Texas reading proficiency tests in english

s a
baseball at it.
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Characteristics of Glass
8 People commonly think of glass only as windowpanes or drinking
glasses. However, glass can come in a multitude of colors. In fact, glass
objects can be found in almost any color. The structure of glass also
varies greatly. Glass can be spun finer than a spiderweb or molded into
a telescope lens that is as heavy as four elephants.
Uses of Glass
9 Ever since glass was first made, the process of glassmaking has been
continually improved. Corning Incorporated in New York has developed
more than 75,000 different kinds of glass. New kinds of glass are still
being invented, along with new uses for them.
10 Today, glass objects are everywhere, from food containers to
lightbulbs to windshields to mirrors. It is hard to imagine our lives
without glass. What would we do without it?
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41 What does the drawing indicate?
A* How strong glass can be
B How glass is made
C How easily glass is broken
D How glass can be recycled
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40 In this article, the word expanded means —
F* increased
G stopped
H discovered
J examined
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39 From the information in the article, the reader
can conclude that over time glass became —
A more volcanic
B less useful and more decorative
C* more common and more affordable
D as rare as fine jewels
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38 The author of this article probably believes
that —
F people should use less glass
G* glass is a valuable material
H glass is stronger than steel
J glass factories are dangerous places
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37 Paragraph 8 is mostly about —
A* what glass is like
B telescope lenses
C four elephants
D what drinking glasses look like
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Ivan Gets Ready
1 Ivan came home from school during a storm. He turned on the 
light switch in the kitchen, but nothing happened. He turned on the
radio, but it did not work. Ivan realized the electricity was off. He knew
it would be darker outside in an hour.
2 Ivan knew what to do. He found some candles in the kitchen drawer
and put them into candlesticks. He got some matches to light the
candles. He also found
two flashlights in the
garage and checked to
make sure they worked.
One of the flashlights
needed new batteries,
so he replaced them. He
was ready.
3 Ivan lit the candles.
As the rain stopped,
music came from the
radio. Ivan smiled and
blew out the candles.
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46 Why does Ivan smile at the end of the story?
F Someone on the radio tells a funny joke.
G He is nervous and afraid of the dark.
H* He is glad the electricity is on again.
J He wants it to rain more.
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44 What is this story mostly about?
F A boy cannot see in the dark, so he lights
some candles.
G* A boy prepares for the darkness after he
discovers the electricity isn’t working.
H A boy finds some flashlights, but one of
them needs new batteries.
J A boy can’t turn on the lights or the radio
when he gets home from school.
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43 The radio begins to play because —
A* the electricity came back on
B Ivan plugged it in
C Ivan changed the batteries
D someone turned it on
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42 Which picture shows a light switch?
F
G*
H
J
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45 Read this chart of events.
What event belongs in the empty box?
A Came home from school
B* Lit candles
C Bought batteries for radio
D Blew out candles
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Realized electricity was off
Found candles and flashlights
Heard music from radio
Ivan
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What a Sight!
1 The George Washington School had been standing for more than 100
years. The school building was in good shape, but behind it was an old
basketball court. The court’s blacktop had crumbled and was overgrown
with weeds. The fence around the court was battered, and parts of it lay
on the ground. The basketball hoops were bent and rusted.
2 One cold day in February,
Mr. Garson, a biology teacher,
was taking a walk during his
lunch break. He passed the
old basketball court. “What
an ugly sight!” he said,
groaning. As he stared at the
empty court, he had a vision.
He stopped and let the vision
take shape in his
imagination. In his mind, he
pictured something quite
different from what he
actually saw.
3 Mr. Garson asked the school board for money to turn his vision into a
reality. In April he organized a group of community volunteers to tear up
the old basketball court and haul it away. Then he persuaded a local
farmer to donate truckloads of good topsoil, which several students
spread over the lot. A group of parents volunteered to build a new fence
around the land. Mr. Garson purchased rakes, hoes, shovels, and
trowels. He also purchased seeds and seedlings. In May students
planted tomatoes, potatoes, corn, lettuce, onions, and peppers. In one
corner they planted herbs, such as basil, oregano, and parsley. In
another they planted a dozen kinds of flowers that would bloom through
the summer and fall.
4 Two students checked the garden and watered it every day. On
Saturdays throughout the summer, groups of students gathered to weed
the garden and harvest what was ripe.
5 In September students enjoyed eating fresh produce from the George
Washington garden for lunch. Most days there were freshly cut flowers
on the cafeteria tables.
6 “What a beautiful sight!” Mr. Garson proclaimed in a speech at the
first school assembly. “It proves that we can change things if we work
together toward a common goal.”
7 In late fall a local farmer plowed under the garden so that it would
be ready for planting again in the spring.
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50 In this selection, trowels are —
F volunteers
G sports equipment
H vegetables
J* garden tools
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49 How does Mr. Garson get topsoil for the
garden?
A He buys it.
B The school board supplies it.
C* A local farmer donates it.
D He finds it under the basketball court.
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48 What is one theme expressed in this selection?
F It takes a lot of hard work to get large
donations.
G It is important to eat a lot of fresh fruits
and vegetables.
H You shouldn’t be discouraged if you don’t
succeed right away.
J* One person with a vision can make a big
difference.
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47 In this selection, the word battered means —
A* damaged
B repaired
C locked
D high
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Game Time
1 Duc has a game after school. He does not know what time it starts.
He calls his friend Tony.
2 “What time is the basketball game?” Duc asks.
3 “At 5:30,” Tony says. “But we should be at the gym by 5:00. Mr. West
wants us to practice.”
4 “Okay! See you there!” Duc says.
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56 What will Duc probably do next?
F Call Mr. West
G* Go to the gym
H Call Tony
J Cook dinner
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55 Mr. West is probably —
A* the coach
B Duc’s father
C Tony’s brother
D the boys’ neighbor
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54 Which of these happens first in the story?
F Tony goes to the gym.
G Tony tells Duc when the game starts.
H Duc says good-bye to Tony.
J* Duc calls Tony to ask a question.
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53 In this story, basketball is a kind of —
A clock
B* sport
C telephone
D food
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52 When does the game start?
F 4:00
G 4:30
H 5:00
J* 5:30
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51 What is this story mostly about?
A* When two boys will have a game
B Why a boy cleans a kitchen
C Where a boy works after school
D How two boys learn to play a game
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Picture of an Artist
1 Frida Kahlo was a well-known Mexican artist. She was born in 1907.
Although she had many friends and was very famous, she did not have
an easy life.
2 When Kahlo was a young child, she was very sick for almost a year.
Then as a teenager she was seriously injured in a
traffic accident. The accident left her in pain for
the rest of her life.
3 Kahlo had hoped to become a doctor. She
could not do this because of her poor health.
To fill her time, she taught herself to
paint. She painted many portraits during her
life. She often painted pictures of herself
wearing colorful Indian costumes and jewelry.
She used her art to help her overcome her pain.
4 Sadly Frida Kahlo died in 1954 at a
young age. Her paintings remind
people of her bravery and talent.
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BE SURE YOU HAVE MARKED ALL OF YOUR 
ANSWERS ON THE ANSWER DOCUMENT.
60 This selection is mostly about Kahlo’s —
F* life
G pictures
H jewelry
J education
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59 In this selection, the word injured means —
A driving
B* hurt
C born
D waiting
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58 According to the selection, Kahlo died —
F in an accident
G* at a young age
H while she was painting a picture
J when she was an old woman
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57 The reader can tell from the selection that
Kahlo —
A could make people laugh
B was the daughter of a famous artist
C* was a person who did not give up
D had a lot of art training
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RPTE 9–12
MARCH 2004
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