Assessment used for analysis

Each passage has two questions. Circle the best answer and then give at least three supporting details
that support your choice in the space provided. This is not for a grade!!! Please do not stress over this.
This is just to help Ms. Hall with her homework. Norman and Ms. Hall thank you very much! Please do
your best! We know you will! You got this!

Passage 1

Guide dogs are extremely important to their visually impaired humans. These specially trained
dogs can go into any public place as long as they are wearing their guide dog harness. They have
excellent memories and know over forty commands! If a blind person has a specific route that they
travel each day (for example, around a college campus) the dog will memorize how to get to a certain
destination if the route is done several times. It is helpful for the human to have a name for the
particular place, so the dog knows to find that particular location. For example, if the human is trying to
find their math class, they would tell the dog, “find math.”, and the dog will find it after going to that
room a few times with lots of praise. Guiding their human around obstacles, helping them cross streets
safely, and helping them get from point A to point B without getting lost are all tasks included in a guide
dog’s job and are what makes them so very important.

1. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Guide dogs know over forty commands.

B. Guide dogs are extremely important to their visually impaired humans.

C. It is helpful for the human to have a name for the destination to tell the dog.

D. Guide dogs can go into any public place as long as they are wearing their guide dog harness.

2. List at least three supporting details that support the main idea.
 Passage 2

The water cycle is learned about in schools across the country. There are many things to know
about the water cycle. First, it is not simply the process of water freezing, then melting, and then,
freezing again. Water evaporates into the air to form water vapor (evaporation), which condenses into a
cloud (condensation). Once a cloud, the water that has collected in the cloud must go somewhere. What
goes up must come back down again. This process of water being released from the cloud is called
precipitation.

3. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Water being released from the cloud is called precipitation.

B. The water cycle is learned about in schools across the country.

C. There are many things to know about the water cycle.

D. First, it is not simply the process of water freezing, then melting, and then, freezing again.

4. List at least three supporting details that support the main idea.
 Passage 3

Students may not always understand why they are required to complete certain tasks or
assignments in their classes. Pre-tests might be one of those questionable tasks. One may ask, “Is this
just put in place to torture us?” There is actually a very good reason behind the teacher giving pre-tests.
Think about it. Pre-tests are for teachers to find out what students know about a topic before they teach
it. If the students know very little or nothing about the topic, then the teacher knows that that particular
material needs to be taught. If the students already know a great deal about the topic, then it is not
necessary to teach all of it. Imagine how much time would be wasted if teachers decided to teach
everything without finding out what their students already knew about it. Think about how boring life
would be if much of what the teachers were supposedly teaching you were things that you already
knew!

5. What is the purpose of this passage?

A. to tell others about life in a typical elementary school

B. to inform students about why teachers give pre-tests

C. to explain all of the tasks of a teacher in a given day

6. List at least three supporting details that support your answer.