All Common Core: 5th Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #3 : Understand Point Of View
He made sure to wash his hands after he coughed.
What point of view is this?
Second person
First person
Third person
Third person
The narrator is telling a story from the outside, so this is an example of third person point of view.
Example Question #4 : Understand Point Of View
Passage 1
Ecuador, in South America, is home to 417 types of frogs and toads. Many of these species, or types of frogs, are at risk of dying out. In the last 50 years, many amphibian species have gone extinct. Salamanders, frogs, and toads are all amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land, and have backbones. Amphibians must live near water. Amphibians are in trouble because their habitat is being destroyed as trees are being cut down to make room for farms and roads. Amphibians also absorb pollution easily, because they breathe through their skin. Amphibians are usually the first to disappear when an environment is under threat from pollution. Due to pollution, some frogs are born with deformed, or wrongly shaped, body parts, such as extra legs and eyes. Frogs with deformed body parts are a clue for scientists that an environment is suffering. Between the destruction of their habitats and risks to frogs from pollution, frogs are at risk of endangerment and extinction.
Scientists are working to save amphibians from their plight. Scientists want the government to pass laws that protect amphibian habitats and limit pollution.
Passage 2
My name is Maria and I am an amphibian conservation biologist. My job is to protect amphibians and their natural habitats, develop educational programs and exhibits to engage the public about amphibian conservation, and research to develop tools that will allow scientists to reintroduce amphibians back into the wild. Conservation biologists are scientists who study and protect animals and their environments. I work in a zoo, but I often travel to places like Ecuador or Brazil to observe a variety of amphibians in their natural habitats. Brazil, for example, has 1,022 different types of frogs, toads and salamanders! In my work at the zoo, I specialize in only a small portion of that number. Here in the zoo, we have many amphibians in our care because some or all of their natural habitats were destroyed. We are not alone in our work to protect amphibians. Many people, in many kinds of jobs, are helping protect amphibians and their habitats. I partner with other scientists and lawyers, like my friend Fernanda, to help create laws that best support the conservation, or protection, of amphibians. Fernanda is an environmental lawyer who works to create laws like the Endangered Species Act that protect wildlife and their homes. She, in turn, needs to partner with government workers who can lobby and vote to help get laws passed. Together, our goal is to work together to build a world where these amphibians have safe space to live outside of the zoo, in their natural habitat, protected from pollution or loss of space. We are working with a facility in Brazil to build protected space for amphibians to be released from the zoo and into a space where they can thrive.
In passage two, Maria is most likely
against changing things to protect frogs
Both A and C
for creating a safe environment for frogs
in favor of protecting frogs
Both A and C
Reading closely and paying attention to Maria’s point of view, the reader can infer that Maria is in favor of protecting frogs and is for creating a safe environment for frogs.
Example Question #6 : Understand Point Of View
Which pronoun is an example that would be commonly found in a piece written in first person point of view?
I
You
They
I
In first person point of view, the narrator is in the story, so “I” is a common pronoun.
Example Question #7 : Understand Point Of View
Which point of view is rare, and uses the pronoun “you”?
Third person
Second person
First person
Second person
Second person point of view is not commonly used. In second person point of view, the narrator is talking directly to the reader and uses pronouns like “you”.
Example Question #11 : Craft And Structure
I wanted to go to the grocery store, but it was late and the store was closed. I decided I could cook something else for dinner, so that I could wait to go to the store another day.
What point of view is this?
First person
Third person
Second person
First person
The use of the word “I” tells the reader this is written in first person.
Example Question #11 : Craft And Structure
Inventions
Every day it seems, new inventions surface that promise to add value to our day-to-day lives. But did you know, many of the inventions we interact with daily were developed entirely by accident?
Take the microwave, for instance. This accidental invention was developed by engineer Percy Spencer who, upon experimenting with a microwave-emitting magnetron, found that the candy bar in his pocket had begun to melt. Spencer was then able to harness this radiation into the microwave we use today to make snack time a speedy process!
Perhaps one of today’s most well-known accidental inventions, the potato chip, was born when a customer kept requesting that his french fries be sliced thinner and made crispier. Though chef George Crum responded with the chips as a joke, they quickly became a favorite snack worldwide!
Even the match is a result of accidental invention. When pharmacist John Walker was stirring chemicals, he noticed that the end of his stirring stick had dried into a hardened lump. When attempting to scrape the dried residue off, a flame sparked, and so did Walker’s idea to turn this accident into a helpful tool!
So, the next time your science experiment doesn’t go as planned, or you burn what you have cooked on the stove, keep in mind that some of today’s most valued inventions were discovered when the inventor least expected it!
Which of the following represents a view not held by the author?
A match is a tool that some consider helpful
Percy Spencer should have eaten the candy bar so that it wouldn’t be accidentally melted and wasted
Inventions can sometimes strike us at unexpected times
Some methods of cooking take longer than the microwave
Percy Spencer should have eaten the candy bar so that it wouldn’t be accidentally melted and wasted
Though our other answer choices have reasonable support from the passage, we cannot confidently determine that the author felt that “Percy Spencer should have eaten the candy bar so that it wouldn’t be accidentally melted and wasted.” In fact, the author uses Spencer’s example to show the fortunate outcomes of accidental inventions. So, the author very likely would not suggest that Spencer should have eaten the candy bar before his work to avoid melting it - and certainly wouldn’t consider the bar wasted! Even though it likely went uneaten, the bar contributed to one of the most impactful inventions of our time!
Example Question #12 : Craft And Structure
A Voice for Freedom and Song
Marian Anderson was a world-class singer. By the year 1939, Marian had sung for people around the world, including kings and presidents. Her dream was to sing at Constitution Hall, but, in her mind, she viewed it as something that would never happen. The owners, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), would not allow her to sing because she was African-American.
Marian was used to dealing with people who only saw her for her skin color. When she was younger, she applied to become a student at a music school. She was denied entrance because of her race. In the early 1900s, when Marian began her singing career, segregation still kept African-American people from achieving their goals and dreams.
Marian performed in 1925 in a voice contest in New York and won. She was able to sing with the New York Philharmonic! She thought doors would start opening for her in the United States, but instead, people foolishly turned her away. Marian traveled to Europe in 1928, and there she became quite popular.
In 1939, she returned to the United States, but she was still subject to the cruelty and unfairness of racism and segregation. When Marian attempted to sing at Constitution Hall, the DAR had many excuses for why she couldn’t perform. They tried telling her that the dates weren’t available, or that they weren’t booking new performers. Eventually, they told Marian the truth: she couldn’t perform because they only allowed white musicians.
This rejection inspired thousands of people to rally together against the horrible segregation laws that prevented many from hearing Marian’s beautiful voice. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR and publicly shamed them for their treatment of African-American performers. Mrs. Roosevelt and her staff arranged a concert at the Lincoln Memorial for Marian to perform. Seventy-five thousand people attended, standing against discrimination and getting to hear Marian sing.
After the DAR incident, Marian took a stand and refused to sing for segregated crowds. She finally achieved her dream of singing at Constitution Hall when the DAR reversed its policy on allowing African-American performers. Marian retired from performing in 1964, the same year that the Civil Rights Act was signed. Along with other brave activists, she used her talents to advocate for justice, and her voice helped create lasting change against racism and segregation in the United States.
Which of the following represents a view not held by the author?
The DAR had the right to its policies and was not mistreating anyone.
All of the answer choices are correct.
Marian Anderson did little for the African-American community or musicians of color.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt overstepped by publically shaming the DAR.
All of the answer choices are correct.
Based on the passage's tone, the author would likely not agree with any of the viewpoints presented. The author presents evidence and includes personal opinions supporting both Marian Anderson and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The author contradicts the answer choices with the details in the passages.
Example Question #13 : Craft And Structure
Inventions
Every day it seems, new inventions surface that promise to add value to our day-to-day lives. But did you know, many of the inventions we interact with daily were developed entirely by accident?
Take the microwave, for instance. This accidental invention was developed by engineer Percy Spencer who, upon experimenting with a microwave-emitting magnetron, found that the candy bar in his pocket had begun to melt. Spencer was then able to harness this radiation into the microwave we use today to make snack time a speedy process!
Perhaps one of today’s most well-known accidental inventions, the potato chip, was born when a customer kept requesting that his french fries be sliced thinner and made crispier. Though chef George Crum responded with the chips as a joke, they quickly became a favorite snack worldwide!
Even the match is a result of accidental invention. When pharmacist John Walker was stirring chemicals, he noticed that the end of his stirring stick had dried into a hardened lump. When attempting to scrape the dried residue off, a flame sparked, and so did Walker’s idea to turn this accident into a helpful tool!
So, the next time your science experiment doesn’t go as planned, or you burn what you have cooked on the stove, keep in mind that some of today’s most valued inventions were discovered when the inventor least expected it!
According to the passage, the author would most likely agree that
inventions can only be created by those who are not careful when cooking or conducting experiments
inventions aren’t always well planned out and anticipated
accidental inventions don’t count as real inventions
all of the best inventions were created accidentally
inventions aren’t always well planned out and anticipated
In the passage, the author cites examples of accidental inventions. Inventions that were discovered without the original intent of the inventor. However, this does not indicate to us that this is the only way helpful inventions can be created, nor does the passage indicate that the author believes these accidental inventions should not be credited as real inventions. However, there is strong evidence that the author believes that “Inventions aren’t always well planned out and anticipated,” as this is the entire idea behind accidental inventions.
Example Question #14 : Craft And Structure
A Voice for Freedom and Song
Marian Anderson was a world-class singer. By the year 1939, Marian had sung for people around the world, including kings and presidents. Her dream was to sing at Constitution Hall, but, in her mind, she viewed it as something that would never happen. The owners, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), would not allow her to sing because she was African-American.
Marian was used to dealing with people who only saw her for her skin color. When she was younger, she applied to become a student at a music school. She was denied entrance because of her race. In the early 1900s, when Marian began her singing career, segregation still kept African-American people from achieving their goals and dreams.
Marian performed in 1925 in a voice contest in New York and won. She was able to sing with the New York Philharmonic! She thought doors would start opening for her in the United States, but instead, people foolishly turned her away. Marian traveled to Europe in 1928, and there she became quite popular.
In 1939, she returned to the United States, but she was still subject to the cruelty and unfairness of racism and segregation. When Marian attempted to sing at Constitution Hall, the DAR had many excuses for why she couldn’t perform. They tried telling her that the dates weren’t available, or that they weren’t booking new performers. Eventually, they told Marian the truth: she couldn’t perform because they only allowed white musicians.
This rejection inspired thousands of people to rally together against the horrible segregation laws that prevented many from hearing Marian’s beautiful voice. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR and publicly shamed them for their treatment of African-American performers. Mrs. Roosevelt and her staff arranged a concert at the Lincoln Memorial for Marian to perform. Seventy-five thousand people attended, standing against discrimination and getting to hear Marian sing.
After the DAR incident, Marian took a stand and refused to sing for segregated crowds. She finally achieved her dream of singing at Constitution Hall when the DAR reversed its policy on allowing African-American performers. Marian retired from performing in 1964, the same year that the Civil Rights Act was signed. Along with other brave activists, she used her talents to advocate for justice, and her voice helped create lasting change against racism and segregation in the United States.
What personal opinion does the author interject into the story that alludes to their point of view?
Eventually, they told Marian the truth: she couldn’t perform because they only allowed white musicians.
Marian retired from performing in 1964, the same year that the Civil Rights Act was signed.
Along with other brave activists, she used her talents to advocate for justice, and her voice helped create lasting change against racism and segregation in the United States.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned from the DAR and publicly shamed them for their treatment of African-American performers.
Along with other brave activists, she used her talents to advocate for justice, and her voice helped create lasting change against racism and segregation in the United States.
The author includes this personal opinion in the last paragraph of the passage. The rest of the answer choices are facts that allude to the author’s perspective about Marian. He or she believes that Marian was brave, an advocate for justice, and created lasting changes.
Example Question #181 : Common Core: 5th Grade English Language Arts
Young Enterprise Services
Young Enterprise Services (YES) is a program created to encourage entrepreneurship in 14- to 18-year-olds who have already shown a clear ability for starting businesses. The program, which began in 2002, has provided loans, grants, and counseling—in the form of workshops and individual meetings with entrepreneurs—to over 7500 young people. The future of YES, however, is now at risk.
One complaint is that the funds that YES distributes have disproportionately gone to young people from low-income families. Though no one has claimed that any of the recipients of YES funds have been undeserving, several families have brought lawsuits claiming that their funding requests were rejected because of the families’ high levels of income.
Another challenge has been making sure that a young person, not his or her family, is receiving the funding. The rules state that the youth must create the business plan and that any profits above $1,000 be placed in a bank account. The rules say that the money can only be used for education, investment in the business, and little else. There have been cases of parents or even a neighbor using the money for their business.
On the other hand, YES has had some real success stories. A 14-year-old girl in Texas used the knowledge and funding she received through the program to connect with a distributor who now carries her line of custom-designed cell phone covers. Two brothers in Alaska have developed an online travel service for young people vacationing with their families. Both of these businesses are doing well and earning money. Unfortunately, these and other successes have received little media coverage. This is a shame, but one that can be fixed.
Which point of view most closely matches that of the author's?
Though YES has helped some young entrepreneurs, overall, it is not working and should be shut down.
None of the answer choices are correct.
YES is a valuable program that has some issues to be resolved.
Young Enterprise Services should focus all of their attention on media coverage.
YES is a valuable program that has some issues to be resolved.
The author of this passage highlights both the success and the challenges that YES has faced through the years. There have been young entrepreneurs who have succeeded and created thriving businesses, but YES has also been plagued with claims of a disproportionate number of funds going to low-income families. The author points out in the last paragraph that the public image of YES can be fixed.
All Common Core: 5th Grade English Language Arts Resources
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