Read the text and answer the question.
A story from South America
Every day Tapir would go off into the forest for hours at a time. Sometimes when she returned, she smelled like something sweet. Other times she would burp. Mouse began to get suspicious and called a meeting of all the other animals and birds.
"Tapir's finding something good to eat, and she's not sharing it with us," said Mouse.
"We'll follow her tomorrow," someone suggested.
"Mouse should go alone," said someone else. "He's the smallest. Tapir won't see him." So it was decided.
When Tapir set off into the forest the next morning, Mouse scurried quietly after her. After a very long walk, Mouse saw Tapir enter a clearing. When Mouse got closer, he couldn't believe his eyes. In the middle of the clearing was an enormous tree, the biggest tree in the world. It had hundreds of huge branches, and each branch was heavy with foods Mouse had never seen before—ripe bananas and plantains, mangoes and papayas, squashes and corn, pumpkins and pomegranates, sweet potatoes and yams—all kinds of edible things. It was the Food Tree.
And there was Tapir, greedily eating the ripe fruits that had fallen to the ground.
Mouse hurried back to the village to tell the others what he had discovered. They all stopped what they were doing and followed Mouse to the Food Tree. Tapir was lying at its base, still eating. Even her chin hairs were dripping with juice.
"Why didn't you tell us about this tree?" asked Mouse. But Tapir didn't answer. She just grunted.
Most of the food was too high to reach, so everyone gathered in a circle to decide what to do. They had no choice but to cut down the tree. They began right away, the birds pecking with their beaks and the animals digging with their claws and gnawing with their teeth at the massive trunk. Tapir didn't help at all. She was too full to move.
Finally, after two whole days and two whole nights of work, the Food Tree swayed for a moment, then tottered. There was a deafening crunch as the Food Tree began to fall. Broken branches laden with fruit came tumbling down. When the gigantic trunk hit the ground, the whole world shook.
After everything had settled, the birds and animals gathered again. Mouse noticed that where a banana branch had fallen, several banana trees had sprouted in the ground. Banana trees had never existed before. Tapir pointed out some corn growing a short distance away. There had never been corn plants before. Fruits and vegetables that had never grown anywhere but on the Food Tree were suddenly growing everywhere.
The fruits of the Food Tree still grow to this very day, food for all the animals and people of the world.
Listen to the presentation. Then answer the questions.
Listening passage (audio transcript, read aloud to students):
In the following presentation, you will learn about space probes and what they have discovered about outer space. A probe is a spacecraft that travels through space to collect science information. Probes do not have astronauts. Probes send data back to Earth for scientists to study. Sputnik 1 was the first probe to go into space. It was launched on Oct. 4, 1957, by the former Soviet Union. On Jan. 31, 1958, the United States sent a probe called Explorer 1 into space. These first probes studied Earth from space. They also learned what it's like to be in space. This was the beginning of the Space Race between the United States and Soviet Union. Once probes could reach space, the two countries started sending probes to fly past the moon and other planets. Mariner 2 was the first probe to study another planet. On Dec. 14, 1962, Mariner 2 flew past the planet Venus. It confirmed that Venus is very hot. A different probe, called Mariner 4, was the first probe to snap a picture of a planet. Its images of Mars showed a cold, cratered, moon-like surface. In 1971, Mariner 9 arrived at Mars and became the first probe to orbit, or circle, another planet.
Listen to the presentation. Then answer the questions.
Listening passage (audio transcript, read aloud to students):
In the following presentation, you will learn about asteroids in space. Listen to the presentation and then answer the questions that follow. Space is a rocky place. The biggest space rocks are asteroids. Asteroids are made up of rock and iron like the four planets closest to our Sun. They are different from comets, which are mostly rock and ice. Comets have tails. Asteroids are more like planets and moons. Scientists often call asteroids minor planets. Some asteroids even have moons. When the Galileo spacecraft flew past asteroid Ida in 1993, scientists were surprised to find it had a little buddy. They named the tiny moon Dactyl. Most asteroids orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. This area is called the asteroid belt. There are millions of asteroids. The biggest asteroid is Ceres. It is about 600 miles (960 km) around. It was the first asteroid discovered, probably because it was the easiest to see. Asteroids are not easy to spot because they often look like very dark blobs against the darkness of outer space.
Listen to the presentation. Then answer the questions.
Listening passage (audio transcript, read aloud to students):
In the following presentation, you will hear about flying Chinese kites. Listen to the presentation and then answer the questions that follow. Have you ever flown a kite on a windy day? The Chinese word for kite is fengzheng. Feng means "wind" (it rhymes with hung). Zheng means "compete" (it sounds like jung). A fengzheng tosses in the sky in a contest with the wind. Kite flying is a favorite family pastime in China. In Beijing, kite flyers often go to Tiananmen Square. On a sunny day, the square may be full of families launching bird-shaped kites or kites shaped like real and imaginary animals, some with rolling eyes and moving paws and tails. China is the homeland of the kite. For more than 2,000 years, the Chinese have built kites, at first out of bamboo and silk. According to tradition, the Chinese created kites to try to fly to heaven. Later, the Chinese used kites as tools to set fishing lines far from a boat, to carry messages, and to measure distance. Legend says they used kite noises to frighten enemies. Sound was added by fixing whistles and pipes to the kite line for the wind to blow through. Enemies thought they were hearing the voices of gods. Because of their kite designs, the Chinese learned about air currents, balance, wind changes, and gliding a long time before the rest of the world did. The great Italian traveler Marco Polo wrote about men gliding in kites in China more than 700 years ago. So, the next time you fly a fengzheng, remember that you are experiencing part of Chinese history as you compete with the wind.
Choose the sentence that is correctly punctuated.
Choose the sentence in which the title of the author's work is correctly shown.
A student is writing an article for her school newsletter about the book fair. Read the draft of the newsletter article and complete the task that follows.
Our school book fair begins next Monday! Come before, during, or after school to find the perfect fantasy to carry your imagination away deep into space or across a strange land. Or perhaps you will find a true story that brings history to life. Whatever your taste in reading, we have stuff for you!
Choose the best word or phrase to replace the underlined word to make the writer’s meaning more clear.
A student is writing a narrative for her teacher about a boat ride. Read this part of the narrative and complete the task that follows.
I had never been on a boat in the ocean before and did not know what to expect. My stomach gave a little lurch as I watched the shoreline fade into nothingness behind us. Luckily, the waves were pretty calm for the boat.
Which of the following descriptive phrases would best replace were pretty calm for the boat?
A student is writing a formal letter to her principal about a school dance. Read the draft of the letter and answer the question that follows.
Dear Ms. Lane,
I was very upset to hear that the fifth grade dance will be canceled this year. This idea is not fair. Students in the fifth grade have been waiting for their turn to have a dance for years. Some of us have watched our older brothers and sisters get dressed up for the dance. We love to hear the stories about how much fun they had and how delicious the food was. All of the fifth grade students I know agree with my position. I hope you will reconsider your decision.
Sincerely,
Zoe Hughes
Which more exact phrase best replaces the underlined phrase?
A student is writing a story for her teacher about doing chores at home. Read the draft of the story and answer the question that follows.
I was just about to go and get myself a cold, refreshing drink when my mother called for me to come and clean my room. I knew it was no use to make up some lame excuse and try to get out of it. If I wanted to have any time to myself today, I just had to suck it up and get it done.
Which more exact word best replaces the underlined word?
Choose the sentence that does not have errors in grammar usage.
A student is writing a narrative for language arts class about achieving a personal goal. The student wants to revise the draft to improve the development. Read the draft of the narrative and complete the task that follows.
My personal goal for the month of September was to help out more around the house. I wanted to show my parents that I could be responsible and help without needing to be asked first. I knew there were plenty of chores to do like taking out the garbage, feeding the dog, and cleaning the kitchen. When I started working around the house without being asked, I could tell my parents were surprised.
“Jake,” my dad said, “your mother and I are very proud of you for helping out around the house.”
A student is writing a narrative for language arts class about achieving a personal goal. The student wants to revise the draft to improve the development. Read the draft of the narrative and complete the task that follows.
My personal goal for the month of September was to help out more around the house. I wanted to show my parents that I could be responsible and help without needing to be asked first. I knew there were plenty of chores to do like taking out the garbage, feeding the dog, and cleaning the kitchen. When I started working around the house without being asked, I could tell my parents were surprised.
“Jake,” my dad said, “your mother and I are very proud of you for helping out around the house.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I responded. I was proud of myself. I felt like I was growing up!
“Jake, come downstairs!” my dad yelled one day when he got home from work. “We have a surprise for you!”
I ran downstairs and looked outside. A dirt bike!
I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I blinked my eyes and pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
The writer wants to add dialogue to the story to make it more descriptive. Which of the following sentences would be best to come after the underlined text to show how Jake feels about getting a new dirt bike?
Choose the sentence that is punctuated correctly.
Leyla is writing an opinion essay for her principal about organized recess. She wants to revise the draft to create a stronger conclusion. Read the draft paragraph of Leyla's essay, and complete the task that follows.
When we were in earlier grade levels here at Grover Elementary School, we were given free time to play on the playground each day. We enjoyed chatting with our friends, playing on the equipment, and even participating in games of basketball and dodge ball every once in a while. But, when we got to fifth grade, our playground freedom was taken away. Instead of free time, we are now forced to play organized games and sports. Every fifth-grader must play whichever sport or game the teachers choose. This ruins the whole point of recess. We are supposed to have time to relax and recharge. We need time to just enjoy the outdoors with our friends. Now that we no longer have free playground time, more students are getting into trouble for talking during class. That is leading to falling grades.
Choose the sentence that is the best conclusion to Leyla's opinion essay.
A student is writing a report for the school newsletter about the school talent show. Read the draft of the report and complete the task that follows.
The talent show began as usual with the host announcing a series of acts. The students enjoyed watching juggling, dancing, and piano playing. After the third act, the audience was clapping politely. Then, the lights in the auditorium went out and the crowd was plunged into darkness. Moments later, an amazing light and sound show started. Several students wearing glow-in-the-dark outfits began doing flips and cartwheels. Everyone leapt up and cheered. The most exciting and unexpected act was a great ending for the show.
Choose two more exact words that the student could use in place of the underlined word.
A student is writing a narrative for her teacher about a dessert. Read a part of the narrative and complete the task that follows.
Sean leaned back in his chair and gazed on his creation with awe and wonder. The crayon-colored balls of cold, creamy delight melted gently. The whipped cream was piled high. The sprinkled nuts looked like freckles on the face of the sundae. Sean was certain this was the best ice-cream treat he had ever constructed.
Choose two of the following descriptions that would best replace was piled high.
A student is writing a formal letter to his principal about recycling at his school. Read the draft of the letter and complete the task that follows.
Dear Principal Martinez,
I have always been proud to see our school's bright green recycling bins in my classrooms, the cafeteria, and our media center. We recycle many pounds of paper and plastic each week. I know this helps our environment and saves money for the school at the same time. That is why I am so sad about your decision to not allow the recycling club to post recycling signs around the school. I am writing to ask your permission to allow this. These posters and signs will hint teachers and students to recycle. The recycling club empties bins every other day, so no one has to worry about anything extra! I hope you will consider my suggestion and allow the recycling club to post these signs around the school.
Sincerely,
Thomas H.
Choose the two most exact ways to say what the writer means by the underlined words.
A student is writing an essay for school about her favorite meal. Read the paragraph from the essay and complete the task that follows.
My grandmother would cook supper for us every Saturday night. Even though it was always the same meal, my whole family agreed that it was the best food we had ever tasted. We would have good fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, juicy green peas, soft cornbread, and nice apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
Choose the two pairs of more exact words the student could use in place of the underlined words.
A student is writing a report for class. Read the paragraph from the report and complete the task that follows. The student wants to replace the words “got” and “land” with more specific words. After each of these words is a word pair. Click on the word that is the best replacement for the word in quotes. Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897. She saw her first airplane when she was 10 years old, and she took her first plane ride in 1920. After that first airplane ride, Amelia wanted to become a pilot. There were not many female pilots back then, but that did not stop the young woman. She borrowed money from her mother and took flying lessons. She her pilot's license in 1921. In 1932, she became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this, she was one of the most famous people in the . Amelia Earhart inspired other women to follow their dreams.
A student wrote a paragraph that contains some errors. Read the paragraph and complete the task that follows.
Last week, our class had a surprise. We had just settled in our seats when someone new walked through the door. He introduced himself as our new homeroom teacher Mr. Johnson. He asked us to say our names and one thing about ourselves. After that, he passed out copies of a story he likes called The Good Game. He said he wanted us to read it and talk about it during the next homeroom.
Click on the two sentences that contain errors in punctuation or grammar usage.
David is writing a description of his mom's office for his class. Read the draft paragraph of the description and complete the task that follows. My mom, Linda, works at a bank. Last week, I had a day off from school, and I got to visit her at work. When I arrived, my mom led me to her office in the back of the bank. She showed me her big, comfortable desk chair that twists and turns and slides across the floor. I sat in it and pretended to answer the phone like I was an important banker. I asked her what kind of work she does, she pulled up a file on her computer and let me take a look. It was columns and columns of numbers that made my head spin. I couldn't believe she understood it all. It seemed like hard work to me. After that, my mom said I could go to the lobby and read a magazine while she worked a little longer. , I chose to stay in her office to learn more about her job. For each pair of underlined words, click on the word that helps readers understand the description.
A student is writing a story for her teacher about a game of kickball. Read the draft of the story and complete the task that follows. For each underlined pair of words, click on the word that helps readers understand the story. The sun was beating down, and I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck. It was my turn to kick the ball. My thoughts raced with memories of our last game of kickball. That day, I tried to kick the ball but missed it entirely. I was terribly . I tried to erase that memory from my mind as I stepped up to face the pitcher. Imagine everyone’s when I kicked the ball so hard that it went right over the playground fence.
Edit the sentences by clicking on the sentence that does not use verb tense correctly.
Mia asked her sister, “Have you seen my new book? I set it right here on the counter after school.”
“Mia, I have not seen your book, but I believe that you probably put it somewhere and forgot about it,” her sister explained.
Mia frowned and replied, “If I had put my book somewhere else, I would not have forget it!”
A student is writing a description of her school for a pen pal. Read the draft of the description and complete the task that follows.
I am sure that my school is very different from yours. My school is a two-story, brick building. There are classrooms on both floors. On the first floor, in addition to classrooms, there is a gym and a cafeteria. Our library is on the basement floor.
There are about 300 students in my school, which covers kindergarten to grade 5. The younger students are on the first floor. The fourth and fifth grades are on the second floor.
Most of the time we stay at school for our studies and play time, but sometimes we take field trips. These trips are usually fun and interesting.
We have lunch in the cafeteria. You can either buy food or bring a lunch. I usually buy lunch. Sometimes we have pizza. Everyone likes that.
My Field Trips
Trip to apple orchard:
picked apples
had apple cider
learned how apple cider is made
Trip to pumpkin patch:
went on hayride
fed hay to horses
got a pumpkin to take home
saw beautiful carved pumpkins
Write one paragraph that adds more information about the field trips mentioned in the third paragraph.
A student is writing a research report about vegetables. She wrote an opinion in the report. Read the opinion and the directions that follow.
Healthy Choices
Food choices affect a person's health. Through digestion, the human body breaks down foods so that they become fuel for the body. Eating vegetables provides the right kind of fuel, so it is important to eat vegetables if you want to be healthy.
The student took notes about vegetables. Which note supports the student's opinion?
A student made a plan for a research report. Read the plan and the directions that follow.
Research Report Plan |
Topic: seahorses |
Audience: fifth-grade students |
Purpose: to inform |
Research Question: Why is the seahorse population decreasing? |
The student found information for the research report. Which piece of information should the student use in her report?
A student is writing a research report about mountains. Read the sentences from his report and the directions that follow.
Mountains are areas of land that are taller than all of the land around them. Mountains can be found on every continent. Mountains come in different heights and shapes. Some are even so tall that trees cannot grow at the top of them. Some mountains are made of rocks and dirt and sand. Other mountains are made partly of lava from a volcano.
Choose two of the sources that would most likely give the student more information about the ideas he has written.
A student is writing a research report about puffins. Click on two sentences that have information that the student can use in a paragraph about what puffins look like.
There are four different types of puffins: Atlantic Puffins, Horned Puffins, Tufted Puffins, and Rhinoceros Auklets. All puffins have some things in common: how they move, what they eat, and how they care for their young. The birds' black backs and white stomachs help them blend in with the color of the sky and the ocean. Puffins fly at very fast speeds. Puffins also swim well because they have webbed feet to paddle in the water. They eat fish from the ocean and sometimes catch ten fish at one time. Baby puffins are fed many times a day by their parents.
A student is writing a research report about electric bicycles. Read Source 1 and the directions that follow.
Source 1
An electric bike is, for the most part, like a regular bicycle. The rider sits on a seat and puts her feet on the pedals. She steers using the handlebars. The only difference is that an electric bike has a motor. The motor makes riding the bicycle easier. This is because the motor gives the bike power. The motor does not replace the pedaling that the rider has to do. It just adds power to the rider's own efforts. The bike also has a controller. This lets the rider choose if and when to start and use the motor.
The student found another source.
Read Source 2. Click on one sentence that has information with a different point of view from the information in Source 1.
Source 2
Electric bikes, or e-bikes, have a battery and motor. The battery must be charged for the motor to work. E-bikes look like regular bikes, but it may take some practice to get used to riding an e-bike. Each time the rider pushes the pedal, the bike gets a rush of energy that makes it jolt forward. These bursts make the ride less smooth than a regular bike.
A student is writing a report about cement. The student wrote the following opinion: “Cement is one of the most helpful things for making surfaces that can bear a lot of weight.” She found a source.
Read the source.
Click on two sentences that have information to support the opinion.
Source
Cement is a mixture of materials. When limestone is mixed with clay, it forms the substance of cement. Cement is made when these materials are heated and allowed to harden. When cement is mixed with water, it becomes very strong. Very often, cement is made into blocks using patterns called forms. It can also be dyed various colors. Cement mixed with rocks and gravel can form concrete for use in roads, sidewalks, and buildings.
A student is writing a report about exercise. The student wrote the following opinion.
Regular exercise is a good way to stay healthy.
She found a source. Read the source. Click on the sentence that has information to support the opinion.
Click on one sentence.
Source 1: Healthy Habits
The best way to stay healthy is to have healthy habits. Everybody needs to eat, sleep, and exercise. Finding a way to make these part of your everyday life may take some hard work. But once they are habits, it won't seem like work.
A diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables is better than one filled with cookies. Grab an orange from the refrigerator instead of reaching for those cookies. Another good habit to follow is sleeping enough. Most people should try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Another healthy habit is exercise. Studies show that jogging three times a week leads to a stronger heart. Like the other healthy habits above, it may take time to plan an exercise program. But once exercise becomes a habit, it is easy to do.
Read the text and answer the questions.
by Carolyn Short
People come to Hyder, Alaska, every summer just as the salmon arrive to lay their eggs on the gravelly stream bottom and die. The bears come to feed on the spawning salmon and to put on the weight they need to survive the winter. The people come to watch the bears. But visitors haven’t always had a safe viewing platform. In the past, there was only a short, unprotected platform. To get to it, people had to walk along the bears’ paths. Sometimes the bears climbed onto the platform. Over the years, the number of visitors grew. They didn’t all fit on the platform, so they wandered everywhere. Since the bears wandered everywhere, too, many visitors were in danger. The Forest Service hired people to keep the visitors and bears apart.
But there were still problems. Many visitors didn’t realize that bears are wild animals. Some brought food. Others got too close when they took pictures. Some set up chairs on the bears’ paths.
Watching people watching bears turned into one big headache. What could be done?
How could the Forest Service provide a safe place for bears to fish while people watched? How could they build a new platform that wouldn’t block the bears’ paths? How could they avoid destroying the brush the bears use for cover?
If the area were made safer, more people would come. Where would they park? Photographers worried that if they had to take pictures from a platform, vibrations from people walking would ruin their photographs. The Forest Service came up with a plan. Along the stream, they would build a platform stretching nearly the length of one and a half football fields.
The platform would be from six to twelve feet off the ground so that bears could walk under it. A wide cap atop the railing would give people a place to lean and a steady base for taking pictures. By winding the platform through the trees, the builders could avoid cutting them down.
As a landscape architect with the Forest Service, my husband helped design the viewing platform and oversaw its construction.
Every week, he would return home with tales of the bears he had seen. Our family couldn’t wait to see this place!
In August, when we arrived in Hyder, we drove six miles to the viewing area. It was nearly 7 P.M. when we parked the car and walked along the fenced walkway leading from the new, larger parking lot to the platform.
About two hundred people had arrived before us. They lined the platform, watching and chatting. Suddenly the crowd hushed. Someone whispered, “It’s The Brat!” I watched as this grizzly caught a big salmon and dragged it up onto the grass.
The best time to watch the bears is in the early morning and evening, but the next day we arrived in the middle of the day and spotted a black bear walking along the stream. Both grizzly and black bears feed here, but black bears usually come when grizzlies aren’t around. We heard that a well-known grizzly called Aussie was napping near a pond on the other side of the platform. We waited to see if he would appear. Before long a snout pushed through the brush. Aussie stepped off the bank and into the pond. Only his head showed as he paddled. Reaching the muddy shallows, he turned onto his side and batted at a nearby log. Rolling over, he swam toward the old dike road, where people used to gather. Water droplets glistened on his fur as he climbed out and paddled down the road.
Cameras clicked furiously. Turning left, Aussie walked under the platform. I lost sight of him until he waded into the stream. Water sprayed in white plumes as salmon flipped out of his way. Aussie pounced, pinning a salmon against the gravel with his massive paw.
He carried the squirming salmon in his mouth to the opposite shore. After dropping the salmon in the grass, he pushed down on its belly with one paw. Reddish streams of fish eggs spurted out. Aussie left the salmon and licked the tasty roe off the grass and gravel.
Aussie continued eating his lunch as dozens of people watched. He never looked up at us looking down at him. Did he know we were there? I don’t know, but I was glad he could fish in peace while we watched in safety from the new viewing platform.
“Let the Bears Fish” by Carolyn Short, from Highlights for Children.
What effect does the change from third person to first person point of view have on the reader's understanding of the text?
Read this conclusion about the text: An increasing number of people come to Hyder, Alaska, each summer. Select two details from the text that best support this conclusion.
Read the paragraph: The platform would be from six to twelve feet off the ground so that bears could walk under it. A wide cap atop the railing would give people a place to lean and a steady base for taking pictures. By winding the platform through the trees, the builders could avoid cutting them down. What does the information in the paragraph show about the author's point of view? Select all that are correct.
Read the sentence from the text: Watching people watching bears turned into one big headache. What does the phrase “Watching people watching bears” suggest about the author's point of view in the text? Select three that are correct.
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Read this paragraph from the text: Aussie continued eating his lunch as dozens of people watched. He never looked up at us looking down at him. Did he know we were there? I don't know, but I was glad he could fish in peace while we watched in safety from the new viewing platform. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Part B: Which sentence from the paragraph best supports the answer you chose in part A?
The question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Read the sentences from the text: The Forest Service hired people to keep the visitors and bears apart. How could the Forest Service provide a safe place for bears to fish while people watched? Along the stream, they would build a platform stretching nearly the length of one and a half football fields. By winding the platform through the trees, the builders could avoid cutting them down. Click on the statement that best describes an inference that can be made about the Forest Service’s intentions for the park.
Part B: Click on the sentence from the text that best supports your answer in part A.
Read this paragraph from the text: The best time to watch the bears is in the early morning and evening, but the next day we arrived in the middle of the day and spotted a black bear walking along the stream. Both grizzly and black bears feed here, but black bears usually come when grizzlies aren't around. We heard that a well-known grizzly called Aussie was napping near a pond on the other side of the platform. We waited to see if he would appear. Before long a snout pushed through the brush. Aussie stepped off the bank and into the pond. Only his head showed as he paddled. Reaching the muddy shallows, he turned onto his side and batted at a nearby log. Rolling over, he swam toward the old dike road, where people used to gather. Water droplets glistened on his fur as he climbed out and padded down the road.
Summarize the main idea of this paragraph. Use key details from the text to support your summary.
Read the paragraph from the text and answer the question: People come to Hyder, Alaska, every summer just as the salmon arrive to lay their eggs on the gravelly stream bottom and die. The bears come to feed on the spawning salmon and to put on the weight they need to survive the winter. The people come to watch the bears. But visitors haven’t always had a safe viewing platform. In the past, there was only a short, unprotected platform. To get to it, people had to walk along the bears’ paths. Sometimes the bears climbed onto the platform. Over the years, the number of visitors grew. They didn’t all fit on the platform, so they wandered everywhere. Since the bears wandered everywhere, too, many visitors were in danger. The Forest Service hired people to keep the visitors and bears apart. What can you infer about the author's point of view on visiting the bears? Use details from the text in your answer.
Read the text and answer the questions.
by the Peace Corps
Zambia's staple food is maize (corn), and Zambians eat maize in several ways. When the corn is ripe but still green, it can be roasted or boiled. When it is dry and hard, it can be fried or boiled. It can also be pounded slightly to remove the outside layer and be boiled either by itself or mixed with beans or groundnuts (peanuts). At times the maize is ground to a size a little bigger than rice and is cooked like rice. Finally, we have the fine cornmeal, which is called mealie-meal in Zambia. This is used for making nsima, the most popular meal. Nsima is steamed cornmeal.
Meat from cows, goats, sheep, and fish is used in sauces over nsima. There are also a lot of vegetables put in sauces, such as leaves from beans, okra, cow peas, pumpkins, and cassava. Other vegetables eaten almost daily include onions and tomatoes.
All the cooking is done by the wife. Nsima is usually prepared for lunch and dinner and not for breakfast. In a traditional setting, boys from the age of seven eat with the man of the house.
The mother eats with the girls and the younger boys. This is because all of the children below the age of seven are under the guidance of their mother. Almost all learning takes place through daily activities in the home. The mother, who is in charge of the kids' learning, has to take care of their learning at meal time. This is changing, especially in towns and cities. The trend now is that members of the family all eat together.
Before eating, everybody washes hands in order of the status of the members of the family: father first, then mother, and others follow according to their ages. One of the younger children, boy or girl, passes a water dish around for others to wash their hands. If a visitor happens to have a meal with the family, he or she is given the honor of washing first.
It is rude to talk very much or loudly while eating. After eating, the family members wash their hands again in the same order. The wife and the young ones clear the table. Belching after a meal used to be a compliment, but it is not nowadays.
In Uganda, the staple food is matoke (cooking bananas). Other food crops include cassava (manioc), sweet potatoes, white potatoes, yams, beans, peas, groundnuts (peanuts), cabbage, onions, pumpkins, and tomatoes. Some fruits, such as oranges, pawpaws (papayas), lemons, and pineapples, are also grown.
Most people, except for a few who live in the city centers, produce their own food. The responsibility for preparing the family's meals belongs solely to women and girls in the home. Men and boys of age 12 and above are not even expected to sit in the kitchen, which is separate from the main house. Cooking is done on an open fire using wood for fuel.
Most families eat two meals a day. The two meals are lunch and supper. Breakfast is just a cup of tea or a bowl of porridge.
When a meal is ready, all members of the household wash their hands and sit down on [floor] mats. Hands have to be washed before and after the meal because most Ugandans eat with their hands. At mealtime everybody is welcome; visitors and neighbors who drop in are expected to join the family at a meal.
Food is served by women. They cut it up into small pieces for each member of the family. Sauce, which is usually a stew with vegetables, beans, butter, salt, and curry powder, is served to each person on a plate. Sometimes fish or beef stew is served.
Normally a short prayer is said before the family starts eating. During the meal, children talk only when asked a question. It is bad manners to reach for salt or a spoon. It is better to ask someone sitting close to it to pass it. It is also bad manners to leave the room while others are still eating. Everyone respects the meal by staying seated until the meal is over. Leaning on the left hand or stretching one's legs while at a meal is a sign of disrespect and is not tolerated.
People usually drink water at the end of the meal. It is considered odd to drink water while eating.
When the meal is finished, everyone in turn gives a compliment to the mother by saying, "Thank you for preparing the meal, madam." No dessert is served after the meal. Fruits like pawpaw, pineapple, or sweet bananas are normally eaten as a snack between meals.
Which detail from “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia” best shows that the father is at the top of the social structure in a family?
First, read the sentence from “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia.”
Zambia's staple food is maize (corn), and Zambians eat maize in several ways.
Now read the sentence from “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda.”
In Uganda, the staple food is matoke (cooking bananas).
Which dictionary definition best defines staple as it is used in both texts?
How might have the information in “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia” affected the way “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda” is written?
The author used the contrast in roles of males and females in “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda” to stress the importance of social structure. What does the author's use of contrast in describing the roles of males and females in “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia” tell the reader about the importance of social structure in that country?
Read the sentence from “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia.”
Belching after a meal used to be a compliment, but it is not nowadays.
Based on the information in “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda,” what does the author mean by the word compliment?
Select two answers.
Part A: What main idea can be found in both “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia” and “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda”?
Part B: Which sentences from “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia” best support your answer in part A? Select two options.
Part A: How does the information in “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda” help the reader understand the differing roles of males and females in “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia”?
Part B: Which sentences from texts, “Cuisine and Etiquette in Zambia” and “Cuisine and Etiquette in Uganda,” best support your answer in part A? Select three answers.
Read the passage and answer the questions.
by James Baldwin
A little boy from Scotland was sitting in his grandmother's kitchen. He was watching the red flames in the wide open fireplace and quietly wondering about the causes of things. Indeed, he was always wondering and always wanting to know.
"Grandma," he presently asked, "what makes the fire burn?"
This was not the first time he had puzzled his grandmother with questions that she could not answer. So she went on with her preparations for supper and paid no heed to his query.
Above the fire an old-fashioned teakettle was hanging. The water within it was beginning to bubble. A thin cloud of steam was rising from the spout. Soon the lid began to rattle and shake. The hot vapor puffed out at a furious rate. Yet when the lad peeped under the lid he could see nothing.
"Grandma, what is in the teakettle?" he asked.
"Water, my child—nothing but water."
"But I know there is something else. There is something in there that lifts the lid and makes it rattle."
The grandmother laughed. "Oh, that is only steam," she said. "You can see it coming out of the spout and puffing up under the lid."
"But you said there was nothing but water in the kettle. How did the steam get under the lid?"
"Why, my dear, it comes out of the hot water. The hot water makes it." The grandmother was beginning to feel puzzled.
The lad lifted the lid and peeped inside again. He could see nothing but the bubbling water. The steam was not visible until after it was fairly out of the kettle.
"How odd!" he said. "The steam must be very strong to lift the heavy iron lid. Grandma, how much water did you put into the kettle?"
"About a quart, Jamie."
"Well, if the steam from so little water is so strong, why would not the steam from a great deal of water be a great deal stronger? Why couldn't it be made to lift a much greater weight? Why couldn't it be made to turn wheels?"
The grandmother made no reply. These questions of Jamie's were more puzzling than profitable, she thought. She went about her work silently, and Jamie sat still in his place and studied the teakettle.
How to understand the power that is in steam, and how to make it do other things than rattle the lids of teakettles—that was the problem which James Watt, the inquisitive Scottish boy, set himself to solve. Day after day he thought about it, and evening after evening he sat by his grandmother's fireside and watched the thin, white vapor come out of the teakettle and lose itself in the yawning black throat of the chimney. The idea grew with him as he grew into manhood, and by long study he began to reason upon it to some purpose.
"There is a wonderful power in steam," he said to himself. "There was never a giant who had so much strength. If we only knew how to harness that power, there is no end to the things it might do for us. It would not only lift weights, but it would turn all kinds of machinery. It would draw our wagons, it would push our ships, it would plow and sow, it would spin and weave. For thousands of years men have been working alongside of this power, never dreaming that it might be made their servant. But how can this be done? That is the question."
He tried one experiment after another. He failed again and again, but from each failure he learned something new. Men laughed at him. "How ridiculous," they said, "to think that steam can be made to run machinery!"
But James Watt persevered, and in the end was able to give to the world the first successful form of the steam engine. Thus, from the study of so simple a thing as a common teakettle, the most useful of all modern inventions was finally produced.
Read the sentence from the text.
Day after day he thought about it, and evening after evening he sat by his grandmother's fireside and watched the thin, white vapor come out of the teakettle and lose itself in the yawning black throat of the chimney.
What effect does the author create by using the phrase yawning black throat of the chimney?
Read the sentence from the text.
The hot vapor puffed out at a furious rate.
What does the word furious suggest about the steam? Pick two choices.
How does the first paragraph affect the plot? Select two choices.
Select the two sentences that should be included in a summary of the last four paragraphs of the passage.
Part A: What conclusion about James is supported by the text?
Part B: Which sentence from the passage best supports your answer in part A?
Click on the two sentences that best show that James Watt formed new ideas for what steam might do to help humans.
“There is a wonderful power in steam,” he said to himself. “There was never a giant who had so much strength. If we only knew how to harness that power, there is no end to the things it might do for us. It would not only lift weights, but it would turn all kinds of machinery. It would draw our wagons, it would push our ships, it would plow and sow, it would spin and weave. For thousands of years men have been working alongside of this power, never dreaming that it might be made their servant.”
What can you infer about the grandmother in paragraph three? Include information from the text in your answer.
Which statement best summarizes a theme of the text?
Read the paragraph from the text.
After everything had settled, the birds and animals gathered again. Mouse noticed that where a banana branch had fallen, several banana trees had sprouted in the ground. Banana trees had never existed before. Tapir pointed out some corn growing a short distance away. There had never been corn plants before. Fruits and vegetables that had never grown anywhere but on the Food Tree were suddenly growing everywhere.
Pick the statement that best explains why the author chose to include this paragraph.
Read the sentence from the text.
When the gigantic trunk hit the ground, the whole world shook.
Which statement best describes what the phrase the whole world shook in the sentence adds to the tone of the text?
What is the main idea of the presentation?
Which detail from the presentation is an example of the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union?
What is the antonym of the word suspicious as it is used in paragraph 1 of the text?
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Which conclusion is supported by the presentation?
Part B: Which detail from the presentation best supports your answer in part A?
Which statement best summarizes the presentation?
Based on the presentation, which three statements best explain why scientists might call asteroids minor planets?
Complete the chart to show what you learned from the presentation about asteroids. Click in the boxes next to details that apply to an asteroid in general, the Ceres asteroid, or the Ida asteroid.
asteroid in general | Ceres asteroid | Ida asteroid | |
|---|---|---|---|
made of rock and iron | |||
has a moon | |||
is 600 miles around | |||
often called a minor planet | |||
orbits the Sun |
Which statement best summarizes the presentation?
Which detail from the presentation best supports the idea that kites are an old invention?
Select three topics that best describe what the Chinese learned about from their kite designs.
A student is writing a narrative for his teacher about receiving a present. The student wants to revise the narrative to take out sentences that do not belong. Read the draft of the narrative and complete the task that follows.
My family gathered in the den waiting for Uncle Ricardo. He lived in Florida and didn’t get to visit often. When we did see him, he always had presents for everyone. I was so excited and could hardly wait to see the treasure he had brought me. At last, he burst in the room, his arms loaded with gifts. I was wearing old jeans and a tattered white T-shirt. He handed me a package wrapped in neon-green paper. My heart pounded as I eagerly tore the paper to reveal the words “remote-controlled helicopter.” My grandmother beamed with delight when she heard the taxi door slam.
Click on the two sentences that do not belong in the narrative because they do not follow the order of events in the rest of the narrative.
A student is writing a report about quilting for social studies. Read the two paragraphs from the draft of the report and complete the task that follows.
When it gets cold at night, you might reach for a quilt to keep you warm. Many quilts today are produced in factories, but some people enjoy sewing their own quilts. Some people like blankets better than quilts. Making a quilt can mean more than just making something to keep people warm; it can be a way of preserving memories. Today's quilt might be made from pieces of a worn-out football jersey or a baby's first blanket.
Similarly, quilts made in the past were made from scraps of cloth or pieces of old clothing.
Long ago, people would organize parties called “quilting bees.” At a quilting bee, individuals would share stories while they sewed their pieces of fabric together. By working together, these quilters could create a quilt more quickly than if each quilter were working alone. Sometimes, they had to quit early because they ran out of candles. Swapping stories helped pass the time and provided some entertainment. Today, people still enjoy quilting with friends.
Click on the two sentences in the paragraphs that do not support the main idea.