Ready, Set, Go! North Carolina EOG Grade 8 - Reading Comprehension (REA)

by The Staff of REA

• ISBN13: 9780738602394
• ISBN10: 0738602396
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-21
• Publisher: RESEARCH & EDUCATION ASSOC.
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

REA's new reading comprehension test prep for Grade 8 EOG (End-Of-Grade) test provides all the instruction and practice students need to excel on this high-stakes test. The book's review covers the four categories of the test: Cognition, Interpretation, Critical Stance, and Connections. Pretest and Posttest measure learning and progress.Details:- Fully aligned with the curriculum of the North Carolina English/Language Arts Standard Course of Study- Lessons enhance vocabulary and literary analysis skills- Diagnostic Pretest pinpoints strengths and weakness- Full-length Posttest measures student progress- Color icons highlight key concepts, questions, tasks, and more- Confidence-building tips reduce anxiety and boost test-day readiness

Table of Contents

About REA	vii
Acknowledgments	vii
Succeeding on the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) Test of Reading Comprehension	viii
About This Book	viii
How to Use This Book	viii
Why Students Are Required to Take the EOG	ix
What's on the North Carolina EOG	ix
Grade 8 Reading Comprehension Goals and Objectives	x
Tips for the Student	xi
Tips for Parents	xiii
Pretest	3	(16)
Answer Sheets	19	(4)
Answer Key	23	(4)
Word Recognition	27	(17)
Passage 1: America's First Zoo	28	(3)
Passage 2: Catching the Butterflies	31	(4)
Passage 3: The Common Cold: Unbeatable Bug?	35	(5)
Passage 4: The Invisible Tree	40	(4)
Inferences and Conclusions	44	(18)
Passage 1: The Truth about Organ Donation	46	(3)
Passage 2: Excerpt from Hard Times	49	(3)
Passage 3: Space Colonization: Too Big a Risk	52	(5)
Passage 4: Excerpt from The Secret Garden	57	(5)
Main Idea	62	(17)
Passage 1: The Trail of Tears	64	(3)
Passage 2: The Birth of Golf	67	(4)
Passage 3: The Lamplighter	71	(3)
Passage 4: Mosquitoes: Annoying but Amazing	74	(5)
Author's Purpose	79	(17)
Passage 1: How to Set Up an Aquarium	81	(3)
Passage 2: The Frame	84	(4)
Passage 3: Beating Writer's Block	88	(4)
Passage 4: Cutting Class Size	92	(4)
Literature, Part 1	96	(17)
Passage 1: Excerpt from Bleak House	99	(3)
Passage 2: Up-Hill	102	(3)
Passage 3: Mr. Salazar	105	(4)
Passage 4: The Story of an Hour	109	(4)
Literature, Part 2	113	(11)
Passage 1: Memories of Montgomery	114	(3)
Passage 2: The Bunkhouse	117	(3)
Passage 3: Bitter Competition	120	(4)
Drama	124	(7)
Passage 1: Aunt Flo's Cafe	125	(6)
Posttest	131	(28)
Answer Sheets	159	(4)
Answer Key	163

Excerpts

SUCCEEDING ON THE North Carolina End-of-grade (EOG) Test of reading comprehension

ABOUT THIS BOOK

This book provides excellent preparation for the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) Test of Reading Comprehension. Inside you will find lessons, drills, strategies, and test practice-all of it with a single-minded focus: success on the EOG.

We have also made every effort to make the book easy to read and navigate.The book is divided into several parts. The first section is a PRETEST, which introduces students to some of the key components on the actual test:
o Nonfiction reading passages, including biographies and articles
o Fiction reading passages, such as poems and excerpts from novels
o Multiple-choice questions

Following the pretest is a lesson section which teaches students about the different types of questions, step by step. Following the lessons, a full-length POSTTEST includes detailed explanations of all answers.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

FOR STUDENTS: To make getting through the book as easy as possible, we've included icons, shown on the next page, that highlight sections like lessons, questions, and answers. You'll find that our practice tests are very much like the actual EOG you'll encounter on test day. The best way to prepare for a test is to practice, so we've included drills with answers throughout the book, and our two practice tests include detailed answers.

FOR PARENTS: North Carolina has created grade-appropriate goals that are listed in the table in this introduction. Students need to meet these goals as measured by the EOG. Our book will help your child review for the North Carolina End-of-Grade Test. It includes review sections, drills, and two practice tests complete with explanations to help your child focus on the areas he/she needs to work on to help master the test.

FOR TEACHERS: No doubt, you are already familiar with the EOG and its format. Begin by assigning students the pretest. An answer key and detailed explanations follow the pretest. Then work through each of the lessons in succession. When students have completed the subject review, they should move on to the posttest. Answers and answer explanations follow the posttest.

WHY STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE EOG
In 1999 the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction developed the English Language Arts Standard Course of Study, which defines North Carolina's expectations for student learning. To determine how well a student is advancing and whether the student is on course to perform well in high school, eighth grade students are required to take the EOG.

The EOG is one of the key tools used to identify students who need additional instruction to master the knowledge and skills detailed in the Standard Course of Study.

WHAT'S ON THE NORTH CAROLINA EOG
The EOG Test of Reading Comprehension consists of six literary selections (two fiction, one nonfiction, one drama, and two poems) and three informational selections (two content and one consumer). Each selection is followed by three to nine associated questions. There are a total of 56 multiple-choice questions to be completed within a 115-minute time period. Each item on the EOG is aligned to an objective from the North Carolina English Language Arts Standard Course of Study.

The following objectives are tested on the EOG:
Grade 8 reading comprehension goals and objectives*

Competency Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety or resources.
2.01 Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
o monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
o recognizing the characteristics of informational materials.
o summarizing information.
o determining the importance and accuracy of information.
o making connections to related topics/information.
o drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
o generating questions.
o extending ideas.

Competency Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
5.01 Increase fluency, comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive literacy program by:
o using effective reading strategies to match type of text.
o reading self-selected literature and other materials of interest to the individual.
o reading literature and other materials selected by the teacher.
o assuming a leadership role in student-teacher reading conferences.
o leading small group discussions.
o taking an active role in whole-class seminars.
o analyzing the effects of elements such as plot, theme, characterization, style, mood, and tone.
o discussing the effects of such literary devices as figurative language, dialogue, flashback, allusion, irony, and symbolism.
o analyzing and evaluating themes and central ideas in literature and other texts in relation to personal and societal issues.
o extending understanding by creating products for different purposes, different audiences, and within various contexts.
o analyzing and evaluating the relationships between and among characters, ideas, concepts, and/or experiences.
5.02 Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
o reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., young adult novels, short stories, biographies, plays, free verse, narrative poems).
o evaluating what impact genre-specific characteristics have on the meaning of the text.
o evaluating how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
o evaluating what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text.

Competency Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
6.01 Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
o using a variety of sentence types, punctuating properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
o using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
o applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
o using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and case.
o using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g. prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses).
o determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
o extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.
o evaluating the use and power of dialects in standard/nonstandard English usage.
o applying correct language conventions and usage during formal oral presentations. 27


TIPS FOR THE STUDENT
Students can do plenty of things before and during the actual test to improve their test-taking performance. The good thing is that most of the tips described in the following pages are easy!

Preparing for the Test

Test Anxiety

Do you get nervous when your teacher talks about taking a test? A certain amount of anxiety is normal and it actually may help you prepare better for the test by getting you motivated. But too much anxiety is a bad thing and may keep you from properly preparing for the test. Here are some things to consider that may help relieve test anxiety:
o Share how you are feeling with your parents and your teachers. They may have ways of helping you deal with how you are feeling.
o Keep on top of your game. Are you behind in your homework and class assignments? A lot of your classwork-related anxiety and stress will simply go away if you keep up with your homework assignments and classwork. And then you can focus on the test with a clearer mind.
o Relax. Take a deep breath or two. You should do this especially if you get anxious while taking the test.

Study Tips & Taking The Test
o Learn the Test's Format. Don't be surprised. By taking a practice test ahead of time you'll know what the test looks like, how much time you will have, how many questions there are, and what kinds of questions are going to appear on it. Knowing ahead of time is much better than being surprised.
o Read the Entire Question. Pay attention to what kind of answer a question or word problem is looking for. Reread the question if it does not make sense to you, and try to note the parts of the question needed for figuring out the right answer.
o Read All the Answers. On a multiple-choice test, the right answer could also be the last answer. You won't know unless you read all the possible answers to a question.
o It's Not a Guessing Game. If you don't know the answer to a question, don't make an uneducated guess. And don't randomly pick just any answer either. As you read over each possible answer to a question, note any answers which are obviously wrong. Each obviously wrong answer you identify and eliminate greatly improves your chances at selecting the right answer.
o Don't Get Stuck on Questions. Don't spend too much time on any one question. Doing this takes away time from the other questions. Work on the easier questions first. Skip the really hard questions and come back to them if there is still enough time.
o Accuracy counts. Make sure you record your answer in the correct space on your answer sheet. Fixing mistakes only takes time away from you.
o Finished early? Use this time wisely and double-check your answers.

Sound Advice For Test Day

The Night Before. Getting a good night's rest keeps your mind sharp and focused for the test.
The Morning of the Test. Have a good breakfast. Dress in comfortable clothes. Keep in mind that you don't want to be too hot or too cold while taking the test. Get to school on time. Give yourself time to gather your thoughts and calm down before the test begins.

Three Steps for Taking the Test
1) Read. Read the entire question and then read all the possible answers.
2) Answer. Answer the easier questions first and then go back to the more difficult questions.
3) Double-Check. Go back and check your work if time permits.

TIPS FOR PARENTS
o Encourage your child to take responsibility for homework and class assignments. Help your child create a study schedule. Mark the test's date on a family calendar as a reminder for both of you.
o Talk to your child's teachers. Ask them for progress reports on an ongoing basis.
o Commend your child's study and test successes. Praise your child for successfully following a study schedule, for doing homework, and for any work done well.
o Test Anxiety. Your child may experience nervousness or anxiety about the test. You may even be anxious, too. Here are some helpful tips on dealing with a child's test anxiety:
o Talk about the test openly and positively with your child. An ongoing dialogue not only can relieve your child's anxieties but also serves as a progress report of how your child feels about the test.
o Form realistic expectations of your child's testing abilities.
o Be a "Test Cheerleader." Your encouragement to do his or her best on the test can alleviate your child's test anxiety.