Main Idea/Text Structure
What is the best main idea of paragraph 3?
A. Engineers like working with large vehicles.
B. Moving Endeavour through Los Angeles took careful planning and many people.
C. The shuttle was too heavy to move safely.
D. Police officers wanted people to watch the shuttle.
B. Moving Endeavour through Los Angeles took careful planning and many people.
Which detail from the passage best supports the idea that the move was a major event?
A. Endeavour had flown many missions into space.
B. It circled over the Capitol in Sacramento.
C. Over one and a half million people lined the streets as Endeavour inched along.
D. The shuttle is part of a permanent exhibit.
C. Over one and a half million people lined the streets as Endeavour inched along.
What is the main idea of the “Expository” section?
A. Expository texts tell fictional stories with characters and dialogue.
B. Expository texts are designed to explain or teach using facts and details.
C. Expository texts are meant to be performed on stage.
D. Expository texts mainly use rhyme and rhythm.
B. Expository texts are designed to explain or teach using facts and details.
Based on paragraph 2 of the selection “A Massive Mission,” what is the most likely reason Endeavour flew to different places in California before landing at the Los Angeles International Airport?
A To allow planners time to prepare the streets for the shuttle
B To test whether the shuttle was still working well
C To give more people the opportunity to view the shuttle
D To remind people how the shuttle was previously used
C To give more people the opportunity to view the shuttle
What can the reader infer about moving Endeavour through city streets?
A. It was simple because the shuttle could move quickly.
B. It was difficult because city streets were not designed for something so large and heavy.
C. It was easy because few people came to watch.
D. It was delayed because the shuttle was damaged.
B. It was difficult because city streets were not designed for something so large and heavy.
What is the main idea of paragraph 4?
A. The shuttle moved faster than most people expected.
B. The move of Endeavour became a public celebration as many people came to watch.
C. Food sales were the most important part of the event.
D. Endeavour stopped often because of bad weather.
B. The move of Endeavour became a public celebration as many people came to watch.
In paragraph 1, the word daunting most likely means —
A. exciting
B. difficult
C. boring
D. unexpected
B. difficult
Which genre would MOST LIKELY include both a counterargument and evidence?
A. Poetry
B. Drama
C. Argumentative
D. Literary
C. Argumentative
If this passage had a movie title, which one BEST matches the main idea?
A. The Fastest Shuttle Ever
B. A Giant Road Trip Through the City
C. Flying Back Into Space Again
D. Building a Brand-New Shuttle
B. A Giant Road Trip Through the City
Why does the author include the exact measurements of Endeavour in paragraph 1?
A. To show why moving the shuttle through a city would be hard
B. To prove that the shuttle was larger than the airplane
C. To help readers build a model of the shuttle
D. To explain how long the trip lasted
A. To show why moving the shuttle through a city would be hard
How does the author organize paragraphs 2 through 5 of the selection “A Massive Mission”?
F By detailing the order of events that brought Endeavour to its final destination
G By listing the steps that had to be taken before Endeavour could fly to California
H By describing the features of Endeavour that made it useful for NASA missions
J By comparing the differences between Endeavour and a Boeing 747 airplane
F By detailing the order of events that brought Endeavour to its final destination
Which sentence from the passage best supports the idea that the streets had to be changed for the shuttle’s move?
A. “The shuttle’s top speed along the trip was just two miles per hour…”
B. “Street signs and power lines were taken down to create a path.”
C. “People set up tents and sold hot dogs, baked goods, and Endeavour T-shirts.”
D. “Endeavour is now part of a permanent exhibit.”
B. “Street signs and power lines were taken down to create a path.”
Which detail best supports the idea that drama is meant to be performed?
A. “Theme (lesson/message)”
B. “Dialogue”
C. “Stage directions”
D. “Characters”
C. “Stage directions”
Which of these is the best summary of the passage?
A. Endeavour flew across the country on a Boeing 747, landed in Los Angeles, and was moved slowly through city streets with the help of many workers before being placed in a museum.
B. Endeavour was the most famous space shuttle, and people liked to buy food and T-shirts while it moved through Los Angeles.
C. NASA built a new shuttle and flew it over California so people could celebrate its first trip.
D. Engineers and photographers worked together to make a movie about Endeavour.
A. Endeavour flew across the country on a Boeing 747, landed in Los Angeles, and was moved slowly through city streets with the help of many workers before being placed in a museum.
What can the reader infer about why the California Science Center includes information about Endeavour’s move through Los Angeles?
A. The move was unimportant compared to the shuttle’s time in space.
B. The move was memorable and unusual enough to be part of the shuttle’s story.
C. The museum did not have enough room for other exhibits.
D. The move took longer than any space mission.
B. The move was memorable and unusual enough to be part of the shuttle’s story.
Which statement BEST expresses the central idea of the passage “A Massive Mission”?
A. Endeavour’s journey through Los Angeles showed how people came together to celebrate a historic spacecraft while overcoming the challenges of moving it to its final home.
B. Endeavour was one of NASA’s most important space shuttles, and its final trip helped people remember its past missions in space.
C. Moving large objects through a city requires planning, but it can also create traffic problems and delays for local residents.
D. The California Science Center created a permanent exhibit to teach visitors about space exploration and the history of NASA’s shuttle program.
A. Endeavour’s journey through Los Angeles showed how people came together to celebrate a historic spacecraft while overcoming the challenges of moving it to its final home.
In paragraph 4, the word ample most likely means —
A. very little
B. just enough
C. more than enough
D. almost no
C. more than enough
If a text includes lines, stanzas, and figurative language, what can the reader most likely conclude?
A. It is an argumentative text
B. It is a drama
C. It is a poem
D. It is an expository article
C. It is a poem
Why might people bring snacks, chairs, and cameras to watch Endeavour move?
A. They expected the shuttle to take off again
B. They were told to help move the shuttle
C. They thought the streets would be closed forever
D. They knew the trip would be slow and worth watching
D. They knew the trip would be slow and worth watching
In the phrase “organizational patterns” in the Expository section, the word organizational most nearly means —
A. confusing
B. structured
C. imaginative
D. emotional
B. structured
What is the most likely reason the author wrote the selection “A Massive Mission”?
A To emphasize the importance of Endeavour’s space-travel missions
B To highlight the efforts taken to transport Endeavour to a museum
C To explain the economic effect of Endeavour’s tour through Los Angeles
D To argue that Endeavour is the most important space shuttle used to this day
B To highlight the efforts taken to transport Endeavour to a museum
Why does the author most likely include details such as the steel plates, the 80-wheel vehicle, and the removed power lines?
A. To entertain the reader with funny images
B. To explain the steps taken to safely move the shuttle
C. To compare city traffic to airplane travel
D. To suggest that the move should not have happened
B. To explain the steps taken to safely move the shuttle
In the Argumentative section, the word claim most nearly means —
A. a proven fact
B. a personal opinion or position
C. a question
D. a summary
B. a personal opinion or position
Read this sentence from paragraph 1 of the selection “A Massive Mission.”
As one observer said, the move was a “once-in-forever moment in history.”
Which statement from the selection best supports the idea in this sentence?
F Strapped to the back of a specially adapted Boeing 747 airplane, it was flown across the country to Edwards Air Force Base in California. (paragraph 2)
G After soaring past the famous Hollywood sign, Endeavour landed at the Los Angeles International Airport. (paragraph 2)
H Huge steel plates were placed atop streets along the route. (paragraph 3)
J Dozens of photographers and filmmakers were on hand to capture every minute. (paragraph 3)
J Dozens of photographers and filmmakers were on hand to capture every minute. (paragraph 3)
Which sentence from the selection “A Massive Mission” best shows that people were enthusiastic about Endeavour’s journey?
F On October 13, 2012, the space shuttle Endeavour, one of four retired NASA shuttles, began its last mission. (paragraph 1)
G On a celebratory flight around its new home state, Endeavour circled over the Capitol in Sacramento. (paragraph 2)
H Several police officers were needed to redirect traffic as the shuttle passed. (paragraph 3)
J This historic move, which cost approximately 10 million dollars to complete, also became a huge social event. (paragraph 4)
J This historic move, which cost approximately 10 million dollars to complete, also became a huge social event. (paragraph 4)