Martian Metropolis
The author uses a problem and solution structure in the section called “Living Off the Land.” Which two sentences state problems that colonists on Mars will need to solve?
A) Sending stuff to Mars is very expensive.
B) Martian citizens will be really good at recycling.
C) Settlers will need to grow food.
D) Fortunately, humans will take those organisms along with them!
A and C
Which sentence best states the theme of the story?
A) Space travel is harmful to humans.
B) Making friends is an important part of childhood.
C) Discovering new planets is important for the survival of the human race.
D) Jealousy can cause people to treat others cruelly.
D) Jealousy can cause people to treat others cruelly.
"Ride went up in the space shuttle twice. The image of her floating through the cabin...inspired tremendous hope for girls dreaming of going into science. Her presence brought some admirers to tears and compelled others to act."
The word compelled comes from the Latin word compellere which means "together" and "drive". Which word is closest to the meaning of compelled?
A) urged
B) discouraged
C) distracted
D) hoped
A) urged
Which sentence best identifies the author’s purpose for writing this essay?
A) to persuade people to be more optimistic.
B) to persuade others to become astronauts.
C) to persuade people to get along better with one another.
D) to persuade others to take better care of Earth.
A) to persuade people to be more optimistic.
Choose the phrase that correctly uses capitalization in the italicized section of the sentence below.
Sally Ride was the first woman astronaut employed by the National Aeronautics and space administration.
A) National aeronautics and space administration
B) National Aeronautics and Space administration
C) National Aeronautics and Space Administration
D) correct as is
C) National Aeronautics and Space Administration
In paragraph 6, the term DNA is capitalized because it is —
A) the name of a specific disease
B) the abbreviation of a molecule’s name
C) the abbreviation of an organization’s name
D) the name of an internal organ
B) the abbreviation of a molecule’s name
Which two sentences from the passage most clearly create a sad mood?
A) "The children pressed to each other like so many roses, so many weeds, intermixed..."
B) "It had been raining for seven years"
C) "They edged away from her, they would not look at her."
D) "They heard her muffled cries."
E) "In the center of it, cupped and huge, was a single raindrop."
C and D
Which statement provides the best explanations for why Ride was chosen to be the first American woman astronaut?
A) Ride earned a PhD in astrophysics, was in excellent physical condition, and was a potential Nobel Prize winner.
B) Ride majored in both physics and English, was in excellent physical condition, and was known as the best flight student her instructor ever had.
C) Ride was an excellent student in academics, flight, and space training, and she possessed the calm composure necessary for space flight.
C) Ride was an excellent student in academics, flight, and space training, and she possessed the calm composure necessary for space flight.
What rhetorical device does the author use in paragraph 1?
A) repetition
B) irony
C) direct address
D) rhetorical question
B) irony
In which version of the sentence is each word capitalized correctly?
A) “The Mars Curiosity rover was sent by Nasa to the Red Planet on November 26, 2011,” said brown University Researcher Jay Dorn.
B) “The Mars Curiosity Rover was sent by NASA to the red planet on November 26, 2011,” said Brown University researcher Jay Dorn.
C) “The Mars Curiosity rover was sent by NASA to the Red Planet on November 26, 2011,” said Brown University researcher Jay Dorn.
B) “The Mars Curiosity Rover was sent by NASA to the red planet on November 26, 2011,” said Brown University researcher Jay Dorn.
Read the sentence from paragraph 5.
The Martian day (called a “sol”) is about 40 minutes longer than an Earth day; a Martian year is 668.6 sols.
In which two ways does this sentence contribute to the central ideas of the selection?
A) It hints at the author’s bias toward life on Mars.
B) It helps build a picture of what life would be like on Mars.
C) It reveals an important fact about life on Earth.
D) It makes an important comparison between Earth and Mars.
E) It shows how much better life would be on Mars.
B and D
Which detail from the story is most likely intended to comment on current society?
A) life on Venus will be hard but worth it
B) human children are better off on Earth than Venus
C) school rooms in the future will be full of challenges
D) people who fear differences can do horrible things
D) people who fear differences can do horrible things
How does the author structure the information in the text?
A) by presenting ideas in chronological order
B) by using a problem-and-solution organizational pattern
C) by using a cause-and-effect organizational pattern
D) by presenting main ideas followed by supporting details
A) by presenting ideas in chronological order
What mood does the author create when he says he is "on a business trip " in paragraph 1?
A) a formal mood
B) a happy mood
C)a dramatic mood
D) a humorous mood
D) a humorous mood
Choose the correct conjunction for the italicized section of the sentence below.
After I write this, I'm flying over New Zealand; it looks so beautiful out the window.
A) change after to although
B) changer after to and
C) change after to as
D) correct as is
C) change after to as
Read this sentence from paragraph 5 of the selection.
Even if Mars’s atmosphere were thicker, we wouldn’t be able to breathe it.
The word atmosphere is created from two Greek roots, atmos and sphere. What is the best definition of the word atmosphere as it is used in this sentence?
A) Vaporous ball
B) Atomic planet
C) Invisible rock
D) Thin vapor
A) Vaporous ball
How does the science fiction setting contribute to the development of the story's plot?
A) Living on a new planet solves the problems the characters are facing.
B) The weather on Venus is so terrible that it causes the children to treat Margot cruelly.
C) Space travel causes the characters to struggle to stay connect to their human identity.
D) Living on a new planet causes the characters to hate Earth
B) The weather on Venus is so terrible that it causes the children to treat Margot cruelly.
In which two ways do the questions from Sally's physics professor (in Paragraph 5) develop the author's central idea?
A) by convincing the reader to pursue a career as an astronaut
B) by suggesting that some plans for space travel are impractical
C) by showing the importance of effective training
D) by providing evidence that a woman astronaut was rare at the time
E) by demonstrating the gender bias many people had
D and E
Which phrase from the text helps the reader understand the meaning of the word collaboration in paragraph 3?
A) primary partners
B) sworn enemy
C) no hope
D) global society
A) primary partners
Choose the phrase that is punctuated correctly.
A) When I watch the Earth roll by I realize I believe in optimism.
B) When I watch, the Earth roll by I realize I believe in optimism.
C) When I watch the Earth roll by, I realize I believe in optimism.
D) When I watch, the Earth roll by, I realize I believe in optimism.
C) When I watch the Earth roll by, I realize I believe in optimism.
"The city will need farmers to grow crops, cooks, people to run the spaceport and sewage plant, trash collectors, doctors and nurses—the list goes on."
Which structure does the author use to organize the information in this sentence?
A) Cause & Effect
B) Chronological Order
C) Classification
D) Compare & Contrast
C) Classification
"If they tagged her and ran, she stood blinking after them and did not follow"
The word blinking comes from the Scottish word blenk which means "to shine". Which word is closest to the meaning of blinking as it is used in this sentence?
A) glinting
B) flickering
C) winking
d) twinkling
C) winking
Which text structure does this paragraph use?
"The longtime NASA heavyweights guard wanted a mission to Mars; Ride argued for an approach more beneficial to the planet. Mission to Planet Earth’s goal was to use space technology to understand Earth as a total system, to learn how man-made and natural shifts affect the environment..."
A) Classification
B) Cause & effect
C) Compare & Contrast
D) Advantages and Disadvantages
C) Compare & Contrast
Read the denotative definition of stunned in the dictionary entry below.
stunned adj. 1. so shocked that one is temporarily unable to react
What is the connotative meaning of stunned as it is used in paragraph 2?
A) being knocked unconscious or into a dazed state
B) being filled with emotion or an overwhelming sense of shock
C) being deeply surprised by unexpected, usually negative, news
D) being mentally confused or dizzy often due to injury or a loud noise
B) being filled with emotion or an overwhelming sense of shock
Choose the phrase that is punctuated correctly.
A) Of the thirteen people brought in to sit on a presidential commission to review the accident Ride was the only current NASA representative.
B) Of the thirteen people, brought in to sit on a presidential commission to review the accident Ride was the only current NASA representative.
C) Of the thirteen people, brought in to sit on a presidential commission to review, the accident Ride was the only current NASA representative.
D) Of the thirteen people brought in to sit on a presidential commission to review the accident, Ride was the only current NASA representative.
D) Of the thirteen people brought in to sit on a presidential commission to review the accident, Ride was the only current NASA representative.