Reading 1, Topics and Main Ideas
True or false, the topic of paragraph 5 is "not all old ideas about health are myths".
A topic is a noun, not a sentence.
According to paragraph 5, what are the two factors keeping myths alive?
A) Childhood ideas and misinformation.
B) Repetition and childhood influence.
C) Repetition and initial beliefs.
B) Repetition and childhood influence.
True or false, the main idea of paragraph 3 is "disagreement about Marco Polo's life".
A main idea should be a sentence, not a noun.
In paragraph 3, which story about Marco Polo is definitely not true?
A) He listened to the stories of other travelers.
B) He brought the first noodles to Italy.
C) He traveled to China.
B) He brought the first noodles to Italy.
Which word from reading 2, paragraph 4 means to print something so that many people can read it?
publish
What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
A) No evidence for myths about catching colds.
B) Colds are caused by weather.
C) Wet hair causes colds.
A) No evidence for myths about catching colds.
What word from paragraph 5 means doing something more than once?
Repetition
What is the main idea of paragraph 1?
A) Historical stories are often entertaining.
B) Historians can’t be trusted
C) History books sometimes mix truth and fiction.
C) History books sometimes mix truth and fiction.
According to paragraph 8, what historical myth about Napoleon is not true?
A) He was short.
B) He was bitten by a snake.
c) He was a poor student in math.
A) He was short. (In fact he was probably average height for the time or slightly taller.)
Which word from reading 2, paragraph 3 means to start something that will last a long time?
establish
What is the topic of paragraph 1?
A) Pennies kill people
B) Repeated lightning strikes
D) Science myths
D) Science myths
According to paragraph 4, why can't hair and fingernails grow after death?
A) There is no oxygen or energy.
B) There are no nutrients.
C) There is no strong evidence.
A) There is no oxygen or energy.
What is the topic of paragraph 2?
A) Marco Polo's travels
B) Asian culture in Europe
C) Kublai Khan's empire
A) Marco Polo's travels
According to paragraph 6 what belief was common even before Columbus's famous voyage?
A) The world was flat.
B) The world was round.
C) The Earth moves around the sun.
B) The world was round.
Which word from reading 2, paragraph 6 means "very very old"?
ancient
What is the main idea of paragraph 3?
A) Swimming after eating is dangerous.
B) Waiting before swimming is necessary.
C) No evidence about danger of eating before swimming.
C) There is no evidence about the danger of eating before swimming.
What word from paragraph 2 means "to fight against something".
resist
What is the main idea of paragraph 6?
A) Historians are unsure about the origin of Columbus myths.
B) Columbus myths are harmful to society.
C) Historians made a movie about Columbus in 1920.
A) Historians are unsure about the origin of Columbus myths.
According to the historical myth, which famous leader was bitten by a snake?
A) Napoleon
B) The Yellow Emperor
C) Cleopatra
Which word from reading 2, paragraph 6 means "happening in many places"?
widespread
What is the main idea of paragraph 4?
A) Bodies don't grow after death.
B) Dead bodies look different.
C) Hair and nails grow forever.
A) Bodies don't grow after death.
What does the author say about the cause of colds in paragraph 2?
A) Weather causes colds.
B) Viruses cause colds.
C) Wet hair causes colds.
B) Viruses cause colds
What is the topic of paragraph 5?
A) Columbus's voyage
B) The shape of the earth
C) Untrue "facts" about Columbus
C) Untrue "facts" about Columbus
According to paragraph 4, why is Marco Polo given credit for spaghetti?
A) Marco Polo brought spaghetti to Italy from China.
B) A sailor named Spaghetti gave the recipe to Marco Polo.
C) A business association made up the story to sell pasta.
C) The American Pasta Association invented the story.
Which word from reading 2, paragraph 2 means "the way people live in a certain place, for example their food, clothing, habits, and ideas"?
culture