Passage #1: The History of the Bicycle
1. What inference can be made about early bicycles?
a. They were easier to ride than modern bicycles.
b. Riding bicycles in the mid-1800s carried a high risk of injury.
c. Early bicycles were used mostly by children.
d. German inventors stopped making bicycles after 1817.
b — Inference: Early bikes had big wheels and were "very dangerous to ride."
What inference can be made about honeybees?
a. Honeybees prefer to search for food alone without sharing.
b. A bee's waggle dance contains precise, detailed instructions.
c. Bees use loud buzzes to tell others where food is located.
d. Honeybees only gather nectar during the winter months.
b — The dance communicates "the exact direction and distance."
What inference can be made about the creation of Post-it Notes?
a. Great inventions are always planned out carefully from the start.
b. A product originally viewed as a failure turned out to be extremely useful.
c. Art Fry intended to sell bookmarks to churches for profit.
d. Dr. Silver was fired from 3M for making a weak adhesive.
b — An initial failure turned into a globally successful product.
What inference can be made about deep-sea creatures?
a. They cannot survive without direct sunlight.
b. They have special adaptations that allow them to live under extreme pressure.
c. They frequently swim up to the surface to find food.
d. They are identical to the sea creatures that live near ocean shores.
b — Surviving high pressure and extreme cold requires special adaptations.
What inference can be made about the Grand Canyon?
a. It was formed very quickly by a sudden flood.
b. The landscape was created entirely by human activity.
c. The rock layers contain valuable scientific information about Earth's past.
d. The Colorado River dried up hundreds of years ago.
c — Rock layers act like a visual timeline of Earth's history.
2. What is the meaning of propel as it is used in the passage?
a. stop
b. push
c. balance
d. guide
b — Propel means to push or drive forward.
What is the meaning of industrious as it is used in the passage?
a. hard-working
b. noisy
c. dangerous
d. slow-moving
a — Industrious means hard-working and energetic.
What is the meaning of adhesive as it is used in the passage?
a. paper product
b. bookmark
c. sticky substance
d. scientific tool
c — Adhesive refers to a glue or sticky substance.
What is the meaning of hostile as it is used in the passage?
a. warm and welcoming
b. harsh and difficult to live in
c. dark and quiet
d. full of bright colors
b — Hostile means harsh, unwelcoming, or difficult to survive in.
What is the meaning of marvel as it is used in the passage?
a. look with wonder and admiration
b. take pictures with a camera
c. measure scientifically
d. ignore or walk past
a — Marvel means to look with wonder, awe, or admiration.
3. Which detail BEST supports the idea that bicycle designs improved over time?
a. "The bicycle is one of the most popular forms of transportation in the world..."
b. "In 1817, a German inventor created a two-wheeled vehicle without pedals."
c. "...the 'safety bicycle' was invented with two equal-sized wheels and a chain drive."
d. "Today, millions of people ride bicycles for transportation..."
c — Equal-sized wheels and chain drives show design improvements.
8. Which quote from the text BEST shows how honeybees communicate location?
a. "Honeybees are essential pollinators that help flowers, fruits, and vegetables grow."
b. "When a worker bee finds a rich source of nectar, it returns to the hive..."
c. "By wiggling its body and running in specific angles, the bee tells others the exact direction and distance..."
d. "Scientists consider bees to be among the most industrious insects..."
c — Directly quotes how wiggling and angles provide direction and distance.
Which piece of evidence shows that Post-it Notes became globally successful?
a. "In 1968, Dr. Spencer Silver... was trying to create a super-strong glue."
b. "For years, no one knew what to do with his invention."
c. "...Art Fry needed a bookmark that would stick to his church hymnal..."
d. "Today, Post-it Notes are sold in over 150 countries..."
d — Selling in over 150 countries proves global success.
Which quote BEST explains how living things survive at the bottom of the ocean without sunlight?
a. "Thousands of meters below the surface, there is no sunlight..."
b. "Tube worms, giant clams, and blind crabs live around these vents."
c. "...bacteria convert chemicals from the vents into food."
d. "...the water pressure is high enough to crush a car."
c — Explains that bacteria convert chemicals into food instead of relying on sunlight.
Which text detail shows how the Grand Canyon was created?
a. "Located in Arizona, the Grand Canyon is one of the most famous natural wonders..."
b. "Carved over millions of years by the flowing waters of the Colorado River..."
c. "Scientists can study these rock layers to learn about ancient environments..."
d. "Millions of tourists visit each year..."
b — States directly that it was carved by the Colorado River.
4. What inference can be made about why pedals were added to bicycles?
a. To make bicycles heavier.
b. To allow riders to travel without pushing their feet on the ground.
c. To help riders brake faster.
d. To make bicycles cost more money.
b —Before pedals, riders had to push off the ground with their feet.
9. What inference can be made about what would happen if a bee did NOT do the waggle dance?
a. Other bees would have a harder time finding the nectar source.
b. Flowers would stop producing pollen immediately.
c. The bee would be kicked out of the hive.
d. Other bees would use sound to locate the food instead.
a — Without the dance, other bees wouldn't know the location of the food source.
What inference can be made about why Art Fry liked Silver's glue for his bookmark?
a. It was the strongest glue available at 3M.
b. It would keep his place without ripping or damaging the hymnal pages.
c. It changed the color of the pages to bright yellow.
d. It allowed him to permanently seal the book closed.
b — The weak glue stuck lightly without damaging pages.
What inference can be made about hydrothermal vents?
a. They make the surrounding ocean water colder.
b. They provide essential heat and minerals that allow deep-sea ecosystems to exist.
c. They produce sunlight for creatures living deep in the ocean.
d. They are created by deep-sea animals building nests.
b — Spewing mineral-rich hot water creates conditions for ocean life to thrive.
What inference can be made about why scientists find the Grand Canyon useful?
a. It provides a quick way to cross through Arizona.
b. The rock layers reveal clues about how Earth's climate and environment changed over time.
c. It is the only place in North America where river water flows.
d. It allows them to predict exact weather patterns for next year.
b — Rock layers show ancient environments, climates, and prehistoric sea life.
5. Which sentence from the passage shows that bicycles are still widely used today?
a. "Pedals were added in the 1860s..."
b. "Riders had to push their feet against the ground..."
c. "Finally, in the late 1880s, the 'safety bicycle' was invented..."
d. "Today, millions of people ride bicycles for transportation, exercise, and fun."
d — Directly states that millions ride bicycles today.
Which piece of evidence shows the importance of honeybees to plant life?
a. "...honeybees communicate through a special pattern of movement..."
b. "Honeybees are essential pollinators that help flowers, fruits, and vegetables grow."
c. "Other bees watch the dance closely..."
d. "By wiggling its body and running in specific angles..."
b — States they are essential pollinators that help plants grow.
Which sentence explains the problem Dr. Silver initially faced with his new glue?
a. "The result was the Post-it Note."
b. "Today, Post-it Notes are sold in over 150 countries..."
c. "For years, no one knew what to do with his invention."
d. "Fry remembered Silver's weak glue and applied it to small pieces of yellow paper."
c —Explains that for years nobody knew what to do with the invention.
. Which text detail illustrates just how intense the water pressure is on the ocean floor?
a. "...there is no sunlight, the temperature is near freezing..."
b. "...the water pressure is high enough to crush a car."
c. "...unique creatures thrive near hydrothermal vents..."
d. "Tube worms, giant clams, and blind crabs live around these vents."
b — Comparing pressure to being able to "crush a car" illustrates its intensity.
Which quote shows the popularity of the Grand Canyon today?
a. "...reaches depths of over a mile."
b. "Carved over millions of years..."
c. "The exposed rock layers on the canyon walls act like a visual timeline..."
d. "Millions of tourists visit each year to marvel at its immense scale and vivid colors."
d — Mentions millions of tourists visiting annually.