8th grade English Language Arts practice sheet

Fourth Down

Mateo had practiced the kick a thousand times, in the backyard, in the school gym, even in the hallway at night until his dad said to stop. Now the whole season came down to one play.

The stadium lights blurred. His teammates were shouting something, but the words sounded like they were underwater. Mateo took two steps back, then one to the left, exactly as always. He thought of Coach's advice: “Don't aim at the goalposts. Aim at the one blade of grass in front of you.”

His foot met the ball with a sound like a snapping branch. For one long second nobody moved. Then the crowd's roar rolled over him, and Mateo realized he had been holding his breath since the whistle.

The classroom was a zoo before the teacher walked in.

The Fence

Kai watched the new neighbor's fence go up and saw it as a wall between them. Each board seemed to say, “Keep out.”

Across the yard, the neighbor hammered in the last nail. She felt proud. At last, her dog could play safely.

Paper or Screen?

Printed books and e-books both let readers enjoy stories. A printed book has pages that you hold and turn, and it does not need a battery. An e-book, in contrast, can hold hundreds of titles on one device and lets readers change the size of the text.

However, many readers find that they remember more of what they read on paper. E-books are easier to carry; printed books are easier on the eyes for some people.

The Night Market

Stalls glowed under strings of lanterns, and the air smelled of grilled corn and sweet dough. Ana held her brother's hand tightly as the crowd pushed past.

“Stay close,” she said. A moment later, the lights flickered, and the music stopped.