praxis reading language arts 5002 practice test

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

Now the Wicked Witch of the West had but one eye, yet that was as powerful as a telescope, and could see everywhere. So, as she sat in the door of her castle, she happened to look around and saw Dorothy lying asleep, with her friends all about her. They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck. At once there came running to her from all directions a pack of great wolves. They had long legs and fierce eyes and sharp teeth. -L. Frank Baum, from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Write the sentence in the passage that best identifies the motive of the Wicked Witch.
  • A. They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck.

The selected sentence clearly illustrates the Wicked Witch's motive, which is her anger at the presence of intruders in her territory. This emotion drives her to take action by using the silver whistle, indicating her desire to assert control over her domain. Option A, while similar, does not capture the full essence of her motive. It merely states her anger without highlighting her subsequent action, which reveals her intent to confront the intruders. Other options may not mention her feelings or actions at all, failing to connect her emotions to her behavior, thus missing the core of her motivation.

Other Related Questions

A teacher can help facilitate the development of students' writing by
  • A. carefully selecting books to share with students
  • B. using interactive attendance charts
  • C. accepting all attempts at writing as valid
  • D. introducing books with rhyming text
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Selecting books to share with students is vital as it exposes them to diverse writing styles, vocabulary, and ideas, fostering inspiration and improving their own writing skills. Using interactive attendance charts (B) may engage students, but it does not directly contribute to writing development. Accepting all attempts at writing as valid (C) can encourage risk-taking, but it may also hinder constructive feedback necessary for improvement. Introducing books with rhyming text (D) can be beneficial for early literacy but is too narrow a focus to support overall writing development effectively.
Which THREE of the following words are best to use in a lesson on using roots and affixes to determine meaning?
  • A. Family
  • B. Review
  • C. Careful
  • D. Endanger
  • E. Because
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B,C,D

Using roots and affixes to determine meaning involves analyzing the components of words. **Review (B)** contains the prefix "re-" meaning "again," allowing students to explore its meaning by breaking it down into "view" and understanding the concept of looking at something again. **Careful (C)** combines the prefix "care-" with the suffix "-ful," illustrating how adding a suffix alters the meaning to indicate being full of care. **Endanger (D)** includes the prefix "en-" meaning "to cause to be," which helps students grasp how the word conveys the idea of putting someone or something in danger. **Family (A)** and **Because (E)** do not contain clear roots or affixes that lend themselves to this type of analysis, making them less suitable for the lesson focus.
Which of the following best describes why phonological awareness is predictive of beginning reading success?
  • A. It is an auditory skill in which understanding of letter-sound relationships is developed.
  • B. It is a visual skill in which letter recognition skills are developed.
  • C. It is a speaking skill in which oral production of letter sounds is developed.
  • D. It is a fine motor skill in which letter formation skills are developed.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Phonological awareness is fundamentally an auditory skill that involves recognizing and manipulating sounds in spoken language, which is crucial for understanding letter-sound relationships essential for reading. Option A accurately captures this auditory aspect, linking it directly to reading success. Option B mischaracterizes phonological awareness as a visual skill, which is inaccurate since it focuses on sound rather than sight. Option C incorrectly frames it as a speaking skill; while oral production is related, it is not the core of phonological awareness. Option D mistakenly identifies it as a fine motor skill, which pertains to writing rather than the auditory processing needed for reading.
Which TWO of the following words feature an open syllabication pattern?
  • A. Happen
  • B. Robot
  • C. Sunlight
  • D. Artist
  • E. Silent
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B,E

Open syllabication occurs when a syllable ends in a vowel, allowing the vowel to be pronounced with a long sound. Option B, "Robot," has two open syllables: "Ro" and "bot." Each syllable ends with a vowel, making the vowel sounds long. Option E, "Silent," also features an open syllable with "Si" (the first syllable) ending in a vowel, allowing for the long vowel sound. Option A, "Happen," has a closed syllable ("hap") where the vowel is short. Option C, "Sunlight," has a closed first syllable ("sun"). Option D, "Artist," contains a closed syllable ("art"), resulting in a short vowel sound.