Reading Standards for Literature > Describing Characters, Settings, and Events in Depth (CCSS.RL.4.3) Practice Test

Mia stared at the backstage curtain, rubbing her lucky pebble. The auditorium hummed with whispers. She had memorized every line, yet her stomach still fluttered. When the stage manager called, Mia took one deep breath. She stepped into the lights and saw only a soft glow, not the crowd. Her voice shook on the first sentence, but she kept going. By the second scene, she lifted her chin and projected. She remembered to pause for laughter and to pass a prop to Sam. When the final bow came, Mia's hands trembled with relief, but her smile shone the brightest.

The pier creaked as Lila walked along the lakeshore at sunrise. Mist curled like ribbons over the water, hiding the far boats. Pine trees lined the path, dripping last night's rain into puddles that reflected pink clouds. The bait shop's neon sign buzzed, though hardly anyone was awake. She could hear a single gull and the slow knock of waves against the posts. A chill nipped through her sweater, and she tucked her hands into her sleeves. Beyond the reeds, a fisherman's lantern blinked once, then steadied. The town behind her was quiet, its bakery windows fogged with warm air.