Vocabulary and Affixes
Read the passage. "Trees are an important part of American history. All 50 states in America have official state trees, but many people don't know how or why these trees were chosen. Texas was the first state to have a state tree. Texans made the pecan tree their official tree in 1919. People in Maine picked conifer trees because those trees were used for lumber. Hawaii is the only state that chose a tree not native to its state."
Why is Hawaii's state tree different from other state trees?
It is the only state tree that chose a tree not native to its state.
Identify the text structure
The Summer and Winter Olympics feature athletes from many countries competing in sporting events. You will find the Olympic flag, flame, and medals at both world events. There are important differences between the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics, however. Obviously, they feature different sporting events. Also, the Summer Olympics is much bigger, with 205 countries taking part in 2016. In contrast, the Winter Olympics is smaller; only 88 countries participated in 2014. The Summer Olympics take place on leap years, while the Winter Olympics occur two years after a leap year.
Compare and Contrast
Identify the suffix in "annoyance"
-ance
The following sentences appear in a recipe for making a fruit syrup. Which of the following is a fact?
A) Letting fruit air-dry is better than towel-drying it. B) Syrup tastes best when eaten on favorite foods. C) Every restaurant serve syrup with breakfast foods and desserts.
D) Sugar and fruit may produce foam when they are boiled.
D) Sugar and fruit may produce foam when they are boiled.
Identify the text structure:
There are four major events that can cause a tsunami. Most often, tsunamis are caused by earthquakes below or near the ocean. The most destructive tsunamis occur when there is a shallow focus earthquake where the ocean is less than 70 km deep. Other less common events that can cause tsunamis include underwater landslides and violent volcanic eruptions. Tsunamis can also be caused by asteroids or meteors that crash into the ocean from outer space, but this is a rare occurrence.
Cause and Effect
Which two words are synonyms?
A) Amazed
B) Together
C) Impressed
D) Almost
E) Progress
A) Amazed and C) Impressed
In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. The Louisiana Territory stretched from the Mississippi River all the way to the Rocky Mountains. This purchase more than doubled the size of the Untied Sates. Over the next ninety years, thirteen new states would be carved from this land.
What would be a good heading for this passage?
Louisiana Purchase
How the Louisiana Purchase changed the US
Identify the text structure:
The earliest written records of Olympic Games date back to 776 B.C. The ancient Olympics were held in Greece every four years in honor of the Greek god, Zeus. After the Roman empire conquered Greece, the ancient Olympic Games were ended in A.D. 393. 1,500 years passed before another Olympic Games was held. In 1894, the first modern Olympics took place in Athens, Greece. The international event grew in popularity, and an Olympiad was planned for every four years, although none took place in 1916, 1940, and 1944 due to World Wars. People worldwide look forward to the Olympic Games.
Sequencing
"The students asked the teacher to reconsider extending the project deadline." Which word does "re-" mean the same as it does in "reconsider?" A) Rest B) Restaurant C) Review D) Region
C) Review
In a how-to article on making chocolate chip cookies, the author includes a picture of the freshly baked cookies on a plate. What best explains why the author might have chosen to include the picture?
A) To show what the finished product should look like B) To make readers hungry for cookies
C) To show readers that the author is an expert baker
D) To convince readers why they should make cookies
A) To show what the finished product should look like
Identify the text structure:
When you open a supermarket freezer, you can immediately see how many French fry varieties are available to consumers. Homestyle fries usually have straight edges, while crinkle cut fries have rippled edges. Waffle fries tend to be round with a criss cross waffle like pattern in the middle. Steak fries tend to be straight with a wider cut. Curly fries are spiral ringlets of potato. Regardless of their cut, French fries are close to the top of the list when it comes to favorite American foods.
Description
You read an article about Niagara Falls that describes its location, how much water goes through the Falls each day, the history of its formation, the number of tourists that visit, and how environmentalists are working to maintain the park.
A person would most likely read this whole article to learn:
A) Facts about Niagara Falls
B) Information about water erosion and the environment
C) Places to go at Niagara Falls
D) How water forms canyons
A) Facts about Niagara Falls
Identify the text structure:
Most wildfires are caused by humans. People who live in or near the woods in fire prone areas should follow certain guidelines to help prevent the spread of wildfires. First, homeowners should use nonflammable roof and deck materials on their homes. They should trim their trees regularly. There should be at least a five foot opening between neighboring trees. Further, there should be no tree limbs within ten feet of the ground. This will reduce the chance that flames will travel to the top of the trees. Finally, homeowners should keep the lawn well watered and cut short.
Problem and Solution