Student Name:

English Language Arts

Sample Items for
Paper-Based Tests
Grades 35

Spring 2017
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

Copyright 2017 by Alaska Department of Education & Early Development. The materials
contained in this publication may be duplicated by Alaska educators for local classroom use.
This permission does not extend to the duplication of materials for commercial use.


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 The Legend of the Black Fish
based on a Native American Legend

Long ago, a young man named Natsilane lived on the Pacific Northwest Coast. Natsilane had many
talents, including woodcarving. Some people were jealous of Natsilanes talents because they
thought he would be chosen as the next chief.
Natsilane could carve just about anything out of any type of material including rock and wood. His
favorite material to work with was wood, and his wood carvings were of people, plants, and
animals. Animals were his favorite to carve. He often went into the forest to observe animals so his
carvings would be as realistic and lifelike as possible.
One day, Natsilane decided he wanted to observe water animals more closely than from just
standing on the shore. He took a canoe and traveled out into the water. Soon he saw some fish
swimming next to his canoe. Then he saw a turtle, which he followed until he was close to an
island. Natsilane decided to stop at the island and explore it. When the canoe was close enough to
the shore, Natsilane leaped out of the canoe and swam to the islands shore.
Natsilane started to explore the island. He was amazed by the many different plants and birds that
lived there. Natsilane lost track of the time
and soon realized the Sun was beginning to set. Soon it would be dark. When he returned to the
shore, his canoe was gone. He decided he had better stay on the island overnight and try to swim
home in the morning.
Eventually, Natsilane fell asleep. He awoke when he heard his name.
Natsilane, called the voice.
Natsilane looked around but saw no one. He thought he was just hearing things, until once again he
heard his name. This time Natsilane saw a sea lion that seemed to be talking to him.
Natsilane, I need your help. I have an injured flipper. If you help me, I will return you safely to your
home, said the sea lion.
Natsilane healed the sea lions flipper, and the sea lion safely returned Natsilane home, just as
promised.
After he returned home, Natsilane began carving a large black fish from wood. After he finished the
carving, Natsilane released it into the water, wishing that it would always be helpful and friendly to
people just as the sea lion had been to him. To Natsilanes surprise, his carved black fish came to
life!
The black fish was very friendly and stayed in the water where Natsilane lived. Natsilane visited the
black fish every day. He and his friends often swam with the big black fish.
This is how the first black fish, or orca whale, came to be. And this is why orcas living in the wild do
not harm humans.

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 Orca Rescue

Today was a special day for me. My grandpa and I spent the day on the open sea. We like spending
time together, but today something unplanned happened.
After Grandpa drove his boat for a while, I noticed something that looked like a large fin projecting
from the water. Look at the big black fish! I shouted.
Grandpa circled away from the object and stopped the engine. That isnt a fish, Sean, he said. It
is an orca.
The black-and-white orca seemed to rise and sink as the waves washed over its back. With each
breath the orca took, water appeared to spray from the blowhole on the top of its head.
Grandpa and I became concerned because it seemed as if the orca was struggling.
Grandpa decided to radio the Coast Guard. They told me that they would notify an animal rescue
group, he said.
Eventually, two boats arrived. A woman, Jean, stopped her boat by Grandpas. Thanks for helping
us find this location by waiting for us to arrive. The people on the rescue boat have had many years
of training on how to rescue animals. They have the needed equipment and knowledge to make
this a successful rescue.
Are orcas intelligent? Does the orca know that the people want to help? I asked.
Orcas are smart animals, Jean replied. Although it seems like the orca understands that the
people are helping, as a scientist I cannot say for certain.
The man on the rescue boat piloted around the orca as a woman tried to remove a rope that was
around the orca. Each time she hooked the rope she made a cut, until the orca was finally able to
swim away.
The orca leaped from the water, did a twist, and splashed back into the water. It was as if the orca
was saying, Thank you.
I was relieved that Grandpa and I were able to get help for the orca. Seeing the orca swim away
and leap into the air today was a true gift.

1. Read the sentences from The Legend of the Black Fish. Choose two sentences that show a
central message of the passage.

A. Natsilane healed the sea lions flipper, and the sea lion safely returned Natsilane home, just
as promised.

B. After he returned home, Natsilane began carving a large black fish from wood.

C. After he finished the carving, Natsilane released it into the water, wishing that it would
always be helpful and friendly to people just as the sea lion had been to him.

D. To Natsilanes surprise, his carved black fish came to life!

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2. In The Legend of the Black Fish, how does the meeting between Natsilane and the sea lion
affect the rest of the passage?

A. Meeting the sea lion makes Natsilane want to go on a canoe trip to study more water
animals.
B. Meeting the sea lion makes Natsilane agree to swim with the black fish.
C. Meeting the sea lion makes Natsilane want to go into the forest.
D. Meeting the sea lion makes Natsilane want to carve a black fish that would be helpful to
people.

3. Which words best describe Natsilane in The Legend of the Black Fish? Choose two
answers.

A. kind

B. greedy

C. tough

D. talented

E. boastful

4. How does the narrators point of view in The Legend of the Black Fish help tell the events in
the passage?

A. The narrator is able to tell about the things Natsilane thinks and does.
B. The narrator is able to tell why the carving of the black fish came to life.
C. The narrator is able to tell how the sea lion hurt its flipper.
D. The narrator is able to tell how Natsilane learned to carve wood.

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5. Read the paragraphs.

Natsilane, I need your help. I have an injured flipper. If you help me, I will return you safely to
your home, said the sea lion.

Natsilane healed the sea lions flipper, and the sea lion safely returned Natsilane home, just as
promised.

Choose the words that best help the reader know the meaning of the word injured. Choose
two answers.

A. help

B. return

C. safely

D. home

E. healed

F. promised

6. This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A
Based on events in Orca Rescue, which sentence best describes Sean?

A. Sean is curious.

B. Sean is a good swimmer.

C. Sean likes to meet people.

D. Sean likes to go fishing.

Part B
Which detail from the passage best supports your answer in part A?

A. Sean enjoys being in the boat.

B. Sean asks questions about the orca.

C. Sean finds a big fish in the ocean.

D. Sean wants to call the Coast Guard.

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7. How would the passage Orca Rescue most likely be different if the events were described by
Grandpa?

A. Grandpa would tell what he was doing and thinking as he helped save the orca.
B. Grandpa would explain why people like to see orcas.
C. Grandpa would tell about the first time he saw an orca.
D. Grandpa would explain how he likes to use his boat to fish and look for orcas.

8. Choose whether each event happens in The Legend of the Black Fish, Orca Rescue, or
both passages. Record the answers in the answer bubbles.

1. Happens in 2. Happens in 3. Happens in

EVENTS The Legend of Orca Rescue Both Passages
the Black Fish
a. Someone
receives help from
an animal.
b. An animal shows
thanks for receiving
help.
c. A saved animal
splashes wildly in
the water.
d. An animal is in
trouble.

a. 1 2 3
b. 1 2 3
c. 1 2 3
d. 1 2 3

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9. What is the best summary of Orca Rescue?

A. Sean and Grandpa were in a boat when they found a struggling orca. Grandpa called for
help, and a rescue group cut a rope off the orca. Sean was happy to see the orca jump
from the water and then swim away.
B. Sean and Grandpa were in a boat looking for orcas. Sean learned that orcas are smart
animals and have large fins. Sean was excited to see an orca leap from the water and
splash back down.
C. Sean and Grandpa were spending the day together in a boat. They found an orca rising
and sinking in the waves. Grandpa called a rescue group, and a woman set the orca free.
The orca knew that people had helped it.
D. Sean and Grandpa were spending the day together in a boat on the open sea. They found
an orca and freed it from a rope. The orca jumped out of the water. Sean felt it was like the
orca was giving him a gift.

10. The events in "The Legend of the Black Fish" cause Natsilane to sleep on the island. Place the
events in the order they happened in the passage. Record the answers in the answer bubbles.

Why Natsilane Sleeps on the Island

1. Natsilane wants to observe water animals.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A. Natsilane explores the island but loses track of time.

B. Natsilane decides to swim home in the morning.

C. Natsilane travels by canoe and finds an island.

D. Natsilane discovers his canoe is gone.

Blank 2: A B C D
Blank 3: A B C D
Blank 4: A B C D
Blank 5: A B C D

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11. Read the sentences.

My grandfather always told my brother and me that the two most important things in life are
and . He claimed that even though those two things cant be
bought or sold, they can be valued by people every single day of their lives. He also said that
those two ideals have brought him more joy and happiness than he ever could have imagined.

Choose the two words that best fill in the blanks.

A. pets

B. cars

C. honesty

D. toys

E. freedom

F. books

12. Read the book titles. Choose the two book titles that have errors in capitalization.

A. Who Was Walt Disney?

B. The Twin Toddlers Turn Two

C. Harold and the Purple Crayon

D. Science Experiments For Kids

E. The Mystery of the Lost Backpack

F. The Best Day I ever Had in my Life

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13. Read the sentence.

The swimmer jumped into the water to start the 100-meter race.

Which word best replaces jumped to make the sentence more precise?

A. stepped
B. dove
C. hurried
D. flew

14. A student is writing a report about how elevators make modern life easier.

Which sentence would best support the topic?

A. Climbing stairs is a great way to exercise.

B. Some buildings have only one floor and do not need an elevator.
C. An elevator saves time, especially if the building it serves is very tall.
D. The Empire State Building in New York has a viewing deck on the 102nd floor.

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15. This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Read the paragraph.

I like many kinds of pets, but I think dogs are the best. Dogs can learn to obey when their
owners say sit or come. Dogs wag their tails or bark when they are excited. They are easy
to feed because they seem to like almost everything. Dogs need to go for walks, and walks are
good exercise for dog owners.

Part A
Which sentence best concludes the paragraph?

A. Cats are good pets too.

B. All in all, dogs are the best pets.

C. Some dogs shed lots of fur in the spring.

D. In the end, every pet is someones favorite.

Part B
Why is the answer to part A the best choice?

A. It is a fact.

B. It restates the opinion.

C. It states another opinion.

D. It gives a fact that supports the opinion.

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16. Read the paragraph.

During summer vacation, my friends and I camped out in Robs backyard. 1 , we

set up our tent (with a little adult help). 2 , we built a small fire so we could cook
our food. Then, we ate our dinner. 3 , after roasting marshmallows on wooden
sticks, we sat around the fire and told each other stories.

Which word belongs in each blank to best complete the paragraph? Use each word only once.
Record the answers in the answer bubbles.

a. Second

b. Later

c. First

a. 1 2 3
b. 1 2 3
c. 1 2 3

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17. Read the sentence.

When we 1 at the 2 , we were 3 by the rest of the 4 .

Choose the correct spelling of each word.

Blank 1

A. arived

B. arrived

C. arrivved

Blank 2

A. field

B. feild

C. feeld

Blank 3

A. greetted

B. greated

C. greeted

Blank 4

A. teem

B. team

C. teme

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18. A student is writing a research report about silent movies. Read the sentences from her report
and the directions that follow.

The first motion pictures, or movies, were invented in the late 1800s. These were not movies
that told a story, though. They were moving pictures of scenes from real life. The first movie
that told a story was The Great Train Robbery. This movie was made in 1903, and it was about
eleven minutes long. Like all early movies, it was a silent movie. This means that it had no
sound.

Which source would most likely give the student more information about the ideas she has
written?

A. a book called The Greatest Movies of the Last Ten Years

B. a magazine article called How to Make Your Own Movie
C. a chapter called Silent Movies in the book A History of Movies
D. a dictionary that has the meanings of the words silent and movie

19. A student is writing a research report about riding bikes. He wrote an opinion in the report.
Read the sentences from the students report and the directions that follow.

To go from one place to another, riding a bike is better than riding in a car. If there is a traffic
jam on the road, riders on the bike path next to the road can move faster. You do not have to
put gas in a bike like you do in a car. Sometimes it is easier to park your bike close to the place
where you are going.

The student took notes about riding bikes. Choose two notes that support the students
opinion.

A. When riding a bike, you should always wear a bike helmet.

B. The hardest part of learning to ride a bike is keeping your balance.

C. Riding a bike is a lot faster than walking, especially if you need to go far.

D. When the weather is rainy, you should ride in a car so you do not get wet.

E. Riding your bike gives you exercise because your legs make the bike go.

F. You spend more time outdoors when you are on a bike, and this is good for you.

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20. A student is writing a research report about the animals of Antarctica. Read the report.
1 Antarctica is one of the most difficult places to live in the world. 2 Antarctica is the coldest
place on Earth. 3 It is not surprising that very few people live there year-round. 4 Even though
few people live there, many people take trips to Antarctica each year. 5 Some scientists go
there to study the ice. 6 Because Antarctica is almost all ice, it has few plants. 7 Only two types
of flowering plants are found there. 8 Many different types of penguins make their home in
Antarctica.

Choose one sentence that has information the student can use to support the topic.

A. sentence 1

B. sentence 2

C. sentence 3

D. sentence 4

E. sentence 5

F. sentence 6

G. sentence 7

H. sentence 8

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