Olmec
Refer to the passage, "The Great Stone Heads of the Olmec." Which words from the passage help the reader understand the meaning of the word civilization?
a. highly organized society (paragraph 1)
b. lived in southern Mexico (paragraph 1)
c. left behind large stone heads (paragraph 2)
d. years of careful study (paragraph 2)
a. highly organized society (paragraph 1)
This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
Part A
Which statement about the Taino people is best supported by the passage?
A. The Taino people had few ways to obtain food because they lived on islands.
B. The Taino people relied on other civilizations to teach them farming techniques.
C. The Taino people developed several ways to provide food and other resources for their communities.
D. The Taino people spent most of their time growing crops rather than participating in religious activities.
Part B
Which sentence from the passage best supports the answer to Part A?
A. “The Taino civilization was not only large, but it was also a very organized society.”
B. “The Tainos lived in small communities or large villages organized around the houses of the cacique and his family who lived in the center.”
C. “They also grew cotton, which they wove into cloth.”
D. “The Tainos also hunted animals such as iguanas and birds, and they took advantage of the waters of the Caribbean, fishing and catching shellfish.”
Part a : C. The Taino people developed several ways to provide food and other resources for their communities.
Part b: D. “The Tainos also hunted animals such as iguanas and birds, and they took advantage of the waters of the Caribbean, fishing and catching shellfish.”
Use the passages “The Great Stone Heads of the Olmec” and “The Taino People” to answer the following question.
What is one important similarity between the Olmec and Taino civilizations described in the passages?
A. Both civilizations built large stone statues to honor their leaders.
B. Both civilizations developed organized communities and used available resources to meet their needs.
C. Both civilizations depended on metal tools and large animals to complete difficult tasks.
D. Both civilizations lived in the same region and followed similar religious traditions.
B. Both civilizations developed organized communities and used available resources to meet their needs.
Potatoes served as food for the Inca year round. They were a(n) _____ part of the Inca diet.
1. regular
2. irregular
3. legal
4. illegal
1. regular
Explain why historians believe the Olmec stone heads may represent important rulers. Use evidence from the passage to support your answer.
Historians believe the Olmec stone heads may show important rulers. In paragraph 6, the text says the faces have different features and carved helmets. The different faces suggest that the heads were made to look like real people. The helmets are another clue that helped scholars think these people may have been rulers.
Refer to the passage, "The Great Stone Heads of the Olmec." What is the best summary of the selection?
Select the best answer.
A. The Olmec lived years ago along the Gulf Coast in Mexico. Scholars have studied great stone heads and other artifacts to learn about this ancient civilization. The Olmec moved the rock for the statues from mountains using logs and they carved the faces using sticks, sand, and small stone hammers.
B. The Olmec was a great civilization that lived on the Gulf Coast. The civilization lasted for thousands of years. Scholars have found great stone heads from the civilization.
C. The people of the Olmec civilization moved huge boulders from mountains 60 miles away. They did not have wheels or oxen to help them move the boulders. Instead, they carved beautiful faces using simple tools. These faces are known as the great stone heads of the Olmec.
D. One of the great American civilizations was the Olmec. They lived before the Aztecs and were larger than the Aztecs. They made great stone heads which can still be seen today.
A. The Olmec lived years ago along the Gulf Coast in Mexico. Scholars have studied great stone heads and other artifacts to learn about this ancient civilization. The Olmec moved the rock for the statues from mountains using logs and they carved the faces using sticks, sand, and small stone hammers.
Based on paragraph 6, what can the reader infer about the Taino people?
A. Their culture continues to influence people living in the Caribbean today.
B. Their civilization disappeared without leaving any influence on people today.
C. Their traditions were completely replaced by European customs.
D. Their descendants no longer live in the places where the Taino once lived.
A. Their culture continues to influence people living in the Caribbean today.
Use the passages “The Great Stone Heads of the Olmec” and “The Taino People” to answer the following question.
Which statement BEST describes a difference between the information presented in the two passages?
A. The Olmec passage focuses on large stone monuments, while the Taino passage describes several aspects of daily life.
B. The Olmec passage explains how people used metal tools, while the Taino passage describes how people used farming tools.
C. The Olmec passage describes a civilization that lived before Europeans arrived, while the Taino passage describes a civilization created by European settlers.
D. The Olmec passage focuses on religious ceremonies, while the Taino passage focuses on building monuments to honor rulers.
A. The Olmec passage focuses on large stone monuments, while the Taino passage describes several aspects of daily life.
1. Maya cities were places where people could _____ with one another to exchange goods and ideas.
1. interflow
2. flow
3. interact
4. act
3. interact
Read the passage “The Taino People.” Based on the information in the passage, write a response to the following:
Explain how the Taino people organized their communities and met the needs of the people who lived there.
Write a well-organized informational essay that uses specific evidence from the passage to support your response.
Remember to —
- clearly state your central idea
- organize your writing
- develop your ideas in detail
- use evidence from the selection in your response
- use correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar
Manage your time carefully, so that you can —
- review the selection
- plan your response
- write your response
- revise and edit your response
The Taino people organized their communities with leaders and shared spaces. They also met people’s needs by growing food, hunting, fishing, and making cloth.
The Taino had leaders who helped organize their communities. In paragraph 2, the author states, “Tainos lived in chiefdoms, which were led by a cacique (kah-SEE-keh), or chief.” This shows that their communities had a clear leadership structure. Paragraph 3 also explains that villages had a central space for games, celebrations, and religious rituals. This shared space gave people a place to gather and practice their traditions.
The Taino used different methods to provide food and materials. In paragraph 4, the author states, “The Taino people were skilled farmers, hunters, and fishermen.” For example, they grew crops in raised plots called conucos and developed irrigation systems. These methods helped them grow food for their communities. They also hunted animals and caught fish and shellfish, giving them several food sources. The text also says, “They also grew cotton, which they wove into cloth.” This shows that they used crops to make useful materials as well as provide food.
Overall, the Taino organized their communities through leadership and shared spaces. They met people’s needs by using their skills and available resources to provide food and cloth.
Refer to the passage, "The Great Stone Heads of the Olmec."
Reread paragraph 3 from the passage, "The Great Stone Heads of the
Olmec."
Which words or phrases from paragraph 3 help the reader understand what colossal means?
Select the TWO correct answers.
A. 17 of these stone heads
B. carved from huge boulders
C. stand about 10 feet tall
D. volcanic stone called basalt
E. carefully carved lips and nostrils
B. carved from huge boulders
C. stand about 10 feet tall
After reading paragraphs 2 through 5, what can the reader conclude about the Taino civilization?
A. The Taino people depended mostly on their religious leaders to make decisions about daily life.
B. The Taino people developed a society in which leadership, daily activities, and traditions were organized.
C. The Taino people valued farming more than hunting, fishing, and religious celebrations.
D. The Taino people allowed only members of the highest social class to participate in community activities.
B. The Taino people developed a society in which leadership, daily activities, and traditions were organized.
Read this paragraph from a student's writing about “The Creation of the Earth.”
(1) The gods created people from corn. (2) These people could think, hear, speak, and see. (3) The gods were pleased with their creation. (4) The corn people's vision was even better than the gods' vision. (5) The gods were not pleased about this.
Which sentence BEST replaces sentence 4 to improve the flow of ideas in the paragraph?
A. The corn people had eyes, and they could see many things.
B. The gods also wanted the corn people to have the ability to see.
C. However, the corn people's vision was even better than the gods' own vision.
D. The corn people could see better than the gods, and the gods could see things too.
C. However, the corn people's vision was even better than the gods' own vision.
Read this sentence from paragraph 7.
“When we look at one of these giant stone heads, we could be looking at a representation of a real person who once lived in a long-gone civilization, a kind of stone photograph from long ago!”
Why does the author compare the stone heads to photographs?
A. To suggest that the Olmec used photographs as guides when carving the statues
B. To emphasize that the stone heads may preserve the appearance of real people who lived long ago
C. To explain how historians determined the exact age of the stone heads
D. To show that the Olmec carved their statues using the same methods used by modern artists
B. To emphasize that the stone heads may preserve the appearance of real people who lived long ago
Read this sentence from a student's writing about “The Creation of the Earth.”
- The gods were pleased that the corn people could think, hear, speak, and see. _____ The gods were not pleased that the corn people's vision was even better than their own.
Which choice correctly combines the sentences without creating a run-on sentence?
The gods were pleased that the corn people could think, hear, speak, and see _____ were not pleased that the corn people's vision was even better than their own.
1. , they
2. , but they
3. but they
4. they
2. , but they
Which detail from the passage best supports the key idea that creating
the Olmec stone heads required great effort and skill?
A. The Olmec civilization existed about three thousand years ago.
B. The name Olmec was given to the civilization by the Aztecs.
C. The Olmec transported enormous stones over long distances and carved them using simple tools.
D. Scholars have discovered 17 stone heads made from volcanic rock.
C. The Olmec transported enormous stones over long distances and carved them using simple tools.
Read this sentence from a student's writing about “The Creation of the Earth.”
The gods were pleased that the wooden people looked like humans. The gods were pleased that the wooden people talked like humans.
Which choice correctly combines the sentences without creating a run-on sentence?
The gods were pleased that the wooden people looked like humans _____ were pleased that the wooden people talked like humans.
1. , they
2. and they
3. , and they
4. they
3. , and they