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Grade 5, Unit 2 Unit test Name Date Reading Complex Text Reading Complex Text

Read the article “It’s Called Poetry Slam.” As you read, stop and answer each question. Use evidence from the article to support your answers.

It’s Called Poetry Slam

The arena is the stage. The wrestlers are poets. The match is words—not just any words, though: spoken poetry. Grab your popcorn and take your seats because the words are about to fly. You are about to see a unique art form; it’s called poetry slam.

Poetry Slam? What’s That? Poetry slam is competitive performance poetry. For the poets who participate, “slammin’ ” is about composing a poem and then serving it up to the audience. It’s as much about the performance—the act of breathing life into the poem—as it is about the written words. In a poetry slam, the live performance is all-important. A poem that could vie for a Nobel Prize can wither and die in front of a live audience. On the other hand, a poet who delivers a simple, short, and funny poem with lots of energy can knock off an audience’s socks.

1 In addition to how well a poem is written, what helps a poet win in a poetry slam?

The Roots of Poetry Slam Poetry slam is really just a new spin on a long-lived tradition. It would be hard to pinpoint a culture on the planet that does not have oral tradition and performance poetry at its roots. From West Africa to the early Americas to ancient Greece, poetry helped ancient peoples memorize and pass down their oral history. The competition aspect is not a modern idea either. Poetry competitions were held at festivals in ancient Greece. During the fifteenth century, Japanese poet Bashō played referee at haiku contests. Poetry slam, as it is commonly known today, originated at a Chicago jazz club in the mid-1980s. Bored with the usual poetry readings, which drew few audience members, a group of poets felt the need to spice things up. They decided that adding a performance aspect might just do the trick. Later, they added another aspect: competition. Poetry slam was born! In 1990, San Francisco hosted the first-ever National Poetry Slam competition. Every year, hosting honors are passed like a torch from city to city. Poetry slams are popular

Unit Test, Reading Complex Text 71 Grade 5, Unit 2 © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Grade 5, Unit 2 Unit test Name Date Reading Complex Text at the local level, too. With a few key ingredients and a little bit of planning, anyone can organize a poetry slam in their community.

2 How does the author support the idea that poetry competitions have a long history? Give one example from the text.

How It Works A poetry slam is run like a contest, with a winner crowned at the end of the event. But it is important to keep in mind that the spirit of a slam is about performance, entertainment and, yes, the poetry. The general rules. Like any contest, a poetry slam operates by an agreed-upon set of rules. Some of these rules may vary from slam to slam, but generally speaking, here they are, short and sweet: 1. Each poet must read his or her original work. If you aspire to be a “slammer,” start writing! 2. Each poem must be read in three minutes or less. If you’re a fan of epic poems, you’ll have to take your long-winded art somewhere else. 3. No props or costumes may be used. The only things poets get to bring onstage are their words. The basics of judging. The poets are not the only ones who participate in a poetry slam. Some listeners are selected as judges. They get to rate the poems and declare a verdict—the winner. It is the poet’s obligation to entertain and inspire the audience; it is the judges’ job to evaluate the quality of the poem and its delivery. The basics of judging for poetry slams are as follows: ✓ Typically, “slam” judges are selected at random from the audience. The judges aren’t trained literary critics; they’re just regular people, out to enjoy a bit of word-sport. Just like their tastes for food and movies, their tastes for poetry probably differ. ✓ After each performance, judges each toss out a score, ranging from 0–10. Judges are allowed, even encouraged, to use decimal points to lessen the chance of a tie. ✓ Among five judges, the highest and lowest scores are thrown out. The middle three scores are added up. A really dazzling, roof-raising performance could earn a top score of 30. ✓ Judges rate poets on their actual poetry and on their performance. How those words tumble out of the poet’s mouth is as important as the words themselves.

As a member of the audience, don’t expect to sit in hushed silence throughout the poetry slam. The audience at a poetry slam is encouraged to get involved, too—to clap, cheer, and express their approval or, as the case may be, disapproval.

3 Explain what happens at a poetry slam.

Poetry slam is a great way to liven up your school or a local café. The ingredients can be found most anywhere. Round up some budding poets, a group of enthusiastic listeners, and converge on a scene of your choice. Then, let the slamming begin.

4 What are two main ideas in this passage? Tell one key detail the author uses to support each main idea.

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