poem.

Organization
(Structure
and
Transitions)

Uses very little or

no apparent
organizational
method.

Uses loose or
inconsistent
organization.

Uses clear
organization with a
beginning, middle,
and end; uses basic
transitional devices
(e.g., first, next,
finally, etc.).

Uses precise and

deliberate
organization,
including seamless
integration of more
advanced
transitional devices
(e.g., nevertheless,
however,
consequently, etc.).

Grammar/
Punctuation

Demonstrates little
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing
numerous errors
throughout the
response.

Demonstrates a
limited command
of grammar and
punctuation by
introducing several
errors throughout
the response.

Demonstrates an
adequate
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing few
errors throughout
the response.

Demonstrates a
clear and thorough
command of
grammar and
punctuation by
introducing very
few or no errors in
the response.