praxis reading language arts 5002 practice test

A series of tests developed by ETS to assess the skills and knowledge of prospective teachers.

The following passage is from There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom, by Louis Sachar. There are some kids—you can tell just by looking at them who are good spitters. That is probably the best way to describe Bradley Chalkers. He looked like a good spitter. He was the oldest and the toughest-looking kid in Mrs. Ebbel's class. He was a year older than the other kids. That was because he had taken the fourth grade twice. Now he was in the fifth grade for the first, but probably not the last, time. Jeff stared at him, then gave him a dollar and ran away. Bradley laughed to himself, then watched all the other kids have fun.
Based on the information in the passage, which of the following is an appropriate student inference?
  • A. Bradley is old.
  • B. Bradley is a bully.
  • C. Bradley is a good spitter.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

The inference that Bradley is a bully is supported by evidence in the passage that describes his interactions with peers in a negative light, suggesting aggressive behavior. Option A, stating that Bradley is old, lacks textual support and does not relate to his behavior or character. Option C, claiming that Bradley is a good spitter, might be inferred humorously but does not align with the serious context of bullying presented in the passage. Thus, the most logical inference focuses on Bradley's negative social interactions, indicating bullying behavior.

Other Related Questions

Which of the following sentences contains an example of personification?
  • A. It is raining cats and dogs.
  • B. I can hear the wind whispering to me.
  • C. I felt as brave as a lion prowling the jungle.
  • D. My friend spent ten years on one math problem.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

Personification attributes human qualities to non-human entities. Option B, "I can hear the wind whispering to me," exemplifies this by giving the wind the human ability to whisper, creating a vivid image. Option A, "It is raining cats and dogs," is an idiomatic expression and does not attribute human traits to animals or objects. Option C, "I felt as brave as a lion prowling the jungle," uses a simile to compare feelings to a lion's bravery, but does not personify the lion itself. Option D, "My friend spent ten years on one math problem," describes a human experience without personifying any non-human element.
Which of the following are being compared by the simile in the highlighted sentence?
  • A. The Wicked Witch's anger and the power of a telescope
  • B. The Wicked Witch's power and the size of the kingdom
  • C. The Wicked Witch's vision and the strength of a telescope
  • D. The Wicked Witch's authority and the health of her eyes
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

In the highlighted simile, the comparison is between the Wicked Witch's vision and the strength of a telescope. This suggests that her ability to see or perceive things is as powerful as a telescope, emphasizing her keen insight or awareness. Option A incorrectly compares anger and a telescope's power, which does not relate to vision. Option B misinterprets the comparison by linking power and size, which is unrelated to visual perception. Option D mistakenly connects authority and eye health, diverging from the theme of vision. Thus, option C accurately captures the essence of the simile.
Line 1 best exemplifies which of the following structural elements of poetry?
  • A. Internal rhyme
  • B. Iambic trimeter
  • C. Blank verse
  • D. Rhyming couplet
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Internal rhyme occurs when a word within a line rhymes with another word in the same line, creating a musical quality. Line 1 effectively demonstrates this by featuring two rhyming words that enhance its rhythm and cohesion. Option B, iambic trimeter, refers to a specific metrical pattern that is not exemplified in this line. Option C, blank verse, is unrhymed iambic pentameter, which does not apply here. Lastly, option D, rhyming couplet, involves a pair of lines that rhyme at their ends, which is not relevant to a single line. Therefore, option A accurately captures the poetic structure present in Line 1.
Children at the phonetic stage of spelling are most likely to do which of the following?
  • A. Show an understanding of sound-symbol relationships
  • B. Include all the necessary letters in a word, though some letters may be reversed
  • C. Use morphology to spell unfamiliar words
  • D. Learn irregular spelling patterns
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Children at the phonetic stage of spelling primarily demonstrate an understanding of sound-symbol relationships, as they rely on their knowledge of sounds to represent words phonetically. Option B is incorrect because, while children may include some letters, they often omit or misplace letters rather than reversing them. Option C is not applicable at this stage, as children typically do not use morphological knowledge to spell unfamiliar words; they focus on phonetics instead. Option D is also inaccurate, as children at this stage are still mastering basic phonetic spelling and generally struggle with irregular spelling patterns.