UNIT 4 WEEK 2 Read the article She Ran Like the Wind before answering Numbers 1 through 5. She Ran Like the Wind In 1960, a record was broken in Rome, Italy, when Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympic Games. Rudolph was already a known quantity in the world of track. She had won a bronze medal four years earlier, at the 1956 Olympics when she was just 16 years old. These achievements are amazing considering the challenges Rudolph overcame just to learn to walk. The Early Years Only four and a half pounds at birth, Wilma was lucky to survive. Many babies that small did not survive back then. But Wilma s luck only went so far. She caught several diseases that could have taken her life and spent much of her early childhood in bed. When Wilma was four years old, her mother noticed that her left foot and leg did not look normal. A doctor diagnosed Wilma with polio, a disease that can cause muscles to be sore and hard to control. Doctors told Wilma s mother that her daughter would never walk. Wilma was from a large family. She had 21 brothers and sisters! These siblings wanted to help Wilma as much as they could, so every day they took turns massaging her bad leg. The family did not have money to burn, but Mrs. Rudolph drove her daughter to the doctor s office for treatment once or twice a week for two years. At age six, Wilma was given metal leg braces to help her walk. Her mother learned how to help Wilma do the exercises that would build her strength. They did these exercises every day for many years. Eventually, Wilma learned to walk without the leg braces. When she was eleven, her brothers put up a basketball hoop in the yard. Playing basketball helped Wilma s legs get even stronger. A Star Emerges When Wilma Rudolph entered high school, she joined the girls basketball team. Right away, she became a star player. She scored 49 points in one game, a Tennessee state record! Her ability caught the attention of the Tennessee State University track coach, Ed Temple. He invited her to attend college track practices while she was still in high school. Temple thought he could train Rudolph to become a star sprinter. 170 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2
UNIT 4 WEEK 2 Temple made the girls on his team work hard. The 16-year-old Rudolph qualified for the 1956 U.S. Olympic women s track team and earned her first Olympic medal, a bronze for the four-member 400-meter relay. Four years later, Temple was the women s track coach for the 1960 Olympic Games. Eight Olympic team members, including Rudolph, were enrolled at Tennessee State University. Triumph and Legacy With a sore ankle she had twisted the day before, Rudolph won both the 100-meter and 200-meter races. But she was most proud of the four-person, 400-meter relay. Rudolph was the last of the four team members to run the race. When the baton was handed to her, her team was behind by two meters. By the time Rudolph crossed the finish line, she was ahead of the next-closest runner by three meters. After her track career, Rudolph established the Wilma Rudolph Foundation, helping young people to pursue their athletic potential. In her lifetime she earned more than a dozen awards and became one of the most famous female athletes of all time. Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 6 171
Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on She Ran Like the Wind. 1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: Read the sentence from the text. Rudolph was already a known quantity in the world of track. What does the idiom a known quantity show about Rudolph? A She had met other athletes. B People knew how good she was. C She had a special talent for math. D People had competed against her. Part B: Which detail best shows what a known quantity means? A Rudolph was a coach after she stopped running. B Rudolph played basketball before she started running. C Rudolph had polio as a child and walked with a leg brace. D Rudolph won an Olympic bronze medal when she was 16 years old. 172 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2
2 Circle the author s point of view about Rudolph s family. Then circle one piece of text evidence that shows this point of view. Author s Point of View Text Evidence Rudolph s family made Wilma a track star. Only four and a half pounds at birth, Wilma was lucky to survive. Rudolph s family worked hard to help Wilma. At age six, Wilma was given metal leg braces to help her walk. Rudolph s family tried to stop Wilma from running. Her mother learned how to help Wilma do the exercises that would build her strength. 3 Read the sentence from the text. The family did not have money to burn, but Mrs. Rudolph drove her daughter to the doctor s office for treatment once or twice a week for two years. What does the idiom did not have money to burn show about Rudolph s family? A They bought things they did not need. B They did not think money was important. C They had no money to pay for doctor visits. D They did not have a lot of money in general. Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 6 173
4 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: What does the author think in the section titled Triumph and Legacy? A Wilma Rudolph ran faster because of her sore ankle. B Wilma Rudolph was amazing in the 400-meter relay. C Wilma Rudolph was the best athlete at the 1960 Olympics. D Wilma Rudolph did not care about the 100- and 200-meter races. Part B: Which detail from the section best shows what the author thinks? A... Rudolph won both the 100-meter and 200-meter races. B But she was most proud of the four-person, 400-meter relay. C Rudolph was the last of the four team members to run the race. D... she was ahead of the next-closest runner by three meters. 5 What does the author probably think about Rudolph? A She inspired others to succeed. B She relied on luck to help her in her races. C She was the first well-known female athlete. D She felt more pride for her students than for herself. 174 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2
UNIT 4 WEEK 2 Read the article Mentors before answering Numbers 6 through 10. Mentors The poet Homer wrote down tales about the Greek hero Odysseus more than 3,000 years ago, in a long poem called The Odyssey. This fascinating poem is about Odysseus journey home from the Trojan War. While Odysseus is away from home, he leaves his young son, Telemachus, in the care of an old friend. This friend, named Mentor, helps instruct Telemachus for many years. But most of the advice that Mentor imparts comes from Athena. She is the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom and war. Because Odysseus is absent at war, Athena takes Telemachus under her wing. She teaches him what he needs to know to be a good prince. When she talks to Telemachus, she takes on Mentor s form because she knows that Telemachus trusts Mentor. Athena, acting as Mentor, is a wise and trusted counselor. Telemachus is fortunate to have someone to help him grow up while his father is away. Today, our word mentor comes from the character Mentor. A mentor is a guide or advisor. A mentor shares wisdom or knowledge with someone who needs guidance, sometimes called a mentee. Most of the time, a mentor is an older person who has a lifetime of experience. Mentors sometimes work in schools with students. They can help with school assignments or by providing information about possible career paths. These mentors play an important role in the lives of some youth. Many mentors donate their time, energy, and experience to help people who are essentially strangers. No wonder people say that a mentor has a heart of gold! Organizations like companies and schools often have formal mentoring programs. Some companies offer jobs to high school students so that they can learn about future careers. Students are paired with adults who do the job in which they are interested. Mentoring programs also play an important role in colleges that serve students from foreign countries. Many of these students are the first in their families to go to college in the United States. They may need extra help to manage the heavy load of classwork. A mentor might make sure that students know to listen closely to the professor and to hit the books every night if they want to succeed. Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 6 175
UNIT 4 WEEK 2 A mentor may be assigned to a person through a formal mentoring program. At other times, however, young people may also choose their own mentors. For instance, a young artist might seek out a well-known artist whose work or reputation he admires. He might ask this person for advice. The mentor might teach the young artist techniques to become a better painter. Mentoring programs offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young people to improve their lives. Any young person who is offered the chance to have a mentor should seize it. Mentoring also provides an inspiring learning experience for the mentor. Many times when mentoring is taking place, people do not even realize it. If anyone has ever taken an interest in your life, then you may have a mentor, too. 176 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2
Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on Mentors. 6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: Read the sentence from the text. Because Odysseus is absent at war, Athena takes Telemachus under her wing. What does Athena do when she takes Telemachus under her wing? A She teaches Telemachus how to fly. B She tells Telemachus about his father. C She protects and instructs Telemachus. D She carries Telemachus away to safety. Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A? A This fascinating poem is about Odysseus journey home from the Trojan War. B C D While Odysseus is away from home, he leaves his young son, Telemachus, in the care of an old friend. She teaches him what he needs to know to be a good prince. When she talks to Telemachus, she takes on Mentor s form because she knows that Telemachus trusts Mentor. 7 Which sentence from the text shows what the author thinks about mentor relationships? A Today, our word mentor comes from the character Mentor. B C D Mentors sometimes work in schools with students. At other times, however, young people may also choose their own mentors. Any young person who is offered the chance to have a mentor should seize it. Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 6 177
8 Read the sentence from the text. No wonder people say that a mentor has a heart of gold! What does the idiom a heart of gold suggest? A Mentors are generous. B Mentors have good health. C Mentors get their feelings hurt easily. D Mentors get paid a lot to do their jobs. 9 Underline the sentence that best states the main idea of the paragraph. Organizations like companies and schools often have formal mentoring programs. Some companies offer jobs to high school students so that they can learn about future careers. Students are paired with adults who do the job in which they are interested. Mentoring programs also play an important role in colleges that serve students from foreign countries. Many of these students are the first in their families to go to college in the United States. They may need extra help to manage the heavy load of classwork. A mentor might make sure that students know to listen closely to the professor and to hit the books every night if they want to succeed. 178 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2
10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B. Part A: What is the author s point of view about young people? A They need adults to help them go to college. B They benefit from having an adult support them. C They learn to be mentors from other young people. D They need many mentors to figure out their careers. Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A? A A mentor may be assigned to a person through a formal mentoring program. B C D Mentoring programs offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young people to improve their lives. Mentoring also provides an inspiring learning experience for the mentor. If anyone has ever taken an interest in your life, then you may have a mentor, too. STOP Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 6 179