Sandy Garrett 2005

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Oklahoma State Department of Education
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Core Curriculum Tests

Multiple-Choice Release Item Book

reading 5
Copyright ©2005 by Oklahoma State Department of Education. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without
permission in writing from the publisher. HARCOURT and the Harcourt logo are trademarks of Harcourt, Inc. registered in the United States of
America and/or other jurisdictions. Portions of this work were published in previous editions. Printed in the United States of America.

999-8250-33-1
Acknowledgments
Reading
“Climbing the Walls” from U.S. Kids. Copyright © 1993 by Children’s Better Health Institute, Benjamin Franklin Literary
& Medical Society, Indianapolis, Indiana. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Dogs Have Careers Too” reprinted with permission of American Kennel Club. Copyright © 2001. All rights reserved.
“The Trouble with Auggie” by Lavern Holdeman. Reprinted with permission of the author. Copyright © 1991. All rights
reserved.
“The Little Boy’s Secret” by David L. Harrison. Text copyright © 1972, 2001 by David L. Harrison, from The Book of
Giant Stories by David L. Harrison. Published by Boyds Mills Press, Inc. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
“Just Like a Hero” by Alan Cliburn. Copyright © 1983 by Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. All rights
reserved.

OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

READING
Introduction
Grade 5 Reading
The purpose of this test is to measure Oklahoma fifth-grade students’ level of proficiency in reading. On
the Grade 5 Reading Test, students are required to respond to a variety of items linked to the fifth-grade
reading content standards identified in the Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS). Each Reading Test item
tests an identified content standard and objective listed below.

PASS Content Standards and Objectives

Vocabulary
• Words in Context (1.1)
• Affixes, Roots, and Stems (1.2)
• Syn., Ant., and Hom. (1.3)
Comprehension/Critical Literacy
• Literal Understanding (3.1)
• Inferences and Interpretation (3.2)
• Summary and Generalization (3.3)
• Analysis and Evaluation (3.4)
Literature
• Literary Genres (4.1)
• Literary Elements (4.2)
• Figurative Lang./Sound Devices (4.3)
Research and Information
• Accessing Information (5.1)
• Interpreting Information (5.2)

The next page lists the PASS Standards for fifth-grade Reading. Each year committees of Oklahoma
educators review and approve items for use on the Oklahoma Core Curriculum Tests. The items in this
document were selected from the pool of those eligible items. These are examples of items that appear
on tests; this is not an example of a test form. Each group of items follows its associated reading
passage, and the items are in the order of the PASS Standards and Objectives shown above. A table at the
end of this document lists the items in sequence, the PASS Standard and Objective, and the correct
answer for each item. All of these items have been modified to reflect the principles of Universal Test
Design in order to more closely align them with the style and format of items on current tests. However,
the fifty-item collection does not match the balance and proportion of items required on operational tests
as identified by the Grade 5 Reading Blueprint. The Blueprint can be found on the State Department of
Education website at http://sde.state.ok.us/home/defaultie.html.

ALL items in this document and on our tests have been reviewed and approved by committees of
content-area teachers from school districts around the state of Oklahoma.

3 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

Reading

Reading/Literature: The student will apply a wide range of strategies to

comprehend, interpret, evaluate, appreciate, and respond to a wide variety
of texts.

Standard 1: Vocabulary
The student will develop and expand their knowledge of words and
word meanings to increase their vocabulary.

Standard 3: Comprehension/Critical Literacy

The student will interact with the words and concepts in the text to
construct an appropriate meaning.

Standard 4: Literature
The student will read to contrast meaning and respond to a wide
variety of literary forms.

Standard 5: Research and Information

The student will conduct research and organize information.

4 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

 Reading
GR5_R_CTW_ER2

Read the selection below. Then answer the questions that follow.

Climbing the Walls

Imagine what it would be like to climb into a dark cave.
spelunker—one who explores caves
routine—a fixed way to do things
descent—a trip down

1 “I NEED ANOTHER ROPE!” It Only Looks Easy

screamed the stranded spelunker
(spi-LUNK-er). He was trying to
rappel (ruh-PEL) down into a
four-hundred-foot-deep cave called
Surprise Pit. Halfway down, he got
stuck on a knot in his rope. His friends
had already reached the bottom of the
pit. They could not help him. Now the
man was in big trouble.
2 Luckily, the Brown family was in
the same cave that day. Leah, age
eleven, her brother Jeremy, twelve, and
their father are expert spelunkers, or
cave explorers. They knew just what to
do to save the man. Leah and her
father swung a new rope down to him.
The man grabbed it. Thanks to Leah
and her father, he was able to rappel
(climb down on a rope) safely to the
bottom of the cave.
3 Spelunking with their parents has
helped Leah, Jeremy, and their
eight-year-old brother Nate become
top-notch cavers.
4 The Browns make spelunking look
easy. But you can’t just rush into being
a caver. It can be very dangerous.
Leah, Jeremy, and Nate spent hours
learning how to climb, rappel, and use
their equipment before they entered
their first cave. And they never go into
a cave without their mom or dad.
5 Cavers must learn to respect nature.
“We never leave litter or damage a
cave in any way,” says Leah. “We
leave the cave just as we found it.”
6 Cavers must also be in top physical
condition. Besides practicing her
climbing skills, Leah swims and works
on her gymnastics routines.
7 What’s the reward for all of this hard
work? “You get to go where most
people have never gone,” Leah says
with a smile. “Some people even say
that caves are like another planet.”

5 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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Putting It to the Test Deeper and Deeper

8 One of Jeremy’s and Leah’s greatest 11 The Browns’ next challenge is
challenges was climbing the deepest Golondrinas (go l nd
rin z) Pit in
e e
pit in the United States. They Mexico. It’s over 1,230 feet deep!
rappelled down and then climbed back Leah, Jeremy, and Nate have been
up Fantastic Pit in Georgia—all 586 training every weekend to get ready.
feet of it. Halfway down, Leah found Sometimes they climb 1,000 feet in
herself surrounded by complete one weekend!
darkness. The only thing she could see 12 Leah is especially excited about the
was her brother’s tiny lamplight at the trip. “Golondrinas is an amazing
bottom. place,” she says. “There’s actually a
9 “I didn’t get scared. It takes a lot to jungle at the bottom of it!”
scare me,” Leah says as she describes 13 The Brown family is always looking
her descent into the pit. for new challenges. The excitement of
10 When climbing or descending a discovering new caves has brought the
deep pit, the Browns are extra family closer together. They’ve
cautious. “I always go slow because learned a new respect for nature—and
it’s easy to get out of control,” Leah a new respect for one another.
explains. It took Leah and her family
over fifty minutes to climb out of
Fantastic Pit.

6 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3362186 3362189

1 3
Why would a student want to
read this article?
A to plan a vacation
B to learn about spelunking *
C to get information about cave
formations
D to learn about the depths of
caves
3362187
Which detail would be least
important to include in
a summary?
A Cavers must be in top physical
condition.
B Leah can get stuck on a knot in
her rope. *
C Leah and Jeremy always go into
a cave with an adult.
D Climbing or descending a pit

2 requires extra caution.

The reward for all of Leah’s hard
work is 3374049

4
A traveling to Mexico City with This article is mainly about
Jeremy.
B teaching her brother Nate to A a stranded caver.
swim. B cave damage.
C helping people who are in C children learning to be cavers. *
trouble. D the equipment for caving.
D going where most people have
never gone. *

7 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3374050 3362190

5 7
Enough information is provided Which question is answered in
by the author to show that the article?

A caves should be treated with A What do the formations look

respect. * like in Fantastic Pit?
B only gymnasts should attempt B How old does a caver have to
climbing. be to rappel into a cave?
C most caves look like another C Where can information be
planet. found on how to become a
D deep caves have jungles at the spelunker?
bottom. D What are the benefits of
caving? *

3362188

6 3362185

The difference between Fantastic 8

Pit and Golondrinas Pit is that Which resource would give more
one is information about spelunking?

A darker. A Universal Encyclopedia *

B warmer. B Global Information Almanac
C newer. C The Mitchell World Atlas
D deeper. * D Robert’s Student Thesaurus

8 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

Reading
5REIDHC111 F Art Codes 5REIDHC111.AR1, .AR2, .AR3, .AR4, .AR5, .AR6, .AR7, .AR8

Read the selection below. Then answer the questions that follow.

Dogs Have Careers Too

n Kenn
ca
el
i
Amer

Club

A•K•C
ED
IN

C
OR T
PORA

a n e wsl e t t er d e d ica te d to e d u c a tin g ele me nta ry s c hool c hildre n a bout re s pons ible dog ow ne rs hip

AKC Name Kids’ Dogs Sporting Dear

Home that Corner have Careers Group Bailey
Page Breed Quiz too

instinct—a strong natural ability

pursuit—to chase after
invaluable—value too great to
measure
vermin—an animal that causes
damage and is hard to control
vigor—active strength or energy

1 Dogs have careers too . . . well, 4 Do you know what kinds—or

not exactly careers like lawyers, breeds—they are?
carpenters, teachers, or doctors. But 5 There are about 150 different breeds
over the centuries dogs have been bred of dogs recognized by the American
to perform very specific jobs, such as Kennel Club (AKC) including
guarding, hunting, herding and everything from the Toy Poodle to the
providing companionship. Giant Schnauzer.
2 Take a minute, and think of all the 6 With so many different breeds, all
different dogs you know. these dogs could be arranged lots of
3 Do you know their names? different ways. The AKC, the principal

9 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

Reading
dog registry in the United States,
classifies all the different breeds by
dividing them into seven groups based
on the dogs’ functions, or the jobs they
were originally bred to do. 10
7 The seven groups are:
8 Group I: Sporting
Originally bred to help man find and
retrieve game, these dogs have
instincts in the field, the water and the
woods. Sporting dogs range from
small to large.
9 Group II: Hounds
11
Hounds were bred to help man in
the pursuit of game by tracking their
10
prey by sight or scent. Their many
shapes and sizes reflect a group of
dogs bred for work in places from the
chilly Arctic to the hot tropics.
Group III: Working
Through the ages, working dogs
have been invaluable to man, serving
in water, snow, and disaster rescue,
pulling wagons and sleds, and guarding
families and livestock. Varied in size,
these intelligent animals make good
pets, as long as their owners properly
train, exercise, and care for them.
Group IV: Terriers
Terriers are intelligent and lively
dogs that range in size from small to
OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items
Reading

medium. “Terrier” comes from the are a varied collection in terms of size,
Latin terra, meaning earth. The name coat, personality and overall
fits these dogs that dig and hunt appearance.
beneath the ground. Originally bred to
hunt and kill vermin, today’s terriers
are still full of enthusiasm and vigor.
12 Group V: Toys
Toy dogs were developed for the
pleasure they bring as companions.
Their smallness coupled with their
healthy bodies make them ideally
suited as family pets.

14 Group VII: Herding

These dogs were bred to work
side-by-side with man as drovers,
driving cattle and sheep, and as
herders, keeping flocks under control.
The great agricultural lands could not
have been settled without the help of
the herding dog.

13 Group VI: Non-Sporting

Here are sturdy animals with as
different personalities and appearances
as the Chow Chow, which was bred as
a hunter and guard dog, and the
French Bulldog, which was bred to be
a companion. The breeds in this group

11 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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2009099 C 2009101 F

9 12
In paragraph 8, the word retrieve This article would be most useful
means to to a student working on a
report about
A save.
B bring. * A dogs as pets.
C count. B games that dogs play.
D remember. C breeds of dogs.
D jobs that dogs do. *

2009125 C

10 2009126 C

Which definition of game is used 13

in paragraphs 8 and 9? A sporting dog and a hound are
similar in that both have been
A any form of play bred to be
B any test of skill or courage A family pets.
C animals hunted for sport B rescue dogs.
or food *
C guard dogs.
D a certain style used in
competition D hunting dogs. *

2009127 F 2009100 C

11 14
A dog that helps firemen and Which sentence is a fact?
police officers would probably be
classified as a A Toy Poodles are ideal family
pets.
A sporting dog. B Hound dogs are happiest in
B hound dog. cold weather.
C working dog. * C Chow Chows were bred to be
D herding dog. guard dogs. *
D Working dogs were bred to be
good pets.

12 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

Reading
GR5_R_TWA

Read the selection below. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Trouble with Auggie

by Lavern Holdeman

rousting—wake up from sleep

commenced—to begin or start
wallow—roll the body in mud or
water

1 You’d have to look long and hard
to find anyone with a greater knack
for getting into trouble than Auggie.
That’s probably because he is always
sticking his big collie nose where it
doesn’t belong.
2 Take this morning, for instance.
3 Auggie, my little sister Janna, and
I were rousting jackrabbits out of the
hayfield when Auggie suddenly
jerked his ears straight up, like flags
on a country mailbox, and shot out
like a honey-colored bullet. His
tongue, flopping from side to side,
reminded me of the old red
handkerchief Dad always has
dangling out of the hip pocket of
his overalls.
4 After Auggie had run about a
hundred yards or so, he stopped. He
cocked his head to the left and then
to the right, and started prancing
back and forth, making that funny
half-bark, half-yelp, that means,
“Hey, Sean! I’ve got something
pretty interesting here, and you’d
better hurry right over and see it.”
But I didn’t buy it. Not since that day
up in the hills when we were
bringing Old Topsy down from the
pasture for her evening milking.
5 That particular time, Auggie had
stopped at the windmill and
commenced raising the worst kind of
ruckus, so I hurried over to have a
look. And there, for the longest
moment in history, I stood staring at
no less than a half-dozen sets of
inch-long fangs and listening to the
dry chicka, chicka of more rattles
than I care to remember. It was only
sheer luck that the snakes were more
interested in keeping Auggie at a safe
distance than they were in having my
leg for dinner.
6 I managed to back away—real
slow—so that I didn’t attract any
unnecessary attention. When Auggie
finally tired of his little game, he
trotted over with a big, toothy smile,

13 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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like it’d all been just one great joke.
But I was not amused. That was the
last time I ever went within ten feet 11
of anything that Auggie had
cornered.
7 But back to this morning. The
thing out in the hayfield had
apparently taken as much of Auggie’s
pestering as it could stand. Auggie
yelped, jumped, and then squirmed 12
around on the ground like a hog in a
wallow. I was getting pretty scared.
13
8 “Here, Auggie,” I yelled, slapping
my legs so hard that they hurt. “Come
on, boy.”
14
9 Auggie stopped rolling on the
ground, threw Janna and me a pitiful
look, and then jumped into a fast
gallop straight toward us. About that
same time the wind shifted, and it
didn’t require a college education to
figure out the trouble with Auggie. He
had introduced himself to skunk! 15
10 I did a fast back-pedal, waving and
shouting at the top of my lungs, “No,
Auggie! No! Get back!” But instead of
turning back, Auggie shifted into high
gear. He probably thought that the
14
most important thing in the world for
me was to have him nearby.
It was a critical situation. In less
than fifteen seconds, a skunk-perfumed
dog was going to be right on top of
me. I turned tail and broke into a
sprint for dear life, up the lane and
toward the house. Janna ran,
screaming, right behind me.
That was when Dad made his
appearance in the doorway of the barn.
Now, if there is any person on earth
that Auggie likes almost as much as he
likes me, it’s Dad.
Dad saw the three of us running up
the drive. He broke into a grin and
whistled, loud and shrill. Then he
threw out his arms, ready to give
Auggie a great big hug. Needless to
say, Auggie made a beeline for the
barn.
In hindsight, I suppose I should have
given Dad fair warning. But, frankly,
there are certain times when the
normal rules of conduct don’t apply.
As far as Auggie was concerned, it
was either Dad or me.
OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items
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3363592 3363597

15 18
At the beginning of the story, According to the story, Auggie
what causes Auggie to shoot off made the half-barking,
like a “honey-colored bullet”? half-yelping sound in order to

A He hears something move in the A act funny.

hayfield.* B tell Sean to hurry.
B He hears Dad give a shrill C help find jackrabbits.
whistle.
D get Sean’s attention. *
C He hears Janna and Sean
playing chase.
D He hears the chicka, chicka of 3363585

a snake. 19
In paragraph 5, the phrase
“raising the worst kind of
3363603
ruckus” most nearly means
16
Which word best describes how A bounded back and forth.
Sean felt about the experience B made a noisy disturbance. *
with the snakes?
C kept at a safe distance.
A scared* D stared at the windmill.
B amused
C exhausted
D excited

3363594

17
Which of these experiences
would most help the reader
understand this story?

A owning a curious pet *

B chasing jackrabbits
C having a little sister
D walking a friend’s dog

15 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3363601 3363616

20
Why was the experience at the
windmill important to the story?
A It was the longest moment in
history.
B Auggie discovered dozens of
snakes.
C It reminded Sean that some
snakes rattle.
D Sean learned a valuable
lesson. *
22
When Sean saw Auggie wallowing
around, why did he slap his legs
and yell “Come on, boy”?
A He thought something bad had
happened. *
B He was in a hurry to get home.
C He knew it was time to milk
Old Topsy.
D He heard Dad calling from the
barn.

3363613 3363617

21 23
At the end of the story, you can According to the last paragraph,
tell that Auggie had been what does the author probably
believe?
A teased.
B sprayed. * A Dogs are man’s best friend.

C cornered. B Actions speak louder than

words.
D pestered.
C Boys will be boys.
D Rules can sometimes be bent.*

3363615

24
In paragraph 7, Auggie acted like
“a hog in a wallow” because he
wanted to

A cool off.
B pester the skunk.
C scratch an itch.
D remove the smell. *

16 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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5RFCCFK111 Art Code 5RFCCFK111.AR1

Read the selection below. Then answer the questions that follow.
Classifieds for Kids
Carly wants to buy a new bicycle, but she has to sell her old one first. The local
newspaper, The Ardmore Express, has a special section, Classifieds for Kids, in which
people may buy or sell their items. This section is in the Sunday edition. A form for
placing a notice in Classifieds for Kids was in last Sunday’s paper. Carly cut the form
and the directions out of the paper.

The Ardmore Express

Classifieds for Kids

Sell It Here!
What to Do
1. Cut out the form below.
2. Type or print all information clearly.
3. The form must be signed by a parent or guardian.
4. Mail the completed form and a check (no cash, please) to:

Classifieds for Kids

P.O. Box 1450
Ardmore, Oklahoma 00003
Notice Rates
$10 for 4 lines (1-10 words)
$13 for 5 lines (11-20 words)
$15 for 6 lines maximum (21-30 words)
*Enter more than one notice and save 10%.

Deadline
The completed form and a check must be received by Thursday to
appear in the Sunday edition of The Ardmore Express.

Questions
Call Jack Chandler, Editor, during regular business hours.
Phone: 1-888-334-6639

Classifieds for Kids

Notice Form
Name Date
Address
City State ZIP
Phone
Type of Notice (Check One): Buy or Sell Swapping Entertainment Pen Pals
NOTICE:

I have read the classified notice above and give permission for it to appear in
Classifieds for Kids.
Signature of Parent or Guardian Date

17 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3362076 3362074

25 27
What does classified mean as it is What must Carly do to receive a
used in this article? 10% discount?

A a secret A Submit at least two notices. *

B book arrangement B Write a notice with fewer than
C limited information three lines.
D a type of advertisement * C Deliver the notice in person.
D Write a notice with twenty-four
words.
3362069

26
3361962
If Carly has a question about the 28
notice form, she should
Which step should Carly do last?
A guess the answer.
A Get her parent’s signature. *
B ask her teacher.
B Cut out the form.
C call the editor. *
C Write the notice.
D talk to a friend.
D Type or print all the
information.

18 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3362072 3362075

29 31
What will probably happen if What category will Carly check if
Carly delivers her notice to the she wants to trade her bike with
newspaper on Friday? someone else?

A Her bike will sell more quickly. A Buy or Sell

B She will have to pay an extra B Swapping *
$5.00 in late fees. C Entertainment
C She will not receive a 10% D Pen Pals
discount.
D Her notice will not appear in
Sunday’s paper. * 2010141 C

32
If Carly wants to see an example
3362071 of a classified notice, she should
30 look in
If the newspaper needs to contact
Carly about her notice, which A the Ardmore newspaper. *
information will be most helpful? B a mystery book.
A the date C a sports magazine.
B her phone number * D the encyclopedia.
C her zip code
D a signature

19 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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GR5_R_LBS_ER2

Read the selection below. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Little Boy’s Secret

by David L. Harrison
1 One day a little boy left school early 10 When the second giant heard that,
because he had a secret to tell his he laughed. “Won’t tell us, eh? Well,
mother. He was in a hurry to get home, we’ll just see about that!”
so he took a shortcut through some 11 The giants thumped on down the
woods where three terrible giants path. In a short time, they came to a
lived. He hadn’t gone far before he huge stone castle beside a muddy
met one of them standing in the path. river.
2 When the giant saw the little boy, he 12 At the door, they met the third giant,
put his hands on his hips and roared, who was five times bigger, six times
“What are you doing here, boy?” more ugly, and seven times fiercer
3 “I’m on my way home,” answered than the second giant.
the little boy. “I have a secret to tell 13 “What’s in your pocket?” he asked
my mother.” the first giant.
4 That made the giant furious. 14 “A boy,” he answered.
“Secret?” he bellowed. “What secret?”
15 “A boy!” chuckled the third giant.
5 “I can’t tell you,” said the little boy,
“or it wouldn’t be a secret anymore.” 16 “Says he has a secret he won’t tell
us,” said the first giant.
6 “Then I’m taking you to our castle!”
said the giant. Stooping down, he 17 When the third giant heard that, he
picked up the little boy and popped laughed a terrible laugh. “Well, we’ll
him into his shirt pocket. just see about that! On the table with
him!”
7 Before long, the first giant met a
second giant who was twice as big, 18 “Well?” said the first giant.
three times as ugly, and four times as 19 “We’re waiting,” said the second
fierce. giant.
8 “What’s that in your pocket?” he 20 “I’ll count to three,” said the third
asked the first giant. giant.
9 “A boy,” he answered. “Says he has 21 The little boy sighed a big sigh.
a secret that he won’t tell us.”

20 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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22 “Oh, all right,” he said. “I suppose I 29 The third giant frowned down at the
can tell you. But if I do, you must let little boy.
me go.” 30 The giant leaned down and the little
23 “We promise,” answered the giants. boy climbed onto a teacup and
But they all winked sly winks at one whispered into his ear.
another and crossed their fingers 31 When the giant heard the secret, his
behind their backs because they didn’t teeth chattered. His hair stood on end.
really mean to let him go. And he dashed from the castle and
24 The little boy turned to the first dived head first into a muddy river.
giant. “Bend down,” he said. The little 32 The castle door had been left open,
boy whispered into his ear. and since the giants had promised the
25 When the first giant heard the secret, little boy that he could go, he walked
his knees shook. His tongue hung out. out and went home.
And he dashed from the castle, ran 33 At last he was able to tell his mother
deep into the woods and climbed to his secret, but she didn’t yell and run
the top of a tall tree. away. She just put him to bed and gave
26 The second giant scowled at the him some supper.
little boy. 34 The next morning, he was covered
27 The giant leaned down and the little with bright red spots.
boy stood on tiptoe and whispered into 35 “Now I can tell everybody what my
his ear. secret was,” he said with a smile. “My
28 When the giant heard the secret, his secret was . . . I’M GETTING THE
eyes rolled. His ears twitched. And he CHICKEN POX!”
raced from the castle and crawled into
the deepest, darkest cave he could
find.

21 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3362178 3362173

33 36
In paragraph 4, bellowed Which lesson can be learned from
means to this story?
A tease. A Never take shortcuts.
B shout. * B Bullies do not always win. *
C whisper. C Giants cannot be trusted.
D laugh. D Never make promises.

3362080 3362176

34
Why did the boy take a shortcut
through the woods?
A It was much faster. *
B The road was blocked.
C He was late for dinner.
D He was meeting a friend.
3362081
35
The boy agrees to share his secret
because the giants promise to
A feed him a hot supper.
B keep him safe.
C let him use the path every day.
D set him free. *
37
Which of these facts from the
story would be most important to
include in a summary?
A The castle stood beside a
muddy river.
B One giant wore a shirt with a
pocket.
C Three terrible giants lived in the
woods. *
D The giants thumped when they
walked.

22 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

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3362078
38
This story would most likely be
found in a book with the title
A Science Fiction or Fact.
B True Stories from the Past.
C Tales from Around the World. *
D True Adventures for Boys and
Girls.
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39
What is the most likely reason
that the author wrote this story?
A to entertain students *
B to teach adults about chicken
pox
C to persuade children to hurry
home
D to describe different giants
23
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40
When the giant’s hair “stood on
end,” it meant the giant
A had not combed his hair.
B used too much hair spray.
C was scared silly. *
D was probably freezing.
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41
In the last sentence, the author
uses capital letters because
the words
A are very important. *
B are a quote.
C should be read out loud.
D would be easier to read.
OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items
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5RRNJLA111 Art Code cat.eps

Read the selection below. Then answer the questions that follow.
Have you ever made a promise to someone who trusted you with something special?
Read on to see how keeping a promise turned out for one boy.

Just Like a Hero

by Alan Cliburn
1 John Henry unfolded the paper and
groaned. It was there, all right—right
on the front page!
2 His mother barely glanced at the
picture in the middle of page 1. Then
she stared at it. “John Henry, it’s you!”
she exclaimed. “It’s you and Mrs.
Pettigrew’s cat, Mouser.”
3 John Henry swallowed. “I know.”
4 “‘John Henry Colton, age 10, with a
neighbor’s cat,’” his mother read,
“‘which he rescued from an elm tree
on Clark Street yesterday. Hero Colton
volunteered to go after the cat when
the fire department was unable to send
its rescue squad.’”
5 “I’m not a hero,” John Henry
muttered.
6 “You certainly are! I’m going to get
an extra copy of this paper to send to
your grandmother.”
7 John Henry started to say something
but changed his mind. If he told her
not to send the paper to Grandma, he’d
have to tell her the rest—that it was
his fault the cat was up in that tree in
the first place.
8 A few days earlier Mrs. Pettigrew
had asked John Henry to take care of
Mouser.
9 “But I don’t know how to baby-sit a
cat,” John Henry had started to tell
her.
10 “All you have to do,” Mrs. Pettigrew
assured him, “is fill her food dish
every morning and make sure she has
plenty of water.”
11 “One more thing,” added Mrs.
Pettigrew. “I don’t want Mouser going
outside while I’m gone.”
12 “I’ll be careful,” John Henry
promised.
13 “This is where I hide the key. See?”
14 John Henry nodded.
15 “And it’ll be our secret,” Mrs.
Pettigrew had said with a wink. “I
know I can trust you.”
16 While he ate breakfast, John Henry
thought about Mrs. Pettigrew and
Mouser and that picture in the
newspaper. If only that photographer
hadn’t come along just in time to take
the dumb old picture.

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17 “John Henry,” his mother said
suddenly. “Guess who just called—
Mrs. Simpson of the Pet Lovers Club.
The Pet Lovers want to present you
with a special award for rescuing
Mouser. ‘It’s not every day that we
have a hero in our midst’—that’s what
Mrs. Simpson said.”
18 “I’m not a hero,” John Henry
protested.
19 “You certainly are!” his mother said.
“We’ll be attending a luncheon
meeting of the club.”
20 At the meeting that afternoon,
John Henry felt embarrassed sitting at
the head table. Members of the Pet
Lovers Club kept smiling at him and
acting as if he were someone special.
21 “We were hoping that Mrs.
Pettigrew could be here for the
presentation,” Mrs. Simpson said, “but
I understand she’ll be away for a few
more days.”
22 “Yes, ma’am,” John Henry replied.
Thank goodness for that, he thought.
23 “However, Mrs. Pettigrew’s niece,
Agnes Reynolds, will be here any
minute to represent her,” Mrs.
Simpson continued. “We’re so proud
of you, John Henry.”
24 John Henry nodded, but inside he
felt horrible. Getting an award for
rescuing a cat he had let out of the
house! It just didn’t seem right. Of
course, he hadn’t let Mouser out on
purpose. He hadn’t even seen her
escape.
25
25 “Oh, here comes Agnes now,”
Mrs. Simpson exclaimed.
26 John Henry swallowed and looked
around. Everyone was smiling at him,
acting as if he were a hero. John
Henry couldn’t stand it another
second.
27 “I don’t deserve to get an award,”
John Henry blurted out.
28 There was stunned silence in the
hall.
29 “Mrs. Pettigrew asked me to feed
Mouser while she was gone and not to
let her out of the house,” he went on,
near tears.
30 “Well, I don’t know how she got out,
but she did and it was my fault, so I
don’t deserve to get an award.”
31 “My goodness, is that what you
think happened?” Ms. Reynolds
asked. “You think you let Mouser out
of the house?”
32 John Henry nodded.
33 “It wasn’t you! My aunt called and
asked me to go over and water her
plants,” Ms. Reynolds explained. “As I
was going into the house, Mouser ran
out. I tried to catch her, but she ran up
that tree. I thought you knew!”
34 John Henry swallowed. “I didn’t.”
35 “So you’re a hero after all!”
Mrs. Simpson decided.
36 Everyone clapped, and John Henry
smiled happily. Hero or not, at least he
hadn’t broken his promise.
OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items
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2009871 3362184

42 45
When Mrs. Pettigrew “assured” When John Henry sees the
John Henry in paragraph 10, it newspaper he is
meant that she was trying to
A confused.
A make him worry more. B upset. *
B ignore his comments. C excited.
C take away his doubt. * D pleased.
D make the job seem hard.

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2009872 C 46
43 What would be most important to
What does promised mean in include when retelling this story?
paragraph 12?
A John Henry volunteered to
A to assure someone * rescue the cat.
B to become a secret B Mrs. Pettigrew’s niece let the
C to give an award cat escape. *
D to make a suggestion C Mrs. Pettigrew kept her key
hidden.
D The Pet Lover’s Club luncheon
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was in the afternoon.
44
Why is Agnes Reynolds
important in this story?

A She is Mrs. Pettigrew’s closest

relative.
B She arranges the seating for the
luncheon.
C She knows how the cat really
escaped. *
D She knows how badly John
Henry felt.

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3362181 3362182

47 49
This story is mainly about how Which of these expresses the
John Henry author’s point of view?

A worried about a cat. A Honesty is the best policy. *

B made plans to accept an award. B Help your neighbor.
C struggled with a difficult C Be kind to animals.
decision. * D Be polite to your elders.
D tried to please his mother.

2009882

3362179 50
48 In paragraph 28, when the author
In paragraph 8, the author used wrote, “There was stunned
the phrase “A few days earlier” to silence in the hall,” he meant
let the reader know that everyone
A what John Henry was supposed A refused to speak to John Henry.
to feed Mouser.
B was too surprised to speak. *
B what events led up to the
rescue. * C enjoyed the quiet after the meal.

C why Mrs. Pettigrew was going D was frightened by John Henry’s

away. words.

D why John Henry needed a job.

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PASS Standard Reference Table
Passage Standard 1 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard 5 Total
Climbing the Walls 0 7 0 1 8
Dogs Have Careers Too 2 4 0 0 6
The Trouble with Auggie 0 8 2 0 10
Classifieds for Kids 1 6 0 1 8
The Little Boy’s Secret 1 4 3 1 9
Just Like a Hero 2 4 3 0 9
Total 6 33 8 3 50

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Answer Key
Standard / Standard /
Item Number Correct Answer Item Number Correct Answer
Objective Objective
1 3.1.a B 26 3.1.b C
2 3.1.c D 27 3.1.b A
3 3.3.a B 28 3.1.d A
4 3.3.a C 29 3.1.d D
5 3.3.b A 30 3.2.a B
6 3.4.d D 31 3.2.a B
7 3.4.d D 32 5.1.a A
8 5.1.a A 33 1.1.a B
9 1.1.a B 34 3.1.d A
10 1.1.a C 35 3.1.d D
11 3.2.b C 36 3.2.b B
12 3.2.d D 37 3.3.a C
13 3.4.c D 38 4.1.a C
14 3.4.f C 39 4.2.c A
15 3.1.c A 40 4.3.b C
16 3.2.a A 41 5.1.c A
17 3.2.a A 42 1.1.a C
18 3.2.c D 43 1.1.a A
19 3.2.b B 44 3.2.d C
20 3.3.b D 45 3.2.d B
21 3.4.d B 46 3.3.a B
22 3.4.d A 47 3.3.a C
23 4.2.d D 48 4.2.c B
24 4.3.b D 49 4.2.d A
25 1.1.a D 50 4.3.b B

29 OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items

OCCT Gr5 Reading Released Items
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 A B C D E