Reading Assessment Part B

1. Which statement best describes how Damocles views the life of Dionysius at the beginning of the story?

A) lonely, because his subjects don’t like him
B) dangerous, because his subjects may kill him
C) easy and carefree, because he is so cruel
D) wonderful, because he has riches and fine things

2. Which word best describes Damocles at the beginning of the story?

A) happy
B) frightened
C) adventurous
D) jealous

3. Why is Dionysius referred to as “the tyrant”?

A) to remind us that he is a very cruel and unfair king
B) to remind us that he is very rich
C) to remind us that he doesn’t want to be king anymore
D) to remind us that he is a good friend to Damocles

4. Dionysius rules his kingdom like a tyrant, so his subjects

A) want to kill him.
B) are happy for him.
C) would prefer Damocles be king.
D) refuse to eat and drink with him.

5. When Damocles chooses to live like the king, what does he learn?

A) He has an argument with Dionysius.
B) He understands that the king’s life is not as easy as he thought.
C) He learns that being the king is hard work
D) He realizes that having riches only brings problems.

6. What problem does Damocles have at the start of the story and how does he solve it?

A) He envies the king’s riches, but he realizes that his own life is happier.
B) His life is in danger, but he is able to gain protection from the king by becoming his friend.
C) He is very hungry, and he is able to have his fill of food and drink at the palace.
D) He is upset that the king is a tyrant, and he convinces the king to be kinder.

7. Which of the following statements might Damocles make at the end of the story?

A) “I will try to find a stronger rope to hold the sword.”
B) “I don’t want to be rich and powerful because it might not make me happy
C) “I will do my best to protect the king from danger.”
D) “I don’t want to be king, but I still want to be wealthy and strong.”

8. Which is an example of figurative language from the story?

A) When Dionysius tells Damocles, “I have a sword over my head all the time.”
B) He was so badly frightened that he dared not move.
C) When Damocles tells Dionysius, “I should not want any greater happiness.”
D) He lacked nothing that could give him pleasure.

9. Who was Regulus?

A) a prison guard
B) a man who made laws
C) a general from Rome
D) a leader from Carthage

10. Why did Regulus leave Rome?

A) The people of Carthage asked him to move to their country.
B) He had to find a job so he could support his family.
C) He wanted to travel to see other countries
D) He believed that his first duty was to fight for his country.

11. What happened to Regulus during the war?

A) He was injured in a battle.
B) He won the war.
C) He was captured.
D) He left his family in Carthage.

12. Why did the rulers of Carthage let Regulus return to Rome?

A) His children begged them to send him home.
B) His wife was sick and he needed to go home.
C) They knew that the Romans would make him return.
D) They knew he would keep his promise to them.

13. What consequence did Regulus face when he chose to tell the Romans to keep fighting?

A) He had to go back to Carthage and return to prison.
B) He had to send his wife and sons to Carthage.
C) He had to beg the Roman leaders to let him return to Carthage.
D) He had to face imprisonment in Rome.

14. Which one of the following words best describes Regulus when he returned to Carthage?

A) dishonest
B) tired
C) courageous
D) frightened

15. What might a soldier from Carthage say about Regulus?

A) “He is a man of honor.”
B) “He is a fine soldier whom we should ask to fight for us.”
C) “He is a weak man and a poor general.”
D) “He is a good peacemaker.”

16. What inference can you make about Regulus?

A) He wants to die in Carthage.
B) He has won many battles in his life.
C) He wants to help Rome succeed.
D) He is a very good father

17. Which of the following is a possible theme for the story?

A) It is important to encourage your country to win a war.
B) By no means should you ever be captured in war.
C) Never forget your family and friends.
D) An honest person keeps his word.

18. Which of the following choices would make a good title for this article?

A) Improving Roads Throughout History
B) Famous Industrialists
C) The Importance of Turnpikes Today
D) How to Build a Strong Road

19. How can you tell that this is a nonfiction passage?

A) because it gives facts and information
B) because it has a main character
C) because it does not have a title
D) because it does not have any dialogue

20. Where might you look for the definitions of the boldfaced words if you were reading this passage in a textbook?

A) index
B) glossary
C) table of contents
D) title page

21. Which of the following is a fact?

A) Most of the local volunteers who built roads in the 1700s were lazy.
B) Tolls on turnpikes paid for construction and repairs to the roads.
C) Building roads is interesting and enjoyable work.
D) People enjoy driving on macadam roads because they are not bumpy

22. Which sentence best states the main idea of paragraph 4 in the passage?

A) John McAdam was one of Scotland’s greatest inventors.
B) Heavy traffic caused roads to break apart into small bits of rock.
C) Crushed rock is an important component in making roads.
D) Roads built with McAdam’s methods had a great effect on both road development and the British economy

23. Why were merchants able to carry larger loads with fewer horses on macadam roads?

A) The horses were able to move faster on the new roads.
B) The new roads were able to withstand heavier traffic.
C) The price for using the new roads fell.
D) People who rode horses on the new roads did not suffer as much as before.

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