Passage 1
Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of Passage 1.
Fortunately, everyone came through this event without injury, but the outcome could have been much worse.
What is the meaning of the word outcome?
A. end result
B. escape plan
C. starting point
D. length of time
A. end result
What does the word distinguishing mean as it is used in paragraph 5 of Passage 2?
A. recognizing the difference
B. sleeping soundly
C. paying close attention
D. suddenly waking
A. recognizing the difference
Which passage(s) is this information presenting?
talks about tornado warning sirens
A. Passage 1
B. Passage 2
C. Both Passages
C. Both Passages
Which sentence from Passage 2 best shows the author’s perspective about tornado preparation?
A. “We had barely finished unpacking when our first tornado event occurred.”
B. “I wasn’t sure it was a tornado sky, but I wasn’t taking any chances.”
C. “There is always the chance of one popping up.”
D. “Looking up from the front steps, I saw low, thick clouds circling slowly overhead.”
B. “I wasn’t sure it was a tornado sky, but I wasn’t taking any chances.”
(Shows the author made a decision based on caution and experience, reflecting her personal view on preparedness.)
Which detail from the passage best supports the central idea that safety rules helped the family?
A. “We lived in Missouri for fifteen years and had only three tornado warnings.”
B. “Before we reached the basement, we realized the noise came from fire engines.”
C. “When they came, we didn’t panic, because we knew what to do.”
D. “We had barely finished unpacking when our first tornado event occurred.”
C. “When they came, we didn’t panic, because we knew what to do.”
Which phrase from paragraph 2 of Passage 1 helps the reader understand the meaning of the word outcome?
A. “everyone came through this event without injury”
B. “the storm tore through the backyard of their home”
C. “hid in a closet”
D. “crammed twenty people into their basement”
A. “everyone came through this event without injury”
(It shows what happened in the end, which helps the reader figure out that outcome means the final result.)
Which phrases from paragraph 5 of Passage 2 help the reader understand the meaning of the word distinguishing?
A. “Quickly, we grabbed Tim from his room.”
B. “Before we reached the basement”
C. “we came awake enough to realize the noise came from fire engines”
D. “blasted from sleep by a very loud siren”
C. “we came awake enough to realize the noise came from fire engines”
(It shows the characters figured out the difference between types of sirens, which helps clarify the meaning of distinguishing as “recognizing the difference.”)
Which passage(s) is this information presenting?
describes different kinds of tornado shelters
A. Passage 1
B. Passage 2
C. Both Passages
A. Passage 1
Which sentence best shows the author's perspective on tornado safety in Passage 2?
A. “We went down into the basement and took shelter there.”
B. “We didn’t panic, because we knew what to do.”
C. “The clouds gave the sky a very strange purple color.”
D. “There is always the chance of one popping up.”
B. “We didn’t panic, because we knew what to do.”
What is the overall text structure of Passage 2?
A. Compare and contrast
B. Description
C. Chronological order (sequence)
D. Problem and solution
C. Chronological order (sequence)
How does the map contribute to the meaning of Passage 1?
Select two answers.
A. It shows readers that there are few tornadoes in the southern states.
B. It shows readers which areas have as many as ten tornadoes each year.
C. It shows readers that there are more tornadoes in the West than in the East.
D. It shows readers that most tornadoes happen in the middle part of the United States.
E. It shows readers that there is no part of the United States that has no tornadoes.
B. It shows readers which areas have as many as ten tornadoes each year.
D. It shows readers that most tornadoes happen in the middle part of the United States.
Reread paragraph 3 in Passage 2. Select two sentences that show what caused the author to take shelter in the basement with her son Tim.
“We had barely finished unpacking when our first tornado event occurred. The day was warm and humid, and something about the air felt funny. Looking up from the front steps, I saw low, thick clouds circling slowly overhead. The clouds gave the sky a very strange purple color. I wasn’t sure it was a tornado sky, but I wasn’t taking any chances. I shouted for 5-year-old Tim, who was playing outside. We went down into the basement, and took shelter there.”
Looking up from the front steps, I saw low, thick clouds circling slowly overhead.
The clouds gave the sky a very strange purple color.
Which passage(s) is this information presenting?
shows how it feels to go through a tornado event
A. Passage 1
B. Passage 2
C. Both Passages
B. Passage 2
What is the main purpose of paragraph 3 in Passage 1?
A. To explain how to build a tornado shelter
B. To describe the role of engineers in storms
C. To give an example of a well-known storm shelter
D. To show how warning sirens work
C. To give an example of a well-known storm shelter
What is the text structure of Passage 1 paragraph 5 (“Reinforced Construction”)?
A. Cause and effect
B. Chronological order
C. Compare and contrast
D. Problem and solution
A. Cause and effect
(Builders add steel bars → the building can stand up to strong winds)
What does the heading Reinforced Construction mean as it is used in paragraph 5 of Passage 1?
A.creating shelters beneath buildings
B.making buildings with safe rooms
C.putting warning systems in new buildings
D.adding supports to make buildings stronger.
D. adding supports to make buildings stronger
Which sentence describes an effect of learning the rules listed after paragraph 1 in Passage 2?
A. “Later I learned there had been a tornado watch but not a tornado warning.” (paragraph 4)
B. “Our first event showed us what we didn’t know about tornadoes.” (paragraph 5)
C. “We lived in Missouri for fifteen years and, in all that time, had only three tornado warnings.” (paragraph 6)
D. “When they came, we didn’t panic, because we knew what to do.” (paragraph 6)
D. “When they came, we didn’t panic, because we knew what to do.” (paragraph 6)
Which passage(s) is this information presenting?
says that being prepared is a key part of tornado safety
A. Passage 1
B. Passage 2
C. Both Passages
C. Both Passages
What is the author’s purpose for writing Passage 1?
A. To entertain readers with tornado survival stories
B. To persuade people to build safer homes
C. To inform readers about ways to prepare for tornadoes
D. To explain why tornadoes are dangerous
C. To inform readers about ways to prepare for tornadoes
How is the information in Passage 1 mainly organized?
A. By comparing types of tornadoes
B. By showing the steps for building a shelter
C. By listing problems and how engineers solve them
D. By telling a personal story in time order
C. By listing problems and how engineers solve them
Which phrase from paragraph 5 of Passage 1 helps the reader understand the meaning of the heading Reinforced Construction?
A. “Builders can create strong concrete box frames”
B. “on the outside of buildings”
C. “the floors, walls, and roof are then connected with steel bars”
D. “the whole structure can stand up to nature’s highest winds”
C. “the floors, walls, and roof are then connected with steel bars”
Which statement best explains why Passage 2 is a primary source?
A. It includes facts from a weather report.
B. It gives the author's personal experience with tornadoes.
C. It uses data from other tornado studies.
D. It describes rules written by tornado safety experts.
B. It gives the author's personal experience with tornadoes.
(The author shares what happened to her and her family, which makes this a primary source.)
Which passage(s) is this information presenting?
includes the author’s personal experiences with tornadoes
A. Passage 1
B. Passage 2
C. Both Passages
B. Passage 2
How are the authors' purposes different in Passage 1 and Passage 2?
A. Passage 1 shares personal stories, while Passage 2 explains how engineers build shelters.
B. Passage 1 gives factual information about tornado safety tools, while Passage 2 shares a personal experience with tornado safety.
C. Passage 1 gives opinions about tornadoes, while Passage 2 lists scientific facts.
D. Passage 1 tries to entertain, while Passage 2 tries to persuade readers to move.
B. Passage 1 gives factual information about tornado safety tools, while Passage 2 shares a personal experience with tornado safety.
Which detail best supports the central idea that engineers help people survive tornadoes?
A. “A loud warning siren blew in an Arkansas town in April 2014.”
B. “Storm cellars are built in yards or under buildings.”
C. “The clouds gave the sky a very strange purple color.”
D. “A family crammed twenty people into their basement.”
B. “Storm cellars are built in yards or under buildings.”