All questions
Question 1
The class was supposed to build bridges from popsicle sticks, but the room felt more like a courtroom. On the whiteboard, Mr. Hsu had written: "TEAMWORK = SHARED RISK."
Ava lined up the sticks by length. "If we follow my plan," she said, "we'll win."
DeShawn held up the glue bottle. "Your plan doesn't include anyone else," he said.
Ava's cheeks flushed. "I'm trying to help."
Mr. Hsu walked by and tapped the board. "Shared," he repeated.
When the timer started, Ava grabbed the glue and worked fast, sealing joints before anyone could adjust them. The bridge looked neat, too neat, like a model in a store window.
"Stop," DeShawn said. "You're not listening."
Ava's hands froze. Across the table, Maya's stick tower collapsed with a soft crack, and Maya whispered, "I hate this."
Ava stared at the broken pieces, then slid the glue bottle toward DeShawn. "Okay," she said, voice smaller. "Tell me what you think will hold."
DeShawn blinked, surprised, then drew a triangle shape on the paper. Ava nodded and began again, slower.
Which choice best uses evidence from the excerpt to support the claim that Ava starts out controlling but learns to collaborate?
- Ava learns to collaborate only because Mr. Hsu writes TEAMWORK equals SHARED RISK on the whiteboard before the building activity even begins.
- Ava is controlling when she says her plan will win and seals the joints before anyone can adjust them, and she collaborates when she slides the glue to DeShawn and asks what he thinks will hold. (correct answer)
- Ava stays controlling the whole time, since her finished bridge looks too neat and Maya's stick tower collapses across the table.
- Ava is already fully collaborative from the very start, because she tells DeShawn that she is only trying to help the whole team.
Explanation: The claim describes a change over time, so the best answer shows both the before and the after. Choice B does this. It shows Ava being controlling when she insists her plan will win and seals the joints before anyone can adjust them, and it shows her collaborating when she slides the glue to DeShawn and asks what he thinks will hold. That arc matches the passage, so Choice B is correct. Choice A rests on the teacher's board rather than Ava's actions, Choice C claims she never changes, and Choice D wrongly reads her early line as proof she was cooperative all along.
Question 2
"I'm not lost," Kira insisted, though the trail sign behind her pointed in three directions and none of them matched the map she'd printed at school.
Ben squinted at the paper. "The map's from last year. Look, someone drew over it."
Kira held the map closer, as if staring could force it to behave. The woods around them were quiet in the way that made every snapped twig sound like a shout.
"We should turn back," Ben said.
Kira's jaw tightened. "If we turn back now, we'll miss the overlook. I promised Ms. Rios we'd get photos for the bulletin board."
Ben shifted his backpack. "Promises don't matter if we don't get home."
Kira opened her mouth, then shut it. Her cheeks reddened. She pulled out her phone, frowned at the blank bars, and slid it back into her pocket.
A breeze moved through the branches, and Kira's map fluttered like it wanted to escape.
"Fine," she said at last, the word clipped. She tore a strip of bright tape from her water bottle and wrapped it around a tree. "We'll mark our way. And we'll go slow."
Ben exhaled. "That's... actually smart."
Kira didn't smile. She adjusted the straps on her bag and started walking, counting her steps under her breath.
Which choice includes multiple pieces of evidence that best support the claim that Kira is stubborn but able to adapt when necessary?
- Kira insists 'I'm not lost,' her 'jaw tightened' when Ben suggests turning back, and she refuses to miss the overlook, but then she says 'Fine,' marks trees with bright tape, decides to 'go slow,' and counts her steps. (correct answer)
- The trail sign points in three directions, the woods are quiet enough that a twig sounds like a shout, and a breeze moves the branches, details that mainly show nature is confusing.
- Ben tells Kira that 'Promises don't matter if we don't get home,' which shows that Kira is careless and does not really care about being responsible.
- Kira pulls out her phone and frowns at the blank bars before pocketing it, which proves she will definitely get lost and never reach the overlook.
Explanation: The claim has two parts, so the best evidence shows both stubbornness and adaptation. Kira insists she is not lost, tightens her jaw, and refuses to miss the overlook, yet she then agrees to mark the trees, go slow, and count her steps. Choice A gathers both sides, so it is correct. Choice B lists only setting details, Choice C uses Ben's line to mislabel Kira as careless, and Choice D turns the dead phone into a guarantee that she will fail.
Question 3
Tariq had been practicing free throws behind the apartment building every evening, even when the court lights flickered like they might give up. He counted out loud, "twenty-seven, twenty-eight," because silence made him think too much.
On the day of tryouts, he arrived early and wiped his shoes on the grass until the soles looked new. Coach Rivera blew the whistle and called names into groups.
When Tariq's turn came, his first shot hit the rim and bounced out.
A boy behind him chuckled. "All that practice for nothing."
Tariq's face went hot, but he didn't look back. He stepped to the line again and rolled the ball in his hands the way his older cousin had taught him: fingertips, not palm. "Again," he whispered.
His second shot dropped cleanly through.
Coach Rivera made a mark on the clipboard.
Later, during scrimmage, Tariq passed the ball to a teammate who had a clearer lane, even though Tariq was open. The teammate scored.
After tryouts, Coach Rivera stopped Tariq at the door. "Come back tomorrow," the coach said. "We're not done."
Which choice includes the best set of evidence to support the prediction that Tariq is likely to earn a spot on the team?
- Tariq practices every evening, adjusts his technique to fingertips not palm, keeps trying after a miss, sinks his second shot, and makes an unselfish pass that leads to a score. (correct answer)
- The court lights flicker while Tariq practices, and he counts out loud so the silence will not make him think too much.
- A boy behind Tariq chuckles after his first shot misses, and Tariq's face goes hot with embarrassment at the court.
- Coach Rivera tells Tariq to come back tomorrow, which proves that he has definitely already made the team.
Explanation: A prediction should rest on several matching clues. Choice A gathers them: Tariq practices every evening, fixes his shooting technique, keeps trying after a miss, sinks his second shot, and makes an unselfish pass that leads to a score. Those details show skill, persistence, and teamwork, which support the prediction, so Choice A is correct. Choice B and Choice C point to setup or a setback rather than signs of success, and Choice D overstates the coach's line as proof he already made the team.
Question 4
On the morning of the field trip, the bus smelled like oranges and marker ink. Ms. Patel counted heads twice, then held up the permission slips like a fan of playing cards.
"Remember," she said, "the museum is not a playground."
Nico slid into the seat beside Laila and whispered, "My brother says museums are just rooms full of 'don't touch' signs." He said it like a joke, but he kept tapping his knee.
At the museum, a guide led them to a glass case holding a cracked clay bowl. "This survived a fire two thousand years ago," the guide said.
Nico leaned close enough that his breath fogged the glass. Laila tugged his sleeve. "Back up," she hissed.
He did, but his eyes stayed fixed on the bowl. "It's still here," he murmured, almost surprised.
Later, in the hands-on science room, Nico reached for a lever labeled PULL GENTLY. He pulled too hard. The lever snapped with a sharp pop.
Silence spread. Nico's face went pale.
Ms. Patel walked over. Nico blurted, "I broke it. I didn't mean to. I'll stay after and help fix whatever I can."
The guide nodded slowly. "Thank you for telling the truth," she said.
On the bus ride home, Nico stared out the window. "Rooms full of rules," he said, "are kind of about trust, aren't they?"
Which choice best uses evidence to support the theme that taking responsibility builds trust?
- The bus smells like oranges, Ms. Patel counts heads twice, and Nico taps his knee, details that mainly show the trip is organized and Nico is restless.
- Nico breaks the lever and right away admits it, offers to stay and help fix it, and the guide thanks him for telling the truth, after which Nico realizes rules are really about trust. (correct answer)
- Nico whispers that museums are full of don't-touch signs, and Laila tells him to back up, which shows that rules are annoying and should be avoided.
- The clay bowl survived a fire two thousand years ago, which mainly proves that old objects are strong enough to handle accidents.
Explanation: A theme is supported when several moments in the story point to the same idea. Choice B gathers them: Nico admits he broke the lever, offers to help fix it, earns the guide's thanks for telling the truth, and then sees that rules are about trust. Together these show responsibility leading to trust, so Choice B is correct. Choice A lists only setup details, Choice C misreads his joke as a lesson about avoiding rules, and Choice D focuses on the bowl instead of Nico's actions.
Question 5
The first rehearsal for the spring play was supposed to be "low pressure," according to Mr. Hines. Still, Devon arrived early, carrying a notebook that smelled like fresh glue from the new cover he had added.
On the stage, the prop table held a crown, a plastic sword, and a small velvet pouch labeled COINS: DO NOT LOSE. Devon touched the pouch, then pulled his hand back as if it were hot.
"I can't do the king," he told Mr. Hines. "I'll mess up the speech."
Mr. Hines didn't argue. He just said, "Read it once. Out loud. Here."
Devon's voice shook on the first line. He swallowed and tried again, slower. When he reached the part where the king admits he was wrong, Devon's shoulders eased, like he had set down a backpack.
From the seats, Talia whispered, "He's actually good."
During break, Devon found the velvet pouch open. Coins scattered across the floor like dull stars. He dropped to his knees, gathering them one by one. "Count with me," he asked, and he did not stand up until the number matched the label.
When rehearsal ended, Mr. Hines handed Devon the crown. "Take it home. Practice."
Devon hesitated. Then he accepted it with both hands, carefully, the way you hold something that can break.
Which choice provides the strongest set of multiple evidence pieces to support the inference that Devon is anxious but determined to improve?
- Devon arrives early with his notebook, his "voice shook," and he says, "I can't do the king," yet he "tried again, slower" and accepts the crown "with both hands" to practice, showing worry and a choice to keep working. (correct answer)
- Devon touches the pouch and pulls back "as if it were hot," and Talia whispers "He's actually good" from the seats, which together show mainly that the spring play tells a dramatic story about a troubled king and his coins.
- Talia says "He's actually good," Devon reads the whole speech aloud, and his "shoulders eased" near the end, which together prove that Devon feels completely confident and is not the least bit anxious about performing.
- Devon gathers the scattered coins "one by one" and later accepts the crown "with both hands," which shows mainly that he is a careful, tidy person who likes keeping props neat and organized during rehearsal breaks.
Explanation: The strongest answer pairs signs of worry with signs of effort. The best choice does both: arriving early, a shaking voice, and "I can't do the king" show anxiety, while trying again slower and taking the crown home to practice show he is determined to improve. That combination matches the inference exactly. One choice cites real details (touching the pouch, Talia's whisper) but uses them to describe the play's plot, not Devon's feelings, so it misses the stem's ask. Another choice claims the evidence proves Devon is "completely confident and is not the least bit anxious" — but the shaking voice and "I can't do the king" show he clearly is anxious, so it contradicts the passage. The last choice reads Devon's carefulness as mere tidiness, ignoring that his actions reveal nervousness and commitment, not a preference for neat props. Only the first choice links multiple pieces of evidence to both parts of the inference: anxious AND determined.
Question 6
Ben's grandma taught him to fold dumplings by pinching the edges like a smile. "Not too tight," she warned, "or they'll burst." Ben tried to copy her hands, but his dumpling looked more like a lopsided hat.
Grandma didn't laugh. She slid her own dumpling onto the tray and said, "Your fingers are learning."
Ben frowned at the mess. "It's ugly," he said.
"Ugly is honest," Grandma replied. "Pretty can be a costume."
Ben didn't understand, not at first. But when his cousin Mira walked into the kitchen, Mira's voice rose into a bright song. "Hi, Auntie! Hi, Ben!" She twirled as if the tile floor were a stage.
Grandma's eyes softened, and she turned the stove knob down. "Mira," she said gently, "you don't have to perform for us."
Mira's smile stayed on, but her shoulders tightened. "I'm just being me," she said.
Later, when Mira thought no one was looking, she pressed her palm to her stomach and breathed through her nose, slow and careful.
Ben stared at his dumpling again. He pinched the edge less tightly this time.
Which choice identifies the strongest evidence to support the inference that Mira is hiding stress behind a cheerful act?
- Mira walks in right after Ben's dumpling flops, she calls out a bright hello, and she twirls on the tile, details that mainly set a cheerful scene.
- Mira enters with a bright song and a twirl, but Grandma tells her she does not have to perform, her shoulders tighten even as her smile stays, and later she presses her palm to her stomach and breathes slowly, hinting at hidden stress. (correct answer)
- Mira says she is just being herself, her voice rises into a song, and she keeps smiling, which together show she feels relaxed and honest at home.
- Mira twirls across the floor as if it were a stage, Grandma turns down the stove, and Ben stares at his dumpling, details that focus on the kitchen rather than Mira.
Explanation: The strongest evidence gathers clues that point beneath the cheerful surface. Choice B does: the bright entrance, Grandma's gentle remark that Mira need not perform, the shoulders tightening under a fixed smile, and the private moment of pressing her stomach and breathing slowly all imply hidden stress. That is why Choice B is correct. Choice A and Choice D lean on scene-setting details, and Choice C takes Mira's cheerful act at face value.
Question 7
Aunt Lin's apartment always smelled like orange peel and rice. On the wall above the kitchen table hung a framed sentence in careful calligraphy: "Small kindnesses make a long road."
Kai didn't want to be there. He wanted to be at the skate park, where nobody asked about report cards. But his mom had dropped him off with a grocery bag and a warning: "Help your aunt. Don't complain."
Aunt Lin was sorting cans into two piles. "These are for the pantry," she said. "These are for Mr. Duran next door. His elevator is broken again."
Kai stared at the heavy bag. "Why can't he get his own stuff?" he muttered.
Aunt Lin didn't argue. She simply handed Kai a note written in English and Spanish and said, "You can read it to him. He gets embarrassed."
In the hallway, Kai heard Mr. Duran coughing behind the door, like a car that wouldn't start. Kai's hand hovered over the knob. For a second, he imagined turning back.
Then he knocked. "It's Kai," he said, louder than he meant to. "I brought groceries." He read the note slowly, stumbling over the Spanish but not skipping any words. When the door opened, Mr. Duran's eyes were watery. "Gracias," he whispered.
Back inside, Kai didn't mention the skate park. He picked up the next bag without being asked.
Which choice best uses evidence from the passage to support the theme that small acts of kindness can matter a lot to others?
- The apartment smells like orange peel and rice, a framed sentence hangs above the table, and Aunt Lin quietly sorts the cans into two separate piles, details that mainly set the scene rather than build a theme.
- Kai would rather be at the skate park, his mom warns him not to complain, and he mutters that Mr. Duran should just get his own things, moments that show only his early reluctance to help.
- The framed line about small kindnesses, Kai bringing the groceries and reading the note aloud, Mr. Duran's watery eyes and whispered thanks, and Kai picking up the next bag on his own all point to the theme. (correct answer)
- Kai stumbles over the Spanish words, the broken elevator is mentioned again, and Mr. Duran coughs behind the door before answering, details that focus on difficulty and hardship rather than on kindness.
Explanation: A theme is supported when several separate moments in the story point to the same idea. The best answer gathers a chain of them: the framed line about small kindnesses, Kai delivering the groceries and reading the note aloud, Mr. Duran's watery eyes and whispered "Gracias," and Kai picking up the next bag without being asked. Together these show the kindness truly mattered to Mr. Duran and even changed how Kai acted afterward.
The choice about the orange-peel smell, the framed sentence, and the sorted cans only describes the setting; it doesn't show kindness affecting anyone. The choice about the skate park, the warning, and Kai's muttering captures only his early reluctance, which is the opposite of the theme. The choice about stumbling over Spanish, the broken elevator, and the coughing points to difficulty and hardship, not to the effect of a kind act. Only the answer that links multiple moments of kindness and its impact actually supports the theme.
Question 8
(Drama scene)
[Kitchen. Evening. A single lamp makes a small circle of light on the table. The rest of the room is dim.]
RINA (14) sits with an envelope in her hands. She keeps sliding her thumb under the flap and then pulling it back out.
DAD enters, drying his hands on a towel.
DAD: You're still up.
RINA: I couldn't sleep.
DAD notices the envelope.
DAD: That from the magnet school?
RINA: (quickly) It's nothing.
DAD: Nothing that has your name on it?
RINA does not answer. She smooths the envelope on the table until it lies perfectly flat.
DAD: Rina. Whatever it says, we read it together.
RINA: If it's good news, you'll be proud. If it's bad, you'll be disappointed.
DAD: I'm already proud.
RINA's eyes fill, but she blinks hard and laughs once, sharp and small.
RINA: Then why does my stomach feel like it's falling?
The lamp hums. Outside, a car door slams.
Which choice identifies both explicit and inferred evidence that best supports the analysis that the mood is tense and nervous?
- The scene is set in a kitchen in the evening, Dad is drying his hands on a towel, and he calmly asks Rina about the envelope that came from the magnet school.
- The room is dim with only a small circle of light, and Rina says she could not sleep and that her stomach feels like it is falling; she also keeps toying with the envelope, answers quickly, and smooths it flat, all building nervous tension. (correct answer)
- Dad says that he is already proud, Rina laughs once, and Dad gently offers to read the whole letter together, which shows the mood is calm, warm, and reassuring.
- Rina holds an envelope from the magnet school, Dad walks in drying his hands, and a car door slams outside, which shows the scene is mainly about ordinary evening routines.
Explanation: Strong support pairs stated evidence with details you must infer from. Choice B uses explicit lines, the dim room, "I couldn't sleep," and the falling stomach, alongside inferred cues like fidgeting with the flap, answering quickly, and smoothing the envelope flat, which together build tension. That makes B correct. Choice A cites real details that only set the scene, Choice C reads the details as calm, and Choice D treats the tense moment as ordinary routine.
Question 9
In the back of the library, the "Quiet Room" sign hung crooked, as if it were tired of being obeyed. Devon slid into the last chair, the one with a torn seam that scratched his elbow. His science project, an unfinished model bridge, peeked from his backpack like it wanted to escape.
Ms. Ochoa, the librarian, said softly, "You can work here as long as you respect the room." Devon nodded too fast.
He tried to read the directions, but his phone buzzed again: group chat messages stacking like dominoes. He flipped the phone face-down. A minute later, he flipped it back up. His knee bounced under the table.
Across from him, a little kid whispered to her grandmother, and Devon's eyes snapped to them. He didn't glare, exactly, but his mouth tightened. When the kid giggled, Devon stood and walked to the shelves, pretending to browse. He pressed his forehead briefly against the cool spines of the books.
When he returned, he opened his notebook and wrote in big letters: "BRIDGE: START OVER." Then, under it, smaller: "Ask for help."
Which choice best uses evidence to support the inference that Devon feels anxious and overwhelmed?
- The Quiet Room sign hangs crooked above him, and Devon sits down in the very last chair, the one with a torn seam.
- Devon flips his buzzing phone face-down and back up, his knee bounces, his mouth tightens at the giggle, he walks off to browse, and he writes START OVER and Ask for help. (correct answer)
- Ms. Ochoa tells Devon that he can stay if he respects the room, and Devon nods a little too fast before sitting.
- Devon's science project is an unfinished model bridge, and the quiet library around him is full of tall shelves of books.
Explanation: An inference about a character rests on gathering clues from actions and word choice, not one detail. Choice B does this: Devon keeps flipping his buzzing phone, his knee bounces, his mouth tightens, he walks off to browse, and he writes START OVER and Ask for help. Together these signal stress even though he never says he is anxious, so Choice B is correct. Choices A, C, and D point only to setting or setup details that do not show his feelings.
Question 10
The day before the race, Coach wrote the route on the whiteboard: two miles out, turn at the water tower, two miles back. "Simple," he said, like the word could erase nerves.
Inez traced the diagram with her eyes, then stayed after practice to run the first mile alone. Her shoes slapped the track in a steady rhythm, not fast, not slow, but measured.
"Why are you still here?" Coach asked.
"Because I don't want to guess tomorrow," Inez said.
At home, her little brother taped a paper medal to the fridge that read: YOU GOT THIS. Inez laughed, but she didn't take it down.
That night, rain started, soft at first, then loud enough to drum on the roof. Inez lay awake listening.
In the morning, the track was slick. The water tower looked farther away than it had yesterday.
Coach clapped his hands. "Conditions change," he called. "Your work doesn't."
Inez stepped to the line. Her stomach flipped, but she whispered, "Measured," like a promise. When the whistle blew, she didn't sprint. She found her rhythm.
Which choice best uses multiple pieces of evidence to support the inference that Inez is likely to succeed because she prepares carefully and stays focused under pressure?
- Coach calls the route 'simple,' the rain drums loudly on the roof at night, and the morning track is slick with water, details that mainly show the weather matters.
- Inez traces the route and runs the first mile alone the day before, says she does not want 'to guess tomorrow,' keeps the 'YOU GOT THIS' medal up, and on race day whispers 'Measured' and finds her rhythm instead of panicking. (correct answer)
- Coach tells the runners that 'Conditions change' but that 'Your work doesn't,' which is clear proof that Inez is definitely going to win the whole race.
- Inez does not sprint at the start of the race and instead settles into a steady pace, which shows that she must not really care much how she finishes.
Explanation: The inference rests on Inez's preparation and her focus under pressure. She studies the route, runs it alone the day before, says she does not want to guess, keeps the encouraging medal, and on the slick race morning steadies herself with "Measured" and finds her rhythm. Choice B gathers that evidence, so it is correct. Choice A points only to weather, Choice C turns Coach's words into a guarantee of winning, and Choice D misreads her steady pace as not caring.
Question 11
Lily kept the lost-and-found box under her bed, even though her mom had told her it belonged in the hallway closet. The box smelled like pencil shavings and rain. Inside were a single mitten, three hair ties, a keychain shaped like a tiny planet, and a note that read, in careful handwriting: "If you find this, please don't laugh."
At school, Lily watched the new kid, Owen, pat his pockets as if they were hiding traps. When the bell rang, he flinched. In math, he didn't raise his hand, but his pencil moved fast, like it was trying to outrun something.
After lunch, Lily found Owen standing by the trash can, staring at the floor. A small planet keychain lay near his shoe.
Lily picked it up and held it out. "Is this yours?" she asked.
Owen's face went red. "I, yeah. I drop things," he said. "It's dumb."
"It's not dumb," Lily said quickly. Then, softer: "I keep stuff safe until people are ready."
Owen took the keychain with both hands, like it might disappear. "Thanks," he murmured, and for the first time all day, he smiled, small, but real.
Which choice cites several pieces of evidence that best support the claim that Lily is compassionate and sensitive to others' embarrassment?
- The lost-and-found box smells like pencil shavings and rain, and inside it are a mitten, some hair ties, and a small planet keychain.
- Owen pats his pockets like they hide traps, flinches when the bell rings, and moves his pencil fast in math, which mainly shows Owen is nervous.
- Lily keeps a lost-and-found box and returns the planet keychain by asking 'Is this yours?', then reassures Owen that dropping things is 'not dumb' and says she keeps 'stuff safe until people are ready.' (correct answer)
- Lily hides the box under her bed after her mom said it belonged in the closet, which shows she mostly cares about breaking her mom's rule.
Explanation: Compassion and sensitivity show in what Lily does and says. She keeps a box of lost things, returns Owen's keychain gently, tells him dropping things is "not dumb," and explains she keeps "stuff safe until people are ready," which shows she senses his embarrassment. Choice C gathers that evidence, so it is correct. Choice A lists box contents, Choice B describes Owen's nerves rather than Lily, and Choice D turns the hidden box into a claim about disobedience.
Question 12
I keep my apologies in my pocket
like coins I never spend,
clinking when I run,
quiet when I sit.
At lunch, I trade my apple
for a joke that isn't mine,
and laugh on time,
and swallow the bruise of it.
My best friend says, "Tell me,"
and I say, "Nothing,"
because nothing is lighter
than the truth.
After school, the sky is a scraped knee,
pink at the edges,
still healing.
I count my coins again
and wish one of them
could buy a voice.
Which choice best uses evidence to support the inference that the speaker hides their feelings to fit in, even though it hurts?
- The speaker trades an apple for a joke and laughs "on time," which mainly shows that the speaker enjoys being funny and popular with the other students at lunch.
- The speaker keeps apologies "like coins I never spend" and describes the sky as "still healing," which shows the speaker feels calm and has already moved past any hurt.
- The speaker says "Nothing" when a friend says "Tell me," and lines like "swallow the bruise of it" and the wish that a coin could "buy a voice" reveal the hurt behind hiding. (correct answer)
- The speaker keeps coins that clink and counts them "again," which mainly shows the speaker is worried about saving up enough money before the school day is over.
Explanation: The best answer pulls together lines that show both the hiding and the pain underneath. Saying "Nothing" when a friend asks to talk is the hiding; "swallow the bruise of it" and wishing a coin could "buy a voice" show the hurt the speaker keeps quiet to fit in. The choice about trading an apple and laughing "on time" treats the speaker's forced cheerfulness as real fun, missing that laughing "on time" is an act. The choice about coins and "still healing" mistakes images of unspoken pain for calm, ignoring that the wounds are healing, not healed. The choice about counting coins reads the figurative coins as literal money, but the coins stand for unspoken apologies, not cash. Only one choice uses more than one piece of evidence to prove the speaker hides feelings even though it hurts.
Question 13
[Backstage of the school auditorium. A single work light glows. Costumes hang like quiet ghosts.]
MARCUS (holding a script, voice tight): I'm fine.
LEENA (tying a ribbon on her wrist): You say that the way people say "fire drill."
MARCUS: It's just opening night.
LEENA: Then why are your pages shaking?
[Marcus presses the script against his chest. A faint tear runs down the cover where the staples are loose.]
MARCUS: Because if I mess up, everyone will know I don't belong here.
LEENA (steps closer): You auditioned. You got in. That's how belonging works.
MARCUS (laughs once, without humor): My dad calls this "playing pretend."
[From offstage, the DIRECTOR calls: "Places in two!"]
Leena holds out her wrist ribbon. It is frayed where it has been retied many times.
LEENA: When I'm scared, I tie this until my hands remember what to do. Want to borrow it?
[Marcus hesitates, then gently knots the ribbon around his own wrist. His shoulders drop a little.]
MARCUS (quiet): Thanks.
Which choice best combines explicit statements and implied details to support the inference that Marcus feels insecure but begins to accept support from others?
- Marcus says his pages are shaking and admits a mistake would prove he doesn't belong, details that show his nervousness clearly; the work light and hanging costumes set an uneasy mood, which mainly builds atmosphere rather than showing that he takes help from anyone.
- Leena ties a ribbon on her wrist and offers to lend it, the director calls Places in two, and Marcus finally says thanks, details that show the play is starting and that Leena is kind, but they do not directly capture Marcus's own feeling of not belonging.
- Marcus insists that he is fine, laughs once without humor, and grips his script tightly against his chest, details that together suggest he feels calm, well-prepared, and fully confident about performing on opening night.
- Marcus admits that a mistake would show he doesn't belong and repeats that his dad calls acting playing pretend, while his shaking pages and torn script hint at anxiety; he then accepts help by knotting Leena's ribbon on his wrist as his shoulders drop. (correct answer)
Explanation: The best answer pulls together stated and implied evidence for BOTH sides of the inference. It quotes Marcus saying a mistake would prove he doesn't belong and repeating his dad's dismissive "playing pretend," pairs that with the implied clues of shaking pages and a torn script, and then shows him accepting support when he knots Leena's ribbon and his shoulders drop. That covers insecurity and acceptance of help. One choice cites real signs of nervousness but stops there, treating the ribbon moment only as mood-setting, so it misses the acceptance-of-support half. Another choice focuses on Leena's kindness and the play beginning, but never shows Marcus's own insecurity. A third choice misreads "I'm fine" and the humorless laugh as genuine confidence, which contradicts his shaking hands and his fear of not belonging. Only the answer that combines both explicit lines and implied details for insecurity AND for accepting help fully answers the question.
Question 14
The rain didn't fall so much as it pressed itself against the windows, turning the streetlights into blurry coins. Nora sat at the kitchen table with her debate notes spread like a fan. The topic, "Should our town ban the old quarry?", was underlined twice. Her brother Eli wandered in, dripping from soccer practice. "You're still doing that?" he asked. "It matters," Nora said, tapping her pen hard enough to leave dents. "Kids sneak in there. People get hurt." Eli opened the fridge and stared into it. "Dad used to go there," he said. "He said it was where he could think." Nora paused. On the counter, a chipped mug sat beside a photograph of their dad in a hard hat, smiling as if the world had never surprised him. Nora turned the photo face down. "Thinking doesn't require a cliff," she said. Eli shut the fridge. "You're not banning a place," he said quietly. "You're banning a memory." Nora's pen stopped moving. She looked at the rain, then at the turned-over photo. "If I win tomorrow," she whispered, "maybe nobody else has to lose someone."
Which option cites multiple pieces of evidence that best support the theme that protecting others can come with personal emotional costs?
- Nora wants to keep others safe: "Kids sneak in there. People get hurt," and she hopes nobody "has to lose someone." But she pays a price too, since "the rain presses against the windows" and turns the streetlights into blurry coins she keeps noticing.
- Nora wants to keep others safe: "Kids sneak in there. People get hurt," and she hopes nobody "has to lose someone." But she pays a price too, shown when she spreads her debate notes "like a fan" and repeats, "If I win tomorrow," preparing to compete.
- Nora wants to keep others safe: "Kids sneak in there. People get hurt," and she hopes nobody "has to lose someone." But she pays a price too, shown when she turns the photo face down and Eli says she is "banning a memory," forcing her to face painful feelings about their dad. (correct answer)
- Nora wants to keep others safe: "Kids sneak in there. People get hurt," and she hopes nobody "has to lose someone." But she pays a price too, since Eli comes in from soccer, mentions their dad, and sits with her at the kitchen table.
Explanation: The best answer names a real cost to Nora that grows from her wish to protect others. The winning choice pairs her protective lines about kids getting hurt and not wanting anyone to lose someone with true emotional pain: she turns her dad's photo face down, and Eli tells her she is "banning a memory," forcing her to feel the loss behind her cause. That is the personal emotional cost the theme is about. The choice pointing to rain and blurry streetlights uses setting details that create mood but show no cost Nora pays for protecting people. The choice pointing to her fanned notes and "If I win tomorrow" describes her effort to compete, not the emotional price she pays. The choice pointing to Eli's arrival, his mention of Dad, and sitting together describes ordinary family activity, not a painful cost. Only the winning choice supplies two pieces of evidence that actually connect protecting others to Nora's own emotional loss.
Question 15
I keep my worries in a jar
behind the cereal, out of sight.
They rattle when the kitchen's quiet,
like pennies that refuse to sleep.
Mom asks, "How was school?"
I say, "Fine," the easiest word,
and twist the lid a little tighter
so nothing spills between us.
At night the jar sweats in the dark.
I hear it breathing on the shelf.
Tomorrow, I tell myself,
I'll open it, just a crack.
But morning comes with bright spoons,
and my brother's jokes, and the bus horn.
I carry the jar inside my chest,
glass against bone, careful, careful.
Which choice identifies multiple pieces of evidence, including figurative language, that best support the analysis that the speaker hides anxiety to protect family relationships?
- The speaker keeps a jar behind the cereal, hears it rattle 'when the kitchen's quiet,' and carries it 'inside my chest,' details that mainly picture a curious object stored around the house rather than a feeling the speaker hides from anyone.
- The speaker keeps worries in a jar, answers Mom with 'Fine,' and twists the lid tighter 'so nothing spills between us,' then carries the jar 'inside my chest,' hinting at anxiety hidden from family to avoid strain. (correct answer)
- The speaker names 'bright spoons,' a brother's jokes, and the bus horn, images that outweigh the earlier jar and reveal a poem that is really a cheerful piece about a busy and happy family breakfast.
- The speaker plans to open the jar 'tomorrow' and admits it 'sweats in the dark,' clues that prove the speaker overcomes the worry each morning and always ends up telling the family the whole truth.
Explanation: The strongest analysis pulls together several clues, including figurative language. The jar of worries, the quick 'Fine' to Mom, twisting the lid 'so nothing spills between us,' and carrying the jar 'inside my chest' all point to anxiety the speaker keeps hidden to spare the family. That answer gathers this evidence, so it is best. The choice about a jar 'behind the cereal' reads the jar only as a literal object and misses that it stands for hidden feelings. The choice about 'bright spoons' and the brother's jokes mistakes the busy morning for the poem's real subject, ignoring the anxious images that surround it. The choice claiming the speaker 'always ends up telling the family the whole truth' overreaches: the final image of carrying the jar 'inside my chest, careful, careful' shows the opposite, that the worry stays hidden.
Question 16
Mara kept the library's lost-and-found box under the front desk, even though the other volunteers said it was "basically a junk drawer." Tonight, as the rain tapped the windows, she lifted the lid and found a slim wallet wedged beneath a stack of bent bookmarks.
"Someone's going to panic," Mara said, thumbing through the cards. A folded twenty-dollar bill slid out. She didn't smile. Instead, she smoothed the bill flat and tucked it back inside, then wrote on a sticky note: FOUND, FRONT DESK, 6:10.
Jules, shelving returns, called over, "If it's unclaimed by Friday, you could buy yourself those headphones."
Mara's pencil paused. "That's not how it works," she said, and her voice sounded sharper than she meant.
When the owner arrived, an older man with trembling hands, Mara recognized him from the newspaper's photo about the community garden. "I thought I'd lost everything," he whispered.
Mara slid the wallet across the counter. "You didn't," she said. Then, quieter: "My dad used to say, 'Borrowed things don't belong to you just because no one's watching.'"
As the man left, Jules shrugged. "You're too good for this place."
Mara looked at the rain-streaked glass. "I'm trying to be good enough," she murmured, and returned to the box.
Which choice best uses evidence from the passage to support the claim that Mara is principled and honest, even when tempted?
- Mara notices the twenty-dollar bill and does not smile, and she recognizes the owner from a newspaper photo, showing that she is observant about details and about the people in her community.
- Mara hears Jules mention buying headphones and her pencil pauses, and her voice comes out sharper than she means, showing that she is tempted by the money before she decides to return it.
- Mara tells Jules that is not how it works, puts the twenty-dollar bill back and labels the wallet, and repeats her dad's rule about borrowed things, showing she keeps her principles even when no one is watching. (correct answer)
- Mara returns the wallet to the owner and then says she is trying to be good enough, showing that she does the right thing mainly because she wants Jules and others to think highly of her.
Explanation: The claim is about Mara being principled and honest even when tempted, so the best answer gathers several actions and words that show her choosing to do right. The correct choice does this: she tells Jules "that's not how it works," she puts the money back and labels the wallet, and she repeats her dad's rule about borrowed things. Together these prove she keeps her principles when no one is watching.
The choice about noticing the bill and recognizing the man from the newspaper points to real details, but being observant is not the same as being honest, so it does not support this claim. The choice about the pausing pencil and sharp voice actually describes Mara being tempted, not proving she is principled—it stops before her honest choice. The choice about returning the wallet gets the action right but invents a selfish motive; the text shows she returns it because it is not hers, not to impress others.
Question 17
MOM: You're home late.
RINA: The late bus.
MOM: Again?
RINA (dropping her backpack): We had to redo the poster.
MOM (not looking up from the sink): The one for Student Council? You said you quit.
RINA: I did.
MOM: Then why is there glitter on your sleeves?
RINA (scrubbing at her sleeve): It's everywhere at school.
MOM (turning, finally): Rina.
RINA (too quickly): I'm tired, okay?
MOM: I'm not asking for perfect. I'm asking for true.
RINA's phone buzzes. She flips it over, screen down.
MOM: Who is that?
RINA: Nobody.
MOM: Your "nobody" texts a lot.
RINA (voice smaller): It's Maya. She needed help. If I don't do it, it falls apart.
MOM: And you couldn't tell me?
RINA: You've been working doubles. You already look like you're carrying the whole world.
MOM (softening): I can carry some of yours, too.
RINA stares at the glitter on her hands, then nods once.
Which choice best uses evidence from the scene to evaluate the idea that Rina hides the truth to protect her mom from stress, rather than to be cruel?
- Yes. Rina gives short, evasive answers and turns her phone screen down, and she later says she stayed quiet because her mom has "been working doubles" and carries "the whole world." (correct answer)
- No. Rina hides her phone and gives short answers, but the scene never shows any reason for it, so she must simply be dishonest by habit.
- Yes. Rina scrubs glitter from her sleeve and looks tired, and since both of those are true, she must be telling the truth about everything else too.
- No. The scene is only about a Student Council poster and some glitter, so it cannot really be about protecting her mom from stress.
Explanation: To evaluate the interpretation, the best choice gathers evidence from across the scene. Choice A does this: Rina gives short, guarded answers and turns her phone face down, and she finally explains that she stayed quiet because her mom has been working doubles and already seems overwhelmed. Together, those clues support the idea that she hides things to spare her mom stress, so Choice A is correct. Choice B ignores her stated reason and claims she lies for no reason. Choice C relies on faulty logic about glitter, and Choice D wrongly assumes the scene cannot be about more than a poster.
Question 18
At 6:40 a.m., Mina stood outside the closed library with a paper bag of muffins that had already cooled. The sign on the glass read, "OPEN AT 7." She checked her phone, then tucked it away as if it were something breakable. "It's fine," she told herself, though her breath came out in short puffs. Mr. Dalloway, the custodian, unlocked the door and frowned at the bag.
"You're early again," he said.
"I promised Ms. Kline I'd set up the chairs," Mina replied. She didn't mention that Ms. Kline had never asked her. She only knew the poetry club would look "more official" if the room was ready.
Inside, a stack of flyers lay crooked on the table. Mina straightened them until the corners lined up. When she found a crumpled permission slip under a chair, she smoothed it with her palm and slid it into the correct folder. Her own slip, unsigned, stayed in her backpack like a secret.
Mr. Dalloway watched her arrange pencils into a neat row. "You know," he said, softer now, "people can help you if you let them."
Mina's smile flashed and vanished. "I don't want to bother anyone," she said, lifting the heaviest chair with a grunt. As she carried it, her arms trembled, but she walked carefully, as if dropping it would prove something.
Which choice best uses evidence from the excerpt to support the claim that Mina is responsible but struggles to ask for help?
- Mina is responsible only because she arrives before the library's OPEN AT 7 sign lets her in, and nothing else in the excerpt shows this trait.
- Mina struggles to ask for help mainly because Mr. Dalloway, the custodian, is the one who unlocks the library door for her each morning.
- Mina shows responsibility when she says she promised to set up the chairs and carefully files the permission slip, and she avoids help by insisting she will not bother anyone while lifting the heaviest chair. (correct answer)
- Mina is mostly just nervous, since her breath comes out in short puffs and her quick smile flashes and then vanishes.
Explanation: The claim names two traits, so the best answer needs evidence for both. Choice C does this. It shows responsibility through Mina's promise to set up the chairs and her careful filing of the permission slip, and it shows her trouble asking for help through her line about not wanting to bother anyone and her choice to lift the heaviest chair alone. Because it supports both traits, Choice C is correct. Choice A leans on a single detail and ignores the rest, Choice B misreads the custodian unlocking the door as evidence about Mina, and Choice D points to nervousness instead of the two traits in the claim.
Question 19
Tariq's bicycle chain popped off halfway up the hill, snapping like a bad idea. He wobbled to the curb and stared at the loose links. The day of the neighborhood race, of course.
From the top of the hill, kids' voices floated down: cheers, taunts, the starter whistle practicing.
Tariq wiped grease on his shorts and tried to fit the chain back on. It slipped, then slipped again.
"Need a hand?" a voice asked.
Tariq looked up. Ms. Alvarez from the corner shop stood there with a small tool kit. Her apron still had flour on it.
"I'm good," Tariq said quickly.
Ms. Alvarez didn't argue. She sat on the curb anyway and opened the kit. "Your hands are shaking," she said, not unkindly. "That makes tiny things harder."
Tariq's ears burned. "If I don't race, everyone will think I'm scared."
Ms. Alvarez held out a rag. "Or they'll think your bike broke," she said. "Both can be true: you can be scared and still show up."
Tariq took the rag. He breathed once, slow. "Okay," he said. "Show me."
Which choice best supports the interpretation that Tariq's main conflict is his pride getting in the way of accepting help?
- Tariq says "I'm good" as the chain slips again, worries people will think he's scared, and gives in only at "Okay. Show me," so pride, not the bike, was the barrier. (correct answer)
- Tariq's main conflict is simply that the chain is hard to fix, since it popped off, slipped twice, and left grease on his shorts, so the trouble is mechanical rather than personal.
- Tariq's pride shows up when he keeps working on the chain alone, because staying busy with the loose links proves he already knew exactly how to fix it himself.
- Tariq is not proud at all, because he takes the rag the very moment Ms. Alvarez offers it and never once turns down the help that she brings.
Explanation: An interpretation is strongest when several moments in the story point the same way. The best answer gathers them: Tariq refuses with "I'm good" while the chain keeps slipping, worries about looking scared, and only gives in at "Okay. Show me." Together these show that pride, not the broken bike, was the real barrier. The choice about the chain being hard to fix mistakes the surface problem for the conflict, since Tariq's own words show it's about how he'll look, not the mechanics. The choice claiming Tariq stays busy because he already knew how to fix it misreads the passage, where the chain slips again and again and his hands shake. The choice saying Tariq is not proud ignores that he first refuses help with "I'm good" and only accepts after a pause. So the answer tracing his refusal, his worry, and his final change is the one that truly supports the interpretation.
Question 20
The power went out at 9:03, right after Aunt Sora set the kettle on the stove. The house didn't go silent exactly; it filled with other sounds: the refrigerator's last sigh, the tick of the hallway clock, the wind pushing at the porch screen.
"Okay," Aunt Sora said, too brightly. "Adventure time."
Eli stood in the doorway of the kitchen, holding his phone like a small shield. The screen was dark. "No service," he muttered. He tried the flashlight anyway, clicking the button again and again.
Aunt Sora lit a candle. The flame bent, then steadied, and the walls grew taller in the soft, moving light.
From the living room, the hallway looked like a tunnel. Eli's little sister, Mina, whispered, "What if something's in there?"
Eli laughed, but it came out thin. "Nothing's in there," he said, and then he shifted so he was between Mina and the hallway.
A branch scraped the window. Mina jumped.
Eli's hand found hers. "We'll play cards," he said. "If we can't see the numbers, we'll make up new rules."
Aunt Sora watched him quietly. "You're doing fine," she said.
Eli didn't answer. He kept his eyes on the candle, as if staring hard enough could keep it from going out.
Which choice best combines explicit and inferential evidence to support the analysis that the mood is tense but also comforting?
- The power failing "at 9:03" and the kettle set on the stove signal only tension, since these opening details establish an unsettling scene without any moment that eases the family's worry or offers real comfort.
- Aunt Sora speaks "too brightly," Mina whispers "What if something's in there?," the hallway looks like a tunnel, and a branch scrapes the window, while Eli shielding Mina, holding her hand, and planning cards add comfort. (correct answer)
- The "Adventure time" line and Eli quietly offering to "play cards" show only comfort, since these warm exchanges reassure everyone and leave no moment where anyone in the house feels genuinely frightened or on edge.
- The wind at the porch screen and the ticking hallway clock create only tension, since these background house sounds work as clear threats that put the family in real danger throughout the dark evening.
Explanation: The mood is both tense and comforting, so the best answer has to point to evidence for each feeling. The winning choice does exactly that: the "too bright" voice, Mina's whisper, the tunnel-like hallway, and the scraping branch all build tension, while Eli shielding Mina, holding her hand, and planning a card game bring comfort. Because it names stated details and the feelings you infer from them, it captures both sides.
The choice built on the 9:03 outage and the kettle uses only opening setup details and claims the mood is tension alone—it ignores every comforting action Eli takes. The choice about "Adventure time" and playing cards sees only the comfort and pretends no one is ever afraid, which skips Mina's fear and the scraping branch. The choice about the wind and clock treats ordinary background sounds as real "threats" and "danger," misreading calm setting details as proof of tension. Only the balanced choice supports both parts of the analysis with the right evidence.