Directions: Reading Skills Practice Tests Two Reading Skills Practice Tests can be found on pages 13-16 of this Teacher s Edition. You can photocopy them and use them all at once, or have students do just two pages at a time. Directions for giving the tests and the answer key are below. OBJECTIVES: To expose students to a standardized-test format; to assess students skills. Reading Skills Practice Test #1 A. Phonics: Consonants This section checks a student s knowledge of consonant sounds, including blends. Say: We will write a letter or letters on each line to finish the word. Look at the picture in the sample. (Point to the sample.) What is it? (a tree) If you write tr on the line, the word is tree. Now, write the missing letter or letters on the lines for 1-5. B. Phonics: Vowels This section checks a student s knowledge of short and long vowel sounds. Say: We will write a letter or letters on each line to finish the word. Look at the picture in the sample. (Point to the sample.) What is it? (a bat) If you write a on the blank line, the word is bat. Now, write the missing letter or letters on the blank lines for 1-5. C. High-Frequency Words Say: I will read aloud one word in the sample. Circle the word I read aloud: an. Say: Each column has three words. I will read one of them aloud. Listen carefully. Circle the word. 1. when 2. has 3. then 4. please 5. once This section checks a student s ability to attach meaning to print and to identify decodeable words. Say: Look at the sample. Read each word under the picture. Which word goes with the picture? (cat) Fill in the bubble next to cat. Now, fill in the bubbles next to the words that go with the pictures for 1-5. Reading Skills Practice Test #2 This section checks a student s ability to use capitalization, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. Say: Choose the correct word or words for each sentence. Fill in the bubble next to each correct answer. B. Article Comprehension This section checks a student s ability to comprehend short nonfiction. Say: Read the article. Then fill in the bubble next to the best answer to each question. After that, write a sentence about what you read. Answer Keys Practice Test #1 A. Phonics: Consonants SAMPLE: tr 1. gr 2. fr 3. dr 4. ck 5. sk B. Phonics: Vowels SAMPLE: a 1. ee 2. a, e 3. i, e 4. oa 5. a, e C. High-Frequency Words SAMPLE: an 1. when 2. has 3. then 4. please 5. once SAMPLE: cat 1. children 2. house 3. eye 4. shirt 5. sing Practice Test #2 1. He 2. Mr. Gray 3. I 4. going 5. plays 6. Florida. 7. swim 8. black and white. 9. ran 10. his B. Article Comprehension 1. zebras 2. a group of zebras 3. grass 4. Some possible answers: Zebras have black stripes and white stripes. Zebras are a lot like horses. Wild zebras live in Africa. Zebras watch out for lions. 12 SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 1
Name: To the teacher: Answers and directions for administering the test are on page 12 of this Teacher s Edition. Reading Skills Practice Test #1 Grade 1 A. Phonics: Consonants and Consonant Blends Look at each picture. Write the missing letter or letters on the line. ee apes og ess ne ma ILLUSTRATED BY RITA LASCARO B. Phonics: Short and Long Vowels Look at each picture. Write the missing letter or letters on the lines. b t b n n c t w v t p 13 SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 1
C. High-Frequency Words Fill in the bubble next to the word your teacher says out loud. O as O ask O an O when O what O walk O him O his O has O thank O think O then O please O pretty O put O was O once O over Fill in the bubble next to the word that names each picture. O cat O kite O kit O child O children O change O eye O I O ear O short O shirt O shoe O hose O horse O house O sing O sign O sew 14 SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 1
Name: To the teacher: Answers and directions for administering the test are on page 12 of this Teacher s Edition. Reading Skills Practice Test #2 Read each sentence. Fill in the bubble next to the choice that best completes each sentence. 1. loves dogs. O He O he O HE 2. is Sam s dad. O mr gray O mr. gray O Mr. Gray 3. Emily and dance. O I O i O me 4. Are you there? O will go O going O go 5. She. O plays O play O playing 15 SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 1 6. My friend lives in O florida O Florida. O Florida? 7. They. O swimming O swim O swims 8. The soccer ball is O black and white, O black and white. O black and white 9. Sara to school. O run O rans O ran 10. That is book. O his O him O he Grade 1
B. Article Comprehension Read the story. Then answer each question. Fill in the bubble next to the best answer. Can you name this animal? It s a zebra! Zebras have black and white stripes. They live in groups called herds. Zebras eat grass, bark, and leaves. They watch out for lions. Lions like to eat zebras! 1. What animal is this story about? O lions O zebras O horses Wild zebras live in Africa. TOP-PICS TBK/ALAMY 2. What is a herd? O a group of zebras O one zebra O a kind of grass 3. What is one thing zebras eat? O lions O chicken O grass 4. Write a sentence that tells one fact about zebras. 16 SCHOLASTIC NEWS Edition 1