SASIC 4th Grade Class 2011-2012: Show Your Test Skills

1. Reading and comprehension questions.

Mariana's Polar Bear Swim
By Brenda B. Covert

¹     Once Mariana Lopez reached the frigid water's edge, she knew she had made a mistake. She liked her baths warm and her chocolate hot. What had made her take the dare to go for a winter swim with the Polar Bear Club? Swimming in icy water had been a Polar Bear Club tradition for decades. However, Mariana's family observed a different tradition. When they swam, it was in a heated indoor pool. What had she been thinking?
²     She peered into the water from the safety of the dock. The temperature was so low that even the fish were shivering! The faraway sun did nothing to chase away the chill in the air. Mariana looked at her tan arms. Her goosebumps had goosebumps!
³     "Hey, girly, are you ready to be a real polar bear?"
⁴     Mariana turned to look at Mrs. Fleming. She wore blue flip-flops on her pasty white feet. Her short, pudgy body was stuffed into an orange floral swimsuit. The little swim skirt did nothing to hide the dimpled, white thighs. Mrs. Fleming was as white as a polar bear! The thought almost put a grin on Mariana's face, but it was too cold to grin.
⁵     "I think I've changed my mind," Mariana said, pulling her fluffy yellow towel more tightly around her tankini-clad body. Her knees were knocking nearly as fast as her teeth were chattering.
⁶     Mrs. Fleming turned to the gathering crowd. With her hands cupped around her mouth, she called, "We've got a chicken in our midst!"
⁷     Mariana blushed and protested. "I'm not chicken; I'm cold!"
⁸     A young man with spiky hair and a goatee sauntered toward Mariana. "You don't know what cold is until you've taken the plunge!"
⁹     "So why do you do it?" Mariana asked, trying hard not to shiver.
¹⁰     "The adrenaline rush!" the man answered. "If you're not awake now, you will be once you hit the water!" He walked away, chuckling softly and swinging a white towel.
¹¹     "A quick dip in cold water is good for your skin," Mrs. Fleming said. "It helps build your immunity too. Since I joined the Polar Bear Club, I've been remarkably healthy!"
¹²     "You don't think I'll catch a cold?" Mariana asked.
¹³     "Not unless you stay in for a long time. Most of us jump in and jump back out again," Mrs. Fleming said. "We don't want to invite hypothermia, you know!"
¹⁴     "Oh." Mariana didn't know what hypothermia was, but she didn't want to get it, either.
¹⁵     Mariana's friends were standing with the crowd that had gathered to watch the polar bears. This was it. She knew when she saw them waving at her that it was too late to back out. She had to go through with it.
¹⁶     Just before the countdown started, the swimmers dropped their towels and other supplies. Many of them held hands.
¹⁷     "Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One! JUMP!"
¹⁸     Mariana pinched her nose shut with one hand and gripped Mrs. Fleming's hand with the other. Closing her eyes, she leaped into the air. It felt like fire and ice when she hit the freezing water. What a shock! She shot up out of the water like a fireworks display.
¹⁹     "Woo-hoo-hoo-YOW!" she shrieked.
²⁰     Without looking for Mrs. Fleming, whose hand she had lost on impact, Mariana splashed her way back to land. Feeling like an ice cube, she went looking for her yellow towel. It wasn't where she had dropped it. Someone held it out to her.
²¹     "Here you are, girly. What took you so long?"
²²     Mariana quickly wrapped the towel around herself and buried her face in the folds. Then she peeped out. How did Mrs. Fleming beat Mariana out of the icy water? And why had her white skin turned bright pink?

Mariana's Polar Bear Swim

1.	What was Mariana's mistake? Acting like a chicken Accepting a dare to swim in icy water Drinking hot chocolate Talking to Mrs. Fleming

2.	What was the plot of this story? An old woman befriends a nervous girl. Swimmers search for healthy habits. Everyone wonders why the swimmers go for this wintertime stunt. A young girl must choose whether to take the Polar Bear plunge.

3.	List two similes from the story.

4.	List an example of exaggeration from the story.

5.	If Mariana had not seen her friends, she might have: Changed her mind and stayed dry Shed a few tears at being forgotten Called them to find out why they hadn't come Been less nervous

6.	Which one of these is not a fact? Mariana came from a Hispanic heritage. Mrs. Fleming had very white skin. It was a cold day in the winter. Once she saw her friends, it was too late for Mariana to back out.

7.	What will the swimmers most likely do next? Build sandcastles Drink something hot Jump in the water again Try to get a tan

8.	What can we infer from the last three paragraphs? That nobody stayed in the water That Mrs. Fleming got sunburned That Mrs. Fleming moves super fast when she is cold That Mariana was glad that she took the plunge

Write one paragraph about something fun that you did for an adventure. Don't forget to mention who was with you on the adventure.

2. Math Test Practice

Set #1