Lightning Strikes (Key Details & Central Idea)
Read this quote from paragraph 6.
"Between 1,500 and 2,000 thunderstorms are cracking and booming around the world at this very moment."
Why does the author use the words "cracking and booming" instead of "occurring"?
A. To help the reader experience the speed of lightning in a thunderstorm.
B. To help imagine the sounds of thunderstorms.
C. To be clear about the electrical nature of thunderstorms.
D. To be accurate about how common thunderstorms are.
B. To help imagine the sounds of thunderstorms.
True or false?
The author has great respect for the power of lighting
True
What kind of conflict does Marissa have in the story?
A. Character vs. character
B. Character vs. society
C. Character v. nature
D. Character vs. self
D. Character vs. self
Which character trait best describes Marissa?
A. Ambitious (she wants more than she has)
B. Creative (imaginative and clever)
C. Pessimistic (negative; gives up easily)
D. Determined (does not give up)
D. Determined (does not give up)
What does paragraph 9 suggest about the author's point of view (tone/attitude; how he understands it) in the article?
A. The author has great respect for lightning.
B. The author has difficulty understanding lightning.
C. The author believes that lightning can be useful.
D. The author believes that it is impossible to avoid lightning.
A. The author has great respect for lightning.
Which US state gets the most lighting?
Florida
How do lines 14 through 16 contribute to the development of the plot?
A. They establish Marisa’s problem.
How does Marissa change throughout the story?
A. Marissa begins the story insecure and frustrated, however, she becomes more determined and confident by the end of the story.
B. Marissa begins the story content and happy, however, she becomes more frustrated and miserable by the end of the story.
C. Marissa begins the story scared and cowardice, however, she becomes more confident and brave by the end of the story.
D. Marissa begins the story overwhelmed and anxious, however, she becomes more relieved and calm by the end of the story.
A. Marissa begins the story insecure and frustrated, however, she becomes more determined and confident by the end of the story.
What is the author's claim in the section "Lightning Around the World"?
A. There are many lightning strikes around the world
B. Places with very stable weather patterns get the least lightning
C. Places with very stable weather patterns get the most lightning
D. Lightning occurs all over the world, but places where hot and cold air collide get the most lightning.
D. Lightning occurs all over the world, but places where hot and cold air collide get the most lightning.
How is the idea that "lighting begins inside thunderstorms" (paragraph 2) developed in the article?
A. By comparing a lighting bolt to a small spark
B. By describing how lighting occurs in different types of weather
C. By explaining how air at different temperatures creates a charge in the clouds
D. By providing examples of how much electricity is produced by electrons jumping through the air.
C. By explaining how air at different temperatures creates a charge in the clouds
How does Marisa change while watching her neighbors’ horses?
A. She realizes that Euphemia’s horses do not look realistic, so she decides to try to draw better pictures than her friend.
In line 3, what does the simile “like clouds across the sky” help the reader understand about the horses in Euphemia’s sketches?
A They are drawn sloppily.
B They look like they are in motion.
C They are getting tangled up with each other.
D They look like they are trotting through fog.
B They look like they are in motion.
How does the illustration support the author's claim in the section "Lightning Around the World"?
A. By showing how lightning occurs.
B. By illustrating (showing) which areas are more affected by lightning.
C. By conveying (showing) the kind of destruction lightning causes.
D. By developing (showing/creating) the idea that lighting can only occur in certain areas.
By illustrating (showing) which areas are more affected by lightning.
Which idea would be most important to include in a summary (one of the central ideas) of the article?
A. "The farther away lighting strikes the deeper the sound of thunder..." (paragraph 5)
B. "Lightning strikes the village of Kifuka, in central Africa, nearly every day." (paragraph 6)
C. "Because of its unpredictability and power, lighting can be very dangerous." (paragraph 8)
D. "You're safe inside the car because electricity will travel over the metal surface instead of through the interior" (paragraph 9)
C. "Because of its unpredictability and power, lighting can be very dangerous." (paragraph 8)
Which sentence best explains why Marisa’s final horse drawing was different than her 13 first tries?
A. “Everything looked special in that light, even the scraggly horses next door.” (lines 37 and 38)
B. “I noticed the curves of their muscles, the shadows on their faces, the shine along their backs.” (lines 42 through 44)
C. “An idea began to take shape in my mind, and just then the cinnamon horse turned its head toward me and nodded three times.” (lines 49 and 50)
D. “I choose a deep brown, pulling it across my paper in the shape of the chocolate horse.”
B. “I noticed the curves of their muscles, the shadows on their faces, the shine along their backs.” (lines 42 through 44)
Read this sentence from line 32.
"I brooded about it all through dinner."
What effect does the word “brooded” have in the story?
A It shows Marisa’s anxiety about her abilities.
B It reveals Marisa’s motives for drawing.
C It emphasizes how Marisa is growing as a character.
D It indicates Marisa has a major decision to make.
A It shows Marisa’s anxiety about her abilities.
How does the section "Lightning Safety" connect to the section "What is Lighting?"
A. "Lightning Safety" summarizes (explains what its about) the effects of lightning described in "What is Lighting?".
B. "Lightning Safety" contrasts (shows different) different types of lightning described in "What is Lighting?".
C. "Lightning Safety" elaborates on (tells more) the cause of powerful lighting described in "What is Lighting?".
D. "Lightning Safety" describes ways (explains how) to avoid the powerful lighting described in "What is Lighting?".
D. "Lightning Safety" describes ways (explains how) to avoid the powerful lighting described in "What is Lighting?".
Which sentence best expresses the central idea of the article?
A. Lighting strikes are only as thick as a pencil.
B. Lighting strikes are far out over the ocean.
C. Lighting strikes are due to unstable weather conditions.
D. Lighting strikes are able to travel through pipes in a building.
C. Lighting strikes are due to unstable weather conditions.
How do lines 36 through 38 help convey the theme of the story?
A. They show that some situations take time to change.
B. They prove that practice can help natural talents to develop.
C. They suggest that inspiration may come in unexpected ways.
D. They demonstrate that new ideas will eventually be accepted.
C. They suggest that inspiration may come in unexpected ways.
Which phrase best conveys the tone in lines 1 through 30?