Main Idea
Which sentence best states the controlling idea (main idea) of the passage?
A. "Thanks to Mayan math, children as young as preschool age are mastering addition and subtraction."
B. "Some of the Maya’s greatest achievements were in the field of mathematics."
C. "The counting system is based on the number 20, most likely because the Maya used their fingers and toes to count."
D. "Today, the counting system is being used to teach math to descendants of the Maya."
B. "Some of the Maya’s greatest achievements were in the field of mathematics.
What is the author’s most likely purpose for writing this passage?
A. To persuade readers that the Maya were better than other ancient civilizations
B. To inform readers about how an ancient counting system is useful in modern teaching
C. To describe in detail how to perform Mayan multiplication and division
D. To entertain readers with a fictional story about a Mayan child
B. To inform readers about how an ancient counting system is useful in modern teaching
Which piece of evidence from the passage best supports the claim that Mayan math helps students learn more easily?"
A. "The Maya were one of the first civilizations to use zero"
B. "The counting system relies on just three symbols"
C. "Some are even being introduced to square roots"
D. "Local pride has increased; so has mathematical understanding"
D. "Local pride has increased; so has mathematical understanding
What does the diagram in the article “Counting like the Maya” help the reader understand?
A. Why Mayan math requires less memorization than ordinary math
B. How Mayan symbols can be combined to indicate different numbers
C. Why students enjoy learning to use Mayan symbols
D. How students move objects around to learn Mayan math
B. How Mayan symbols can be combined to indicate different numbers
What does the word system most nearly mean in the passage?
A. A mistake
B. A random idea
C. An organized method
D. A symbol
C. An organized method
What is the controlling idea of the article “Counting like the Maya”?
A. The Maya people used small symbols including bars and dots to represent digits of different values.
B. Mayan math is being used today by preschool students to learn to add and subtract and by older students to solve square-root problems.
C. Many people who are descended from the ancient Maya civilization still carry some of their ancestors’ scholarly traditions in the present.
D. Mayan math is an ancient system that is so simple and effective that modern descendants of the Maya are using it to learn with great success.
D. Mayan math is an ancient system that is so simple and effective that modern descendants of the Maya are using it to learn with great success.
What is the most likely reason the author wrote the article “Counting like the Maya”?
A. To describe the origins and basic details of Mayan math
B. To argue that more schools should be using Mayan math
C. To share information about how the Maya used math in their daily lives
D. To highlight the research of scholars studying the Maya and their math system
A. To describe the origins and basic details of Mayan math
Which detail BEST supports the idea that Mayan math is simple to learn?
A. "The Maya were one of the first civilizations to use zero"
B. "The counting system relies on just three symbols"
C. "The system is based on the number 20"
D. "Students learn square roots"
B. "The counting system relies on just three symbols"
Why does the author include a diagram in the passage?
A. To entertain the reader
B. To visually explain how the counting system works
C. To compare different math systems
D. To show where the Maya lived
B. To visually explain how the counting system works
What does the word symbol most nearly mean in the passage?
A. A number
B. A sign that represents something
C. A tool
D. A language
B. A sign that represents something
Which detail from the passage BEST supports the idea that Mayan math is still useful today?
A. "The Maya were one of the first civilizations to use zero."
B. "The counting system relies on just three symbols."
C. "The counting system is based on the number 20."
D. "Today, the counting system is being used to teach math to descendants of the Maya."
D. "Today, the counting system is being used to teach math to descendants of the Maya."
What tone does the author’s choice of language create in paragraphs 4 and 6 of the article “Counting like the Maya”?
A. Enthusiasm
B. Surprise
C. Exaggeration
D. Certainty
A. Enthusiasm
Which evidence shows that the Maya were advanced in mathematics?
A. "The Maya were one of the first civilizations to use zero"
B. "Students are learning addition"
C. "The system uses dots and bars"
D. "Teachers are using the system today"
A. "The Maya were one of the first civilizations to use zero"
The passage opens with background about where and when the Maya lived. What is the purpose of this introduction?
A. To explain a modern classroom activity
B. To provide context that helps the reader understand why Mayan math developed
C. To compare Mayan math to U.S. standards
D. To criticize farming methods
B. To provide context that helps the reader understand why Mayan math developed
What does the word advanced most nearly mean?
A. Simple
B. Outdated
C. Highly developed
D. Confusing
C. Highly developed
Why does the author include examples of both preschool and older students using Mayan math?
A. To show that Mayan math is only useful for younger students
B. To explain how difficult Mayan math can be for students
C. To demonstrate that the system works for learners at different levels
D. To compare Mayan math to traditional math instruction
C. To demonstrate that the system works for learners at different levels
Which phrase from paragraph 3 most clearly helps create a respectful, admiring tone about Mayan math?
A. "most likely because the Maya used their fingers and toes to count"
B. "a clam symbol represents the digit zero, a seed or dot represents the number one"
C. "an easy-to-use counting system"
D. "students have been better able to understand the logic behind mathematical concepts"
C. "an easy-to-use counting system"
Which detail BEST shows the real-world impact of using Mayan math today?
A. Students learning square roots using the system
B. The Maya lived in the Yucatan Peninsula
C. The system is based on the number 20
D. The Maya used symbols to count
A. Students learning square roots using the system
How is the passage organized?
A. Problem and solution
B. Chronological order only
C. Description
D. Compare and contrast
C. Description
Why does the author use the word efficient instead of easy?
A. To show it is confusing
B. To show it works well and effectively
C. To make the text longer
D. To compare it to other systems
B. To show it works well and effectively
How would the passage change if the author removed all references to modern classrooms?
A. The passage would become more focused on ancient history
B. The passage would lose support for the idea that Mayan math is still useful today
C. The passage would become easier to understand
D. The passage would focus more on diagrams and symbols
B. The passage would lose support for the idea that Mayan math is still useful today
Why does the author use positive language when describing Mayan math?
A. To make the passage more entertaining
B. To show that the system is effective and worthy of respect
C. To confuse the reader about how the system works
D. To argue against modern math practices
B. To show that the system is effective and worthy of respect
Which TWO pieces of evidence together best support the claim that Mayan math improves student understanding?
A. Use of zero and base-20 system
B. Students learning advanced concepts and increased understanding
C. Use of dots and bars
D. Description of where the Maya lived
B. Students learning advanced concepts and increased understanding
How does the diagram support the author’s overall purpose?
A. It entertains the reader
B. It shows where the Maya lived
C. It helps readers better understand how the system works
D. It adds unrelated information
C. It helps readers better understand how the system works
How does the author’s word choice affect the reader’s understanding of Mayan math?
A. It makes the system seem unimportant
B. It creates a negative view
C. It creates a positive and respectful view of the system
D. It confuses the reader
C. It creates a positive and respectful view of the system