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9th grade English Language Arts practice sheet

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) · from Gradelings · Name: ______________________

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  1. Question 1

    Which sentence best states the author's position?

    Tiny Forests

    In a few cities around the world, planners have started creating “tiny forests”: dense patches of native trees and shrubs planted in spaces about the size of a tennis court. Because the plants are packed closely, they grow fast, creating shade, habitat and a spongy layer of soil that soaks up rainwater.

    Supporters point out that these forests are cheap compared with large parks and can fit on vacant lots or school grounds. Studies of early projects report cooler temperatures nearby and more birds and insects within a few years. Children who help plant them often develop a stronger sense of ownership over their neighborhoods.

    Still, the evidence is young. Most tiny forests have existed for less than a decade, and long-term results are unknown. Critics add that planting a few small patches should not replace protecting the older forests and wetlands that already store enormous amounts of carbon. The strongest approach, many experts suggest, is to treat tiny forests as one tool among many.

    • Tiny forests are promising, but they should be one tool among many.
    • Tiny forests should replace all parks.
    • Old forests no longer matter.
    • Tiny forests have been proven useless.

  2. Question 2

    Which literary device does this excerpt use?

    She was a real Cinderella at the dance, rushing off before midnight.

    • Foreshadowing
    • Simile
    • Allusion
    • Hyperbole

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence has a misplaced modifier?

    • Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful.
    • The trees looked beautiful as I walked down the street.
    • Walking down the street, I thought the trees looked beautiful.
    • I walked down the street and admired the trees.

  4. Question 4

    What does the base port mean in transport and export?

    • see
    • write
    • carry
    • say

  5. Question 5

    Why might an author use an analogy in an explanation?

    • To hide the main idea
    • To make the text rhyme
    • To explain an unfamiliar idea through a familiar one
    • To avoid explaining anything

  6. Question 6

    What is an algorithm in a social media app?

    • The name of a website
    • A set of rules that decides what content you see
    • A kind of password
    • A photo filter only

  7. Question 7

    A scene is told in letters between two characters. What is this text form called?

    • an epistolary text
    • an editorial
    • an index
    • a script

  8. Question 8

    Which strategy helps find important information?

    • highlight only the title
    • highlight every line
    • highlight topic sentences and key terms

  9. Question 9

    Which text feature would you add to a science report to show data clearly?

    • a joke
    • a decorative border
    • a labeled graph

  10. Question 10

    What makes a research question effective?

    • it is focused, arguable or open-ended, and answerable with evidence
    • it is as broad as possible
    • it is about your opinion only
    • it has a yes or no answer

Answer key

  1. 1. Tiny forests are promising, but they should be one tool among many. (Close Reading)
  2. 2. Allusion (Literary Elements)
  3. 3. Walking down the street, the trees looked beautiful. (Grammar & Style)
  4. 4. carry (Word Detective)
  5. 5. To explain an unfamiliar idea through a familiar one (Literary Devices)
  6. 6. A set of rules that decides what content you see (Digital Smarts)
  7. 7. an epistolary text (Forms & Features)
  8. 8. highlight topic sentences and key terms (Summarizing Texts)
  9. 9. a labeled graph (Form & Composing)
  10. 10. it is focused, arguable or open-ended, and answerable with evidence (Research & Credibility)

Want more than 10 questions?

In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback. See all English language arts units.

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