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Reading Skills Diagnostic: Persuasive
Text
Test Instructions:
This is one of a set of
three diagnostic reading comprehension tests. The set is designed to give you
a "snapshot" of the strengths and weaknesses in your reading
skills. This test includes three different persuasive passages, each of which
has a series of multiple-choice questions based on the reading. Read each passage
carefully and then choose the best answer to the questions that follow.
For more instructions on using and taking this test
online, please click the blue "Instructions" button found on
the top of the screen within your exam.
I AM ALONE
by Cochise, Chief of the Apache Nation
1
This
for a very long time has been the home of my people; they came from the darkness,
few in numbers and feeble. We were a hunting people, living on the
animals that we could kill. We came to these mountains about us; no one
lived here, and so we took them for our home and country. Here we grew
from the first feeble band to be a great people, and covered the whole
country as the clouds cover the mountains. Many people came to our
country. First, the Spanish, with their horses and their iron shirts,
their long knives and guns, great wonders to my simple people. We fought
some, but they never tried to drive us from our homes in these mountains.
After many years the Spanish soldiers were driven away, and the Mexican
ruled the land. With these little wars came, but we were now a strong
people, and we did not fear them. At last in my youth came the white man,
your people. Under the counsels of my grandfather, who had for a very
long time been the head of the Apaches, they were received with
friendship. Soon their numbers increased and many passed through my
country to the great waters of the setting sun.
2
Your
soldiers came, and their strong houses were all through my country. I
received favors from your people and did all that I could in return and
we lived at peace. At last your soldiers did me a very great wrong, and I
and my whole people went to war with them. At first we were successful
and your soldiers were driven away and your people killed and we again
possessed our land. Soon many soldiers came from the north and from the
west, and my people were driven to the mountain hiding places; but these
did not protect us, and soon my people were flying from one mountain to
another, driven by the soldiers, even as the wind is now driving the
clouds. I have fought long and as best I could against you. I have
destroyed many of your people, but where I have destroyed one white man
many have come in his place; but where an Indian has been killed, there
has been none to come in his place, so that the great people that
welcomed you with acts of kindness to this land are now but a feeble band
that fly before your soldiers as the deer before the hunter, and must all
perish if this war continues.
3
I
have come to you, not from any love for you or for your great father in Washington, or from any regard for his
or your wishes, but as a conquered chief, to try to save the few people
that still remain to me. I am the last of my family, a family that for
very many years have been the leaders of this people, and on me depends
their future, whether they shall utterly vanish from the land or that a
small remnant remain for a few years to see the sun rise over these
mountains, their home. I here pledge my word, a word that has never been
broken, that if your great father will set aside a part of my own
country, where I and my little band can live, we will remain at peace
with your people forever. If from his abundance he will give food for my
women and children, whose protectors his soldiers have killed, with
blankets to cover their nakedness, I will receive them with gratitude. If
not, I will do my best to feed and clothe them, in peace with the white
man. I have spoken.
1.
What is the main idea
of this passage?
A.
Americans virtually wiped
out the Apaches after the Spanish and Mexicans had previously coexisted
with them in peace.
B.
Since their tribe has
been decimated by the Americans, and they are descendants of the original
inhabitants of the country, the few remaining Apaches deserve a small area
of land where they can live peacefully next to the white man, in order to
preserve their people.
C.
The Apaches were initially
a hunting people who grew to be very numerous, rising up from a
"feeble band" to populate the whole area.
D.
The American
government owes the Apaches food and clothing.
Skip
this question for now.
2.
Initially, what was
the relationship between the Americans and the Apaches?
A.
The Americans brought
great wonders such as horses to the Apaches, and their relationship was
peaceful.
B.
The Apaches were
distrustful, and the relationship was hostile from the start.
C.
The Apache leaders
encouraged their people to fight against the Americans and drive them out
of their land.
D.
The Americans were received
with friendship and lived peacefully with the Apaches in the same land.
Skip
this question for now.
3.
Read the following
sentence from the passage:
I am the last of my
family, a family that for very many years have been the leaders of this
people, and on me depends their future, whether they shall utterly vanish
from the land or that a small remnant remain for a few years to see
the sun rise over these mountains, their home.
What is the meaning
of the word remnant in this sentence?
A.
a surviving trace; a
remainder
B.
a group
C.
a memory
D.
bitter regret
Skip
this question for now.
4.
Why did the Apaches
go to war with the Americans?
A.
They were tired of
the constant stream of foreigners invading their land.
B.
They were a hunting
people, vicious and predatory.
C.
The Americans finally
did something that so outraged and insulted the Apaches that they fought
against them.
D.
The Apaches were tired
of constantly putting up with problems created by the Americans.
Skip
this question for now.
5.
What advantage did
the Americans have over the Apaches that ensured their victory?
A.
The Americans had
numbers on their side; their population was higher.
B.
The Americans had
firepower on their side; they had pistols and rifles.
C.
The Americans had
brainpower on their side; they had generals who created elaborate
strategies.
D.
The Americans had friendship
on their side; the Apache chief at the time welcomed them with friendship.
Skip
this question for now.
6.
What is the reason
that the chief makes his plea?
A.
He truly loved the Americans
and is saddened that their relationship with his people has soured.
B.
He needs food and
blankets for the Apache women and children, and he knows the American
government is a benevolent one.
C.
He has a great desire
to see his tribe rise up and repopulate the land.
D.
He wishes to gather
up the few remaining Apaches and have them live together in an area designated
for them.
Skip
this question for now.
7.
Read the following
sentence from the passage:
If from his
abundance he will give food for my women and children, whose protectors
his soldiers have killed, with blankets to cover their nakedness, I will
receive them with gratitude.
The protectors
are
A.
the American soldiers.
B.
the Apache women.
C.
the Apache men.
D.
the American government.
Skip
this question for now.
8.
Which pattern of
organization does this passage use?
A.
cause/effect
B.
chronological
C.
comparison/contrast
D.
expository
Skip
this question for now.
9.
What can we conclude about
the condition of the remaining Apaches?
A.
They are few in number
but strong in spirit and are unwilling to give up the fight against the
American soldiers.
B.
Their numbers are
growing, and they are encouraged that the battle is not over.
C.
They are few in
number, weary from battle, and defeated.
D.
They are proud and
driven, a well-organized group that is figuring out new ways to fight the
enemy.
Skip
this question for now.
10.
After reading this
passage, which of the following would be considered an opinion?
A.
The Apaches were
outnumbered by the American soldiers, and now are very few.
B.
The American soldiers
did a very great wrong to the Apaches, which resulted in war.
C.
The writer of the
piece is the last member of his ruling family.
D.
The American soldiers
are responsible for the deaths of Apache men, who were probably fathers and
husbands.
Skip
this question for now.
ANSWER KEY
1.
What is the main idea
of this passage?
A.
Americans virtually wiped
out the Apaches after the Spanish and Mexicans had previously coexisted
with them in peace.
B.
Since their tribe has
been decimated by the Americans, and they are descendants of the original
inhabitants of the country, the few remaining Apaches deserve a small area
of land where they can live peacefully next to the white man, in order to
preserve their people.
C.
The Apaches were
initially a hunting people who grew to be very numerous, rising up from a
"feeble band" to populate the whole area.
D.
The American
government owes the Apaches food and clothing.
Explanation:
This piece, as the
author's line notes, was written by the chief of the Apache Nation. In it, he
relates the history of his people, as seen in paragraphs 1 and 2, and then
makes his plea in paragraph 3. It is clear from the text that the main
reason he wrote the passage is to try to "save the few people that
still remain to me," as seen in paragraph 3, so choice b is
correct. Choice a is not a main idea of the
passage, so it is wrong. While it is true that the Americans killed almost
all the Apaches, the Apaches did fight with the Spanish and the Mexicans
(paragraph 1). In addition, even if the statement in choice a were
totally accurate, it still would not be the main idea of the passage. The
main thrust of the passage is the request for land for the Apaches.
Similarly, choice c is wrong because it offers facts revealed in
paragraph 1 that are supporting details but not the main idea. Choice d
is wrong because although the author does ask that the American government
supply food and blankets for Apache women and children, he goes on to state
that even if they are not supplied, as long as the land is granted, peace
will result.
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Identify
Main Idea
2.
Initially, what was
the relationship between the Americans and the Apaches?
A.
The Americans brought
great wonders such as horses to the Apaches, and their relationship was
peaceful.
B.
The Apaches were
distrustful, and the relationship was hostile from the start.
C.
The Apache leaders
encouraged their people to fight against the Americans and drive them out
of their land.
D.
The Americans were received
with friendship and lived peacefully with the Apaches in the same land.
Explanation:
In the last part of
paragraph 1, the author begins recounting how the native people accepted the
Americans, an account that sounds the most like choice d. He states
that his grandfather, who ruled the tribe, established peaceful relations
as increasing numbers of Americans moved into the land. Even as the numbers
increased, paragraph 2 states that the tribe and the newcomers received
mutual favors from each other and lived in peace. Choice a
is wrong because paragraph 1 states that it was the Spanish who
initially brought great wonders such as horses to the Apaches. There is no
indication that the Apaches were distrustful at the beginning, and the
passage states that the relationship was not hostile but
amicable at the start, so choice b is wrong. Choice c
is wrong because the passage states that the Apache leader at that time,
the author's grandfather, established peace initially.
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Recognize
Supporting Details
3.
Read the following
sentence from the passage:
I am the last of my
family, a family that for very many years have been the leaders of this
people, and on me depends their future, whether they shall utterly vanish
from the land or that a small remnant remain for a few years to see
the sun rise over these mountains, their home.
What is the meaning
of the word remnant in this sentence?
A.
a surviving trace; a
remainder
B.
a group
C.
a memory
D.
bitter regret
Explanation:
In this sentence, the
author relates that as the final family member to be the leader of his people,
he feels the responsibility of ensuring the survival of the Apache tribe.
The possible outcomes are presented in the second half of the sentence:
Either they disappear from the country because their numbers have so
dwindled, or a small remnant shall remain for a few years. From the
context, it is clear that remnant must be a very small remainder or
surviving trace, so choice a is correct.
Choice b does not
convey the extremely low number that remnant
does, so b is wrong. Choice c does not make sense
in light of the context. If the people vanish from the land, the memory of
them is all that would remain. The conjunction "or," indicating
an alternative to the vanishing people, tells us
that remnant cannot mean memory. Choice d also does not make
sense, since a small bitter regret could not "remain for a few years
to see the sun rise over these mountains."
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Identify
Vocabulary in Context
4.
Why did the Apaches go
to war with the Americans?
A.
They were tired of
the constant stream of foreigners invading their land.
B.
They were a hunting
people, vicious and predatory.
C.
The Americans finally
did something that so outraged and insulted the Apaches that they fought
against them.
D.
The Apaches were tired
of constantly putting up with problems created by the Americans.
Explanation:
In paragraph 2, the
author tells us that after living in peace for some time, the Americans
committed "a very great wrong" against the Apaches, and they retaliated
with war (choice c). Although the passage mentions the history of
the people who came to Apache land, there is no indication that they waged
war because they were fed up with the invaders, so choice a is wrong. Choice b is wrong because
although they were hunters, according to paragraph 1, there is no mention
or reason to infer that they were vicious and predatory. In fact, they are
shown to be rather tolerant of the different ethnic groups that came to
their land; although they "fought some," there were also periods
of peace and friendship that are mentioned. Contrary to choice d,
the passage states that the Americans and the Apaches had been living in
peace before the grievous wrong was committed against the Apaches, so
choice d is wrong.
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Draw
Inferences
5.
What advantage did
the Americans have over the Apaches that ensured their victory?
A.
The Americans had
numbers on their side; their population was higher.
B.
The Americans had firepower
on their side; they had pistols and rifles.
C.
The Americans had
brainpower on their side; they had generals who created elaborate
strategies.
D.
The Americans had friendship
on their side; the Apache chief at the time welcomed them with friendship.
Explanation:
In paragraph 2, the
author states that a major reason the Apaches were defeated was that when Americans
were killed in battle, they were quickly replaced, but when an Apache was
killed, nobody existed to replace him. Therefore, the number of Apaches
dwindled as the battles continued, so choice a is
correct. While it is true that the soldiers had guns, this is not something
we learn from the passage. The correct answer has to be drawn from the
reading, and firepower is never mentioned in connection with Americans, so
choice b is wrong. Similarly, there is no mention of strategies
created by generals, so choice c is wrong. Finally, although the
passage states that initially the Americans and Apaches coexisted and were
even friendly, by the time they went to war, their friendship had ceased.
For this reason, choice d is incorrect.
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Recognize
Supporting Details
6.
What is the reason
that the chief makes his plea?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
Paragraph 3
reveals the author's purpose in making this attempt at peace: He wants
to save the few people that remain from his tribe and ensure that they
will be able to remain together in their land, as expressed in choice d.
He knows that continued battle will surely wipe out the few of them
that are left, so he admits defeat and proposes a way to end the
conflict. Choice a is wrong because the
same paragraph tells us that he does not come out of love for Americans
or the president (the "great father in Washington"). Choice b
is also incorrect since the chief asks for provisions for the women and
children after asking for the land to be set aside. Furthermore, the
chief even says that he will do his best to provide for them if the
American government does not, but his request and his offer of peace
stand, regardless. The chief admits he is "conquered" and
only wishes to salvage the remnant he has left. Choice c is
incorrect because there is no indication that he wants his people to
repopulate the land; he is resigned to the fact that they have lost the
great majority of their land and their people.
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Identify
Author's Purpose
7.
Read the
following sentence from the passage:
If from his
abundance he will give food for my women and children, whose protectors
his soldiers have killed, with blankets to cover their nakedness, I
will receive them with gratitude.
The protectors
are
A.
American soldiers.
B.
Apache women.
C.
Apache men.
D.
American government.
Explanation:
In the
sentence above, the author suggests that the president provide the
Apache women and children with food, clothing, and blankets. His
appeal states that these people should be provided for since their
protectors, their husbands and fathers, have been killed by
Americans, choice c. Choice a is wrong, since it is
the American soldiers who are doing the killing, not being killed.
The Apache women are the recipients of the provisions, not their
own protectors; it is clear from the sentence that the women and
the protectors are two different groups of people, so choice b
is wrong. The appeal is made to the American government, but the
government is not the original protector of the women and children,
so choice d is wrong. The author appeals to the government
officials to provide for these people because their soldiers killed
the tribe's husbands and fathers.
Section:
Reading
Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Predict
Meaning
8.
Which pattern
of organization does this passage use?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
In this
persuasive piece, the author presents a plan for peace between
the Americans and the Apaches. In order to organize his
thoughts, he uses a chronological order, given in choice b.
He sets out the history of his tribe's inception, the
succeeding invaders who arrived, the war with the Americans,
and finally the "current" day and situation. This
gives the reader an easy roadmap to follow and presents a clear
picture of the situation the tribe currently faces. A cause or
effect pattern of organization, choice a, would list
many reasons for the state the tribe is in and the many effects
the war has had upon the members of the tribe, but the piece is
not organized in this manner. For example, an effect pattern
might delve into the loss of Apache culture: language, family
life, ethnic traditions, oral history, etc. Choice c,
the use of comparison or contrast to organize writing, is not
used by the author. Expository text is informational or factual
text; therefore, choice d is incorrect.
Section:
Reading Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Identify Organizational Patterns
9.
What can
we conclude about the condition of the remaining Apaches?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
In
paragraph 2, we see that the remaining Apaches are few and
that they are tired and defeated, as choice c
explains. The chief begins to describe his people as
fleeing from one mountain to another in order to escape the
Americans, and notes that a major obstacle the Apaches
faced in battling the soldiers was that there were no
replacements for the Apaches. They were totally
outnumbered. This results in the Apaches being described
once again as a "feeble band," as the chief also
described them in the first paragraph. Choice a is not a logical conclusion
since the chief describes himself as a "conquered
chief" in the third paragraph. One can logically assume
that the Apaches, who are fleeing like "deer before
the hunter," would be ready to admit defeat for
self-preservation. Choice b is incorrect since there
is nothing in the piece to suggest that their numbers are
growing. In fact, their numbers have dwindled down to
almost nothing, as we see in paragraph 3. Choice d is
also incorrect since it does not make sense to conclude
that a "feeble band" of Apaches would stand
before the hunter in a well-organized or strategic
position.
Section:
Reading Persuasive Text
Subsection:
Draw Conclusions
10.
After
reading this passage, which of the following would be
considered an opinion?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explanation:
The
chief clearly states his opinion in the second
paragraph about the cause of the war with the
Americans: In his opinion, the Americans committed a
very great wrong against the Apaches. The actual act is
unspecified, so choice b is correct. The latter
part of the sentence, the fact that the act resulted in
war, is a fact, but the cause is based on opinion.
Choice a is a proven,
verifiable fact, which can be ascertained by a census
or other count. Choice c is also a fact which
can be verified, so it is wrong. Choice d is a
fact and not an opinion since it is clear that large numbers
of Apache men were killed. Many of these were fathers
and husbands, a fact that could have been verified.
