Name:________________________

9th Grade English

Final Exam

Directions: Read each passage and answer the questions located directly
below it.

A Bird Came Down

by Emily Dickinson

A bird came down the walk:

He did not know I saw;
He bit an angle-worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank a dew

From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sidewise to the wall
To let a beetle pass.

He glanced with rapid eyes

That hurried all abroad,--
They looked like frightened beads, I thought;
He stirred his velvet head

Like one in danger; cautious,

I offered him a crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home

Than oars divide the ocean,

Too silver for a seam,
Or butterflies, off banks of noon,
Leap, splashless, as they swim.

1. Read these two lines from the poem: “He bit an angle-worm in halves”
“And ate the fellow, raw.”
Which of the following describes the relationship between these two lines?

A The lines make a comparison.

B The lines describe the order of events that occurred.
C The lines show differences between objects in the poem.
D The second sentence gives the cause of the first.
2. Read these lines from the poem: Like one in danger; cautious, I offered
him a crumb, Based on the text, the word cautious means

A obliged
B careful
C alert
D grateful

3. The primary purpose of this poem is to describe

A the author’s experience of watching a bird and its actions

B the reason people should not interact with birds
C how to use imagery and metaphors when writing about nature
D the various things a person might see outside

4. In which point of view is the poem written?

A first person point of view

B second person point of view
C third person limited point of view
D third person omniscient point of view

5. Which line of poetry is the best example of imagery?

A Or butterflies, off banks of noon,

B To let a beetle pass.
C He glanced with rapid eyes
D He stirred his velvet head

The Hidden Costs of Eating Meat

by Dave McCaul

1 Vegetarians often cite a concern for the welfare of animals

when they explain their choice to avoid eating meat. However,
the humane treatment of animals is just one of the many
motivations behind the vegetarian lifestyle. A lesser known
benefit of vegetarianism is that it is more ecologically
responsible than eating meat. Thus, meat eaters who care
about the welfare of the planet should seriously consider
choosing vegetarian alternatives.
2 Among the hidden ecological costs of eating meat is water
waste. Many people fail to consider that it takes a lot of water
to raise cattle. Much of this water is used to irrigate the
pastures where cows graze. Given the tremendous amount of
grass that cows consume, the water use adds up. According
to a study conducted by the Water Education Foundation, one
pound of California beef requires 2,464 gallons of water.
Consumers should ponder this tradeoff before deciding to
purchase a pound of ground beef at the grocery store.

3 Another hidden cost of being a carnivore has to do with

pasture space. Cows and other livestock require open spaces
where they can roam and graze. To create these spaces,
forests must be cleared. According to Greenpeace, the cattle
industry is the number one cause of deforestation on the
planet. The most prominent example of this damage is seen in
the Amazon rainforest. According to the Brazilian government,
cattle are responsible for roughly 80% of all deforestation in
the Amazon. While it may be true that cows, chickens, pigs,
and other animals deserve their fair share of space, the
current demand for meat must be reduced if we are to save
the world's forests from total decimation.

4 As if saving water and trees weren't already sufficient

reasons to reduce meat consumption, there is also the
problem of pollution. Nitrates, which are naturally occurring
forms of nitrogen found in soil, are a byproduct of animal
manure. They can also be found in the fertilizers that are
commonly used on pastures where livestock graze. Huge
concentrations of these nitrates can become poisonous when
they seep into our water systems. Studies have linked high
nitrate levels in drinking water to thyroid cancer, skin rashes,
hair loss, birth defects, and more. It goes without saying that
nitrate pollution will only get worse with the increase of the
world's livestock populations.

5 Along with negative environmental impacts, there is also

the literal cost of eating meat over vegetables and other non-
meat foods. Meat actually costs more than vegetables even
though many vegetarian foods provide a much better source
of protein than meat. For example, a 100-gram portion of meat
contains only 20 grams of protein while 100 grams of
 soybeans contains 34 grams of protein. Sirloin steak costs
approximately $2.33 per pound, yet ingredients for a
vegetarian meal average less than 50 cents per pound.
Becoming a vegetarian could potentially save people a
substantial amount of money every year.

6 Given all the negative consequences of eating meat, it is

easy to see why so many people are choosing the vegetarian
lifestyle. At the same time, one should not discount the fact
that meat offers dietary benefits. Moreover, many people
simply love the taste of meat. It is important to keep in mind
that a strict vegetarian diet is not the only solution. If meat
lovers would simply consider the environmental impact of their
diet and occasionally choose a vegetarian alternative, they too
can help save the planet.

6. The author wrote the passage to

A persuade people that eating meat offers benefits and risks that must be
carefully weighed.
B highlight the importance of eating a balanced diet to maintain a healthy
standard of living.
C convince people of the many benefits of choosing a vegetarian diet over
a meat-heavy diet.
D explain that eating meat can be harmful but can only destroy the planet
through pollution.

7. What is the author’s purpose in paragraph 5?

A To show that becoming a vegetarian is cost-effective

B To show that becoming a vegetarian will allow you to have more protein
everyday
C To show that eating meat does not have much protein
D To show that people who are meat eaters spend an average of $2.33
per pound

8. Which of the following words is a synonym for decimation?

A obliteration
B liquidation
C dismantlement
D disturbance
9.As it is used in the passage, what does the word deforestation mean?

A the deviation from sustainable forestry

B the elimination of forested region
C the harvesting of trees as a resource
D the relocation of a forest between regions

10. Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the passage?

A Eating meat can cause deforestation of many areas, which could lead to
the total destruction of the world’s forests.
B Becoming a vegetarian can keep food costs low for consumers, and it
also provides a much bigger source of protein.
C Becoming a vegetarian would not waste as much water as eating meat
does, especially since gardens do not use as much water.
D Eating meats comes with a variety of consequences, while
vegetarianism is more cost-effective and beneficial to the environment.

11. Why does the author include information about the increased amount
of nitrates in the soil?

A to show that meat products can be harmful to humans

B to prove that vegetables contain more nutrients than meat products
C to prove that nitrate-rich vegetables can contribute to water pollution
D to explain that nitrate-rich grains lead to deforestation

12. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A Eating vegetables can help alleviate major global issues such as climate
change and air pollution.
B Deforestation rates in the world would decrease if people choose to eat
more vegetables.
C Farmers could suffer financially if they started growing crops rather than
raising livestock.
D The rates of serious medical conditions in the United States if people
ate less meat.
He was broad shouldered and double jointed, with short surly black hair,
and a bluff but not unpleasant countenance, with a mingle air of fun and
arrogance. From his Hurculean frame and great powers of limb, he had
received his nickname Brom Bones, by which he was universally known.
He was famous for great knowledge and skill in horsemanship, being as
dexterous on horseback as a Tartar. He was foremost at all races and
cockfights; and with the ascendency which bodily strength acquires in
rustic life, was an umpire in all disputes, setting his had on one side and
giving his decisions with an air and tone admitting no gainsay or appeal.
His was always ready for a fight or a frolic; but had more mischief than ill
will in his composition, and, with all his overbearing roughness, there was
a strong dash of waggish good humor at bottom.

13. By describing Brom’s body as “Hurculean” the writer suggests that he

is
A old and worn out
B of Greek origin
C stubborn and inflexible
D very strong

14. Brom is best described as

A handsome and popular
B a poor horseman
C descended from an ancient race of people
D a tough guy

15. Overall, this passages uses

A references
B. indirect characterization
C direct characterization
D main and minor characters

“A Narrow Fellow in the Grass” – by Emily Dickinson

A narrow fellow in the Grass

Occasionally rides –
You may have met Him – did you not
His notice sudden is –

The Grass divides as with a comb –

A spotted shaft is seen –
And then it closes at your feet
And opens further on –
He likes a Boggy acre
A Floor too cool for Corn
Yet when a Boy, and Barefoot –
I more than once at Noon

Have passed, I though, a whip lash

Unbraiding in the Sun
When stooping to secure it
It wrinkled, and was gone –

Several of Nature’s people

I know and they know me –
I feel for them a transport
Of cordiality

But never met this fellow

Attended of alone
Without a tighter breathing
And Zero to the Bone.

16. Lines 5 and 9 are an example of what figure of speech?

A simile
B metaphor
C hyperbole
D alliteration

17. The speaker of the poem is:

A male
B female
C a snake
D a blade of grass

Taken from Prentice Hall Earth Science

Depositional Features
Recall that a beach is the shore of a body of water that is covered in sand,
gravel, or other larger sediments. Sediment eroded from the beach is
transported along the shore and deposited in areas where wave energy is
low. Such processes produce a variety of depositional features.

Spits, Bars, and Tombolos Where longshore currents and other surf zone
currents are active several features related to the movement of sediment
along the shore may develop. As shown in Figure A a spit is an elongated
ridge of sand that projects from the land into the mouth of an adjacent bay.
Often the end in the water hooks landward in response to the dominant
direction of the longshore current. Find the baymouth bar in Figure A.
Such a feature tends to form across bays where currents are weak. The
weak currents allow a spit to extend to the other side and form a
baymouth bar. A tombolo is a ridge of sand that connects an island to the
mainland or to another island. A tombolo forms in much the same way as
a spit. Follow the information of tombolos and other shoreline features in
Figure A.

Barrier Islands The Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains are relatively flat
and slope gently seaward. The shore zone in these areas is characterized
by barrier islands. Barrier islands are narrow sandbars parallel to, but
separate from, the coast as distances from 3 to 30 kilometers offshore.
From Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Padre Island, Texas, nearly 300
barrier islands rim the coast. The barrier islands along the coast of North
Carolina are shown in Figure C.
Barrier islands probably formed in several ways. Some began as
spits that were later cut off from the mainland by wave erosion or by the
general rise in sea level following the last glacial period. Others were
created when turbulent waters in the line of breakers heaped up sand that
had been scoured from the bottom. Finally, some barrier islands may be
former sand-dune ridges that began along the shore during the last glacial
period, when sea level was lower. As the ice sheets melted, sea level rose
and flooded the area behind the beach dune complex.

Figure A Figure B
18. If the reader wants to know the most information about bars, where
should they look?

A under the heading “Barrier Islands”

B in Figure A and B
C under the heading “Spits, bars and tombolos”
D under the heading “Depositional features”

19. This portion of text can be found in Chapter 16 The Dynamic Ocean;
what is the best title for the section that it would be found in?

A Waves and Tides

B Ocean Circulation
C Shoreline Process and Features
D The Composition of Seawater

20. If you are writing a paper about the barrier islands in North Carolina,
all of the following information would be important to include EXCEPT:

A The barrier islands include Cape Hatteras.

B The barrier islands most southern tip is Cape Lookout.
C These islands are separate land and range from 3 to 30 kilometers from
the shore.
D The barrier islands have various landforms on each island.

21. What does the word adjacent mean in this passage?

A small area
B narrow at the mouth
C lying close to or near
D distant proximity

22. The word elongated is used in this passage. What is an antonym for
this word?

A minute
B detached
C depreciation
D stretched
 SAFETY ALERT
Trampoline Safety Should Come First

The United States Center for Safety (USCS) has received an alarming
number of reports about trampoline accidents. Our estimates show that
more than 90,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms for
injuries related to trampoline use. Almost all of those injured were under
the age of 15, and some victims were younger than 5 years old. In the
past decade, 6 children under age 15 have died in trampoline accidents.
Most of these accidents occurred while the victims were at home. In these
cases, injury and death have been caused by things that could have been
easily prevented.
● Victims collided with another person while jumping on the
trampoline.
● Victims landed improperly when they were performing stunts or
jumping.
● Some people fell off trampoline. Others jumped off the device.
● Victims also fell or landed on the trampoline’s metal frame or
springs.
Proper trampoline decorum can prevent serious injuries like broken
bones, sprains, bruises, and paralysis. Here are some tips you can use to
enjoy your trampoline with safety in mind:
● Only one person should be on the trampoline at a time.
● Do not perform flips or other stunts that could cause you to land on
your neck or head. This type of injury can leave you paralyzed.
● Make sure your trampoline has shock pads. These are used to
cover the springs and frame so that you will not be injured if you
land on them.
● Place the trampoline in an area that is not near trees or other
structures.
● Children under 6 should not be allowed to use a trampoline. Don’t
use a ladder with your trampoline, or underage children may
access the trampoline by themselves.
● Keep your eye on children who are using the trampoline. All it takes
is one second for an injury to occur.
● Get an enclosure for your trampoline. This can prevent people from
falling off the trampoline and injuring themselves.
These rules mixed with common sense precautions can allow you to
continue to enjoy your trampoline without injuries or trips to the emergency
room.

23. Which of the following best completes the web?

A no indoor use
B no jumping
C no ladders
D no enclosures

24. According to the article, young children should not use a trampoline
because it can cause serious injury. All of the following are evidence
which support this idea EXCEPT:

A Almost all of those injured were under the age of 15, and some victims
were younger than 5 years old.
B Keep your eye on children who are using the trampoline. All it takes is
one second for an injury to occur.
C In the past decade, 6 children under the age of 15 have died in
trampoline accidents.
D Children under 6 should not be allowed to use the trampoline.

25. As a babysitter, you are watching a 7 year old child who wants to play
on the trampoline in their backyard. The child is fairly small and cannot
climb onto the trampoline by themselves. As the babysitter, what should
you do?

A Only let one person/ child on the trampoline at one time.

B Do not let children use the trampoline.
C Monitor children closely when it is in use because it only takes one
second for an accident to occur.
D Place the trampoline in an area away from trees.
26. The article is full of essential information for a parent. If you read this
and wanted to tell your parents about it, which is the best summary of the
information?

A Victims of trampoline accidents usually occur between the ages of 6 and

15 and they can occur rapidly. When the trampoline is in use it is
important to make sure that all people understand the risks.
B Trampolines can be very dangerous for people, especially young
children if used improperly. Injuries occur in multiple ways, but can often
be prevented. In order to protect people from injuries, it is important to
understand some safety tips.
C Children who use the trampoline without assistance will ultimately injury
themselves and it will be the fault of the parents.
D The safety center allows children to use the trampoline because they do
not care and think that children are able to be safe as long as there is a
net in place.

27. Precaution is a word used in the text to tell parents what to do before
there is an injury. Pre is an example of a(n)

A suffix
B prefix
C synonym
D root word

28. In the article decorum is used. What is an antonym for the word?

A impoliteness
B neglect
C conduct
D attention

29. Who is the intended audience of this article?

A parents and guardians

B children
C teenagers
D grandparents
30. What is the main theme of this passage?

A anti-fun
B safety
C trampoline recall
D advertisement

Aunt Melba

Everyone’s got at least one crazy relative, the skeleton in the

closet, the One Who Is Not To Be Emulated. In my family, it’s Aunt Melba,
the clairvoyant, the black sheep, and former trapeze artist. Every
Thanksgiving, when the whole family gathers at my grandmother’s house
in Indiana, Aunt Melba steals the show. This is particularly interesting
since she never actually shows up. But no one can talk about anything
else, so she might as well have a chair at the table. She rules by remote
control, from Alaska, where she’s living now on a fishing boat that rests on
dry land.
Family gatherings used to be fun when I was younger--seeing all
the cousins, even if I had to pay for the privilege with pinches on the
cheeks from aunts and slaps on the back from uncles, who always
comment about how much I’ve grown. (If their enthusiasm for my growing
were matched in inches, I’d be ten feet tall.) But lately, the cousins, who
are mostly a few years older than I am, have stopped coming, since
they’ve gotten married and, for some reason, all wind up at their other
relatives’ houses for Thanksgiving.
Aunt Melba is a letter writer. Not an e-mailer, but someone who
writes in longhand on the backs of store fliers. (She’s not into wasting
paper, so she saves everything.) She writes not to tell us what she’s up to,
but, rather, to report on what we’ve been doing. “It’s good to hear that Allie
is pursuing her studies in agricultural science” is on the reverse of
“Codfish Cakes! $2.99 a pound! Free Coleslaw!” I wonder why
advertisements always contain exclamation points and how she always
knows what my cousins and I are doing, since no one claims to talk to her.

31. Emulated in the first sentence means:

A denied
B disrespected
C imitated
D disowned
32. What fact can be left out of a biography about Aunt Melba?

A Relatives comment about how much the author has grown.

B Aunt Melba lives on a fishing boat in Alaska which is on dry land.
C She writes letters on the back of store advertisements.
D Aunt Melba was once a trapeze artist.

33. Which of the following statements is an example of indirect

characterization?

A She’s not into wasting paper, so she saves everything.

B Aunt Melba is a letter writer.
C It’s good to hear that Allie is pursuing her studies in agricultural science.
D Aunt Melba steals the show.

34. What point of view is this passage written in?

A First person point of view

B Second person point of view
C Third person limited point of view
D Third person omniscient point of view

35. What word best describes Aunt Melba’s relationships with her
relatives?

A strained
B distant
C loving
D nurturing

36. Which of the following conclusions are supported by the first

paragraph of the passage?

A Aunt Melba doesn’t know how to behave herself.

B Aunt Melba is a crazy person and no one can stand to be around here
for a long period of time.
C Aunt Melba is so different that even though she isn’t at the holiday she
is still the most talked about.
D Aunt Melba is very quiet and does not have a relationship with anyone.
 Damon & Pythias retold by William F. Russell

Damon and Pythias were two noble young men who lived on the
island Sicily in a city called Syracuse. They were such close companions
and were so devoted to each other that all the people of the city admired
them as the highest examples of true friendship. Each trusted the other so
completely that nobody could ever have persuaded one that the other had
been unfaithful or dishonest, even if that had been the case.
Now it had happened that Syracuse was, at that time, ruled by a
famous tyrant named Dionysius, who had gained the throne for himself
through treachery, and who from then on flaunted his prover by behaving
cruelly to his own subjects and to all strangers and enemies who were so
unfortunate as to fall into his clutches. This tyrant, Dionysius, was so
unjustly cruel that once, when he awoke from a restless sleep during
which he dreamt that a certain man in the town had attempted to kill him,
he immediately had that man put to death.
It happened that Pythias had, quite unjustly, been accused by
Dionysius of trying to overthrow him, and for this supposed crime of
treason Pythias was sentenced by the king to die. Try as he might, Pythias
could not prove his innocence to the king’s satisfaction, and so, all hope
now lost, the noble youth asked for a few days’ freedom so that he could
settle his business affairs and see to it that his relatives would be cared for
after he was executed. Dionysius, the hardhearted tyrant, however, would
not believe Pythias's promise to return and would not allow him to leave
unless he left behind him a hostage, someone who would be put to death
in his place if he should fail to return within the stated time.
Pythias immediately thought of his friend Damon, and he
unhesitatingly sent for him in this hour of dire necessity, never thinking for
a moment that his trusty companion would refuse his request. Nor did he,
for Damon hastened straightaway to the palace - much to the amazement
of King Dionysius - and gladly offered to be held hostage for his friend, in
spite of the dangerous condition that he had been attached to his favor.
Therefore, Pythias was permitted to settle his earthly affairs before
departing to the Land of the Shades, while Damon remained behind in the
dungeon, the captive of the tyrant Dionysius.
After Pythias had been release, Dionysius asked Damon id she did
not feel afraid, for Pythias might very well take advantage of the
opportunity he had been given and simply not return at all, and then he,
Damon, would be executed in his place. But Damon replied at once with a
willing smile: “There is no need for me to feel afraid, O King, since I have
perfect faith in the word of my true friend, and I know that he will certainly
return before the appointed time - unless, of course, Pythias be captured
and held against his will, it would be an honor for me to die in his place.”
 Such devotion and perfect faith as this was unheard of to the
friendless tyrant; still, though he could not help admiring the true nobility of
his captive, he nevertheless determined that Damon should certainly be
put to death should Pythias not return by the appointed time.
And, as the Fates would have it, by a strange turn of events,
Pythias was detained far longer in his task than he had imagined. Though
he never for a single minute intended to evade the sentence of death to
which he had been so unjustly committed, Pythias met with several
accident and unavoidable delays. Now his time was running out and he
had yet to overcome the many impediments that had been placed in his
path. At last he succeeded in clearing away all the hindrances, and he
sped back the many miles to the palace of the king, his heart almost
bursting with grief and fear that he might arrive too late.
Meanwhile, when the last day of the allotted time arrived, Dionysius
commanded that the place of execution should be readied at once, since
he was still ruthlessly determined that idf one of his victims escaped him,
he began to utter words of sarcastic pity for the “foolish faith,” as he
termed it, that young man of Syracuse had in his friend.
In reply, however, Damon merely smiled, since, in spite of the fact
that the eleventh hour had already arrived, he still believed that his lifelong
companion would not fail him. Even when, a short time later, he was
actually led out to the site of his execution, his serenity remained the
same.
Great excitement stirred the crowd that had gathered to witness the
execution, for all the people had heard of the bargain that had been struck
between the two friends. There was much sobbing and cries of sympathy
were heard all around as the captive was brought out, though he himself
somehow retained complete composure even at this moment of darkest
danger.
Presently the excitement grew more intense still as a swift runner
could be seen approaching the palace courtyard at an astonishing speed,
and wild shrieks of relief and joy went up as Pythias , breathless and
exhausted, rushed headlong through the crowd and flung himself into the
arms of his beloved friend, sobbing with relief that he had by the grace of
the gods, arrived in time to save Damon’s life.
The final exhibition of devoted love, and faithfulness was more than
even the stony heart of Dionysius, the tyrant, could resist. As the throng of
spectators melted into tears at the companions’ embrace, the king
approached the pair and declared that Pythias was hereby pardoned and
his death sentence canceled. In addition, he begged the pair to allow him
to become their friend, to try to be as much a friend to them both as they
had shown each other to be.
 Thus did the two friends of Syracuse, by the faithful love they bore
to each other, conquer the hard heart of a tyrant king, and in the annals of
true friendship there are no more honored names than those of Damon
and Pythias - for no person can do more than be willing to lay down his life
for the sake of his friend.

37. Based on the passage, which generalization can the reader make?

A Friends come in many forms and there are chances to have so many.
B Not everyone is lucky enough to experience a friendship full of trust and
dedication.
C When thinking about life, one of the most important pieces is to not be a
tyrant.
D Life is not meant to be taken for granted.

38. According to lines 1 through 6, the people of Syracuse viewed Damon

and Pythias as

A saints
B kings
C stereotypes
D models

39. Which word from the text most accurately describes a tyrant?

A “famous” (line 7)
B “unfortunate” (line 10)
C “cruel” (line 11)
D “restless” (line 12)

40. According to the text, what was the cause of Dionysius’s “amazement”
(line 27)?

A Damon’s refusal
B Damon’s arrival
C Pythias’s promise
D Pythias’s innocence
41. According to lines 35 through 40, Damon considered dying for his
friend to be an act of

A respect
B justice
C desperation
D foolishness

42. That which Dionysius called “foolish faith” (line 57), Damon would
probably have called

A religion
B loyalty
C uselessness
D mischievousness

43. Dionysius was so impressed by “This final exhibition” (line 74) that he

A offered to die in Pythias’s place

B burst into tears
C issued a proclamation
D released Pythias from captivity

44. In this passage, hindrances means

A trees falling down

B debts that he has
C blocks along the road
D issues that prevent
45. Which choice best summarizes the story?

A Damon and Pythias have made a relationship that focuses on helping

one another. When Pythias needs assistance Damon is the only one who
is able to come to his rescue. Everyone loves their relationship.
B Damon and Pythias are friends who are very loyal and they do not let
anything come between them. When the friendless, tyrant, Dionysius
witnesses these actions he acknowledges friendship is missing in his life
by pardoning Pythias.
C Damon and Pythias are acquaintances who seem to be friends. When
they get into trouble they constantly let each other down. Dionysius is able
to execute Pythias because of their lack of friendship.
D When Damon and Pythias become friends, their actions are noticed by
the tyrant king. The king becomes jealous of Damon and Pythias’s
relationship.

46. What is the setting as the story opens?

A a king’s city
B the village
C a battlefield
D a market place

47. What best describes the mood the setting creates for the audience?

A gloomy
B restful
C mysteriousness
D confusion

48. What best describes the theme of the passage?

A Friends may come and go.

B Being a tyrant will not bring any good to anyone.
C Great friendship relies on loyalty.
D Friendship is life’s greatest accomplishment.
Directions: Use the space provided to answer the constructed response
questions. Use evidence from the text to support your answer. Please
refer to the rubric for scoring guidelines.

49. In the passage, “Damon and Pythias,” identify the narrator’s point of
view and explain how it contributes to the meaning of the passage. Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.

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50. “...for no person can do more than be willing to lay down his life for the
sake of his friend.”

Explain how these lines contribute to the main idea or theme of the
passage, “Damon & Pythias.” Use evidence from the text to support your
answer.

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 3-Point Reading Rubric

The response:

 Gives sufficient evidence of the ability to explain the main idea of a text.
3
 Includes specific information that makes clear reference to the text.
 Fully supports the information with clearly relevant details from the text.

The response:

 Gives some evidence of the ability to explain the main idea of a text.
2
 Includes some specific information that makes reference to the text.
 Adequately supports the information with relevant details from the text.

The response:

 Gives limited evidence of the ability to explain the main idea of a text.
1
 Includes information, but it is not explicit or makes only vague references to the text.
 Supports the information with at least one detail, but the relevance of that detail to the text must be inferred.

The response provides no evidence of the ability to explain the main idea of a text and includes no relevant
0
information from the text.