Passage 2

Directions: Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

Today, Mike and his mom are going to the library. Mike wants to find a book to read. His mom wants to use a computer there.

When they get to the library, Mike finds a book about detectives. He also finds a book with chapters about a friendly ghost. Finally, he finds a book about a man who lives in the woods without food or water. He puts the books on the front desk and waits for his mom.

Mike's mom sits at one of the computers in the library. She checks her email and looks at pictures of flowers on the internet. Then she reads a news article on a website.

Mike's mom leaves the computer and walks over to Mike, holding up something out for him. Mike looks at her quizzically. It takes him a moment to recognize what she is holding. “I got that movie for us to watch tonight," says Mike's mom. “Are you ready to leave?”

"Sure," Mike says, now holding the movie out in front of him. He reads the cover while walking back to the library entrance. He puts his books and the movie on the front desk to check out. A librarian stands behind the counter holding an electronic scanner. "How long can we keep them?" Mike asks her.

"Three weeks," says the librarian.

"Cool," says Mike.

Suddenly, Mike is surprised. His mother is checking out something else that is too big to put on the desk. It’s a picture of the ocean.

"What is that for?" Mike asks.

"To put on our wall at home," says Mike's mom.

"You can do that?" Mike asks.

Mike's mom smiles at the librarian. "Yes," she says, "but we have to return it in three months."

Questions

1) Based on the books Mike finds to check out, we can tell that he is interested in

A. science

B. nature

C. mystery

D. adventure

 

2) While at the computer, Mike's mom
I. checks her mail
II. looks at pictures
III. reads an article
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II, and III
 

3) According to the passage, how long can Mike and his mother use the books and the movie before they must return them to the library?
A. one week
B. two weeks
C. three weeks
D. four weeks
 

4) Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can understood that quizzically belongs to which of the following word groups?
A. abnormally, strangely, weirdly
B. casually, carelessly, indifferently
C. passionately, keenly, intensely
D. inquisitively, questioningly, curiously
 

5) As used in paragraph 5, the phrase "check out" most nearly means
A. to see
B. to rent
C. to find
D. to buy
 

6) What does Mike's mom want to do with the picture of the ocean?
A. She wants to buy it.
B. She wants to hang it on her wall.
C. She wants to give it to her friend as a gift.
D. She wants to donate it to the library.

7) Using the passage as a guide, it can be understood that you can check out which of the following things from the library?
I. pictures
II. furniture
III. computers
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. II and III only
D. I, II, and III
 

8) Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. Mike's Mom
B. A Picture of the Ocean
C. At the Library
D. Books, Computers, Movies, and Pictures

Answers and Explanations
1) C
In paragraph 2, the passage talks about the books that Mike finds. It says, "Mike finds a book about detectives. He also finds a book with chapters about a friendly ghost. Finally, he finds a book about a man who lives in the woods without food or water." The first book is about detectives. Detectives solve mysteries. The second book is about ghosts. Ghosts are mysterious. The third book is about a man who lives without food or water. This is also mysterious. Using this information, we can tell that Mike is interested in mystery. Choice (C) is correct.

2) D
In paragraph 3, the passage says that Mike's mom "sits at one of the computers in the library. She checks her email and looks at pictures of flowers on the internet. " This supports option (I) and option (II). At the end of paragraph 3, the passage says that Mike's mom "reads a news article on a website." This supports option (III). Therefore (D) is correct.

3) C
In the middle of the passage, Mike puts the books and the movie on the front desk to check out. Then he asks the librarian how long he can keep them. The librarian tells him that he can keep them for three weeks. Choice (C) is correct.

4) D
quizzically (adverb): in a questioning or puzzled manner.
In paragraph 4, the passage says, "Mike's mom leaves the computer and walks over to Mike, holding up something out for him. Mike looks at her quizzically. It takes him a moment to recognize what she is holding." Given that it takes Mike a moment to recognize what his mother is holding, we can understand that he must be looking at it inquisitively, questioningly, or curiously. Therefore, we can understand that quizzically belongs to the word group in (D).

5) B
check out (idiom): to itemize or sort to obtain the amount due for purchase or record.
Both Mike and his mom go to the librarian in order to check out things from the library. We know that Mike has to return the books and the movie to the library in three weeks. We also know that Mike's mom has to return the picture to the library in three months. Using this information, we can understand that if you check out something, you must return it later. Similarly, if you rent something, you must return it later. Therefore, check out means rent. Choice (B) is correct.

6) B
At the end of the passage, Mike asks his mom what the picture is for. She says that it is "to put on our wall at home." This lets us know that (B) is correct.

7) A
In the end of the passage, it says that Mike's mother "is checking out something else that is too big to put on the desk. It’s a picture of the ocean." This lets us know that you can check out pictures from the library. This supports option (I). Although Mike's mother does check out a picture from the library, the passage does not provide information to support the idea that you can check out furniture from the library. Pictures are not commonly considered articles of furniture. This eliminates option (II). Although Mike's mother uses a computer at the library, the passage does not provide information to support the idea that you can check out computers from the library. This eliminates option (III). Therefore (A) is correct.

8) C
A good title describes the main idea of the passage. In this passage, Mike and his mom go to the library. There, they read books, use the computer, check out a movie and a picture. Using this information, the reader can understand what happens at the library. Since the passage concentrates on Mike and his mother's experience at the library, this is the main idea. Choice (C) is correct.