Edge Level A Unit 3 - Division of Language Arts/Reading

Edge Level AUnit 3Cluster 3“The Pale Mare”1. Read the sentence from the story.I see my exit and in the dusk fling myself down the street, fast, furious, flying.What type of literary device does the author use in the sentence above?A. mood, choosing words to create an overall feeling in the storyB. imagery, choosing words to communicate a sensory experienceC. alliteration, using words that have the same initial consonant soundD. onomatopoeia, using words that imitate the sounds associated with the actions they refer to2. Which of the statements from the story does NOT contain a simile?F. “Why didn’t I just go, like my friend Mia suggested?”G. “Kids play on the street, kicking soccer balls and riding bikes, rushing about like wasps froma knocked-down nest.”H. “The mares skitter from me like bugs over a pond as I walk toward them.”I. “One mare, pale as eggshells, whirls, ears up, like antennae, watching me.”3. Which statement from the story could best be used as a caption for the illustration on page 227?A. “The smell of dirt and animals was often overlaid by the stronger scent of greasy beanburritos, but I’d always sniff and sniff until the odor of hot horses and freshly shaken alfalfaflakes overtook me.”B. “Stars do talk—really—with radio waves for words.”C. “She passes under a fog light, an alien creature, then under another and another, until she isherself again, galloping away from the grounds, traveling light.”D. “They will observe the breathtaking stars from the desert floor.”4. Read the excerpt from the story.It’s that damn tradition again, our familia thing, the one that leads to la raza, the biggerpicture of our people, who we are as Latin Americans.Which excerpt from the story does NOT support this theme from the story?F. “As usual, it’s the boys playing outside, with the rare girl running alongside until she can begathered back into her house.”G. “No, it’s not my expertise in serving food that my precious parents want to preserve.”H. “We want you to be happy with a nice boy, to have a family.”I. “Working the magic of the rope is hard, clever work. Charros are artists, as much as anywriter, painter, singer, or astronomer.”Copyright © 2010 The Hampton-Brown Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of The National Geographic Society, publishing under the imprintsNational Geographic School Publishing and Hampton-Brown. Teachers are authorized to reproduce this material in limited quantities and solely foruse in their own classrooms.1 of 3

5. Which statement best addresses the strength of character of Consuela’s father?A. He’s not a tall man, but he has much height in the soaring ways of our family and la raza,too.B. “Diaz Family Food” is written across the side of their vendor truck.C. He can easily lift a 50-pound bag of pinto beans.D. Consuela’s father is disgusted with the long walks she takes when she is upset.Edge Level AUnit 3Cluster 3“Caged Bird”6. How are the themes in “Caged Bird” and “The Pale Mare” most alike?F. The main characters in each are wild animals that are kept captive inside a cage/fence.G. They both address the desire for freedom—to be able to follow one’s own path in life.H. They both contrast captivity (the caged bird, the pale mare) and freedom (the free bird, thecharro’s horse).I. The pale mare is held near where flood waters flow down to the sea while the free bird floatsdownstream until the current ends.7. Which statement expresses the most important reason why the poem “Caged Bird” was selectedto follow the short story “The Pale Mare?”A. The short story was a long narrative with many non-English words, while the poem wasmuch shorter and easier to read.B. The poem explores the identical inner feelings of Consuela, a girl longing to be free from thetraditions of her family’s culture.C. To show that two different kinds of writing can address the same important topic of animalcruelty.D. To illustrate how authors carefully select their words and phrases to create pictures in theminds of their readers.8. Which of the lines from the story do NOT contain personification?F. “on the back of the wind”G. “and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees”H. “and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn”I. “his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream”Hampton Brown Edge Level A, Unit 3, Cluster 3 2 of 3

9. Read this excerpt from the poem.But a bird that stalksdown his narrow cageIn which sentence does stalk have the same meaning as used in the excerpt above?A. The old soldier proudly carried the flag as he stalked up to the flag pole.B. A cat on the hunt slowly and carefully stalks its prey before moving in for the kill.C. I like to eat the entire crunchy stalk of celery filled with peanut butter.D. The frightened movie star was stalked by someone she did not even know.10. Which lines in “Caged Bird” reflect Consuela’s feelings about her future?F. But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreamsG. …of things unknown/but longed for stillH. …and dares to claim the skyI. …can seldom see through/his bars of rageHampton Brown Edge Level A, Unit 3, Cluster 3 3 of 3