Comprehension
Which plant is the paragraph about?
Answer: Milfoil
Write a one-sentence summary of the paragraph. (Classroom response)
Answer: Milfoil is a fern-like plant from Eurasia that looks harmless but spreads quickly, clogging waterways and valves and crowding out native plants, which harms wildlife and water users.
What does "fern-like" mean in this context?
Answer: It means the plant looks similar to a fern, with feathery, divided leaves.
What does the R in RULES stand for?
Answer: Read the question carefully.
From which region did milfoil originate?
Answer: Eurasia
Central idea multiple choice: Which is correct? a. Milfoil is attractive and useful for gardens. b. Milfoil is a harmless native plant. c. Milfoil looks harmless but threatens ecosystems and water use. d. Milfoil only grows in Europe.
Answer:C
In the paragraph, what does the word "dense" most nearly mean? a. Thin and spread out b. Packed closely together c. Colorful and bright d. New and small
Answer:B
What does the U in RULES instruct you to do?
Answer: Underline or highlight keywords in the question.
Name two groups of people who find conditions unpleasant or unsafe because of milfoil.
Answer: Swimmers and boaters (also acceptable: fishers)
Short answer: Why should people be concerned about milfoil near lakes and rivers? .
Answer: Because it creates dense growths that make water unsafe or unpleasant for recreation, clogs equipment, and harms native plants and animals by crowding them out.
What does the word "fragments" refer to in this passage?
Answer: Small broken pieces of the milfoil plant that can float away and start new growth.
In the RULES method, which step tells you to eliminate obviously wrong answers?
Answer: E (Eliminate the two obviously wrong answers)
Besides making water activities unpleasant, what is one way milfoil interferes with water facilities?
Answer: It clogs valves at water facilities.
Evidence task (short response): Find and copy the sentence that explains how humans help spread milfoil.
Answer: "and people help it spread when fragments stick to boats or trailers and are carried to new waterways."
Define "crowds out" as used in the paragraph and give a short example using native plants.
Answer: "Crowds out" means to grow so much that it replaces or displaces other plants; example: milfoil forms thick mats that block sunlight and space so native underwater plants die or cannot grow.
Apply RULES: What is the central idea of the paragraph? a- Milfoil is attractive and useful for gardens.b. Milfoil is a harmless native plant.
c. Milfoil looks harmless but threatens ecosystems and water use. d. Milfoil only grows in Europe.
Answer: Eliminate (a) because the paragraph describes problems, not usefulness; eliminate (d) because the paragraph says it is from Eurasia but now causes problems in many lakes and rivers (not only Europe). That leaves (b) and (c); then eliminate (b) because the paragraph explains it is a serious problem, so choose (c).
Explain how milfoil affects native ecosystems (short answer for full points).
Answer: Milfoil grows quickly and crowds out native plants, causing the ecosystem to lose important food sources and habitat for native fish, amphibians, and waterfowl.
Question: Extended response: Describe two economic or ecological problems caused by milfoil and give one human action that can help prevent its spread.
Answer: Ecological problems: (1) Crowding out native plants reduces food and habitat for fish and waterfowl; (2) Dense growth changes habitat and can reduce biodiversity. Economic/problem for people: clogged valves at water facilities can be expensive to repair and maintain; recreation industries can be hurt when lakes are unusable.
Short Response: Use the words "habitat," "ecosystem," and "spread" in one sentence that explains milfoil's impact.
Answer: Milfoil can spread quickly and form dense mats that alter the ecosystem and destroy habitat for native fish and waterfowl.
Strategy application (scenario): Use the RULES steps to answer this question — "Which two ways does milfoil spread? (Choose two.) a. Wind carrying seeds b. Water currents moving fragments c. Fragments on boats and trailers d. Birds planting its seeds" Show each RULES step briefly and then give the correct pair.
Answer- R: Read the question — asks for two ways milfoil spreads. U: Underline keywords — "two ways" and "spread." L: Look at all choices — a, b, c, d. E: Eliminate two obviously wrong answers — eliminate (a) because the text says fragments float on currents (not wind-blown seeds), eliminate (d) because birds planting seeds are not mentioned. S: Select the strongest remaining answers — (b) Water currents moving fragments and (c) Fragments on boats and trailers.