How Big Bear Stuck to the Sky
Clock Watching
Endurance/Apollo 13
1904 Olympic Marathon
100

Which sentence best states a lesson of the passage?

 A. It is best to travel with friends.

 B. People need to protect what is theirs.

C. Those who work hard will be well rewarded.

D. Strength is a quality that is valued by others.

C. Those who work hard will be well rewarded.

100

What is the main idea of the passage? 

M. Clocks show the creativity of their designers.

 P. Clocks help people get to places on time. 

R. Clocks have gotten smaller and smaller over the years.

S. Clocks have improved, so we can keep better track of time.

S. Clocks have improved, so we can keep better track of time.

100

What is the meaning of abandon in paragraph 4 of passage 1? 

M. leave

P. repair 

R. watch 

S. replace

M. leave

100

What is the passage mostly about?

 A. when marathons usually take place 

B. why marathons are considered special events 

C. the training needed to win a marathon 

D. the bad conditions during one marathon

D. the bad conditions during one marathon

200

What do paragraphs 3 and 4 mainly suggest about Fisher?

 A. He is very curious.

B. He is a strong leader.

C. He wants a new home. 

D. He likes other animals.

B. He is a strong leader.

200

Why did men’s wristwatches become popular during World War I? 

M. Soldiers wanted watches that were less expensive. 

P. Soldiers thought both men and women should wear watches on their wrists. 

R. Soldiers could remain ready for battle if watches were on their wrists.

 S. Soldiers realized that it was fashionable to wear small watches.

R. Soldiers could remain ready for battle if watches were on their wrists.

200

In paragraph 11 of passage 2, what does the word doomed tell the reader about the mission? 

M. The mission would take long. 

P. The mission would end badly.

R. The mission would waste supplies. 

S. The mission would start over.

P. The mission would end badly.

200

Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?

 M. “. . . a very long running race.” (paragraph 1) 

P. “. . . had many problems.” (paragraph 1)

R. “. . . on a hot August afternoon.” (paragraph 2) 

S. “. . . Thomas Hicks crossed the finish line. . . .” (paragraph 2)

P. “. . . had many problems.” (paragraph 1)

300

What is the meaning of the word persistence in paragraph 19? 

M. mysterious powers 

P. continued effort

R. good ideas 

S. great speed

P. continued effort

300

Which sentence best explains the main problem with sundials? 

A. Sundials required only a small amount of sunlight each day. 

B. Sundials worked differently in different countries.

 C. Sundials were outdoor clocks that could be easily damaged. 

D. Sundials could be used only during the daytime.

D. Sundials could be used only during the daytime.

300

In passage 1, which idea is best supported by the details in paragraphs 6 and 7? 

A. The men did not accomplish their goal. 

B. The water was extremely cold. 

C. Shackleton did not give up easily.

D. Antarctica was a large continent.

C. Shackleton did not give up easily.

300

Which two pieces of evidence does the author use to support the idea that the 1904 marathon was very challenging?

 A. “. . . the first Olympics held in the United States. . . .” (paragraph 1) 

B. “One event in the Olympics. . . .” (paragraph 1) 

C. “The race course was covered in dust. . . .” (paragraph 2)

 D. “. . . runners could get water in only two places.” (paragraph 2)

E. “. . . after the race began. . . .” (paragraph 2)

C. “The race course was covered in dust. . . .” (paragraph 2)

 D. “. . . runners could get water in only two places.” (paragraph 2)

400

What is the meaning of the phrase “so high it almost tickled Sky” in paragraph 6? 

M. The top of the mountain was too far away to see. 

P. The top of the mountain nearly touched Sky.

R. The top of the mountain tried to make Sky laugh.

 S. The top of the mountain was too difficult to climb.

P. The top of the mountain nearly touched Sky.

400

What is the meaning of the word schedule in paragraph 2? 

M. a plan for what to do at what time

P. a map that shows where to find things to eat

R. a way to record what was done earlier 

S. a method for noting the different seasons

M. a plan for what to do at what time

400

Based on passage 2, why did the astronauts need to move from Aquarius to Odyssey before reentry to Earth? 

A. Aquarius had to be used for the moon landing. 

B. Aquarius was much colder than Odyssey.

 C. Odyssey had more oxygen than Aquarius. 

D. Odyssey was the only section with heat shields.

D. Odyssey was the only section with heat shields.

400

Which detail from the passage best helps the reader understand the meaning of the word marathon?

 M. “. . . the first Olympics. . . .” (paragraph 1) 

P. “. . . a very long running race.” (paragraph 1)

R. “. . . race course was covered in dust. . . .” (paragraph 2) 

S. “. . . the finish line. . . .” (paragraph 2)

P. “. . . a very long running race.” (paragraph 1)

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