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MassachusettsTests for Educator Licensure® (MTEL®)

BOOKLET 1Reading Subtest

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Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1

Purpose of the Practice Test .............................................................................................................1

Taking the Practice Test ...................................................................................................................1

Incorporating the Practice Test in Your Study Plan .........................................................................1

Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Practice Test: Reading Subtest.......................................3

General Test Directions .............................................................................................................4

Multiple-Choice Answer Sheet..................................................................................................5

Directions for the Reading Subtest ............................................................................................6

Multiple-Choice Questions ........................................................................................................7

Practice Test Results ......................................................................................................................28

Practice Test Results Overview ...............................................................................................29

Multiple-Choice Question Answer Key Worksheet ................................................................30

Multiple-Choice Question Practice Test Evaluation Chart ......................................................32

Practice Test Score Calculation ...............................................................................................33

Readers should be advised that this practice test, including many of the excerptsused herein, is protected by federal copyright law.

Test policies and materials, including but not limited to tests, item types, and item formats, are subject tochange at the discretion of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.


INTRODUCTIONThis document is a printable version of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure® (MTEL®)Communication and Literacy Skills (01) Online Practice Test.

The MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills test consists of a reading subtest and a writing subtest. To passthe Communication and Literacy Skills test, you must pass both the reading and writing subtests.

This practice test for the Communication and Literacy Skills reading subtest is a sample test consisting of42 multiple-choice questions.

To assist you in recording and evaluating your responses on the practice test, a Multiple-Choice Answer Sheet, anAnswer Key Worksheet, and an Evaluation Chart by test objective are included for the multiple-choice items.Lastly, there is a Practice Test Score Calculation Worksheet.

PURPOSE OF THE PRACTICE TESTThe practice test is designed to provide an additional resource to help you effectively prepare for the MTELCommunication and Literacy Skills (01) test. The primary purpose of the practice test is to help you becomefamiliar with the structure and content of the test. It is also intended to help you identify areas in which to focusyour studies. Education faculty and administrators of teacher preparation programs may also find this practicetest useful as they help students prepare for the official test.

TAKING THE PRACTICE TESTIn order to maximize the benefits of the practice test, it is recommended that you take this test under conditionssimilar to the conditions under which the official MTEL tests are administered. Try to take the practice test in aquiet atmosphere with few interruptions and limit yourself to the four-hour time period* allotted for the officialtest administration. You will find your results to be more useful if you refer to the answer key only after you havecompleted the practice test.

INCORPORATING THE PRACTICE TEST IN YOUR STUDY PLANAlthough the primary means of preparing for the MTEL is your college education, adequate preparation prior totaking or retaking the MTEL test is strongly recommended. How much preparation and study you need dependson how comfortable and knowledgeable you are with the content of the test.

The first step in preparing to take the MTEL is to identify what information the test will address by reviewing theobjectives for your field. A complete, up-to-date list of the Test Objectives is included in the Test InformationBooklet for each test field. The test objectives are the core of the testing program and a helpful study tool.Before taking or retaking the official test, focus your study time on those objectives for which you wish tostrengthen your knowledge.

* For the Communication and Literacy Skills test, candidates may take one or both subtests during the four-hoursession.

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This practice test may be used as one indicator of potential strengths and weaknesses in your knowledge of thecontent on the official test. However, because of potential differences in format and difficulty between thepractice test and an official MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test, it is not possible to predictprecisely how you might score on an official MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills (01) test. Refer to theTest Information Booklet for additional information about how to prepare for the test.

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COMMUNICATION AND LITERACY SKILLS (01)PRACTICE TEST

READING SUBTEST

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GENERAL TEST DIRECTIONS

This practice test consists of two subtests: reading (booklet 1) and writing (booklet 2). Each multiple-choicequestion on the practice test has four answer choices. Read each question carefully and choose the ONE bestanswer. Record each answer on the answer sheet provided.

Sample Question: 1. What is the capital of Massachusetts?

A. WorcesterB. New BedfordC. BostonD. Springfield

The correct answer to this question is C. You would indicate that on the answer sheet.

The short-answer and open-response items on this practice test require written responses. Directions for the open-response items appear immediately before those assignments.

You may work on the multiple-choice questions and open-response items in any order that you choose. You maywish to monitor how long it takes you to complete the practice test. When taking the actual MTELCommunication and Literacy Skills (01) test, you will have one four-hour test session in which to complete thetest.

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MULTIPLE-CHOICE ANSWER SHEET

Reading Subtest

QuestionNumber

YourResponse

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930

QuestionNumber

YourResponse

313233343536373839404142

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DIRECTIONS FOR THE READING SUBTEST

The reading subtest consists of seven reading selections. Each reading selection is followed by several multiple-choice questions related to the selection. Read each question carefully and choose the ONE best answer based onthe information contained in the selection you have just read. You may refer back to the selection to answer thequestions.

There are a total of 42 multiple-choice questions in this section of the reading subtest, numbered 1 to 42. Recordyour answer to each question on the answer sheet provided in this booklet.

In the multiple-choice section of the reading subtest, the order of information requested by the questions does notnecessarily correspond to the order of information in a given selection.

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MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Read the passage below; then answer the six questions that follow.

Ibn Battuta

1 Anyone who has traveled by plane, train,or automobile might find it hard to imaginewhat travel was like seven hundred years ago.One way to find out is by reading the memoirsof Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta, whocovered approximately 75,000 miles between1325 and 1353. Fortunately for historians, IbnBattuta was an attentive observer of peopleand their customs, and the written record ofhis travels has long been an invaluable sourceof information about everyday medieval life inplaces as diverse as India, Egypt, and China.

2 Born in Tangier, Morocco, in 1304, IbnBattuta initially planned to follow familytradition by pursuing a law career. His lifewas changed forever by a pilgrimage to Meccthat he made at age twenty-one. The journeytook him across North Africa through Egypt.At the ruins of the ancient lighthouse inAlexandria, a stranger asked him to visit theman's brothers in India and China. Suddenly,Ibn Battuta was seized with a wanderlust thatlasted his entire life.

a

3 One of Ibn Battuta's most memorabletrips took him to India. Sailing across theMediterranean to Turkey, he encounteredfour-wheeled, covered carriages for the firsttime. He was so impressed that he had oneoutfitted for himself before continuing on incomfort to Constantinople. There he gainedthe trust of the emperor, who presented himwith a guide and an umbrella, a sign of royalprotection. He also visited Persia, where heobserved a cooking competition in which twomen attempted to outdo each other's culinaryskills, serving gorgeously prepared dishes onbeautiful table settings. When Ibn Battutafinally arrived at the court of the reigning

sultan in Delhi, India, he was enthralled bythe magnificent surroundings. Among theremarkable scenes he recorded in his journalwas the sultan's returning to court amid aprocession of elephants outfitted withcatapults that tossed gold coins into thecrowds.

4 Ibn Battuta stayed in Delhi for ten yearsand was eventually appointed Indianambassador to China. As he sailed eastward,however, a series of misadventures caused himto abandon his mission and sail instead to theMaldive Islands, from which he traveled toSoutheast Asia. Eventually he boarded a boatfor China, a country he found particularlyenjoyable because of the settled conditionsestablished by government authorities. Hemight have stayed there some time, but afterarriving in Beijing, the inveterate travelerbecame homesick. Shortly afterward, hebegan the slow westward journey towardhome, arriving in Morocco five years later.

5 Ibn Battuta's travels, however, were notyet over. In later years, he made two moretrips—one across the Sahara Desert to what isnow Mali, and the other to Spain—all thewhile continuing to take careful notes aboutthe people, customs, and lands that he visited.When his touring days had finally come to anend, he dictated his travel memoirs to a scribe.The finished product is a fascinating look atwhat the world was like before planes, trains,and automobiles. Without his informativeaccount, we would know much less about theworld of the fourteenth century than we doand be much the poorer for it.

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1. Which of the following words is closest inmeaning to enthralled as it is used in thethird paragraph of the passage?

A. appalled

B. amused

C. bewildered

D. delighted

2. Information presented in which of thefollowing paragraphs best supports theauthor's statement that Ibn Battuta was"an attentive observer of people and theircustoms"?

A. Paragraph 2

B. Paragraph 3

C. Paragraph 4

D. Paragraph 5

3. The author's main purpose in this passageis to:

A. analyze the observations of IbnBattuta.

B. raise questions about the writings ofIbn Battuta.

C. describe the journeys of Ibn Battuta.

D. evaluate the travel memoirs of IbnBattuta.

4. Which of the following lists the correctorder of Ibn Battuta's first visits to thecountries and regions listed below?

A. 1. Egypt and the Middle East2. India and the Maldive Islands3. China and Southeast Asia4. Mali and Spain

B. 1. India and the Maldive Islands2. Egypt and the Middle East3. Mali and Spain4. China and Southeast Asia

C. 1. Mali and Spain2. Egypt and the Middle East3. China and Southeast Asia4. India and the Maldive Islands

D. 1. China and Southeast Asia2. Mali and Spain3. India and the Maldive Islands4. Mali and Spain

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5. Which of the following statementsprovides the best evaluation of the author'sobjectivity in the passage?

A. The excessive amount of spacedevoted to Ibn Battuta's travels inAsia raises questions of authorialbias.

B. The author provides a straight-forward, unbiased account ofIbn Battuta's travels and writings.

C. The author provides a moreevenhanded account of the placesIbn Battuta visited than of thepeople he met.

D. The account is somewhat subjective,with the author clearly overstatingthe significance of Ibn Battuta'swritings.

6. Which of the following types of graphicscould best be used to present informationcontained in the passage?

A. a timeline of the period from 1325to 1353

B. a flowchart of the stages of a trip

C. a circle graph of countries visited byIbn Battuta

D. a map of Asia, Africa, and Europe

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Rainbows

1 Does a rainbow point the way to a pot ofburied gold, as claimed in popular folklore?Or is it the multicolored serpent some peoplein Asia, Australia, and Brazil see streakingacross the sky? Others see a rainbow as aheavenly bridge connecting this world and theworld beyond. Among Arabs and some Bantuin central Africa, it is the bow for God's arrow;to early Christians, it was the throne of Christ;and among the Nandi, Masai, and CaliforniaYuki, it is the robe of God. To twenty-first-century scientists, it is something quitedifferent. For them, the band of soft colorsthat arcs across the sky simply shows thespectrum of the colors in sunlight spread outby raindrops.

2 How does it happen? Perhaps the bestplace to begin is by understanding thatsunlight is white light. Although white lightcontains colors, they are blended together; nocolor is visible until the light strikes an object.When that occurs, the object struck reflectsone or more colors in the light while absorbingor refracting the others. The reflected light isthe color the object appears to be when viewedwith the human eye. Whereas solid objectssend unabsorbed colors back to the eye,transparent objects such as glass or waterbend the light as it passes through them. Thisbending is called refraction. A rainbow iscaused by drops of water that both refractand reflect the light rays that enter them.

3 Of the two processes, refraction plays aparticularly important role in the formation ofrainbows. When light is refracted, each color

is bent at a slightly different angle. As aresult, the colors in the light separate, and itis then that the eye sees the spectrum of lightwe call a rainbow. In the spectrum, red lightbends the least and violet light bends the most.Orange, yellow, green, and blue—always inthat order—range between them. Hence, arainbow is red along the top and violet onthe inner side of the arc. In every rainbow,whether caused by sunlight striking raindropshigh in the sky or water dripping from agarden hose in the backyard, the colors appearin the same order.

4 Rainbows appear only when the viewer isbetween the sun and the moist air. They are,therefore, most often seen early or late in theday, when the sun is low and there is rain inthe area of the sky toward which the sun isshining. Each point on a rainbow is caused bythe interaction of sunlight with a different dropof water. Sometimes only a short length ofcolor is visible, which means that no drops ofwater are in adjacent areas of the sky.

5 As to the pot of gold, even if such atreasure were buried at the end of a rainbow, itcould never be found. Any effort to discoverthis treasure is doomed to failure: whenevera viewer moves underneath the drops thatform a rainbow, it disappears. Rainbows existonly when the positions of the light rays, theraindrops, and the observer align in the properangles. When the angles change, the spectrumof visible colors vanishes.

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7. Which of the following words is the bestmeaning of adjacent as it is used in thefourth paragraph of the passage?

A. higher

B. nearby

C. damper

D. observable

8. Which of the following statements fromParagraph 2 of the passage best expressesthe main idea of that paragraph?

A. Although white light containscolors, they are blended together; nocolor is visible until the light strikesan object.

B. The reflected light is the color theobject appears to be when viewedwith the human eye.

C. Whereas solid objects sendunabsorbed colors back to the eye,transparent objects such as glass orwater bend the light as it passesthrough them.

D. A rainbow is caused by drops ofwater that both refract and reflectthe light rays that enter them.

9. Which of the following phrases bestdescribes the author's main purpose in thepassage?

A. to explore the significance ofrainbows in various cultures

B. to analyze a popular fable aboutrainbows

C. to describe how rainbows areformed and appear to the human eye

D. to examine the spectrum of colorsrevealed in rainbows

10. According to information presented in thepassage, all rainbows are red along the topbecause the color red:

A. is more visible to the eye than othercolors in a rainbow.

B. is refracted less than other colors ina rainbow.

C. is both refracted and reflected by thewater in a rainbow.

D. is the brightest of the differentcolors in a rainbow.

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11. Which of the following facts best supportsthe author's contention that even if a pot ofgold were buried at the end of a rainbow,it could never be found?

A. When light is refracted, each ofthe colors in the light is bent ata slightly different angle.

B. Regardless of where a rainbowappears, its range of colors willalways be in the same order.

C. Whenever a viewer moves under-neath the raindrops that form arainbow, it disappears.

D. Each of the points on a rainbow isformed by the interaction of sunlightwith a different drop of water.

12. Which of the following lists best outlinesthe main topics addressed in the passage?

A. — The folklore of rainbows— The formation and arrangement

of the colors in a rainbow— When rainbows appear— The reason why one can never

see the end of a rainbow

B. — The fable of the pot of goldburied at the end of a rainbow

— Conditions under whichreflected and refracted light arevisible to the eye

— Rainbows and the interaction ofsunlight and drops of water

C. — The scientific definition of arainbow

— The different colors in whitelight

— The different colors in arainbow

— When rainbows are most visible

D. — Pots of gold and multicoloredserpents

— The bending of light as it passesthrough transparent objects

— The different colors in arainbow

— Looking at rainbows fromdifferent perspectives

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365 Days/365 Plays

1 Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks has neverbeen one to take the easy route. Her plays arerenowned for their challenging poetic dialogueand provocative viewpoints on African-American culture, U.S. history, and the ideaof family. After winning the 2001 PulitzerPrize for drama, however, she embarked ona project that seemed unconventional evenfor her. Rather than write a single play,Parks decided to compose 365 of them—one for each day of the year. The completedmanuscript consisted of a thick pile of text thatwould take nearly a day to perform. The playsthemselves varied greatly. Some of the longerpieces contained distinct characters and fullydeveloped stories; others were no more thana paragraph or so of stage directions. Thecharacters, themes, images, and ideas thatappeared in the work reflected what washappening in the news or in Parks's life atthe time each play was written.

2 Since it would be nearly impossible forany one company to perform this mammothwork, Parks and her producing partner BonnieMetzger decided to turn the play cycle into thelargest collaboration in theater history. Theoriginal idea was to form seven regionalnetworks. Each network would consist of52 theaters, with each theater companyperforming one week of plays. This initiallyseemed like an impossible feat ofcoordination, and the logistics of organizing,publicizing, and funding so many differentgroups threatened to sink the project before itgot started. But as the two women describedtheir vision to performance groups around thecountry, everything began to fall into place.In time, 17 networks emerged in localesranging from major urban centers such as NewYork and Los Angeles to medium-sized citiesand small towns in Texas, Colorado, and the

Carolinas. Large theaters with substantialresources volunteered to serve as networkhubs, helping to recruit local performancegroups and to distribute each week's plays.

3 A major turning point was the decision toopen the project up to the larger community,rather than confine it to theater companies. Asword spread, groups as disparate as middleschool classes, social service organizations,nursing homes, a mayor's office, and a roller-derby team signed up to perform a week ofplays. Performances could be staged whereverand in whatever manner each group wished.Plays were performed everywhere from gasstations to pedestrian bridges, from privatehomes to community ice rinks, from museumsto public restrooms. Some groups evenbroadcast their work using alternative mediasuch as shortwave radio stations and cableaccess television shows.

4 As the cycle of plays progressed, itbecame clear that the project was helpingboth to forge new artistic communities andto strengthen those already in place. Best ofall, it leveled the economic and geographicplaying field for participants. A communitytheater group from tiny Marfa, Texas, receivedthe same attention and respect within theproject as one of New York City's off-Broadway theatrical powerhouses. Justas important were the hidden talents andresources revealed by the project. The playsthat Suzan-Lori Parks spent a year writinghave powerful things to say, but their messagebecame in some ways secondary to thediscoveries made on their way to the stage.This remarkable journey uncovered a richstore of creativity and innovation in towns andcities across the country—an accomplishmentthat may be worth even more than a Pulitzer.

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13. Which of the following words is the bestsynonym for the word disparate as it isused in the third paragraph of the passage?

A. informal

B. inexperienced

C. diverse

D. dispersed

14. In Paragraph 4 of the passage, the authorasserts that the powerful message of theplays "became in some ways secondary tothe discoveries made on their way to thestage." This statement is most likely areference to the playwright's decision to:

A. include in the project a play for eachday of the year.

B. form 17 networks in different partsof the country.

C. have theaters with substantialresources serve as network hubs.

D. open the project up to the largercommunity.

15. Information included in the secondparagraph of the passage is primarilyintended to:

A. analyze relations among differentgroups involved in the project.

B. describe efforts to organize theproject.

C. identify major institutions thatparticipated in the project.

D. raise questions about the objectivesof the project.

16. Information presented in the passagebest supports which of the followingconclusions?

A. Where a play is staged is frequentlymore important than the content ofthe play.

B. Many people have the desire andability for artistic expression.

C. A major shortcoming of mostplays is their failure to addresscontroversial themes.

D. Shorter plays are generallymore successful than longerperformances.

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17. In which of the following statements fromParagraph 1 of the passage does the authormost clearly express an opinion ratherthan state a fact?

A. Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks hasnever been one to take the easyroute.

B. Rather than write a single play,Parks decided to compose 365 ofthem—one for each day of the year.

C. The plays themselves varied greatly.

D. Some of the longer pieces containeddistinct characters and fullydeveloped stories.

18. Which of the following summaries bestcaptures the most important ideas in thepassage?

A. Although the large theaters thatserved as network hubs played amajor role in the 365 plays project,the contributions of numerous localgroups added considerably to thesuccess of the venture.

B. By developing a project thatincluded a separate play for everyday of the year, Parks and Metzgerdemonstrated that the public waseager to embrace unfamiliar andunconventional forms of theater.

C. A major organizational feat thatinvolved theater companies andlocal groups across the country, the365 plays project helped forge newcommunities and released hiddenstores of creativity and innovation.

D. The Parks-Metzger project had auniversal appeal that enlisted theassistance of organizations rangingfrom New York City's off-Broadway theaters to communitygroups in Texas and Colorado.

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Population Decline

1 If you have ever felt a little cramped, youare not alone. Between 1900 and 2000, theworld's population rose by almost 400 percentMany people in the last few decades of thetwentieth century observed this dramaticincrease and began to worry that the earth'sresources would soon be strained to the pointof exhaustion. How long would it be, theyasked, before we had bulldozed all the forests,dried out all the rivers, and poisoned theoceans, and had left ourselves with nothing?The loss of natural resources was anunderstandable cause for concern, and onethat played a major role in the growth ofthe environmental movement.

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2 Few in those decades could have predictedthe end of rapid population growth. Today,however, for the first time in over 4,000 years,the rate of population growth has begun toslow. This phenomenon is unprecedented,and many people are unsure how to respond.Should we applaud the initiatives of countriessuch as Italy and Japan that are introducingincentives for people to have more babies? Oris it better to embrace the decline as nature'sway of giving the planet a chance to recoverfrom years of heavy use? Although it isunclear whether a smaller global populationwill have positive effects in the long term,there are steps we can take now to ensure thatthis transition occurs as smoothly as possible.

3 If the world population is to remainsteady, the birthrate needs to average 2.1 chil-dren for every woman. When the birthratedrops below 1.5 for any significant length oftime, and a substantial proportion of adultsleave their childbearing years, it becomesincreasingly difficult for the population torecover. One of the countries facing thegreatest challenge is Japan, where the birthratehas fallen to 1.2 children per woman. (Seethe population pyramids at the end of thepassage.) The government vowed to spend

more than 100 million dollars to reverse thetrend, but their early attempts—offering cashincentives and free car leases when a familyhas a fourth child—have not been successful.Fortunately, the country has another twenty orthirty years before the proportion of retirees toworking people threatens to put a major strainon the system.

4 One of the best ways for any country toavoid this strain is to encourage people toretire later in life. Mandatory retirement agesshould be replaced by policies that evaluateemployees solely on performance. Age israrely a good reason to discard a capable andexperienced worker in favor of a new hire. Asecond option for countries with decliningpopulations is to increase immigration. Eventhough it can be a divisive policy, opening thedoors to immigrants is a proven method forkeeping economies strong and generatingadditional tax revenue. Finally, troubledcountries should look at those nations that arestill expanding and identify what has helpedthem grow. One likely factor may be policiesthat relax the burden of being a workingparent. Access to quality child care and agenerous amount of leave time can make allthe difference in letting men and women knowthat work life and family life do not need to bemutually exclusive.

5 Finding the best ways to reversepopulation decline will take many years and aconsiderable amount of social and economicexperimentation. It is, after all, an unprece-dented challenge. Is it better for us and ourenvironment for our numbers to dwindleslowly, or to regain the rapid growth of thepast? Ultimately, the most sensible goal islikely to be a stable population that is neitherrising nor falling. We may still feel crampedevery now and then, but that is not nearly asbad as being lonely.

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19. Which of the following words best definesembrace as it is used in the secondparagraph of the passage?

A. excuse

B. welcome

C. justify

D. perceive

20. Which of the following statements bestexpresses the main idea of the passage?

A. Extending the retirement age is themost effective way to deal withpopulation decline.

B. Countries with birthrates below1.5 children per woman are likelyto face serious problems during thenext hundred years.

C. Finding effective answers to theproblem of population decline willrequire a process of trial and errorover a considerable period of time

D. Other countries would be welladvised to adopt Japan's populationpolicies.

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21. This passage was most likely written foran audience of:

A. government policymakers.

B. high school students.

C. professional demographers.

D. educated general readers.

22. According to information presented inthis passage, a likely difference betweencountries with declining and expandingpopulations is that countries experiencingpopulation growth are more inclined toadopt policies that:

A. help people increase their averageannual income.

B. encourage early retirement.

C. help people combine work andparenting responsibilities.

D. facilitate geographic mobility.

23. Which of the following assumptions mostinfluenced the author's argument in thepassage?

A. Elderly people will be mostadversely affected by populationdecline.

B. Population decline is not necessarilybeneficial.

C. Efforts to promote populationgrowth are unlikely to be successfuleverywhere.

D. Global resources can support highlevels of population growth.

24. Information presented in the populationpyramids best supports which of thefollowing conclusions?

A. By 2050, the proportion of peopleover 65 in Japan is projected to bemore than six times greater than itwas a century earlier.

B. An imbalance in the proportion ofmales and females in the Japanesepopulation has been a major causeof population decline.

C. By 2050, a substantial proportion ofgovernment spending in Japan willlikely be devoted to finding andcreating jobs for young workers.

D. The proportion of Japanese in thenational workforce is projected tobegin growing again at some pointin the next half-century.

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Nellie Bly

1 When Nellie Bly (1867–1922) landedher first job as a reporter for the PittsburghDispatch in 1885, investigative journalismwas not widely practiced. But over the next35 years, Bly's ingenuity and her focus onissues of social justice brought investigativereporting to new prominence and helpedtransform journalism in the United States.

2 As a reporter for the Dispatch, Bly quicklydemonstrated the resourcefulness that wouldlater make her famous. Entering the city'smost impoverished areas, she conductedinterviews with working women and otherresidents. The sessions provided the basis fora series of stories on underreported topics suchas poverty, divorce, and factory work. Bly'sreputation was enhanced by an 1886–87 tripto Mexico, where she investigated politicalcorruption and the problems of that nation'spoor. But it was not until she went to workfor Joseph Pulitzer's New York World that shebegan filing the stories that would make hera household name.

3 Pulitzer, who had recently moved to NewYork from St. Louis, was a major figure inU.S. journalism. Although mainly interestedin selling newspapers, he understood how thepower of the press could be employed tocreate public support for social reform. Andthe late nineteenth century was a time whenmuch needed to be reformed. This need forreform was especially so in large urban centerssuch as New York City, where poorly paidworking people, many of them recentimmigrants from southern and eastern Europe,often lived in filthy, crowded tenementswithout any of the social services availabletoday. As the publisher of the World, Pulitzerpromised to use his newspaper to "expose allfraud and sham, fight all public evils andabuses, and do battle for the people."

4 Through her pioneering undercover workfor the World, Bly would help him carry outthat promise. Her first assignment, an exposéof the notorious New York City LunaticAsylum on Blackwell's Island, provides aparticularly good example. Feigning mentalillness, Bly had herself committed for ten daysin order to experience the conditions from aninmate's point of view. The resulting storycaused a sensation that, in addition to sellingcountless newspapers, prompted urgentlyneeded changes in the treatment of patients.

5 Bly was soon filing a new story everyweek as a crusading "stunt" reporter, adoptinga journalistic approach that was a forerunnerof the investigative reporting of a later period.On one occasion, she posed as a maid for astory on employment agencies that tookadvantage of poor, uneducated women. Onanother occasion, she posed as an unwedmother for a story on trafficking in newbornbabies and revealed they could be purchasedfrom brokers for as little as ten dollars withoutany questions being asked. She also wentundercover to investigate bribery in the NewYork State Legislature, where she exposed theillegal operations of political lobbyists, at leastone of whom was forced to leave the state.

6 Not all of Bly's stories advanced thecrusade against injustice and corruption. Shealso did her share of lightweight reporting.Indeed, the story for which she is best knownwas a pure publicity stunt. In November1889, she traveled around the world in anattempt to beat the fictional record set in JulesVerne's novel, Around the World in EightyDays. She made it in seventy-two—to theaccompaniment of two-and-a-half months ofextravagant coverage in Pulitzer's paper.Nevertheless, championing the cause of poorworking women was a prominent theme in

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Bly's reporting. Along the way, she broughtsignificant changes to her profession. Inaddition to her groundbreaking work as aninvestigative reporter, she helped remove

barriers to women's employment as journalistsand served as a model for other womenseeking work in the field.

25. Which of the following words or phrasesis the best meaning of a household nameas it is used in the second paragraph of thepassage?

A. well known

B. accomplished

C. well informed

D. successful

26. Which of the following statements bestexpresses the main idea of this passage?

A. Despite the sensation Bly's exposéof the New York City LunaticAsylum caused, she is bestremembered for her trip aroundthe world.

B. Bly's reporting not only contributedto the development of innovativejournalistic techniques, it alsohelped effect important socialchanges.

C. Although readers thought highly ofthe investigative reporting Bly didfor the Pittsburgh Dispatch, she wasmost celebrated for the stories shepublished in the New York World.

D. During her 35 years as acrusading reporter, Bly filednumerous stories that exposed theexploitation of working women andthe poor.

27. Which of the following phrases bestdescribes the author's main reason forwriting about Bly's "resourcefulness" inthe second paragraph of the passage?

A. to inform readers about Bly's levelof education

B. to help readers understand thedifficulties women journalists facedin the late nineteenth century

C. to stress the importance ofobjectivity in journalism

D. to emphasize the intelligence andimagination that Bly brought toher work


A. Bly had little respect for theordinary journalism of her day.

B. Bly's concerns about social injusticediminished after she left thePittsburgh Dispatch.

C. Bly was willing to take considerablerisks for the sake of a story.

D. Bly's reporting made Joseph Pulitzera leading personality in U.S.journalism.

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29. Which of the following statements fromthe passage expresses an opinion ratherthan stating a fact?

A. And the late nineteenth century wasa time when much needed to bereformed.

B. On one occasion, she posed as amaid for a story on employmentagencies that took advantage ofpoor, uneducated women.

C. Not all of Bly's stories advancedthe crusade against injustice andcorruption.

D. Nevertheless, championing thecause of poor working women was aprominent theme in Bly's reporting.

30. Which of the following lists best outlinesthe main topics addressed in the passage?

A. — Reporting for the PittsburghDispatch

— Joseph Pulitzer and U.S.journalism

— Bly's most widely read story

B. — Establishing a reputation as aresourceful reporter

— Bly's undercover work for theNew York World

— Assessment of Bly's journalisticcontributions

C. — From Pittsburgh to Mexico— Exposing the New York City

Lunatic Asylum— Bly's work as a "stunt" reporter

D. — Obtaining a position with theNew York World

— Late-nineteenth-century urbanproblems

— How Bly helped Pulitzerpromote social reform

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A Native American Heritage

1 By the beginning of the twentieth century,far fewer Native Americans lived in NewEngland than had inhabited the region threecenturies earlier. Many of these people livedin small groups on portions of the vast landsthat their ancestors had long occupied.Though fewer in number, they honored theirtribal identities, cherished their ancestralhomelands, and wanted to keep what theyhad. To help insure the survival of theirheritage, Native Americans eventually turnedto the U.S. legal system.

2 Leading the way were two Maine tribes,the Penobscots and the Passamaquoddies,whose history differed little from that of mostother Native Americans in the region. Likeother tribes, their populations had decreasedmarkedly over the centuries; so had theamount of land they controlled. After theAmerican Revolution, state governments hadimposed treaties that transferred much of theNative Americans' land to state and privateownership. With the loss of their land baseand its resources, tribal populations tended todisperse as individuals sought opportunitieselsewhere. In Maine, the Penobscots andPassamaquoddies held only two smallreservations by the early twentieth century.

3 Thus matters stood for the next half-century. Then, in 1957, a federal programdesigned to encourage the assimilation ofNative American peoples threatened toterminate the Penobscot and Passamaquoddytribal governments. Tribal leaders resisted.With the help of other Native Americanactivists, they thwarted the attempt and in theprocess strengthened tribal authority. It was asmall victory, but one that encouraged them toseek other ways of asserting their rights.

4 The changing social and political climateof the 1960s and 1970s prompted many NativeAmerican groups to insist that the federalgovernment live up to its treaty commitments.Alert to the claims being made by other NativeAmericans, Penobscot and Passamaquoddyleaders saw their opportunity. The two tribeshad fought for the colonists in the AmericanRevolution, and in return the ContinentalCongress had promised protection of theirhunting grounds. By the twentieth century,those vast tracts had become extremelyvaluable. The two tribes decided to sue thefederal government for the return of abouttwo-thirds of the state of Maine.

5 The land, they claimed, had been takenillegally, first by Massachusetts (of whichMaine formed a part until 1820) and then byMaine. They based their case on the IndianTrade and Intercourse Act of 1790. That law,which made the federal government a trusteeof Native American property, declared that notransfers of Indian land were valid unlessapproved by Congress. Since the tribes coulddemonstrate that state treaties involving morethan 1,200,000 acres of land taken from themhad never been submitted to Congress, theyhad a strong case. Much to the surprise andchagrin of many observers, the suit wassuccessful. In 1980, the Maine IndianSettlement Act awarded the tribes a substantialmonetary settlement that enabled them to buyland, develop tribal businesses, and provideemployment for tribal members.

6 In winning the case, the Penobscots andPassamaquoddies had established an importantlegal precedent. Other New England tribeswould soon use that precedent to assert theirown rights and to reassert the full dimensionsof the cultural heritage their forebears hadhanded down to them.

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31. Which of the following words is the bestmeaning of terminate as it is used in thethird paragraph of the passage?

A. weaken

B. eliminate

C. transfer

D. revise

32. Which of the following statements fromthe first paragraph of the passage bestexpresses the main idea of that paragraph?

A. By the beginning of the twentiethcentury, far fewer Native Americanslived in New England than hadinhabited the region three centuriesearlier.

B. Many of these people lived in smallgroups on portions of the vast landsthat their ancestors had longoccupied.

C. Though fewer in number, theyhonored their tribal identities,cherished their ancestral homelands,and wanted to keep what they had.

D. To help insure the survival of theirheritage, Native Americanseventually turned to the U.S. legalsystem.

33. Which of the following statements bestexpresses the author's point of view?

A. The author has tremendous respectfor the basic fairness of the U.S.legal system.

B. The author is surprised that theNative Americans of New Englandtook so long to assert their rights.

C. The author admires what thePenobscots and Passamaquoddieswere able to accomplish.

D. The author believes that the lawsuitsbrought by the Penobscots andPassamaquoddies had little merit.

34. According to information presented in thepassage, which of the following mostinfluenced Penobscot and Passamaquoddyleaders to sue the federal government?

A. their continuing opposition tofederal efforts to encouragethe assimilation of NativeAmerican groups

B. changes in the federal lawgoverning the transfer of triballyowned lands

C. demands by other Native Americangroups during the 1960s and 1970sthat the government honor its treatycommitments

D. the tribes' contributions to thepatriot cause during the AmericanRevolution

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35. Which of the following statementsprovides the best evaluation of the author'scredibility?

A. The author's misconceptions aboutNative American history stronglydetract from the credibility of thepassage.

B. Despite confusion about how theU.S. legal system works, the authorpresents an informed account of thelawsuits discussed in the passage.

C. The author's bias against the federalgovernment strongly detracts fromthe credibility of the passage.

D. Although clearly sympathetic toNative Americans, the authorpresents a balanced account oftheir efforts to assert their rights.

36. Which of the following statements bestsummarizes the main points of thepassage?

A. After centuries of population declineand land loss, Native Americans inNew England employed the legalsystem to assert their rights andstrengthen the economic bases oftheir communities.

B. The 1960s and 1970s marked animportant turning point in NativeAmerican history, particularly inNew England, where major tribesreclaimed lands they had lostcenturies earlier.

C. Even though the Penobscots' andPassamaquoddies' lands had beenreduced to two small reservations,the tribes assumed an importantleadership role among the NativeAmericans of New England.

D. The legal initiatives of thePenobscots and Passamaquoddiesmade the state of Maine a leadingcenter of Native American activismthroughout the closing decades ofthe twentieth century.

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Sleeping with NASA

1 Some people love to spend Sundaymornings lounging around in bed, eatingbreakfast and reading the newspaper, maybeeven taking a nice morning nap. Being able tospend seven mornings a week in bed mightsound like a dream come true. This is not howparticipants in the National Aeronautics andSpace Administration's (NASA) bed-rest studywould see it, however. For them, not gettingout of bed in the morning is more like arecurring nightmare. The study is designedto help scientists understand how the bodyreacts to extended periods without gravity.Participants spend three months lying in a bedwith their heads tilted six degrees lower thantheir feet. All of their daily activities—eating,bathing, and even going to the bathroom—occur in bed. Sitting up is against the rules, asis reaching over the side of the bed or movingunnecessarily. It is a challenge that puts eventhe proudest idler to the test.

2 Most of us have seen pictures ofastronauts effortlessly floating inside a spacecapsule. Weightlessness may look like fun,but it can be hazardous to astronauts' health.Without gravity, muscles in the legs and backatrophy, the heart weakens, the immunesystem is compromised, blood volumedecreases, bones waste away, and the sinusesbecome congested. Three weeks in antigravityconditions affect the body more severely thanthree decades of aging. By conducting bed-rest studies on ordinary people, doctors cananalyze these effects firsthand and experimentwith possible methods of reducing theassociated trauma. Some participants in thestudies are given nutritional supplements,some are made to exercise on verticallymounted treadmills, and some spend an houreach day on a spinning centrifuge that createsartificial gravity. Although the results from

these studies will be used to help astronauts onfuture missions, including a planned Marslanding in 2030, they also have applicationsto anyone who has a sedentary lifestyle. Forexample, a European version of NASA's studyfound that lying around for extended periodsof time can increase the risk of back pain. Thestudies have also confirmed that doctors whoregularly prescribe bed rest as a form ofrecovery are making a mistake. In most cases,patients would be better off moving around assoon as they are physically able.

3 Knowing that the bed-rest studies will behelpful to others does not make the experienceany less taxing for the participants. Why dothey voluntarily put their lives on hold tospend three months in bed? Some cite theappeal of finally having time to read booksthey have never read, or even to write one.Others are simply fascinated by the spaceprogram and are eager to help out in any waythey can. As the three months in bed slowlypass, NASA does as much as possible to makethe experience bearable. Participants aregiven regular massages to help keep theirblood flowing, and volunteers are available tovisit anyone who is feeling lonely. Astronautsoccasionally drop by to express theirappreciation and provide encouragement.Many participants find that the strangest partof the study is when they realize how fullythey have adjusted to their horizontal lifestyle.There comes a point, usually halfway through,when the idea of sitting up or walking beginsto loom as something undesirable. When it isfinally time for participants to get out of bed,they spend another ten days at the NASAfacility, readjusting to vertical life. Like thefirst men on the moon, these bed-rest pioneersare willing to go a great distance to take onesmall step, and one long nap, for humankind.

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37. Which of the following words best definesthe word taxing as it is used in the thirdparagraph of the passage?

A. displeasing

B. demanding

C. disappointing

D. depressing

38. Which of the following statements bestexpresses the main idea of the passage?

A. After three months of lying in bed,participants in NASA bed-reststudies are more than happy toresume their everyday lives.

B. Being able to participate in somefacet of the space program is amplereward for most people involved inNASA bed-rest studies.

C. Despite the discomforts experi-enced by participants, NASAbed-rest studies produce valuablefindings that have various usefulapplications.

D. Whatever reasons people have forparticipating in NASA bed-reststudies, few volunteers are preparedfor the experience.

39. Information included in Paragraph 2 of thepassage is primarily intended to:

A. discuss various applications of datagathered in NASA bed-rest studies.

B. describe the types of equipmentused in NASA bed-rest studies.

C. show the precautions taken bydoctors in charge of NASA bed-reststudies.

D. assess the effects of NASA bed-reststudies on participants' health.


A. Even the most carefully designedstudies fail to anticipate certainadverse consequences.

B. The more time people spend in bed,the more difficult it is for them toobtain the benefits of sleep.

C. Some types of space activities areimpossible to reproduce in studiesconducted on earth.

D. Spending excessive amounts of timelying in bed is detrimental to thehealth of ordinary people.

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41. Which of the following facts includedin the passage best supports the author'sassertion that "not getting out of bedin the morning is more like a recurringnightmare" for participants in NASA'sbed-rest study?

A. Some participants spend an hourdaily on a spinning centrifuge.

B. Participants are not allowed to sit upor reach over the side of the bed.

C. Some participants are givennutritional supplements.

D. Participants receive regularmassages to keep their bloodflowing.

42. Which of the following lists best outlinesthe main topics addressed in this passage?

A. — physical reactions to longperiods without gravity

— effects of weightlessness on theimmune system

— participants' readjustment tobeing on their feet again

B. — duration and aims of the bed-rest studies

— study data and the 2030 Marslanding

— NASA efforts to easeparticipants' discomfort

C. — rules imposed on participants inthe bed-rest studies

— aging and exposure toantigravity conditions

— astronauts' appreciation of thesacrifices of study participants

D. — purpose and design of the bed-rest studies

— uses of data obtained in the bed-rest studies

— motives and experiences ofstudy participants

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PRACTICE TEST RESULTS

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PRACTICE TEST RESULTS OVERVIEW

The practice test provides valuable information regarding your preparedness for the MTEL Communication andLiteracy Skills (01): Reading subtest. In this section, you will find information and tools to help you determineyour preparedness on the various sections of the test.

Multiple-Choice Questions

A Multiple-Choice Question Answer Key Worksheet is provided to assist you in evaluating your multiple-choiceresponses. The worksheet contains five columns. The first column of the worksheet indicates the multiple-choicequestion number, the second column indicates the objective to which the test question was written, and the thirdcolumn indicates the correct response. The remaining columns are for your use in calculating the number ofmultiple-choice questions you answered correctly or incorrectly.

An Evaluation Chart for the multiple-choice questions is also provided to help you assess which content coveredby the test objectives may require additional study.

Total Test

Practice Test Score Calculation information is provided to help you estimate your score on the practice test.Although you cannot use this practice test to precisely predict how you might score on an official MTELCommunication and Literacy Skills: Reading subtest, you may be able to determine your degree of readiness totake an MTEL test at an operational administration. No passing score has been determined for the practice test.

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MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONANSWER KEY WORKSHEET

Your ResponseQuestionNumber

ObjectiveNumber

CorrectResponse Correct? Incorrect?

1 0001 D2 0002 B3 0003 C4 0004 A5 0005 B6 0006 D7 0001 B8 0002 D9 0003 C10 0004 B11 0005 C12 0006 A13 0001 C14 0002 D15 0003 B16 0004 B17 0005 A18 0006 C19 0001 B20 0002 C21 0003 D22 0004 C23 0005 B24 0006 A25 0001 A26 0002 B27 0003 D28 0004 C29 0005 A30 0006 B

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MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONANSWER KEY WORKSHEET (continued)

Your ResponseQuestionNumber

ObjectiveNumber

CorrectResponse Correct? Incorrect?

31 0001 B32 0002 C33 0003 C34 0004 C35 0005 D36 0006 A37 0001 B38 0002 C39 0003 A40 0004 D41 0005 B42 0006 D

Count the number of multiple-choice questions you answered correctly:

_____ of 42 multiple-choice questions

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MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONPRACTICE TEST EVALUATION CHART

In the evaluation chart that follows, the multiple-choice questions are arranged in numerical order and by testobjective. Check your responses against the correct responses provided to determine how many questions withineach objective you answered correctly.

Objective 0001: Determine the meaning of words and phrases in the context in which they occur.

1D_____ 7B_____ 13C_____ 19B_____ 25A_____ 31B_____ 37B_____ _____/7

Objective 0002: Understand the main idea and supporting details in written material.

2B_____ 8D_____ 14D_____ 20C_____ 26B_____ 32C_____ 38C_____ _____/7

Objective 0003: Identify a writer's purpose, point of view, and intended meaning.

3C_____ 9C_____ 15B_____ 21D_____ 27D_____ 33C_____ 39A_____ _____/7

Objective 0004: Analyze the relationships among ideas in written material.

4A_____ 10B_____ 16B_____ 22C_____ 28C_____ 34C_____ 40D_____ _____/7

Objective 0005: Use critical reasoning skills to evaluate written material.

5B_____ 11C_____ 17A_____ 23B_____ 29A_____ 35D_____ 41B_____ _____/7

Objective 0006: Apply skills for outlining and summarizing written materials and interpretinginformation presented in graphic form.

6D_____ 12A_____ 18C_____ 24A_____ 30B_____ 36A_____ 42D_____ _____/7

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PRACTICE TEST SCORE CALCULATION

The practice test score calculation is provided so that you may better gauge your performance and degree ofreadiness to take an MTEL test at an operational administration. Although the results of this practice test may beused as one indicator of potential strengths and weaknesses in your knowledge of the content on the official test, itis not possible to predict precisely how you might score on an official MTEL test.

How to Calculate Your Practice Test Score

Review the directions in the sample below and then use the blank practice test score calculation worksheet belowto calculate your estimated score.

SAMPLETotal Practice Test Score (Estimated MTEL Score)

Enter the total number of multiple-choice questions you answered correctly: 35

Use Table 1 below to convert that number to the score and write your score in Box A A: 251to estimate your MTEL score:

Practice Test Score Calculation Worksheet: Communication and Literacy Skills: Reading

Table 1:

Number ofMultiple-Choice

Questions Correct

EstimatedMTELScore


Questions Correct

EstimatedMTELScore


Questions Correct

EstimatedMTELScore

0 to 14 100 23 to 24 161 33 to 34 236

15 to 16 101 25 to 26 176 35 to 36 251

17 to 18 116 27 to 28 191 37 to 38 266

19 to 20 131 29 to 30 206 39 to 40 281

21 to 22 146 31 to 32 221 41 to 42 296

YOUR SCOREUse the form below to calculate your estimated practice test score.

Total Practice Test Score (Estimated MTEL Score)

Enter the total number of multiple-choice questions you answered correctly:

Use Table 1 above to convert that number to the score and write your score in Box A A:to estimate your MTEL score:

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