Cite Textual Evidence/Draw Inferences (Literature) Practice Test
•10 QuestionsRead the passage, then answer the question.
Talia Ortiz was twelve, and she kept her hair in two tight braids that didn’t move even when she ran. On Saturday morning in late October, she pedaled her bike to Maple Street Library with a paper bag of books bumping against her backpack. The library sat between a bakery and a laundromat, and the air outside smelled like cinnamon and warm soap.
Inside, Ms. Chen, the librarian, pointed to a hand-lettered sign taped to the desk: “Poetry Night—Friday, 6:30 p.m. Students welcome.”
Talia stopped so fast her sneaker squeaked on the tile. “Do you still need readers?” she asked.
Ms. Chen’s eyes brightened. “Always. But you have to sign up today. Spots fill quickly.”
Talia nodded too hard. She tried to smile, but her mouth felt stiff. “Okay. I’ll… I’ll do it.”
At a table near the windows, her older brother, Nico, was already waiting. Nico was fourteen and taller than most eighth graders. He had earbuds in, but one was dangling loose. When Talia sat down, he slid a notebook toward her without a word.
On the first page, a poem was written in neat block letters. The title read: “For Abuela’s Hands.”
Talia traced the title with one finger. “You wrote this?”
Nico shrugged, staring at the library carpet. “It’s not finished.”
Talia opened her paper bag and began stacking her returned books. She kept the poem in front of her anyway, as if it might float away. “You should read it Friday,” she said.
Nico let out a short laugh that didn’t sound amused. “Yeah, right.” He picked at a frayed thread on his sleeve. “I’m not doing that in front of people.”
Talia’s eyes flicked to the sign on the desk. She could almost hear the microphone squealing and the room going quiet. She reached for the sign-up sheet Ms. Chen had placed beside a cup of pens.
Nico leaned closer. “You’re not signing up, are you?”
Talia clicked the pen open and shut twice. “Why not?”
He pulled his loose earbud out completely. “Because you’ll freeze. Like at the science fair.”
Talia’s cheeks warmed. She wrote her name anyway, pressing the pen so hard it left a dent in the paper. “That was different.”
Nico watched her for a moment. Then he pushed his notebook a little closer. “If you’re doing it,” he said, “at least practice. Out loud. Right now.”
Talia looked around. A man at the computers wore big headphones. A little kid whispered to a parent. The library was full of quiet noises that didn’t feel like judgment.
She cleared her throat once, then again. “Okay,” she whispered, and began reading Nico’s poem under her breath.
Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that Talia is nervous about signing up for Poetry Night?
Read the passage, then answer the question.
Talia Ortiz was twelve, and she kept her hair in two tight braids that didn’t move even when she ran. On Saturday morning in late October, she pedaled her bike to Maple Street Library with a paper bag of books bumping against her backpack. The library sat between a bakery and a laundromat, and the air outside smelled like cinnamon and warm soap.
Inside, Ms. Chen, the librarian, pointed to a hand-lettered sign taped to the desk: “Poetry Night—Friday, 6:30 p.m. Students welcome.”
Talia stopped so fast her sneaker squeaked on the tile. “Do you still need readers?” she asked.
Ms. Chen’s eyes brightened. “Always. But you have to sign up today. Spots fill quickly.”
Talia nodded too hard. She tried to smile, but her mouth felt stiff. “Okay. I’ll… I’ll do it.”
At a table near the windows, her older brother, Nico, was already waiting. Nico was fourteen and taller than most eighth graders. He had earbuds in, but one was dangling loose. When Talia sat down, he slid a notebook toward her without a word.
On the first page, a poem was written in neat block letters. The title read: “For Abuela’s Hands.”
Talia traced the title with one finger. “You wrote this?”
Nico shrugged, staring at the library carpet. “It’s not finished.”
Talia opened her paper bag and began stacking her returned books. She kept the poem in front of her anyway, as if it might float away. “You should read it Friday,” she said.
Nico let out a short laugh that didn’t sound amused. “Yeah, right.” He picked at a frayed thread on his sleeve. “I’m not doing that in front of people.”
Talia’s eyes flicked to the sign on the desk. She could almost hear the microphone squealing and the room going quiet. She reached for the sign-up sheet Ms. Chen had placed beside a cup of pens.
Nico leaned closer. “You’re not signing up, are you?”
Talia clicked the pen open and shut twice. “Why not?”
He pulled his loose earbud out completely. “Because you’ll freeze. Like at the science fair.”
Talia’s cheeks warmed. She wrote her name anyway, pressing the pen so hard it left a dent in the paper. “That was different.”
Nico watched her for a moment. Then he pushed his notebook a little closer. “If you’re doing it,” he said, “at least practice. Out loud. Right now.”
Talia looked around. A man at the computers wore big headphones. A little kid whispered to a parent. The library was full of quiet noises that didn’t feel like judgment.
She cleared her throat once, then again. “Okay,” she whispered, and began reading Nico’s poem under her breath.
Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that Talia is nervous about signing up for Poetry Night?