Practice 1
What is a firsthand account?
A. A story made up by an author
B. A report written by a newspaper
C. A description by someone who saw or experienced something
D. A book about animals
What is C. A description by someone who saw or experienced something.
What is a secondhand account?
A. A poem about a dog
B. A story told by someone who wasn’t there but heard about it
C. A diary entry from a scientist
D. A recipe for cookies
What is B. A story told by someone who wasn’t there but heard about it.
Which of these is a firsthand account?
A. A textbook describing the Civil War
B. A newspaper article summarizing an interview
C. A soldier’s diary from the battlefield
D. A story based on a movie
What is C. A soldier’s diary from the battlefield.
Which clue tells you a passage is firsthand?
A. “She was excited to learn about the past.”
B. “They say it happened long ago.”
C. “I saw it happen with my own eyes.”
D. “The article explains how it happened.”
What is C. “I saw it happen with my own eyes.”
Which of the following is most likely a secondhand account?
A. A video someone took during a concert
B. A letter written during a storm
C. A teacher explaining what happened in a story
D. A drawing by someone who saw an event
What is C. A teacher explaining what happened in a story.
How can you tell if something is a firsthand account?
A. It talks about what someone heard
B. It gives facts without emotions
C. It includes personal feelings and uses “I” or “we”
D. It uses pictures only
What is C. It includes personal feelings and uses “I” or “we”.
Which sentence shows a secondhand account?
A. “I watched the volcano erupt—it was loud and scary!”
B. “The lava rushed down the mountain, covering the land.”
C. “We ran from the scene as smoke filled the air.”
D. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
What is B. “The lava rushed down the mountain, covering the land.”
Why would an author write a secondhand account?
A. To describe something they personally experienced
B. To report on events from different sources
C. To make up a story for fun
D. To share their emotions about an event
What is B. To report on events from different sources.
What is one main difference between firsthand and secondhand accounts?
A. Firsthand accounts have no feelings
B. Secondhand accounts always include pictures
C. Firsthand is from someone who was there; secondhand is from someone who was not
D. They are always written by children
What is C. Firsthand is from someone who was there; secondhand is from someone who was not.
Which example is most likely a firsthand account of a natural disaster?
A. A science book explaining earthquakes
B. A journal entry from someone who felt the earthquake
C. A TV show about weather
D. A school report using the internet
What is B. A journal entry from someone who felt the earthquake.
“As I stepped onto the battlefield, I could feel my heart pounding. The smoke burned my eyes.”
What type of account is this and why?
A. Secondhand – it explains the battle
B. Firsthand – the narrator was there and shares personal feelings
C. Secondhand – it talks about someone else
D. Firsthand – it lists facts only
What is B. Firsthand – the narrator was there and shares personal feelings.
Which of the following would help you know a secondhand account is reliable?
A. It has only one point of view
B. It uses made-up stories
C. It gives accurate facts and multiple sources
D. It includes personal feelings only
What is C. It gives accurate facts and multiple sources.
Why might an author choose to use a firsthand account in a nonfiction text?
A. To describe events with emotion and details
B. To confuse the reader
C. To avoid giving opinions
D. To focus only on pictures
What is A. To describe events with emotion and details.
Which of the following is MOST LIKELY a secondhand account of a sports game?
A. A player’s diary about the final moments of the game
B. A coach shouting from the sidelines
C. A news report summarizing the game and interviewing fans
D. A fan’s video recorded at the stadium
What is C. A news report summarizing the game and interviewing fans.
How does reading both firsthand and secondhand accounts help you better understand an event?
A. It makes reading faster
B. It gives two different stories to pick from
C. It helps you compare personal experiences with factual summaries
D. It tells you who’s lying
What is C. It helps you compare personal experiences with factual summaries.