Main Idea/Details
The Mariana Trench is the deepest place in the ocean. The pressure there is so strong that most submarines can't go that deep. Only special equipment can reach the trench’s bottom.
What is the main idea of this passage?
A) The Mariana Trench is full of strange animals.
B) The Mariana Trench is a very deep and dangerous place.
C) Submarines explore the ocean every day.
D) Scientists don’t know much about the ocean.
B) The Mariana Trench is a very deep and dangerous place.
Suppose you see a diagram of the ocean zones. The diagram shows sunlight at the top and darkness at the bottom. Different sea animals are pictured in each layer.
Question:
What does this diagram help you understand?
A) The Titanic sank because of the dark ocean.
B) Rachel Carson loved deep-sea animals.
C) Different animals live at different ocean depths.
D) Sally Ride took pictures of sea animals.
C) Different animals live at different ocean depths.
You read a diary written by a Titanic passenger who survived the sinking.
Q: Is this a firsthand or secondhand account?
A) Firsthand
B) Secondhand
A) Firsthand
Both Sally Ride and Titanic passengers took journeys that had risks.
Q: What do Sally Ride and Titanic passengers have in common?
A) They both went to space.
B) They both explored the Mariana Trench.
C) They both faced danger on a journey.
D) They both wrote books.
C) They both faced danger on a journey.
The Titanic was called “unsinkable.” The prefix “un-” means “not.”
Q: What does “unsinkable” mean?
A) Can sink easily
B) Not able to sink
C) Under the ocean
D) Full of passengers
B) Not able to sink
Rachel Carson studied the effects of pollution on nature. She warned people that chemicals were harming animals and plants. Her writing made people think about protecting the environment.
Which detail supports the idea that Rachel Carson helped protect nature?
A) She liked to write stories.
B) She wrote about protecting the environment.
C) She visited the ocean.
D) She studied the Titanic.
B) She wrote about protecting the environmen
There’s a chart that shows Titanic passenger numbers: 2,240 people on board, with 1,500 lives lost. The chart compares first-class, second-class, and third-class passengers.
Why would an author include this chart in a Titanic article?
A) To show the ship’s speed.
B) To explain why the Titanic was famous.
C) To show how many people were affected by the sinking.
D) To teach how to build a ship.
C) To show how many people were affected by the sinking.
A news article written in 2020 describes Rachel Carson’s work with the environment.
Q: Is this a firsthand or secondhand account?
A) Firsthand
B) Secondhand
B) Secondhand
Rachel Carson and Sally Ride both worked to teach others — Carson about nature and Ride about space.
Q: How were Rachel Carson and Sally Ride alike?
A) They both studied pollution.
B) They both taught others about science.
C) They both sailed on the Titanic.
D) They both explored the Mariana Trench.
B) They both taught others about science.
Sally Ride prepared for space travel. The prefix “pre-” means “before.”
Q: What does “prepared” mean?
A) Got ready before something happened
B) Flew in a spaceship
C) Wrote a book
D) Built a submarine
A) Got ready before something happened
The Titanic hit an iceberg on its first trip. Many people believed it was “unsinkable,” but it sank quickly in the cold Atlantic Ocean.
Q: What is the main idea?
A) The Titanic sailed around the world.
B) Icebergs are dangerous.
C) The Titanic sank even though people thought it couldn’t.
D) Ships are bigger today.
C) The Titanic sank even though people thought it couldn’t.
You see a photo of Sally Ride floating inside the space shuttle, holding tools and working with other astronauts.
Question:
What does this photo help you understand?
A) Sally Ride explored the deep ocean.
B) Sally Ride worked with a team and did experiments in space.
C) Sally Ride went to space by herself.
D) Sally Ride only traveled on submarines.
B) Sally Ride worked with a team and did experiments in space.
A letter from Sally Ride describing her experience in space is published in a book.
Q: Is this a firsthand or secondhand account?
A) Firsthand
B) Secondhand
A) Firsthand
Service dogs are trained to help people with special needs. Unlike pets, they have special jobs like leading the blind or warning about medical problems.
Q: How is a service dog different from a pet dog?
A) A service dog is trained to help people with special needs.
B) A service dog is younger.
C) A service dog is cuter.
D) A service dog lives in a special house.
A) A service dog is trained to help people with special needs.
Scientists can “discover” new animals in the ocean. The prefix “dis-” means “opposite of” or “away.”
Q: What does “discover” mean?
A) Lose something
B) Find something new
C) Cover something up
D) Build something
B) Find something new
Sally Ride trained for months before going into space. She became the first American woman astronaut and inspired many girls to study science.
Q: What is the main idea?
A) Sally Ride became famous.
B) Sally Ride liked to fly planes.
C) Sally Ride helped more women enter science and space exploration.
D) Space travel is scary.
C) Sally Ride helped more women enter science and space exploration.
There is a diagram of a submarine underwater. The diagram shows arrows pushing against the sides of the submarine, labeled “Pressure from Water.” The submarine is made with strong metal walls.
Question:
What does this diagram explain?
A) Why submarines are used for vacations.
B) Why submarines float on top of the ocean.
C) Why submarines need strong walls to handle deep ocean pressure.
D) How submarines are powered by sunlight.
C) Why submarines need strong walls to handle deep ocean pressure.
You read a story about the Titanic written by an author who did research using survivor interviews and old newspapers.
Q: Why is this a secondhand account?
A) The author was on the Titanic.
B) The author tells the story based on information from others.
C) The author wrote in a diary.
D) The author interviewed people on the ship.
B) The author tells the story based on information from others.
Sally Ride explored outer space, while divers who visited the Mariana Trench explored the deepest parts of the ocean. Both needed special equipment and faced dangerous conditions.
Q: What is one difference between Sally Ride and the Mariana Trench divers?
A) Sally Ride explored space, and the divers explored the deep ocean.
B) Both explored the deep ocean.
C) Both were astronauts.
D) Sally Ride was a diver.
A) Sally Ride explored space, and the divers explored the deep ocean.
Rachel Carson was a scientist and an “environmentalist.” The suffix “-ist” means “a person who does something.”
Q: What does “environmentalist” mean?
A) Someone who works with submarines
B) A person who protects nature
C) A person who sails ships
D) Someone who lives in the ocean
B) A person who protects nature
The deep ocean is dark, cold, and under great pressure. Special submarines are built to handle these harsh conditions so scientists can explore the sea’s deepest parts.
Q: What is the main idea?
A) The deep ocean is a peaceful place.
B) Scientists don’t know much about submarines.
C) Special equipment is needed to explore the deep ocean.
D) The ocean is full of sunlight.
C) Special equipment is needed to explore the deep ocean.
You see a timeline of Rachel Carson’s life. It shows when she was born, when she published Silent Spring, and when she spoke out about pollution.
Question:
How does this timeline help you understand Rachel Carson’s life?
A) It shows how she built submarines.
B) It explains why the Titanic sank.
C) It shows how Carson is similar to Sally Ride
D) It It shows the important events that helped Carson speak out for the environment.
D) It It shows the important events that helped Carson speak out for the environment.
Why might a firsthand account be more useful than a secondhand account when studying a person’s experience?
A) It shows the writer’s personal experience and feelings.
B) It is always more exciting to read.
C) It is written by a historian.
D) It uses facts from many different sources.
A) It shows the writer’s personal experience and feelings.
Service dogs help people with medical needs, while submarines help scientists explore the ocean. Both are important tools that assist humans in special ways.
Q: What is a similarity between service dogs and submarines?
A) Both are used by astronauts.
B) Both need to be built in a factory.
C) Both help people travel around the world.
D) Both help people do things they might not be able to do on their own.
D) Both help people do things they might not be able to do on their own.
The word “submarine” has the prefix “sub-” meaning “under” and the base word “marine” meaning “sea.”
Q: What does the word “submarine” most likely mean?
A) A person who studies the sea
B) A scientist who works in space
C) A creature that lives on land
D) A ship that travels under the sea
D) A ship that travels under the sea