TAKS April 2004 G8 Reading Online Test

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D Instructions
D Queen of Scream
D
D
D

1 What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A  Jairala’s favorite subject in school
B  The school where Jairala went to college
C  How Jairala became a roller-coaster engineer
D  The theme park where Jairala works

2 What does the word imperil mean in paragraph 3?

F   Put in danger
G  Treat differently
H  Put in training
J   Make angry

3 From information in this article, the reader can conclude that most roller coasters--

A   travel at the same speed
B   are actually dangerous to ride
C   travel almost as fast as a rocket
D   take several years to plan and build

4 Designers sometimes give roller coasters an aged appearance in order to--

F   make maintenance easier
G  make the ride seem frightening
H  show customers that the ride has been popular for a long time
J   make customers believe the coasters have been tested many times

5 Which of these is the best summary of this article?

A   Jennifer Jairala works as a roller-coaster engineer for one of the largest theme-park corporations in the world. Jairala
           studied engineering at Cornell University. The theme park where she works is in Osaka, Japan, and has been open for
           only about a year.
B   Roller-coaster engineers such as Jennifer Jairala try to make roller coasters scary but fun. They start trying to scare
           customers before they even get on the roller coaster. They build roller coasters to look more dangerous than they really
           are.
C   Jennifer Jairala grew up in Chicago. After she graduated from high school, she went to college and earned a degree in
           mechanical engineering. She now works for one of the largest theme-park corporations in the world.
D   Universal Studios Japan roller-coaster engineer Jennifer Jairala helps design and test roller coasters and other
           amusement rides. Jairala and other engineers design rides to be scary but safe. They also want the coasters to be fun
           and easy to ride.

6 What did Jairala have to do before she got a job as a roller-coaster engineer?

F   Work as an engineer for a year
G  Earn an engineering degree
H  Take a test ride on a coaster
J   Design a new roller coaster

7 The reader can conclude that Jairala--

A  never rode roller coasters as a child
B  worked as a ride operator during high school
C  doesn't really enjoy testing rides
D  works on other types of rides besides roller coasters

8 According to the passage, why do engineers sometimes try to extend the length of a ride?

F   To allow more customers to ride at one time
G  To keep customers from riding more than once
H  To allow customers to catch their breath
J   To ensure that customers are satisfied

9 The author organizes the article by--

A   describing a day at work for a rollercoaster engineer
B   comparing and contrasting different roller coasters
C   explaining different aspects of a rollercoaster engineer's job
D   describing a theme park from the entrance to the exit

10 Which sentence from this article supports the idea that Jairala has always liked working with machines?

F    Unlike most people who ride the roller coasters and water rides at the new theme park, Jairala is more than
             just a casual observer.
G   While she was growing up in Chicago, Jairala was constantly trying to fix anything in her house that broke.
H   While Jairala hopes to continue building thrill rides, she also wants to continue her education.
J    As one of the park's ride-show engineers, Jairala helps design, assemble, and test some of the scariest rides in
            the world.

11 Read this part of an outline of information from the article.

Which detail belongs on the blank line?

A   Attend college courses
B   Make scary noises during the ride
C   Check that coasters continue to work properly
D   Prevent customers from riding too often

D Instructions
D Together Forever
D
D

Lorenzo

F Lorenzo and his family celebrate their trip.
G The U.S. president asks Cuba to allow Lorenzo's family to join him in the United States.
H Lorenzo flies a small plane to the coast of Cuba and picks up his family.
J Lorenzo discusses with his wife what they should do.

13 To the Lorenzos, the United States is a symbol of--

A   family
B   government
C   freedom
D   beauty

14 Why did Lorenzo feel tears filling his eyes when his wife finally got into the plane?

F    He hadn't thought that his wife would return to the United States with him.
G   He thought the plane might be shot down by a missile.
H   He knew his wife had suffered greatly since he left her behind.
J    He was angry at his wife for taking so long to get into the plane.

15 Why did Lorenzo fly his airplane just a few feet above the ocean?

A   To make it hard for missiles to hit his plane
B   To make it easy for his family to see the plane
C   To avoid being spotted by the air force's radar
D   To make a quicker landing

16 Why is paragraph 3 important to the article?

F    It tells how long it had been since Lorenzo had seen his family.
G   It describes the government in Cuba.
H   It shows that the Cuban government didn't want Lorenzo to return to Cuba.
J    It explains why Lorenzo had to return to Cuba.

17 Which information from the article shows that Lorenzo's rescue plan was risky?

A   The highway was too close to the coast.
B   He had taken an air force jet.
C   Cuban leaders dared him to return.
D   The door of the airplane was stuck.

18 The reader can conclude that Lorenzo--

F    had told his family to wear orange clothes
G   knew the bus driver on the highway
H   was flying the same plane on both flights
J    had landed on the highway many times

19 The mood of this article is--

A   sad and eerie
B   adventurous and predictable
C   calm and hopeful
D   suspenseful and triumphant

20 The danger to the Lorenzos wasn't over even after they took off, because--

F    missiles could still have reached the plane
G   the plane might still have been spotted by radar
H   the plane might still have been spotted by radar
J    the plane might have been damaged during landing

21 Which sentence from the article supports the idea that Lorenzo's air force experience helped him plan the rescue?

A   It would be impossible to land if the traffic were too heavy.
B   At last he spotted the narrow strip of pavement running next to the coast.
C   "It can't be much farther," he thought, straining to see the coast of Cuba, his homeland.
D   He had flown the last half hour just a few feet above the ocean, hoping to avoid the Cuban Air Force's radar.

22 What is the most likely reason the author wrote the article?

F    To persuade Cuba to allow Lorenzo's family to leave
G   To explain why Lorenzo left his family behind
H   To compare the Cuban and U.S. governments
J    To describe a family's daring escape from Cuba

23 Which of these is the best summary of this article?

A   Orestes Lorenzo flew a Cuban fighter jet to the United States to start a new life. When Cuban leaders refused to allow
            Lorenzo's family to join him, he decided to fly back to Cuba. He landed a small plane on a highway, where he rescued
            his family and returned with them to the United States.
B   Orestes Lorenzo had been in the Cuban Air Force for more than 10 years. One day he made the most difficult
            decision of his life. Lorenzo decided to risk everything to fly his Cuban Air Force fighter jet to the United States and
            begin a new life.
C   Orestes Lorenzo landed his small plane on a highway near El Marney Beach in Cuba. The highway was busy, and
            Lorenzo almost wrecked the plane during the landing. His wife and sons ran to the plane and got inside.
            Lorenzo took off again, dodging oncoming traffic and barely clearing the palm trees that lined the side of the
            highway.
D   Orestes Lorenzo knew the Cuban Air Force would spot his small plane as he neared the coast of Cuba. The former
            officer in the Cuban Air Force knew that the military would be frantically responding to an alert about an unidentified
            aircraft. Soon the military would order that a missile be fired to stop Lorenzo's plane.

D Instructions

D I Have Crossed Famous Rivers

D Why Do You Push Us Around?

D Directions for I have Crossed...

24 Read this dictionary entry for the word strike.

Definition of Strike

Which definition represents the meaning of strikes as used in paragraph 4?

F   Definition 1
G  Definition 2
H  Definition 3
J   Definition 4

25 Why was Mandela forced to travel on black-only buses and trains?

A   South Africa's leaders believed that black citizens and white citizens should be kept separated.
B   It cost too much to ride the same trains and buses as white citizens.
C   Other buses and trains weren't allowed into black-only communities.
D   Mandela was protesting South Africa's new policy of apartheid, which was unfair to black South Africans.

26 Paragraph 2 is mainly about--

F    the organization Mandela joined to fight for the rights of black South Africans
G   traveling on black-only buses and trains
H   the discrimination faced by Mandela and other black citizens in South Africa
J    why Mandela had never been allowed to vote

27 What can the reader infer from the actions of South Africa's white minority?

A   Most of them were opposed to South Africa's policy of apartheid.
B   Many were members of the ANC and other organizations formed to help black South Africans.
C   They organized protests to have Nelson Mandela released from prison.
D   They feared they would lose power if blacks were allowed to vote.

D Directions for Why Do You Push Us Around?...

28 Why did Blake order four African American passengers to stand in order to make room for one white passenger?

F    He expected more white passengers to board the bus at the next stop.
G   The African American passengers argued about who should stand.
H   The white passenger wanted to make room for his entire group.
J    African Americans weren't allowed to sit in the same row with white passengers.

29 Parks's main conflict in this story is that she--

A   didn't want to be on a bus driven by Blake
B   thought that she shouldn't have to give up her bus seat
C   didn't want Blake to have her arrested
D   didn't want to have to ride on a crowded bus

30 What is the mood of paragraphs 8 and 9?

F    Bewildered
G   Hostile
H   Amused
J    Determined

31 Why did Parks vow never again to ride a bus driven by Blake?

A   She thought that Blake was an extremely dangerous driver.
B   She did not want Blake to recognize her.
C   She thought Blake might have her arrested.
D   She did not want to be humiliated by Blake.

32 The reader can conclude that the arrest of Rosa Parks--

F   encouraged African Americans to obey Alabama's segregation laws
G   later caused Blake to lose his job as a bus driver
H   angered African Americans in Montgomery
J    convinced bus lines in Montgomery to change their segregation policies

D Directions for Both I Have Crossed Famous Rivers and Why Do You Push Us Around?...

33 Read this diagram of information from the selections.

D Graph of Apartheid and Jim Crow Laws

  Which detail belongs on the blank line?
A   Strictly enforced in Alabama
B   Protested by Nelson Mandela
C   Discriminated against black citizens
D   Ended by F. W. de Klerk

34 An idea common to both selections is--

F   fighting discrimination
G  obeying the law
H  helping others
J   the right to vote

35 What is one difference between the two selections?

A   Mandela's story is about discrimination, but Parks's story is not.
B   Parks's story deals with segregation, but Mandela's story doesn't.
C   Mandela's story is about protesting, but Parks's story is about breaking the law.
D   Parks's story tells about her arrest, but Mandela's story tells about his release.

D The Best
D
D
D

36 Chris is confused after finishing the game with Sam because Chris--

F    played better than ever but still lost
G   knows he didn't play very well
H   doesn't want the testing to be finished
J    can tell that Dr. Clifford is unhappy

37 What does intuition mean in paragraph 21?

A   The ability to move extremely quickly
B   A memory of something from long ago
C   Knowledge gained through long periods of study
D   A sense or feeling about something

38 The most likely reason technicians check everything thoroughly after the game is that they want to--

F    make sure that Chris and Sam haven't broken anything
G   make sure everything was working properly during the test
H   make sure that neither player was cheating
J    find ways to make the game more challenging

39 Why does Chris wonder what could have gone wrong in paragraph 1?

A   Dr. Clifford will not let him play the video game.
B   Chris doesn't feel like playing the game anymore.
C   Chris thinks that Dr. Clifford is angry with him.
D   Sam has just defeated him in the game again.

40 Paragraph 2 is important to this story because it--

F    shows how long Chris has been playing the game
G   explains why Chris and Sam are playing the game
H   shows that Sam is clumsy and doesn't play very well
J    describes the test that Sam and Chris are involved in

41 In paragraph 14, what does impassive mean?

A   Without feeling
B   Terrified
C   Confused
D   Without skill

42 What can the reader conclude about the last game that Chris and Sam play?

F   They both play better than ever before.
G   It takes much longer than their other games.
H   Chris makes a higher score than Sam.
J    It is a different game than they usually play.

43 Which sentence from this story supports the idea that Chris is tested on things besides video games?

A   All around him the scientists at Harris Laboratories checked data and made adjustments.
B   For more than five years they had been working on building a robot that could do everything a human
            teenager could do, only better.
C   "There are too many possibilities even for a computer to analyze."
D   One of them handed a large clipboard of papers to Dr. Clifford.

44 The scientists want to test Chris against Sam because they want--

F   Sam to teach Chris how to play the game better
G   It takes much longer than their other games.
H   to see whether a robot can defeat the best human player
J   Chris to memorize the way Sam plays the game

45 Which sentence from the story supports the idea that Chris is improving his playing skill?

A   It was much higher than he had ever scored in the past.
B   "I'm very pleased with today's test results."
C   Chris reacted quickly as the game's speed increased.
D   This time he would prove that he was superior.

46 Why are the scientists excited after Chris and Sam finish their game?

F   Chris has finally defeated Sam at the video game.
G   The scientists are happy to be finished with the test.
H   Sam has set a new record for the highest score for the game.
J    Chris has performed much better than the scientists expected.

47 Why does Chris think it is impossible for Sam to memorize the game combinations?

A   He doesn't think Sam has a very good memory.
B   Sam hasn't had time to learn all the combinations.
C   There are too many combinations to remember.
D   Sam hasn't been playing the game long enough.

48 In paragraph 15, a notation is a--

F    small letter
G   suggestion
H   written comment
J    assignment

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