Reading Gains Form 1, section 4 - beginning of the year for ELD IV (12/3/2025) (12/3/2025)

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Dale knew he needed to get to school, but didn't finish putting his shoes on. He knew he should be excited for the field trip. His class was going to the zoo, and though Dale had been before with his parents, he was nervous. There were a million things that could go wrong and as he sat there, he imagined them. He could be left behind, or lost, or eaten by a tiger that had escaped, or stepped on by an elephant. Although he knew none of these things was going to happen, he still didn't finish putting on his shoes.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

The Mammoth Cave System is the longest cave system in the world. Located in central Kentucky, the cave is known to contain over 367 miles of passageways. That distance grows every year as new areas of the cave are discovered. Mammoth Cave National Park contains some of Mammoth Cave although parts of the cave system extend beyond the park. It is assumed that many more miles of cave passages exist but have yet to be mapped. There are two other large cave systems nearby. If connections are ever found between the other caves and Mammoth Cave, the total system would exceed over 500 known miles.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Joan Miró has been heralded by many as a great surrealist artist; he never became an official member of the Surrealists but maintained a fluctuating connection with the movement. He pursued his own diverse interests in the art world and investigated different artistic styles. As a painter, sculptor, and ceramist, Miró employed various mediums while developing his experimental style and rejecting conventional techniques. He investigated lithography in his paintings and incorporated found objects into his sculptures. His paintings are characterized by organic forms, strong lines, and bold colors.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Underwater earthquakes, which occur on the ocean floor, can transform the land in dramatic and devastating ways. The earthquakes can cause giant ocean waves, resulting in environmental destruction. In April 2007, an earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean that lifted one small island about ten feet out of the ocean. The quake also revealed a boat that may have been sunk during World War II. Sadly many of the coral reefs that circle the island were left exposed to the sun, which killed them and displaced the marine life that lived in them.

Directions:
Directions:
Read the passage about Noah. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    It was Noah's first season on the men's swim team. He was a strong swimmer and had already earned a spot as the anchor in the 500-meter relay. Thanks to Noah's performance, the team was having one of its best years ever. If they maintained their record of wins, they would be in an excellent position to take the regionals and advance to the state finals. They needed to ____6____ their success.

    As the season progressed, everyone on the team worked extra hard to make sure they would have a winning season. They encouraged and supported each other at all the swim meets. Everyone on the swim team was ecstatic when they won at the regionals, but now they had to get ready for the state meet. The team was going to face some of its toughest opponents of the season. The coach of one of the other teams had been an Olympic swimmer and his team had been turning in record-breaking times all season long. The other team swam ___7___ .

    The members of Noah's team voted unanimously to hold two practices a day for the entire week leading up to the state meet. They were determined to do everything they could to win. If they didn't win, at least it wouldn't be for lack of trying. They wanted to be ready for the ___8___.

    Noah was running late for the last practice before the finals. When he got to the pool, he was shocked by what he saw. As he walked around the corner of the lockers, Noah saw the coach running a pair of electric clippers over the head of one of his teammates. Noah watched as the hair fell to the floor and was surprised at the size of the piles of hair he saw there. He knew they were shaving their heads to eliminate drag in the water and possibly bring on some good luck. It was ___9___ to shave their heads.

    “You're the last one, Noah,” the coach said. As much as he liked his hair, Noah wasn't about to let the team down. “Let's do it,” Noah said. “I feel a win coming on.” He felt they might be ___10___.

Directions:
Read the passage about Ruby's Earth Day. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    Every year, Ruby and her mother took Earth Day very seriously. The Saturday before Earth Day was usually spent planting the garden. Ruby collected long, straight tree branches in order to construct a tepee-shaped trellis for the bean plants to climb. This year she was going to bury a soaker hose in the garden bed. This hose dribbles water out along its entire length, delivering water directly to the roots of all the vegetables. Ruby and her mother were ____11____ about Earth Day.

    As another regular Earth Day practice, Ruby's mother always organized a neighborhood cleanup project. This year several families were teaming up at the largest city park to don gloves and fill trash bags with the litter that had accumulated there. Another family had made a colorful birdhouse, which they were going to install at the top of a post in the park. Ruby's mother had even convinced the local newspaper to send a reporter and photographer to cover the event. People were ____12____ on Earth Day.

    Ruby started at the picnic area. Picnickers had, for the most part, thrown their trash in a couple of large, open drums by the tables, but the bottoms of the drums had rusted out and collapsed. Ruby also found a lot of broken bottle glass, which she cautiously collected in a bag of its own for recycling. Ruby ____13____ the glass.

    Her mother came over to check on her, and she looked into Ruby's bags. “It's too bad they don't recycle broken glass, isn't it?” she sighed. Ruby realized it would be a shame to throw it in the landfill. The sun shone upon the shards and dazzled her with the different colors and reflections. It was ____14____ . This gave Ruby an idea. She brought the glass home, washed it, and fastened the pieces to the light fixture in the ceiling of her room with superglue. Ruby flipped on the light when the glue was dry and admired the stained-glass effect. From the doorway her mother said, “If you have some glass left over, why don't you do that to all the lights in the house?” Ruby made the glass ____15____ .

Directions:
Read the passage about Benjamin Franklin. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    When it comes to influential early Americans, one of the most famous is Benjamin Franklin. Born in 1706, he accomplished many important things in his life. Among his many roles, Benjamin Franklin was an author, politician, publisher, musical composer, scientist, diplomat, inventor, and civic activist. He had many ____16____ .

    When people think of Benjamin Franklin, many remember learning about his early experiments with electricity. Although most historians and scientists agree that Benjamin Franklin's famous experiment of flying a kite with a key in a thunderstorm didn't occur as it is popularly described, his discovery was very important. It led to Franklin's invention of the lightning rod, which protects homes from lightning strikes by diverting electricity to the ground. His discovery was a ____17____ .

    Benjamin Franklin's genius wasn't confined to his scientific discoveries. He is also credited with creating the first volunteer firefighting company in the United States. He invented bifocal glasses and a kind of wood-burning stove that is named after him. Although Franklin invented many things in his lifetime, he refused to patent them and, instead, freely offered his ideas to humanity in hopes of improving people's lives. His inventions were ____18____ .

    In addition to his many discoveries and inventions, Benjamin Franklin made a name for himself as a diplomat, politician, and public servant. He was one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence and served as the ambassador to France from 1776 to 1785. In that role he was instrumental in securing France's support of America's fight against the British in the Revolutionary War. He was an ____19____ for his country.

    Following the end of the war and his return to the United States, Franklin devoted much time and attention to promoting the abolition of slavery. He wrote several essays on the subject, arguing that African Americans should be integrated into American society. When Benjamin Franklin died, he left behind a legacy of accomplishment that helped to shape the future of the United States. He is ____20____.