Vocabulary & Context Clues (TEKS 7.2B)
In the section "No Engine, No Problem," the word converted means —
Answer: Changed from one form to another.
Why did the author include the subheadings throughout the article?
Answer: To help the reader navigate different topics, like history and physics.
Why can the reader infer that the first hill of a coaster is always the highest?
Answer: Because the train needs to build up the most potential energy there to finish the rest of the ride.
Which detail from the text supports the idea that roller coasters are "engine-less"?
Answer: The text states a "lift or cable pulls it up the first hill."
Based on the sections "Two Types of Coasters" and "Russian Ancestor," how has the material used for tracks changed over hundreds of years?
Answer: It evolved from ice/wood (sleds) to wood tracks, and finally to tubular steel.
Read this sentence: "The loop must be an elongated loop, or ellipse, rather than a perfect circle." The author uses the word elongated to show the loop is —
Answer: Stretched out or oval-shaped.
What is the primary purpose of the section titled "Russian Ancestor"?
Answer: To explain the historical origins of the roller coaster.
Based on the text, why did roller coasters become "more adventurous" after the 1950s?
Answer: The invention of steel tracks allowed for more complex shapes like loops.
What evidence does the author provide to prove that roller coasters are not a "modern" invention?
Answer: The mention of the 15th-century Russian sled rides.
Which two forces described in the text act in opposite directions when a rider is at the top of a loop?
Answer: Inertia (pushing up/out) and Gravity (pulling down).
In the first "Answer" section, the word inertia is used. Based on the text, inertia is a force that —
Answer: Keeps an object moving in its current path.
The author organizes the "History" section of the text primarily by what text structure —
Answer: Chronological order (using dates like 1817, 1827, and 1884).
Why does the text suggest that early wooden coasters didn't have "complicated shapes"?
Answer: Because wooden tracks are not as "bendable" as steel.
According to the text, what is the "supply" that allows a coaster to go up a second hill?
Answer: The kinetic energy gathered from going down the first hill.
The author mentions "Russian Mountains" in the 15th century and "Kingda Ka" in the 21st century. What is the common link between these two topics?
Answer: They both show the human desire for high-speed, gravity-based thrills.
What is the meaning of the word ancestor as it is used in the section "Russian Ancestor"?
Answer: An early version or "forefather" of something that developed later.
Why does the author include the specific measurements for the Kingda Ka and Steel Dragon 2000?
Answer: To provide evidence of how far roller coaster technology has advanced.
Based on the section about safety, what can the reader conclude about the job of a "sandbag"?
Answer: It is used to simulate the weight of a human passenger during test runs.
Which sentence best explains why a rider doesn't fall out of a loop?
Answer: "Inertia... presses your body to the floor of the loop as the coaster spins around."
How does the information about "potential energy" explain why the first hill of the Switchback Railway (1884) had to be built on a mountain?
Answer: Since it had no engine, it needed the height of the mountain to create enough potential energy to move.
The text mentions tubular steel tracks. Based on the description of how wheels run "along the top, bottom, and side," the word tubular most likely means —
Answer: Shaped like a tube or hollow cylinder.
What is the author’s main purpose for writing this entire article?
To inform the reader about how roller coasters work and how they have changed over time.
Why does the coaster eventually slow down at the end of the ride?
Answer: Outside forces like wind resistance and friction from the wheels "steal" the train's energy.
What fact does the author use to support the claim that Kingda Ka is the "fastest" coaster?
Answer: It travels at a speed of 128 miles per hour.
Based on the entire passage, what is the most likely reason seat belts were only introduced in 1907?
Answer: That was when "high-speed" coasters like the Drop-The-Dip debuted, increasing the need for extra safety.