8th Grade ELA – Pre-test Assessment 6

1. Question

Part A

Which sentence states a central idea of the passage?

A. Bahauddin Shah is lost in a vast underground cave, and he is frightened.
B. Bahauddin Shah is the guardian of an important secret that will allow the people of his city to survive after a destructive attack.
C. The Salt Caverns are a secret underground hiding place for the citizens of the city,and Bahauddin Shah is the only one who can open the caverns.
D. Outsiders who come to conquer Bahauddin Shah’s city soon realize they are in very hostile territory.

2. Question

Part B

Which detail from the passage best states the central idea?

A. “The sound of his footsteps echoed back at him through the gloom, and his heart thumped beneath his loose-fitting shirt.” (paragraph 1)
B. “Baladis are survivors. We will rebuild. Itjust might take some time.” (paragraph 14)
C. “Balabad’s great defense was that it was impossible to hold on to, and any rational outsider eventually came to the same conclusion.” (paragraph 16)
D. “You would never have seen it had you not known where to look.” (paragraph 18)

3. Question

Part A

How does paragraph 1 help to develop the plot of the passage?

A. The paragraph creates admiration for Bahauddin Shah by describing his determination.
B. The paragraph establishes the conflict by explaining the reason Bahauddin Shah is alone in the dark.
C. The paragraph creates suspense by providing sensory details in the scene.
D. The paragraph foreshadows later events in the excerpt by describing the rising action.

4. Question

Part B

Which additional quotation from the passage helps to develop the plot in the same way as paragraph 1?

A. “He knew every corner of this underground world, and his old body pulled him toward the exit like a falcon returning to his master’s arm.” (paragraph 8)
B. “Bahauddin had just turned into a wet, narrow passage and was examining some black marking on the wall when the thud of cannon fire above him jolted him to the ground.” (paragraph 9)
C. “. . .ten thousand feuding tribes in the north, all angry about some long ago slight, and all willing to drag a foreigner into their squabbles.” (paragraph 16)
D. “Bahauddin reached the end of the narrow passageway and held his lantern above his head.” (paragraph 18)

5. Question

Part A

What aspect of Bahauddin Shah’s character is revealed throughout the passage?

A. He does not give up when faced with difficult circumstances.
B. He takes his position in Balabad seriously.
C. He is concerned about the well-being of his fellow citizens of Balabad.
D. He has confidence that the city will remain untouched.

6. Question

Part B

Which two details from the passage provide evidence to support the answer to Part A?

A. “Sometimes Bahauddin came out into vast open rooms that rose up into shapeless voids.” (paragraph 5)
B. “But Bahauddin would not get lost.” (paragraph 8)
C. “. . . his old body pulled him toward the exit like a falcon returning to his master’s arm.” (paragraph 8)
D. “It does not matter,’ the old man reassured himself . . . .” (paragraph 14)
E. “The outsiders would eventually lose interest, just like all the other outsiders who had come before them, Bahauddin thought.” (paragraph 15)
F. “Bahauddin reached the end of the narrow passageway and held his lantern above his head.” (paragraph 18)

7. Question

Part A

Why is the description of the Salt Caverns important in the passage?

A. It reveals that the caverns are a good place to conceal something of great importance.
B. It emphasizes how unpleasant and uncomfortable the caverns are for the people who must travel through them.
C. It illustrates that the caverns may provide an escape route for the citizens of Balabad during attack and siege from outsiders.
D. It explains how the caverns are used to store vast amounts of grain and water.

8. Question

Part B

Which theme is supported by the answer to Part A?

A. Sometimes the best place to hide something valuable is in plain sight.
B. A person should not venture into an unknown place for fear of becoming lost.
C. An individual must use the advantages available to protect the people and their country from harm.
D. Sometimes the best way to defend oneself is to hide until the danger has passed.

9. Question

Part A

Which inference can the reader make about Bahauddin Shah from the information in paragraph 2?

A. Bahauddin Shah was too weak to carry the key chain further.
B. Bahauddin Shah felt a great responsibility to his fellow citizens for keeping the keys safe.
C. Bahauddin Shah was worried that the key chain would keep him from accomplishing his task.
D. Bahauddin Shah felt that the keys were a symbol of his authority over others.

10. Question

Part B

Which two sentences from the passage support the answer to Part A?

A. “The old man wore a heavy iron key chain around his belt, and it weighed down on him in more ways than one.” (paragraph 2)
B. “But Bahauddin would not get lost.” (paragraph 8)
C. “His hand groped for the key chain, and he smiled when his fingers felt the cold iron.” (paragraph 10)
D. “He was nearly at the surface.” (paragraph 12)
E. “What would be left of his city, his family, the palace?” (paragraph 13)
F. “You would never have seen it had you not known where to look.” (paragraph 18)