Context Clues
"Thousands of years ago, people didn't care what time it was. They spent most of their days hunting and gathering food. A schedule would have been silly: 'nine o'clock, hunt; ten o'clock, gather'"
What is the meaning of the world schedule in the paragraph above?
A. a plan for what to do at what time
B. a map that shows where to find things to eat
C. a way to record what was done earlier
D. a method for noting the different seasons
A. a plan for what to do at what time
"In the 1800s, people figured out how to build large factories to make all sorts of things. Factories cranked out thousands of clocks very quickly and less expensively. Finally, there were clocks for everyone."
How does the author support the idea that large factories helped to make clocks available to a large number of people?
A. by stating the number of clocks that factories made
B. by explaining that factories made clocks quickly and at a lower cost
C. by explaining that workers in factories were paid by the hour
D. by describing how factories gave people ideas for different uses of clocks
B. by explaining that factories made clocks quickly and at a lower cost
"(1) Orangutans create and utilize tools as a result of their intelligence. (2) They use leafy branches as flyswatters and collect and drink water from leaf cups. (3) These mammals manipulate sticks and twigs to secure foods. (4) When tasty favorites, such as termites and fruits, are out of reach of their long fingers, they jab sticks into the food sources. (5) They move the sticks back and forth with their teeth and use their paws to bring the food to their mouths."
Which sentence states the main idea of the paragraph?
1
"'Relax Tom,' his father said. 'Enjoy yourself. You've done the best you can, haven't you?"
What does this paragraph mainly show about Tom's father?
A. He thinks that TOm has made a good rocket.
B. He tries to be caring because Tom feels bored.
C. He thinks that Tom is ready to launch his rocket.
D. He tries to be comforting because Tom is worried.
D. He tries to be comforting because Tom is worried.
Which of the following statements shows a cause/effect relationship?
A. "When faced with problems, animals find ways to solve the challenges in order to survive."
B. "Octopuses and sea lions are critical thinkers."
C. "Some animals think creatively as a means of survival."
D. "Elephants have unusual rituals for mourning and burying family members."
A. "When faced with problems, animals find ways to solve the challenges in order to survive."
"The crew had no way to call for help, so Shackleton decided to wait for the ice to melt. The crew floated around for ten months. Then, on September 2, they heard the loud 'crack!' of wood snapping. The ice was crushing the Endurance! The crew was forced to abandon the ship and camp on the ice chunk. A few weeks later, Shackleton and his crew watched helplessly as the ship sank."
What is the meaning of abandon in the paragraph above?
A. leave
B. repair
C. watch
D. replace
A. leave
"But on April 13, when Apollo 13 was about 200,000 miles away from Earth, an explosion in part of the spacecraft caused precious oxygen to shoot into space. Oxygen was needed for the three astronauts to breathe and to make power for the spacecraft. Without oxygen, the mission would be doomed."
What does the word doomed tell the reader about the mission?
A. The mission would take long.
B. The mission would end badly.
C. The mission would waste supplies.
D. The mission would start over.
B. The mission would end badly.
"(1) Jorge was a hard worker and responsible student. (2) He completed all his work. (3) Even if he had to stay up late, he always studied for every test. (4) He handed in his classwork on time."
Which detail supports the idea that Jorge was a hard worker?
3
"At the age of 10, Kate had already reached 6 feet tall. Being a tall girl was bad enough, but having to change schools constantly made the situation even more dire. Another year, another new school. Kate should be used to this, but her palms still felt clammy and she had a hard time gathering the courage to walk through the front door. All of a sudden a small voice behind her said, 'Hi there! You look at little lost, do you need some help?'"
A student offering to help will most likely make Kate feel...
A. scared
B. angry
C. relieved
D. unsure
C. relieved
Why did men's wristwatches become popular during World War I?
A. Soldiers wanted watches that were less expensive.
B. Soldiers thought both men and women should wear watches on their wrists.
C. Soldiers could remain ready for battle if watches were on their wrists.
D. Soldiers realized that it was fashionable to wear small watches.
C. Soldiers could remain ready for battle if watches were on their wrists.
"Tom felt a twinge of regret but decided he wasn't going to jeopardize a sure win by saying anything."
Which phrase has almost the same meaning as the word jeopardize as it is used in the sentence?
A. give up
B. count on
C. search for
D. brag about
A. give up
"Shackleton had one last chance. He and a few men boarded a lifeboat and headed to South Georgia Island. They braved stormy seas, giant waves, and even a hurricane. When they made it to the island, they had to hike across 26 miles of icy mountains to find help.
Shackleton borrowed a ship to go rescue the rest of the crew. Ice forced that ship to stop, so he borrowed a second ship, which also had to turn bac. A third ship finally made it to Elephant Island, rescuing the crew almost two years after they had left London. Incredibly, all 28 men survived."
Which idea is best supported by the details in the paragraphs above?
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.
"Gorillas demonstrate their intelligence through communication and interaction with human beings. They memorize pictures, use hand signals, recognize spoken and signed words, express sympathy, and play computer games."
Based on the sentence above, what action provides evidence that gorillas are good communicators?
A. They play computer games.
B. They memorize pictures.
C. They express sympathy.
D. They use hand signals.
D. They use hand signals.
"'Nice rocket you've got there,' the boy said.
'Thanks,' Tom replied without much emotion, then regretted it. "Looks like you spent a lot of time on yours. Where do you fire it? I haven't seen you at any of the competitions.'
'In the field behind my house. By the way, my name's Ed.'"
Based on the paragraphs above, what does Tom most likely think he should have done when he met Ed?
A. helped Ed with his rocket
B. learned more about wehre Ed lives
C. responded to Ed in a friendlier way
D. talked to Ed before the competition began
C. responded to Ed in a friendlier way
"We received it as a wedding gift four years ago, but it is only collecting dust on the shelf."
What phrase might replace the words "collecting dust" with more specific language?
A. available now
B. leaving a mess
C. plugged in
D. sitting unused
D. sitting unused
"'Ed Malovich,' the announcer boomed. Tom perked up and watch Ed. 'Eleven hundred fifty feet.' The crowd came to life. No one else had reached a thousand feet.'"
Based on the paragraph above what does the phrases "the crowd came to life" most likely mean?
A. The crowd moved quickly.
B. The crowd listened quietly.
C. The crowd watched closely.
D. The crowd reacted excitedly.
D. The crowd reacted excitedly.
Which provides the best evidence to support the statement that elephants are capable of knowing the difference between their reflections and their bodies.
A. "Researchers have painted red spots on the foreheads elephants to determine if they recognize their bodies."
B. "When these mammals saw themselves in mirrors, they touched the red spots on their foreheads instead of touching their reflections."
C. "Elephants are considered to be among the smartest animals."
D. "Their large brains have similar structures to those of humans."
B. "When these elephants saw themselves in mirrors, they touched the red spots on their foreheads instead of touching their reflections."
"At the age of 10, Kate had already reached 6 feet tall. Being a tall girl was bad enough, but having to change schools constantly made the situation even more dire. Another year, another new school. Kate should be used to this, but her palms still felt clammy and she had a hard time gathering the courage to walk through the front door. All of a sudden a small voice behind her said, "Hi there! You look at little lost, do you need some help?"
Which phrase below best helps support the idea that Kate is nervous?
A. "Another year, another new school"
B. "her palms felt clammy"
C. "Kate had already reached 6 feet tall"
D. "Kate should be used to this"
B. "her palms felt clammy"
"Deshaun ran home from school as fast as he could. The blue ribbon waved in the wind and the medal bounced up and down on his chest with each step. He could barely contain his joy as he rushed through the door screaming, 'Mom! Mom! Guess what?'"
Based on the paragraph above, what news does Deshaun have to share with his mom?
A. He got an A on his science test.
B. He won 1st place in a competition at school.
C. He got called to the principal's office.
D. He made a new friend at school.
B. He won 1st place in a competition at school.
Which text structure has key words: also, both, difference, same, unlike.
Compare/contrast
"Another example of creative thinking can be observed in squirrels. These animals make elaborate maps to locate their buried nuts. They distract other animals as they near their caches to draw them away. Squirrels cover themselves with scents of other animals to trick their enemies."
What is the meaning of the word caches?
A. elaborate maps
B. food supplies
C. hidden habitats
D. newborn babies
B. food supplies
"Bees use experimental approaches to locate sources of nectar. When researchers presented scented flowers to a group of bees, the insects determined the shortest route to the food source. The bees used a trial-and-error process to map the most efficient paths. The scientists learned that bees use this thinking skill to concretive energy and to survive."
Why do bees use the trial-and-error process?
A. to copy the behaviors of other insects
B. to locate the sweetest-smelling flower
C. to know the locations of the best nectar
D. to ensure they have the strength needed to gather nourishment.
D. to ensure they have the strength needed to gather nourishment.
Which quote supports the main idea that "Clocks have improved, so we can keep better track of time."
A. "To be on time, you'd have to have the same size candle...."
B. "The old clocks were no longer good enough..."
C. "These early mechanical clocks were funny looking..."
D. "Up high, for everyone to see and hear, the clock rang out the hours..."
B. "The old clocks were no longer good enough..."
Which would best support the inference that bees are not always successful on their first attempt?
A. "Bees use experimental approaches to locate sources of nectar."
B. "When researchers presented scented flower to a group of bees, the insects determined the shortest route to the food source."
C. "The bees used a trial-and-error process to map the most efficient path."
D. "The scientists learned that bees use this thinking skill to conserve energy and to survive."
C. "The bees used a trial-and-error process to map the most efficient path."
Which would NOT support an author's point that dogs are capable of doing many jobs?
A. Dogs can be trained to sniff out poisonous substances that could be harmful to humans.
B. Dogs tend to be better caregivers to humans than cats.
C. Dogs can learn to alert humans before a medical issues arises.
D. Police dogs are used to protect officers and alert them to dangers.
B. Dogs tend to be better caregivers to humans than cats.