FL FAST 5th Grade Reading Practice Test 1

PASSAGE SET 1 - The New Room at the End of the Hall Maya had never noticed how loud cardboard could be until moving day. Boxes scraped across the apartment floor like chairs in a cafeteria. Tape ripped in sharp, sticky bursts. Her little brother, Nico, marched through the rooms wearing an empty box over his head and calling himself a robot. Everyone seemed busy being excited. Maya was not excited. She stood in the doorway of the bedroom she had shared with Nico since he was a baby. A rectangle of pale wall showed where her bookshelf had stood. The room already looked like it belonged to someone else. Their new house was only twenty minutes away, but to Maya it felt like crossing an ocean. At the apartment, she knew which stair squeaked, which neighbor baked cinnamon rolls on Saturdays, and which window caught the orange sunset. At the house, she would have her own room at the end of the hall. Her mother said this as if it were a prize. "You can paint it any color," Mom said, carrying a lamp. Maya shrugged. "What if I liked things the way they were?" Mom paused. "Then it makes sense that this feels hard. Liking the old place does not mean you cannot make room for the new one." At the house, Maya's new room smelled like fresh paint and sawdust. The walls were a plain white, and the single window looked onto a crooked oak tree. Its branches bent close to the glass, as though the tree were trying to peek inside. Nico dropped his dinosaur blanket on the floor. "Your room is far away," he said. "It is at the end of the hall, not another planet," Maya replied, but she felt the distance too. That night, the house made unfamiliar sounds. Pipes knocked. Leaves scratched the window. Maya lay awake, missing the apartment's steady hum of traffic. Then she heard a soft thump and a whisper. "Maya?" Nico stood in the doorway holding his pillow. "The shadows in my room are gigantic." Maya almost told him to wake Mom. Instead, she remembered how he used to climb into her bed during thunderstorms. She lifted the blanket. "Just until you fall asleep." In the morning, Nico was sprawled across her blanket, and Maya's arm had gone numb. Sunlight streamed through the window, turning the oak leaves gold. On the lowest branch sat a blue jay, tilting its head as if judging the boxes. Maya laughed for the first time since they arrived. After breakfast, she unpacked one box labeled MAYA - IMPORTANT. Inside were her sketchbook, a shell from last summer, her soccer medal, and a paper chain she and Nico had made for New Year's Eve. She taped the paper chain above her desk. Then she sketched the oak tree with the blue jay on its branch. Nico wandered in. "Can I help?" Maya looked around at the empty shelves and the white walls. She had wanted everything to stay the same, but the room no longer seemed empty. It seemed unfinished, which was different. "You can hand me the books," she said. "But the robot box stays in your room." By afternoon, Maya had arranged her shelves, hung her drawings, and placed the shell on the windowsill. The room still smelled new. The hall still seemed long. But when the blue jay returned to the oak tree, Maya pressed her palm against the glass and whispered, "I live here now." Question 1: What is the main conflict Maya faces in the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 2: How does the setting of the new house affect Maya at first?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 3: Part A: Which character trait best describes Maya near the end of the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 4: Part B: Which detail from the passage best supports your answer to Part A? a) "Maya was not excited." b) "The room already looked like it belonged to someone else." c) "She taped the paper chain above her desk. Then she sketched the oak tree with the blue jay on its branch." d) "Nico dropped his dinosaur blanket on the floor."

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 5: What does the phrase "crossing an ocean" suggest about the move?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 6: What does the word unfamiliar mean in the sentence "That night, the house made unfamiliar sounds"?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 7: How does Nico help move the plot forward?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 8: What is a theme of the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 9: From which point of view is the passage told, and how do you know?

(Use the passage from Question 1 to answer this question.) Question 10: How does Maya change from the beginning to the end of the passage?

PASSAGE SET 2 - Why Communities Should Protect Night Skies On a clear night far from city lights, the sky appears crowded with stars. The Milky Way stretches like a pale river across the darkness. For most of human history, people could look up and see such a sky. Today, however, many children can name more phone apps than constellations. The reason is not that the stars have disappeared. The problem is light pollution. Light pollution is excessive or poorly directed artificial light at night. Streetlights, parking lot lamps, billboards, stadium lights, and bright security lights can send light upward or sideways instead of focusing it where people need it. This wasted light brightens the night sky and makes faint stars difficult or impossible to see. Some people argue that brighter outdoor lighting always makes communities safer. Safety matters, but research shows that more light is not always better light. A glaring bulb can create harsh shadows where people or objects are harder to see. Lights that shine into drivers' eyes can reduce visibility. Well-designed lighting points downward, uses the right brightness, and turns on only when needed. In other words, smart lighting can support safety while also protecting the night sky. Light pollution affects more than stargazing. Many animals depend on darkness. Sea turtle hatchlings, for example, usually move toward the natural glow over the ocean after they leave the nest. Bright lights near beaches can confuse them and lead them away from the water. Migrating birds may circle lit buildings until they become exhausted. Insects are drawn to lights, which can interfere with feeding and reproduction. Because insects are food for many other animals, this disruption can spread through an ecosystem. Human health may also be connected to natural darkness. Our bodies follow circadian rhythms, internal cycles that help regulate sleep. Bright light at night, especially bluish light, can signal the brain to stay alert when the body should be resting. Scientists continue to study this issue, but many agree that reducing unnecessary nighttime light is a reasonable step for healthier communities. Protecting dark skies does not require turning every town into a wilderness. Communities can choose shielded fixtures that aim light downward. They can use warmer-colored bulbs, motion sensors, timers, and lower brightness levels. Businesses can turn off signs after closing. Homeowners can adjust porch lights so they illuminate steps instead of shining into neighbors' windows. These changes often save energy and money because less electricity is wasted. Several communities have already adopted dark-sky ordinances, or local rules about outdoor lighting. These ordinances do not ban light. Instead, they encourage responsible design. The goal is balance: enough light for people to move safely, but not so much that the night becomes a glowing ceiling. A starry sky is not just a beautiful view. It is part of science, culture, wildlife, and human wonder. If communities make thoughtful choices now, future students may step outside, look up, and discover that the universe was never far away. It was simply waiting for the lights to point in the right direction. Question 11: What is the author's main claim in the passage?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 12: What is light pollution?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 13: How is the passage mainly organized?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 14: What does the word excessive mean in the phrase "excessive or poorly directed artificial light"?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 15: Part A: What can the reader infer about the author's view of outdoor lighting?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 16: Part B: Which detail from the passage best supports your answer to Part A? a) "On a clear night far from city lights, the sky appears crowded with stars." b) "Some people argue that brighter outdoor lighting always makes communities safer." c) "These ordinances do not ban light. Instead, they encourage responsible design." d) "The Milky Way stretches like a pale river across the darkness."

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 17: Which detail explains how light pollution can affect sea turtles?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 18: Is the statement "A starry sky is not just a beautiful view" a fact or an opinion? Explain.

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 19: What is the author's purpose for writing this passage?

(Use the passage from Question 11 to answer this question.) Question 20: How do the final two paragraphs help develop the author's argument?

PASSAGE SET 3 - The Lighthouse in My Backpack 1 I carry a lighthouse in my backpack, 2 not stone, not glass, not steel. 3 It is the voice that says keep walking 4 when worry grips the wheel. 5 6 Its beam is made of questions, 7 bright arrows through the night: 8 What facts do I know already? 9 What choice will point me right? 10 11 Change rolls in like thunder, 12 clouds crowd every shore. 13 My old map folds behind me, 14 and new roads ask for more. 15 16 Still, the little tower turns, 17 sweeping doubt from side to side. 18 It does not stop the ocean, 19 but it teaches me to ride. 20 21 So when the hallway feels like waves 22 and strange doors line the sea, 23 I listen for that steady lamp: 24 Be brave. Begin. Breathe free. Question 21: What is the extended metaphor in the poem?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 22: What mood is created by the poem?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 23: What does the line "when worry grips the wheel" suggest?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 24: Part A: What is the speaker's perspective about change?

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 25: Part B: Which detail from the poem best supports your answer to Part A? a) "not stone, not glass, not steel" b) "Change rolls in like thunder" c) "It does not stop the ocean, / but it teaches me to ride." d) "My old map folds behind me"

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 26: Identify one example of alliteration in the poem and explain its effect.

(Use the passage from Question 21 to answer this question.) Question 27: How does the structure of the poem help communicate its message?

PASSAGE SET 4 - PAIRED TEXTS Text 1: Tickets to the Moon In July 1969, Ruthie sat cross-legged on the braided rug, close enough to the television that her grandmother warned she would ruin her eyes. The screen glowed in shades of gray. Men at a news desk spoke in careful voices, as if loud words might knock the astronauts off course. Ruthie clutched two paper tickets she had made from a grocery bag. One said RUTHIE: MOON PASSENGER. The other said GRANDMA: WINDOW SEAT. She had drawn stars around the edges and a rocket with more flames than science probably allowed. "We are not going to the moon," Grandma said, lowering herself into the armchair. "We are watching other people go." "Same thing if you imagine hard enough," Ruthie said. Grandma smiled, but her eyes stayed on the television. She had been born before airplanes crossed the ocean regularly. Now people were stepping onto another world. Ruthie wondered if growing older meant watching the impossible become ordinary. The picture flickered. A voice from Mission Control crackled through the room. Ruthie's father, who worked nights at the hospital, had left a note beside the television: Wake me for the first step. No exceptions. When the astronaut finally came down the ladder, everyone leaned forward. Even Grandma stopped knitting. Ruthie felt the room hold its breath. The boot touched the surface. The words came through, broken but clear enough: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Ruthie looked at her ticket. Suddenly it seemed less like a game and more like a promise. If people could build a machine, cross black space, and land on a dusty place in the sky, maybe a girl from a small town could become the person who designed the next one. Grandma reached for her ticket and tucked it into her Bible. "Window seat," she said softly. "I had a fine view." Years later, when Ruthie studied engineering, she kept her moon passenger ticket taped inside her notebook. It reminded her that history was not only something printed in textbooks. Sometimes it entered a living room, silver and crackling, and asked a child what she planned to do next. Text 2: The Apollo 11 Mission Apollo 11 was the first mission to land humans on the Moon. The mission was part of the United States space program and was carried out by NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The three astronauts were Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins. Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 16, 1969. The spacecraft had several important parts, including the command module, Columbia, and the lunar module, Eagle. Collins remained in orbit around the Moon inside Columbia, while Armstrong and Aldrin descended toward the lunar surface in Eagle. On July 20, 1969, Eagle landed in an area called the Sea of Tranquility. As the lunar module approached the surface, the astronauts had to respond to computer alarms and limited fuel. Armstrong guided Eagle to a safer landing area. After landing, he reported, "The Eagle has landed." Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon. Aldrin joined him soon afterward. The astronauts collected rock and soil samples, took photographs, set up scientific experiments, and planted an American flag. They spent about two and a half hours outside the lunar module. The mission was watched by millions of people around the world. For many viewers, the Moon landing represented courage, scientific achievement, and the possibility of new discoveries. It also showed the importance of teamwork. Thousands of engineers, scientists, technicians, mathematicians, and support workers contributed to the mission's success. Apollo 11 returned safely to Earth on July 24, 1969, when the command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The mission remains an important event in space exploration because it proved that humans could travel to another world and return safely. Question 28: In Text 1, why does Ruthie make paper tickets?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 29: What does Ruthie realize after hearing the astronaut's words?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 30: What character trait best describes Ruthie?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 31: According to Text 2, what was Apollo 11?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 32: What problem did Armstrong and Aldrin face as Eagle approached the Moon's surface?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 33: What does the word descended mean in Text 2?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 34: How are Text 1 and Text 2 different in purpose?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 35: Part A: What idea is developed in both Text 1 and Text 2?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 36: Part B: Which detail from the passage best supports your answer to Part A? a) "She had drawn stars around the edges and a rocket with more flames than science probably allowed." b) "For many viewers, the Moon landing represented courage, scientific achievement, and the possibility of new discoveries." c) "Collins remained in orbit around the Moon inside Columbia." d) "Grandma said, lowering herself into the armchair."

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 37: How does the phrase "history was not only something printed in textbooks" affect the meaning of Text 1?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 38: Which information from Text 2 helps the reader better understand the television moment in Text 1?

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 39: Compare how Grandma in Text 1 and the author of Text 2 view the Moon landing.

(Use the passage from Question 28 to answer this question.) Question 40: What is one theme of Text 1, and how does Text 2 support that theme with facts?