Read this story. Then answer questions 1 through 7.

Tom works at Sandy Lane Stables with his friends Rosie, Jess, and Nick. Chancey, the
horse he will be taking care of this summer, has just arrived in a horse truck.

Excerpt from Sandy Lane Stables:

A Horse for the Summer
by Michelle Bates

1 Everyone was quiet as a disgruntled-looking man stepped down from the cab,
alone. . . .

2 “I don’t know what you’ve got in there,” said the man, hunching his shoulders.
“Supposed to be a horse . . . well, he was when I loaded him anyway. A real handful. Only
just managed to get him in the van and that was nothing compared to the ride here.
ought he was going to kick the van down. Better you than me, son,” he said, climbing
into the van before Tom had a chance to reply.
3 ere was a frantic whinny and the sound of drumming hooves reverberated around
the stables as Chancey pranced down the ramp. He was certainly on his toes, but he didn’t
look like the sleek, well turned-out horse that Tom remembered seeing last season. He was
still unclipped and his shabby winter coat was flecked with foam, as feverishly he pawed
the ground. No one knew what to say.

4 Eventually, Rosie managed to pipe up with: “Are you sure it’s the same horse?”
5 “Of course it is,” Tom snapped, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
“He only needs to be clipped and he’ll look fine.”
6 “I wouldn’t be so sure,” Jess muttered under her breath.
7 “Shouldn’t he have been clipped already?” said Rosie. She was always looking things
up in her Pony Club manual and was sure that she had read that horses should be clipped
before January, or their summer coat would be spoiled.
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Page 2 Session 1
8 “He probably should have been, still that won’t be too much of a problem,” said Nick
kindly. “Now come on everyone, stop crowding him and get back to what you were doing.
Take him to his new home, Tom.”
9 Tom approached the horse and took the halter that the man o ered him. Chancey
jumped kittishl rom side to side, rolling his eyes and flicking his tail as Tom led him
o .

10 “Poor Tom,” said Rosie. “He was so excited about that horse. Still, even though
Chancey isn’t very good-looking, I’m sure he’ll be an absolute dream to ride.”
11 Tom didn’t know what to think. When he had seen Chancey last season, he had been
one hundred percent fit, his muscles rippling under his glossy chestnut coat. Tom was sure
that he hadn’t been mistaken, he was definitely the same horse.
12 Tom picked up the things that the van driver had le in the middle of the stables.
ere was a saddle and bridle, a dark blue New Zealand blanket and a box full of glossy
grooming brushes that looked as though they had never been used. Putting them in the
tack room, he grabbed an old body brush and curry comb, and hurried back to Chancey’s
stall. He would have to be quick if he was going to be able to give Chancey a quick
grooming and get home in time for lunch. Tom opened the door slowly, careful not to
start .
13 “Come on, boy. Let’s get you cleaned up and give you your lunch. I bet you’re hungry
a er that awful trip,” he crooned.
14 Chancey seemed to have settled down a little and nuzzled om’s pockets
inquisitively. om fumbled around for a mint. e horse’s lips were as so as crushed
velvet as he gratefully accepted the o ering.

15 “at’s better,” said Tom. “I thought you’d taken an instant dislike to me, and it’s very
important that we’re friends if we’re going to spend the whole summer together.”
16 “Hey, now hang on a minute,” said Tom, as the nuzzling turned into frantic chewing.
“I’m sure my jacket doesn’t taste that great and I won’t be getting a new one if you eat it
either.” Gently, Tom pushed Chancey’s nose away.

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Session 1 Page 3
 17 “I’ve got to go home for lunch in a minute,” Tom went on, giving him a quick
rubdown. “I’ll be back at two. Nick has said that we can join the 3 o’clock class. Are you
listening?”
18 Chancey wasn’t paying any notice. Already bored of all the attention, his head was
buried deep in a bucket of pony pellets as Tom bolted the door of the stall and set o for
home.

19 Lunch was something that Tom’s mother insisted upon. If he was going to be at the
stables all day, she said that he must at least come back at one to eat. He was careful to
obey her, if only to keep her from going on about the amount of time he spent at Sandy
Lane.

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Page 4 Session 1
 Which detail from paragraph 3 best helps the reader understand the meaning of the phrase “well
1 turned-out”?

A sound of drumming hooves

B pranced down the ramp

C his shabby winter coat

D feverishly he pawed the ground

How do paragraphs 3 and 11 develop an idea in the story?

2
A ey show how Tom changes his mind about Chancey.

B ey explain the cause and effect of Chancey’s arrival.

C ey reveal why Tom wanted to train Chancey himself.

D ey compare how Chancey looked at different times.

Paragraphs 14 and 18 are important to understanding Chancey because they show that he
3
A can be a calm and friendly animal

B is confused about his new home

C will be easy to train and care for

D understands that Tom has to leave

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Session 1 Page 5
 Tom and Nick are similar in the story because they both
4
A are eager to clip Chancey and make him look his best

B learn about Chancey from the man who drove him

C know how to make Chancey feel appreciated

D show confidence in the effort to help Chancey

How does paragraph 19 help the reader understand the story?

5
It explains the reason why Tom spends time at the stable by suggesting that his mother
A does not like horses.

It reveals more about Tom’s character by describing how important spending time at the
B stable is to him.

It shows a resolution to Tom’s problem by showing that he only leaves the stable once
C
Chancey is comfortable.

It tells the effect of Chancey coming to the stable by explaining that Tom no longer wants
D
to spend time at home.

Which sentence best expresses a theme of the story?

6
A Patience and hard work teach responsibility.

B Giving advice to others in unexpected situations is not always helpful.

C Situations that seem difficult at first may be better than they appear.

D Being kind to others helps them realize their mistakes.

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Page 6 Session 1
 Scientists who have studied horses believe that they are able to understand the moods of the
7 people around them. How does this idea best connect to the details in the story?

A e workers at the stable are frightened by how poorly Chancey behaves.

B Chancey is relaxed and comfortable when Tom brushes him and speaks nicely to him.

C Chancey is nervous and upset during his trip to the stable in a trailer.

D Nick is confident Chancey will behave better once the horse has time to be alone.

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Session 1 Page 7
 Read this article. Then answer questions 22 through 28.

Excerpt from Wild in the City

by Megan Hansen

1 At first glance, a vacant lot in a city might seem lifeless. But look closer. A dragonfly
dances around a puddle. A frog darts from a drainpipe to snatch the dragonfly. From the
rooops, a hawk swoops down to grab the frog. Cities might have been built for humans,
but wildlife is everywhere! When you think of wildlife, you might picture bears lumbering
through the forest. But many animals have adapted to the sewers, parks, and alleys of the
“concrete jungle.” ese areas provide a natural habitat for many species. Wild animals
need food, water, space to hunt or hide, and a place to raise young. A city offers all of
these.
2 e rooops abound with winged wildlife. More than 200 bird species are found in
the city, including blue jays, robins, doves, finches, crows, gulls, and woodpeckers.
Peregrine falcons and ospreys nest on skyscrapers and bridges. New Yorkers also love to
watch butterflies. Each year, thousands of monarch butterflies pass through the streets
during their fall migration to Mexico. And let’s not forget nature’s insect control: bats.
ese winged mammals can eat eight mosquitoes, flies, or moths a minute. With up to 500
bats living in a single church belfry, that’s 240,000 bugs an hour—gobbled up! . . .
3 What about the city’s tiniest wildlife? Although you might not like to think about
them, cockroaches are amazingly well-adapted to city life. ese insects can live for two
months without food, and haven’t changed much since scurrying around with dinosaurs
millions of years ago. No wonder they seem unstoppable! Earthworms are another urban
crawler. ese marvelous little wrigglers gobble up dead leaves, food scraps, and garbage,
and turn them into rich soil. Without worms, the trees, grass, and flowers of Central Park
would not grow.
4 Sometimes New York gets unexpected visitors. As the forests surrounding New York
fill with more and more people, wild animals are forced to find new homes. New Yorkers
have spotted coyotes, white-tailed deer, and gray foxes in the city. A black bear was spotted
wandering past a high school just 20 miles away from the city. And in 2009, a 30-foot long
humpback whale swam into New York Harbor. Biologists, engineers, and politicians work
hard to make sure city wildlife stays healthy and interacts safely with humans. A special
nest for four eaglets was constructed in New York’s Inwood Park. Bald eagles, which were
once endangered, can now be spotted flying over Central Park. So the next time you’re in
New York (or any other big city), take a moment to look up, look under, and look closer.
You’ll find a world of wildlife!

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Session 1 Page 19
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Page 20 Session 1
 How do the details in paragraph 2 support a central idea of the article?
22
A ey highlight the idea that certain animals in a city may be helpful to people.

B ey show that the city is large enough to support many different kinds of birds.

C ey explain how different species use city spaces like they do in a natural environment.

D ey compare the homes of animals living in a city with their shelters in the wild.

Which detail from the article best explains why wildlife can survive in urban areas?
23
“A frog darts from a drainpipe to snatch the dragonfly. From the rooops, a hawk swoops
A down to grab the frog.” (paragraph 1)

“Wild animals need food, water, space to hunt or hide, and a place to raise young. A city
B offers all of these.” (paragraph 1)

“ese insects can live for two months without food, and haven’t changed much since
C
scurrying around with dinosaurs millions of years ago.” (paragraph 3)

“ese marvelous little wrigglers gobble up dead leaves, food scraps, and garbage, and
D
turn them into rich soil.” (paragraph 3)

What is the meaning of the word “interacts” as it is used in paragraph 4 of the article?
24
A understands well

B remains hidden

C changes places

D comes close

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Session 1 Page 21
 Scientists have found that ants eat a great deal of the food thrown away by people. How does this
25 idea mainly connect to the details in the article?

A Like birds, ants will likely be able to find safe places to live in cities.

B Like earthworms and bats, ants are good additions to a city environment.

C Like cockroaches, ants will likely survive in a city even during very difficult times.

D Like butterflies and bears, ants are only attracted to city spaces during certain seasons.

What is the main claim the author makes about people and wildlife?
26
A People should consider city spaces and rural spaces as homes for wildlife.

B People should take time to learn about the wildlife in the places where they live.

C People should work with local groups to protect wildlife in their neighborhoods.

D People should be prepared to encounter dangerous animals in urban environments.

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Page 22 Session 1