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World War I Recruiting Poster for African American Soldiers, 1918

This poster is provided courtesy of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. In this poster, “Colored Man Is No Slacker,” against a background of African American patriotism, self-sacrifice, and courage, a Black soldier takes his leave.

6-7

Social Studies: U.S. History

According to the poster, who is "no slacker"?

A. colored man B. World War I soldier C. African American soldier D. American citizen

A

What does the text describe?

A. the techniques used by an artist to create the poster B. the time period in which the poster was created C. the way African Americans in 1918 reacted to the poster D. the scene and themes depicted in the poster

D

The poster shows African American patriotism. What evidence from the poster supports this conclusion?

A. the blue color of the woman's dress B. the flowers surrounding the couple in the foreground C. the American flag held by an African American soldier D. the trees behind the marching soldiers

C

What is the purpose of this poster?

A. to describe the duties required of soldiers serving in World War I B. to convince African American men to become soldiers and join the United States Army C. to make people appreciate the beauty and comfort of their homes and families D. to convince members of the United States government that African American men should be part of the army

B

What is a theme of the poster?

A. It can be exciting to try something new. B. It is important to serve your country. C. The future can be scary when it is uncertain. D. It is important to help people who are weaker than you are.

B

Why might the artist have included the words "Colored Man Is No Slacker" in this recruitment poster?

A. to cause African American viewers to feel a strong sense of duty, hard work, and self-sacrifice B. to suggest that African American women are less hardworking and patriotic than African American men C. to convince African American men that they are more hardworking and strong than other people D. to convince all American viewers that African American men would make the best soldiers

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. __________ African American soldiers march to war in the background, the man in the foreground takes his leave.

A. Although B. Because C. However D. While

D

The Birth of Romulus, Remus, and Rome

Rome is known as the Eternal City, but that’s an exaggeration. Rome may be old, but it hasn’t been around forever. It was founded in or around the 8th century BCE. According to legend, the date of its founding is 21 April 753 BCE. Rome’s age doesn’t matter as much as its history. The city began as a village in western Italy. Over the following centuries it grew into an empire that stretched across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. A man who lived in Rome as it was growing wrote that its power was second to none except the gods. That man, whose name was Livy, was a historian. He wrote 142 books about the history of Rome. He believed the city did not develop by chance but by fate. Livy’s books are a mix of fact and legend. What mattered to him was not whether every event he described happened. What mattered was the behavior of the people he wrote about. He urged his readers to study these people and learn from them. Here is his account of how Rome was founded. You may believe it or not, as you like. What you should do is think about it and learn from it. Oh, and one more thing: enjoy it. * * * Before Rome, there was Alba Longa. It was another city in the same part of Italy. The king who ruled it had two sons, Numitor and Amulius. He left his kingdom to Numitor, the older of the two. However, Amulius ousted his brother and took over the kingdom. He then had Numitor’s sons executed. As for Numitor’s daughter, he made her a priestess. He pretended it was an honor, but it wasn’t. It was a ruse to stop her from becoming a mother. She became a mother anyway. The father of her twin boys was said to be the god Mars, but even he could not protect her and her sons from Amulius. The king had her arrested and ordered that her baby boys be drowned. Accordingly, the boys were taken to a river. This river, known as the Tiber, had overflowed its banks. The overflow had collected in pools that blocked access to the river. The pools will do, thought the king’s servants. They left the boys floating in a basket on one of the pools. Soon the water receded, leaving the twins on land. Nearby was a thirsty she-wolf, which heard the boys crying and veered toward them. She nursed them and gave them a tongue bath. At that point the three of them were discovered by a shepherd. The shepherd was Faustulus, the overseer of the king’s flocks. He took the boys home and entrusted their upbringing to his wife. Once the twins had grown up, they started hunting in the woods. They did not limit themselves to animals. They also attacked robbers, taking their loot and distributing it to neighboring shepherds. The shepherds then teamed up with the twins, forming a posse of youths. The robbers disliked being robbed and wanted revenge, so they ambushed the posse of young men. One of the twins, Romulus, held his ground. The other twin, Remus, was captured. The robbers hauled Remus to King Amulius, claiming he was a criminal. He took part in raids on the lands of Numitor, they said. Accordingly, Remus was turned over to Numitor for punishment. Concern for Remus led Faustulus to approach Romulus. Faustulus had suspected from day one that the twins were royalty. He knew about the king’s order of infanticide, and he knew his discovery of the babies coincided with that order. He now shared this knowledge with Romulus. Numitor also discerned the truth. While Remus was in his keeping, Numitor heard about the twin’s brother. Learning of their age and nobleness, he deduced their identity. Hence trouble awaited King Amulius on two fronts. First there was Romulus. He was organizing an ambush against the king with the shepherds. Meanwhile, Remus had formed another group at the estate of Numitor. When Romulus’s group made its attack, Remus’s group came to their assistance. In this way they struck down the king. Upon the king’s death, Numitor called a meeting of the people. In it he disclosed his brother’s crimes and his grandsons’ identity. At last he revealed the death of Amulius. Romulus and Remus then hailed their grandfather as king. Everyone present approved, and Alba Longa was restored to Numitor. Now Romulus and Remus were itching to found a city of their own. It would be where they had been abandoned and brought up. The shepherds and others joined them. The brothers’ plans hit a snag, however. Ambition ran in their family, and now a rivalry developed between them. Because the brothers were twins, neither could claim superiority by age. How, then, to determine the ruler of the new city? Or which of them it should be named after? The gods would have to decide. To receive their answers, Romulus and Remus each went to a separate hill where they awaited a sign from the heavens. A sign—six vultures—came to Remus first. Just as the sign was proclaimed, twelve vultures came to Romulus. Each brother was hailed by his followers as king. Remus’s group justified its claim by the order of the signs, while Romulus’s group cited the number of birds. The two groups started debating and wound up brawling. In the turmoil Remus got clobbered and dropped to the ground, dead. There is another story of Remus’s death. In this version, the walls of the brothers’ city were under construction. Remus jumped over Romulus’s walls to make fun of them. Romulus killed him in a rage, uttering these words: “The same to anyone else who trespasses on my walls!” In this way Romulus became the sovereign of Rome. The city had been born and was named after its founder. Note: The story of Romulus and Remus related here is an adaptation. Its source is Book 1 of Ab Urbe Condita by Titus Livius (Livy).

6

Social Studies: World History

Whose account of Rome’s founding is provided in the text?

A. A Roman king named Faustulus's account B. A Roman historian named Livy's account C. An ancient historian named Amulius's account D. A shepherd named Remus's account

B

Who are the main characters in the story?

A. Amulius and Romulus B. Numitor and Remus C. Faustulus and Numitor D. Romulus and Remus

D

Amulius wanted to prevent Numitor’s descendants from reclaiming the kingdom. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. The father of Romulus and Remus was the god Mars. B. Amulius tried to stop Numitor’s daughter from becoming a mother, then tried to kill her sons. C. Amulius turned Remus over to Numitor for punishment. D. Faustulus told Romulus the truth about his birth.

B

How are Romulus and Remus similar to Amulius and Numitor?

A. Both sets of brothers had children that reclaimed their kingdoms. B. Both sets of brothers decided to establish new cities. C. Both sets of brothers experienced loss because of uncontrolled ambition. D. Both sets of brothers fought against the shepherds.

C

What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Much of what we know about Roman history is due to the 142 books written by Livy. B. Amulius and Numitor ruled a great kingdom that eventually became Rome when Romulus killed his twin Remus. C. Romulus and Remus both believed they were chosen by the gods to become ruler, leading them and their followers to fight over who should rule the new city. D. Romulus and Remus retook their grandfather’s kingdom and planned to build their own city, but the rivalry that developed between them left Remus dead.

D

Read these sentences from the text. “Faustulus had suspected from day one that the twins were royalty. . . . Numitor also discerned the truth.” As used in the passage, what does the word "discerned" mean?

A. rejected B. misunderstood C. recognized D. denied

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. The rivalry between the twins left Remus dead. ____________, Romulus became the sovereign of Rome.

A. Otherwise B. Consequently C. Initially D. For example

B

Archaeologists Hit a Homer Run

A bloodthirsty Cyclops traps Odysseus and his soldiers in a cave. Thinking fast, the hero stabs the monster in the eye, blinding it. He and the soldiers escape unharmed. That scene is one of the most action-packed chapters in the Odyssey, an epic, or long poem, by the Greek poet Homer. It’s also the decoration on a rare 2,500-year-old sarcophagus that was found in western Asia in 2006. The coffin features a vivid color illustration of Odysseus’s brave act. Odysseus is one of the most famous fighters in Greek mythology. Construction workers found the sarcophagus in a tomb in western Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The tomb had already been looted of other valuables. Only two similar coffins have been found in Cyprus. One is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the second is in a London museum. The colors on those coffins have faded and are not as vibrant as the paintings on the newly discovered sarcophagus, experts say. The coffin might have held a soldier. "Maybe this represents…a warrior," Pavlos Flourentzos, a Cyprus official, told reporters.

6

Social Studies: World History

According to the text, where did construction workers find the 2,500-year-old sarcophagus?

A. in the Odyssey B. floating in the Mediterranean Sea C. buried under a London museum D. in a tomb in western Cyprus

D

Read this paragraph from the text. The coffin features a vivid color illustration of Odysseus’s brave act. Odysseus is one of the most famous fighters in Greek mythology. What is the purpose of this paragraph in the text?

A. to show the effect of finding an ancient coffin B. to explain how Odysseus’s problem was solved C. to describe the appearance of the coffin D. to compare the coffin to the work of the Greek poet Homer

C

Read these sentences from the text. That scene is one of the most action-packed chapters in the Odyssey, an epic, or long poem, by the Greek poet Homer. It’s also the decoration on a rare 2,500-year-old sarcophagus that was found in western Asia in 2006. The coffin features a vivid color illustration of Odysseus’s brave act. Odysseus is one of the most famous fighters in Greek mythology. What conclusion can you make based on this information?

A. Homer decorated the sarcophagus that was found in 2006. B. The Odyssey is about different fighters in Greek mythology. C. The Odyssey was popular 2,500 years ago. D. The sarcophagus found in 2006 is very long.

C

Based on the text, what probably will happen to the coffin found in 2006?

A. The coffin probably will be housed at a museum. B. The coffin probably will be repainted with a different story. C. The coffin probably will be presented to the Greek poet Homer. D. The coffin probably will be looted by construction workers.

A

What is the main idea of the text?

A. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea where many coffins have been found. B. Homer was a famous Greek poet who wrote an epic poem called the Odyssey . C. Many people enjoy reading Greek mythology and visiting art museums. D. A sarcophagus was found in Cyprus depicting a scene from the Odyssey .

D

Read these sentences from the text. Only two similar coffins have been found in Cyprus. One is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the second is in a London museum. The colors on those coffins have faded and are not as vibrant as the paintings on the newly discovered sarcophagus, experts say. As used in these sentences, what does the word “vibrant” mean?

A. bright B. boring C. new D. old

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. In the Odyssey, Odysseus ______ his soldiers become trapped in a cave with a bloodthirsty Cyclops.

A. yet B. but C. and D. or

C

The Tree House

Billy gripped tightly as he reached for the next wood plank. Each step was nailed into the large oak tree about one foot above the last. But, near the top, they thinned out with gaps left where some of the old, rotting pieces had fallen off. Billy struggled to the top and pulled himself into the tree house, bringing down a wall of spider webs with his face as he entered. Swatting and spitting the webs away, he glanced around. He had psyched himself up for something big and felt simultaneously relieved and disappointed to find a boring, empty room. No pile of gold, no skeletons, no lavish bed. He sat down and let his legs swing outside the open doorway, sending tingles of fear up his body like the top of a rollercoaster hill. He spotted Gramps’ house through the trees. Every time Billy visited his grandfather, he would go exploring the first chance he had. Gramps lived only a few hours’ drive from New York City, but his mossy surroundings felt a world away from Billy’s apartment. It was getting dark earlier, and Billy was surprised to see the sun already starting to set. His stomach grumbled for dinner, confirming that he’d lost track of time. A faded oriental rug sat at the center of the room. The floorboards creaked as Billy ­stepped to the rug, touching its intricate pattern. It was oddly warm for a rug up in a chilly tree house. He started to walk across the rug, but suddenly his knees went weak, his stomach flew to the sky, and his scream got lost in his throat. By the time he understood he was falling, that the surrounding blackness wasn’t the nighttime air, but the inside of a hollow tree, he had landed. How Billy didn’t break his arms, legs, and neck was a mystery to him, but it felt more like he’d landed on a cloud covered in tufts of grass than on a hard forest floor. His eyes adjusted to the dark, and he slowly rose. As he reached out to touch the bark in front of him, it disappeared. He was back in the forest, but now it was bathed in a golden light, and the autumn foliage was once again green. Something scurried past, brushing up against Billy’s foot. Billy gasped, and the critter stopped. A chipmunk! he thought. Just a normal, adorable chipmunk. Maybe he’d fallen asleep outside, and the whole tree house thing had just been a strange dream. The chipmunk turned around and winked. If this was a dream, it was not over. The chipmunk nodded its head toward the right, looking directly at Billy, before scampering off in the same direction. Without thinking, Billy followed the chipmunk between pine trees, under and over fallen trunks, through an archway of leaves, and into a majestic meadow underground. Billy’s new friend joined a group of chipmunks up on a branch. Something poked his hip. “An elf!” Billy exclaimed, looking wide-eyed at the bearded figure below. “Excuse me?” the little man asked, pulling down his pointed hat, which had nearly fallen off as he tipped his head up in horror. “Sorry, that was rude. Hello, I’m Billy.” “And I’m a gnome, not an elf! Can’t you see?” Billy looked at the little man’s pointed shoes. They seemed pretty elf-like to him. Then he recalled one of the bedtime stories Gramps used to tell him when he was younger about the people who lived underground. Gnomes lived underground. Elves stayed above ground. “Right!” Billy said, “You’re a gnome. Clearly.” Tiny cheers erupted all around him, and Billy realized he was surrounded by gnomes. “The name’s Gruff,” said the gnome, shaking three of Billy’s fingers with a strong grip. “Now, we don’t have much time. Tie these together,” he said, handing Billy a dandelion and bright green leaves with long stems. Billy tied the flower and leaf stems together, while Gruff and a few other gnomes continued the chain, forming a small circle of flowers and leaves. “It’s ready. Kneel down,” Gruff said. Billy complied, and Gruff placed the crown on his head. Billy still felt clueless, but he was enjoying the mystery of it all. “Thanks,” Billy said. “Now what?” “Now it’s time for you to go. Just know that these flowers will never wilt and these leaves will never crumble. On the days when life feels boring and gray, let this crown be a reminder that the world is full of surprises.” Billy loved his present. As he leaned in to give Gruff a hug, the gnomes knocked him into a pile of leaves. His whole body was sucked into the pile like dust into a vacuum. There was a flash of black, a warm softness hugging his body, and then the feeling of cold, wet leaves beneath him. He was back in the forest. It had rained, but he was dry. He looked up. This was the tree he had climbed, but there was no ladder, no tree house. Billy stumbled back to Gramps’ house, where Gramps was putting dinner on the table. “You’re back!” he smiled, “And just in time for dinner.” Billy scratched his head, realizing the crown was still there. Gramps was staring right at it. His smile widened. “Make sure you don’t climb trees in the rain, Billy. It can be very dangerous.”

6

What does Billy do every time he visits his grandfather?

A. He visits the tree house. B. He visits gnomes. C. He goes exploring. D. He cooks dinner for his grandfather.

C

Where does the beginning of the story take place?

A. Billy’s apartment in New York City B. a mystical meadow in the middle of the woods C. the inside of a tree house near Gramps’ house D. underground, inside a magical tree

C

In the passage, the tree house’s rotting pieces of wood, spider webs, and a fading rug are described. Based on this evidence, what conclusion can be made?

A. The tree house is old. B. The tree house is magical. C. The tree house is high up in the tree. D. The tree house was built by Gramps.

A

Billy feels relieved when he enters the tree house and sees a boring, empty room. What conclusion can be made from this?

A. Billy had been in the tree house before. B. Billy was a little scared about what he might find. C. Billy hoped to find something more interesting. D. Billy was convinced that the tree house would be magical.

B

What is this story mostly about?

A. Billy’s disappointment over finding nothing in the tree house B. Billy’s eagerness to find treasure C. Billy’s adventure in an underground world D. Billy’s relationship with his grandfather

C

Read the following sentence: “He was back in the forest, but now it was bathed in a golden light, and the autumn foliage was once again green.” As used in the passage, what word could best replace foliage?

A. plant leaves B. forest floor C. animals D. lakes and rivers

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Billy followed a chipmunk into a meadow _________ meeting a bearded gnome.

A. initially B. instead C. after D. before

D

Taming Sibling Rivalry

If you have a sister or brother, you have probably experienced sibling rivalry. Sibling rivalry is a fancy name for the battles that happen between brothers and sisters. Admit it. Aren't there things about your siblings that really bug you? Maybe you get angry because your sister is smarter or your brother is a better athlete. Having those feelings is completely normal. What's important is how you deal with the clashes. Shannah Brown of Portage, Mich., and her brother John, both 10, are always trying to outdo each other. For example, if one does a flip on the trampoline, the other tries to flip higher. Constantly competing with a sibling can make you feel as if you're living in your sibling's shadow. A better plan is to be your own person. One way to do that is to pursue different interests. Shannah is the only member of her family who takes Irish dance lessons. Lately, however, John has been dancing around the house and wants to start taking lessons too. Shannah wishes John would not copy her, so she goes outside where she can practice "in her own little world." "If you're concentrating on what others are doing, you don't see your own strengths," says Erika Karres, author of Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks: A Real Girl's Guide to Getting Through the Day with Smarts and Style. "But if you focus on your interests, you don't have time for sibling rivalry." The next time your sister brags about her latest triumph, congratulate her! Then step back and see what you can learn from her. Maybe she has a winning attitude or is very organized. Your siblings' talents don't take away from your skills, explains Karres. They can actually pave the way for you to learn how to improve yourself. Adds Dr. Peter Stavinoha of Children's Medical Center in Dallas, "You can always be satisfied with yourself if you are doing the best you can with everything--but you may never be satisfied with yourself if you always compare yourself to others." Many arguments end with a winner and a loser. One person gets exactly what he or she wanted, and the other person strikes out. It doesn't have to be that way. Jill Herman of Audubon, Pa., teaches a way of negotiating so everybody wins. "The first step is to get calm," Herman says. "You can't have a serious discussion if your furious brother is about to give you a karate chop." Herman suggests that siblings "give each other permission to leave for a while and chill out. Agree to return to the situation when you're calm and ready to resolve the problem." To let off steam, write your angry feelings in a diary or letter (not to be sent), exercise, or take a few deep breaths. "Sometimes when we're angry or frustrated, our feelings seem to run away with us. They build up like a volcano that's going to burst," explains Erin Brown Conroy, mom to Shannah and John. She also is the author of 20 Secrets to Success With Your Child: Wit and Wisdom From a Mom of 12. "The words that we choose need to tell others how we feel and try to solve the problem." Herman recommends asking each other "How can we both win?" Talk it out until you come to a decision that seems fair to both of you. Marisa Cygan, 11, of Oaks, Pa., doesn't know why she butts heads so often with her 9-year-old sister, Alexandria. Marisa doesn't like it when Alex's grade point average is higher. Marisa also complains that her sister's softball games eat up all the family's free time. Both girls make a big deal out of whose turn it is to sit next to their mom at dinner. Experts believe that most sibling rivalry involves competition for a parent's attention. Kids crave having full control of their parents' attention, according to Anthony E. Wolf, a child psychologist who wrote about the subject in his book "Mom, Jason's Breathing on Me! ": The Solution to Sibling Bickering. Think about it. Do you feel cheated when your brother or sister gets something and you don't? Does it seem unfair when your mom helps your younger brother with his homework while you have to do yours alone? If you are jealous, talk to your parents about your feelings. "Parents can help explain why they treat one child differently from another child," says Stavinoha. Remind your mom and dad that you would appreciate one-on-one time with them too. Remember the basic rules: If the tension gets out of control and someone could get hurt, then it's time to get Mom or Dad involved. Otherwise, you and your sibling should be able to work it out yourselves. Don't use your parents as referees, though. Kids need to fight their own battles, says Wolf. When your mom gets in the middle of a disagreement, you stop working on a solution and start complaining to her. If you force your mom to take sides, one of you may be resentful and wonder "Does she love me less?" even though it's not true. Marisa and Alex's mother stays out of the girls' spats as much as possible. "They have to learn to settle their differences," she says. "It helps them learn how to deal with frustration and find ways to pull together, which are skills people need their entire lives." Recently, the girls resolved a bedroom dispute on their own. Marisa likes to be neat. Alex confesses to being a slob. They agreed to put up a curtain to divide the room they share. Now Marisa can keep her space tidy without having to look at Alex's mess. It might seem unbelievable now, but the bratty brother who just drew a face on your book report because he's sick of hearing what a good reader you are may turn out to be your lifelong best friend.

6

Social Studies: School & Family Life

What is sibling rivalry?

A. the battles that happen between mothers and daughters B. the battles that happen between fathers and sons C. the battles that happen between fathers and mothers D. the battles that happen between brothers and sisters

D

To organize this text, the author divides it into sections with subheadings. What does the author describe in the section with the subheading "Find Your Special Talents"?

A. how to focus on your interests instead of concentrating on what others are doing B. how to calm down and negotiate in an argument so that everybody wins C. how to talk to your parents about feelings of jealousy towards your sibling D. how to solve disagreements with your sibling without involving parents

A

Having a successful sibling can be a good thing. What evidence from the text supports this statement?

A. Having a successful sibling might mean that you don't see your own strengths or focus enough on your own interests. B. You can learn from your sibling's triumphs and talents. They can pave the way for you to learn how to improve yourself. C. You may doing the best you can, but you may never be satisfied with yourself if you always compare yourself to others. D. If you pursue different interests from your sibling, your sibling may start copying you.

B

Involving your parents in disagreements can be a bad thing. What evidence from the text supports this statement?

A. Parents can help explain why they treat one child differently from another child. B. When parents get in the middle of a disagreement, you stop working on a solution and start complaining. C. Marisa and Alex's mother stays out of the girls' spats as much as possible. D. Experts believe that most sibling rivalries involve competition for a parent's attention.

B

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Pursuing different interests from your sibling can help in dealing with rivalry. B. There are several helpful ways that experts recommend for dealing with sibling rivalry. C. Compromising in arguments with your sibling can help in dealing with sibling rivalry. D. Talking to your parents about feelings of jealousy towards your sibling can help in dealing with sibling rivalry.

B

Read these sentences from the text. "Shannah Brown of Portage, Mich., and her brother John, both 10, are always trying to outdo each other. For example, if one does a flip on the trampoline, the other tries to flip higher. Constantly competing with a sibling can make you feel as if you're living in your sibling's shadow. A better plan is to be your own person. One way to do that is to pursue different interests." What does the author mean by the phrase "living in your sibling's shadow" in this excerpt?

A. feeling more skilled because your sibling is less skillful B. feeling less skilled because your sibling is more skillful C. feeling less skilled because your sibling is less skillful too D. feeling more skilled because your sibling is more skillful too

B

Read these sentences from the text. “Constantly competing with a sibling can make you feel as if you're living in your sibling's shadow. A better plan is to be your own person. One way to do that is to pursue different interests.” How could you rewrite the last sentence in this excerpt without changing its meaning?

A. However, you could pursue different interests. B. In conclusion, you could pursue different interests. C. For example, you could pursue different interests. D. Initially, you could pursue different interests.

C

The King Holiday: A Day to...

In 1983, fifteen years after the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, federal legislation was passed to create a holiday honoring him, his vision, and his legacy. The same legislation created the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission to oversee the observance of this holiday. The following is an excerpt from an annual report prepared by the commission in 1993, reflecting an idealistic view of what Martin Luther King Jr. Day means to the United States. From the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday Commission’s annual report prepared for the President of the United States and the United States Congress in 1993: A day to celebrate the life and dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. A day to reaffirm the American ideals of freedom, justice, and opportunity for all. A day to love not hate, for understanding not anger, for peace not war. A day for family, to share together, to reach out to relatives and friends, and to mend broken relationships. A day when community rids itself of the barriers that divide it and comes together as one. A day when people of all races, religions, classes, and stations in life put aside their differences and join in a spirit of togetherness. A day for our Nation to pay tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., who awakened in us the best qualities of the American spirit. A day for nations of the world to cease all violent actions, seek nonviolent solutions, and demonstrate that peace is not just a dream but a real possibility, if only for one day. If for only one day, each of us serves as a "drum major for justice and peace," then we bring to life the inspiring vision of freedom of which Martin Luther King, Jr., dreamed.

5-6

Social Studies: Civics & Government

This text comes from an annual report prepared in 1993. Who prepared this report?

A. the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday Commission B. the president of the United States C. the United States Congress D. the drum major for justice and peace

A

In the text, what does the author provide a list of?

A. a list of federal holidays in the United States B. a list of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s accomplishments C. a list of ways the “King holiday” pays tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. D. a list of communities that are divided by barriers

C

According to the Federal Holiday Commission, the King holiday is a day when "people of all races, religions, classes, and stations in life put aside their differences and join in a spirit of togetherness." Based on this, what can be concluded about the King holiday?

A. It is a positive and unifying day for Americans. B. It is a negative and harmful day for Americans. C. It is a confusing and difficult day for Americans. D. It is an unimportant day for Americans.

A

Based on the information in the text, what might the Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday Commission think about Martin Luther King, Jr.?

A. He was a selfish man. B. He was an inspiring man. C. He was a dangerous man. D. He was a controversial man.

B

What is the main idea of this text?

A. The American ideals of freedom, justice, and opportunity for all need to be reaffirmed. B. The “King holiday” is a day to remember and celebrate the life and dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. C. Martin Luther King, Jr., dreamed an inspiring vision of freedom. D. The best qualities of the American spirit were awakened in the United States by Martin Luther King, Jr.

B

Read this sentence from the text: " [The “King holiday” is a] day for our Nation to pay tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., who awakened in us the best qualities of the American spirit." Based on the information in the text, what might the phrase “to pay tribute to” mean here?

A. to give money to B. to honor C. to visit D. to get even with

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence: The “King holiday” is a day for nations of the world to cease all violent actions. __________, we can demonstrate that peace is not just a dream but a real possibility, if only for a day.

A. However B. As a result C. Instead D. Later on

B

Endangered Animals at a Glance

In the United States, dozens of endangered animals have been making a comeback. Here are a few of them. Emi is a crowd-pleasing Sumatran rhinoceros at the Cincinnati Zoo. Why is she so popular? In 2004, Emi gave birth to Suci, a healthy, wide-eyed female calf. Although most visitors to the zoo enjoyed gazing at Emi and Suci, scientists were happy for another reason. Suci's arrival brought scientists a step closer to pulling the Sumatran rhinoceros back from the edge of extinction. As the populations of wild animals dwindle, conservationists are hoping that they can breed animals in zoos and later release them into the wild. Scientists have reintroduced at least 19 species to the wild from captivity. For example, by 1985 only nine wild California condors were living in that state. Biologists captured all nine and began a captive breeding program. As of July 2005, the number of condors increased to 280, with more than 120 living in the wild.

5-6

Science: Life Science

According to the text, what have dozens of endangered animals been doing?

A. moving west B. making a comeback C. passing laws D. getting captured

B

The big problem described in the text is that many animals at one time were in danger of extinction. What efforts does the text describe that has contributed to solving the big problem?

A. passing federal laws and breeding animals in captivity B. arresting hunters and importing animals from other countries C. breeding animals in captivity and allowing animals to roam freely D. importing animals from other countries and feeding them special food

A

Read the section titled “Back to the Wild.” What can you conclude about endangered animals based on the information in this section?

A. There is nothing people can do to stop animals from going extinct. B. People can both cause animals to die out, and help them thrive. C. Animal protection laws are not effective ways to help animals. D. Yellowstone National Park is the only place where animals can recover.

B

Which conclusion is supported by the text?

A. Scientists do not want to breed animals in zoos. B. Endangered animals may no longer survive. C. Zoos should not help endangered animals. D. People have been able to find ways to save endangered animals.

D

Which statement best describes the main idea of the text?

A. People are harming endangered animals. B. Endangered animals need our help. C. Scientists are trying to find a way to help animals to find safe places to live. D. Some endangered animals are increasing in number.

D

Read this sentence from the text. As the populations of wild animals dwindle , conservationists are hoping that they can breed animals in zoos and later release them into the wild. As used in this sentence, what does the word “dwindle” mean?

A. become sick B. go missing C. decline D. raise

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. At one time only nine wild California condors were living in that state. _________ that time, the number has increased, with more than 120 living in the wild.

A. Next B. Now C. Since D. When

C

Nothing But Firing

David De Vries was never sure what to make of his boss, William Kieft. The man’s fiery red hair and thick, long moustache, which he was constantly twirling, stood out like a flaming torch wherever he went and made De Vries want to run in the other direction. Still, he knew his place in this new land. He was under Kieft’s authority and had to obey his instructions as they set up New Netherland on this land so far away from home, all the way across the Atlantic. De Vries had agreed to this expedition not realizing what was expected of him. Others back home had spoken of America as a land full of promise, rich with green fields, crops that never spoiled, flowing rivers, and the whitest and most pointed of mountains. Who could refuse a land like that? But De Vries had been mistaken. Well before he stepped off the boat onto the new land, he could smell the sewage and rot of a country that wasn’t under any kind of proper rule and regulation. Nothing like the Netherlands. No matter, he thought. He knew William Kieft’s reputation and his ability to whip people into shape. There were rumors of people already living in the new land. Back home they called them savages, and when De Vries first laid eyes on the Native Americans, he wasn’t surprised at all. Their skin was much darker, the color of mud. They wore strange garments, not at all civilized or uniform, and treated the land like it was a person, not material to be controlled and forced to yield life. De Vries had come to the new land hearing about New Netherland that Kieft was busily, ruthlessly developing. From the window of his small cabin, he could see all the development that Kieft had put into place. The natives stood off to the side, watching, staying on their territory but obviously unhappy with how Kieft was overrunning the land. De Vries thought to speak up about it, but no one else in the crew seemed to care, and Kieft was his employer, after all; he had come to the new land because Kieft needed more men. And so, on February 25, 1643, when Kieft invited some men and women over for a dinner party, De Vries did not think anything of it. At Kieft’s spacious home, De Vries didn’t notice that Kieft was being more restless than usual. He snapped at his servants and seemed impatient with the women, even Adrienne, the wife of one of the other men. Dinner was long and delicious. But soon De Vries could tell that something was on Kieft’s mind. He wrote later in his diary, “I remained that night at the Governor’s sitting up.” The night deepened, De Vries became tired, but then a lot of noise, bursts of sound, screaming, and shots assaulted his ears at midnight, and he snapped back into focus. He saw, from the edges of the fort where Kieft lived, “nothing but firing, and heard the shrieks of savages murdered in their sleep.” Before he knew it, 120 Native Americans in Pavonia, across the Hudson River in modern day New Jersey, had been killed. A plot hatched by Kieft that had taken the Indians—and him, De Vries—completely by surprise. It was a day he, and history, would not forget.

6-7

Social Studies: U.S. History

Why does De Vries travel to “New Netherland”?

A. because Kieft asked for him personally B. to take part in a raid on Native Americans C. to help develop and set up the new land D. to attend a dinner party at Kieft’s house

C

How does the author describe the way William Kieft is developing New Netherland?

A. patient B. ruthless C. moral D. intelligent

B

New Netherland is not yet developed. What evidence from the passage best supports this evidence?

A. “He could smell the sewage and rot of a country that wasn’t under any kind of proper rule and regulation.” B. “Others back home had spoken of America as a land full of promise, rich with green fields.” C. “There were rumors of people already living in the new land. Back home they called them savages...” D. “No matter, he thought. He knew William Kieft’s reputation and his ability to whip people into shape.”

A

Why is Kieft restless during the house party?

A. because he is nervous his guests wouldn’t like the food B. because he is bored with the party and the people C. because he is not used to having guests in his home D. because he is anticipating the upcoming raid

D

What is this passage mostly about?

A. the slaughter of Native Americans B. how Kieft developed New Netherland C. the relationship between De Vries and Kieft D. how Kieft destroyed Native American land

A

Read the following sentences: “From the window of his small cabin, he could see all the development that Kieft had put into place. The natives stood off to the side, watching, staying on their territory but obviously unhappy with how Kieft was overrunning the land.” As used in this sentence, what does “overrunning” mean?

A. walking over something B. invading and occupying C. cooperating with someone D. working hard at something

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. De Vries thought about talking to Kieft about the unhappiness of the Native Americans; ________, he did not take action.

A. therefore B. for example C. however D. finally

C

Madam President?

Chile. Germany. Liberia. Although those three countries are on separate continents, they have something in common. Each country has had a woman leading its government. Since the 1990s, more than 30 countries have chosen women as heads of government. Is the United States ready to join the pack? That's a question many asked during the 2008 presidential election. Candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties had their eyes set on the White House. One of the candidates in the spotlight was Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a Democrat from New York. "I'm in, and I'm in to win," the former first lady, wife of former President Bill Clinton, said at the start of her campaign. While she was not nominated as the Democratic candidate in the election, she did become the secretary of state in 2009. In 2016, Hillary Clinton ran again for president. This time, she was nominated as the Democratic candidate, but she didn't win the election. Does any woman have a chance of occupying the Oval Office? Six of every 10 Americans think the United States is ready for a woman president, according to a Gallup poll in 2006. "I think it's very realistic for kids today to imagine that they'll see a woman president, and it may happen quickly," Bruce Cain, a political science professor and the director of the University of California Washington Center, told WR News. "There's a pretty widespread acceptance in America that women can do the job." Though the nation has never had a female president, several women have held high positions in the government. "Pretty much every barrier has been broken except the presidency and vice presidency," adds Cain. In 1997, Madeleine Albright was appointed the first woman secretary of state. In 2005, Condoleezza Rice became the first African American woman to hold that office. The secretary of state is the country's top diplomat and the highest-ranking member of the president's cabinet, or group of close advisers. In 2007, Democrat Nancy Pelosi from California became the first female Speaker of the House. For the first time, a woman led the U.S. House of Representatives. Though Pelosi points out that she wants to be judged on her abilities, she recognizes her achievement. "My becoming the first woman Speaker will send a message to young girls and women across the country that anything is possible for them," she says. Given those leading role models, today's boys and girls have a good chance at becoming tomorrow's Commanders-in-Chief. That's remarkable, considering that only a little over 100 years ago, women still weren't allowed to vote. Women gained the constitutional right to vote when the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920. Before 1920, women in the United States did not have the same rights men had. Not only were women denied the right to vote, but they often were not allowed to own property, go to college, or hold certain jobs. Many women fought against those inequalities, or unequal treatment. Susan B. Anthony (1820—1906), Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815—1902), and other suffragists led a national women's rights movement. (A suffragist is a person who works for someone’s right to vote. ) Because of the work of those leaders and others who followed, women's role in government has changed. In 2007 to 2008, a record number of women served in Congress: 71 of 435 representatives in the House and 16 of 100 senators. In addition, nine governors were women. Despite the advances, there is still room for growth, experts say. Although about 51 percent of the U.S. population is female, women made up just a little over 16 percent of Congress in 2007 to 2008. When compared with other countries, the United States falls short in the percentage of women in political office. Globally, the United States ranks 79th when it comes to women in the national legislature, says the Inter-Parliamentary Union in January 2019. A legislature is an organized body that makes laws. Though females had made up less than 2 percent of Congress for a long time since 1789, women today are rising to the top in politics. The changes in women's rights did not come all at once. This time line shows some political milestones for women in the United States. 1848: Elizabeth Cady Stanton helps organize the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. 1866: Stanton is the first woman to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, even though she is not eligible to vote. 1872: Victoria Claflin Woodhull is the first woman nominated as a presidential candidate. She runs on the Equal Rights Party ticket. 1873: Susan B. Anthony is tried for illegally voting in the 1872 presidential election. The court finds her guilty and sentences her to pay a $100 fine. 1917: Jeannette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. 1920: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, guaranteeing women the right to vote. 1932: Hattie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate. 1964: U.S. Republican Senator Margaret Chase Smith is the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for the presidency on a major-party ticket. 1968: Shirley Chisholm becomes the first African American woman elected to Congress. In 1972, she is the first African American to run for president. 1981: Sandra Day O'Connor is the first woman justice appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. 1984: Geraldine Ferraro, a Democrat, runs for vice president on a major-party ticket, the first woman to do so. 1997: Madeleine Albright becomes the first woman appointed secretary of state. 2005: Condoleezza Rice becomes the first African American woman appointed secretary of state. 2007: Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives.

6

Social Studies: Civics & Government, U.S. History

According to the text, who was the first woman secretary of state?

A. Hillary Clinton B. Madeleine Albright C. Condoleezza Rice D. Nancy Pelosi

B

Read these sentences from the text. Because of the work of those leaders and others who followed, women's role in government has changed. In 2007 to 2008, a record number of women served in Congress: 71 of 435 representatives in the House and 16 of 100 senators. Which of the following describes the relationship between these two sentences?

A. The second sentence describes an effect of something stated by the first sentence. B. The sentences show both sides of an argument. C. The sentences compare two things. D. The second sentence explains the cause of a problem described by the first sentence.

A

Why does the author include the section titled “Playing Catch-Up”?

A. to compare the number of women in political office in the U.S. with that of other countries B. to demonstrate that women in the U.S. still need to be encouraged to enter politics C. to explain what a legislature is and where the U.S. ranks internationally D. to list the ways women can make more progress

B

Read this sentence from the text. “Pretty much every barrier has been broken except the presidency and vice presidency,” adds Cain. As used in this sentence, what does the word "barrier" mean?

A. decision B. career C. fence D. obstacle

D

Which statement best describes the central idea of the text?

A. Women in the United States have overcome inequalities to rise to top political jobs. B. The United States lags behind other countries with women leaders. C. Suffragists organized a national women’s rights movement leading to more opportunities. D. The 1920s were a pivotal year for women in the United States since they gained voting rights.

A

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. _____ the 19th Amendment passed, women in the United States were able to vote.

A. Finally B. After C. Next D. Before

B

A Sweet Sickness

The disease known as diabetes has been around for centuries. Even the ancient Egyptians wrote about it. In its beginning stages, diabetes can cause dehydration and extreme thirst. Later, it can cause heart and blood problems, blindness, and even death. Ancient doctors recognized one main symptom of diabetes: the passing of too much urine. They even thought diabetes made flesh melt into urine. As the English doctor Thomas Willis strangely observed in 1679, the urine of diabetics is "wonderfully sweet." Despite these hints, experts were clueless about the cause of diabetes and how to treat it. Doctors prescribed exercise and various diets. However, nothing helped the patient live more than a year. A major turning point came in 1889. Two European researchers, Oscar Minkowski and Joseph von Mering, removed a dog's pancreas, an organ that lies behind the stomach. They hoped to figure out the pancreas's function. A short time later, the dog developed symptoms of diabetes—thirstiness, weight loss, and blurred vision—and eventually died. The biggest breakthrough came in 1921. A research team from the University of Toronto found a substance produced in the pancreas of a healthy dog. Two of the scientists, Frederick Banting and Charles Best, gave the substance to a diabetic dog, and its condition improved. Banting and Best then treated a 14-year-old diabetic patient, Leonard Thompson, in 1922. The teen weighed only 65 pounds and was close to death. But when the researchers injected him with the substance they had named insulin, his symptoms disappeared. Leonard gained weight and became strong again. News of the insulin treatment spread around the world. Doctors now know diabetes occurs when the body fails to make or properly use insulin. Insulin helps the body turn starches and other foods into glucose (a form of sugar)—a source of energy needed for daily life. In diabetics, extra glucose builds up in the blood. Insulin does not cure diabetes, but regular injections of it have helped millions of people with diabetes lead long lives.

6

Science: Life Science

According to the text, what can diabetes cause in people?

A. heart and blood problems, blindness, and death B. a substance to be produced in the pancreas C. weight gain and becoming strong again D. the turning of starches and other foods into glucose

A

According to the text, what solution was most successful in helping patients that had diabetes?

A. changing a patient’s diet B. injecting patients with insulin C. removing a patient’s pancreas D. increasing the amount of exercise a patient does

B

Read these sentences from the text. A major turning point came in 1889. Two European researchers, Oscar Minkowski and Joseph von Mering, removed a dog's pancreas , an organ that lies behind the stomach. They hoped to figure out the pancreas's function. A short time later, the dog developed symptoms of diabetes—thirstiness, weight loss, and blurred vision—and eventually died. What can you conclude based on this evidence?

A. Because doctors understood the symptoms of diabetes, they could treat the disease by making patients drink more water. B. Despite the dog dying when researchers removed his pancreas, doctors developed special glasses to treat blindness for diabetics. C. After the dog developed diabetic symptoms, researchers understood that the liver could be removed to treat the disease. D. Once researchers understood the pancreas was related to diabetes, they could study that organ more closely for a solution.

D

Read these sentences from the text. Doctors now know diabetes occurs when the body fails to make or properly use insulin. Insulin helps the body turn starches and other foods into glucose (a form of sugar)—a source of energy needed for daily life. In diabetics, extra glucose builds up in the blood. Insulin does not cure diabetes, but regular injections of it have helped millions of people with diabetes lead long lives. What can you infer based on the information in these sentences?

A. Another way to treat diabetes involves the removal of the extra glucose from the diabetics blood. B. You can also treat diabetes by making sure not to consume any glucose. C. If a diabetic does not make sure that they take their injections when they are supposed to, it will have a negative impact on their health. D. Diabetes is a rare diagnosis, so very few people have to be injected with insulin.

C

What is the main idea of the text?

A. The ancient Egyptians were the first people to recognize diabetes, and they were also the first to develop insulin as a treatment. B. Doctors and scientists have been aware of diabetes for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1922, with the discovery of insulin, that the disease was fully understood. C. After researchers removed a dog’s pancreas, they uncovered more clues about how the pancreas works. D. The symptoms of diabetes include dehydration and extreme thirst, and the treatments include eating a diet high in sugar.

B

Read these sentences from the text. Despite these hints, experts were clueless about the cause of diabetes and how to treat it. Doctors prescribed exercise and various diets. However, nothing helped the patient live more than a year. As used in this context, what does the word "prescribed" mean?

A. treated a disease B. investigated a cure for a disease C. observed symptoms of a disease D. caused a disease

A

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Doctors treated 14-year-old diabetic patient Leonard Thompson with insulin __________ he had diabetes and was close to death.

A. so B. because C. but D. if

B

She Gets to Go

“She gets to go? She doesn’t deserve it. She doesn’t even know what it means to go abroad. Not really; not like me or my friends. She won’t appreciate it; she’s going to complain. Look, she’s whining about it already, and you only told her about it ten seconds ago. You really want to bring that with you on an eight-hour plane ride? You really think she’s going to know what she’s seeing on the other side?” The house shook when I went back upstairs to my bedroom in order to hide from the cries of my sister. I knew I’d been mean, but I didn’t feel bad about it. I was angry. Nora and Teeny were just as much her cousins as mine, but Bev didn’t care about anything but playing with toy horses and eating ice cream, and she could do that in our Midwestern backyard. She didn’t need to go to Spain to goof around with plastic and junk food. My middle school only offered three languages. I was taking beginner’s French, and I was suddenly sorry I hadn’t elected to take Spanish instead. But who could have known at the start of the year that my aunt would get a job working overseas and take my cousins with her, or that my parents would decide my mom, sister, and I should visit? I’d seen pictures of the house they lived in, and it was huge and on a hill that overlooked the city and had a spiral staircase in it. I was jealous. Our house was small and had a regular staircase. The only hill around was a short one we used for sledding, and it didn’t have any views of Barcelona. As much as I envied them, though, I told myself I didn’t want to be them. Nora and Teeny were as spoiled as they came, and they didn’t seem to treasure anything. They liked shopping and when I talked to them on the phone after I found out we were going to visit, that’s all they gabbed about. Didn’t they realize they were in another country? Didn’t they know they could shop for clothes anywhere? Nora was my age and spoke excitedly about this store and that, and suggested we sneak out one night and go dancing at a club that her high-school boyfriend had taken her to. I didn’t have a high-school boyfriend or a middle-school boyfriend but told myself it was okay because at least I could spell, and I knew how to use commas correctly. I’d read some of Nora’s school papers, and they were awful. I knew what mattered. It wasn’t shopping. Especially not in Barcelona. We had to drive to a passport agency to get our passports quickly, since the trip was coming up faster than we thought, and it would take too long to get our documents by mail. “If this car ride is anything like the plane ride is going to be,” I said, “then you should change your mind fast.” Bev was whining in the back seat about the drive being too long, the bumps in the road being too high, and the sun through the window being too bright. When we got to the agency, the lines were long and Bev wiggled and whined about her feet hurting and her stomach rumbling. I stood quietly, took my passport photo with a serious smile, and told my sister to shut up as we clambered back into the car to head home. I knew what mattered. A long drive was worth it. We were going to be traveling over the American holiday, Thanksgiving, and I wished more than anything that I could be thankful for the company of my best friend on this trip instead of that of my sister. “Miriam would appreciate this way more than Bev does, Mom,” I argued. “Bev doesn’t even want to go.” I was standing in the kitchen a few weeks out from the trip, making a case for changing my sister’s ticket to my friend’s name. “She’s taking Spanish, too, so she’d be really helpful when we go exploring around the city.” Mom said no, but at least she was nice about it. I apologized to Miriam a couple times about her not being able to join us. “Maybe next time. You should get a passport just in case we go there again.” One week before the trip, I started to set things aside to pack. There was a ledge underneath the windows in my room, and I’d pushed all of my books and my rock and coin collections out of the way to make room for the things I’d need in Spain. I had my sneakers and one pair of nice shoes, a pair of jeans, a skirt, and a few T-shirts, a tank top and a sweater. I also had some empty journals because I’d need to write down my travel thoughts. I’d need to have them for later, when I’d be writing stories, and would need characters and scenes and events to draw from. I did not bring anything too fancy. I didn’t want to go to Nora’s high-school boyfriend’s dance club. I knew what mattered. It wasn’t dance clubs. The plane ride was long and actually three plane rides. We had to fly to New York first to catch a flight to London, and then we’d wait for some hours before a plane departed for Barcelona. The flight to New York was bumpy, and I cried quietly in my seat. What if we crashed? What if I died at age 14, not an author, without having seen Europe, having never been kissed? It upset me. Romance, art and travel were the most important things. My sister cried. She didn’t want to crash, she said, because then she wouldn’t be able to see her pet hamster again. What do you expect from a 4th grader, I thought, and pinched her and told her it was going to be okay. I knew what mattered, and it wasn’t hamsters. We landed just fine in London, and my mom took our hands as we walked through the airport. Everyone spoke like a fairytale sounds in your head. We found some couches and a food court. Bev ate a Toblerone and I ate a Twix, and after we’d wiped the chocolate from our hands, we both fell asleep while my mom read a magazine. She woke us up when we had to hurry to the gate for the last leg of the trip. Butterflies in my stomach wouldn’t calm down, and I was sorry I’d eaten the Twix bar. When we got to the house in Barcelona, I was tired. Nora and Teeny were watching TV, and they didn’t run to meet us at the door. I gave them both half-hearted hugs and went to my guest room to nap. The window had iron bars on it. I felt like I was in a movie. When I woke up, it was three hours later, and Nora asked if I wanted to go explore. “Of course!” I put on sneakers, and Nora put on sandals, and even though it was November, she didn’t wear a coat; instead, she had on a high-necked sweater and a fitted black jacket like an office worker wears. She looked pretty in her makeup, and I felt shabby without mine, so I put on some colored lip gloss—it was all I owned. I thought about my sporty coat and how it didn’t really match with the situation. “I need something better, something more sleek,” I said out loud. Nora grabbed a leather jacket from her closet. “I don’t really wear this anymore,” she told me, and I put it on. It fit. I looked really different in it, and I liked it. I felt important. We took a bus to the city and walked a lot. Nora showed me sculptures and pointed out her school. She mentioned, but did not drag me to, her favorite clothing store. Instead, we went inside a market where hundreds of people speaking Spanish hustled from stall to stall, buying bread and cheese and rabbit, and when we left, gnawing hard rolls, she pointed out a stall that sold horse meat. Gross, I thought, and cool. Nora took me to the ocean before we had to go back home. The wind made it colder than the rest of the city, but we threw our shoes behind us and sprinted for the water. I’m in the Mediterranean! I thought very loudly in my head. Before our toes turned blue, we left and I filled an empty Fanta bottle with water from the sea. I’d give it to Miriam. Here, I’d say, I got you the Mediterranean as a souvenir. I knew what mattered. Miriam would love it. The next day was Thanksgiving, although no one in Barcelona cared except for us. My mom and my aunt spent the day in the giant kitchen, cooking turkey and potatoes for an expatriate holiday with my aunt’s housekeeper, who didn’t speak English. Some people were coming over for dinner that night—other Americans away from home for the holiday. Nothing in the city was closed, so Nora, my uncle and I went exploring again. I saw more artwork and some street graffiti, and we ate a small lunch at a café. I was in Spain on Thanksgiving! This was a situation that seemed to happen only in books. I wrote it down, so I could put it into one of mine. That night, I fussed upstairs; disappointed in everything I’d packed for the trip. Bev marched out of the bedroom she was sharing with Teeny, wearing a jumper with a long-sleeved shirt underneath it. She had these crazy blonde curls that puffed out of her head like a clown wig, but it looked good, and I was jealous. My hair was plain brown and didn’t know whether it was curly or straight. Nora watched me try on my skirt and saw me throw it off in frustration. She gave me one of hers which was a lot shorter than anything I owned. “It looks great on you!” she said, and then told me to hurry up because everyone was there, and dinner was ready and holy cow, was she hungry! The dining room table was beautiful. Eight other people had joined us, and candles lit their faces in the dim room and made them all look like good friends. Two older couples, a single older gentleman, and a mother and father with their teenage son were there. We stood around the table and held hands, said grace, and dug in. All the adults were here because of work, and the teenage son was going to a school for American kids abroad. I felt butterflies in my stomach when he talked. I wanted to go to school abroad. My cousins got to, and they didn’t seem to care how amazing it was. Nora talked about taking me shopping the next day. You look so good in my clothes, she said, so cute. We need to get you some of your own. Dinner wrapped up. Teeny and Bev brought pies from the kitchen. The adults made coffee, and even the teenage boy drank some. I asked for a cup but could only drink from it a few times, and I had to eat a bite of pie between each sip. My stomach was still full of butterflies. I thought about how wonderful it would be to grow up and travel for a living. I thought of how Bev would never want to do that, since she liked being comfortable too much. I thought about how when I grew up and made my life abroad, I wouldn’t spend so much time in dance clubs or trying on cute clothes. I knew what mattered. I did like the clothes, though. The adults began to leave. One couple bid us goodnight, then the other. The single gentleman actually tipped his hat as he stood in the doorway, and my aunt shook his hand. My mom and Teeny and Bev had begun to clear some dishes, and Nora and I blew out candles. The mother and father and their teenage son folded their napkins on the table and began to leave as well. I guess it’s European, to kiss your hosts on the cheek goodbye. My aunt did so, and so did Nora; I did, too, when it was my turn at the door. Goodbye to the father, goodbye to the mother, and then the son put his face against mine. I kissed each cheek as he did mine, I think, but I know I floundered a little bit, because I wasn’t expecting it. No one in America said goodbye like that—especially not teenagers. It was novel when these parents did it, but it was very different to me when this boy did it, even though it wasn’t, and he was just saying goodnight like the rest of them. Nora made fun of me upstairs. I’d spent the night listening to travel stories and noticing, over pumpkin pie, the little indications that I was in another country. That’s what that was, I said to myself. In French class, I’d learned that kissing on the cheek was a common European way of greeting people. I had just experienced culture first hand. I’d felt my cheeks flush, but it was only from the adventure, from the culture. I knew what mattered. That’s all that it was.

6

With whom does the narrator, or the person telling the story, travel to Barcelona?

A. She travels with her best friend, Miriam. B. She travels with her sister and her mom. C. She travels with her cousins. D. She travels by herself.

B

How does the narrator feel about traveling?

A. She is eager to go shopping in another country. B. She is afraid and does not want to leave home. C. She is excited to experience a new culture. D. She is sad that she will not get to see her family.

C

Read these sentences from the text. As much as I envied them, though, I told myself I didn’t want to be them. Nora and Teeny were as spoiled as they came, and they didn’t seem to treasure anything. They liked shopping and when I talked to them on the phone after I found out we were going to visit, that’s all they gabbed about. Didn’t they realize they were in another country? Didn’t they know they could shop for clothes anywhere? Based on this information, why doesn't the narrator want to be like Nora and Teeny?

A. They didn’t value the experience of living in another country. B. They bragged about living in another country too much. C. They don’t like the narrator. D. They valued experiences more than they did material things.

A

Based on the story, what matters to the narrator?

A. hanging out with her cousins B. wearing nice clothes C. going to dance clubs D. experiencing different cultures

D

What is the story mainly about?

A. The narrator learns to appreciate her family even when they fight. B. The narrator finds the importance of experiencing new cultures through travel. C. The narrator learns to love fashion and shopping. D. The narrator finds European culture to be disappointing.

B

Read this sentence from the text. I’d spent the night listening to travel stories and noticing, over pumpkin pie, the little indications that I was in another country. As used in the text, what does the word “indications” mean?

A. benefits B. words C. disadvantages D. signals

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Nora and Teeny love to shop, ____________ the narrator does not think that shopping matters.

A. but B. before C. moreover D. so

A

Braking Bad

On Aug. 20, 2005, a Toyota Scion driven by Amir Sitafalwalla suddenly sped up. No matter how hard he tried to stop the car, Sitafalwalla says, it kept going faster. It hit an embankment and a tree. Sitafalwalla, an emergency room doctor who lives in Port Washington, N.Y., suffered permanent hand injuries. Three years later, Sitafalwalla alleged that a design defect caused the car to accelerate suddenly. His complaint is one of more than 3,000 that have been made about Toyotas to the U.S. government since 2006. Sitafalwalla filed a lawsuit in federal court against Toyota. All the complaints made to the government have involved “unintended acceleration.” Drivers claimed that their vehicles suddenly began going faster and faster no matter how hard they pressed on the brakes. A total of 93 deaths have been blamed on unexpected acceleration. The phenomenon of unintended acceleration isn’t new to Richard Schmidt, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He studied it in the late 1980s, when the problem was plaguing Audis, not Toyotas. “What’s happening now in Toyota cars is the same thing that happened with Audi 20 years ago,” Schmidt told Current Science. What takes place during unintended acceleration? Does the gas pedal get stuck under the floor mat? Do the electronics that regulate the speed of the vehicle malfunction? Are the brakes worn out? The answer, says Schmidt, is none of the above. “I point the finger at human error,” he says. Schmidt found reports of unintended acceleration for almost every brand of automobile, not just Audis. He investigated more than 150 cases and never once found a vehicle defect that was responsible. “None of the crashes were caused by vehicle defect,” he explains. “All were caused by pedal errors.” A pedal error happens when the driver intends to press his or her foot on the brake but unknowingly hits the gas pedal instead. “You might be wondering, ‘Why would a driver miss the gas pedal?’” says Schmidt. “Well, sometimes our limbs don’t do exactly what we tell them to do.” Pressing the brake pedal is a lot like trying a foul shot in basketball. “Even though a basketball player may have practiced the shot thousands of times, every once in a while he’ll completely miss the hoop,” Schmidt says. “That’s because our nervous systems aren’t perfect. Our arms and legs don’t always get the right message from the brain.” A flood of news reports about unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles hit the media in the spring of 2009. The Japanese company was then the top-selling carmaker in the world. The bad news shifted focus away from the woes of the big U.S. automakers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors), all three of which had recently skirted financial ruin. Toyota subsequently conducted a study of unintended acceleration in its vehicles. It concluded that the problem may have been caused by “sticky pedals,” possibly ones catching on floor mats. The company recalled nearly 9 million vehicles. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched its own investigation of unintended acceleration. Its analysis of 58 accidents involving out-of-control Toyotas revealed no electronic malfunctions. Schmidt says Toyota and the U.S. government were searching for a smoking gun that didn’t exist. “It’s a human component,” he reiterates. Meanwhile, Toyota has lost hundreds of millions, possibly billions, of dollars in sales from the negative attention surrounding unintended acceleration. In April 2011, a federal jury dismissed Sitafalwalla’s lawsuit against Toyota. Regina Desio, the jury forewoman, said the doctor probably stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brake. “We just didn’t think there were mechanical, brake, or mat problems,” she told Newsday. Modern cars are equipped with state-of-the-art electronics and space-age materials. But a vehicle is still only as safe as the person who’s driving it. “Human performance will always be the biggest factor in preventing accidents,” says Schmidt. The throttle is a device in a car that controls the flow of fuel to the engine, changing the car’s speed. Until the 1980s, most automobile throttles were mechanical—composed of moving parts. Pressing on the car’s gas pedal opened a valve in the engine that allowed more fuel into it. The car sped up. Because mechanical systems have moving parts, they’re prone to wear and tear and eventually break down. Today’s throttles are largely electronic. The pressure the driver applies to the gas pedal is converted into an electric signal that is relayed to a computerized electronic control unit. It examines a variety of electric signals from parts of the car that affect the car’s speed. It reads not only the signal from the gas pedal but also signals from the wheels, the steering system, and the brakes. Taking all that input into account, the unit controls the amount of fuel going to the engine, regulating the engine’s power and the vehicle’s speed. Electronic throttles have several fail-safes. A fail-safe is a backup feature that counteracts a failure in the system, reducing the chances of harm to the machine or the person operating it. In an electronic throttle system, the fail- safes help keep the throttle functioning properly or slow the car to a stop. Many new cars have a fail-safe called a brake override. If the driver accidentally depresses both the gas pedal and the brake pedal, only the brake signal will be activated, bringing the car to a stop. Because electronic throttle systems have fewer moving parts, they don’t wear out as quickly as mechanical ones do. More important, they make driving easier and safer.

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

Psychology professor Richard Schmidt compares pressing the brake pedal to

A. trying a foul shot in basketball B. hitting a ball in a tennis tournament C. throwing a football down a field D. scoring a goal in a soccer game

A

The passage shows two sides of this argument: Did defective technology cause a wave of accidents in Toyotas? Which of the following is the author’s point of view?

A. Amir Sitafalwalla should have won his lawsuit against Toyota. B. Toyota’s cars did not have defective technology. C. The Toyota Scion’s sticky gas pedals caused the accidents. D. Toyota should stop selling cars with defective technology.

B

Why does the writer include the fourth paragraph (“The phenomenon of unintended acceleration…”) in the passage?

A. to offer an expert opinion that supports the author’s viewpoint B. to persuade people that own Toyota cars to switch to Audis instead C. to describe why Richard Schmidt is so interested in psychology D. to warn people about the dangers of unintended acceleration

A

Read this sentence from the passage: Three years later, Sitafalwalla alleged that a design defect caused the car to accelerate suddenly. In this sentence, the word alleged means

A. stated without proof B. extend a welcome C. shared with an audience D. continued to go forward

A

Which statement best describes the main idea of the passage?

A. Some people argue human error, not car defects caused recent accidents. B. Amir Sitafalwalla suffered permanent hand injuries due to a car accident. C. Toyota has lost hundreds of millions of dollars in sales from negative attention. D. Most of today’s cars have electronic throttles that have several fail-safes.

A

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Many new cars have a backup feature that only activates the brake signal _______ a driver presses both the gas pedal and the brake pedal at the same time.

A. and B. for C. but D. if

D

High and Dry

The state of Nebraska gets its name from the Native American Sioux word for the “shallow water” that flows across its plains. Today we call that water the Platte River. Turns out the state name is more fitting than those early Nebraskans imagined. The state sits atop a vast pool of underground H2O known as the High Plains aquifer. An aquifer is an underground layer of rocks or soil that holds significant amounts of water. The High Plains aquifer, also called the Ogallala aquifer, is one of the largest groundwater reservoirs in the world. It lies under nearly the entire state of Nebraska, as well as parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. For decades, residents of those states have been extracting water from the aquifer. But all that pumping has taken a big toll. Could the huge store of groundwater be tapped dry one day? The High Plains aquifer was born from the action of wind, water, and a really big crash. About 65 million years ago, two tectonic plates began to collide along the western edge of North America, slowly pushing the Rocky Mountains high into the sky. Tectonic plates are enormous sections of Earth’s rigid shell. Even as the mountains were being pushed skyward, wind and water began weathering (gradually breaking down) the peaks and carrying away the sediment (bits of sand and rock), said James Goeke. Goeke was a hydrologist at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. A hydrologist is a scientist who studies water on or below Earth’s surface. Rivers and streams carried sediment from the mountains eastward, where it slowly built up to form the High Plains in the western-central United States. In the process, water was trapped underground. That all happened between 5 million and 20 million years ago, said Goeke, and the aquifer has existed ever since. The thickness of the High Plains aquifer varies from place to place. In some spots, it’s a few feet thick. In others, it’s 1,000 feet. In some areas, the aquifer is largely gravel, with a lot of room for water between the rocks. In others, the aquifer is essentially tightly packed sand that holds less water. Since the 1940s, when pumping began, more than 88 trillion gallons of water have been extracted from the aquifer, estimated Virginia McGuire, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist. Enough water to equal the volume contained by 18 Colorado Rivers is sucked from the aquifer every year. Where does all that water go? “Over 95 percent of the water that’s pumped is for irrigation,” McGuire said. Nineteen percent of the country’s wheat, 19 percent of its cotton, and 15 percent of its corn are grown in fields overlying the aquifer. The High Plains states make up the heart of “America’s breadbasket,” the Midwestern region whose grains feed millions of people. Without irrigation, the High Plains crops would wither and die. Since 2008, farmers have been feeling the pinch of the dwindling groundwater. In parts of Texas and Kansas, water levels have dropped more than 45 meters (150 feet). Farmers in those areas have had to dig more and deeper wells to extract enough water for their fields, Goeke said. “As the water levels drop, you have to pull the water from ever-greater depths,” he said. “It’s more expensive to irrigate.” In some places, farmers have abandoned their wells altogether. Water does make its way back into the aquifer. Rain trickles into the soil and becomes groundwater. Surface water also helps restore the aquifer. In some places, water from rivers and streams seeps through layers of rock until it, too, joins up with the groundwater. But people have been taking out water much faster than nature is able to replace it. If the pumping stopped today, it would take 6,000 years of rainfall to replace the water that has been removed. Meanwhile, the pumping has continued over the years. High Plains farmers and researchers have been looking for ways to save water. Some farmers have switched from corn, a very thirsty plant, to other crops, such as wheat and sunflowers, that don’t need as much water. Plant researchers are trying to create new varieties of corn that thrive in drier conditions. New irrigation systems also can reduce water consumption. Traditional irrigation systems spray water over an entire field, but much of it evaporates before the plants can soak it up. Newer drip irrigation systems supply water directly to the plants’ roots so that less water is lost to evaporation. The situation in the High Plains isn’t unique. Aquifers are a source of water for billions of people around the globe. We need to conserve them, said Goeke. “In many cases, I don’t think we use water as wisely or efficiently as we might be able to,” he added. “Water is so critical to our existence. We can’t afford to waste it.”

6

Science: Earth & Space Science, Technology & Engineering

According to the text, how thick is the High Plains aquifer?

A. It is between 5 million and 20 million feet thick. B. It is between a few feet to 1,000 feet thick. C. No one knows how thick it is. D. It is all the same thickness.

B

Farmers are facing a problem of decreasing water levels in the High Plains aquifer. According to the text, which of the following is one of the possible solutions to this problem of dwindling water supply?

A. find another aquifer in the area to use B. pump more water from the aquifer C. switch from corn to other crops that require less water D. continue to use traditional irrigation systems

C

Read this paragraph from the text. Where does all that water go? “Over 95 percent of the water that’s pumped is for irrigation,” McGuire said. Nineteen percent of the country’s wheat, 19 percent of its cotton, and 15 percent of its corn are grown in fields overlying the aquifer. The High Plains states make up the heart of “America’s breadbasket,” the Midwestern region whose grains feed millions of people. Without irrigation, the High Plains crops would wither and die. Based on this information from the text, what conclusion can you draw about the way that the water in the aquifer has been used?

A. The reason that the water is running out is because the climate is dry and people need to drink a lot of water. B. Most of the water in the aquifer is being used to water the crops that grow in that area. C. The lands around the aquifer are called “America’s Breadbasket” because it takes a lot of water to make bread. D. The crops that use the most water from the aquifer are tobacco, cotton, and soybeans.

B

Based on the text, what will most likely happen if people continue to pump water from the High Plains aquifer?

A. Farmers do not need to worry because nature can replace the water very quickly. B. There will be more water that can be found in another aquifer nearby. C. The aquifer would need more than 6,000 years of rainfall to replace the water. D. The water in the aquifer can be replaced by rainfall very.

C

What is this text mostly about?

A. farmers who are planting different varieties of corn B. the High Plains aquifer that is running out of water C. the High Plains aquifer that will never run out of water D. how tectonic plates create mountains and aquifers

B

Read this sentence from the text. Without irrigation , the High Plains crops would wither and die. As used in the sentence, what does the word "irrigation" mean?

A. a source of water B. a source of sunlight C. removing rocks from the ground D. a source of soil

A

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. _________ the High Plains aquifer’s water supply is dwindling, farmers and researchers are looking for ways to save the water.

A. Although B. Because C. However D. Usually

B

Why Is It Colder in the Winter Than in the Summer?

The earth's axis of rotation is tilted relative to the earth's path around the sun. As a result we are tilted towards the sun in the summer and away from the sun in the winter. Read on for a more detailed explanation. Fact 1. The earth rotates about its axis once every 24 hours. In the morning we are facing towards the sun, and at night we are facing away from the sun. Fact 2. The earth orbits the sun, and one full revolution takes (approximately) 365 earth days, or one earth year. Fact 3. The axis about which the earth rotates is tilted (by 23.5 degrees) relative to the earth's path around the sun. Shown below are two diagrams of the earth at the same time of day. On the left it is winter and on the right it is summer (in the northern hemisphere). Notice that the same spot (red circle) in the winter receives much less light than in the summer. As a result, it is colder in the winter than in the summer. (Note: in this diagram, the earth's axis is 33 degrees, instead of 23.5, so as to better illustrate the effect.)

5-7

Science: Earth & Space Science

What is tilted relative to the earth's path around the sun, according to the article?

A. the sun's position in space B. Mars's axis of rotation C. the sun's axis of rotation D. the earth's axis of rotation

D

How does the earth's tilt in the summer contrast with its tilt in the winter?

A. The earth is tilted away from the sun in the summer but towards the sun in the winter. B. The earth is tilted slightly towards the sun in the summer and much farther towards the sun in the winter. C. The earth is tilted towards the sun in the summer but away from the sun in the winter. D. The earth is tilted slightly away from the sun in the summer and much farther away from the sun in the winter.

C

Read Fact 1 and look at the image next to it. "The earth rotates about its axis once every 24 hours. In the morning we are facing towards the sun, and at night we are facing away from the sun." Based on this information, what can you conclude about the curved arrow in the diagram?

A. The arrow represents the earth's rotation. B. The arrow represents the earth's axis. C. The arrow represents the earth's tilt. D. The arrow represents the earth's equator.

A

Look at the two diagrams of the earth at the end of the article. What might the red line in each diagram represent?

A. a place on the earth that receives less light in winter than in summer B. the earth's rotation C. the earth's axis D. the earth's path around the sun

C

What is the main idea of this text?

A. The earth rotates around the sun approximately every 365 days. B. The earth rotates around its axis once every 24 hours. C. The axis around which the earth rotates is tilted by 23.5 degrees relative to the earth's path around the sun. D. Winter is colder than summer because earth's axis of rotation is tilted.

D

Read these sentences from the text. "The earth rotates about its axis once every 24 hours. In the morning we are facing towards the sun, and at night we are facing away from the sun." What is the meaning of "rotates" as it is used here?

A. rises B. falls C. shrinks D. turns

D

Read these sentences from the text. "The earth's axis of rotation is tilted relative to the earth's path around the sun. As a result we are tilted towards the sun in the summer and away from the sun in the winter." Which word or phrase could replace "as a result" without changing the meaning of these sentences?

A. consequently B. primarily C. for example D. however

A

Tugboats: Pushers and Pullers

There are many boats to watch in the sea. People enjoy looking at sailboats because they move peacefully from the power of wind and sometimes have colorful sails. Speedboats, instead, are fun to watch because they move really fast and bounce up and down on waves. There are long, flat boats called barges. A barge is often used to move a large amount of goods from one place to another on sea. A barge does not have any sails or an engine. So, barges might not be too much fun to watch, but the tiny boats that move them are very neat. They are called tugboats. Tugboats can be seen out in the ocean or in narrow rivers, but it might be hard to spot them because they are so small compared to most other ships. They help move other ships by pushing or pulling them, and might be used to push another boat that has had engine problems and cannot power itself forward anymore. Tugboats are really powerful, and most engines inside them are as large as those that power locomotive trains. They can also move around sharply and quickly, which is why they are so useful, and many of them have also had hoses placed on them to fight fires on ships at sea. Tugboats are most often used to move barges though. A barge will usually have hundreds or even thousands of pounds of items that need to be shipped on top of its extremely long deck. For instance, they move garbage from a collection area to a landfill farther away from areas where there are a lot of people living. Tugboats might be spotted alongside a barge. They attach themselves to the barge inside a special slot just big enough for the little tugboat to fit. The tugboat will power up its big engine and push the barge that cannot move on its own in the direction the tugboat wants it to. If the barge does not have a place for the tugboat to attach itself on its side, then a tugboat might pull the barge forward instead. To do so, it uses its engines to sail up the water and move in front of the barge. Someone would then connect the back of the tugboat to the front of the barge, either with chains or a very heavy and strong rope. Once the tugboat fires up its engines and starts sailing forward again, the barge has no choice but to follow it wherever the tugboat’s captain wants it to go. There are many ways a tugboat can help. It is one mighty strong boat that can push and pull other boats. Don’t trick yourself into thinking something different just because it’s so small.

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

How are tugboats able to move through the water?

A. They use the power of wind and sails. B. They bounce up and down on the waves. C. They use powerful engines. D. They are pushed and pulled by larger barges or boats.

C

How does the author describe a barge?

A. A barge is a long, flat boat that is used to move goods. B. A barge is a short boat with a long sail. C. A barge is a tall boat that transports tourists. D. A barge is a small but powerful boat.

A

Tugboats can move large barges, carry hoses to fight fires, and move boats that lose power. Based on this evidence, what can be concluded?

A. Tugboats look beautiful on the water. B. Tugboats are as fast and fun to watch as speedboats. C. Tugboats can help in many different ways. D. Tugboats carry large loads of cargo.

C

The passage states, “The tugboat will power up its big engine and push the barge that cannot move on its own in the direction the tugboat wants it to.” Based on this information, what can be concluded?

A. The tugboat is very powerful. B. Barges and tugboats always travel together. C. Barges break down a lot. D. The tugboat gets in the way of the barges and causes them to break down.

A

What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Barges are bigger and more powerful than tugboats. B. Tugboats are too small to be strong vehicles. C. Tugboats are small, but they are very useful. D. Tugboats need barges to move around in the water.

C

Read the following sentence: “Tugboats can be seen out in the ocean or in narrow rivers.” What is the author trying to do by mentioning both oceans and narrow rivers?

A. The author is saying that tugboats do not work on land. B. The author wants to show that the tugboat functions in different environments. C. The author is demonstrating that the tugboat cannot work in a lake. D. The author is suggesting that the tugboat can get stuck in rocks.

B

Tugboats can direct barges __________ tugboats are smaller than barges. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

A. even though B. certainly C. otherwise D. meanwhile

A

Waste Woes

School tests can be stressful. But they might also inspire you to help change the world. That’s what happened to three girls from the Island Trees school district in New York. Kristen Dethlefsen, Jenna Morlock, and Marisa Wetzel learned about a growing problem from a reading section on a test they took. That problem is e-waste, short for electronic waste. E-waste is junk with electronic parts. Examples of e-waste include TVs, computers, and cell phones. The girls learned that parts of electronic equipment contain chemicals that can be dangerous. “We learned that e-waste causes health problems,” says Marisa. Later in the year, they had to come up with an idea for a science project. They remembered the interesting topic from their test. So the girls, then in eighth grade, launched a recycling drive. They called themselves the E-Waste Girls. They helped fellow students and the community learn about properly recycling e-waste instead of tossing it in the trash. “When we throw it out,” Jenna says, “it goes to the dump, where it piles up and piles up.” Those trash piles are getting larger. “The problem is growing,” says Barbara Kyle, the national coordinator for the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, an organization that fights e-waste. People in the United States tossed 2.37 million tons of TVs, cell phones, computers, and printers in 2009, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Worldwide, people throw away 10 to 20 times as much each year. That’s enough e-waste to fill a train that stretches around the globe. The E-Waste Girls saw a lot of that kind of junk in their drive. The most common items collected were phones, followed by computers, MP3 players and radios, and a lot of chargers and cables. They put recycling boxes in their school principal’s office and watched the boxes fill up. “By the end it got to be too much,” says Jenna. “We had to move the boxes to some supply closets.” The E-Waste Girls worked with their town’s recycling service. The service took the e-waste to a special recycling center. “At the recycling center, they break it down,” Jenna says. The recyclers separate the plastic, metal, glass, and other parts to reuse. “Then they take out the dangerous chemicals and dispose of them properly,” Jenna says, “so they don’t escape into the air or the ground or the water.” But most electronics in the United States are not recycled. Some items end up in landfills close to our homes. Many more items are shipped to other countries—sometimes illegally—and left in huge e-waste dumps in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Dangerous chemicals are the biggest problem related to e-waste, says professor Valerie Thomas. She studies recycling at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Chemicals in e-waste can leak into the ground, water, or air if people are not careful. Those chemicals can pollute if they go into a landfill or an incinerator, a facility that burns trash, Thomas says. But they can also be dangerous if the item is recycled. The E-Waste Girls were surprised to learn what some of the chemicals in e-waste could do. “They can harm the environment and people,” says Marisa. “The chemicals can cause a lot of health problems, like kidney damage, liver damage, and nervous system damage.” So why would other countries take dangerous waste? For money, mainly. It’s often cheaper to ship junk overseas than to take care of it properly in the United States. Poor people living in countries such as China or Ghana break apart the old electronics and sell the parts. They may earn only a few dollars a day. Children often work beside adults in these e-waste scrap yards. In most cases, the law does not protect those workers from harm. People in countries that create millions of tons of waste—such as the United States—can prevent e-waste pollution from spreading. The E-Waste Girls say the first challenge is helping people learn what e-waste is. “We asked our friends, and nobody had heard anything about it,” says Jenna. Many of their teachers didn’t know either. So Kristen, Jenna, and Marisa taught everyone, including the teachers. “They said that now that they know what e-waste is,” says Marisa, “they’re going to start recycling it properly.” One big way people can help reduce e-waste is by buying smartly. For instance: Thomas says people should ask themselves, “Can I upgrade my old one instead of getting a new one?” She also says people should ask themselves, “How long will this product last?” Something else that everyone can do to fight e-waste is to recycle old stuff. The E-Waste Girls say their recycling drive collected 269 items, weighing in at more than 2,000 pounds. That’s 1 ton! The girls’ project also helped them become finalists in the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, a national student competition. The E-Waste Girls see a future in which projects like theirs will not be needed. Marisa hopes recycling e-waste will soon be as easy as taking out the trash. “In our town, garbage men take away the garbage and recycling,” she says. They pick up paper, plastic, and glass to be recycled, but not electronics. “It would be cool,” Marisa says, “if they could take away the e-waste to be recycled too.” E-waste would disappear if companies made sure all electronics were recyclable and weren’t made of toxic components. Right now, that is impossible. But researchers such as Valerie Thomas are dreaming of that day. Thomas is a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She explores ways to make it easier for people to recycle all kinds of products. Even computers might one day be as safe for the environment and as easy to recycle as a cardboard box, she says. Some computer companies have already pledged to remove toxic chemicals from their products. Environmental groups and the people who buy these products can also help by asking companies for safer products that can be recycled. Thomas predicts more people will recycle electronics when all they have to do is put them out with the rest of their recycling in a pickup bin. “Electronics are where a lot of toxins live,” says Barbara Kyle from the Electronics TakeBack Coalition. People are generally safe if products are used correctly. But if electronic equipment is broken or disposed of improperly, the chemicals can escape into the environment. The following four substances are singled out by the Environmental Protection Agency as particularly dangerous.

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

What is e-waste, or electronic waste?

A. a national student competition B. damage to the nervous system C. a facility that burns trash D. junk with electronic parts

D

E-waste pollution is a growing problem because it causes health problems and is harmful to the environment. What is a solution to this problem?

A. to throw away phones, computers, MP3 players, and radios B. to ship e-waste to other countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America C. to properly recycle e-waste instead of tossing it in the trash D. to break apart old electronics and sell the parts

C

Read this sentence from the text. "[The E-Waste Girls] helped fellow students and the community learn about properly recycling e-waste instead of tossing it in the trash." Based on this evidence, what conclusion can be made?

A. Some students and the community did not know how to recycle e-waste properly. B. The E-Waste Girls disposed of dangerous chemicals by themselves. C. E-waste from the recycling drive was shipped overseas. D. Some students and the community were not interested in e-waste.

A

Read this sentence from the text. "Marisa hopes recycling e-waste will soon be as easy as taking out the trash." Based on this evidence, what can you infer about the current process of recycling e-waste?

A. It is not as important as taking out the trash. B. It is more difficult than taking out the trash. C. It only needs to be done once a year. D. It takes less time to recycle than it does to take out the trash.

B

What is the main idea of this text?

A. A sculpture in London is made out of the amount of waste one person might throw out during his or her lifetime. B. Three girls held a recycling drive to help reduce e-waste and to educate people about this growing problem. C. Some computer companies have already pledged to remove toxic chemicals from their products. D. The Environmental Protection Agency has singled out four substances that are dangerous to the environment.

B

The author includes a chart that lists four substances that are particularly dangerous, their sources, and the health risks they have. Why might the author have included this chart?

A. to educate readers about the harmful effects of substances found in e-waste B. to encourage readers to stop using TVs, computers, and other electronics C. to demonstrate that there are no safe ways to use the products in the chart D. to convince readers that nothing can be done to prevent these substances from escaping into the environment

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. The girls learned that e-waste causes health problems __________ kidney damage, liver damage, and nervous system damage.

A. such as B. despite C. unlike D. since

A

Take the Plunge

Mike Garis, 10, of California, says he is different now than when he first joined a swim team three years ago. "When I started swimming, I was very skinny," says Mike. "Now I am much more self-confident because I am strong." Mike swims year-round, competing in meets and even in the Junior Olympics. His regular training routine is to swim for two hours, five days a week. He swims about 5,000 yards at a time. "The thing I enjoy most about swimming," Mike says, "is working hard, getting faster, and having fun with my friends." If you want to get in shape, get in a pool. Swimming is one of the very best exercises you can do. Here's why. "Doing laps helps keep the exercise continuous and raises your heart rate just as it would if you were running or on a bike ride," explains Robert Catalini. Catalini is an exercise physiologist and manager of the Holy Redeemer Health and Fitness Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sticking to a regular swim program will improve your aerobic, or cardiovascular, fitness. This means your heart and lungs will get better at doing their jobs. You will have better endurance so that you can play longer without getting tired. Better aerobic fitness can help control asthma or help athletes cross-train for other sports, like soccer and baseball, says Jay Yarid. Yarid is a coach for Swimmin' Kidz, a swim program at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. When you swim, you're working against the resistance, or pressure, of water. The resistance is about 800 times more than that of air. This means that it takes much more effort to do an exercise in the water than on land. As your muscles work to pull you through the water, they get stronger and firmer. The freestyle stroke mostly works the shoulders, arms, and legs, says Yarid, who is a former All-American swimmer. The backstroke targets the arms and legs. The breaststroke is best for the inner thighs and core muscles. Core muscles include those in the abdominal area, lower back, and hips. The butterfly stroke conditions the chest as well as the core muscles. "Strong core muscles keep your back healthy," points out Mike Collins, chair of the coaches committee for United States Masters Swimming. "They hold your body upright and improve your balance." What if you don't know all of these strokes? You can try swimming with a kickboard for a good leg workout and use hand paddles to train your arms. Runners often feel pain in their knees or hips. This is because their feet are pounding pavement again and again. But swimmers rarely get injured. They have water's buoyancy to thank. Buoyancy (BOY-an-see) is the upward pressure that water provides to help you float. It reduces a person's weight by 90 percent. That means that less stress is placed on the joints and ligaments. Swimming is especially good for growing bodies, adds Catalini, because stress is taken off the growth plates too. You wouldn't want anything to stand in the way of you reaching your full height, right? Notice how swimmers make complete arm circles while doing the backstroke. Notice how wide their legs move doing the breaststroke kick. Swimming causes you to move your joints throughout their entire range. This helps increase flexibility so that you can move more easily and gracefully. Collins says that our bodies produce chemicals called endorphins after at least 40 minutes of swimming. Endorphins (en-DORF-inz) are a "natural, 'feel good' drug" that can chase away the blues. But even shorter swims can lift your mood. So, if you have a chance to swim, take the plunge. "And don't worry about how you look in a swimsuit," says Mike Garis. "People with all different kinds of bodies can be good swimmers." Get your feet wet! Before long you will see why being in a pool is cool! When Mike Garis isn't at swim practice or competing in meets, he likes to play water baseball with his friends. The rules are similar to regular baseball-except you're in a swimming pool. The pitcher throws a tennis ball, which the batter hits with a kickboard. The bases are kickboards held in place by the basemen. The basemen are not allowed to swim away from the bases. When the ball comes to them, they have to touch it to the base with one hand while the other hand holds onto the kickboard. The batter tries to swim around the bases without getting tagged out. It's a fun activity that gives your entire body a great workout!

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

Which is NOT a health benefit of swimming?

A. increased endurance B. stronger muscles C. better eyesight D. improved mood

C

How does the author introduce the topic of this passage?

A. by recommending that the reader take up swimming B. by defining “buoyancy” and “endorphins” C. by explaining why swimming is good for the heart and lungs D. by focusing on a specific person who likes to swim

D

If a swimmer wanted to strengthen his or her legs, which stroke would be LEAST helpful?

A. the freestyle stroke B. the backstroke C. the breaststroke D. the butterfly stroke

D

Read the following sentence: “You will have better endurance so that you can play longer without getting tired.” The word endurance most nearly means

A. hand-eye coordination B. reaction speed C. ability to move faster D. ability to keep going

D

The main purpose of this article is

A. to explain how water baseball is played B. to convince people that swimming is safer than running C. to describe some health benefits of swimming D. to prove that swimming is good for people who are often sad

C

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. _______ its name, water baseball is not played with a baseball.

A. Because of B. However C. As a result of D. Despite

D

Lightning and Fire

Florida receives the most lightning strikes in North America. Scientists have recorded over 20 million lightning strikes in the continental United States, and Florida gets more than any other state. Florida is mostly surrounded by water, with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the Straits of Florida to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. This water is warm, which means it can be very humid in Florida throughout the year. During the hot summer season, this mix of heat and humidity creates many thunderstorms. This pattern of storms and the lightning they often bring is predictable. It is so common that Florida has been called the Lightning Capital of the World! Over billions of years, lightning and the fires lit by lightning on the ground have shaped our planet. Many plants and animals in Florida depend on fire, and they have adapted to the constant presence of fire. A plant called wiregrass is so used to fire that it germinates, or grows out of its seeds, after a fire. The bare soil that remains after a fire is a soft and fertile soil bed. The wiregrass plant uses this soil bed to put down its roots. Without regular fires, wiregrasses might be taken over by trees and other plants that grow faster and taller. An animal in Florida that likes to eat wiregrass is the gopher tortoise. Wiregrass is a big part of a gopher tortoise’s diet, so regular fires mean gopher tortoises have a regular food supply. The gopher tortoise has adapted to fire by living and digging their homes, or burrows, in the ground. They don’t have to dig very deep to escape a fire’s heat, but their burrows can be almost 10 feet deep. These burrows provide great protection from fire, and other animals understand this, too. Mice, frogs, and snakes have been found in burrows with a gopher tortoise, during fires. Skunks, coyotes, and owls have often been found using burrows that gopher tortoises abandon. Before people built roads and cities, a fire could just burn and extinguish naturally. Today, when lightning hits the ground in and around people’s homes, fires can cause a lot of damage to the houses or buildings, so firefighters work very hard to stop them. When they aren’t fighting fires, some firefighters switch jobs and light fires on purpose! Don’t worry, they are burning forests and grasslands, not where people live and work. To do this, they join something called a Prescribed Fire Crew. Prescribed Fire Crews light fires for several reasons. One reason is to protect people from wildfires, and another is to maintain the ecosystems where species have adapted to the presence of fire. Although forest fires and grassfires can cause damage when they reach where people live and work, fire is necessary for many plants and animals around the world, not just for some of Florida’s plants and animals. The fires Prescribed Fire Crews set are carefully planned with clear start-and-end points. By regularly burning parts of a forest, they prevent larger wildfires. In some ways, they are fighting fire with fire because regular burning keeps the amount of fuel low. This fuel can be anything found in forests, like trees, leaves, and bushes. These fires are helpful for the people that live close-by and for the plants and animals that depend on fire.

6

Science: Earth & Space Science

Which state in the United States receives more lightning strikes than any other?

A. Texas B. Florida C. New York D. California

B

Fires are an effect. What is one cause?

A. lightning B. wiregrass C. gopher tortoises D. the Gulf of Mexico

A

Many plants and animals in Florida depend on fire. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A. Forest fires and grassfires can cause a lot of damage when they reach where people live and work. B. Prescribed Fire Crews set carefully planned fires with clear start-and-end points. C. Florida is mostly surrounded by water, with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, the Straits of Florida to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. D. A plant called wiregrass uses the bare soil that remains after a fire to put down its roots.

D

How do Prescribed Fire Crews fight fire with fire?

A. They find homes for mice, frogs, and snakes during wildfires. B. They find homes for skunks, coyotes, and owls during wildfires. C. They live in a state with lots of lightning strikes. D. They light carefully planned fires to prevent larger wildfires.

D

What is this passage mostly about?

A. differences between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean B. how thunderstorms are created from a mix of heat and humidity C. fires in Florida and how they affect life there D. why Florida is known as the Lightning Capital of the World

C

Read the following sentence: “Many plants and animals in Florida depend on fire, and they have adapted to the constant presence of fire.” What does the word adapted mean in the sentence above?

A. burned to the ground B. changed in order to live with C. set carefully planned fires D. surrounded by water on all sides

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Lightning often strikes Florida; ______, fires are sometimes started.

A. consequently B. otherwise C. such as D. previously

A

Wired World

“Everyone who uses the Internet, please stand up!” If that message could be heard all over the world at the same time, how many people do you think would stand up? The answer is almost two billion, or nearly one-third of all human beings on the planet. That number comes from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Since 2005, the number of people who have access to the Internet through cell phones or computer use has doubled. To have access to something is to have the ability to use it. The Internet is a communications system that connects computers around the world. A growing percentage of the world’s Internet users access the Internet not through their computers, but with their cell phones. According to ITU, there were an estimated 5.9 billion cell phone subscriptions in 2011. Mobile phone networks are now available to 90 percent of the world’s population. J. Carrier/Getty Images- In Kenya, cell phones are growing in popularity with schoolchildren. The wealthier nations of the world have the most people using the Internet. Poorer nations have the fewest Internet users. The biggest difference in Internet use between the richest nations and the poorest nations is called the global digital divide. However, the digital divide is getting smaller. Of the 226 million new Internet users added in 2010, most (162 million) came from the world’s poorer countries. Who are the digital leaders? Sweden comes in at number one. The country is followed by Luxembourg, South Korea, Denmark, the Netherlands, Iceland, Switzerland, and Japan. The United States comes in at 19. How has this rapid, or quick, growth in Internet use affected young people around the world? Toshie Takahashi, a professor who specializes in how young people relate to the Internet, spoke to WR News. “Kids can … communicate with each other using the Internet. … National boundaries are no barrier.” A barrier is something that blocks something else. Takahashi says there are some kids who have mixed feelings about the Internet. “It is good in that they can easily make friends, play games, and do other things with kids even on the other side of the globe. But the Internet can be harmful, they say, because it leaves them open to cyberbullying and other harmful things. In general, though, for kids, the Internet has shrunk the world. It does not seem like such a big place anymore.” Takahashi thinks that increasing Internet use has led to a better understanding between young people worldwide. “Kids all over the world love American pop music and pop culture,” she says. “And an increasing number of American kids are … learning about pop culture in other countries. I interviewed a U.S. teen who is fascinated with Japanese animation, for instance.” To be fascinated is to be excited about something or someone. Takahashi says that, especially in Asia, more kids use cell phones to access the Internet than computers. “In China, for instance, they don’t have a lot of public access to the Internet, but they have a huge number of cell phones capable of downloading a lot of data quickly. In Japan, … students research and write papers using their cell phones alone!” U.S. Department of Defense members were the first world’s “Webmasters.” The department created the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). That was a network of university and U.S. military computers. ARPANET machines could share information and “talk” to one another. By 1981, approximately 200 computers were on the network. After the World Wide Web was created in 1991, ARPANET and other networks joined to form what we know today as the Internet. Ever wonder how the Internet works? Browse through the time line to learn about some major moments in the Internet’s history.

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

According to the text, which of the following countries comes first on the list of digital leaders?

A. South Korea B. Luxembourg C. United States D. Sweden

D

What does the text describe?

A. how the Internet works on cell phones B. companies that provide access to the Internet C. Internet use around the world D. how people can protect themselves on the Internet

C

The internet can have negative impacts on kids. What does Professor Takahashi say that supports this conclusion?

A. “In general, though, for kids, the Internet has shrunk the world. It does not seem like such a big place anymore.” B. “But the Internet can be harmful, they say, because it leaves them open to cyberbullying and other harmful things.” C. “And an increasing number of American kids are ... learning about pop culture in other countries.” D. “It is good in that they can easily make friends, play games, and do other things with kids even on the other side of the globe.”

B

Read these sentences from the text. A growing percentage of the world’s Internet users access the Internet not through their computers, but with their cell phones. . . . The wealthier nations of the world have the most people using the Internet. Poorer nations have the fewest Internet users. The biggest difference in Internet use between the richest nations and the poorest nations is called the global digital divide. However, the digital divide is getting smaller. Based on the text, how is the Internet accessed in different nations?

A. People in wealthier nations access the Internet through their computers, but people in poorer nations access the Internet through their cell phones. B. People in wealthier nations access the Internet through their cell phones, but people in poorer nations access the Internet through their computers. C. More and more people in both wealthier and poorer nations access the Internet through their computers. D. More and more people in both wealthier and poorer nations access the Internet through their cell phones.

D

What is the main idea of this text?

A. The Internet can be accessed from anywhere in the world. B. The global digital divide is getting smaller. C. The Internet is used by many people around the world. D. The Internet was originally ARPANET and other networks.

C

Read these sentences from the text. Kids can ... communicate with each other using the Internet. ... National boundaries are no barrier. As used in the text, what does the word "communicate" mean?

A. see B. travel C. talk D. ignore

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Students in Asia use their cell phones to research and write papers ______ there isn’t a lot of public access to the Internet in those countries.

A. after B. but C. because D. so

C

Never Too Late

If you’re reading this, then probably you’re a student working on improving your proficiency as a reader. But you may already have more skills than some people much older than you. Some adults would have a hard time in your class because they never learned to read, or because they never learned to read well. Art Ellison is the administrator of the New Hampshire State Bureau of Adult Education, which helps fund many programs for grown-ups who need to improve their skills. He says most people in these classes never finished high school. Some of them weren’t successful students, while others dropped out of school so that they could go to work and support their families. Not being able to read well as a grown-up can make life very difficult and cause complications at work and at home. There is also an emotional toll. “They feel embarrassed,” Mr. Ellison says. “They think that as an adult they should be able to do it.” Often, adults with difficulty reading try to hide their problem from others. For example, Mr. Ellison explains, it’s not uncommon for someone applying for a job to ask if he or she can take home an application. There, the applicant can ask a friend or even a daughter or son to help fill out the form. Others try to disguise their inability to read the options on a menu by pointing to a photograph of a dish instead, or by saying, “I’ll have what that person’s having.” Not being able to read at all is called illiteracy, and it can be dangerous. A person who can’t read the instructions on a bottle of medication could end up in the hospital after taking too many pills, or after taking too few pills. Many people arrive at adult education programs in the hopes of helping their children do better in school than they did, Mr. Ellison says. “Every parent wants to—or should want to—be able to help their kids with their homework,” he says. Some parents can explain schoolwork to their children, but parents who are illiterate can’t easily help or even check if their children’s homework is done. Children can start to learn reading skills by looking at the words while a parent reads them a book. But parents who don’t know how to read might make up a story to go with the pictures in a book, instead of actually reading the text. That can make it harder for their children to learn to read. Changes in the United States economy have made learning to read more urgent for some people, Mr. Ellison says. Many people, who worked for decades in manufacturing, never needed reading skills at work. For example, someone who worked attaching doors onto cars may not have needed to be literate to do the job. But at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, many American manufacturing jobs disappeared. It became cheaper for companies to manufacture things in other countries overseas. Some people who had worked for decades on an assembly line found themselves out of work. Often, the ones who couldn’t read well had a hard time finding a new job, Mr. Ellison reports. “The world changed around them,” he says. For them, reading skills are “important because of the difficulty of getting and then keeping a job.” Men and women who want to enter job training programs to become welders and X-ray technicians are often given training manuals written at the tenth-grade level, Mr. Ellison says. People with difficulty reading often have a hard time in these programs. They can also have difficulties learning to use computers because they can’t always understand the instructions that appear on a screen. Some people graduated from high school but don’t have good reading skills. That’s partly because some schools have a policy of passing students onto the next grade, even if they haven’t mastered all the material covered. That policy is called social promotion. Grown-ups who need help learning to read and other basic skills can seek out classes at adult education programs funded by the federal and state governments. A person who never graduated from high school can use one of these programs to get a High School Equivalency Certificate. With that kind of certificate, a person can apply to college.

6

Social Studies: Geography, Societies & Culture

According to the text, what do adults who have difficulty reading often do?

A. move to another country B. try to hide their problem from others C. hire expensive tutors D. discourage their kids from reading

B

The effects of low reading proficiency among adults are explained in the passage. Which of the following is one of these effects explained in the passage?

A. They can lose their jobs. B. They are unable to ever learn how to read. C. They are not allowed to graduate from high school. D. They are unable to go to the doctor.

A

Read the following paragraph: “Often, adults with difficulty reading try to hide their problem from others. For example, Mr. Ellison explains, it’s not uncommon for someone applying for a job to ask if he or she can take home an application. There, the applicant can ask a friend or even a daughter or son to help fill out the form. Others try to disguise their inability to read the options on a menu by pointing to a photograph of a dish instead, or by saying, 'I’ll have what that person’s having.'” Based on this evidence, what conclusion can be made?

A. Some people who can’t read are embarrassed by their inability to read. B. Picture menus are better than printed menus. C. Young people are skilled at filling out applications. D. Older people feel indecisive in restaurants.

A

The reading skills of a parent can make an impact on the learning of his/her child. What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?

A. Parents who can’t read can’t buy their children books. B. Parents who can’t read can’t talk to teachers about homework. C. Parents who can’t read can’t help with or check their children’s homework. D. Parents who can’t read can’t help their children get jobs.

C

What is this passage mainly about?

A. the rising number of high-school dropouts in America B. changes in the United States manufacturing industry C. job training programs for welders and X-ray technicians D. the challenges faced by adults with low reading proficiency

D

Read the following sentences: “Not being able to read well as a grown-up can make life very difficult and cause complications at work and at home. There is also an emotional toll.” What does the word “complications” mean based on the passage?

A. solutions B. problems C. behaviors D. diseases

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentences below. For many jobs nowadays, you must fill out an application, understand a training manual or use a computer. _______, it can be hard for you to get and keep jobs if you can’t read.

A. Even though B. Otherwise C. For instance D. Consequently

D

Becoming a Baker

A baker’s day begins early. So early, in fact, that for many people it would still be considered night. At 4 a.m., the only light typically comes from the stars, and even the birds are still asleep. The prospect of waking at 4 a.m. every day scares off many a would-be baker. But Diana Rodriguez didn’t mind. She was in France, and she was doing what she loved. Diana couldn’t wait for each day to begin. On that morning, a cool, clear Tuesday, Diana arrived at the bakery as usual. She unlocked the heavy iron door and stepped in, breathing in the comforting scent of butter and yeast. Then it was the same routine as every other morning: turn on the lights, measure the flour, and mix the bread dough. Carefully adding salt, yeast, and water, Diana began to knead the dough. Over and over, she pushed the dough down into the counter, rolled it over and pushed it again. She had learned to knead bread dough from her grandmother, and she still found the practice soothing. Most bakers have defined biceps from the hours they spend coaxing flour and water into a smooth, elastic dough. At 4:30 a.m., the head baker arrived. “Bonjour, Pierre,” called Diana. “Bonjour,” Pierre mumbled sleepily. Pierre was a native of this town, a quiet seaside resort in the south of France. As a local and a baker of many years, Pierre was less excited about getting up at 4 a.m. Diana had first heard about Pierre’s bakery when she was watching television at home in the United States. There was a show that toured the world, highlighting the best foods to be found. Diana had watched the host’s face light up when she tasted one of Pierre’s buttery croissants. Diana had wanted to make people feel that happy. For years, she had known that she wanted to be a cook. When all of her friends were looking at colleges, Diana had stared at the websites of culinary schools. She went to the program at the local community college, and there she discovered her gift for baking. Baking was different from cooking. Baking was precise; it required attention. Measure just one of the ingredients wrongly and the entire batch would be ruined. You could be creative in baking, but you had to follow the rules carefully. It was like writing a sonnet. As part of her program, Diana had to take on an apprenticeship. For six months she needed to work with a master baker, learning skills from him or her. The hours would be long and the work would be hard, but it would be an invaluable opportunity. All of the best bakers learned through apprenticeships. Diana knew that she wanted to be an apprentice to Pierre. Now, kneading the bread in the kitchen, Diana was sure she had made the right decision. It had been three months, and already she was a better baker than many of her teachers back home. She had learned the light touch and quick reactions necessary for working with dough. Her biceps were defined from the hours of kneading bread and lifting heavy sacks of flour. Today was the halfway point of her apprenticeship, and that meant there was a test. Diana didn’t know what the test would be like, but she could tell it wouldn’t be easy. Pierre was wide awake now, looking at her out of the corner of his eye, judging whether or not she was ready. “Diana!” he called. “Do you know what today is?” “Halfway through my apprenticeship,” she said. “That’s right,” Pierre responded. “Today is the first exam. If you do well, you will move on to more difficult tasks and will receive more responsibility. If not…” He looked at her seriously. “If you do not pass this exam, you will continue your apprenticeship at another bakery.” Diana felt her breath shorten. She felt like she was doing well, but who knew if her work was up to Pierre’s standards? She couldn’t imagine leaving now, just as she was building a home there. She finally knew some of the customers’ names, and she had just mastered the signature pain au raisin of the bakery. Pierre placed a list in front of her. It was the full list of the bakery’s supply for the day. “Today you do all of the baking. Alone,” he said. Diana felt dizzy—that was several hundred pastries and loaves of bread. Usually, it was Pierre, her, and another apprentice. Well, there was no time to waste. Diana began to work furiously, mixing together flour, kneading loaves, folding pastry. She began to lose track of how many racks she was putting into the oven and which loaves of bread were ready to be pulled out. She glanced at the clock—7:00 a.m.! The bakery was supposed to open in one hour, and there was no way she could be done. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the other apprentice. “Marie? Can you come in and help? There’s just no way I can do this myself.” Marie hurried over to the bakery, and together they managed to get the bakery supply ready on time. But even though the customers were smiling, Diana was holding back tears. She knew that she had been unable to pass the exam and now would be sent elsewhere. At the end of the day, Pierre arrived. “Diana,” he said. “Pierre, I’m so sorry—” she began, but he cut her off. “You have passed the exam!” he said, beaming. Diana put out a hand to brace herself on the counter. Pierre explained: “It’s impossible for one person to do all of that work. You passed because providing good bread to the customers was more important to you than your own prestige. That’s what makes a good baker.” Diana smiled. She hadn’t imagined the test would be so hard, but at least it confirmed what she already knew: she was meant to be a baker.

6

Where does Diana arrive early on a Tuesday morning?

A. a bakery B. a culinary school C. a community college D. a seaside resort

A

What problem does Diana face in this story?

A. Diana is supposed to take on an apprenticeship, but she cannot find a baker who will accept her as an apprentice. B. Diana is supposed to learn all of the customers' names, but she can only remember some of them. C. Diana is supposed to do all the baking alone, but there is too much for her to do by herself. D. Diana is supposed to bake pastries and loaves of bread, but she only knows how to bake loaves of bread.

C

Read these sentences from the text. That’s right,' Pierre responded. 'Today is the first exam. If you do well, you will move on to more difficult tasks and will receive more responsibility. If not...' He looked at her seriously. 'If you do not pass this exam, you will continue your apprenticeship at another bakery.' Diana felt her breath shorten. She felt like she was doing well, but who knew if her work was up to Pierre’s standards? She couldn’t imagine leaving now, just as she was building a home there. She finally knew some of the customers’ names, and she had just mastered the signature pain au raisin of the bakery. Based on the evidence in these sentences, how does Diana probably feel about the exam?

A. Diana probably feels nervous. B. Diana probably feels confident. C. Diana probably feels eager. D. Diana probably feels angry.

A

What conclusion does Diana draw after calling Marie for help?

A. Diana concludes that she has failed the exam. B. Diana concludes that Marie will be sent to another bakery. C. Diana concludes that she should go back to the United States. D. Diana concludes that she has passed the exam.

A

What is a theme of this story?

A. If you are not kind to other people, they will not be kind to you. B. You should put other people before yourself. C. You should always tell the truth, even if it hurts someone's feelings. D. If you work hard enough, you can accomplish anything on your own.

B

Read these sentences from the text. Diana had first heard about Pierre’s bakery when she was watching television at home in the United States. There was a show that toured the world, highlighting the best foods to be found. Diana had watched the host’s face light up when she tasted one of Pierre’s buttery croissants. Diana had wanted to make people feel that happy. What does the phrase "light up" mean here?

A. suddenly express happiness B. suddenly turn on C. slowly start to sweat D. slowly change color

A

Read this sentence from the text. Baking was precise; it required attention. How could this sentence be rewritten without changing its meaning?

A. Baking was precise, yet it required attention. B. Baking was precise before it required attention. C. Baking was precise; however, it required attention. D. Baking was precise, and it required attention.

D

It Would Be Hard to Smile at a Smilodon

Ten thousand years ago, planet Earth was experiencing rapid change, especially in its climate. Over the course of the previous hundred thousand years, a large portion of the globe was covered in glaciers, which are incredibly large sheets of ice that can be the size of continents. This occurred because the earth’s temperature was much colder than it is today. However, as the planet began to warm up, the glaciers melted away and could only exist in the parts of the planet that remained cold, like the North and South Poles. Scientists have discovered many fossils from that period, which shows that a large number of species became extinct because they were unable to adapt. In other words, strange looking bones and remains of animals have been found underground. The fact that so many of them are from a similar time in history means that they could not change along with the climate. These fossils make it possible for people today to understand what Earth was like more than ten thousand years ago and perhaps the best examples of this are the found fossils of the Sabre-toothed tiger. The animal that is most often called a Sabre-toothed tiger is actually called the “Smilodon” by scientists. More recent studies show that, though the animal looked a lot like a tiger, it is not a direct ancestor of the planet’s tigers of today. So, more and more often, scientists are using the term “cat” to describe it instead of “tiger.” The first thing a person would notice looking at the fossils of a Smilodon are its teeth. In the front of its mouth, the Smilodon had two incredibly large teeth that stretched for twelve inches below its upper lip. The Smilodon had developed these teeth, called “canines,” for hunting and eating purposes. The Smilodon was also covered in fur, which helped it to survive in the very cold northern sections of the earth, as well as the warmer forest areas of what is now called South America. The fur kept the inside of the Smilodon’s body the same temperature, no matter what it felt like on the outside. The Smilodon was able to use its large teeth to eat other animals, keeping itself alive. Many times, the Smilodon feasted on the meat of something it had hunted, making it a predator and a carnivore. Scientists believe that the Smilodon would also have used its canines to eat any animal they happen to find dead in the wilderness, which would also mean it could be called a scavenger. Smilodon, like a lot of mammals of its time, had a small brain. It is thought that they might not have traveled in packs nor had a lot of friends. Instead, it is likely that Smilodons would frequently fight with each other over animals to eat. And their living prey was probably not very fast or large. The Smilodon used to wait for another animal to come close to them without realizing it before they would attack. The Smilodon would not run far for prey to eat, many times choosing small, slow, and possibly young ones - the children of other animals! Scientists feel that there are many possible reasons that led to the extinction of the Smilodon, all of which are highly debated. Some think it was due to climate change. As the air began to heat up quickly around planet Earth, animals needed to adapt. Some feel the Smilodon failed to do so. When the earth’s temperature changed, so did the habitats that animals lived in. Many found cooler areas to travel to or died off. So, the Smilodon had a disappearing food supply. The early human beings also began to hunt around this time. Many animals had to become quicker than they were before in order to survive. This included the prey Smilodon had fed on for thousands of years. Many of the animals became too quick for the Smilodon to capture. Scientists have also discovered that much disease spread throughout the area where the Smilodon lived, which also killed off many of the local prey for the Smilodons. Finally, it is believed that if any Smilodons happened to have their teeth break, they would not have been able to live very long. Their teeth were the single most important things they used for survival. Unfortunately for them, they had weak jawbones because they had to use them so much when feeding. Many died after breaking those jaws. Though they might not have been very smart or fast, they had those dangerous, long and sharp teeth, and they were probably one of the most feared creatures on the planet when they lived. If a person were to find one today, it would be hard to smile at a Smilodon!

6

Science: Life Science

Based on recent studies, Smilodons can be best described as what?

A. tigers B. cats C. elephants D. lions

B

Smilodons became extinct about 10,000 years ago. What possible cause of this extinction was explained in the passage?

A. they were hunted by humans B. disease that killed the Smilodon C. climate change D. competition over food from other hunters

C

Read the following sentences from the passage: “And their living prey was probably not very fast or large. The Smilodon used to wait for another animal to come close to them without realizing it before they would attack. The Smilodon would not run far for prey to eat, many times choosing small, slow, and possibly young ones - the children of other animals!” Based on this information, what can be concluded?

A. Smilodons didn’t have to be sneaky to catch their prey. B. Smilodons were not fast hunters. C. Smilodons preferred to eat larger animals. D. Smilodons had a hard time finding food.

B

Based on the passage, which of the following is true about the Smilodon?

A. They got along well with other Smilodons. B. They were very aggressive animals. C. They did not look very threatening. D. They were located in one section of the Earth.

B

What is this passage mainly about?

A. why the Smilodon became extinct B. the canine teeth of a Smilodon C. an extinct mammal known as the Smilodon D. climate change that occurred 10,000 years ago

C

The author ends the passage with the following paragraph: “Though they might not have been very smart or fast, they had those dangerous, long and sharp teeth, which made them one of the most feared creatures on the planet when they lived. If a person were to find one today, it would be hard to smile at a Smilodon!” Why does the author end the paragraph with that specific sentence?

A. to inform the reader that Smilodons could be found living on Earth today B. to emphasize that Smilodons had canine teeth C. to indicate that although Smilodons looked scary, they were probably harmless D. to emphasize how scary the Smilodon would be, and to entertain the reader with the word “smile” when talking about a Smilodon

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Smilodons were probably not very fast or large ________ many times they hunted prey that was slow and small.

A. so B. although C. but D. however

A

All the Pieces Matter

Jason stared at the whiteboard at the front of the classroom, trying to make sense of what he saw there. Mr. Freamon had drawn a complicated diagram of all the creatures living in the nearby Ho Tep Wildlife Reserve. Every type of living thing, from trees and insects to mammals and birds, was written down and circled on the board. Arrows snaked around the board, connecting the circles, showing which creatures depended on which other creatures to survive. Though he had been hiking out in Ho Tep plenty of times, Jason had never given much thought to the animals and other wildlife he had seen out there. He’d never thought about how the amount of rainfall affected the amount of moisture in the soil, which affected how well plants could grow, which affected the ability of the animals that ate those plants to survive. It was enough to make his head swim a little. Jason wasn’t the only one who was confused. Mr. Freamon could tell that his students were all struggling to make sense of the mess of connections drawn out on the board. He smiled and stopped drawing for a moment to speak to the class. “Take a deep breath,” Mr. Freamon said. “You don’t need to memorize what’s on the board. If you’re going to take away one thing from this lesson, let it be this: All the pieces matter. Every ecosystem on Earth depends on a delicate balance among all of the different forms of life within it.” Adriana raised her hand and asked why that was. “Well,” Mr. Freamon said, “in any ecosystem, all of the creatures within it are competing for the same resources: food, water and shelter—the basic needs of every living thing. There’s only so much to go around, so creatures have to compete with other creatures to get what they need. And since they all go about it in a unique way, all of the creatures in an ecosystem end up depending on one another. Let me give you an example. “Remember that video we watched last week? With the wolves killing the elk at Yellowstone National Park?” Everyone nodded. “And how many of you thought that the wolves were mean for killing those elk?” About half the students raised their hands, but Jason kept his hand down. Wild animals will do what they do, he thought. The idea of meanness never enters into it. They act on instinct. “Consider this, then,” Mr. Freamon continued. “Without the wolves in the park to keep the elk population in check, the elk would have eaten all of the aspen and willow in the park. Not only would those plants be gone, but the other animals that depend on them to survive, would have been out of luck too. All the pieces matter.” After class that day, Jason went home and looked up “ecosystem resilience” on the Internet. He found a lot of interesting links about different ecosystems that had changed rapidly because one of the pieces had been taken out of the puzzle, as Mr. Freamon would have put it. In Africa, people hunted lions and leopards and reduced their population, leading to higher populations of a certain type of baboon. That had led, somehow, to higher rates of parasites in baboons and people. And along some coasts, human activity had reduced the sea otter population. The sea otters ate sea urchins that ate kelp from massive kelp forests. Without the sea otters to keep them in check, the kelp started to disappear. The whole idea was starting to make sense to Jason. It was basically like dominoes—all the pieces lined up, and if you knocked one down, it would knock down the next one, which would knock down the one after that, until they all went down. Of course, it was a lot more complicated than that, but that was the basic idea. The next time Jason went to Ho Tep Wildlife Reserve, on a camping trip with his dad, he made a point of observing the wildlife. He spent twenty minutes watching a copperhead snake slither across the forest floor, wondering about its role in the larger system. Through his binoculars, he watched a robin build its nest near the top of an oak tree. He imagined the robin catching insects to bring back to the nest to feed her chicks. He thought about how the roots of the tree reached way down into the soil to drink the moisture there. It really was fascinating how everything fit together. Later, when he was back at school, he asked Mr. Freamon about the ecosystem at Ho Tep. He mentioned how he thought about the trees and how they were rooted in the soil. “It’s funny you should mention that, Jason,” Mr. Freamon said. “You know, without those trees to anchor the soil, Ho Tep would still be a desert, like it was thousands of years ago.” “You mean Ho Tep hasn’t always been a forest?” “No, it hasn’t. For a long time it was a desert—a totally different ecosystem. But over time, things changed,” Mr. Freamon said. “What things?” Jason asked. “Weather patterns, for one. There probably wasn’t a lot of rain falling on that area for a long time. But as that changed, there was more moisture in the soil. Enough for flowering plants to begin to take root, and eventually trees,” replied Mr. Freamon. “And once there are trees, there’s shelter for birds and other animals,” Jason said. “Exactly right,” Mr. Freamon said. “You’ve got the idea.” “Does that mean that we can deliberately change an ecosystem? Turn a desert into a forest, or something like that?” Mr. Freamon smiled. “Well, it isn’t that simple. Nature has a way of changing itself, but it takes a very long time, and it doesn’t have an end goal in mind. Ecosystems fall apart, and then eventually find a new way to rebuild. But that’s not quite the same as planning out a change. “There are so many variables to consider— not only things like trees and birds, but the bacteria and other creatures you can only see with a microscope. Not to mention, we haven’t exactly figured out how to change the weather.” “So we’ve never changed an ecosystem?” Jason asked. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Mr. Freamon said. “We’ve changed plenty of ecosystems all right. Except when humans change an ecosystem, it’s usually not deliberate. Usually it’s because clearing out land to build things drives out other creatures.” “Well, it’s like you always say: humans are a part of nature too, right?” “Exactly right, Jason,” Mr. Freamon said. “That’s exactly right.”

6

Science: Life Science

According to Mr. Freamon, creatures within an ecosystem compete for which resources?

A. shelter and plants B. water and animals C. food, water, and shelter D. plants and animals

C

What is the setting at the beginning of the story?

A. Jason’s school B. Ho Tep Wildlife Reserve C. a desert D. Africa

A

When Jason gets home he looks up “ecosystem resilience” on the Internet. Which conclusion can you draw from this evidence?

A. All the students looked up “ecosystem resilience” when they got home from school. B. Jason is trying to understand the concept Mr. Freamon introduced in class. C. Jason is rarely allowed to use the Internet at home. D. Jason has an assignment on “ecosystem resilience” in another class.

B

Based on the passage, what is an ecosystem?

A. the living things and environment of a certain area B. only the living things of a certain area C. only the environment of a certain area D. a forest

A

What is the passage mainly about?

A. the ecosystem in the Ho Tep Wildlife Reserve B. Jason learning about how everything in nature is connected C. the relationship that develops between Jason and his dad on their camping trip D. how Ho Tep changed from a desert to a forest

B

Read the following sentences from the second paragraph of the story: “He’d never thought about how the amount of rainfall affected the amount of moisture in the soil, which affected how well plants could grow, which affected the ability of the animals that ate those plants to survive. It was enough to make his head swim a little.” What does the author mean when he writes that all the new information “was enough to make his head swim a little”?

A. Jason loves swimming. B. Jason does not like learning about nature. C. Jason understands the new information perfectly. D. Jason is confused.

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Everything in nature is connected; _________, sea otters, sea urchins, and kelp populations all affect each other.

A. on the other hand B. earlier C. for example D. but

C

Intertwining Memories

Debra holds tightly to the railing as she walks down the stairs. These stairs belong to her 90-year-old grandmother, Nana Kay. Debra has been coming to this house since the week she was born. Nana has lived in this house for over 60 years. The railing's cherry wood is smooth and reflective. At the end of the railing is a curved circle. Deb loves this shape, like a snail's shell. It's called a curlicue. When she was younger, she could fit her whole hand inside the curlicue, run it along all the edges with room to spare. Now, she can only fit a couple of fingers along the slick, circular curve. How she has grown! As a 5-year-old, Debra would press her cheek against the cool, slick wood. Then she would carefully sit herself up on the railing and put her arms out to the side, like she was flying. She called this “playing airplane.” Nana used to scold her for it. “Come down from there!” Nana would say, sternly. “You'll fall down the stairs!” Debra never felt like she was going to fall, but Nana didn't know that. That was 15 years ago. Debra is 20 now. This is the home Nana was married in, where she had two children—Debra's father and her aunt. All were born here. Old photos of her father as a young boy hang on the wall, some in the same spot, along the same stairs. Photos of Debra hang there, too. Pictures of her in the hospital on the day she was born, wearing a tiny white bracelet with her name on it. No matter how hard she tries, Debra doesn't remember being born. She doesn't remember wearing that bracelet or having that picture taken. But there it is, hanging on the wall. She was there, even if she can't remember it. The photo remembers for her. There's also a photo of her father in the hospital at the age of 5, in a hospital gown, smiling and eating ice cream. Debra doesn't know why he was in the hospital. She assumes he had his tonsils removed. Today, the family is packing all these photos away. They are packing up everything and moving out. Nana has gotten too old to stay here all by herself now. She's going to a new home. It's called Pine Bluffs. It's a complex of apartments, specifically for the elderly, where people can look after her. There are three bedrooms upstairs, but recently, Nana took to sleeping on the couch in the living room. She said the house was too big and empty, and she didn't like going up and down the stairs. The truth is, she couldn't climb the stairs safely anymore. Last week, Nana lost her footing on the bottom stair. She slipped and fell, but didn't fall far. She wasn't hurt—thankfully—but the family knew it was time to get her a smaller place. So now Nana is being moved to Pine Bluffs. In Pine Bluffs, there are no difficult stairs; no lonely, empty rooms. In Nana's new home, there will be a bus to take her to the supermarket or the doctor. She will have close friends and neighbors. There will be a community room just off the lobby, with a piano and a television. Nana won't be lonely in her new home. But there won't be any memories there, either. No more railing or fireplace. No more tiny flap in the cellar door so the cat may come and go as she pleases. As Debra walks down the stairs, she removes framed photographs of her father as a teenager and packs them away in a box. As she pulls the photos off the wall, they leave clean squares on the wallpaper behind them. One photo, one sheet of bubble wrap, another photo on top. She packs carefully. When Debra was a very young girl, she looked at these photos of her father as a teenager and thought he looked so old and wise. Now, she's older than he is in these photos. He was 18 when he moved out of the house and went to college. Holding photographs of her father as a young boy, she feels like she has entered a time machine. She knows everything about him now, but the young boy in these photos couldn't possibly have known that one day he would have Debra as a daughter. Sometimes, Debra stops packing and pops one of the bubbles on the bubble wrap. It is a familiar sound and feeling—a tiny gush of air between her two fingers. It's there for only a second, and then it's gone. The air disappears but the memory stays. She imagines it over and over again. Pop. Gush. Pop. Deb figures that this memory is the same for everyone. All children pop bubble wrap, don't they? And, later in life, all adults probably pop bubble wrap to remember what it was like to be a child. She thinks this must be a universal joy: the joy of popping bubbles. Does everyone feel what she feels? Remember what she remembers? The stairs Debra used to slide down when no one was looking—they've become a hazard to Nana now. Deb looks up the stairs and imagines herself at the age of 5, sliding down the railing as if she were invincible. Back then, she thought she could never be hurt. She puts herself in Nana's shoes for a moment. Imagines what it would feel like to stand at the bottom of these stairs and watch a small child sliding down the bannister. Arms outstretched, holding onto nothing. No concept of fear. A shiver passes through her. She feels short of breath. It must have been so frightening to look up and see a 5-year-old playing on the stairs so carelessly. Debra closes her eyes. She can feel it all now. She feels the sensation of flying down the stairs. Then, the time machine comes back. Her memories mix with the present day. What it felt like to slide down the railing is tempered by current wisdom. That's not safe! If only she knew back then what she knows now! That was such a foolish game to play. Nothing but luck stopped her from breaking bones. Fifteen years ago, Nana stood where she stands now. Their roles were reversed. “I wish I had been here to help you when you fell, Nana,” Debra says out loud to herself. “You were always there for me, to stop me from getting hurt. But now, you are the one who ended up needing me.” Debra walks into the living room where Nana had been sleeping. The couch is still made up like a bed, with fluffy pillows and a pretty floral comforter. The furniture is being removed by movers, but the couch will be the last thing they pack. Deb walks over to the fireplace, cold and empty. When she touches the marble mantle, she is shocked by a very, very old memory. It comes back to her all at once. She was 3 years old. She remembers that Nana was shouting. “That's hot! That's fire!” And something hot and bright was raining down on her. Some sort of sparks, she recalls. Debra had gotten too close to the fireplace. This is one of her earliest memories: the spatter of burning wood, the embers that flew at her dress. She remembers, too, how her father scooped her up, saving her. “That was so very close,” she remembers hearing her father say. Tears welled up in his eyes. He was crying for what could have happened, not what did happen. She had never seen him so scared. Yes, she remembers it all vividly now, touching the same fireplace. How had she forgotten about it up until just this moment? And that was when it all made sense—the photo of her father in the hospital, eating ice cream. He hadn’t had his tonsils removed, as she’d assumed. He had been burned by the fireplace! And that's why he was crying when he rescued her from the fireplace. He saved her from being hurt, too. The memories of this old house are also her father's memories. They're Nana's memories, and everyone else who has ever walked through here. Now the movers will have memories of this home as well. She runs her hand along the walls and wonders how different her memories must be from someone else's, or how similar. Every day in her life was also a day in someone else's life. Their worlds intertwine. She touches the railing and remembers the feeling of flying. She says goodbye to this old home.

6

What is Debra doing throughout the story?

A. eating ice cream in the hospital B. unpacking Nana Kay’s furniture C. imagining her life in the future D. recalling different memories

D

What is the setting of the story?

A. Pine Bluffs B. Nana Kay’s old home C. a hospital D. Debra’s new home

B

Read the following sentences: “‘I wish I had been here to help you when you fell, Nana,’ Debra says out loud to herself. ‘You were always there for me, to stop me from getting hurt. But now, you are the one who ended up needing me.’” Based on Debra’s statement, how does she most likely feel about Nana Kay’s fall?

A. Debra feels guilty about not having been able to prevent Nana Kay from falling. B. Debra feels it was Nana Kay’s fault that she slipped and fell down. C. Debra feels indifferent about not having been able to prevent Nana Kay from falling. D. Debra feels horrified about not having been able to prevent Nana Kay from falling.

A

What makes Debra recall different memories from her life?

A. a conversation she has with her dad B. a conversation she has with Nana Kay C. objects in Nana Kay’s home D. sounds in Nana Kay’s home

C

What is this story mainly about?

A. the changes one experiences in old age B. Debra’s relationship with her family and her reflections on the nature of memory C. the dangers Debra and her family members have faced throughout their childhoods D. how roles reverse among different family members with the progression of time

B

Read the following sentences: “She runs her hand along the walls and wonders how different her memories must be from someone else's, or how similar. Every day in her life was also a day in someone else's life. Their worlds intertwine .” As used in the passage, what does the word “intertwine” most nearly mean?

A. to connect closely B. to stay far apart C. to start conflict D. to grow quickly

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. After reminiscing about her childhood, her father, and Nana Kay, Debra _________ realizes that everyone’s different memories of Nana’s house are intertwined.

A. initially B. ultimately C. yet D. instead

B

Wings in the Dark

Some people might think Geraldine Griswold is batty. Some say she has bats in her belfry. Griswold doesn't mind the jokes. She loves bats. All types of bats: big bats, small bats, brown bats, fruit bats, even vampire bats. In fact, she currently has about 20 bats hanging around at her home. She doesn't live in a bat cave. Griswold, who is a traffic reporter for a radio station by day, runs a "bat hospital" at her house in Connecticut by night. You won't find these little creatures stretched out on gurneys or in wheelchairs, but you might find one or two of them snuggling up to Griswold. At her home, Griswold cares for bats that are sick, injured, or orphaned. She has taken care of bats with injuries, such as a broken wing, as well as baby bats that have lost their mothers. She has also cared for bats that have become stranded for the winter because they didn't travel south before cold temperatures set in. With the help of a veterinarian, Griswold nurses these winged mammals back to health and then sets them free. Griswold is no stranger to bats. She grew up on a farm where bats were a common sight. So it was no surprise how quickly she took to an orphaned baby bat she found squeaking on the ground outside her house ten years ago. She took in the bat and fed it milk from a goat on her farm. To her delight, the little creature survived the night. Today, the bat-which she named Poppy-still lives with her. Griswold didn't release Poppy back into the wild because the bat is used to living with people. Griswold doesn't keep Poppy all to herself. Poppy is one of the winged creatures that she takes with her on school visits. This Halloween she is speaking at a school in Connecticut. Griswold teaches kids about bats. She is on a mission to change the animal's bad reputation. Many people associate bats with Dracula, the evil vampire who transforms himself into a bat before sucking the blood from unsuspecting victims. Bats aren't evil, however. Despite what many people believe, bats don't get tangled in people's hair, and they are not blind. "Bats are so misunderstood," Griswold told Weekly Reader. Many people, she says, are afraid of bats, but they are actually gentle creatures that are important to the environment. Bats pollinate plants, spread seeds, and, most important, eat insects-including pesky, disease-carrying mosquitoes. "There is no animal worldwide that eats more bugs at night than bats do," said Griswold, who is full of bat trivia. For example, the 20 million to 50 million bats that live in Bracken Cave near San Antonio eat 250 tons of insects a night. Griswold said that's equal to all those bats eating the weight of about 12 Asian elephants! The Bracken bats, which can fly up to 10,000 feet high and at speeds of 60 miles per hour, have boomerang-shaped wings. The number of bats worldwide is in serious decline. They often lose their homes when people cut down trees or destroy their roosts in caves. That's why Griswold tries to educate kids about bats. After she spoke to a local Brownie troop, the group's members built bat houses in their town. The project turned into a community effort. Bat houses sprung up all over town, providing homes, or habitats, for these creatures. "The kids are making such a huge difference," she said. Vampire bats can be found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. They drink blood, but it's usually from cattle and horses. A sensor on the bat's nose helps it find blood close to the surface of its victim's skin. Egyptian fruit bats live mainly in Asia, and Africa. They eat fruit and nectar. Their long noses help them locate ripe fruit. Fruit bats use their sharp teeth to chew fruit and extract the seeds. The spotted bat's ears are almost as long as its head and body. It uses its ears to detect insects. The spotted bat, which is found in parts of North America, feeds mainly on moths.

6

Science: Life Science

What does Geraldine Griswold run at her house in Connecticut by night?

A. a bat cave B. a radio station C. a "bat hospital" D. the traffic report

C

The author divides the text into sections using subheadings. What does the author describe in the section with the subheading "A Bat Rap"?

A. the decline in the number of bats worldwide B. Griswold's experience with caring for bats C. correct information people generally believe about bats D. incorrect information people generally believe about bats

D

Read this sentence from the text: "Bats pollinate plants, spread seeds, and, most important, eat insects--including pesky, disease-carrying mosquitoes." What inference about bats does this information support?

A. Bats can be very helpful to other species, including humans. B. Bats can be very harmful to other species, including humans. C. The number of bats worldwide is in serious decline. D. The 20 million to 50 million bats that live in Bracken Cave near San Antonio eat 250 tons of insects a night.

A

What will probably happen to the populations of insects bats normally eat as the bats' habitats are threatened?

A. The populations of insects will probably decrease. B. The populations of insects will probably increase. C. The populations of insects will probably stay the same. D. The populations of insects will probably disappear.

B

What is this text mostly about?

A. Griswold's "bat hospital" B. bats and Griswold's efforts to help them C. dangers bats face D. incorrect information people believe about bats

B

Read these sentences from the text: "Griswold is no stranger to bats. She grew up on a farm where bats were a common sight. So it was no surprise how quickly she took to an orphaned baby bat she found squeaking on the ground outside her house ten years ago. She took in the bat and fed it milk from a goat on her farm." What does the phrase "took to" mean in this sentence?

A. moved to another place B. became afraid of C. grew to hate D. grew to like

D

Read these sentences from the text: "Many people associate bats with Dracula, the evil vampire who transforms himself into a bat before sucking the blood from unsuspecting victims. Bats aren't evil, however." What word could replace "however" in the final sentence without changing its meaning?

A. therefore B. though C. thus D. then

B

Save the Whales

“Save the whales!” That’s what the bumper sticker on the Smiths’ car read. It was an abstract idea, of course. Jake liked having the sticker make a statement. He just never expected to get a chance to save a real whale, one right in his own neighborhood. It was a Saturday morning when the newspaper first reported the whale sightings. A pod of the mammals were swimming close to shore. Everyone around the beach town rushed out to the shore to see them. They were expecting a beautiful show, better than a movie, but nothing they’d have to do anything about. Then one whale swam toward them, right at the shoreline. It came in with the waves, and when the waves receded, it stayed. Its massive body rested on the sand. Suddenly, Jake and his family and all the others were no longer sightseers. They had to become rescuers. A few people ran toward the animal. They pushed and tried to force the whale back into the water, but it was no use. An animal rescue squad soon arrived in a truck with cranes and huge stretchers to help move the huge animal. Jake and his family couldn’t do much on the beach, so they went back to their house and made sandwiches and hot tea to bring to the rescuers. At least, Jake thought, they could help in some way. Back at the beach, they offered the food to the rescuers and were happy to see that it was needed. It was getting dark. Some people lined up their cars to keep the headlights shining on the beach. The rescuers would not give up. As the tide came in, they heaved the whale into the surf. They cheered when it headed out to sea. It swam out about a mile and then disappeared for a moment under the sea. Then, in what looked like a leap of joy, it rose in an arc over the water—a sight that was their reward for helping.

6

Science: Life Science

How did Jake’s family first learn of the whale sightings?

A. They saw a story about the sightings on television. B. They read about the sightings in the newspaper. C. They heard about the sightings from a neighbor. D. They read about the sightings on the Internet.

B

The passage describes the problem of a whale becoming beached. All of the following were ways the problem was solved EXCEPT

A. some people shined their headlights on the beach when it got dark B. Jake and his family brought the rescuers sandwiches and tea C. Jake and his family helped push the whale into the surf D. an animal rescue squad heaved the whale back into the sea

C

After reading the passage, what can you conclude about Jake?

A. He is afraid of being so close to whales. B. He has done whale rescues before. C. He does not know how to swim. D. He is a helpful and caring person.

D

Read this sentence from the passage: “It came in with the waves, and when the waves receded, it stayed.” Based on the text, the word receded means

A. came forward B. stopped working C. moved back D. became warmer

C

The primary purpose of this passage is to describe

A. why a pod of whales would swim so close to the shore B. how people react when facing a challenging problem C. how Jake’s family helped to save a whale D. the training needed to become an animal rescuer

C

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. _____ the whale headed back to sea, it jumped out of the water in what looked like a leap of joy.

A. Yet B. But C. As D. For

C

Puss in Boots

There was once a Miller, who, at his death, had nothing to leave to his three sons except his mill, his donkey, and his cat. The eldest son took the mill, the second took the donkey—and as for the youngest, all that remained for him was the cat. The youngest son grumbled at this. "My brothers," said he, "will be able to earn an honest living; but when I have eaten my cat and sold his skin I shall die of hunger." The Cat, who was sitting beside him, overheard this. "Nay, Master," he said, "don't take such a gloomy view of things. If you will get me a pair of boots made so that I can walk through the brambles without hurting my feet, and give me a bag, you shall soon see what I am worth." The Cat's master was so surprised to hear his Cat talking, that he at once got him what he wanted. The Cat drew on the boots and slung the bag round his neck and set off for a rabbit warren. When he got there he filled his bag with bran and lettuces, and stretching himself out beside it as if dead, waited until some young rabbit should be tempted into the bag. This happened very soon. A fat, thoughtless rabbit went in headlong, and the Cat at once jumped up, pulled the strings and killed him. Puss was very proud of his success, and, going to the King's palace, he asked to speak to the King. When he was shown into the King's presence he bowed respectfully, and, laying the rabbit down before the throne, he said— "Sire, here is a rabbit, which my master, the Marquis of Carabas, desires me to present to your Majesty." "Tell your master," said the King, "that I accept his present, and am very much obliged to him." A few days later, the Cat went and hid himself in a cornfield and laid his bag open as before. This time two splendid partridges were lured into the trap, and these also he took to the Palace and presented to the King from the Marquis of Carabas. The King was very pleased with this gift, and ordered the messenger of the Marquis of Carabas to be handsomely rewarded. For two or three months the Cat went on in this way, carrying game every day to the Palace, and saying it was sent by the Marquis of Carabas. At last the Cat happened to hear that the King was going to take a drive on the banks of the river, with his daughter, the most beautiful Princess in the world. He at once went to his master. "Master," said he, "if you follow my advice, your fortune will be made. Go and bathe in the river at a place I shall show you, and I will do the rest." "Very well," said the Miller's son, and he did as the Cat told him. When he was in the water, the Cat took away his clothes and hid them, and then ran to the road, just as the King's coach went by, calling out as loudly as he could— "Help, help! The Marquis of Carabas will be drowned." The King looked out of the carriage window, and when he saw the Cat who had brought him so many fine rabbits and partridges, he ordered his bodyguards to fly at once to the rescue of the Marquis of Carabas. Then the Cat came up to the carriage and told the King that while his master was bathing some robbers had stolen all his clothes. The King immediately ordered one of his own magnificent suits of clothes to be taken to the Marquis; so when the Miller's son appeared before the monarch and his daughter, he looked so handsome, and was so splendidly attired, that the Princess fell in love with him on the spot. The King was so struck with his appearance that he insisted upon his getting into the carriage to take a drive with them. The Cat, delighted with the way his plans were turning out, ran on before. He reached a meadow where some peasants were making hay. "Good people," said he, "if you do not tell the King, when he comes this way, that the meadow you are mowing belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped up into little pieces." When the King came by, he stopped to ask the haymakers to whom the meadow belonged. "To the Marquis of Carabas, if it please Your Majesty," answered they, trembling, for the Cat's threat had frightened them terribly. The Cat, who continued to run before the carriage, now came to some reapers. "Good people," said he, "if you do not tell the King that all this corn belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, you shall all be chopped up into little pieces." The King again stopped to ask to whom the land belonged, and the reapers, obedient to the Cat's command, answered— "To the Marquis of Carabas, please Your Majesty." And all the way the Cat kept running on before the carriage, repeating the same instructions to all the laborers he came to; so that the King became very astonished at the vast possessions of the Marquis of Carabas. At last the Cat arrived at a great castle, where an Ogre lived who was very rich, for all the lands through which the King had been riding were part of his estate. The Cat knocked at the castle door, and asked to see the Ogre. The Ogre received him very civilly, and asked him what he wanted. "If you please, sir," said the Cat, "I have heard that you have the power of changing yourself into any sort of animal you please—and I came to see if it could possibly be true." "So I have," replied the Ogre, and in a moment he turned himself into a lion. This gave the Cat a great fright, and he scrambled up the curtains to the ceiling. "Indeed, sir," he said, "I am now quite convinced of your power to turn yourself into such a huge animal as a lion; but I do not suppose you can change yourself into a small one—such as a mouse, for instance?" "Indeed, I can," cried the Ogre, indignantly; and in a moment the lion had vanished, while a little brown mouse frisked about the floor. In less than half a second the Cat sprang down from the curtains and, pouncing upon the mouse, ate him all up before the Ogre had time to return to any other shape. And when the King arrived at the castle gates, there stood the Cat upon the doorstep, bowing and saying— "Welcome to the castle of the Marquis of Carabas!" The Marquis helped the King and the Princess to alight, and the Cat led them into a great hall, where a feast had been spread for the Ogre. The King was so delighted with the good looks, the charming manners, and the great wealth of the Marquis of Carabas, that he said the Marquis must marry his daughter. The Marquis, of course, replied that he should be only too happy; and the very next day he and the Princess were married. As for the Cat, he was given the title of Puss-in-Boots, and ever after only caught mice for his own amusement.

6

What did the Miller leave to his youngest son?

A. his mill B. his donkey C. his rabbit D. his cat

D

What is the main problem that the youngest son faces?

A. He does not know how to run the mill his father left him. B. He is poor and thinks he has no way to earn an honest living. C. A robber stole all his clothes while he was bathing. D. He cannot swim and might drown while bathing in the river.

B

The Cat is very clever. What evidence from the text supports this inference?

A. The Cat asked his master for boots and a bag. B. The Cat tricked the Ogre into turning into a small animal that the Cat could eat. C. The Cat knocked on the door of the Ogre's castle. D. The Cat happened to hear that the King was going to take a drive on the banks of the river.

B

Based on the evidence in the text, what might have motivated the Cat to trick the King and get a castle for his master?

A. The Cat hated the King and wanted to fool him. B. The Cat was angry and wanted to scare the laborers. C. The Cat was hungry and wanted to eat the Ogre. D. The Cat wanted to prove his worth to his master.

D

What is the theme of this story?

A. Treat others as you wish to be treated. B. Do not underestimate others. C. Do not make promises you cannot keep. D. It is important to be forgiving.

B

Why might the author have used the word "grumbled" to describe the youngest son's reaction to what his father left him?

A. to draw the reader's attention away from what the father left his other sons B. to clarify why the other sons may not have heard the youngest brother C. to suggest that the youngest son was displeased with what his father left him D. to convince the reader that the youngest son is being ungrateful

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence: The Cat scared the haymakers into telling the King that the meadow belonged to the Marquis of Carabas. _________, the King became very astonished at the vast possessions of the Marquis of Carabas.

A. As a result B. On the other hand C. As an illustration D. On the contrary

A

Broken Hearts

Serious heart defects can kill without warning — but they are very rare. Sept. 15, 2006: That was the day that Matt Nader’s heart stopped, his athletic dreams ended, and he got a second chance at life. The Texas teen was an all-American football player headed for the University of Texas Longhorns. But at a game during his senior year of high school, he experienced sudden cardiac arrest. “It felt like a grenade exploded in my chest,” Nader told Current Health. “Then I lost consciousness.” His heart had stopped beating, condemning him to almost certain death. What Happens During Cardiac Arrest The heart’s main job is to push oxygen-rich blood throughout the body and receive the blood back once the oxygen has been used. What makes the heart beat? Every pump needs a power source. In the heart’s case, special tissue sends electrical impulses through muscle fibers and causes them to contract, creating the heartbeat. During cardiac arrest, the heart stops, the person quickly loses consciousness, and pulse rate and blood pressure drop. Every second counts once the brain and other organs lose their oxygen supply. Most people will die if they don’t get help within four to six minutes. Only 8 percent who have cardiac arrest outside a hospital make it home again, according to the American Heart Association. What About Teens? Any death from cardiac arrest is tragic, but the death of a teen is especially devastating. Unfortunately, each year a small number of teens—often athletes—experience sudden cardiac arrest. In many cases, they have undiagnosed heart problems. In others, no explanation is ever found. Athletes seem to be at a slightly higher risk because physical activity may overtax a vulnerable heart. Dr. Barry Maron, a cardiologist with the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, maintains the Sudden Death in Athletes U.S. Registry. “Each year, about 75 young athletes die from sudden cardiac arrest,” he says. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 estimate, there are more than 21 million people ages 15 to 19. “These are highly tragic events,” Maron notes, “but fortunately rare.” The registry shows that a majority of those deaths were due to heart disease. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)—a dangerous thickening of the heart muscle—is the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes. “A normal heart has orderly sheets of muscle, but an HCM heart’s muscle fibers are intertwined irregularly,” explains Dr. Theodore Abraham, director of the Johns Hopkins Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic in Baltimore. “These irregular fibers and the associated scarring can interfere with a regular heartbeat.” That’s what happened to Connor Gwinn. On Feb. 22, 2009, the 18-year-old student at James Madison University in Virginia was jogging on an indoor track when he collapsed. A student in the next lane started CPR, while gym staff prepared to shock his heart with an automated external defibrillator (AED). After three shocks, Gwinn’s heart returned to a regular rhythm. “It turns out that both my 30-year- old brother and I have HCM and never knew it,” he says. “But I’d always gotten winded easily, and my face reddened during physical activity due to my thickened heart.” Nader’s heart seems normal, and his cardiac arrest has never been explained. As with Gwinn, CPR and a defibrillator saved him. “My school had bought an AED four years earlier but had never used it,” he says. “I wouldn’t be here if they didn’t have that AED.” Abraham recommends that all schools have defibrillators. “These lifesaving devices are basically foolproof,” he says. “All you do is apply the chest patches. The AED shocks only when needed.” Can Screening Help? Saving someone from cardiac arrest is wonderful, but preventing cardiac arrest would be even better. “If you just go by symptoms, you will not find a majority of kids with serious heart defects because most don’t have symptoms,” says Abraham. Gwinn’s symptoms, present for years, were mild, and Nader’s only complaint was unusual fatigue the day of his cardiac arrest. Abraham’s solution: screening instead of waiting for attacks. That is where the controversy begins. How do you screen for symptomless conditions? The American Heart Association suggests a physical exam and a family-history questionnaire for high school athletes, plus an electrocardiogram if justified. Abraham would add a heart ultrasound—a scan using sound waves—because, he says, some problems show up on one test but not others. Maron has some concerns about screening. He notes that most people who experience cardiac arrest are not athletes, so limiting it just to athletes would be discriminatory. Although electrocardiograms can identify people with disease, Maron says, they can also lead to unnecessary anxiety and additional tests. Finally, he asks an important question: Who will pay for it? “Health insurance companies do not,” Maron asserts. Plus, to screen every young person in the country may take more doctors and equipment than are available. “It’s not just a cost issue, it’s a resource issue,” explains Maron. Abraham acknowledges that the screening could cost up to $1,000 in a doctor’s office. So he launched the Hopkins Heart Hype Program with volunteer nurses and physicians, offering free screenings to high school athletes. “We can do a complete screening in 20 minutes,” Abraham says. “This [program] will let us know if focused, low-cost screening is as good as doing the full study. If true, screenings can then be done at one-tenth the usual cost.” After screening about 700 teens, Abraham’s team found five with life-threatening cardiac conditions. That may not sound like a lot. But the screenings also found dozens with other heart conditions. “They need to know this information and in some cases may need to see a doctor,” Abraham notes. A Second Chance As for Nader and Gwinn, both are in college enjoying life, now with tiny defibrillators implanted in their chests in case of another cardiac arrest. Gwinn enjoys being moderately active: “No marathon running or rock climbing for me, but I can jog lightly or do toning exercises.” Nader, 20, still works with his beloved Longhorns, now as a student assistant. “I’m here because people around me knew what to do,” he says. “I can’t even put my gratitude into words.” Save A Life: You Can Do It! Nearly 800 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest every day, according to the American Heart Association. It can happen anywhere—at home, at work, or in public places such as schools or airports. Fortunately, you can help. First, learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). That is a simple way to press on someone’s chest to pump blood to the heart and brain until an electrical shock can reset the heart into a steady rhythm. Your school may offer classes. If not, look for a class in your community from either the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. You should also learn how defibrillators work. Visit www.bethebeat.heart.org, an American Heart Association Web site that uses games and quizzes to teach the basics of CPR and defibrillators. There is even a downloadable playlist of CPR-friendly, 100-beat-per-minute songs. Connor Gwinn, who suffered sudden cardiac arrest in 2009, is grateful to the students who performed CPR on him and shocked his heart. “When we all saw each other later at a Red Cross banquet, we all burst into tears,” he says. “They did a wonderful thing for me.” Defibrillator Laws in Your State Many states require places such as schools and airports to install defibrillators. To find out whether your state does, visit www.ncsl.org and enter AEDs into the Web site’s search engine. Call 9-1-1! If you see someone collapse, get the pros there ASAP. If you’re alone, call 9-1-1 first, then start CPR. If someone else is there, one can call 9-1-1 while the other person starts CPR immediately.

6

Science: Life Science

All of the following happen during cardiac arrest EXCEPT

A. the blood pressure drops B. a loss of consciousness occurs C. the pulse rate drops D. the heart beats faster

D

The passage describes the problem of undiagnosed heart defects in teen athletes. What is one way that Dr. Theodore Abraham is working to solve the problem?

A. He is traveling to schools across the country to speak about heart disease. B. He launched a program that offers free screenings to high school athletes. C. He bought defibrillators and other lifesaving devices for hundreds of schools. D. He is making sure that all Americans receive electrocardiograms.

B

After reading the passage, what can you conclude about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)?

A. It takes years to learn how to perform CPR. B. The average person doesn’t need to learn CPR. C. Only medical experts should perform CPR. D. Anyone can learn this life-saving technique.

D

Read this sentence from the passage: “His heart had stopped beating, condemning him to almost certain death.” In this sentence, the word condemning means

A. rewarding for good behavior B. examining very carefully C. sentencing to punishment D. extending help to someone

C

Which statement best expresses the main idea of this passage?

A. Every second counts once the brain and other organs lose their oxygen supply. B. Matt Nader has not been able to play football since his cardiac arrest. C. A small number of teens experience sudden cardiac arrest each year. D. Most children with serious heart defects don’t exhibit any symptoms.

C

The question below has an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Eighteen-year-old Connor Gwinn collapsed _______ he was jogging on an indoor track.

A. while B. and C. but D. than

A

Adventure on a Hot Air Balloon

The wind is starting to blow stronger, and when you’re riding in a basket under a hot air balloon, just 400 feet above ground, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Keith Rodriguez looks to the horizon and squints. He had planned to take off from Scioto Downs, a horse racetrack south of Columbus, Ohio, fly a few miles north, and land his balloon in a barren cornfield next to his pickup truck. Then the wind changed. Instead of a light breeze from the south, now Rodriguez’s bright red balloon is getting hit by stronger, colder winds headed west. He has plenty of propane fuel in his tank—he probably could ride the wind halfway to Pennsylvania. But that would be dangerous. Rodriguez’s choice of landing sites just became very limited. As the balloon switches direction and floats east, everything below becomes a wide carpet of suburban sprawl—big-box stores, major highways, and strip malls. Beyond the stores lie forests. The only factor in Rodriguez’s favor is that it’s early, just after 7 a.m. The highways are filling up with people driving to work, but otherwise the morning is quiet and still. “Oh boy,” Rodriguez thinks. “If I don’t land, like now, this could get bad.” The balloon has no propeller or engine, so Rodriguez can’t change direction on his own—he’s entirely dependent on the wind. The only thing he controls is altitude. He does this by changing the air temperature inside the balloon. Sitting on the floor of the wicker gondola are three tanks of liquid propane. The tanks are connected via black rubber hoses to two burners overhead. Each burner is nearly as big as Rodriguez’s head. Rodriguez turns a knob on one side of the burners. This releases propane from a tank into the heating coil, where the liquid propane is heated to a gas and mixed with the air. Then the mixture is ignited by a pilot light. The mixture catches fire, and flames leap two feet high into the balloon. The balloon rises. Rodriguez has a plan in mind. The flame heats the air inside the nylon balloon. This works on a simple principle: hot air is lighter than cold air. One cubic foot of air weighs about an ounce. If you heat that air by 100 degrees Fahrenheit, its weight drops by about 7 grams. This means every cubic foot of heated air inside Rodriguez’s balloon can lift about 7 grams. Just by himself, Rodriguez weighs 170 pounds, which equals about 77,110 grams. That means he needs about 11,016 cubic feet of hot air just to raise his own body off the ground. This is why hot air balloons are so big—they must trap tremendous amounts of heated air. Rodriguez’s balloon is a common size, trapping about 100,000 cubic feet of air. The balloon is 80 feet tall and 60 feet wide. As Rodriguez gives his short burst of flame, the air inside swirls in complicated, invisible patterns. To drop in altitude, Rodriguez can pull a cord attached to a parachute valve at the very top of the balloon. Since the hottest air sits at the top, this releases the balloon’s most buoyant air, which makes the balloon descend. Rodriguez gives the cord a short pull, and the gondola drops a little. “I don’t have an altimeter, and I can’t really see anything happening inside the balloon,” Rodriguez thinks. “I have to pilot by feel.” Pushed by the wind, the balloon is flying quickly now. It’s floating over the back wall of a supermarket when Rodriguez grabs hold of the parachute valve cord and gives it a long, hard tug. The balloon drops. Quickly. The hot air balloon is sinking, but still flying forward. It looks as though it’s about to slam into the edge of the supermarket’s roof, but it sails over it, with only about 15 feet to spare. Still, Rodriguez does not let go of the cord. He drops and drops, right between the light poles of the nearly empty parking lot. Just a few feet above the ground, Rodriguez releases the parachute cord, turns the knob above his head and fires both burners. The steep descent slows. The gondola touches lightly against the asphalt, and then drags to a stop. There are only two people in the parking lot, standing near the entrance to the store. They look toward the balloon, their eyes and mouths open wide in shock. “That was a little closer than I expected,” Rodriguez says to himself, laughing. “I really needed to land quick.”

5-6

Science: Technology & Engineering, Physical Science

What makes landing the hot air balloon a challenge for Keith Rodriguez?

A. the gondola B. the wind C. the parking lot D. the time of day

B

What problem does Keith Rodriguez solve?

A. how to fly from Ohio to Pennsylvania in his hot air balloon B. how to increase the altitude of his hot air balloon C. how to safely land his hot air balloon D. how to change direction on his own in his hot air balloon

C

A hot air balloon floats because the air inside the balloon is warmer than the air outside of it. What information from the story supports this statement?

A. Hot air is lighter than cold air. B. One cubic foot of air weighs about an ounce. C. The air inside the balloon swirls in complicated, invisible patterns. D. The hot air balloon is sinking, but still flying forward.

A

Based on information in the text, what would make a good landing area for a hot air balloon?

A. a large, open space with no buildings B. a large space with lots of tall buildings C. a small, narrow space near a highway D. a small space, such as the roof of a building

A

What is this story mainly about?

A. a hot air balloon that scares lots of people when it lands in a parking lot B. a hot air balloon that does not work properly C. a person who gets stuck up in the air and does not know what to do D. a person trying to land a hot air balloon in difficult conditions

D

Read these sentences from the text. To drop in altitude , Rodriguez can pull a cord attached to a parachute valve at the very top of the balloon. Since the hottest air sits at the top, this releases the balloon’s most buoyant air, which makes the balloon descend. What does the word "altitude" mean in the sentence above?

A. length B. width C. height D. volume

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Keith Rodriguez was planning to land in a cornfield; _______, he changes his mind because of the wind.

A. previously B. however C. as a result D. for example

B

Jumping Bodies

This is the story of how I convinced my best friend I could jump bodies. The first time it happened, I was sitting in Ms. Perry’s sixth grade English class. We were reading a story about a man who had died but still believed he was alive. It was supposed to be a metaphor for something or other. Ms. Perry was going on and on about the differences between metaphors and similes and how to look for them in books, but I stopped paying attention the moment I heard her say, “The key to finding a metaphor is…” It wasn’t that I was incapable of focusing, but I had noticed a small crack in the window next to my desk. The crack ran the length of the window, and right in the center, it splintered into a giant spider’s web of shattered glass. I was wondering how it had happened. We were on the fourth floor, and it seemed unlikely that any sixth or seventh grader could throw a rock that high and actually hit the window. After all, we weren’t known for our athletic abilities at this school. I was thinking about all of the various possibilities—a bird, or maybe a freak accident—when suddenly I was staring at my classmates with my back against the chalkboard. “I wonder if I left the stove on,” I heard a small voice question from within my head. Then I saw a kitchen with a black and white tiled floor. I saw a hand reach out and switch the oven off. I didn’t recognize the kitchen, and it certainly wasn’t my hand. The fingernails were painted a dark cranberry color and the veins bulged out from underneath thin, brittle skin. “Is everything alright, Ms. Perry?” I heard Charlotte ask. She was looking right at me. I felt cold and weak, like my knees might give. Then, that was it. I was back in my body, sitting at my desk with a pencil in my hand. I was so surprised I almost fell out of my chair. Sammy, my best friend, nudged me. “Charles, you OK?” he whispered. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” “Yeah,” I muttered. “I’m fine.” It didn’t happen again for another two weeks. This time, I was in gym class. I was jogging around the track talking to Sammy. I didn’t particularly want to be running. It was cold outside. A flock of seagulls was overhead, squawking loudly. I watched them soar above us. Flying was something I always wanted to do. And then, suddenly, I was looking down at a bunch of red-uniformed bodies running in a circle. And I was immensely hungry. All I could think about was food, and getting more of it. And then, just as suddenly, I was back in my own body. “Sammy,” I said excitedly. “What just happened the past five minutes?” “What do you mean?” he asked. “I mean, did I do anything differently? Did I seem normal?” He paused for a moment. “You were just really quiet. I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.” “Sammy,” I said, “I just became a seagull.” He looked at me like I was crazy. “Quit it, Charles. I’m sick of hearing you lie.” I admit it: in elementary school I had been known to stretch the truth. I didn’t consider it lying, per se, just extreme exaggeration. But this was the truth. I had just watched my classmates running around the track like hamsters on a wheel. And two weeks ago, I had stared at them out of Ms. Perry’s eyes. I placed my hands on his shoulders. “Sammy, I’m serious.” He looked at me skeptically. “Then show me,” he said. “Turn into a bird.” “It doesn’t work like that,” I said. “I don’t know how to control it. It just happens. When I’m bored. Or something. I don’t know why it happens.” He snickered. “Sure, Charles. Whatever.” He walked away. This wasn’t going to be easy. The next day, I got on the bus and plopped down next to Sammy. “Turn into any birds lately?” he teased gently. Sammy was a sweet kid, the type of kid who stuck up for other kids and didn’t even mind if it meant he was going to get bullied. I stared out the window. I wasn’t in the mood to explain it to him. There was another crack in this window and I wondered how it had happened. All of the windows around me seemed to be splintering. And then, suddenly, I felt it. I knew it was coming. I was going to jump bodies again. This time I was prepared. I grabbed Sammy’s hand. “Ready?” I said into his surprised face. “What are you talking…” Sammy muttered. He didn’t finish his sentence, because then we were driving the bus. I could feel Sammy in the bus driver’s head with me. I could sense his panic. I watched our hands—that is, the bus driver’s hands—holding the wheel. This was incredible. And that’s when things began to get really weird. We were stuck.

6

What does the narrator of the story convince his best friend he can do?

A. jump bodies B. find a metaphor C. see ghosts D. drive a bus

A

What is a conflict in this story?

A. The narrator notices a crack in the window next to his desk that splinters into a web of shattered glass. B. The narrator sees a flock of seagulls overhead while jogging around the track. C. The narrator is telling the truth, but his best friend does not believe him. D. The narrator’s best friend nudges him and asks whether he is OK.

C

Read the following paragraphs from the story: “It didn’t happen again for another two weeks. This time, I was in gym class. I was jogging around the track talking to Sammy. I didn’t particularly want to be running. It was cold outside. A flock of seagulls was overhead, squawking loudly. I watched them soar above us. Flying was something I always wanted to do. And then, suddenly, I was looking down at a bunch of red-uniformed bodies running in a circle. And I was immensely hungry. All I could think about was food, and getting more of it. And then, just as suddenly, I was back in my own body.” What can be concluded from this evidence?

A. The narrator went from being in the body of a seagull to being in his own body and then back to being in the body of a seagull. B. The narrator went from being in his own body to being in the body of a seagull and then back to being in his own body. C. The narrator went from being in Sammy’s body to being in his own body and then back to being in Sammy’s body. D. The narrator went from being in his own body to being in Sammy’s body and then back to being in his own body.

B

What happens when the narrator jumps bodies?

A. The narrator recognizes the difference between metaphors and similes. B. The narrator starts telling lies, which the people around him do not believe. C. The narrator thinks of a story about a man who died but believed he was still alive. D. The narrator’s mind enters another person’s mind and body.

D

What is the theme of this story?

A. In order to convince people of something, it may be necessary to show them rather than tell them. B. If a person becomes known for telling lies, other people will never believe him or her again. C. Turning the stove off after cooking is an important safety procedure that should be followed by everyone. D. Being able to recognize the difference between metaphors and similes is more important than athletic ability.

A

Read the following sentences from the story: “It wasn’t that I was incapable of focusing, but I had noticed a small crack in the window next to my desk. The crack ran the length of the window, and right in the center, it splintered into a giant spider’s web of shattered glass .” What does the phrase “right in the center, it splintered into a giant spider’s web of shattered glass” mean above?

A. The crack was bigger at the edges of the window than it was in the middle. B. The crack looked like a big spider’s web in the middle of the window. C. A spider had crawled across the window and made a web in the middle of it. D. The window had not been cleaned for a while and was extremely dirty.

B

Select the word that best completes the sentence. First, the narrator jumps out of his body into Ms. Perry’s body; ___________, he jumps out of his body into a seagull’s body.

A. obviously B. earlier C. second D. last

C

Uninvited Guests

You’re Never Alone. Sleeping in your bedroom. Taking a shower. No matter where you go, you have company. A lot of company, in fact: wriggling parasites, a bounty of bacteria, and other assorted stowaways that call your body home sweet home. You’ve spent your whole life with those miniature minions hiding inside you. Isn’t it time you got to know them? Most of the organisms that live on you are too small to see. But you can smell them. “Almost all of the odors your body has are microbial,” says Rob Dunn, a biologist at North Carolina State University and author of the book The Wild Life of Our Bodies. (In other words, the smells come from microbes, microscopic organisms such as bacteria.) Bacteria on your feet and in your armpits feed on compounds found in sweat—and emit stinky-smelling gas in the process. Bacterial waste products are also to blame for morning breath and for the smell of unwashed hair. Just how many bacteria are you harboring? “For every cell you have, you probably have ten times as many microbial cells,” Dunn says. Your body contains about ten trillion human cells, by some estimates, and approximately one hundred trillion microbial cells. To put it another way: there are more of them than there are of us. Many of those bacteria hang out on your skin. Dunn and his fellow researchers recently looked in belly buttons to see what kinds of microbes were living there. They stuck cotton swabs into 90 people’s navels and found around 1,400 species—many of which had never been seen before. “Something like 600 of those species are new to science,” Dunn says. As many bacteria as there are in your belly button, there are a lot more inside your belly. Of all the places where bacteria hide, your gut “is the most wild and woolly,” Dunn says. Along the walls of your intestines, bacteria form thick mats called biofilms. Those bacterial colonies help you digest food. Some gut bacteria even produce vitamins that keep you healthy. Just as there are four major blood types, there seem to be three (or maybe more) different “gut types.” In 2011, scientists studied people from a number of ethnic backgrounds and found they each had one of three different bacterial ecosystems in their bellies. Scientists aren’t sure what determines a person’s gut type; it doesn’t seem linked to ethnicity or gender, for instance. But, they say, your microbe mix might affect your health. Some gut types could make a person more or less likely to become overweight or develop colon cancer. Some day, doctors may even prescribe particular drugs or recommend certain diets based on an individual’s personal gut type. Bacteria aren’t the only organisms using your body as a jungle gym. Humans often host tiny parasites such as lice, speck-sized insects that hide in your hair and feed on your blood. Lice spread from person to person, but it’s a myth that they’re linked to bad hygiene. The bloodsucking bugs are equally happy in clean or dirty hair. You can spot lice—you’d probably need a magnifying glass—but microscopic Demodex mites are invisible to the naked eye. “The majority of people have mites living in their eyelash follicles,” says entomologist William Krinsky of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. Those microscopic cousins of spiders live in the eyelashes and eyebrows of up to 80 percent of people, he says. Plenty of people also host itty-bitty worms. Kids in North America are commonly infected with pinworms, which live in the intestines. If an infected person doesn’t wash his or her hands well after going to the bathroom, microscopic worm eggs can wind up on the hands. From there it’s easy for the eggs to find their way onto other people’s fingers, and from there into their bellies. The worms often cause no symptoms, but some people experience itching or mild stomach pain. Luckily for them, the worms are easily killed with medication. For most of human history, people were home to all kinds of worms. Today, though, worm infections are relatively rare in the developed world. In fact, some researchers argue that our sanitary, worm-free existence could be making us sick. Rates of allergies and autoimmune diseases have skyrocketed in recent years. (Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues.) Some experts think that without worms (and many other organisms) to fight, our immune systems have gotten confused and turned on our bodies instead. That idea is known as the hygiene hypothesis. A few desperate people have put the worm theory to the test. They’ve swallowed hundreds of worm eggs—on purpose—in hopes of curing their autoimmune diseases. Some say their symptoms have disappeared thanks to their squirmy new friends. But scientists are just beginning to study whether worm infections truly help. Until they’ve researched the theory, swallowing parasites is probably not the brightest idea. You’ve gotten to know just a handful of the thousands of species that live inside (and on) you. Are you freaked out yet? Don’t be. “Most of the species you have are good,” says Dunn. Bacteria on your skin and inside your gut prevent other, more harmful bacteria from moving in and making you sick. Besides, you couldn’t get rid of your stowaways if you wanted to. “Every time you shake someone’s hand, touch a desk, or climb a tree, you pick up new species,” he says. Scientists are still figuring out what most of those species do. Many of them can survive only inside the human body, so researchers haven’t been able to study them in the lab. But the fact that so little is known about the microbes is good news for anyone interested in becoming a scientist, Dunn says. “You don’t have to study the Amazon to discover new things,” he explains. “You can just study your cousin!” Could a single-celled creature control your behavior? Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that infects mice, but to complete its life cycle, it must get into the gut of a cat. To do that, Toxoplasma changes a mouse’s brain chemistry. The infected mouse craves danger and loses all fear of felines. Predictably, the fearless mouse is eaten, the cat is infected, and Toxoplasma goes home happy. End of story? Not quite. Toxoplasma infects humans too. It usually has no symptoms—but one study found people infected with Toxoplasma were more likely to get in car crashes. Scientists are still sorting out the details, but it seems possible that the parasite could be playing a cat-and-mouse game with the human brain. If you’re constantly covered in bacteria, is there any point to washing your hands? Absolutely, says biologist Rob Dunn. It’s important to wash away bad bacteria and keep the good. Germs that cause illnesses such as colds and the flu can be wiped out with a good soap-and-water scrubbing. “Washing hands reduces the chance of cold and flu,” Dunn says. However, antibiotic gels, wipes, and soaps are a bad idea, he says. Many contain a compound that kills some bacteria but not others. It can wipe out the helpful bacteria on your skin, making room for harmful bacteria to thrive. “Scrubbing everyone with antibacterial wipes is far more likely to make us sick than healthy,” Dunn says. So skip the hand sanitizer and go for simple suds (with regular soap) instead. “Washing hands with soap and water saves millions of lives a year,” he says. “That’s hygiene we should be more serious about.”

6

Science: Life Science

What is one type of tiny organism that calls your body home sweet home?

A. mice B. bacteria C. cats D. eggs

B

What does the author describe in this text?

A. the effects of microscopic organisms living on the body B. the effects of certain diets on developing cancer C. the effects of illnesses such as colds and the flu D. the effects of practicing bad hygiene

A

Bacteria can be good for the body. What evidence from the text supports this statement?

A. Just as there are four major blood types, there are three (or maybe more) different “gut types.” B. Bacteria on your skin and inside your gut prevent other, more harmful bacteria from moving in and making you sick. C. Some experts think that without worms to fight, our immune systems have gotten confused and turned on our bodies instead. D. Many antibacterial soaps contain a compound that kills some bacteria but not others.

B

Based on the information in the text, what can you infer about a person living with a parasite in his or her body?

A. A person can feel the parasite crawling on or in his or her body. B. A person may be infected with a parasite without even knowing it. C. A person will never be able to tell if he or she is infected with a parasite. D. A person will only know if he or she was infected with a parasite after the parasite is dead.

B

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Rates of allergies and autoimmune diseases have skyrocketed. B. Scientists believe there are three or more different “gut types.” C. Our immune systems have gotten confused and turned on our bodies. D. The human body is home to many tiny organisms.

D

Read these sentences from the text. "You’ve gotten to know just a handful of the thousands of species that live inside (and on) you. Are you freaked out yet? Don’t be." Why might the author have used the phrase "freaked out" here?

A. to frighten readers about the thousands of species living in the body B. to comfort readers by using familiar and funny language C. to make fun of readers who may be disgusted by bacteria D. to emphasize to readers how serious a topic this is

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. For most of human history, people were home to all kinds of worms. __________, worm infections are relatively rare in the developed world today.

A. However B. As a result C. Specifically D. Consequently

A

Civil War Recruiting Poster (1)

This poster is provided courtesy of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. After the enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, posters such as this broadcast a national call for Black men to enlist in the Union army. Frederick Douglass (third name, left column) and other African American leaders endorsed the appeal, and by war’s end almost 200,000 African Americans had served in the Union forces. (Philadelphia, 1863)

6

Social Studies: U.S. History

Whom does this poster address?

A. men of color B. women of color C. white men D. white women

A

What did posters such as the one in the text try to persuade African American men to do?

A. end the war B. support the Confederate army C. enlist in the Union army D. enact the Emancipation Proclamation

C

The poster suggests that African Americans have a personal interest in making sure the Union army wins the war. What evidence supports this claim?

A. The poster has a line that reads, “FAIL NOW & OUR RACE IS DOOMED.” B. The poster has a line that reads, “Three Years’ Service!” C. The poster has a line that reads, “TO ARMS! TO ARMS!” D. The poster has a line that reads, “ARE FREEMEN LESS BRAVE THAN SLAVES.”

A

What kind of tone is used in this poster?

A. a relaxing tone B. a mournful tone C. a joyful tone D. an urgent tone

D

What is the message of this poster?

A. African American men should enlist in the Union army. B. Frederick Douglass is serving in the Union army. C. The terms of service for the Union army have been lowered to three years. D. The Emancipation Proclamation has been enacted.

A

The second line of text in the poster reads as follows: “TO ARMS! TO ARMS!” Based on the information in the text and poster, what might the phrase “to arms” mean?

A. to reach for the sky B. to prepare to fight C. to put on clothing D. to ask a question

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. According to the poster, men of color should enlist in the Union army. ___________, the black race race may be doomed, it warned.

A. Instead B. However C. Therefore D. Otherwise

D

Debate: Are Zoos Bad News?

The phone call reached zoo director Manuel Mollinedo shortly after 5 p.m. as darkness was falling on San Francisco. One of his tigers was on the loose! She had escaped her enclosure and attacked a teenager and two other young men before bounding into the zoo's dense foliage and winding paths. As Mollinedo rushed to work, police declared the entire zoo a crime scene. After some searching, they found the resting tiger, a 4-year-old, 350-pound Siberian tiger named Tatiana. They shot and killed the animal, but the damage had already been done. One of the men the tiger attacked, 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr., later died of his wounds. No one knows why Tatiana, a favorite among zoo visitors, attacked. Some witnesses say the men were taunting the tiger, although the two survivors deny it. Zoo critics see the attack as another example of why zoos are bad news. Critics say that zoos are like prisons and that zoos drive many animals crazy by confining them. If the animals don't die of boredom, they snap and revert to their wild nature, they say. Anti-zoo activists talk about big cats endlessly pacing back and forth in their cages, zoo elephants constantly swaying side to side, polar bears swimming in endless circles, and monkeys and parrots "grooming" themselves until they have no fur or feathers left. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a leader in the anti-zoo movement. "PETA is firmly opposed to keeping wild animals in captivity," Lisa Wathne, the group's exotic animal specialist, told Current Events. "There are some animals, such as tigers and elephants, which roam large areas in the wild, that should never be held captive. Since 1990, there have been at least 220 incidents in 40 states involving big cats. Four children and 15 adults have lost their lives, and more than 50 other people lost limbs or suffered other injuries after being mauled." She points out that the animals are victims too: 75 big cats, including Tatiana, have been killed because of such incidents. The solution? PETA and others say get rid of zoos. "Getting rid of zoos would be a tragedy for all animals," says Steve Feldman, senior vice president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He says zoos play a major role in educating people about animals and promoting wildlife conservation. "If visitors never got to see an elephant or a tiger, they would not have that sense of awe and wonder and not be inspired to take action to conserve the wild," he says. "A National Science Foundation study showed that people who visit zoos actually change their behavior towards animals." Feldman says most modern zoos work hard to keep animals from being bored or becoming neurotic. He rejects PETA's charge that animals in zoos are unhappy. "Most zoo animals are thriving," he says. "It is animals in the wild who are not happy. Most of the time, they're running for their lives."

6

Social Studies: Geography, Societies & Culture

According to the text, what did one of zoo director Manuel Mollinedo's tigers do?

A. declared the entire zoo a crime scene B. found a resting tiger after some searching C. escaped her enclosure and attacked a teenager D. keep animals from being bored or becoming neurotic

C

What does the author compare zoos to in the section titled “Zoos Deserve Boos”?

A. vacation B. prison C. a backyard D. the wild

B

Read these sentences from the text. "Getting rid of zoos would be a tragedy for all animals," says Steve Feldman, senior vice president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He says zoos play a major role in educating people about animals and promoting wildlife conservation. Based on this evidence, what can you conclude that Feldman may believe about zoos?

A. Zoos are to blame for the deaths of many people and animals. B. Without zoos, people would research wild animals on their own. C. Zoos shouldn’t have to worry about how they treat animals. D. Without zoos, the public would care less about conservation.

D

What can be inferred from the text?

A. Not everyone agrees on whether or not zoos are good. B. It is okay to taunt the animals. C. Animals are always dangerous. D. Some zoos are more fun to visit than others.

A

What title best describes the two sides of the argument presented in the text?

A. My Favorite Animals to Visit at the Zoo B. Tigers Are Dangerous C. Educational or Cruel? A Debate about Zoos D. The Best Zoos to Go To

C

Read this sentence from the text. PETA is firmly opposed to keeping wild animals in captivity . As used in the text, what does the word "captivity" mean?

A. in a human home B. in the natural habitat of the animal C. in a zoo D. in a national park

C

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Some animals in zoos get bored in captivity, ______ they become neurotic, pacing in circles or grooming their fur over and over again.

A. but B. after C. so D. before

C

City of Broken Records

They came from all over Dubai, a Persian Gulf city in the United Arab Emirates. They were young and old, tall and skinny, short and squat. But all of them had one thing in common: They were all named Mohammed. Between 1,500 and 2,000 Mohammeds gathered in Dubai in February 2005, hoping to break the world record for the largest gathering of people sharing the same name. Once the Mohammeds broke the record, the city turned its sights on another world record: forming the largest human flag. More than 16,000 schoolchildren created a huge red, white, black, and green flag of the United Arab Emirates. After that, the city hoped to break records for the largest charity box and the biggest mosaic made from drink cans. Years before the Mohammeds, officials decided to make their city famous by breaking world records—any world record. The stunt spread like wildfire. By 2007, the city held a month-long record-breaking festival each year. In 2007, Laura McTurk from Guinness World Records told Weekly Reader Senior Edition that the United Arab Emirates held 33 world records. The people of Dubai had built the world's longest sofa (100 feet) and the largest incense burner (10 feet). "It's an awful lot of records for such a small place," said another official from Guinness.

6

Social Studies: Geography, Societies & Culture

What colors make up the United Arab Emirates flag?

A. white, black, yellow, and red B. red, white, and blue C. red, white, black, and green D. white, green, red, and blue

C

How does the author describe Dubai?

A. as a city where everyone is named Mohammed B. as a city famous for breaking world records C. as a place where many wildfires break out D. as an area known as a vacation hotspot

B

How would you conclude the people of Dubai feel about breaking world records?

A. nervous B. embarrassed C. upset D. proud

D

Read this sentence from the passage. After that, the city hoped to break records for the largest charity box and the biggest mosaic made from drink cans. As used in this sentence, what does the word “charity” mean?

A. the act of becoming well-known by breaking a record B. a container used to hold drinking water and other beverages C. the giving of money or help to those in need D. expensive possessions, including jewelry and gold

C

The primary purpose of this passage is to describe

A. why so many people are named Mohammed B. the reason the people of Dubai built the world’s longest sofa C. how the city of Dubai is famous for its world records D. where the United Arab Emirates is located

C

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Once the city of Dubai breaks one record, it sets its sights ________ breaking another record.

A. on B. yet C. but D. and

A

Seeing Stars

Have you ever gazed at the night sky and guessed that it held thousands of stars? Well, think again! Scientists have determined that the number of visible stars in the universe is 70 sextillion. (That's 7 followed by 21 zeros!) According to scientists, there are ten times more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the deserts and beaches in the world. Luckily for the scientists, they did not have to count each star. They used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of sky. A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects. The scientists then estimated the number of sections of sky in the entire universe and multiplied that number by the number of stars in the counted section. The study found seven times more stars than had been calculated previously. "Even for an astronomer used to dealing in monster numbers, this is mind-boggling," said one scientist.

6

Science: Earth & Space Science, Technology & Engineering

What did scientists recently determine?

A. Scientists recently determined that the number of visible stars in the universe is 70 sextillion. B. Scientists recently determined the number of grains of sand on all the deserts and beaches in the world. C. Scientists recently determined the number of visible moons in the universe. D. Scientists recently determined that they had overestimated the number of visible stars in the universe.

A

The text describes the process by which scientists counted the visible stars in the universe. What was the first step in that process?

A. Scientists estimated the number of sections of sky in the entire universe. B. Scientists multiplied the number of sections of sky in the universe by the number of stars in one of those sections. C. Scientists counted each star one by one. D. Scientists used telescopes to count the stars in one section of the sky.

D

Read these sentences from the text. "According to scientists, there are ten times more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the deserts and beaches in the world. Luckily for the scientists, they did not have to count each star. They used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of sky. A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects. The scientists then estimated the number of sections of sky in the entire universe and multiplied that number by the number of stars in the counted section." Based on this information, why might scientists not have counted each star?

A. Scientists prefer doing things slowly to doing things quickly. B. Scientists like doing multiplication more than addition. C. Counting each star would have taken a long time. D. Counting grains of sand is more enjoyable than counting stars.

C

Read this sentence from the text. "Scientists recently determined that the number of visible stars in the universe is 70 sextillion." Based on this information, what can you infer about the total number of stars in the universe?

A. The total number of stars in the universe might be greater than 70 sextillion if invisible stars were to be counted too. B. There may be fewer than 70 sextillion stars in the universe because scientists were not counting stars one by one. C. Scientists were surprised that the total number of stars in the universe was not higher than 70 sextillion. D. Scientists were surprised that the total number of stars in the universe was not lower than 70 sextillion.

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the deserts and beaches in the world. B. Scientists recently calculated the number of visible stars in the universe. C. The number 70 sextillion is 7 followed by 21 zeros. D. A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects, such as stars.

B

Read these sentences from the text. "Scientists recently determined that the number of visible stars in the universe is 70 sextillion. (That's 7 followed by 21 zeros!) According to scientists, there are ten times more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the deserts and beaches in the world." Why might the author have included the information about grains of sand?

A. to help readers comprehend how many stars there are in the universe B. to make clear the importance of protecting the world's deserts and beaches C. to suggest that most people care more about grains of sand than stars D. to prove that counting stars is easier than counting grains of sand

A

Read these sentences from the text: "Luckily for the scientists, they did not have to count each star. They used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of sky." How could the second sentence be rewritten to show the relationship between both sentences?

A. For example, they used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of the sky. B. In conclusion, they used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of the sky. C. Instead, they used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of the sky. D. Additionally, they used powerful telescopes to count the stars located in one section of the sky.

C

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell was in his laboratory, working on a device that would allow people to talk to one another through wires, even when they were not in the same room, or even the same city. Today, we take for granted that we can communicate in real time with people around the corner and around the globe. But in the 1870’s, when Bell was experimenting with his new project, such an idea was like a fantasy. On March 10, 1876, that fantasy came to life. It is unclear what exactly unfolded that day, but one story says that while working on his voice transmitter, Bell accidentally knocked over a bottle of transmitting fluid, burning his skin. Instinctively, he called out to his assistant, Thomas Watson, to come help: “Mr. Watson. Come here. I want to see you.” Watson heard those words and was startled. They had come crackling across the earpiece of what the two inventors had labeled the telephone. The experiment was successful. It was the first telephone call. Alexander Graham Bell’s interest in communications devices traced back to his childhood in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was born on March 3, 1847 to a father who was an expert in speech production and a mother who was a gifted pianist despite being profoundly deaf. The perseverance and success of his mother in the face of such adversity taught young Alexander that problems were surmountable and that he could help people to overcome them. From a young age, Alexander’s curiosity propelled him to find solutions to problems. When he was 12 years old, he came up with his first invention. While playing in a grain mill with a friend, he was frustrated by the lengthy time it took to remove the husk from the wheat grain. He went home, thought about it, and created a gadget that used rotating paddles and nail brushes to strip the husk off the grain. It was the first of dozens of varied devices that Bell would invent. Bell’s curiosity and ingenuity were nurtured by his grandfather, a teacher of speech and elocution. When Bell was 15 years old, he went to live with and care for his grandfather, who was aging and ailing. The two grew very close, and the grandfather encouraged Alexander to pursue his inventive streak. In 1870, the Bell family’s life changed rather abruptly when they moved to Canada. Bell’s two older brothers had died of tuberculosis, and Alexander’s health had been failing, too. His parents were convinced that America would be a healthier environment and moved, first to Ontario, Canada, then to Boston. Bell thrived. His health improved. Eventually, he began to tutor deaf students in Boston. The parents of two of his students were excited by Bell’s idea to invent a device that transmitted multiple signals over a single wire. One of the parents learned, however, that another inventor, Elisha Gray, was working on a very similar project at the same time. To encourage Bell and to help rush his work along, the parent hired an electrician by the name of Thomas Watson to be Bell’s assistant. He hoped that between Bell’s clever ideas and Watson’s practical skills, the two men would succeed quickly. However, instead of focusing on a multiple-signal transmission device, Bell and Watson focused much of their time on a device to transmit the human voice over wires. To protect their experiment, Bell and Watson’s voice-transmitting device was registered with the United States patent office. Lewis Latimer, another inventor, helped Bell by drafting the drawings of the device for the patent. The patent was well timed: Gray attempted to file for his own “telephone” the very same day, but he was turned away because the idea was already protected and owned by Bell and his supporters. On that March morning in 1876, Bell’s dream was achieved when the words “Mr. Watson. Come here. I want to see you” traveled from the room Bell was in to the room Watson was in across telephone wires. The two men took their incredible telephone device on the road, demonstrating its proficiency in city after city. The year after his telephone came to life, Bell married Mabel Hubbard, one of the deaf students whose fathers supported Bell’s dream of inventing the telephone. Bell was challenged dozens of times in lawsuits by people trying to discredit his patent, especially by other inventors who claimed to have invented the telephone before him. He won every time. Bell created the Bell Telephone Company, and in the first 10 years of its existence, telephone ownership in the United States grew to more than 150,000 people. Bell improved the device over the years. For example, he added a microphone that amplified the voice. He also went on to invent and patent many other devices that would have pleased his mother because of the way they helped people to solve problems. When Bell died on August 2, 1922 in Nova Scotia, Canada, the entire telephone system was shut down for one minute in tribute to the man who revolutionized communications.

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

How did Alexander Graham Bell revolutionize communications?

A. He invented the telephone. B. He invented the hearing aid. C. He invented the grain mill. D. He invented the television.

A

What does the author describe in the passage?

A. how Bell’s mother overcame her difficulties B. why Bell chose to tutor deaf students C. how the telephone was invented D. the rules of the United States patent system

C

Bell and Watson were not expecting the telephone to work the day that the first telephone call was made. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. “But in the 1870’s, when Bell was experimenting with his new project, such an idea was like a fantasy.” B. “Watson heard those words and was startled. They had come crackling across the earpiece of what the two inventors had labeled the telephone.” C. “Alexander Graham Bell was in his laboratory, working on a device that would allow people to talk to one another across wires, even when they were not in the same room.” D. “It is unclear what exactly unfolded that day, but one story says that while working on his voice transmitter, Bell accidentally knocked over a bottle of transmitting fluid, burning his skin.”

B

If Bell had not invented the telephone, what would probably have happened?

A. Someone else would have registered a similar device with the United States patent office. B. The modern telephone would not have been invented for another hundred years. C. Mabel Hubbard would have married Watson instead of Bell. D. The parents of Bell’s deaf students would have hired someone to replace Watson as Bell’s assistant.

A

What is this passage mostly about?

A. the life of Thomas Watson, Alexander Graham Bell’s assistant B. the challenges faced by deaf people C. the invention of the telephone D. Alexander Graham Bell’s childhood in England

C

Read the following sentence: “The perseverance and success of his mother in the face of such adversity taught young Alexander that problems were surmountable and that he could help people to overcome them.” What does “surmountable” mean?

A. able to be solved B. able to be warmed up C. able to fly D. able to survive underwater

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Elisha Gray attempted to file a patent for his telephone design; _______, the idea had already been patented.

A. moreover B. as a result C. however D. later on

C

Why Do Boats Float and Rocks Sink?

When an object is placed in water, there are two primary forces acting on it. The force of gravity yields a downward force and a buoyancy force yields an upward force. The gravitational force is determined by the object's weight, and the buoyancy force is determined by the weight of the water displaced by the object when it is placed in water. If the gravitational force is less than the buoyancy force then the object floats (a boat), otherwise it sinks (a rock). That is, if an object weighs less than the amount of water it displaces then it floats otherwise it sinks. Read on for a more detailed explanation. Fact 1. When an object is placed in water, it will displace water to "make room" for the object (e.g., when you get into a bath, the level of the water rises). Fact 2. When an object is submerged in water, the surrounding water exerts a force (buoyancy force) on the object. This force increases with the depth of the water, so that for any submerged object, there is a net force upwards. Fact 3. Any object is attracted downward due to gravity. This force increases with the mass of the object. There are two primary forces acting on an object placed in water: If the downward gravitational force is less than the upward buoyancy force then the object floats, otherwise it sinks. That is, if an object weighs less than the amount of water it displaces then it floats otherwise it sinks. A boat floats because it displaces water that weighs more than its own weight.

6

Science: Physical Science

When an object is placed in water, how many primary forces are acting on it?

A. two B. four C. three D. one

A

Placing an object in water can be thought of as a cause. What is an effect of placing an object in water?

A. Water is displaced to “make room” for the object. B. The upward buoyancy force on the object decreases. C. The amount of water decreases to "make room" for the object. D. The downward force of gravity on the object increases.

A

Read these sentences from the text. If the downward gravitational force is weaker than the upward buoyancy force, then the object floats; otherwise, it sinks. That is, if an object weighs less than the water it displaces, then it floats; otherwise, it sinks. […] the more water that is displaced, the heavier [the water's] weight, and the stronger the upward buoyancy force. Based on this evidence, what conclusion can you draw about weight?

A. The lighter the weight of an object, the more likely it is to sink. B. The weight of an object depends on the amount of water it displaces. C. The strength of the upward buoyancy force on an object is related to the weight of the object. D. The strength of the downward gravitational force on an object is related to the weight of the object.

D

Why do rocks sink when placed in water?

A. because rocks weigh more than the water that they displace B. because rocks weigh less than the water that they displace C. because water does not exert a buoyancy force on rocks D. because rocks do not displace water

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. When an object is placed in water, the force of gravity and a buoyancy force both act on the object. B. If the gravitational force on an object in water is less than the buoyancy force, then the object floats; otherwise, it sinks. C. Any object is attracted downward due to the force of gravity, which increases with the mass of the object. D. When an object is submerged in water, the surrounding water exerts a force (buoyancy force) on the object.

B

Why might the author have included the diagram at the end of the text?

A. to introduce new information to the text B. to persuade the reader to agree with the author C. to illustrate the main idea of the text D. to give evidence to support a claim made by the author

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. If an object weighs less than the water it displaces, then it floats; otherwise it sinks. ________, a boat floats because it displaces water that weighs more than its own weight.

A. In contrast B. For example C. However D. Meanwhile

B

The Latest Buzz

Your day got off to a sweet start with a chocolate bar during the morning. Then at lunch you had an iced tea. After school, you downed a can of Coke. At dinner, you drank another iced tea. Now it's bedtime and you're tossing and turning. You just can't get to sleep. Your problem might be too much caffeine. "But I don't drink coffee!" you protest. Maybe so. But caffeine is in many foods and drinks besides coffee. How much caffeine is in your favorite foods and drinks? Drinks Caffeine per Ounce Source: Center for Science in the Public Interest Caffeine can make you sleepless because it is a drug, perhaps the most widely used drug in the world. Up to 90 percent of people in the United States eat or drink something that contains caffeine every day. Caffeine is a stimulant, a chemical that temporarily increases any function in your body. Caffeine makes your heart beat faster and harder. It also causes your kidneys to produce a bit more urine. In small doses, caffeine can temporarily make you feel more awake and energetic. Most people use caffeine to help them wake up in the morning and feel alert throughout the day. In small doses, caffeine can also help people concentrate and study longer. Even though caffeine is generally considered safe, it affects the way your body works, which makes it a true drug. Caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, and cacao seeds. Most Americans get caffeine from coffee, tea, and cola drinks. Cola soft drinks have caffeine from kola nuts, but extra caffeine is added. Caffeine is also added to some non-Cola drinks such as Mountain Dew and Sunkist soda. Some "energy" drinks, like Red Bull, contain a lot of caffeine. Chocolate candy and hot cocoa drinks have caffeine too, but much less than coffee and tea do. The downside to caffeine is that too much of it can make falling asleep difficult. Too much caffeine can also give you the "jitters," making you feel anxious even though you have nothing to feel anxious about. Your hands and fingers may even shake a bit. Because caffeine can make the heart work harder, doctors recommend that people with heart or circulation problems avoid drinking coffee or tea. Another negative effect of caffeine is your body's reaction to a sudden decrease in the amount you regularly consume. If you quit suddenly, you may feel sluggish during the first few days. You may even develop a bad headache that lasts a day or two. So how much caffeine is OK, and how much is too much? There is no easy answer. Some people guzzle five or six cans of cola a day with no problems. Others get shaky hands from eating a bar of chocolate. Sometimes body size can determine how much caffeine a person can handle. Suppose Ed, a big eighth grader, and Amy, a petite fourth grader, each drink a supersized Cola. Ed may feel no different afterward, but Amy may be bouncing off the walls! Whether you're big or small, caffeine might be to blame if you're having sleepless nights. Try to consume nothing with caffeine in it after lunch. If that does not help, or if your problem is jitteriness, gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. Don't stop all at once. Do it over the course of several weeks. That should solve your sleeping problems and keep the jitters away.

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

Caffeine is a stimulant. What is a stimulant?

A. a chemical that temporarily increases any function in your body B. a chemical that permanently increases any function in your body C. a chemical that temporarily decreases any function in your body D. a chemical that permanently decreases any function in your body

A

One of the effects of having caffeine in small doses is temporarily feeling more awake and energetic. According to the text, what is an effect of having too much caffeine?

A. Having too much caffeine can make it difficult for people to concentrate. B. Having too much caffeine can help people concentrate. C. Having too much caffeine can make it difficult for people to fall asleep. D. Having too much caffeine can help people fall asleep.

C

Caffeine has some helpful effects. What evidence in the text supports this statement?

A. Caffeine can make you sleepless because it is a drug. B. A stimulant is a chemical that temporarily increases any function in your body. C. In small doses, caffeine can help people concentrate and study longer. D. Caffeine affects the way your body works, which makes it a true drug.

C

Read these sentences from the text. "In small doses, caffeine can temporarily make you feel more awake and energetic. Most people use caffeine to help them wake up in the morning and feel alert throughout the day. "Too much caffeine can also give you the 'jitters,' making you feel anxious even though you have nothing to feel anxious about." Based on this information, what inference can you make about the amount of caffeine you consume?

A. Consuming small doses of caffeine can be harmful, but consuming too much caffeine can be harmful too. B. Consuming small doses of caffeine can be helpful, and consuming too much caffeine can be helpful too. C. Consuming small doses of caffeine can be helpful, but consuming too much caffeine can be harmful. D. Consuming small doses of caffeine can be harmful, but consuming too much caffeine can be helpful.

C

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Caffeine is a dangerous drug with negative effects that should never be taken. B. Caffeine is generally considered safe but can have some negative effects. C. Caffeine is generally considered dangerous but can have some positive effects. D. Caffeine is a great stimulant that should be taken regularly in large doses.

B

Read these sentences from the text. "Sometimes body size can determine how much caffeine a person can handle. Suppose Ed, a big eighth grader, and Amy, a petite fourth grader, each drink a supersized Cola. Ed may feel no different afterward, but Amy may be bouncing off the walls!" Why might the author have included information about Ed and Amy in this excerpt?

A. to persuade readers to avoid consuming caffeine B. to show that caffeine's effect on Amy is better than its effect on Ed C. to prove to readers that caffeine is a safe drug D. to illustrate how caffeine can affect people differently

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. In small doses, having caffeine can help people wake up in the morning, __________ having too much of it can make falling asleep at night difficult.

A. if B. but C. like D. also

B

Debate: A Moment of Silence, Please

For one minute every morning, public school classrooms across Illinois go silent. The teachers don't have a choice—in 2007, the state's lawmakers mandated, or required, a moment of silence at the start of every school day. A dozen states have similar practices. Supporters say a moment of silence gets students to calm down before class. Opponents argue that it pressures students to pray, and, they say, that violates the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution's First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the exercise of religion. Is a moment of silence a good idea? Is it legal? Student reporters Mitchell Alexander and Serena Cuevas debate the issue for Current Events. A moment of silence is crucial to the start of the school day. It helps students get ready for class by calming them. "Students need this opportunity to organize their thoughts before they begin working," says Tiffany Barnett- White, an English teacher at Northside Middle School in Virginia. If someone wishes to pray, that should be his or her choice. We have freedom of speech, so why would we not also have freedom of thought? A moment of silence gives students an opportunity to focus. "There should be a moment of silence because it gives [students] a chance to think about the challenges [that they] will face that day," says sixth grader Ana Vermulin. The "moment of silence" law is something that many people are complaining about—one student even filed a lawsuit protesting it. Some people feel that the practice encourages a specific religion, and they think religious beliefs and school do not mix. "I don't think that the government should make students have a moment of silence, because they should respect other peoples' religions," says eighth grader Sarah Jonas. Many students feel that a moment of silence just wastes their learning time. One says, "I think that if the government wants students to participate, the moment of silence should be a voluntary activity for teachers and students every day, either before school or during lunch."

6

Social Studies: Civics & Government

When did Illinois lawmakers mandate a “moment of silence” law?

A. in 2010 B. in 2007 C. in 2004 D. in 2000

B

The passage shows two sides of this debate: Should the school day start with a moment of silence? What is one argument against the issue?

A. It gives students a chance to pray. B. It gives students an opportunity to focus. C. It violates the U.S. Constitution. D. It gets students calm before class.

C

After reading the passage, what can you conclude about the “moment of silence” law?

A. Not everyone agrees with the law. B. The moment of silence will be banned. C. Teachers will become more religious. D. More students will join debate clubs.

A

Read this sentence from the passage: A moment of silence is crucial to the start of the school day. In this sentence, the word crucial means

A. very important B. not necessary C. loudly debated D. quite considerate

A

The primary purpose of this passage is to describe

A. why students needs to be able to exercise their religions B. how the moment of silence is a good way to start the day C. both sides of a debate about the “moment of silence” D. the importance of understanding the U.S. Constitution

C

The question below has an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Some people are for the “moment of silence” ________ they say it helps students calm down.

A. before B. when C. however D. because

D

Penobscot Nation

Maine has a varied landscape, which includes hills, forests, rivers, streams, mountains, and coastline. The Penobscot Indians, a tribe native to a large portion of what is now the state of Maine, adapted to and used many parts of the land. For centuries before the state of Maine was created, Penobscot Indians lived mainly in the region now known as the Penobscot River Basin. A river basin is the name for the land around a river and its smaller tributaries; river basins can be very small, or, in the case of the Penobscot River, very large. The Penobscot River Basin accounts for one-third of the state’s area! Rivers are known to be fundamental for civilizations. They provide a resource of utmost importance: water! The Penobscot Indians built their lives around the river and all that it supported. The river was a source of food, for example, as it provided fish for the Penobscot Indians to eat. Both the main river and its smaller branches provided a means of transportation, and the Penobscot were extremely skilled at making canoes from the bark of birch trees, using branches and roots from ash, spruce, and cedar trees for other parts of the boats. Besides its rivers, one of Maine’s most distinct features has been its tree cover. Today, forestry and logging are important industries in Maine. Trucks stacked high with tree trunks rattle down roads in central Maine all day long, making loud noises and leaving behind the sticky smell of pine. Penobscot Indians used trees to their advantage long before modern loggers, however. In addition to making canoes, the Penobscot Indians built homes from the bark of birch trees. Bigger dwellings were made of larger branches and logs. Within the forest, Penobscot Indians were able to hunt bears, moose, caribou, beavers, and otters for pelts (used for a variety of purposes, including warmth—it gets cold during Maine winters!) and food. They also gathered much of their food, collecting nuts, berries, and birds’ eggs to augment their diet. The Penobscot people crafted their own tools, including arrowheads, baskets, boats, and snowshoes. Today, Penobscot Indians have access to the same modern amenities that all Americans do, but many still make their own tools. This is in part because craftspeople can make money selling their work, but also for cultural reasons. Penobscot Indians, like American Indians all over the United States, suffered a great deal when European settlers arrived. Disease killed thousands of American Indians, and settlers stole much of their land. Now, many American Indians live on reservations dedicated specifically to their population. Many Penobscot Indians today live near the land of their ancestors, in Maine.

6-7

Social Studies: Geography, Societies & Culture

Which geographic feature did the Penobscot Indians build their lives around?

A. the forest B. the river C. the sea D. the plains

B

What does the author describe throughout the text?

A. how Penobscot Indians adapted to Maine’s landscape B. how the Penobscot River Basin has impacted the populations that live near it C. how Penobscot Indians are similar to and different from other American Indian tribes D. different industries that have developed throughout Maine

A

The Penobscot Indians adapted to Maine’s landscape. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A. “The Penobscot people crafted their own tools, including arrowheads, baskets, boats, and snowshoes.” B. “Penobscot Indians, like American Indians all over the United States, suffered a great deal when European settlers arrived.” C. “Both the main river and its smaller branches provided a means of transportation, and the Penobscot were extremely skilled at making canoes from the bark of birch trees…” D. “For centuries before the state of Maine was created, Penobscot Indians lived mainly in the region now known as the Penobscot River Basin.”

C

Why might Penobscot Indians continue to make their own tools?

A. because modern tools are of a lower quality B. because they do not have access to modern amenities C. because they cannot afford to buy mass-produced tools D. to preserve their unique cultural traditions

D

What is this passage mostly about?

A. how the Penobscot Indians suffered after European settlement B. why the Penobscot Indians continue to make their own tools C. how the Penobscot Indians used Maine’s resources D. how the Penobscot Indians preserve their cultural traditions

C

Read the following sentences: “Rivers are known to be fundamental for civilizations. They provide a resource of utmost importance: water! The Penobscot Indians built their lives around the river and all that it supported.” What does “fundamental” mean as used in this sentence?

A. destructive B. essential C. unimportant D. ideal

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. The Penobscot Indians hunted a variety of animals for their pelts, ________ bears, otters, and beavers.

A. especially B. therefore C. ultimately D. such as

D

Holy Cow!

Everyone knows that belching is rude, but cows do it all the time—every 40 seconds, in fact! The noisy burst of gas is more than just bad manners. It's bad for the environment. Each belch releases methane, a colorless, odorless gas. Methane is one of the gases that contribute to global warming, or the gradual increase in Earth's temperature. Scientists say a single cow releases up to 150 gallons of methane a day. All that belching adds up, say scientists. Altogether, the 100 million cows in the United States are responsible for 20 percent of the nation's methane emissions. Cows aren't trying to harm the environment—they just can't help it. The methane is made by billions of microorganisms, or tiny creatures, that live in cows' stomachs. The microorganisms help the animals digest hay and grass. The gas comes out when cows exhale. Bad belches haven't stopped cows from being in demand. In 2006, cattle and other livestock supplied about one-third of the world's protein. As Earth's population has continued to grow, the market for cattle and other livestock has been increasing quickly. The United Nations predicted that demand for meat and milk would more than double by 2050. Meeting that increased demand would require more livestock. As a result, even more methane would be released into the atmosphere. "Livestock's contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale," U.N. officials wrote in a report released in 2006. "The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency." Scientists all over the world are trying to figure out ways to lower cows' methane production. They want to make sure that more cows doesn't mean more pollution. German scientists have invented a pill that they say could improve cow digestion. The fist-sized pill would release new microorganisms into a cow's stomach. Early studies suggest the pill could help reduce overall methane emissions in Europe by 4 to 6 percent. Other researchers are fiddling with cows' food. British scientists think cows should eat more natural sugar. Swiss researchers propose adding extra fat to cows' diets by mixing coconut or sunflower seeds into cattle feed. Some scientists are even trying garlic. Results suggest that garlic may be reducing methane, but it also gives cows bad breath and could give their milk an unusual flavor. Lowering cows' emissions could make a big difference to the planet's climate. The methane they produce is more than 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas. The research on improving cows' digestion might have other benefits too. Jess Miner, an animal nutritionist at the University of Nebraska, says it could help the animals get more energy from their food. That would mean cows wouldn't have to eat as much. "We could produce more cows with the same amount of feed," Miner told WR News. "Agriculture will be made more efficient." Cows aren't the only ones that harm the environment. The actions of people also do. Here are some ways you can help protect the environment.

6

Science: Earth & Space Science, Life Science

According to the text, how much methane does a single cow release a day?

A. up to 150 gallons of methane B. 20 percent of methane emissions in the U.S. C. about one-third of the world's emissions D. 4 to 6 percent of emissions in Europe

A

The text describes several solutions to a problem. Putting garlic into the diet of cows and giving cows a pill to help digestion are two solutions. What is the problem as described by the author?

A. Cows supply a lot of the world's protein. B. A lot of pollution in the environment comes from cows. C. Cows get a lot of their energy from their food. D. The actions of people harm the environment.

B

Read the section titled “A Cow 'Cure.'” Based on the evidence, what can you conclude about pollution from cows?

A. Pollution from cows mostly affects Europe. B. Pollution from cows affects the whole world. C. Pollution from cows mainly affects Germany. D. Pollution from cows is not a problem.

B

Based on the text, what happens when the demand for cow meat and milk increases?

A. There would be more carbon dioxide in the world. B. There would be no more pollution in the world. C. There would be less pollution in the world. D. There would be more pollution in the world.

D

What is the main idea of the text?

A. Methane in cows comes from billions of microorganisms that live in cows' stomachs, where the microorganisms help the cows digest hay and grass. B. Although cattle and other livestock supplied about one-third of the world's protein in 2006, the market for cattle and other livestock has been increasing. C. Scientists are thinking of solutions to lower methane emissions from cows because each day cows release a large amount of methane, which pollute Earth's atmosphere. D. The actions of people may harm the environment, but people can protect the environment by doing certain actions, such as walking and putting on a sweater when it's cold.

C

Read these sentences from the text. The research on improving cows' digestion might have other benefits too. Jess Miner, an animal nutritionist at the University of Nebraska, says it could help the animals get more energy from their food. That would mean cows wouldn't have to eat as much. "We could produce more cows with the same amount of feed," Miner told WR News. "Agriculture will be made more efficient ." As used in these sentences, what does the word "efficient" mean?

A. effective B. confusing C. expensive D. interesting

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Cattle may seem harmless; ________, the gas they release is harmful to the environment.

A. because B. despite C. since D. however

D

Don't Know Much about Liberty

When it comes to the First Amendment, most Americans don’t know their rights from their wrongs! Only one in 20 Americans can list all five freedoms protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, according to a survey done in 2023. The rights are: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition. According to the Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey, 77% of respondents could only recall one of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, freedom of speech. No matter how old you are or what state you live in, you exercise First Amendment freedoms every day. When you turn on the television, you can choose the show you want to watch. If you disagree with a law, you can write a letter to your state Representative. If you don’t like something the government is doing, you can say so without getting in trouble. That’s exactly what the nation’s founders hoped to achieve when they ratified, or approved, the Bill of Rights in 1791. The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. The founders wanted Americans to have control over their daily lives and a say in how the government is run. Here’s why the founders included each freedom: 1. Freedom of religion The Colonists came to America in search of religious freedom. They wanted to worship without fear of punishment. The nation’s founders included this clause to make sure Congress could neither establish a national religion nor stop people from practicing their chosen religion. 2. Freedom of speech The Colonists’ rocky relationship with Great Britain made them determined to prevent their new government from abusing its power. This clause ensures that the government can’t stop people from saying almost anything they want to say—even if it’s unpopular or critical of the president. 3. Freedom of the press The nation’s founders feared that if the government controlled the nation’s newspapers, it could violate the Constitution without anyone finding out. This clause allows U.S. newspapers, magazines, and other media to report on whatever they want, as long as they don’t print false information or invade people’s privacy. 4. Freedom of assembly Majority may rule in the United States, but the nation’s founders wanted to make sure minority voices were still heard. This clause gives Americans the right to protest or parade publicly in support of any cause—no matter how controversial—as long as they do it peacefully. 5. Freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances The Colonists started the American Revolution (1775-1783) because they had little voice in Great Britain’s government. This clause requires that the government listen to what citizens have to say, whether it be through letter writing or lawsuits.

6

Social Studies: Civics & Government

According to a survey, how many Americans can list all five freedoms protected by the First Amendment?

A. one in 5 B. one in 100 C. one in 20 D. one in 77

C

The text lists five freedoms that are part of the First Amendment. What is the first freedom?

A. freedom of the press B. freedom of religion C. freedom of speech D. freedom of the assembly

B

The First Amendment protects the American people from the government. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. “When it comes to the First Amendment, most Americans don’t know their rights from their wrongs!” B. “No matter how old you are or what state you live in, you exercise First Amendment freedoms every day.” C. “The Colonists’ rocky relationship with Great Britain made them determined to prevent their new government from abusing its power.” D. “That’s exactly what the nation’s founders hoped to achieve when they ratified, or approved, the Bill of Rights in 1791.”

C

The Colonists came up with the First Amendment because of their relationship with Great Britain. Based on the text, what kind of relationship did the Colonists’ have with Great Britain?

A. The Colonists were worried that Great Britain might use its power against them. B. The Colonists wanted to keep Great Britain happy because they needed help. C. The Colonists were thankful that Great Britain helped them write the Bill of Rights. D. The Colonists wanted Great Britain to have a good relationship with Native Americans.

A

What’s the main idea of this passage?

A. The First Amendment protects five important freedoms for Americans, though many Americans don’t know about all five. B. The founders of the United States wrote the Bill of Rights, or the first ten amendments of the Constitution, in 1791. C. The freedom of press makes sure that the United States government can’t control the news that people are reading. D. The freedom of assembly lets Americans express their support for any cause without being stopped by the government.

A

Read the following sentences from the text. “The nation’s founders feared that if the government controlled the nation’s newspapers, it could violate the Constitution without anyone finding out. This clause allows U.S. newspapers, magazines, and other media to report on whatever they want, as long as they don’t print false information or invade people’s privacy.” As used in this sentence, what does the word “violate” most closely mean?

A. give away as a gift B. make money from C. memorize or sing D. break or go against

D

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Americans can practice their chosen religion _________ the First Amendment prevents the government from stopping them.

A. because B. however C. initially D. in the end

A

First Ladies

Chile, Liberia, and Germany don’t seem to have much in common. The three countries lie on different continents. They do not have a shared language, currency, culture, or history. But on closer examination, those different nations are more similar than they appear. All three nations have elected women leaders. Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, and Angela Merkel of Germany join a small but growing group of female heads of state. Here is a look into the lives of these three powerful women and the challenges currently facing their countries. When Michelle Bachelet was 23 years old, she and her mother were jailed and beaten. They had opposed a 1973 coup, or government overthrow, that brought Augusto Pinochet Ugarte to power. Pinochet was a brutal dictator who terrorized those who disagreed with him. He jailed more than 27,000 Chileans and executed more than 3,000. Bachelet and her mother were released and exiled to Australia and Germany. In 1979, Bachelet returned to Chile and graduated from medical school. After democracy was restored in Chile in 1990, she entered public service. Bachelet served as Minister of Health and as Defense Minister. She was praised for helping to heal lingering distrust between Chilean citizens and the military. On January 15, 2006 the 54-year-old was elected President. Her term ended in March of 2010. As Chile’s first female head of state, Bachelet’s priority was to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. Chile is a wealthy nation, but the richest 20 percent of its population controls 61 percent of the country’s wealth, according to the World Bank. "Chile needs to [create] more equal opportunities so that everyone can benefit from what the country has to offer," Bachelet told reporters after her election. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is known as "Iron Lady" and "Ma Ellen." Both sides of her personality will help her in the daunting task she faces: reuniting and rebuilding Liberia following 14 years of war. Although the bloody civil war ended in 2003, scars still mark the African nation. Fighting left more than 200,000 people dead. Millions more were forced to flee their homes. Liberia still has no regular electricity or running water. The nation’s unemployment rate is 80 percent. Johnson-Sirleaf, a Harvard-educated economist and grandmother, has vowed to make a "fundamental break" with her country’s past. "We [must] take bold and decisive steps to address the problems that for decades have stunted our progress," Johnson-Sirleaf said in her inaugural address on January 16, 2006. Johnson-Sirleaf is Africa’s first elected female head of state, but she is not new to politics. She served as Liberia’s Finance Minister until 1980 and made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 1997. "I am excited by the potential of what I represent: the aspirations and expectations of women in Liberia, African women, and women all over the world," Johnson-Sirleaf says. Angela Merkel is not only the first woman to serve as the Chancellor of Germany but also the first Chancellor, male or female, to have grown up in East Germany. After World War II (1939–1945), the United States, France, and Britain divided Germany into two parts—East Germany and West Germany. As West Germany prospered as a democracy, communist East Germany remained poor. Under communism, the country had few jobs. East and West Germany were reunited in 1989. Experts say Merkel’s humble upbringing as a minister’s daughter will help her understand Germany’s economic problems. Back when she was elected, the European country’s economy hadn’t grown for more than five years, and 12.6 percent of the population was unemployed in March 2005. That unemployment rate was the highest Germany had seen since the 1930s. When Merkel was sworn in as Chancellor on November 22, 2005, she promised to reduce unemployment. "Our aim is to stop this downward trend and reverse it," Merkel told reporters. "We want to give people hope of having jobs." The country’s unemployment has since fallen to 5.6 percent.

6-7

Social Studies: World History

According to the text, which three countries have elected women to lead them?

A. Italy, France, and Liberia B. Canada, Liberia, and Germany C. Chile, Liberia, and Germany D. Cuba, Liberia, and Germany

C

Read these sentences from the text. Chile, Liberia, and Germany don’t seem to have much in common. The three countries lie on different continents. They do not have a shared language, currency, culture, or history. Which of the following describes the relationship of these sentences?

A. The sentences present three items in sequence. B. One sentence gives a cause, and the others give effects. C. The sentences describe problems and solutions. D. The sentences compare three countries.

D

Read these sentences from the text. Johnson-Sirleaf is Africa’s first elected female head of state, but she is not new to politics. She served as Liberia’s Finance Minister until 1980 and made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 1997. What conclusion can you draw based on this information?

A. Johnson-Sirleaf has been president twice, once in 1980 and once in 1997. B. Johnson-Sirleaf was not elected president in 1997 because of her poor performance as finance minister. C. Johnson-Sirleaf did not win the presidency the first time she ran for the position in 1997, but did not give up and tried again. D. Johnson-Sirleaf was never able to become president even though she did have political experience.

C

Based on the text, what might have best prepared the three women to lead their countries?

A. meetings with other leaders B. trips to other countries C. their families D. their past experiences

D

What is the main idea of the this text?

A. Three women leaders worked very hard to become leaders of their countries. B. Three countries elected women leaders to solve major economic and social problems. C. Chile and Liberia have serious social problems that need to be resolved. D. Three countries have to solve major economic and social problems.

B

Read this sentence from the text. She was praised for helping to heal lingering distrust between Chilean citizens and the military. As used in the text, what does the word "lingering" mean?

A. lasting B. rising C. increasing D. growing

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. The bloody civil war in Liberia ended in 2003, ______ scars still mark the African nation.

A. mostly B. next C. after D. but

D

What's Bugging Everyone?

They’ve been seen in all the best places—brand-name clothing stores, five-star hotels, luxury cruise ships, movie theaters. But these socialites are uninvited and far from welcome. They’re bedbugs. The tiny travelers are fearless, ready to seek out a quiet spot in even the nicest locations. “They love dark, protected, rarely disturbed places,” explains Michael Merchant, professor and extension urban entomologist at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. Bedbugs are about the size of apple seeds. They travel by crawling and consume only human blood. “It’s amazing how they find us!” says Merchant. Bedbugs use carbon dioxide, which we exhale, to find hosts. “Following the carbon dioxide scent leads them to where whoever exhaled is sleeping.” In other words: their next meal. Although most insects live outside, these bloodsuckers prefer a roof over their heads, according to Merchant. “Bedbugs evolved long ago to live among people. They realized that humans provide a year-round food source and great shelter, and by living in our homes, they can avoid bad weather.” Targeting warm indoor places with large human populations, bedbugs found resorts, condominiums, dormitories, hospitals, and homeless shelters, where they can hide by day and dine by night. Lately, adventurous bedbugs have been exploring other places that attract crowds. If there’s human blood, they’re interested. But of course, the bedbugs are not receiving a warm welcome. “I don’t like bugs—they’re gross,” says Sarah F., 14, of New York. In January, she was returning home from a Broadway play with her parents. While they sat in a subway station waiting for a train, a woman who was cleaning warned them that there could be bedbugs on the benches. Before that moment, Sarah hadn’t thought much about bedbugs. “All I knew was that they are tiny bugs that suck your blood,” she recalls. She didn’t need to hear any more. “We got up, stepped away, and stood until the train came,” Sarah says. Now when she’s in a train station, “I try not to sit,” she says. That’s a smart choice because bedbugs can turn up anywhere. Nationwide, hotels are getting more and more bedbug complaints from travelers. After a meal, lasting three to 12 minutes, bedbugs nap for several days before getting hungry again. They’ll sleep anywhere that makes them feel secure and protected: in cracks or crevices, behind headboards, underneath sheets, and in the wood frame beneath mattresses. They move beyond beds, crawling into any tight spot—picture frames, books, or under clothes. Suitcases are a favorite hiding place, so when you are in a hotel, keep your luggage far from the bed. Better yet, use fabric luggage that can be washed with very hot water when you get home. Close to home, “messy rooms are bedbug heaven,” Merchant says. Keep personal items away from your bed. But if you do get an infestation, the cleaner the room, the easier it is to treat, he adds. Fortunately, unlike ticks and mosquitoes, bedbugs don’t carry disease. Some victims don’t even realize they have been bitten. Those who do react may get itchy or notice red welts. However, the emotional stress of living with bugs can affect sleep and cause anxiety, Merchant acknowledges. Bedbugs were common until a strong pesticide, DDT, nearly wiped them out during the past century. But DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972 when evidence showed it was harmful to humans. Other chemicals have taken its place, but bedbugs have developed resistance. Today’s bugs survive doses 1,000 times stronger than what would have killed them 10 years ago. “It’s survival of the fittest,” Merchant observes. He suspects they’re also returning partly because people travel more. “Bedbugs are great hitchhikers in boxes and luggage.” Learn to recognize bedbugs. If you see one, tell a parent, a hotel clerk, or your landlord. Then carefully put a few in a jar with a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol or inside a sealed bag and find an expert (such as those in your local Cooperative Extension office) to properly ID them and get cleanup started. Bedbugs are probably going to be with us for a while, the experts admit. One in five Americans have had an infestation at home or know someone who has, according to the National Pest Management Association. Just the thought of that makes many people a little itchy. So far, bedbugs have survived all current treatments. Scientists and businesses keep looking for new approaches or ways to strengthen older ones. Many exterminators, especially those who work with hotels, use canine detectives. Each of those dogs is specially trained to smell bedbugs and react. When the dog detects any bedbug scent, it will signal the bugs’ location by pointing or sitting. Bedbug-sniffing dogs, it turns out, are often better at finding small numbers of bedbugs than are their human counterparts. “Then the inspector takes over, looks for live or dead bedbugs, and brings in the control team. The key is practice and retraining,” says Michael Merchant, professor and extension urban entomologist at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Dallas. Allergic to pooches? The handheld Wasp Hound, an experimental device, contains five stingerless wasps. They can be trained to sniff out anything from explosives to bedbugs. A cartridge containing the wasps can be aimed at a common bedbug location, such as a bed’s headboard. A camera in the device tracks the wasps’ movements and, within 20 seconds, shows whether they’ve detected the odor.

6

Science: Life Science

According to the text, what are about the size of apple seeds and travel by crawling, consuming only human blood?

A. ticks B. mosquitoes C. bedbugs D. wasps

C

What solution to the problem of bedbug infestations could be used without a professional’s help?

A. the Fume Cube B. diatomaceous earth C. zippered vinyl cover D. heat treatment

C

It can be harder to get rid of bedbugs today than it was in the past. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. “Zippered vinyl covers provide an airtight seal around mattresses and box springs, preventing even tiny bedbugs from invading.” B. “Today’s bugs survive doses 1,000 times stronger than what would have killed them 10 years ago. “It’s survival of the fittest,” Merchant observes.” C. “Fortunately, unlike ticks and mosquitoes, bedbugs don’t carry disease. Some victims don’t even realize they have been bitten.” D. “While they sat in a subway station waiting for a train, a woman who was cleaning warned them that there could be bedbugs on the benches.”

B

The text says that bedbugs were nearly wiped out during the past century with the pesticide DDT. Based on the text, why wouldn’t DDT be used again to eliminate bedbugs completely?

A. DDT is also harmful to humans, so the solution to kill bedbugs would cause health problems to people too. B. DDT might not work because bedbugs have evolved so that no chemicals can kill them. C. DDT is too expensive to use, and people do not want to pay that much money for that solution. D. DDT has been replaced by other chemicals that are stronger and more effective at killing bedbugs.

A

What is the main idea of the text?

A. Bedbugs are most likely to thrive in messy rooms, so a good way to prevent them is to clean up. B. Bedbugs are actually harmless, and people should not worry about trying to get rid of them. C. Bedbugs were almost extinct in the 1970s when DDT was legal, but after it was banned, they became harder to control. D. Bedbugs have been around for a long time, but there are ways to detect them and ways to get rid of them.

D

Read these sentences from the text. Close to home, “messy rooms are bedbug heaven,” Merchant says. Keep personal items away from your bed. But if you do get an infestation , the cleaner the room, the easier it is to treat, he adds. As used in these sentences, what does the word "infestation" mean?

A. invitation to a place B. exit of a place C. takeover of a place D. furniture at a place

C

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Bedbugs are great hitchhikers in boxes and luggage, _______ you should keep your suitcase away from the bed when you are in a hotel .

A. but B. because C. so D. yet

C

Jenna and the Black Cat

“Eek! That’s bad luck!” Jenna said when Erica walked under the ladder that leaned up against the card-store wall. “Quick! We’ve got to find some salt to shake over your right shoulder.” Erica was used to her friend’s superstitions. Jenna had many of the usual ones, like not stepping on cracks. She also had a slew of superstitious beliefs that were unique. She wouldn’t wear the same-color shirt two days in a row. She believed that you couldn’t experience each day as a new day if you wore yesterday’s color. Erica overlooked Jenna’s quirks, though she kidded her about them sometimes. What she liked about Jenna was that she was thoughtful and that she liked to help. She volunteered as a tutor after school and, on Saturdays, she worked at an animal shelter. After getting the salt to toss over her shoulder, Jenna and Erica began the walk from the mall back to Jenna’s house. Their route took them through the park, where a soccer game was going on. That meant that they had to take a longer route, around the field and past the “ghost” tree. The ghost tree was just a maple tree whose limbs grew in a pattern that looked like arms reaching to the sky. When its leaves fell off, the ends of the branches pointed like sharpened fingers in all directions. It had been called the ghost tree as long as anyone in town could remember. On Halloween, some kids would put streamers in the tree to make it look especially spooky. Jenna usually stayed away from the tree. It gave her the creeps. Jenna quickened her pace. That’s when they heard a small cry. “It’s coming from the tree,” Erica said. While Erica went to the base of the tree, Jenna held back. “It’s a kitten,” Erica called to her friend. “I can’t reach it.” Jenna stepped closer and saw the animal on a low branch. It seemed scared. “If you cup your hands, I can climb up and get it,” she said. Erica was surprised to see Jenna reach for the black cat.

6

What does Jenna say they need to find when Erica walks under a ladder that is is leaning up against the card-store wall?

A. wood so she can knock on it B. a black cat so she can pet it C. salt to shake over her right shoulder D. sage so they can smell it

C

Why does Erica describe Jenna as thoughtful and helpful in the text?

A. because she volunteers as a tutor and works at an animal shelter B. because she won't wear the same-color shirt two days in a row C. because she wants to find salt after Erica walks under a ladder D. because she goes walking to fun and interesting places with her

A

Read the following sentences from the text. "Their route took them through the park, where a soccer game was going on. That meant that they had to take a longer route, around the field and past the “ghost” tree....Jenna usually stayed away from the tree. It gave her the creeps. Jenna quickened her pace." What conclusion can you draw from this evidence?

A. Jenna is worried that Erica will go near the tree and then they will have to get more salt to throw over her shoulder. B. Jenna isn't scared of the ghost tree but she walks past it quickly because she knows that Erica is scared of it. C. Jenna doesn't like the ghost tree because she usually tries to stay away from it and starts to walks faster when they are passing it. D. Jenna and Erica decide to walk right through the soccer game because it is important that they stay away from the ghost tree.

C

What caused Jenna to overcome her fear of the ghost tree?

A. She saw that the kitten was scared and needed help. B. She knew Erica wouldn't leave the kitten in the tree. C. She realized it was actually another tree. D. She already had the salt ready in her pocket this time.

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Two common superstitions are that it's bad luck to walk under a ladder or step on cracks when walking. B. Some trees are called ghost trees because their branches look like arms reaching to the sky with fingers at the ends. C. Many people believe that you should not wear the same color two days in a row because you won't be able to experience each day as new. D. Erica's friend, Jenna, is superstitious but faces one of her fears when she sees that an animal needs help.

D

Read the following sentences from the text. “Erica was used to her friend’s superstitions. Jenna had many of the usual ones, like not stepping on cracks. She also had a slew of superstitious beliefs that were unique .” As used in this excerpt, what does the word “unique” most closely mean?

A. funny and entertaining B. unusual, not common C. loud and exciting D. creepy or scary

B

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Jenna screamed, “That’s bad luck!” __________ she saw Erica walk under a ladder.

A. and B. unless C. until D. when

D

BFF

Dear Lexie – Wassup? We got to Venice early this morning. I think I have jetlag or something. It’s morning, and I feel like going to bed—except that this place is so strange I couldn’t sleep even if it was nighttime, so that’s why I’m e-mailing you. The hotel has internet access, and we can’t get into our room yet, so I figured I’d tell you about this place. You wouldn’t believe it. It’s like a floating city, and I’m afraid it will sink or something. My mom’s calling me. Gotta go. – Maura Hey, Maura – I’m so jealous. Venice sounds awesome. Sorry I couldn’t write right back. Your letter came in at like 3 a.m. here, so I didn’t get it until now. I looked Venice up online. The buildings all look like castles or something. – Lex Hi, Lex – It’s about 7 at night here, so what time is it there? Probably you’re at school right now. We went to this big plaza called San Marco today. There’s like a billion pigeons. There was this guy who put bird seed on his jacket, and all these birds landed on him. When he walked, all the pigeons stayed on him. I took a million pictures. – Maura M – The pigeon guy seems crazy. There’s no way I’d let a bunch of pigeons roost on me. Yuck! I can’t wait to see the pictures. Can you e-mail one to me? I’ll take it in tomorrow and show Benny. He likes pigeons. He’s weird. – Lex Hi, Lex – I have a dorky film camera, so I can’t e-mail pix. Sometimes I think my family is living in the 20th century. I mean, we are the only family without a microwave. Today we went to museums. Every other building here is a museum. I think Venetians must be very artistic or something. – M M – Yeah. I read that Michelangelo lived there. Did you see him? Oh, never mind. He’s dead. Well, did you see any art by him? We had a math test today. Decimals. And there’s a new kid in class. Her name is Sydney. She’s cool. She’s from California. – Lex Lex – Tell me more about the new kid. Remember we’re BFF, so don’t get a new best friend. I’ll be back on Saturday. Don’t get a new BF before then, okay? – M

6

Where is Maura?

A. California B. at school C. Venice D. at home

C

What is the relationship between Lexie and Maura?

A. They are sisters. B. They work together. C. They are best friends. D. They are neighbors.

C

Read the following sentences from the text. “ Hi, Lex – It’s about 7 at night here, so what time is it there? Probably you’re at school right now. We went to this big plaza called San Marco today. There’s like a billion pigeons. There was this guy who put bird seed on his jacket, and all these birds landed on him. When he walked, all the pigeons stayed on him. I took a million pictures….Today we went to museums. Every other building here is a museum. I think Venetians must be very artistic or something. – M ” What conclusion can you draw from this evidence?

A. Maura is really interested in the things she is seeing on her trip. B. Lexie wants to become best friends with Sydney and Benny. C. Maura is tired from the long plane ride it took to get to Venice. D. Maura went to Venice with her family to go birdwatching.

A

How can you tell that Lexie and Maura have a close relationship?

A. Both of their families are traveling to Venice together for the summer. B. They have to do a project on Michelangelo and they decided to be partners. C. They are emailing each other pictures of what they are doing every day. D. They are telling each other about the things happening in their lives while they are apart.

D

What is the text mostly about?

A. Michelangelo is an artist that lived in Venice but has passed away. B. Lexie and Maura are good friends who are writing to each other as Maura travels. C. Maura's family uses a film camera and doesn't have a microwave. D. There is a new kid in Maura's and Lexie's class from California who is named Sydney.

B

Read the following sentences from the text. “ We got to Venice early this morning. I think I have jetlag or something. It’s morning, and I feel like going to bed . . . . ” As used in this sentence/excerpt, what does the word/phrase “jetlag” most closely mean?

A. the realization that you are in a new country and not familiar with its ways of life B. a feeling of happiness that happens when a person finally gets to take a vacation C. a type of pain that you feel in your back after being on an airplane for a long time D. being tired after a long flight because the times of the day you are used to change

D

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. ________ Maura was in Venice, she saw a man put bird seed on his jacket to feed the pigeons.

A. Since B. For C. While D. Because

C

Escape from Kiev

In 1941, during World War II (1939-1945), German troops invaded the Soviet Union. One of the Soviet cities targeted was Kiev, where 9-year-old Abram Shlyapnikov lived. Abram, a Jew, knew the Nazis wanted to kill his family. This is his story as told to his granddaughter Nicole. Q: What do you remember about the first day of war? A: It was Sunday, June 22, 1941. I was awakened at about 4 in the morning by distant thunder. I went to the window thinking there was a storm, but the sky was clear. Someone turned on the radio; this was war. Bombs landed in the city. The train station, airport, and electric plant were hit. My father left for the front. The city grew quiet, as if awaiting a storm. Q: Why did you leave Kiev? A: We were Jews. My father was a lieutenant and a Communist. For us, leaving was a matter of life and death. Q: How did you get away? A: One of our neighbors was a government official. He was able to get a truck for his family. As he was loading his rugs and china, my mother went up to him and said, "You are saving all your possessions as well as yourself, while my husband is on the front lines. Don't you have enough decency to make room for me and my two boys in the back of your truck?" The man let us ride in the truck. Q: Describe the trip. A: The German bombs destroyed roads. The countryside was burning. Crowds of weary refugees, with their belongings and children packed on their backs, were toiling east along broken roads. Corpses of livestock, broken-down vehicles, and smashed horse carts littered the sides of the road. The driver refused to stop even to use the bathroom. He had taken along several large canisters filled with gas and paused only to refill his tank. We were heading for Saratov, a Russian city 2,000 miles east of Kiev. Later, I learned that the speed and extra gas had saved our lives. I later found out that the road from Kiev to Saratov had been cut off by German tanks on the same day we had made our escape. We must have just missed the German troops. Q: How long did it take you to reach your destination? A: Our nonstop trip lasted three days and three nights. We did not know anyone in Saratov, but the people were nice and compassionate. A woman whose husband was also in the war took us in. Q: What about your father? A: Since the day he left for the war, we hadn't received a single letter. We later learned that his division was surrounded and that he had escaped. He rejoined the Soviet army and continued his service. That is when he found us through the Red Cross. Q: When were you able to return to Kiev? A: In 1943, the Soviet army liberated Kiev. We were among the first to return home. Our house was still standing, but the doors and windows were gone. But we were happy that we were back home.

6

Social Studies: World History

Where is the city of Kiev?

A. Germany B. the Soviet Union C. the United States D. France

B

German troops invaded Kiev during World War II. What was the effect on Abram Shlyapnikov’s life?

A. He joined the Soviet army along with his father. B. He was separated from his mother and father. C. He had to take care of his younger brother. D. He fled Kiev with his mother and brother.

D

Which of the following conclusions about Abram’s story is supported by the passage?

A. Abram’s brother was a lieutenant in the Soviet underground army. B. Most Nazi soldiers became Communists after arriving in the Soviet Union. C. Nazi troops wanted to capture Abram’s father but not the rest of the family. D. Abram’s family would have been killed if the Nazis had caught them.

D

Read these sentences from the passage: “In 1943, the Soviet army liberated Kiev. We were among the first to return home.” In this sentence, the word liberated means

A. adopted B. fought C. freed D. captured

C

The primary purpose of this passage is to

A. compare and contrast the experiences of Abram and his brother B. share Abram’s story of survival during World War II C. persuade other survivors of World War II to share their stories D. explain how the Red Cross helped reunite people after the war

B

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Abram’s family home was still standing after Kiev was liberated, __________ the windows and doors were missing.

A. because B. when C. but D. since

C

Homo Sapiens

It was about four months after I graduated from college that I finally got a job working at the zoo. The pay wasn’t bad: all the chicken nuggets I could stomach and my own room in the cage where they kept the human beings. I’ve always been a little nervous starting anything new, but I remember that first day being particularly unnerving, waiting for the zoo to open. I asked Joseph, who had been there for years, if there was anything I could help set up. He told me just to relax, maybe go down the slide a few times. “Nothing like the slide to clear your mind,” he said. Emily and Cindy were waiting in line to go down the slide. “You look a little green,” Emily said. “First day,” I replied. “First day, huh?” said Cindy. “I remember my first day. I spent the whole day hiding in the laundry closet.” “Listen,” said Emily. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. We just do our thing, and the people come and watch and sometimes ask us to do a trick.” When I got to the top of the ladder, a blow horn resounded through the park announcing that the gates were opening. My heart did a somersault, and I slid down the slide. *** Sure, the job had little to do with what I had studied in college, but after having spent four months looking for work, I was desperate. It wasn’t so bad at the zoo, either. I liked our habitat. It reminded me a lot of home. The part of our habitat that faced the visitors was kind of like a backyard. Behind the backyard was the fake house where we each had our own little room; we could always go nap there when we got tired. There was a pond-sized bathtub we were encouraged to swim in, and there was always music playing in case we felt like dancing. Rainy days were best because there weren’t many visitors. The zookeepers had hired a wonderful bunch of human beings, and it was a pleasure getting to know them all. It turned out every single one of them had something special they could do—Joseph composed music, Emily wrote poetry, Cindy read Tarot cards—but even more impressive than what they could do, was who they all were. Sometimes I wondered if the zookeepers—or even the wide-eyed and fascinated visitors—had any idea just how special we all were. *** On sunny days, the visitors crammed around our cage and hollered and cooed at us. Our trainers entered every hour and had us perform tricks in exchange for chunks of cookie dough, which, of course, none of us could refuse. My tricks usually had to do with dancing. One of our trainers spotted me dancing one evening and realized quickly that I had formidable moves. Of course the visitors ate it up. Many nights I’d go to sleep with my toes painfully calloused from fancy footwork and my limbs aching from my shaking legs. Joseph did mostly magic tricks, and Emily rode her bicycle in circles. Once I recited a poem I’d memorized in French, but by the time I’d reached the third stanza, no one was listening. *** On the third Sunday of every month, our trainers would leash us up and take us for a leisurely walk about the park. Without the glass between us and them, the visitors were much more respectful. They even seemed a little frightened. One time a little girl dropped her doll, and Cindy picked it up and handed it to her. Her father suddenly pulled her away from Cindy. “Don’t touch it, Amanda!” he shouted. “That’s a wild animal!” Cindy was so angry the trainer had to wrestle the girl’s doll away from her. *** But working in the zoo had its perks, too. And eventually I’d been there so long that many of visitors started to remember me. “It’s Jesse!” the children would shout. “Do the dance! Dance for us!” And they’d dance with me on the other side of the glass. There was even an old woman who came now and then and asked me to recite French poetry to her. One time I slipped out of the cage late at night and sneaked into the “Oceans of the World” exhibit. The lights were out, but glowing jellyfish illuminated the walkways. I followed those drifting pillows of light through tunnels of artificial coral, past walls of water flashing with silver schools of tuna, and the circular tank with the circling sharks. Finally, I found what I was looking for: an immense cylindrical tank in the very center of the exhibit. In the dark, I could just barely read the plaque: ARCHITEUTHIS, Giant Squid. It was murky in the tank, and I stared at that black abyss for a long time, seeing only my own reflection trying to peer in through the glass. And I started thinking about who I was and about the other human beings, and I thought about what we were all doing in that zoo. And then, all at once, I realized that I had been looking into the eye of the squid. And in a flash of twisting tentacles and a cloud of ink even darker than the water, it disappeared into the shadows. “And who are you really?” I whispered, staring into the tank.

6

Where does the narrator of the text work?

A. at a library B. at a zoo C. at a movie theater D. at an amusement park

B

From which point of view is this story told?

A. first-person point of view (“I”) B. second-person point of view (“you”) C. limited third-person point of view (“he” or “she”) D. omniscient, or unlimited, third-person point of view (“he/she/they”)

A

Read the following sentences from the text. It wasn’t so bad at the zoo, either. I liked our habitat. It reminded me a lot of home. The part of our habitat that faced the visitors was kind of like a backyard. Behind the backyard was the fake house where we each had our own little room; we could always go nap there when we got tired. What can be concluded from this information?

A. The narrator does not like working at the zoo very much. B. The zookeepers are not taking good care of the narrator. C. The narrator is a human being on display at a zoo. D. The narrator has spent his or her whole life working at the zoo.

C

How does the narrator’s attitude about being at the zoo change throughout the story?

A. laid-back at first, then thoughtful, and finally nervous B. laid-back at first, then nervous, and finally thoughtful C. nervous at first, then laid-back, and finally thoughtful D. thoughtful at first, then laid-back, and finally nervous

C

What is a theme of this text?

A. true love B. religious belief C. the horrors of war D. human nature

D

Read these sentences from the text. “You look a little green ,” Emily said. “First day,” I replied. Based on the sentences, what might the word “green” mean?

A. inexperienced or sick B. healthy or confident C. friendly or very happy D. old or exhausted

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. The human beings at the zoo have special talents, _______ composing music, writing poetry, and dancing.

A. consequently B. otherwise C. earlier D. such as

D

Ig Nobel Winners

6

Science: Life Science

What is ornithology?

A. the study of cheese B. the study of insects C. the study of birds D. the study of monkeys

C

The author of this passage lists examples of people who won the Ig Nobel Prize. What do the winners have in common?

A. They hate the nails-on-a-chalkboard sound. B. They are all researchers. C. They don’t like stinky cheese. D. They are fascinated by insects.

B

After reading the passage, you can conclude that the Ig Nobel Prize winners

A. did their work so they could win an Ig Nobel Prize B. made up their study results to make people laugh C. were not expecting to win an Ig Nobel Prize D. also won Nobel Prizes for their achievements

C

Read this sentence from the passage: “Bart Knols and Ruurd de Jong won the prize in biology for showing that female mosquitoes of the species Anopheles gambiae are attracted to the smells of sweaty feet and stinky Limburger cheese.” In this sentence, the word species means

A. an encyclopedia in Latin B. a family of hungry insects C. a category of living things D. an insect’s country of origin

C

Which statement best describes the main idea of this passage?

A. Dung beetles roll animal poop into balls and lay their eggs inside them. B. Scientists work very hard to find the answer to unknown questions. C. Ig Nobel winner achievements are funny and make people think. D. Humans hate the nails-on-a-chalkboard sound more than any other noise.

C

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Mosquitoes are equally attracted to the smells ________ stinky cheese and stinky feet.

A. for B. of C. and D. but

B

Lonely

When the bell rang for lunch, instead of going to the outdoor cafeteria to meet Morgan like she usually did, Jessica took her lunchbox and retreated to the library. The rest of the school was rushing past her, relieved for a 50-minute break after the first day back from winter vacation—like she didn’t exist. And today, Jessica really felt like maybe she didn’t exist. She pushed open the swinging door to the library and sat at one of the tables in the corner. Nobody—not even Mrs. Garcia, the librarian—was around. The windows to the library looked out onto the cafeteria space. Jessica could hear kids laughing and screaming and chatting, eating lunch at the plastic picnic tables and enjoying each other’s company. Jessica hunched down until her chin hit the hard, wood table and groaned. She pulled her lumpy cheese sandwich out of her lunchbox and chewed awkwardly against the table, staring off into space. Suddenly, Jessica heard a rustling in the corner. She turned around and saw that the pink and orange, four-foot-tall, stuffed dragon that had lived in that exact corner of the library ever since she had started at the school (almost six years ago) was stretching its wings and yawning. Jessica turned back to the table, eyes wide. “Oh my gosh,” she whispered. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.” She peeked over her shoulder again and saw the dragon was walking toward her. She shook her head and closed her eyes tightly. “This can’t be happening,” she said to herself. “I must be going insane.” “Hi there!” a voice said from behind Jessica’s left elbow. Jessica turned around slowly. The dragon was standing in front of her, one claw on the scaly area near what would be its waist, smiling and blinking. The dragon looked confused. “Do you speak English?” the dragon said. “Um…yes?” Jessica said. “I think I’m just hallucinating.” The dragon shrugged and pulled out the chair next to Jessica and sat down heavily, its wings spreading out majestically. “Probably. Why are you eating in here by yourself?” “Uh…” Jessica looked around the library. It was still lunchtime; she could still hear her peers playing outside in the courtyard; and the library was still empty. “Look, I know this is unusual, but why don’t you just try to go with it?” the dragon said. It looked at Jessica’s half-eaten sandwich. “Finish your lunch. I’ll sit with you.” Jessica picked up her sandwich and took a bite, then looked over. The dragon was still sitting there watching her steadily. It seemed a little concerned about her. It had the same look in its eye as her mother did when Jessica was quiet during the car ride home, or when she was doing her homework on Saturday nights at the kitchen table. She knew her mother thought she was a loner, but it wasn’t that Jessica didn’t have any friends. They all just happened to live really far away. Jessica knew she had a very rich social life online, and stayed up chatting with her friends in Australia until midnight sometimes. She had met them in chat rooms or on blogs about favorite bands they had in common, or their favorite book characters. She felt comfortable chatting with her friends through the blue light of her computer screen. Talking face-to-face was the not-so-comfortable part. The first days back at school after vacations were the hardest. Jessica had spent the last two weeks talking to people all day, and today she had barely said two words to her homeroom teacher. “I know how you feel,” the dragon said, as if it could read her mind. “I get lonely here, too, sometimes.” “I’m not lonely,” Jessica said. “And don’t read my mind.” “You are lonely,” the dragon said, leaning forward on the table to look at Jessica close in the eye. “I can see it in your face. You haven’t smiled all day.” Jessica felt a wave of sadness settle over her limbs. If a stuffed dragon could even sense her loneliness, she didn’t even want to think about what the other kids in school thought of her. “Just say hi to someone today,” the dragon said softly. “I promise they’ll say hi back.” The five-minute bell indicating lunch was almost over rang. Jessica sniffed and felt her eyes well up with tears. The dragon obviously didn’t understand how difficult that was going to be. When she looked up to say something, it was gone. Jessica looked around the room. The dragon was back in its corner, wings stiff and at the ready behind it. Jessica packed up the rest of her uneaten lunch. Clearly the dragon was trying to help just her. It probably didn’t come alive for everyone who ate alone in the library (but then again, how many people actually ate lunch alone in the library?). Maybe she should take its advice. In the hallway outside the library, a girl from Jessica’s homeroom class was crouched on the floor, picking up pens, pencils, and highlighters that had clearly just dropped out of her empty pencil case, open beside her. Jessica, fighting the urge to just walk away, leaned down and picked up a few pens. “Let me help you,” she said. The girl, Molly, looked up at her and smiled gratefully. “Thank you!” she said. Jessica smiled back.

6

When the bell rings for lunch, where does Jessica take her lunchbox?

A. to the library B. to the cafeteria C. to the gym D. to a classroom

A

When do the events of the story take place?

A. on Jessica’s very first day of school B. on the day before Jessica leaves school for winter vacation C. on the day after Jessica returns to school from winter vacation D. during the two weeks that make up Jessica’s winter vacation

C

Jessica feels lonely at school. What evidence from the story supports this conclusion?

A. “She turned around and saw that the pink and orange, four-foot-tall, stuffed dragon that had lived in that exact corner of the library ever since she had started at the school (almost six years ago) was stretching its wings and yawning.” B. “Jessica turned around slowly. The dragon was standing in front of her, one claw on the scaly area near what would be its waist, smiling and blinking. The dragon looked confused.” C. “The first days back at school after vacations were the hardest. Jessica had spent the last two weeks talking to people all day, and today she had barely said two words to her homeroom teacher.” D. “In the hallway outside the library, a girl from Jessica’s homeroom class was crouched on the floor, picking up pens, pencils, and highlighters that had clearly just dropped out of her empty pencil case, open beside her.”

C

Why might Jessica have told the dragon that she is not lonely?

A. Jessica does not feel lonely. B. Jessica does not want to admit that she is lonely. C. Jessica does not like the dragon very much. D. Jessica does not have time to talk to the dragon.

B

What is the theme of the story?

A. Being honest is more important than being kind. B. Friendships with people far away are more valuable than friendships with people nearby. C. Young people should spend more time by themselves than with others. D. A small effort at being friendly is all it takes to overcome loneliness.

D

Read the following sentences from the story: “‘You are lonely,’ the dragon said, leaning forward on the table to look at Jessica close in the eye. ‘I can see it in your face. You haven’t smiled all day.’ Jessica felt a wave of sadness settle over her limbs. If a stuffed dragon could even sense her loneliness, she didn’t even want to think about what the other kids in school thought of her.” What does the phrase “a wave of sadness” mean above?

A. a wave of water that splashes Jessica and makes her sad B. a heat wave that comes out of the dragon’s mouth C. a sound wave that hurts Jessica’s ears D. a strong feeling of sadness

D

Select the word that best completes the sentence. Jessica has a lot of friends; ___________, they all live far away.

A. however B. for example C. primarily D. consequently

A

Dirty Job

I stood on the brink of a vast landfill. Below me, workers piled soil onto sealed containers. Trucks labeled Caution: radioactive material” rumbled by. In the distance, windowless buildings loomed above the bleak landscape. It looked like the set for a movie about a nuclear wasteland. But it was real—the Hanford Site in eastern Washington state. It’s the largest environmental cleanup operation on Earth. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is now mopping it up. Hanford was once an enormous industrial complex covering almost 1,550 square kilometers (600 square miles). It included factories, nuclear reactors, and hundreds of other buildings. Its main product was plutonium, a silver-white metallic element that’s used to fuel nuclear bombs. The nuclear bomb that the United States dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on Aug. 9, 1945, contained plutonium made at Hanford. Hanford stopped making plutonium in the 1980s. By then, the site was a huge mess. Billions of gallons of contaminated water had been spilled on the ground. Contaminated equipment lay buried all over the place. And underground tanks were leaking chemical and radioactive waste into the nearby Columbia River. Radioactive materials contain unstable atoms that emit high-energy rays. Exposure to those rays is extremely hazardous. “It’s hard to get your mind around how big Hanford is,” Cameron Hardy of the DOE told me as we drove through the site. I saw what he meant. We had already driven past miles of sagebrush, metal fences, and faceless concrete buildings, and some of Hanford’s nine nuclear reactors were just coming into view. Finally, we made our first stop, at a groundwater treatment plant. During Hanford’s heyday, water used to cool the nuclear reactors and process plutonium was simply dumped on the ground. Some of it seeped into the groundwater, which flows into the Columbia River. The DOE’s goal is to reclaim the water before it reaches the river. One contaminant in Hanford’s groundwater is chromium 6, a toxic chemical. Chromium 6 is very mobile, or readily transported, in groundwater. Another contaminant is strontium-90, which is radioactive. Cleaning up the groundwater involves pumping it to the surface. The chromium 6 is extracted and converted to chromium 3, which is safer and less mobile. The strontium-90 is absorbed by a mineral called apatite, which is injected underground. Within two years, the DOE will be pumping and treating 16,280 liters (4,300 gallons) of groundwater—the equivalent of 85 bathtubs’ worth of water—every minute. Hanford also has 200 million liters (53 million gallons) of toxic liquid on its grounds. To immobilize that stew, the DOE is building a vitrification plant the size of six shopping malls. Vitrification is the process of making glass. In the Hanford plant, explains DOE glass scientist Albert Kruger, the toxic waste will be heated to 1,150 degrees Celsius (2,100 degrees Fahrenheit). As the hot waste cools, it becomes glass, which will be sealed in steel canisters and buried underground. When completed, Hanford’s vitrification plant will be the world’s largest chemical processing facility. The first glass won’t roll out until 2018. Even then, it will still take 40 years to treat all the liquid waste. The cleanup doesn’t stop there. Hanford is also a gargantuan grab bag of solid waste—hundreds of old buildings plus scores of underground burial sites. The burial sites contain tons of contaminated equipment, tools, partly decayed drums, soil, and train cars. The nuclear reactors are now being cocooned. Everything but their radioactive cores is being destroyed. The cores will be sealed for perhaps 75 years, or “until enough radioactive decay has gone on,” explains DOE environmental scientist Nick Ceto. Decay is the slow breakdown of radioactive substances into more stable elements. Other buildings are being dismantled. The burial grounds are a deeper problem. Hundreds are left to excavate and sort through. It’s a slow process, says Hardy. At every step, workers must be protected from radiation, chemical contamination, and fire. “Some of the waste will spontaneously catch fire if it’s exposed to air,” he says. Where does most of the waste go? In a landfill the size of 35 football fields. The landfill is not just a big hole in the ground. At least 10 layers of material will keep it leak-proof for thousands of years. From the landfill’s edge, I cautiously peered down seven stories to the bottom. As I left the Hanford Site, my head was reeling—and not from radiation. I was thinking about the vast operation, which will take at least 50 more years and consume billions of dollars. Yet everybody I talked to agreed that cleaning up Hanford must be done. Otherwise, more contaminants will reach the Columbia River, says Ceto. People might stumble across dangerous radioactive waste. Wildlife could spread the contamination. “We’re trying to protect the whole food chain,” he says. Clearly, we’re in this mess for the long haul.

6

Science: Earth & Space Science

This passage explains why the cleanup of nuclear waste in Hanford, Washington, is

A. only of interest to people living near the plant B. so complicated and so important C. going to be finished in the next ten years D. famous around the world

B

How does “Dirty Job” explain what makes the cleanup so difficult?

A. It tells the history of the site. B. It lists the different kinds of waste that exist at Hanford today. C. It presents information about the cost of the cleanup. D. It describes the dangers of nuclear waste.

D

Which of the following conclusions is supported by the passage?

A. If Hanford is not cleaned up, millions of people will die. B. If Hanford is not cleaned up, it will eventually not be a problem. C. If Hanford is not cleaned up, it will be harmful to the environment. D. If Hanford is not cleaned up soon, it will never be cleaned up.

C

Read the following sentence: “Hanford is also a gargantuan grab bag of solid waste—hundreds of old buildings plus scores of underground burial sites.” In this sentence, the word gargantuan means:

A. ordinary B. gigantic C. smelly D. old

B

The primary purpose of this passage is to

A. present both sides of the argument for cleaning up, or not cleaning up, Hanford B. describe the dangerous situation that exists at Hanford today C. present a list, in order, of events that happened at Hanford D. compare and contrast Hanford with other polluted sites in the world

B

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. The scientists are working hard to pump Hanford’s water to the surface, bury some of its waste in a landfill, and, turn some of its poison liquids into glass, but ___________ they want to ensure that none of these dangerous materials hurts any more human beings.

A. around B. sometimes C. most importantly D. maybe

C

How Soccer Can Help Us Understand Physics

Sports provide a great way to understand some concepts in physics. Physics, after all, is the study of matter, motion, force, and energy. And since sports like soccer, swimming and cycling involve bodies moving through space, they can help us understand how the principles of physics work. Imagine that you’re looking at a soccer ball on a grassy field. If you do nothing to the ball, it will stay motionless on the grass. If you kick the ball, it will roll along the grass before coming to rest again. Pretty simple, right? For thousands of years, though, people thought that objects like this soccer ball come to rest because they have a natural tendency to stop. It took a famous physicist by the name of Sir Isaac Newton, who lived in the 1600s, to prove that this was not exactly correct. Newton suggested that objects like the soccer ball have a natural tendency to keep moving. The only reason they stop, he believed, is because an unbalanced force acts on them. By an unbalanced force, Newton meant the force applied to the soccer ball by its environment. When kicked, the surface of the ball travels over the grass, creating friction. The taller the grass, and the rougher the surface of the ball, the more friction is created. And the more friction that exists between the ball and the grass, the less it will travel after being kicked. Now, imagine that there is no grass. Instead, the ball is resting on a frozen lake. When you kick the ball on the ice, the ball will go much farther than it would have on the grass. This is because ice provides a lot less friction than the grass. Even so, ice does cause some friction. The ball’s interaction with the frozen water crystals on the surface of the lake eventually causes it to come to rest again. But now imagine that instead of ice, the ball is in a place where there’s no friction at all. The ball is floating in a vacuum. If you remove friction entirely, kicking the soccer ball would cause it to keep going and going at the same speed, until some force caused it to slow down and stop. To paraphrase Sir Isaac Newton, a soccer ball on the grass will stay where it is unless acted on by a force. Similarly, once you kick the ball, it will remain in motion unless acted on by force. This, in so many words, is known as Newton’s First Law of Motion. The same principles apply for other sports. Take swimming. Olympic swimmers are in a constant battle with the force of water. Water slows them down. To increase their speed, swimmers often shave their entire bodies, reducing the amount of friction caused by hair. Since a swimming contest can be won or lost by a tenth of a second, anything they can do to remove friction will help—even if it means ridding their bodies of hair. Recently, Olympic swimmers took to wearing full-body suits in the water, which made swimmers sleeker and reduced underwater friction. Swimmers wearing these suits began to break world records. They started winning all the races. Soon enough, Olympic officials, realizing that these suits posed an unfair advantage, banned the use of these suits in Olympic competition. Swimmers had to fall back on their own, hairless skin. The situation for professional cyclists is slightly different. Unlike the swimmer, who battles the water, the cyclist is confronted with forces from other sources that seek to slow him or her down: the force of the road and the force of the air. Like professional swimmers, pro cyclists are known to shave their body hair, to reduce the amount of friction caused by the wind. But the loss of body hair represents only a tiny reduction in surface friction compared to, say, wearing spandex shorts instead of baggy shorts with pockets that fill up with air as you ride. To reduce friction and increase speed, cyclists adopt all kinds of techniques. They wear aerodynamic helmets. They crouch low over their bikes. They wear shirts and shorts that cling closely to their skin, preventing air from slipping inside and slowing them down. However, little can be done about the tires’ interaction with the pavement. As in the case of the soccer ball, a bicycle wheel will eventually stop spinning if no force acts upon it to keep it moving. The rougher the road, the sooner that bike wheels will come to a stop. For this reason, cyclists tend to have large, bulging thigh muscles. These muscles allow the cyclist to continue exerting force on the bicycle pedals, which cause the wheels to keep spinning despite their constant interaction with the road. Of course, other factors come into play, too. The heavier you are, the more work you have to do to keep the bike moving—that is, unless you’re moving down a hill, in which case the gravitational force of your weight acts to your advantage. Also, your ability to keep your legs pushing the pedals depends on how fit you are, not just how strong your legs are. Many people who are out of shape would run out of breath before they complete a mile-long bike ride, whereas a person who is fit and has a lot of stamina could travel two miles without much difficulty. Whether you are in shape or not, what really matters when trying to kick a ball, swim a lap, or bicycle a 5 mile race are the forces of physics. Without them, every time you kicked a soccer ball, the ball would keep going, forever.

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

Once it is in motion, what does an object like a soccer ball have a natural tendency to do?

A. It has a natural tendency to keep moving. B. It has a natural tendency to stop. C. It has a natural tendency to change direction. D. It has a natural tendency to slow down.

A

What does the author explain in this passage?

A. The author explains the force of friction, using different kinds of music as examples. B. The author explains the sport of soccer, using examples of current teams and players. C. The author explains the idea of motion, using different sports as examples. D. The author explains the importance of bike safety, using helmets as an example.

C

Swimmers wearing full-body suits that reduced underwater friction were able to swim faster than other swimmers. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A. Some swimmers shaved their entire bodies to reduce friction caused by hair and increase their speed. B. After losing contests by a tenth of a second, some swimmers started ridding their bodies of hair to reduce friction. C. Swimmers wearing full-body suits swam at the same speed as swimmers wearing shirts and shorts that clung closely to their skin. D. Swimmers wearing full-body suits began to break world records and started winning all the races.

D

Based on the information in the passage, how can friction be described?

A. Friction can be described as a force that acts on an object in motion and can cause the object to stop. B. Friction can be described as a force that acts on an object in motion and can cause the object to speed up. C. Friction can be described as the path an object takes after a force acts on it and causes it to move. D. Friction can be described as the path an object takes when a force acts on it inside a vacuum.

A

What is the passage mainly about?

A. why swimmers and cyclists move at different speeds B. the motion of bodies and objects C. the movement of an object inside a vacuum D. the scientific discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton

B

Read the following sentence: “Newton suggested that objects like the soccer ball have a natural tendency to keep moving. The only reason they stop, he believed, is because an unbalanced force acts on them.” What does the word tendency mean?

A. a very small chance of something happening B. a fifty-fifty chance of something happening C. the fear of doing something or acting in a certain way D. the way something normally behaves or acts

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Newton suggested that a ball has a natural tendency to keep moving _______ others believed that a ball has a natural tendency to stop.

A. although B. because C. before D. later on

A

Inheritance of Traits

Everyone has traits: characteristics and qualities that make us who we are. We have physical traits, like brown hair, blue eyes, long legs, freckles and funny-looking toes. We also have personality, or character traits. Those include things like being great at telling jokes, compassion, intelligence, warmth, creativity. Where do traits come from? It’s easy to spot certain physical traits that were passed down genetically from parents to offspring. Traits like red hair and knobby knees are inherited. What’s more complex, and, many would argue, more interesting, is to find the source of traits that could have formed from individual reactions to a certain environment. Many traits exist in a gray area between these two extremes—inheritance and development. One example is body type. This might seem like an easy one. People are genetically predisposed to their body type. But once diet becomes a factor, environment begins to play a major role in how the body develops. So body type is one example of a trait that is a combination of inheritance and interaction with an individual’s environment. So many of our most defining traits have been learned, rather than inherited. For instance, if you’re really great at video games, it’s not because one or both of your parents passed down skills in some video game mastery gene. It’s because you practiced, played a lot of video games, and developed those skills yourself. If you have kids who turn out to be great at video games, it will be because they put in the hours, learned the skills, and memorized the moves necessary to master the video game. Of course, there are ways our brains can form that are more advantageous to advanced video game playing. Say you were born with an extra-large, extra-powerful section of your brain that commands hand-eye coordination. That’s inherited. What you do with it, how you choose to develop that advantage, is up to you. You can pierce your nose, get a tattoo, dye your hair, shave your head, get your kidneys removed, put on a silly hat—it doesn’t matter how much you alter your body during your lifetime. None of those things will translate into genetic material to be passed down to the next generation. Of course, if your children grow up in an environment with role models who are pierced, funny-hatted and covered in tattoos, that is very likely to affect how likely they are to get piercings, tattoos, and funny hats!

6-8

Science: Life Science

What are traits?

A. interactions with an individual’s environment B. characteristics and qualities that make us who we are C. gray areas between two extremes D. people with brown hair, blue eyes and long legs

B

How does the author compare inherited traits with learned traits?

A. by explaining the difference between inherited physical traits like hair color and learned traits like video game skills B. by explaining the similarities between inherited traits like hair color and learned traits like video game skills C. by explaining the differences and similarities between inherited physical traits and learned traits like video game skills D. by explaining that all inherited traits and learned traits are affected by one’s environment

A

In the passage, the author writes that people are genetically predisposed to their body type. But once diet becomes a factor, environment begins to play a major role in how the body develops. Based on this evidence, what conclusion can be made?

A. If one changes one’s diet, one can avoid looking like one’s parents. B. Body type is a trait influenced by both genetics and environment. C. People raised in the same environment will all look alike. D. Body type is a trait that one cannot control.

B

Video game skills can only be learned, not inherited. What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?

A. People who are good at video games get this ability from their parents. B. People who are good at video games have to practice and memorize moves. C. People who are good at video games can only come from certain countries. D. People who are good at video games also do well in school.

B

What is this passage mainly about?

A. how to play video games B. different types of traits C. why red hair is rare D. how environment affects people’s inherited traits

B

Read the following sentences: “Of course, there are ways our brains can form that are more advantageous to advanced video game playing. Say you were born with an extra-large, extra-powerful section of your brain that commands hand-eye coordination. That’s inherited. What you do with it, how you choose to develop that advantage, is up to you.” As used in the passage, what does the word “advantageous” mean?

A. harmful B. useful C. cheerful D. difficult

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Traits like red hair and knobby knees are inherited. _________, many of our most defining traits, such as the ability to play video games well, have been learned, rather than inherited.

A. For example B. On the other hand C. As a result D. In conclusion

B

Held Up

It was beautiful but doomed. For 800 years the Leaning Tower of Pisa had been slowly keeling over. During the 20th century the rate of the tilt accelerated, and by 1990 the situation had reached a crisis. “The tower was at the point of falling,” says John Burland of Imperial College in London. Burland is a civil engineer, someone who applies physics to the design of roads, bridges, buildings, airports, and the like. In 1990, he joined a committee of engineers assembled for a desperate bid to save the tower. They very nearly pushed it over. The great bell tower in north-western Italy is an architectural marvel but an engineering mess. It started to lean soon after construction began in 1173. Architects tried to compensate for the tilt by making the upper stories thicker on one side, which made the building slightly banana-shaped. That compensation didn’t solve the problem, though. After the tower was eventually completed in 1360, it kept tilting south. By the early 1800s, it was leaning at an angle of 5 degrees—risky for such a slender edifice. Rescue attempts only made matters worse. In 1934, concrete was injected into the porous stone foundations to strengthen them, but some of the concrete seeped under the foundations, shifting the tower off-kilter by another centimeter. A total of 15 committees scratched their collective heads over the situation, rejecting some loopy schemes such as attaching helium balloons to the tower to hold it up. Meanwhile, the tilt was accelerating. The marble masonry on the south side of the tower was under increasing stress and starting to crack. Stress is the concentration of forces in an object, which tend to distort or deform it. Computer simulations of the tower confirmed that it was so delicately balanced that even a bad storm might tip it over. The simulations also confirmed why it leans. The main reason is the soil’s compressibility—how easy it is to squash. Pisa stands on a layer of soft, compressible silt (rock grains finer than sand) that sags under a great weight. The tower turned out to be at a critical height between stable and unstable, according to the simulations. “If the tower had been built 2 meters shorter, it would have leaned a little but not much,” says Burland. “One meter taller, it would have fallen over.” As it was, the tower was unstable, so once it began leaning it kept toppling. Soon the tower was going to collapse in a cloud of marble dust, quite possibly flattening a few dozen gawking tourists. “Something had to be done,” says Burland. But what? After installing temporary cables and lead weights to reduce the odds of an immediate collapse, a 16th committee argued over a long-term solution. Meanwhile, one of Burland’s students, Helen Edmonds, was lab-testing a possible solution called soil extraction. Small amounts of soil would be removed from underneath the higher northern side of the leaning tower, letting the ground there gradually settle. Edmonds built a model tower on a sand bed and took it to the brink of collapse. Then she used a narrow steel tube and a pump to extract sand grains one by one. As long as she didn’t try to reach too far under the tower—no more than a quarter of its diameter—the model was saved. In February 1999, a full-scale soil extraction experiment began in Pisa. A team overseen by Burland used a set of narrow drills to extract silt from beneath the tower’s north side. Slowly, the tower began to move back—until, suddenly, the tilt increased again. “There were two days when I was really sweating,” says Burland. The southward lurch proved to be a temporary glitch caused by strong winds blowing from the mountains. In 2000, the tower’s tilt was reduced by half a degree, to the same angle as in the early 1800s. “You can’t see the difference, but forces on the masonry are reduced by roughly 10 percent,” says Burland. The stones survived that level of stress for centuries, so they should be safe now. Then Burland discovered one more factor pushing the tower south. “I noticed that its motion accelerated every autumn, around the time of heavy rainfall,” he says. He found that the water table (the level to which groundwater rises) is slightly higher under the tower’s northern side. Every autumn that side got an upward nudge from the extra rainwater. That problem has been fixed using pipes and wells to drain excess water from the north side. This past July, a report was issued on the tower’s movement. Happily, there was nothing to report. The tower and its foundations aren’t moving at all. So tourists can now rubberneck in safety. The Leaning Tower of Pisa won’t topple on them spontaneously. It should even be safe in storms. Only one risk remains: “If a big earthquake comes,” says Burland, “that will be it.” A multimillion-dollar stabilization effort has stopped the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy from tilting so far that it is in danger of toppling. Visitors can now take 30-minute tours of the building, 40 people at a time. The 15,000-ton tower is 56 meters (184 feet) high. It leans because it sits on unstable silt, which it has gradually compressed. During the past 800 years, the tower has sunk almost 3 meters (10 feet). In 1999, workers began removing soil from the northern side of the tower’s base. Extracting the soil caused the ground to settle there, reducing the lean. Although the tower still tilts, it is the most stable that it has been since the 1800s.

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

According to the text, for how many years has the Leaning Tower of Pisa been slowly falling?

A. 900 years B. 20 years C. 800 years D. 1,990 years

C

Which of the following describes the earliest solution to the tower’s leaning problem?

A. Engineers extracted soil from the ground. B. Planners attached helium balloons to hold the tower up. C. Architects made the upper stories thicker on one side. D. People poured concrete into the stone foundations.

C

Read this paragraph from the text. Then Burland discovered one more factor pushing the tower south. “I noticed that its motion accelerated every autumn, around the time of heavy rainfall,” he says. He found that the water table (the level to which groundwater rises) is slightly higher under the tower’s northern side. Every autumn that side got an upward nudge from the extra rainwater. What can you conclude about the tower from this evidence?

A. Extra rain does not impact how much the tower leans. B. The heavy rains in the autumn cause the tower to lean even farther. C. If there were a time of no or little rainfall, the tower would stop leaning. D. The rainfall is the only factor in the tower leaning.

B

What can be inferred from the text?

A. People don’t really care about saving the Leaning Tower of Pisa. B. Saving the Leaning Tower of Pisa took a lot of time and effort. C. There was only one problem that caused the tower to lean. D. It was easy to fix the tower’s leaning problem.

B

What is this text mostly about?

A. how best to build a tower that doesn’t lean B. best places to visit when you are in Italy C. ways to save the Leaning Tower of Pisa from falling D. how the tower was built

C

Read this sentence from the text. That problem has been fixed using pipes and wells to drain excess water from the north side. As used in the text, what does the word "excess" mean?

A. dirty B. cold C. too little D. extra

D

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. The tower is no longer in danger of falling over on visitors during storms, ______ an earthquake could cause it to fall.

A. so B. but C. because D. after

B

World Wide Web of Hurt

One day last year, Jake H., of Chicago, was shocked by what he saw on his Facebook page. “Some girls had made a video yelling things like ‘you’re ugly,’ ‘you’re fat,’ ‘no one’s ever going to like you,’ and ‘you’re stupid,’” says Jake, who was 13. Even worse, other people had clicked Like on the video. The girls, along with some of Jake’s friends, had left mean messages on his profile page. “A bunch of people were angry at me, but I had no clue why,” he says. “I was sad, crying, and freaking out because my friends were writing this stuff.” Jake missed a few days of school because he felt so bad. The online attack didn’t last long. After talking to a couple of his friends, Jake found out why everyone was mad. Someone had made a profile in his name and sent mean notes to his friends and to one of the most popular girls in school. The girl made the video as revenge, and other kids joined in. After he explained he didn’t send the messages, everyone apologized. It still hurt, though. “They had already said all of this stuff, and it was all over my Facebook page,” Jake says. “It changed the way I thought about things.” He also worried because his so-called friends had joined in the attack. Technology can be fun and a positive way to learn, express yourself, and keep up with friends. But as Jake found out, it can also be used to hurt others. Threatening, humiliating, or harassing another person using a computer, a cell phone, or another electronic device is cyberbullying. So says Ross Ellis, founder of STOMP Out Bullying. That’s a national program that helps kids and teens fight bullying of all kinds. Just like face-to-face bullies, cyberbullies are scary and hurtful on purpose. Cyberbullying happens for many reasons. Peer pressure is one. “If all of a kid’s friends are picking on someone online, they might try to encourage that kid to do it too,” says Sameer Hinduja. He’s a psychologist and coauthor of Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying. Being bored and starting drama for entertainment is also common. Other times cyberbullying is used to get revenge on someone. Another reason a kid might become a bully is insecurity. “Sometimes people don’t feel good about themselves, so they feel the need to tear down others in order to lift themselves up,” Hinduja explains. Cyberbullying isn’t physical, but it still causes pain. Bullying victims deal with anger, sadness, fear, embarrassment, ruined reputations, and low self-esteem, Hinduja says. And because some posts stay online forever, the bully’s words may affect the person for a long time. Sometimes cyberbullying even makes people want to hurt themselves. In January 2010, a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl took her life because she couldn’t stand the real-life and online bullying from classmates. Then, in September, a college student in New Jersey did the same after his roommate spied on him with a video camera and posted the embarrassing videos without his permission. And those are just two cases. Definitely! “What you put online is never truly anonymous,” says Jeff Lanza, a retired FBI special agent. With enough effort, someone can find out who sent the message or created the profile used to cyberbully someone, he says. If you’re caught, your punishment could mean being booted from school activities such as sports or music, being suspended, or having your phone or computer taken away by your parents. Or you could face much bigger trouble. You could be charged with a crime or your parents could be sued, says Lanza. Different states have different laws depending on your age and the type of bullying. Several teens involved in bullying cases have been charged with crimes. If you’re being cyberbullied, there are things you should do. In most cases, once you get an adult involved, he or she will be able to handle the situation, and the cyberbullying will end. It is important to remember that there is help and that bullying isn’t your fault. Although Jake’s experience with it was short, he’ll never forget it. “Being cyberbullied was horrible, and I don’t think anyone deserves it,” he says. STOMP Out Bullying www.stompoutbullying.org Cyberbullying Research Center www.cyberbullying.us WiredKids www.wiredkids.org Stop Bullying Now! www.stopbullying.gov/

6

Social Studies: School & Family Life

According to the text, who are scary and hurtful on purpose?

A. face-to-face bullies, but not cyberbullies B. cyberbullies, but not face-to-face bullies C. both face-to-face bullies and cyberbullies D. parents, teachers, and counselors

C

What does the text list in the section titled “What might a cyberbully do”?

A. reasons that someone might start cyberbullying B. examples of methods of cyberbullying C. examples of different ways that targets might respond D. different ways to steal someone’s password online

B

It can be hard to forget about being cyberbullied even long after it happened. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. “‘What you put online is never truly anonymous,’ says Jeff Lanza, a retired FBI special agent.” B. “And because some posts stay online forever, the bully’s words may affect the person for a long time.” C. “‘If all of a kid’s friends are picking on someone online, they might try to encourage that kid to do it too,’ says Sameer Hinduja.” D. “Threatening, humiliating, or harassing another person using a computer, a cell phone, or another electronic device is cyberbullying.”

B

What is one important thing to do if you're being cyberbullied?

A. Respond to all the mean messages. B. Tell a trusted adult. C. Ignore the bullying. D. Start cyberbullying the person back.

B

What is the main idea of the text?

A. Face-to-face bullying is more problematic than cyberbullying because it is in person. B. The website WiredKids helps kids that are cyberbullied by telling them what to do. C. Cyberbullies often feel bad and apologize when they are caught. D. Cyberbullying is an online form of bullying that is hurtful and should be stopped.

D

Read this sentence from the text. Threatening, humiliating, or harassing another person using a computer, a cell phone, or another electronic device is cyberbullying. As used in the sentence, what does the word "harassing" most nearly mean?

A. complimenting someone B. encouraging someone C. attacking someone D. helping someone

C

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence. Cyberbullying doesn’t cause physical pain, __________ victims feel anger, sadness, fear, and embarrassment.

A. so B. unless C. but D. because

C

The Ex Factors

“Get off your rear and get some exercise!” How many times have you heard that from one of your parents? Like it or not, it’s excellent advice—even more than your mom or dad probably knows. Regular exercise helps you stay fit and maintain a healthy weight. That much is certain. Recently, however, scientists have discovered that working muscles seem to “talk” directly to other parts of the body. What the muscles are saying may be very important to your health. When muscles work, they somehow communicate with the brain, liver, and other organs. Until recently, scientists weren’t sure how muscles sent those messages. “Researchers for many decades have been searching for an ‘exercise factor,’ ” says Bente Klarlund Pedersen, a professor of medicine at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Now it seems she’s found just such an ex factor—and not just one, but hundreds. A lack of exercise is linked to all sorts of health problems. It increases the risk of conditions such as depression, osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of the bones), dementia (loss of mental abilities), heart disease, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes. All diseases linked to a lack of exercise have something in common: chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a swelling and redness in the body’s tissues that is usually brought about by an injury or an infection—usually a short-term reaction. Constant, low levels of inflammation that occur throughout the body are tied to more serious problems, including dementia, heart disease, and diabetes—virtually all the diseases that are linked to a lack of exercise. Low-level inflammation is marked by an increase in certain immune cells, called cytokines, in the blood. Pedersen was studying cytokines when she discovered that one of them—interleukin 6 (IL-6)—“was present in the blood during exercise in huge amounts,” she says. When you’re at rest, your levels of IL-6 are very low. As you work your skeletal muscles, however, the amount of IL-6 in the blood shoots up dramatically. Skeletal muscles are the muscles that we control voluntarily to move our bodies. At first, the discovery puzzled Pedersen. When IL-6 is produced by immune cells, it causes inflammation. When the muscles make IL-6, it reduces inflammation. Why might that be? Exercise seems to hold back other chemicals that normally work hand in hand with IL-6 to cause inflammation. To learn more, Pedersen created a breed of mice whose muscles did not release IL-6 when they exercised. The results were dramatic. “Mice that did not produce IL-6 became obese and developed insulin resistance,” she says. Insulin resistance occurs when the body’s cells stop reacting to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. It is an early warning sign of type 2 diabetes. In other words, IL-6 appeared to be the exercise factor that Pedersen was looking for. IL-6 was just the start. Once she started looking more closely, Pedersen realized that working muscles produce many different compounds. She called those compounds myokines, and she’s identified a whopping 600 of them so far. “Most of the 600 myokines are totally unknown, and we have absolutely no clue about their role,” Pedersen says. It’s clear they exist, she adds, “but we don’t know what they’re doing.” Slowly, she and her colleagues are learning how myokines work. They’re all very different from one another, she says, and seem to play many different roles throughout the body. Both mice were fed a high-fat diet. The top one gained weight. The bottom one did not, because its muscles had been genetically altered to make more myokines. That’s just a handful of myokines that have been studied so far. Hundreds more are a mystery—for now. Pedersen and her colleagues are eager to understand how each muscle-made molecule affects the body, from head to toe. Some myokines, she suspects, might even have an anticancer effect. The discovery of myokines is a starting place, Pedersen says, “for understanding how exercise can protect against diseases.” It’s too soon to know whether myokines might be harnessed to prevent or cure illnesses such as diabetes or cancer. But it’s an intriguing idea. One day, Pedersen says, it might be possible to prescribe a medication that triggers patients’ muscles to produce more myokines. Such drugs could benefit people who are unable to exercise on their own—people who are paralyzed or recovering from serious injuries or illnesses, for example. For now, that’s just a dream. Yet even as scientists are working to understand what each myokine does, one thing seems clear: There are at least 600 good reasons to get off the couch and move your muscles!

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

According to the text, how many different myokines have Professor Bente Pedersen identified?

A. 15 B. 6,000 C. 6 D. 600

D

The text describes the different roles that myokines play throughout the body. According to the text, which of the following does the myokine IL-8 help the body form?

A. liver cells B. more insulin C. abdominal fat D. new capillaries

D

Read this sentence from the text. Constant, low levels of inflammation that occur throughout the body are tied to more serious problems, including dementia, heart disease, and diabetes—virtually all the diseases that are linked to a lack of exercise. What can you conclude about inflammation based on this information?

A. A lack of exercise may be linked to constant low levels of inflammation. B. Depression is the most common disorder caused by inflammation and is cured with exercise. C. The best kind of exercise to avoid heart disease and diabetes is to jog for 5 miles every day. D. It has been proven that there is no link between dementia and a lack of exercise.

A

Based on the text, which of the following types of myokine might people be missing if their body has a lot of abdominal fat?

A. IL-15 B. IL-8 C. IL-6 D. IL-30

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Mice that do not have IL-6 develop insulin resistance, which may lead to type 2 diabetes. B. People should exercise because working muscles release certain compounds that benefit overall health. C. A lack of exercises causes diseases that all result in chronic inflammation of the body’s tissues. D. There are over 600 kinds of myokines produced by working muscles.

B

Read these sentences from the text. When muscles work, they somehow communicate with the brain, liver and other organs. Until recently, scientists weren’t sure how muscles sent those messages. As used in the text, what does the word "communicate" mean?

A. use IL-6 B. fight with C. trade cells D. be in touch with

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Researchers know the role of some myokines in the human body, ____ there are many more that are still a mystery.

A. but B. so C. because D. after

A

Where Did King Tut Get His Eyebrows?

In 1922, English archaeologist Howard Carter discovered something spectacular. In Egypt's Valley of the Kings, an underground passage led to an empty room, long ago looted by grave robbers. But searching along the walls of the room, Carter’s team found something strange: a secret panel that opened a hidden chamber. Inside was an array of ancient objects, but the most spectacular treasure was farther inside. Working carefully, Carter and his team spent three weeks excavating the tomb. When they were finally ready, Carter opened the door to the burial chamber inside the tomb. He became the first person in 3,000 years to look upon the sarcophagus of Tutankhamen, an Egyptian pharaoh popularly known as King Tut. Inside Tutankhamen's tomb were hundreds of artifacts. These included sculptures, gold, and four chariots. There were flowers that had been picked five centuries before the founding of Rome. When the air touched them, Carter watched them disintegrate. But of all the marvels inside Tutankhamen's tomb, none would become more famous than the mask of the pharaoh himself. Tutankhamen was very young when he became king—only eight or nine years old. He spent his reign living as a child while his advisors made the decisions that affected the kingdom. After about a decade of rule, during a war with the neighboring kingdom of the Hittites, Tutankhamen died suddenly. No one knows how he died, but researchers have speculated that it could have been because of an inherited disease or because of an accidental fall, perhaps from a chariot. Tutankhamen was mummified in the traditional fashion and buried in a sarcophagus inside his tomb. On top of the sarcophagus sits a mask made of 24 pounds of solid gold. It shows the boy king wearing an elaborate ceremonial headdress with a long fake beard attached to his chin. It is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, and must have astonished Howard Carter and the other archaeologists when they discovered it. Never had a pharaoh's tomb been so well-preserved. By inspecting all of the objects they found, the archaeologists were able to learn an incredible amount about a king who had been largely forgotten. The news of the discovery sparked a worldwide interest in Egyptian culture that affected fashion, architecture, and popular culture all over the Western world. And King Tut's mask was the symbol of the revival. Of all the features of the mask, perhaps the most interesting are the pharaoh's eyebrows. These thick arches are bright blue, matching the stripes on the headdress, and are made of one of the rarest substances in the ancient world: a stone called "lapis lazuli," which has a history just as interesting as King Tut's tomb itself. The ancient Egyptians were talented traders, sending caravans across the desert and boats over the sea. Although the area around the Nile River was rich in some materials, there were many that could not be found there and had to be sent for from far-off lands. Egyptian merchants traded for wood with Lebanon, copper with Cyprus, and incense with the kingdom of Punt. In return, they sent materials that Egypt had in abundance, such as papyrus (an early form of paper) and grain. But of all the rare goods coveted by the Egyptian ruling classes, few were rarer, or came from farther away, than the stunning blue stone known as lapis lazuli. Its color was rich blue—so blue that the stone's name means "sky stone"—flecked with what appeared to be bits of gold. Across the ancient world, its beauty was prized. Unfortunately, it was very hard to get. The stunning substance was found only in one place on Earth: the mines of Badakhshan, in what today is northeast Afghanistan. A rugged, mountainous country, it was difficult to extract the rocks, and once they had been mined, it was difficult to send them away. But the stone was valuable enough that traders would risk anything to bring it to market. Two trade routes led from Badakhshan westward toward the Middle East and Egypt. One, the "northern route," led across the treacherous landscape on the upper border of what is today Iran. The second, the "southern route," began on the Helmand River, proceeding through ancient settlements into the lush land of Mesopotamia. From there, traders continued by land to Egypt, or made their way to the Red Sea to complete their journey by boat. In all, the trip took longer than 2,000 miles—a difficult journey today, but an unfathomable one in 1100 B.C. Lapis lazuli had many uses for the Egyptians. It was considered a sacred symbol of several gods and goddesses and would be given as an offering to them by those who sought their favor. Judges wore it as a pendant around their neck to symbolize that their power came from Maat, the goddess of truth and balance. And most famously, it was ground into a powder to use as eye shadow and to draw the sacred Eye of Horus. This may be the reason that, when it came time to craft a death mask for Tutankhamen, lapis lazuli was used around the eyes. The material was so rare that when it came time to make the blue stripes on Tutankhamen's headdress, less-expensive imitation lapis lazuli was used. But for the eyebrows, nothing else would do. Today, you can see the mask on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt. The eyebrows are as vibrantly blue as they were when Howard Carter discovered them in 1922—and most likely as blue as they were when they were pulled from the earth in Afghanistan, more than 3,000 years ago.

6

Social Studies: Geography, Societies & Culture, World History

What are the eyebrows on King Tut’s mask made of?

A. copper from Cyprus B. solid gold C. papyrus D. lapis lazuli

D

What does the author describe in the first half of the passage?

A. different uses of lapis lazuli by the Ancient Egyptian ruling class B. the ancient trade routes that led from Badakhshan toward the Middle East and Egypt C. the similarities between the founding of Ancient Egypt and the founding of Ancient Rome D. the discovery and importance of King Tut’s tomb and the mask from his sarcophagus

D

Read the evidence below and answer the following question. (1) Although it was very difficult to extract lapis lazuli and transport it to Egypt, traders would risk anything to bring the stone to market. (2) The people who made King Tut’s golden mask used real lapis lazuli for the eyebrows but used cheaper, fake lapis lazuli for the headdress. Based on these two pieces of evidence, what can you infer about lapis lazuli in Ancient Egypt?

A. Ancient Egyptians preferred using imitation lapis lazuli to using real lapis lazuli. B. Ancient Egyptians were unable to get as much lapis lazuli as they desired. C. Ancient Egyptians were able to get as much lapis lazuli as they desired. D. Ancient Egyptians did not want to use lapis lazuli.

B

Based on the passage, what can be concluded about the value of lapis lazuli in Ancient Egypt?

A. Lapis lazuli was not very valuable in Ancient Egypt. B. Lapis lazuli was less valuable than copper in Ancient Egypt. C. Lapis lazuli was valuable only to pharaohs in Ancient Egypt. D. Lapis lazuli was very valuable in Ancient Egypt.

D

What is this passage mostly about?

A. the story of King Tut’s life and the impact of his death on Egyptian culture, trade, and crafts B. the importance of the eyes and eyebrows to Ancient Egyptian culture and mythology C. the ways in which the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and golden mask affected Western culture D. the discovery of King Tut’s tomb and golden mask, and the history behind the mask’s lapis lazuli eyebrows

D

The passage ends with these two sentences: “Today, you can see the mask on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt. The eyebrows are as vibrantly blue as they were when Howard Carter discovered them in 1922—and most likely as blue as they were when they were pulled from the earth in Afghanistan, more than 3,000 years ago.” Why might the author compare the blueness of the eyebrows today to their blueness when Howard Carter discovered them and when they were pulled from the earth?

A. to demonstrate the durability of lapis lazuli and reinforce its value in Ancient Egyptian and present-day Western cultures B. to direct the reader to visit Egypt in person to learn more about the history of King Tut, his mask, and the lapis lazuli eyebrows C. to connect the present-day reader to the two main historical settings in the passage, Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 and the time of the Ancient Egyptians D. to emphasize the importance of properly preserving historic objects

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. King Tut’s tomb was filled with hundreds of beautiful and impressive artifacts; ______, it contained his death mask.

A. in particular B. on the contrary C. as a result D. although

A

Puppet Power!

When most people think about puppets, images from childhood come to mind: Kermit the Frog and Elmo from Sesame Street, perhaps. Today, however, puppets seem to be getting out of hand, popping up in TV commercials, and on Broadway and on the Japanese stage. In New York City, puppets are singing opera. They are reciting Shakespeare. The stage production of The Lion King uses life-size elephant, giraffe, and hyena puppets. The Broadway show Little Shop of Horrors featured a life-size singing Venus’s flytrap puppet. In Japan, bunraku, a serious form of puppet theater, is very popular. Puppets come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. They can be simple cardboard cutouts or elaborate foam-rubber forms. They can be porcelain marionettes, puppets that dangle from strings. Simple puppets can be operated by a single finger. Other puppets require a highly skilled team of three or four people to work them. Puppets have been around for centuries. "Sometimes we want things that hark back to a more innocent time," said one puppeteer.

6

Arts: Music & Performing Arts

The author gives examples of puppets doing all of the following EXCEPT

A. starring in TV commercials B. reciting Shakespeare C. singing opera D. giving political speeches

D

In this passage, what does the author try to convince the reader of?

A. All stage productions should feature puppets. B. The use of puppets is getting out of hand. C. Marionettes are the most interesting puppets. D. People should go see more puppet productions.

B

After reading the passage, you can conclude that the author

A. has strong opinions about puppets B. has never watched Sesame Street C. was once a puppeteer D. is a fan of Broadway shows

A

Read this sentence from the passage: “They can be simple cardboard cutouts or elaborate foam-rubber forms.” Based on the text, the word elaborate means

A. complicated B. important C. average D. inexpensive

A

The primary purpose of this passage is to

A. convince the reader of the author’s point of view B. persuade people to see more puppet theater shows C. describe the stage production of The Lion King D. compare and contrast different kinds of puppets

A

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Some puppets are being featured in Broadway shows _______ New York City.

A. in B. on C. and D. or

A

In the Enemy's Grip

In 1975, North Vietnamese troops rolled into Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, ending decades of conflict. The North Vietnamese captured Peter Hoang, who tells his story to his niece Jacquelynn. My uncle was a Republic of South Vietnam officer. He joined the army in 1972 during the Vietnam War, which pitted the Communists in North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its ally, the United States. When Saigon was captured on April 30, 1975, my uncle was sent to a concentration camp. The camp was a former U.S. military base. It held about 2,000 prisoners of war (POWs). The Vietnamese Communists, or "VC," promised that they would keep the South Vietnamese officers in the camp for only ten days. They stayed much longer. The VC wanted my uncle and other prisoners to build their own houses and grow their own food. Each day they were told how much work was expected of them, such as how many rows of vegetables to plant and how much wood was needed. They were given barely enough rice to satisfy their hunger after a day of hard labor. The rice often had dirt in it, but the prisoners still ate it. Some got [sick]. To avoid getting [sick], my uncle would burn a log. After the charcoal cooled, he ate it. The POWs lived in the camp for about a year and a half. Then they were sent to a more primitive camp deep in the jungle. They had to start all over, building houses and planting vegetables. One day, when my uncle was cutting trees, a branch fell and cut his middle finger. He thought it was no big deal, but it became infected and badly swollen. There was no medicine to treat the infection. When he slept, he couldn't put his hand down because it caused him severe pain. A fellow POW who was a doctor finally cut the wound open with a knife, which had been sterilized in boiling water. He squeezed all the infected pus out of his hand. My uncle lived through the painful ordeal. Another year and a half passed. My uncle was finally released from the POW camp in April 1978. He was happy to see his mother and his girlfriend again. He was sad for other POWs, for they were still imprisoned. Later, my uncle learned that some prisoners stayed for as many as 15 years. Many POWs died from hunger and sickness in camp. Many died while trying to escape. My uncle was fortunate. He survived three years of hardship fighting for what he believed in, but his future was still uncertain. In May 1979, my uncle risked his life by escaping from Vietnam in a little boat. He survived the dangerous adventure and arrived in the United States in June 1980. He will always be grateful for finding his freedom in the United States.

6

Social Studies: World History, U.S. History

Who was an ally of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War?

A. the Soviet Union B. North Vietnam C. China D. the United States

D

Which of the following was an effect of Peter Hoang being sent to a concentration camp?

A. He became a doctor and helped injured and sick prisoners. B. He was given a house and a plot to grow his own vegetables. C. He had to do hard labor and was not given enough to eat. D. He was paid for his hard work and had plenty of food to eat.

C

Which of the following conclusions about Peter Hoang is supported by the passage?

A. He is planning to move back to Saigon. B. He is glad to be living in the United States. C. He does not like living in the United States. D. He wishes he could move back to Vietnam.

B

Read this sentence from the passage: “My uncle lived through the painful ordeal.” In this sentence, the word ordeal means

A. an annoying relative B. a difficult experience C. a predictable moment D. an unlikely achievement

B

The primary purpose of this passage is to describe

A. the decades of conflict between North and South Vietnam B. how the North Vietnamese took over the capital of South Vietnam C. why Jacquelynn Nguyen decided to write about her uncle D. Peter Hoang’s experience as a POW in Vietnam

D

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. _______ Peter’s finger became infected, a fellow POW helped treat his wound.

A. Though B. However C. Before D. When

D

Song and Dance

Cross the United States and you'll hear a chorus of regional accents. Some people say car; others say cah. Some say butter; others buttah. Even the country's songbirds have their own dialects, says Duke University biologist Erich Jarvis. Songbirds learn to express themselves vocally by imitating adults, just as people do. That ability, called vocal learning, fascinates Jarvis. "Vocal learning is a rare trait," he explains, shared by just a few animals. Each species of songbird has its own signature tune with local variations that offspring learn from their parents. Many researchers who study how birds learn songs focus on behavior. But Jarvis, who studies brains, is tuned in to the biological side. How does a bird's brain change as it learns a song? What can that teach scientists about the human brain? Jarvis, a professor of neurobiology, the study of the structure and function of the nervous system, didn't start out in science. Growing up in New York City, he studied dance at the High School of Performing Arts. At graduation, he made a surprising decision. He turned down professional dance scholarships and headed to college to major in math and biology. Why the sidestep? A love of magic as a kid had ignited an interest in science, says Jarvis, and he also liked nature. Most important, he believed he could make more of a difference as a scientist than as a performer. "My mother always encouraged me to do something that might have a measurable impact," he says. Jarvis attended Hunter College in New York City. There, he conducted laboratory research in molecular biology, the study of the molecular building blocks of life. The idea of scientific discovery began to excite him. Jarvis's research started going to the birds when he was working toward his doctorate at The Rockefeller University. "I wanted to understand how the brain controls complex behaviors," he says, and vocal learning is one of the brain's most complex behaviors. "My main interest wasn't birds," Jarvis told Current Science. "My main interest was the genes that control vocal learning." Genes are the basic units that determine how a body functions. Not all genes are active at the same time. When a gene is functioning, though, it produces telltale by-products in the form of proteins. Those by-products are called gene expressions. To learn which genes are active when a bird learns to sing, Jarvis freezes a bird's brain within minutes of when it has learned or produced a new song. Then he searches for gene expression changes to pinpoint the genes that control vocal learning. Today, Jarvis is looking for more than active genes. He's trying to identify the places in the brain where the activity takes place. "We call this 'behavioral molecular brain mapping,'" he says. Three types of birds exhibit vocal learning: songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds. Using behavioral molecular brain mapping, Jarvis uncovered a startling coincidence. Though the three types are barely related, each uses the same seven brain structures to learn how to vocalize. That is an example of convergent evolution—unrelated species that evolve similar features. "It's a remarkable finding," Jarvis told Current Science. "How can Mother Nature come up with the same solution three different times?" Wings are another example of convergent evolution. Wings have evolved multiple times on wildly different creatures—pterosaurs, bats, birds, and insects. Yet no matter what the animal, the wings are always attached near its center of gravity (the center of a body's mass). Jarvis made another important discovery: He and his collaborator Constance Scharff found that birds have a gene that is nearly identical to a human gene called FOXP2. They found that in songbirds, the expression of the FOXP2 gene increases as the birds learn a new song. "The gene helps them learn songs," says Jarvis. In humans, the FOXP2 gene is involved in language. When the FOXP2 gene mutates—is randomly altered—people lose their ability to learn or express language well. Do birds respond to FOXP2 mutations the same way humans do? To find out, Scharff damaged the gene in laboratory songbirds. Sure enough, the songbirds developed vocalization problems similar to those that affect people with FOXP2 mutations. Jarvis hopes his work will someday help stroke victims who lose the ability to say what they are thinking. Jarvis's songbird research has struck a chord in the scientific community. He runs a world renowned research lab and has won several major awards. Though dance may seem an odd beginning for a scientist, for Jarvis the leap was smoother than it sounds. "Both dance and science require a tremendous amount of discipline and the drive to keep trying," he says. He also emphasizes that science, like art, is highly creative. Above all, Jarvis's work has shown that, brain-wise, birds are not the featherweights they've always been labeled. "Being called a birdbrain," he says, "should not be an insult." These sound readings show the differences between the songs that three young male zebra finches learned from their fathers.

6

Science: Life Science

What is vocal learning?

A. learning to internally express oneself by ignoring adults B. learning to vocally express oneself by imitating adults C. learning to vocally express oneself by ignoring adults D. learning to internally express oneself by imitating adults

B

The text is divided into sections with subheadings. What does the section with the subheading "Bird Brains" describe?

A. Jarvis's comparison of the drive required to pursue both science and dance B. Jarvis's discovery of a gene in birds that is similar to the human gene FOXP2 C. Jarvis's decision to become a scientist instead of a professional dancer D. Jarvis's research on gene expressions and the genes that control vocal learning

D

Read this sentence from the text. "Humans and birds react similarly when the FOXP2 gene is randomly altered." What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. When the FOXP2 gene is damaged, songbirds can develop vocalization problems similar to those that affect people with FOXP2 mutations. B. Genes are the basic units that determine how a body functions. When a gene is functioning, it produces telltale by-products in the form of proteins. C. Many researchers who study how birds learn songs focus on behavior. But Jarvis, who studies brains, is tuned in to the biological side. D. Songbirds learn to express themselves vocally by imitating adults, just as people do. That ability is called vocal learning, and it is a rare trait.

A

Jarvis's research on bird brains could have a huge impact on our understanding of human brains. What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?

A. "Wings have evolved multiple times on wildly different creatures—pterosaurs, bats, birds, and insects." B. "Three types of birds exhibit vocal learning: songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds." C. "Jarvis hopes his work will someday help stroke victims who lose the ability to say what they are thinking." D. "Jarvis turned down professional dance scholarships and headed to college to major in math and biology."

C

What is this passage mostly about?

A. Erich Jarvis and his research on vocal learning through his study of birds B. Constance Scharff and her discovery of a gene in birds similar to the human FOXP2 C. the ways in which songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds differ from each other D. the ways in which young male zebra finches learn songs from their mothers

A

Read these sentences from the text. "Above all, Jarvis's work has shown that, brain-wise, birds are not the featherweights they've always been labeled. 'Being called a birdbrain,' he says, 'should not be an insult.'" When Jarvis says, "Being called a birdbrain should not be an insult," what might he mean?

A. Birds' brains are so different from human brains that calling someone a birdbrain does not make much sense. B. Birds' brains are so similar to human brains that calling someone a birdbrain does not make much sense. C. Birds' brains are actually very simple, and so calling someone a birdbrain could be rude. D. Birds' brains are actually very complex, so calling someone a birdbrain is not necessarily rude.

D

Read these sentences from the text. "Not all genes are active at the same time. When a gene is functioning, though, it produces telltale by-products in the form of proteins. Those by-products are called gene expressions." What word could replace the word "though" without changing the sentence's meaning?

A. previously B. therefore C. however D. obviously

C

Thanksgiving in London

They didn’t even have turkey on the airplane. The coach cabin was long and wide, and it smelled like a stuffy old minivan. The lights were off even though it was just past sunset. This had something to do with helping the passengers get used to the time change, but it just made Carrie feel sad. Back home it was Tuesday night, and her friends were getting ready to celebrate a few days off from school. But Carrie was stuck inside a metal tube with the lights turned down, waiting for a boiled chicken dinner. This was not how she had imagined her Thanksgiving vacation. The trouble began that spring, when her older brother announced he was going to “study abroad” during his junior year of college. He told Carrie while she was doing homework, calling her on her cell phone and shouting, like she was the one who was supposed to be excited. “Guess what, Sis?” he said, forgetting that no one over ten years old likes to be called ‘Sis.’ “I’m going to London!” “Why? Are you going to marry someone in the royal family?” She could think of no reason to go overseas, unless it was to marry someone whose family members wore crowns. “I don’t think Jessica would like it if I suddenly got married to some English princess.” “You’re still dating?” “Obviously.” Obviously. Obviously Brian and Jessica would never break up. They had been going out since before he got his driver’s license, and they had stayed together all through the first two years of college. Because Jessica knew Carrie when Carrie was still a kid, she never stopped treating her like one. She bought Carrie dolls, pinched her cheeks, and looked surprised whenever Carrie did something to show she was older than five—something like reading a newspaper. Carrie felt guilty about disliking her brother’s girlfriend, especially when Mom said they were probably going to be getting married sometime soon. But she couldn’t help it. Jessica was boring. Jessica was unpleasant. And Jessica was never going away. “So are you two going to London together?” Carrie asked. “Like on some kind of big stupid, romantic vacation?” “Nope,” said Brian, his voice suddenly far too serious. “She’s not coming. I’m going alone.” “I think she’ll be all right without you for a week or two.” “It’s not just a week. It’s the whole semester. From August until New Year’s.” “Are you nuts?! That’s way too long to leave the country.” “Nah,” scoffed Brian, lighthearted again. “It’ll be cool.” “Are you crazy? What are you going to watch on TV?” “They have TV in England.” “Yeah, weird TV with English accents and tea and crumpets and who knows what. And I bet they have all kinds of weird candy and weird soda and—oh my gosh! Brian, they drive on the wrong side of the road. What is that even about?” “I don’t know. You can find out for yourself in November.” “What do you mean?” “I talked to Mom and Dad this morning. Instead of me coming home for Thanksgiving, you’re going to meet me in London. It’s gonna be awesome!” Carrie laughed a funny kind of laugh, very sure that this Thanksgiving was not going to be awesome at all. As she picked at her boiled chicken dinner on the plane, Carrie’s stomach squirmed at the thought of an English Thanksgiving. Doing some pre-trip research on the Internet, she had come across some really horrible stories about English food. They boiled everything and didn’t use enough salt. They ate terrifying sausages, with blood and guts and stuff all stuffed inside. And worst of all, they didn’t know the first thing about dessert—or, as they would say, “pudding.” “They don’t even know how to make pies!” Carrie told her mother, who was already halfway through some paperback she had bought at the airport bookstore. “I’m sure they know how to bake a simple pie,” said Mom. “No. They don’t. They put meat in their pies. Gross meat, like lamb and I don’t even know what.” “They also make sweet pies.” “The worst is this thing called Stargazy pie.” “I’ve never heard of that.” “You’re lucky! It’s a fish pie. Do you hear me? A pie made of fish. And on top of it, they cut a huge, ugly shrimp or lobster or something in half, and set it on the pie with its claws pointing up in the air, like it’s breaking through the crust to gaze at the stars.” “How original.” “Sure. Original. That’s what you say when I think of something that freaks you out. So don’t pretend this isn’t gross. And they think it’s great. It’s like a delicacy or something.” “Eat your chicken, Carrie. I’m trying to read.” She poked at her chicken, wishing it were turkey; a great big one with skin that crackled and had meat oozing with flavor. And brown gravy and cornbread stuffing and—oh no. What if they didn’t have cranberry sauce in England? You can’t trust a country that puts fish in pie. What they call cranberry sauce, she thought as she picked through her sad little airplane salad in search of a crisp piece of lettuce, is probably just blood and pomegranate seeds. Or something even worse. Carrie and her parents stood outside Brian’s apartment, freezing under a cold fluorescent light. Her brother did not pick up his phone. He did not answer his doorbell. He did not respond to rocks thrown against his window. And when someone finally came to let them in, it wasn’t Brian. It was Jessica. This was not the worst surprise that London had to offer. “Hey, little girl!” Jessica squealed, as she forced Carrie into a hug. “Welcome to Britsgiving!” As Jessica led Carrie’s dad upstairs, Carrie hung back to whisper to her mom. “You didn’t tell me she was going to be here!” “We wanted to surprise you. Isn’t it great? This way you’ll have a girl closer to your age to hang out with while we’re here. Maybe she can take you shopping!” Carrie seethed. She clenched her fists and screwed up her eyes and breathed loudly through her teeth. Since Brian left for college, she had gotten very good at seething. He had always been the best part of her family—the part that kept her parents from doing crazy stuff, like not warning her about the presence of horrible girlfriends at family functions. If their family was an engine, Brian was the lubricant—the thing that kept the machine running smoothly. Without him there, the family had started to overheat. It was shaking itself to pieces. It was going to explode—if Carrie didn’t explode first. Once she was finished seething, she marched up the stairs, dragging her suitcase behind her and wishing she hadn’t brought so many heavy books. “Brian’s just tied up,” shouted Jessica. “He’ll be here in a minute. Let me show you the place!” The apartment was terrifying. It wasn’t even an apartment, really. It was a fancy kind of dorm owned by the school, but all the furniture was really cheap, scratched up, and smelled just like the airplane. There were ten people living in this tiny little place, although none of them seemed to be around, so the apartment was mostly empty except for all the junk on the floor. Jessica showed Carrie the filthy hallways, crowded bedrooms, and one of the bathrooms that seemed way too dirty, even for college students. The whole time she was giggling, saying stuff like, “Isn’t this fantastic?” and “I bet you can’t wait to go to college and get a place like this.” But nothing prepared Carrie for the kitchen. It was the size of a coffin, with a toaster oven and two electric burners, and a fridge smaller than the ones they put in hotels. “Where are we going to cook?” asked Carrie. “Oh, I don’t know,” said Jessica. “We’ll find a way.” Carrie spun around to stare her down. Cooking was the best part of Thanksgiving. The whole family would gather in their kitchen, with Mom making stuffing and Dad fussing over the turkey while Brian and Carrie peeled potatoes and snapped the ends off green beans. It is appropriate that this kitchen is the size of a coffin, because Thanksgiving is dead, Carrie thought. Carrie was about to scream to let out all the anger she had been feeling ever since she unwrapped her boiled chicken dinner on the airplane, when something grabbed her from behind. She spun around in the air, her feet out in front of her, with the smell of pine nettle body wash in her nose. “Hey, Sis! Welcome to London!” Brian set her down, and then she realized that no matter how many changes had happened, her brother was the same as ever. Carrie hugged him back, and she knew Thanksgiving was going to be okay.

5-6

Why is Carrie’s family going to London?

A. to tour a different country B. to visit Carrie’s brother C. to visit Carrie’s cousins D. to make Carrie miserable

B

What main problem does Carrie face?

A. She does not want Thanksgiving to be different this year. B. She does not want Jessica to join them in London. C. She does not want to visit her brother in London. D. She does not want her brother to study abroad.

A

Carrie is not looking forward to Thanksgiving in London. What evidence from the story supports this conclusion?

A. “She could think of no reason to go overseas, unless it was to marry someone whose family members wore crowns.” B. “Carrie laughed a funny kind of laugh, very sure that this Thanksgiving was not going to be awesome at all.” C. “The trouble began that spring, when her older brother announced he was going to “study abroad” during his junior year of college.” D. “‘So are you two going to London together?’ Carrie asked. ‘Like on some kind of big stupid, romantic vacation?’”

B

How does Carrie feel about things that are new to her or different?

A. She doesn’t like them. B. She finds them interesting. C. She does not have an opinion. D. She is excited by them.

A

What is this story mostly about?

A. a girl who does not like Thanksgiving food B. a trip to London that does not go as planned C. a boy who studies abroad in London for a semester D. how Carrie feels about having Thanksgiving in London

D

Read the following sentences: “Carrie seethed . She clenched her fists and screwed up her eyes and breathed loudly through her teeth. Since Brian left for college, she had gotten very good at seething.” In this sentence, what does “seethed” mean?

A. was hungry B. was angry C. was sad D. was tired

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Carrie loves Thanksgiving dinner; _________, she does not like the sound of an English Thanksgiving.

A. namely B. especially C. however D. finally

C

Driven to Distraction

Lindsey Harden had just turned 18 and was looking forward to graduation in six months when her world turned upside down. After fighting with her boyfriend one cold January morning, she stormed out on him. The fight continued by text messaging as she drove away. “We were feuding through text,” she recalls. With her eyes on her phone, Harden didn’t see a patch of ice on the road ahead. She lost control of the vehicle, and it slammed into a parked car and then a rock wall. She fractured her pelvis, seven ribs, and two disks in her neck. Both legs were badly broken. Sections of muscle, skin, and bone from her lower right leg were lost. In the hospital, Harden suffered a stroke—brain damage caused by the interruption of the blood supply to the brain. It left her unable to control the muscles on the right side of her body. “I didn’t fully understand what happened to me until a month after the accident,” says Harden. As the shattered pieces of memory reassembled, it became clear to her that her decision to text behind the wheel was a devastating mistake. In 2009, Americans sent more than 1.56 trillion text messages, according to wireless industry statistics. No one knows how many of those messages were typed or read inside cars, says Deborah Trombley, but distracted driving is a huge problem in the United States. Trombley is a transportation program manager at the National Safety Council (NSC). The NSC estimates that texting plays some part in at least 100,000 crashes per year. Talking on the phone plays an even bigger part. The NSC estimates that 1.2 million crashes a year—about 21 percent of all auto accidents—involve talking on a phone, including hands-free calls, while driving. In 2009, distracted driving led to accidents that injured half a million people and killed another 5,500, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Driving, texting, and talking on the phone are all cognitively complex tasks; they require sophisticated brain functions such as memory, attention, problem solving, and decision making. To better understand how the brain handles such tasks, the NSC compiled a report drawn from a number of research studies. The report concluded that the brain can’t perform two cognitively complex tasks at the same time. Instead, it switches quickly from one task (such as checking the intersection ahead) to the next (such as glancing at a text). That switch happens so fast, it feels as if you’re paying attention to both things at once. In reality, your overtaxed mind is overlooking important chunks of information—such as that red light you just blew through. “When the brain is overwhelmed, it deals with it by choosing to block off some information. That information never gets into your working memory,” Trombley says. “People aren’t even aware that they’re distracted.” When drivers are distracted, their reaction time slows way down. That’s bad because every millisecond counts behind the wheel. Car and Driver magazine recently tested a 22-year-old driver’s reaction times as he drove under different conditions. In one test, he read a short text message while driving 56 kilometers (35 miles) per hour. He was so distracted that he traveled an extra 6.4 meters (21 feet)—more than one car length—before hitting the brakes. Overall, his reaction times were slower when he was sending and reading text messages than they were when he was legally drunk. Why do so many drivers ignore the risks of distracted driving? “A lot of people are afraid they’re going to miss out on something,” Trombley says. Drive carelessly, though, and you might miss out on the rest of your life. Trombley suggests that drivers have passengers take calls or send texts for them. Or, better yet, get into the habit of tuning out incoming messages until they can be safely answered. “You can always catch up when you’re parked,” she says. Texting while driving is already illegal in 39 states, says Trombley, and in 32 states teen drivers are banned from any type of cell phone use. More states are expected to pass similar laws. Although breaking the law is obviously a bad idea, there’s an even better reason not to drive distracted: your health. After her crash, Harden spent four months in the hospital and a rehabilitation center. She missed graduating with her class. Two years later, the accident’s effects still linger. Because of her stroke, Harden can’t use her right hand. She still has swelling and pain in her legs and ankles and can’t be on her feet for long. She has also suffered mental setbacks. “I have extreme problems with my memory, and I have a hard time concentrating,” she says. Still, Harden knows she’s lucky to have survived. No phone call or text is worth what she’s been through, she says. “For your mind to fully focus, it has to have one task in front of it,” she says. “I’ve learned my lesson.”

6

Science: Technology & Engineering, Life Science

According to the text, what percentage of all car accidents each year is caused by talking on the phone while driving?

A. 14% B. 21% C. 12% D. 20%

B

Which of the following is the strongest of evidence the author uses to persuade the reader not to text while driving?

A. The NSC estimates that 1.2 million crashes a year involve talking on a phone, including hands-free calls, while driving. B. Many Americans text while driving because they are afraid they will miss out on something. C. In 2009, Americans sent more than 1.56 trillion text messages, according to wireless industry statistics. D. The NSC estimates that texting plays some part in at least 100,000 crashes per year.

D

The reason you cannot successfully text and drive at the same time is because your brain is incapable of doing both things at once. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. “The NSC estimates that 1.2 million crashes a year—about 21 percent of all auto accidents—involve talking on a phone, including hands-free calls, while driving. In 2009, distracted driving led to accidents that injured half a million people and killed another 5,500, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.” B. “Why do so many drivers ignore the risks of distracted driving? ‘A lot of people are afraid they’re going to miss out on something,’ Trombley says. Drive carelessly, though, and you might miss out on the rest of your life.” C. “Although breaking the law is obviously a bad idea, there’s an even better reason not to drive distracted: your health. After her crash, Harden spent four months in the hospital and a rehabilitation center. She missed graduating with her class.” D. “The report concluded that the brain can’t perform two cognitively complex tasks at the same time. Instead, it switches quickly from one task (such as checking the intersection ahead) to the next (such as glancing at a text). That switch happens so fast, it feels as if you’re paying attention to both things at once.”

D

How would the author likely describe a person who texts and drives?

A. focused and thoughtful B. reckless and irresponsible C. foolish but harmless D. busy and rushed

B

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Scientific tests are a useful way of measuring distractibility while driving. B. Texting and talking on the phone is dangerous and should be outlawed. C. Driving while distracted is inevitable. D. Texting and talking on the phone will undoubtedly cause death.

B

Read these sentences from the text. The fight continued by text messaging as she drove away. “We were feuding through text,” she recalls. In these sentences, what does the word "feuding" mean?

A. chatting B. writing C. arguing D. discussing

C

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. ______ Lindsey Harden survived her car crash, she realized how reckless texting while driving is and would never do it again.

A. Before B. Although C. Meanwhile D. However

B

Tea Time!

“Honey!” Robbie’s mother called from upstairs. “If you’re making tea, can you make me some?” Robbie wasn’t making tea, and he suspected his mother knew that. She had just brought him home from school, and tea was the last thing on his mind. She should have realized that he wanted to pull off his shoes, flop down onto the couch, and stare at the ceiling until he drifted off into his afternoon nap. The last thing he wanted was to be hustling around the kitchen, fiddling with spoons and teapots, and fussy little bags of tea. Making tea was the opposite of a nap, and after a long day at school, Robbie knew there was nothing that would make him happier than a nice little nap. But he also knew when his mother said “If you’re making tea…,” it wasn’t a question. It was a command. “If you’re making tea, can you make me some?” meant, “Hey Robbie—why don’t you make us some tea already!” Robbie knew the code. And so he hauled himself off the sofa, rubbed his bleary eyes, and started to fix tea. The trouble had started six months earlier, when Robbie decided to quit drinking soda. “The dentist says it’s rotting my teeth,” he told his mother. “He says that if I quit, I might not get any more cavities. I can’t stand the thought of getting any more cavities.” “Who needs soda anyway? It rots your teeth and it makes you burp and it tastes like a melted Popsicle. I think you should try drinking tea.” “Tea? Like proper old English ladies drink?” “Do I look like a proper old English lady? !” Robbie shook his head. His mother wasn’t old, she wasn’t English, and she definitely wasn’t proper. She dressed in long, colorful dresses, big floppy hats, and scarves that went all the way to the floor. She called herself a hippie, but Robbie had always thought of her as a goofball: kooky but harmless. She called tea her “bad habit,” but Robbie couldn’t think of a more harmless thing to indulge in. He rarely saw her without her rainbow mug clutched between her hands. When she had too much tea and began to feel jittery, she would switch to one of her herbal teas: jasmine or chamomile, mixed berry or “lemon zinger.” Robbie wondered what the appeal was. “It’s got to be better for my teeth than soda, anyway.” And so he tried tea, and he liked it. He liked green tea and black tea, white tea and herbal tea. He liked it with lemon, and he liked it with milk. He avoided sugar—that was the whole point of quitting soda—but sometimes he added a little honey. And the more tea he drank, the more his mother drank, too. He’d never thought it possible that Mom could drink more tea than she already did, but she seemed to have a limitless appetite. Every time he was about to sit down to do homework, watch TV, or take a nap, she would call from upstairs. “Honey? If you’re making tea, could you make me some?” And he would get to work. “I’m starting to feel like Cinderella,” he muttered to himself as he filled the kettle with water. “At least I’m getting good at this.” He had become something of a tea expert. The first thing he learned was the difference between a tea kettle and a teapot. A kettle is what you put on the stove to heat the water. A teapot is what you put loose tea in, and fill with boiling water to make tea. Despite what the song “I’m A Little Teapot” said, it was not a good idea to put a teapot over an open flame. It wouldn’t get all steamed up and shout, Robbie knew. It would just explode. When the water boiled, Robbie poured a little into the teapot. He let it sit for a moment, swirling it around before dumping the water out. Now the teapot was warm and wouldn’t cool down the water when he filled it up. He scooped out three teaspoons of tea leaves—one for him, one for mom, and one “for the pot,” which just meant one extra—and poured the boiling water on top of it. It would take four minutes for the tea to steep. Four minutes when Robbie could be taking a nap. Four minutes when…boy, his eyes were getting heavy. His arms were moving slowly. He wanted to be asleep more than anything in the world, or at least, more than he wanted to be watching the second hand on the clock, waiting for the tea to finish. He poured a little milk in the bottom of two mugs. When four minutes had passed, he poured the finished tea into each one. The color of the tea was just right: a pale brown, which told him he had put in just the right amount of milk. He clomped up the stairs, a mug in one hand, and set it down beside his mother. “Thanks, sweetheart,” she said. He left silently. It was nice to be thanked, but a nap would have been better. He flopped back down onto the couch, shut his eyes, and opened them again. His mug of tea was on the counter, a wisp of steam rising from it, catching the late afternoon light. He took a careful sip. It was a perfect cup. Maybe he would skip the nap today.

6

What does Robbie want to do when he gets home from school?

A. start his homework B. make tea for his mother C. watch some television D. take his afternoon nap

D

What does the author describe in the middle section of the text?

A. why Robbie first started drinking and making tea B. why Robbie started taking naps in the afternoon C. why Robbie’s mother always asks Robbie to make tea D. why Robbie’s mother first started drinking tea

A

Read these sentences from the text. “The last thing he wanted was to be hustling around the kitchen, fiddling with spoons and teapots, and fussy little bags of tea. Making tea was the opposite of a nap, and after a long day at school, Robbie knew there was nothing that would make him happier than a nice little nap.” Based on this evidence, what conclusion can you draw?

A. Robbie cannot decide between taking a nap and making tea. B. Robbie thinks making tea will help him go to sleep. C. The school day has made Robbie feel very tired. D. The school day has filled Robbie with energy.

C

Robbie thinks that making tea is not a simple process. What evidence from the text supports this statement?

A. “The last thing he wanted was to be hustling around the kitchen, fiddling with spoons and teapots, and fussy little bags of tea.” B. “Every time he was about to sit down to do homework, watch TV, or take a nap, she would call from upstairs: ‘Honey? If you’re making tea, could you make me some?’” C. “He liked green tea and black tea, white tea and herbal tea. He liked it with lemon, and he liked it with milk.” D. “He wanted to be asleep more than anything in the world, or at least, more than he wanted to be watching the second hand on the clock, waiting for the tea to finish.”

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Robbie decides to help his mother out by making tea instead of doing his homework. B. Robbie makes tea for his mother and himself, even though he wants to take a nap. C. Robbie makes tea in order to wake himself up and feel more energetic after school. D. Robbie decides to take a nap instead of making tea for his mother and himself.

B

Read these sentences from the text. “It would take four minutes for the tea to steep. Four minutes when Robbie could be taking a nap. Four minutes when…boy, his eyes were getting heavy.” Why might the author have interrupted the last sentence with “…boy, his eyes were getting heavy”?

A. to imply that Robbie has a short attention span B. to show that it takes four minutes for Robbie to fall asleep C. to indicate that Robbie is caught up in the task of making tea D. to emphasize just how tired Robbie feels

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. ______ Robbie made tea and brought it to his mother, he flopped back down onto the couch and shut his eyes.

A. Although B. While C. Because D. After

D

News Debate: Pajama Game

A government official in one Louisiana community is tired of seeing pajamas on parade. Michael Williams, a commissioner in Caddo Parish (a Louisiana parish is similar to a county), is pushing for a ban on wearing sleepwear in public. Williams got the idea for the law after spotting several shoppers at a local department store wearing pajama pants that he considered too revealing. Williams has stated that indecent dress is “destroying the moral fiber of our community.” Supporters of banning pajamas—or other kinds of revealing clothing—in public argue that such attire could be offensive. Many also think that a certain level of formality should be required in public places. Those who disagree with the proposed ban argue that wearing pajamas in public is not a big deal. They say that such a ban violates people’s freedom of expression. Should pajamas be banned in public? Current Events student reporters Anuva Goel and Elizabeth Duis each tried on a side. Pajamas should be banned in public places because they are bedtime attire that needs to stay inside the house. Different clothes serve different purposes. Have you ever seen someone wear a swimsuit to a business meeting? No. Then why wear pajamas to a public place where they do not belong? Additionally, in our society, a certain level of decency is expected in public places. Pajamas can be inappropriate and revealing. Such clothing can offend the sentiments of people who do not expect to see such a sight when they step outside. Finally, what you wear speaks a lot about you. It hardly takes any time to change out of pajamas. “I think it is a shame that our society has become so lazy that [people] cannot put on clothes to leave the house,” Nancy Duddy, a teacher at the Wardlaw-Hartridge School in Edison, N.J., says. “I feel that it says a lot about a person’s self-esteem when they choose to not look their best. The way in which one dresses can also reflect his or her behavior. Well-dressed individuals usually have better manners and exhibit better behavior.” Banning the wearing of pajamas in public is going too far. This country has freedom of expression, and restricting what clothing people can wear is taking away some of that freedom. A government telling its citizens what to wear would also open up doors for other unfair rules. Once you are being told what to wear, who’s to say that you won’t be told what to eat? That is a dangerous line that shouldn’t be crossed. Second, clothing gives people a way to communicate how they feel. Taking that away would hinder people’s ability to express themselves. Seventh grader Grace Ahlden from Crescent City, Ill., agrees. “It’s your own decision what you put on in the morning,” she says, “not somebody else’s.” Lastly, the only reason that this right might be taken away in the first place is because some people are being irresponsible with the things they wear. People need to realize that not everyone is behaving this way. There is a time when people need to take responsibility for their actions. The issue is not about the pajamas, really—it’s about freedom. And I say freedom stays!

6

Social Studies: Geography, Societies & Culture, U.S. History

What is government official Michael Williams pushing to ban?

A. wearing sleepwear in public B. wearing business attire in public C. wearing uniforms in public D. wearing swimwear in public

A

In the passage, the author presents two sides in the argument about the issue of banning pajamas in public. What is one reason for opposing the ban?

A. Wearing pajamas or other kinds of revealing clothing in public is offensive. B. A certain level of formality should be required in public places. C. Pajamas can be inappropriate and revealing. D. Banning pajamas in public violates people’s freedom of expression.

D

People who wear pajamas in public might be thought of as rude. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. "This country has freedom of expression, and restricting what clothing people can wear is taking away some of that freedom." B. "The way in which one dresses can also reflect their behavior. Well-dressed individuals usually have better manners and exhibit better behavior." C. "Clothing gives people a way to communicate how they feel. Taking that away would hinder people’s ability to express themselves." D. "Williams got the idea for the law after spotting several shoppers at a local department store wearing pajama pants that he considered too revealing."

B

According to the text, why might banning pajamas in public be dangerous?

A. It could make it easier for the government to take more freedom away from people. B. It could encourage people to wear other kinds of inappropriate clothing in public. C. It could force people to pay more money for other kinds of clothing. D. It could make people be responsible with the things they wear in public.

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Michael Williams is pushing for a ban on wearing pajamas in public. B. Pajamas offend the sentiments of people who do not expect to see such a sight when they step outside. C. There is a debate about whether people should be banned from wearing pajamas in public. D. Restricting what clothing people can wear takes away their freedom of expression.

C

Read these sentences from the text. "Have you ever seen someone wear a swimsuit to a business meeting? No. Then why wear pajamas to a public place where they do not belong?" Why might the author have asked these questions?

A. to emphasize that certain clothes are not appropriate in certain situations B. to suggest that wearing pajamas in public is a form of freedom of expression C. to draw the reader's attention away from the ban on wearing pajamas in public D. to encourage the reader to choose the clothes he or she wears in public carefully

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Many people think that a certain level of formality should be required in public places. __________, other people think that no one should be able to tell you what to wear when you go out.

A. Since B. However C. Although D. Because

B

Alone in the Universe

Tell yourself as much as you want to that you don’t believe in aliens, UFOs, or extraterrestrials, but until you’ve spent one night camping out in the desert near the airfield outside of Roswell, New Mexico, sleeping under an open sky so immense and glittering that the ground beneath you seems like little more than a speck of dust drifting through an auditorium, I won’t believe you. I certainly wasn’t a ‘believer.’ I was in fifth grade, and our teacher took our whole class camping. Where he got the idea of Roswell, I’ll never know. I knew this and that about Roswell, and considering what I knew, I wouldn’t have opted to camp there if it was up to me. My classmate Dillon, of course, disagreed. “The government doesn’t want us to know,” he whispered, “because the aliens want to give us special powers, and if we got special powers, well then, the government wouldn’t be able to control our brains.” We were in the back seat of the school bus, heading south. “That’s a bunch of bunk,” said Dylan from the seat across the aisle. Yes, there were two boys in my class with names that sounded the same, Dillon and Dylan. They were also both the best at playing sports and the two biggest boys in our class, and they both considered me, small as I was, a best friend. Strange as it was, that’s just how it was with Dillon and Dylan and me. Dillon said, “I bet you’re just scared.” Dylan said, “I bet you’re just gullible. There aren’t any such things as aliens.” I remembered a TV show Dillon had once told me about. It was about a little girl who had woken up one night to find a ray of light brighter than the sun streaming through her window. She tried to scream, but she couldn’t move her lips—her entire body was paralyzed. The ray of light lifted her right up out her bed, floated her through her window, and carried her into a flying saucer circling soundlessly outside her house. I didn’t sleep for at least a week after Dillon told me that. “Jesse?” said Dillon. “Jesse?” said Dylan. “Hello? Earth to Jesse.” “Huh?” I said. “Well, what do you think?” said both Dillon and Dylan at once. “Aliens?” I said. “No way. I’m too old to believe in that kind of stuff.” *** We hiked the whole afternoon and cooked a big chili stew over a bonfire for dinner. After dinner, Dillon, Dylan, and I climbed up on top of a ridge to watch the sun set while the rest of our class remained down below, digesting dinner. Along with the fading sunlight faded my good humor. Night arrived, and with it my mounting terror of whatever might materialize in the expansive and star-speckled emptiness above us. “How can you look out at all of that,” asked Dillon, “and honestly believe that there’s nothing out there that could still surprise us?” “Not aliens again!” said Dylan. I swallowed and said, “Are either of you scared by the idea of it at all?” “Scared?” said both Dillon and Dylan at once. “Why would we be—?” But neither Dillon nor Dylan finished that sentence—something was approaching from over the mountains. Though at first it was just a tiny speck of flashing light, no bigger than the stars around it, in a matter of seconds it was nearly right above us: a round disk, with orange and green lights rotating around it. I looked at Dillon and Dillon looked at Dylan and Dylan looked at me, and I’d never, in the seven years I’d known both of them, seen either of them looking so scared. In that moment, I knew that we weren’t alone in the universe. When the UFO got closer, we all realized it was just a regular old airplane about to land in the nearby airfield. Well, even then I still knew we weren’t alone, and neither Dillon, Dylan, nor I—I can guarantee it—slept more than a moment during that long and memorable night.

6

Who claims that he “certainly wasn’t a ‘believer’” at the beginning of the story?

A. a pilot flying to an airfield near Roswell, New Mexico B. Jesse, the narrator C. Dillon, one of Jesse’s friends D. Jesse’s fifth-grade teacher

B

What are the two main settings in this story?

A. Jesse’s house and an airfield near Roswell, New Mexico B. a school bus and an airfield near Roswell, New Mexico C. a school bus and the desert near Roswell, New Mexico D. the desert near Roswell, New Mexico, and Jesse’s house

C

While on the bus to the campsite, Jesse recalls that he didn’t sleep for a week after hearing about a TV show in which aliens kidnap a little girl. But he tells his friends that he’s too old to believe in aliens. What conclusion can you draw from this information?

A. Jesse doesn’t believe in aliens at all. B. Jesse doesn’t think he should believe in aliens. C. Jesse definitely believes aliens exist. D. Jesse thinks everyone should believe in aliens.

B

Before Jesse and his friends see anything unusual while camping, how does Jesse feel about the idea of aliens?

A. disbelieving and bored B. confident and interested C. uncertain and scared D. curious and excited

C

What is the main idea of this story?

A. A boy goes camping near Roswell, New Mexico, with his classmates. B. A gullible boy thinks a regular airplane is actually a UFO. C. A boy becomes convinced that aliens, UFOs, and extraterrestrials are real. D. A boy tries to convince his friends that aliens and UFOs exist.

C

The passage begins with the following paragraph: “Tell yourself as much as you want to that you don’t believe in aliens, UFOs, or extraterrestrials, but until you’ve spent one night camping out in the desert near the airfield outside of Roswell, New Mexico, sleeping under an open sky so immense and glittering that the ground beneath you seems like little more than a speck of dust drifting through an auditorium, I won’t believe you.” Why might the author have started the story in this way?

A. to express that the narrator of the story doesn’t trust the reader B. to give the reader a hint about what might happen later in the story C. to force the reader to think about the dust in auditoriums D. to convince the reader to go camping in the desert near Roswell, New Mexico

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Dillon firmly believes in aliens. ______, Dylan doesn’t believe in aliens at all.

A. In contrast B. Simliarly C. Even though D. For example

A

China Under Attack

Japan attacked China in 1937, launching the second Chinese-Japanese War. At first, Japanese forces overpowered the Chinese. But when Japan bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941, China gained a powerful ally—the United States. The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, forcing the country to surrender and ending World War II and the Chinese-Japanese War. Jonathan Miedel talked to his grandmother, Mary Yu Chang, about growing up in China during the war. When the war began, my grandmother was only 6 years old. Her family lived in Shanghai, but her father had to leave because his job had been moved to the temporary capital, Chongqing. When he realized that the situation in Shanghai was getting worse, he sent for his family to join him. The most direct route from Shanghai to Chongqing was by boat on the Yangtze River. However, the Japanese had occupied many coastal cities by that time. My grandmother’s family had to take a huge detour. They traveled by sea to Hong Kong, then to North Vietnam. Then the rest of the trip was in crowded diesel trucks traveling through the mountains. "On some of the sharpest turns, some of the trucks slid off the edge of the cliffs," my grandmother recalled. Every time someone heard an airplane, the passengers would jump out of the trucks and crawl on their hands and knees through cornfields. My grandmother said that the leaves would cut her face. Everybody was covered in blood and mud. When my grandmother and her family finally arrived, Chongqing was extremely crowded with refugees. Fortunately, her dad’s company had houses for its employees. My grandmother’s new house only had two rooms, so it was extraordinarily cramped. When my grandmother was 8, her mother contracted tuberculosis and died. Her dad hired a caretaker to take care of my grandmother and her brother. On nice days, the caretaker would send my grandmother out to the rice paddies to collect slugs. Then the caretaker would fry the slugs with peppers. Peach trees provided another source of food. My grandmother would climb the sticky trees to get the fruit. She stated this was the one time during the war when she actually enjoyed herself. During her time in Chongqing, there were many air raids. The city had a detailed plan in the event of an air raid. If the siren went off and only one ball was placed on top of the pole on the mountain, it meant school was over. If a siren went off and two balls were on top of the mountain, everyone ran to the man-made tunnels in the mountain for shelter. During one of these attacks, bombs destroyed the tunnel next to the one my grandmother was in. She said that everybody inside was killed. The war ended in 1945, when my grandmother was 12. On the return trip to Shanghai, her family took the direct route, along the Yangtze River. Conclusion: This story taught me how terrible war can be. I learned that Chongqing was bombed more than 5,000 times during a five-year period. I never realized how much war could change everyday life. I believe my grandmother learned many valuable lessons in a difficult way. I hope these events have taught the world the terrible outcomes of war.

6

Social Studies: World History

Where did Mary Yu Chang live before the Chinese-Japanese War?

A. Shanghai B. Hong Kong C. North Vietnam D. Chongqing

A

How was Mary Yu Chang's family affected by the war?

A. Some of her family members had to join the army and fight. B. Her family helped dig tunnels for soldiers to hide in and fight from. C. Her family was one of the few families that did not have to move. D. Her family had to flee to Chongqing and live in scary conditions.

D

Read the following sentences from the text. “ During her time in Chongqing, there were many air raids. The city had a detailed plan in the event of an air raid. If the siren went off and only one ball was placed on top of the pole on the mountain, it meant school was over. If a siren went off and two balls were on top of the mountain, everyone ran to the man-made tunnels in the mountain for shelter. During one of these attacks, bombs destroyed the tunnel next to the one my grandmother was in. She said that everybody inside was killed. ” What conclusion can you draw from this evidence?

A. Everyone in China survived the war. B. The war only affected the people in Chongqing. C. The war was a scary and dangerous time. D. The war was over quickly and didn’t do much damage.

C

According to the text, what are some of the ways that war can change everyday life?

A. War can change the place you live, what you eat, and your safety in school. B. War can change the names of the places, like cities and countries. C. War can change the types of sports you play and the uniforms you wear. D. War can change the songs you sing and the books you read.

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Air raids were a common occurrence in China during the second Chinese-Japanese War and World War II. B. Life was difficult for Mary Yu Chang and her family during the second Chinese-Japanese War and World War II. C. Chongqing was bombed thousands of times during the second Chinese-Japanese War and World War II. D. People in China use the Yangtze River to travel by boat during the second Chinese-Japanese Wars and World War II.

B

Read the following sentences from the text. “But when Japan bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941, China gained a powerful ally —the United States. The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, forcing the country to surrender and ending World War II and the Chinese-Japanese War.” As used in this excerpt, what does the word “ally” most closely mean?

A. device B. weapon C. friend D. enemy

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. ________ the war ended in 1945, Mary Yu Chang and her family returned to their hometown.

A. After B. Instead C. Yet D. However

A

Stalled Out

Mom thinks it’s gorgeous, but the Solomon Parkway is just a too-windy road through a long patch of grass. There’s a dirty, shallow creek that mimics all of the turns of the pavement, and some trees line the sidewalk and shade a few playgrounds along the stretch. I hardly ever see people play on those swing sets when we’re driving by, and at night they look creepy in the streetlights. One of them is missing a few swings; when I was in fourth grade, mom got angry when I asked if they were gone because kids had swung them clean off their bolts into traffic. “Quit being so morbid,” she snapped. I had to look up “morbid” later that night, and ended up reading crime reports of unsolved murders in my city. In the morning, Mom yelled at me for using her computer for something other than schoolwork, and since I’d spent half the evening reading frightening things and the other half staring at the windows in my bedroom thinking about those frightening things, I was exhausted on top of guilt-weary all day. Solomon was the road my small family and I took to work and school from the time I was eight to the time I was fourteen. Mom was a nurse at a hospital on the same side of town where my sister and I went to school. We moved to the opposite end of the city after mom and dad divorced. Our new house was smaller but had an attic with one big window and slanted ceilings, and that was my bedroom— it made the whole move worth it, even if the drive to school got a lot longer. “The parkway is basically just a scenic on-ramp,” I said as we sat in traffic on the way home from school. I was in the sixth grade then, and I still complained about it all the time. There were faster ways home, but we always took Solomon to the interstate. All of the twists and curves made me feel like I was going to throw up, and if I looked out the window too long, I got dizzy. I liked it when we finally reached the highway, because it ran by the lake and we went fast, so I felt like we were going somewhere new and different, led along by the possibilities that such a big body of blue can promise. I’d lay down in the back seat and put my toes up against the bottom of the window and pretend we were driving west along the lake to Chicago, or maybe even beyond the lake to plains and mountains I’d never seen. When we stopped it was always in our driveway and Mom would herd me and my sister, Larken, upstairs and make macaroni and cheese. Such was the plan that day, heading home from mom’s work and our school. I was eleven and Larken was seven, and I lorded my seniority over her by gloating about my front-seat privileges, and bragging about all of the things I knew that she didn’t by virtue of being almost in middle school. She had just started first grade. Her homework looked like coloring book pages, and I had a backpack full of hardcover textbooks. For whatever reason, I thought this made me cool. “Don’t start with this, Margot.” Mom didn’t turn her head to look at me when she said it. Her face was hard, partly because she was concentrating on the traffic and partly because she got annoyed when I sassed her. “You’ve whined about this for years. Isn’t it time to graduate to some other pointless complaint?” “No,” I sighed and slid down in my seat, pressing my sneakers up against the dashboard. “I’m annoyed today.” “You’re annoying today, at least,” Mom retorted. She had good comebacks. “I’m tired, and I want to be at home. This road takes forever.” “I’m tired too, and I want to be at home too, and it doesn’t take forever,” Mom said, “but you’re right. The traffic is pretty backed up right now.” Solomon Parkway is really long, and it’s a smooth ride with no stoplights as long as you’re on it early in the morning or late at night. But when people are all on their way to or from work, you only get to drive the speed limit for a little bit. Then, all of a sudden, you’re sitting in a long line of cars, all backed up, each one wanting to go home. A lot of them are doctors and nurses, I think, since the hospital is right near the parkway. I wonder if it’s some kind of weird payback, them having to wait in a giant snake of cars after making people wait in their offices all day. That afternoon, traffic slowed down and cars backed up pretty soon after getting onto the road. There was a light at the far end, right before the highway, and it held us all up, so we inched along in little stops-and-starts. It was usually that way, but that day it seemed as though we didn’t get as far as usual down Solomon before we sat still. “We aren’t moving.” I knew I was stating the obvious. I also knew I was being a pain. “No kidding,” said Mom. And then, to change the subject, “How was your day?” I didn’t take the bait. “Well, it was fine, except at lunch I was starving and we got out of math class late. I had to run to the cafeteria and I still didn’t get there in time to beat the line. I waited forever for my pizza,” I said, hinting pretty strongly with a big sigh at the similarity in my frustration with waiting at lunch and my frustration with waiting now. “I get it, Margot. I can’t do anything about this.” Mom tapped the steering wheel. “It’s weird today. We aren’t moving hardly at all.” “I know.” People weren’t even honking. There wasn’t anything to do, and there wasn’t anyone to blame. We were just…sitting there. Cars coming from the other direction were moving, and I wished there was some way we could pull out of the chain of stopped cars and turn around. I looked out the window and watched a little boy on a tricycle putter down the sidewalk. His mom didn’t chase him but I heard her yell to slow down. It’s not like he was going to get hit by a car if he ran into the street; none of the cars were driving. It had been five minutes and we’d only moved a few feet. “This is weird, actually.” Mom said it quietly, with an edge, like the edge she gets when Larken or I act up. I turned around and looked at Larken. She was asleep. No wonder she wasn’t chiming in. Mom rolled down her window, and I heard sirens from a distance. In a moment, in the rearview mirror, I saw the lights of an ambulance appear from the hill behind us, and all of the cars in the ribbon of traffic did their best to turn towards the curb to let the emergency crew by. Larken woke up for a moment and gurgled in her half-sleep. We sat for five minutes, and two police cars flew by. Another five minutes dripped on, and I was silent the entire time. When we finally started to inch along, I kept my mouth shut but opened my window. A kid, maybe a teenager, on a skateboard moved in long strides along the sidewalk now, and as he approached, I broke my silence. Before Mom could yank me back, I had leaned out the window. “Hey, mister!” I yelled. “What happened?” The kid kicked his skateboard up into his hand. “Some old guy passed out in his car at the light up there,” he called back. “Get back in the car.” My mom spoke sternly but didn’t yell, and she didn’t grab my shirt to pull me back into my seat. “Buckle your seat belt.” I did. I waved at the skateboarder, but he didn’t see me. Traffic was still slow, but it was steady at least. In another five minutes, I could see the stoplight at the end of the road. I could see something else, too: a car pushed just to the right of the intersection, empty now of its driver. A lingering cop car was pulled onto the lawn, and the policeman was taking notes at the side of the lonely vehicle still sort of blocking the road. The light turned red. I held my breath for a moment, torn between my curiosity and my desire not to make Mom mad. Curiosity won. “What happened?” I called out my still-open window. The cop looked at me. His sunglasses had a reflective finish, and I couldn’t see his eyes, just a mirror image of our car and my skinny arms folded outside the window. “Heart attack.” He didn’t say anything more, just kept writing. He kicked a headlight with the toe of his boot as the light turned green and we made the turn onto the highway. I told my mom later on that I was mad that no one thought to see if something was wrong until it was too late, but she said maybe it was too late anyway. “Things happen fast, honey,” she said. I felt creeped out, like there were spiders crawling under my skin. Larken had slept through all of it. I had trouble sleeping that night. So that was it. Some old man had a heart attack at the stoplight on the Solomon Parkway. Some old man decided to die right there, at a red light, with a road full of people getting off of shifts at the hospital or getting out of school for the day, their cars piling up. He ignored all of the honks from angry doctors behind him, doctors who were off the clock and sick of saving people’s lives, and just stalled out.

6

Where were Margot and her family driving?

A. at a hospital parking lot B. the Solomon Parkway C. along the lake to Chicago D. the road in front of her house

B

What led to the traffic completely stopping on the parkway?

A. There were too many cars. B. A man had a heart attack in his car. C. There was an accident. D. There was construction work being done on the road.

B

Margot is an impatient person. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. Margot ran to the cafeteria for lunch but didn’t get there in time to beat the line. B. Margot complains to her mom about waiting at lunch and waiting for the cars to move in traffic. C. Margot asks the cop what happened when they drive to the intersection. D. Margot is curious as to why the traffic on the Solomon Parkway completely stops.

B

What can be concluded about the effect the man’s death had on Margot?

A. The man’s death did not affect Margot. B. The man’s death affected Margot. C. The man’s death made Margot angry. D. The man’s death made Margot confused.

B

What is the theme of this text?

A. People don’t care about the misfortune of strangers. B. Life is filled with moments of waiting. C. Sitting in traffic can be a very unpleasant and frustrating experience. D. Death can happen at any time or place, despite any inconvenience it may cause.

D

Read these sentences from the text. Some old man decided to die right there, at a red light, with a road full of people getting off of shifts at the hospital or getting out of school for the day, their cars piling up. He ignored all of the honks from angry doctors behind him, doctors who were off the clock and sick of saving people’s lives, and just stalled out . As used in the text, what does “stalled out” most nearly mean?

A. ran away B. woke up C. died D. bled

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Traffic usually slowed on the Solomon Parkway, _________ it never came to a stop as it did the day the man’s heart stalled out.

A. because B. so C. and D. but

D

Crash!

If you think you can handle driving after drinking alcohol, talk to Kenny Bollier. When he was 17, the Texas resident (pictured below) made a choice that still haunts him. “I let my friend drive my truck even though we’d all been drinking,” he says. “I was sure we could handle it.” The friend crashed the truck. Although the friend and a third teen walked away, Bollier, now older than 30 years old, wasn’t so lucky. The impact not only crushed his jaw, nose, and right eye but also snapped his neck, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. “I’m a quadriplegic and live in a nursing home because my family can’t take care of me anymore,” he told Current Health. “I can’t feed or bathe myself. I used to bench-press 350 pounds, and now I can’t lift even a couple of pounds.” Bollier is the first to admit he made a mistake. Unfortunately, many teens make the same mistake every day. According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 12 percent of all drivers—30.2 million people—drove drunk at least once during the previous year. The drunk driving rates for those ages 16–17 were better at 6.3 percent. But for drivers 18–20, that number rose to 16.6 percent. Alcohol remains a major factor in fatal crashes, too. Nearly 11,000 Americans died in drunk-driving crashes in 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. That’s one in every three traffic-related deaths. People in drunk-driving crashes don’t always die, of course. “They’re often left severely injured or brain damaged,” notes Kevin Haggerty, assistant director of the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington. “Many people would say that’s worse than dying.” Like Bollier and his friends, most teens who drink and drive probably think they can do so safely. But science isn’t on their side. “Alcohol impairs judgment, and driving involves thousands of judgments, including motor skills and depth perception,” says Stephen Wallace. He’s the national chairperson and CEO of Students Against Destructive Decisions and author of Reality Gap: Alcohol, Drugs, and Sex— What Parents Don’t Know and Teens Aren’t Telling. “Alcohol slows your reaction times, no matter how alert you think you are,” he says. What’s more, teens are more vulnerable to alcohol’s effects than adults are. Haggerty explains that the brain’s decision-making frontal lobe doesn’t mature until people are in their 20s. “Teens are more prone to blackouts and less likely to have an adult’s warning system of ‘acting drunk,’ like weaving or staggering,” he says. “Teens are also more likely than adults to become uninhibited and to make bad decisions.” That includes other risky situations aside from driving, of course. Fortunately, the year after the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health was released, the number of teens drinking was less than in previous years. A long-term study from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research found that the percentage of high school seniors who had drunk alcohol in the past month reached record lows in 2010: The number was 41 percent, down from 1978’s peak of 72 percent. “Young people are making smarter choices today, and high school culture is much less accepting of drinking than in years past,” says Haggerty. As Bollier’s story shows, it’s not enough for you not to drink and drive. You also need to avoid riding with anyone who has been drinking. The easiest way to do that is to steer clear of situations where alcohol is present. “If I hear there is going to be alcohol at a party, I don’t go,” says Alexis Galinski. She’s the former president of her Florida school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter. That doesn’t always work, however, so be prepared. “Have a plan before you go about what to do if you’re pressured to drink or ride with someone who has,” says Galinski. “Otherwise, you might make a bad decision on the spot.” Work out in advance that you will call your parents or another trusted adult for a ride if any situation makes you uncomfortable. “Your parents want you to be safe even if they get mad later,” says Laura Dean-Mooney, former national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “They would rather get a call from you now than a call from an officer saying you’ve been killed or injured.” You should also be prepared to stop a friend who’s been drinking from driving. Wallace says the old advice about taking away a friend’s keys works. “They might get mad at first, but we’re talking about life and death,” he says. “I’ve talked to too many kids who have seen friends die because they didn’t act when they had the chance.” For Bollier, those scenarios seem simple in hindsight. “I lost my whole future in the blink of an eye,” he says. “Ask yourself: ‘Is having this drink worth my life?’ And then put it down.” No! Even teens who decide to avoid alcohol altogether may underestimate how much company they have. “If you ask teens how many of their peers drink, they’ll say 90 to 95 percent, which hugely overestimates the true numbers,” says Stephen Wallace, author and national chairperson and CEO of SADD. Many teens find themselves in groups of friends where alcohol isn’t even part of the picture, he points out. Alexis Galinski agrees. “People in high school respected that I wouldn’t drink. I knew lots of people who drank, but I put my energies into friends and sports and never missed alcohol.” The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their legal drinking age to 21. (In many states, the legal age had been 18 until then.) The law has saved at least 1,000 lives per year—more than 30,000 lives so far—according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For Kevin Haggerty, a social scientist at the University of Washington, those numbers tell a compelling story. “The 21 drinking age is one of the most effective pieces of public policy out there,” he says. The nonprofit Choose Responsibility disagrees, however. (The organization began after a group of college presidents questioned whether the law was effective in curbing teen drinking.) Instead, one of the group’s founders, Barrett Seaman, has advocated for stricter drunk-driving enforcement. “We also call for a mandatory course in ‘drinker education’ that would lead to a drinking license at age 18,” he says. “Such a license would be recognized only in those states that issue it and could not be transported across state lines. If abused, the drinking privilege before age 21 could be revoked.”

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

According to the text, what do most teens who drink alcohol and drive probably think?

A. that they can let their friend drive B. that they can drink and drive safely C. that they can make bad decisions D. that they can save people's lives

B

The author presents some solutions to a problem. One of the solutions is “to steer clear of situations where alcohol is present.” What is the problem?

A. people crashing their friends cars B. teenagers drinking alcohol and driving C. young people making smarter choices D. parents giving their children rides

B

Read these sentences from the text. What’s more, teens are more vulnerable to alcohol’s effects than adults are. Haggerty explains that the brain’s decision-making frontal lobe doesn’t mature until people are in their 20s. “Teens are more prone to blackouts and less likely to have an adult’s warning system of ‘acting drunk,’ like weaving or staggering,” he says. “Teens are also more likely than adults to become uninhibited and to make bad decisions.” Based on this information, what can you conclude about how alcohol affects teenagers and adults?

A. Alcohol affects teenagers more strongly than adults. B. Alcohol affects adults more strongly than teenagers. C. Alcohol affects teenagers but not adults. D. Alcohol affects adults but not teenagers.

A

After reading the text, what is probably true about drinking and driving among teenagers?

A. It is not such a big a problem. B. It can be stopped completely by lowering the drinking age. C. It remains a problem, and people continue to seek solutions. D. It will no longer be a problem in the future.

C

What is this text mainly about?

A. how the teenage brain is affected by alcohol B. the importance of not going to parties where alcohol is served C. the danger of teen drinking and driving and how to stay safe D. how the legal drinking age today has saved lives

C

Read these sentences from the text. “Teens are more prone to blackouts and less likely to have an adult’s warning system of ‘acting drunk,’ like weaving or staggering,” he says. “Teens are also more likely than adults to become uninhibited and to make bad decisions.” As used in these sentences, what does the word “prone” mean?

A. interested in B. lying down C. happy about D. likely to have

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Many teens estimate the number of kids who drink is 90 or 95 percent _________ evidence that the real percentage is much, much lower.

A. for example B. because C. despite D. around

C

Music Inside of Us

When I was four years old, I wanted nothing more in life than to play the piano. My best friend Bethany had a piano, but she didn't play it very often. I could barely contain my jealousy. I felt something tingle inside me when I played it. The piano was important. It was meant to be. Bethany hardly played it at all. She would rather play hide-and-seek. It didn't seem fair. One day my mother came to pick me up from Bethany's house. “Watch this!” I told her. Then I ran to play a song I had learned that morning. It was a Russian ballad called “Song of the Volga Boatmen.” It was a very easy arrangement of notes, and I learned it quickly. The lyrics went like this: Yo-oh. Yo heave ho. One more time. Once again. I sang the song while I played it. “Check it out, Mom!” I was so proud of what I'd learned. “I can play this song all by myself!” “That's nice,” she said. “But we can't afford a piano.” I cried a little, or maybe I even cried a lot. Then we went home. There was nothing I could do. There would be no piano on that day. It wasn't that my mother didn't want to give me a piano. She just couldn't. In fact, we wouldn't have the money to buy a piano for almost 10 more years. When I turned six, my mother bought me a recorder. The recorder is like a plastic clarinet. I learned to play “Three Blind Mice” and “Hot Cross Buns” but not “Song of the Volga Boatmen.” The problem was I didn't love the recorder. It was just something to play. The piano was special. When I played the recorder, I didn't feel anything special inside. I hated practicing. I was bored. I asked my mother if we could have a piano. “We still can't afford one,” she said. “One day, I promise.” In the sixth grade, my mother traded in the recorder for a real clarinet. I liked the clarinet more, but it still wasn't a piano. My brother asked if he could have a guitar. Instead, my mother bought him a flute. He didn't like the flute at all. “It was on sale,” she told him. “It's a nice flute! You should play the flute.” I never once saw my brother practice the flute. He left the flute lying around the house like he was trying to lose it. My mother would find it in the living room shoved under the couch. “I just don't understand you!” my mother would exclaim. “A perfectly good flute!” “But I wanted a guitar,” he would say. I taught myself a little bit of the flute as well as the clarinet. I thought it would make my mother feel better about spending money. But in my heart, I still longed for a piano. Everyone said I had a very nice sound on the clarinet; that it was “smooth,” and I never squeaked or squawked my high notes. I liked being good at something, and I loved playing music, but I wasn't happy. It wasn't the music that was inside of me. One day, when I was in seventh grade, my mother clipped an ad out of the newspaper. This was back in the 1980s, before computers, so if people wanted to sell something, they had to put an ad in an actual newspaper. We drove to a stranger's home in Providence, Rhode Island, where I grew up. The woman had a beautiful, dark wood piano from Russia. It's called an upright piano because it was tall. It had a slick, modern design. It was so shiny it looked like it was wet. “We'll take it,” my mother said. “It has a nice sound.” After that, I played the piano every single day. I played it before school. I played it after school. I even played if I stayed home sick. On the weekends, I played all day long until my parents had to ask me to stop. When I left for school in the morning, I would leave sheet music open on the piano. Sheet music is like a book with notes and lyrics in it. It tells you how a song goes. So I would plan it out ahead of time, before I left. When I got home from school, I wouldn't even take my backpack off. I'd walk straight to the piano and sit down and start playing the sheet music I had left open that morning. I had finally found the music inside of me. We all have music inside of us, even if it's just what we listen to. Surely, you have a favorite band or a favorite song. You want to sing along with it, or dance to it. You move to the beat of that favorite song. Or, maybe, like my brother, you want to pick up a guitar and actually play that song. It's been 20 years since my brother asked for a guitar. Now he owns four of them. Do you struggle with music? Have you been given an instrument to play, but you just can't play it? Maybe like my brother, you were given a flute when you really wanted a guitar. If you find that you are struggling with your instrument, remember the story of my clarinet. I wasn't happy with the clarinet, because it wasn't the right instrument for me. Remember my brother and how much he hated the flute? He loves the guitar and plays every day. He also sings. Maybe you think you're just no good or that you don't have any musical talent. Don't get discouraged. It's not true! We all have music inside of us. Now it's up to you to find the right way to set that music free.

6

Arts: Music & Performing Arts

What instrument does the author want to own?

A. clarinet B. piano C. flute D. guitar

B

This passage describes the sequence of events that led to the author owning a piano. Which instrument did the author receive first?

A. recorder B. flute C. piano D. clarinet

A

The author’s mother supported the musical development of her children. What information from the passage supports this conclusion?

A. The author’s mother could not afford to buy the author a piano when she was very young. B. The author’s mother would find her son’s flute lying around the house. C. The author’s mother clipped an ad out of the newspaper when the author was in seventh grade. D. The author’s mother bought her kids different instruments to play even if they were instruments her kids didn’t love.

D

Based on the information in the passage, what can be concluded about the author’s musical ability?

A. The author is a good musician who can play multiple instruments. B. The author is only good at playing the recorder. C. The author is only good at playing the piano. D. The author is not a good musician.

A

What is the main idea of this passage?

A. how every person can enjoy making music if they find the right instrument B. how to play the piano C. why every person should play the piano D. why the guitar is a better instrument than the flute

A

Read the following sentences from the passage: “Do you struggle with music? Have you been given an instrument to play, but you just can't play it?” As used in the passage, what does the word “struggle” mean?

A. physically fighting against something B. easily learning a new skill C. having difficulty mastering something D. facing an impossible task

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. The author played different instruments when she was young, __________ it was the piano which she longed for.

A. finally B. but C. initially D. for instance

B

Ice Picks

When physicist Jim Madsen goes to work in Antarctica during the South Pole summer, he enjoys sunlight 24-7. That’s ironic because his project, a giant telescope called IceCube, requires total darkness. But the round-the-clock sunshine doesn’t affect IceCube, because it’s located deep within the Antarctic ice. “You don’t have to get very far beneath the surface,” says Madsen, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, “and it’s pitch-black.” IceCube was designed to detect tiny invisible particles from space. “We have these particles that we think are the most abundant in the universe, but they’re almost impossible to detect,” he says. Almost … but not quite. The IceCube team—hundreds of scientists from more than 30 countries—has figured out that the ice-covered continent is a perfect place to detect the particles. With luck, the invisible cosmic messengers might offer clues to some of the biggest mysteries of the universe. IceCube isn’t your typical telescope. It doesn’t reveal details of Pluto’s surface or take beautiful snapshots of distant galaxies. It doesn’t even point toward the sky. IceCube detects neutrinos. Neutrinos are some of the smallest particles in the universe—tinier even than atoms. They’re invisible, have hardly any mass and no electric charge, and interact very weakly with other particles. Because of those properties, neutrinos zip easily around space. A neutrino can travel billions of miles through the cosmos, passing right through planets as it goes. Trillions of neutrinos are speeding through your body at this very moment. Neutrinos are very hard to detect, says Madsen. To sense their presence, complete darkness and a large expanse of something clear are essential. Antarctica’s deep, clear ice fits the bill perfectly. IceCube is made up of more than 5,000 basketball-sized detectors called digital optical modules (DOMs). They’re arranged on long cables, like beads on a string, with each cable suspended vertically inside a deep hole in the ice. Altogether 86 strings are suspended inside holes that extend as far as 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) below the surface. Most neutrinos zoom through ice unimpeded and undetected. Occasionally, though, one bumps into an ice molecule. When that happens, a muon is created. A muon, like a neutrino, is an elementary particle—a particle that can’t be broken down into smaller particles. When a muon speeds through ice, it generates a blue glow called Cherenkov radiation. Antarctic ice is so clean and clear that the DOMs can pick up that glow from a good distance, says Thomas Gaisser, a physicist at the University of Delaware. “You can see the light from 100 to 200 meters [328 to 656 feet] through the ice,” he says. The DOMs record data about every neutrino hit, enabling the scientists to see what direction the neutrinos came from and how much energy they carried. “The idea is to use neutrinos to learn about the universe,” Madsen says. Neutrinos are released by high-energy events. Some neutrinos are created on Earth by the nuclear reactions in nuclear power plants. Some are created when cosmic rays (high-energy, charged particles from space) collide with atoms in the atmosphere. Others are created in the sun. The IceCube scientists aren’t focusing on neutrinos that emerge from those sources. They’re hunting for neutrinos from distant, violent events such as supernovas or gamma-ray bursts. A supernova is the death explosion of a massive star. A gamma-ray burst is a giant explosion that releases a blast of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation. Gamma-ray bursts occur once or twice a day somewhere in the universe. What triggers those outbursts? Researchers have no idea, but IceCube might help them find out. “If there are neutrinos coming from gamma rays,” says Madsen, “[IceCube] will tell us something about what could be producing all that energy.” IceCube might also help scientists understand dark matter. Dark matter is something believed to make up most of the matter in the universe. No one has ever seen it directly or figured out exactly what it is, however. But if dark matter is out there, then an opposing type of matter, called anti–dark matter, must be too. When dark matter and anti–dark matter come together, says Madsen, they should obliterate each other, creating high-energy neutrinos. If IceCube can find those extra energetic neutrinos, it could help scientists determine dark matter’s identity. After seven years of construction, IceCube was completed in 2010. By 2012, researchers had started poring over the data it had churned out so far. It was too soon, though, to say exactly what the telescope had found. The scientists were still figuring out how to identify which neutrinos are created in Earth’s atmosphere and which ones come from space. “That’s the tricky part,” says Madsen. “Up until now, nobody has had a telescope large enough that you could get this information,” he says. “We’re hoping we’ll find something brand-new.”

6

Science: Physical Science

According to the text, what is IceCube?

A. tiny invisible particles from space B. a giant telescope that requires total darkness C. some of the smallest particles in the universe D. most of the matter in the universe

B

What is the most detailed and informative description of IceCube as used in the text?

A. It detects muons, which are particles that cannot be broken down into smaller pieces. B. It took the scientific team seven years to create IceCube because it is the largest telescope of its kind. C. It detects neutrinos and is made of over 5,000 digital optical modules ( DOMs ) arranged on long cables. D. It is located deep beneath the surface of the Antarctic Ice where it is totally dark.

C

It would be impossible to detect neutrinos in places where there are a lot of people and light. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. “Neutrinos are released by high-energy events. Some neutrinos are created on Earth by the nuclear reactions in nuclear power plants.” B. “The DOMs record data about every neutrino hit, enabling the scientists to see what direction the neutrinos came from and how much energy they carried.” C. “Most neutrinos zoom through ice unimpeded and undetected. Occasionally, though, one bumps into an ice molecule.” D. “Neutrinos are very hard to detect, says Madsen. To sense their presence, complete darkness and a large expanse of something clear are essential.”

D

How would the author most likely describe the IceCube scientists?

A. intelligent but stubborn B. persistent and pioneering C. excited and hardworking D. foolish but daring

B

What is the main idea of the text?

A. A new giant telescope called IceCube was designed to find tiny invisible particles from space called neutrinos. B. Neutrinos can move easily in space and can even move through planets and our bodies. C. A supernova is an explosion from a star, and a gamma-ray burst releases electromagnetic radiation. D. IceCube is made of cables inside holes in arctic ice; when particles hit the cables, IceCube creates a light.

A

Read these sentences from the text. Neutrinos are very hard to detect, says Madsen. To sense their presence, complete darkness and a large expanse of something clear are essential . Antarctica’s deep, clear ice fits the bill perfectly. As used in these sentences, what does the word "essential" mean?

A. interesting B. helpful C. necessary D. unimportant

C

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. The Antarctic ice is very clean and clear; ______, IceCube can detect the blue glow created by muons through the Antarctic ice.

A. therefore B. instead C. however D. obviously

A

Honeymoon in Havana

On Jan. 1, 1959, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and his rebel soldiers seized control of Cuba, ousting dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro turned the small island nation into a communist state, with all property belonging to the government. Molly Rossi interviewed her grandmother, Monica Rossi, who was traveling in Cuba during the revolt. On December 28, 1958, my grandparents, Monica and Frank Rossi, left for their honeymoon in Cuba. Little did the newlyweds know that Cuba was at the height of its most violent revolt in history and that the government was about to fall. Ah, young love! I interviewed my grandmother [for] a firsthand point of view. "We landed in Havana, Cuba’s capital. When we got off the plane, no one was very helpful. We paid little attention, though, because we were very excited. "On New Year’s Eve, we went to the most popular nightclub in Cuba, the Tropicana. It was great. Your grandpa and I were so crazy back then; we even got onstage and started a conga dance. At about 2 a.m., we decided to go back to our hotel. When we stepped outside, the street—which was usually lined with cabs—was deserted. I didn’t yet know what was beginning to happen, but I knew something wasn’t right. "When I got in bed that night, I heard lots of loud explosions. Since it was New Year’s Eve, I thought they were fireworks, so I said, ‘These Cubans sure know how to celebrate!’ Little did we know that these noises were actually cannonball fires and gunshots. The revolution had started. "The next morning, your grandfather called the front desk and asked about sightseeing. The concierge said in a panicked tone, ‘Señor, this is not a good day to go sightseeing. The entire Cuban government has fallen, and the country is in a revolt!’ "We decided to go to brunch at another hotel. As we were walking there, the streets were becoming very crowded. The closer we got to the center of town, the more excitement we saw. There were lots of people crammed into tiny cars. "There were people dancing, and everyone was singing, and lots of people were waving flags. I took out my camera to take a picture. As I did, your grandfather grabbed my arm and started running down the sidewalk with me as fast as he could. Finally, I stopped him and asked what we were doing. He said, ‘Mona, when you lifted your camera, a Cuban man took out his gun and pointed it at your head!’ We decided that we had better get back to the hotel. In our room, we listened to the radio. Of course, it was in Spanish. All I could understand was that Batista had left Cuba. "In the morning a nervous man from the U.S. Embassy came to the hotel. He told us that the U.S. Embassy was trying to negotiate with the various groups involved with the Cuban revolution to get us out safely. The next morning we took a ship to Key West, Florida. I was sad that it had come to the point that it was too dangerous for us to stay." Conclusion: I have learned so much from this opportunity to really talk to my grandmother about her life. I encourage all kids to take any chance they get to spend time with their grandparents.

6

Social Studies: World History

According to the text, who was traveling in Cuba during the revolt?

A. Molly Rossi of Grassland Middle School B. the concierge at the hotel in Havana C. Molly's grandmother, Monica Rossi D. Cuba's dictator Fulgencio Batista

C

What does the text describe?

A. the wedding of Molly's grandparents, Monica and Frank Rossi B. Molly's grandmother's experience of the revolt in Cuba C. Cuba's leaders leading up to Fulgencio Batista D. the various groups involved with the Cuban revolution

B

Read these sentences from Molly's grandmother's story in the text. "When I got in bed that night, I heard lots of loud explosions. Since it was New Year’s Eve, I thought they were fireworks, so I said, ‘These Cubans sure know how to celebrate!’ Little did we know that these noises were actually cannonball fires and gunshots. The revolution had started. What conclusion can you make based on this information?

A. Molly's grandmother was not aware of the danger outside. B. Molly's grandmother was nervous during the Cuban revolt. C. Molly's grandmother was ready to fight in the Cuban revolt. D. Molly's grandmother never knew what made the loud sounds outside.

A

Based on the text, what does Molly's grandmother probably think about her honeymoon in Cuba?

A. It was a lovely, relaxing time. B. It was a happy, exciting memory. C. It was a boring, forgetful trip. D. It was a stressful, scary nightmare.

B

What is the main idea of the text?

A. Molly Rossi is a student at Grassland Middle School, and her grandparents left for their honeymoon in December 28, 1958. B. Molly Rossi hears about Cuba's capital of Havana, like how the country's most popular nightclub is located there. C. Molly Rossi encourages other kids to ask their grandparents about their experience during the Cuban revolt. D. Molly Rossi interviews her grandmother and learns about her grandparents' experience during the Cuban revolt.

D

Read these sentences from the text. On Jan. 1, 1959, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and his rebel soldiers seized control of Cuba, ousting dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro turned the small island nation into a communist state, with all property belonging to the government. As used in these sentences, what does the word “seized” mean?

A. forcefully took B. kindly asked for C. quickly threw away D. carefully planned

A

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Molly Rossi wanted to learn about her grandmother's life, ______ Molly interviewed her grandmother.

A. because B. so C. although D. despite

B

A Hole in the Planet!

Back in March of 2007, a team of 12 British scientists set sail aboard the RRS James Cook to find out why a large chunk of Earth's crust, or outer layer, is missing three miles below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. In its place is a large, exposed stretch of mantle—the deep inner layer of Earth. The crew departed from the Canary Islands, which are located off the northwestern coast of Africa. The hole is situated about 2,300 miles southwest of the Canaries. Scientists suspect the hole is 30 miles long and 30 miles wide. Using a robotic device called Toby, the team will film the site and take samples to study. "It is like a window into the interior of Earth," says scientist Bramley Murton from aboard the research ship. Earth is made up of four layers, which get hotter and hotter from the surface to the center. Crust (5–250 miles thick) The crust is the surface of Earth. The thin layer is made of solid rock. Mantle (about 1,800 miles thick) The mantle is divided into two parts: the upper mantle and the lower mantle. Most of the mantle is solid rock, but the lower mantle rock is softer. Outer Core (about 1,400 miles thick) The hot outer core is made of liquid iron and nickel. Inner Core (about 750 miles thick) The inner core is the center of Earth. It is made up of scorching-hot iron and nickel, which stay solid due to intense pressure.

6-7

Science: Earth & Space Science

Review the graphic of the inside of Earth. Which layer makes up the center of Earth?

A. crust B. mantle C. outer core D. inner core

D

As described in the passage, what is Toby, the robotic device, helping scientists uncover?

A. why Earth is made up of different layers B. the size of the large gap in Earth’s crust C. the reason why part of Earth’s surface has disappeared D. how many more holes in Earth’s crust are out there

C

Scientist Bramley Murton says “it is like a window into the interior of Earth”. Why might the author have chosen to include this quote in the article? He chose the quote because

A. the language illustrates how the hole offers a clear view into the crust. B. it explains why the hole occurred in that particular spot in the Atlantic Ocean C. it persuades more researchers to study the area D. the language illustrates the size of the hole in the earth’s crust

A

Read the following sentence from the passage: “The crew departed from the Canary Islands, which are located off the northwestern coast of Africa.” In this sentence, the word departed most nearly means

A. arrived B. left C. journey D. boarded

B

Which statement supports the main idea of this passage?

A. A robotic device is helping scientist learn about the hole. B. Earth’s layers get hotter and hotter toward the center. C. The gap is located 2,300 miles southwest of the Canary Islands. D. Scientists are studying a mysterious hole in Earth’s surface.

D

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. The expedition was a rare opportunity for the scientists _______________ it isn’t often that they get to see the center of the earth!

A. but B. finally C. because D. so

C

That Tickles!

Have you ever tried tickling yourself? If you're like most people, it doesn't work. Scientists say there's a good reason why. They recently conducted tickling experiments and discovered that it has to do with your brain. The cerebellum is an area of your brain that controls your body's balance and coordination. When you tickle yourself, the cerebellum tells other parts of your brain to ignore the feeling. Scientists now think that your brain is protecting your body by not responding to tickles you give yourself. A self-tickle is silly business. A tickle coming from somewhere else might be serious. It could be a spider crawling on your skin or another real danger. In cases like that, the cerebellum warns your body that it needs to pay attention. That's no laughing matter!

6

Science: Life Science

What is the cerebellum?

A. a feeling of being tickled B. a science experiment C. an area of the brain D. a kind of instrument

C

How does the author describe most people’s responses to a “self-tickle”?

A. as silly business B. as serious C. as uncomfortable D. as dangerous

A

What was the author trying to convey to the reader by stating, “That’s no laughing matter”?

A. A tickle is something difficult not to laugh about. B. It doesn’t matter if you laugh when being tickled. C. Most people laugh too much when they are tickled. D. A tickle may be a sign of a serious matter.

D

Read this sentence from the passage: “They recently conducted tickling experiments and discovered that it has to do with your brain.” In this sentence, the word conducted means

A. carried out B. shared C. listened to D. mocked

A

Which statement best describes the main idea of this passage?

A. Most people react negatively when they are being tickled by someone. B. Your body will probably alert you if a spider is crawling on your skin. C. The human brain is much more complex than people once thought. D. Scientists recently learned why people don’t respond to self-tickles.

D

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Your brain protects your body _________ only responding to tickles coming from somewhere else.

A. nor B. and C. yet D. by

D

Pizza Problems

Should kids be reading for pizza? A nationwide reading program is drawing criticism for putting pizza front and center. Since 1985, the restaurant chain Pizza Hut has been running the Book It program, which rewards students for reading with personal pan pizzas. Now some people are taking a slice at Book It. They say the program promotes poor eating habits and gives Pizza Hut free advertising in public schools. "It's clear that Pizza Hut's Book It has no place in public schools.…It promotes junk food," says Susan Linn, a cofounder of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. The group has called for schools to stop participating in the Book It program. Nearly 22 million children in 50,000 U.S. schools take part in Book It. Since the program began, more than 200 million pizzas have been given away. Each year, from October 1 through March 31, students read books to meet monthly reading goals set by teachers. When students meet their goal for the month, they get a certificate for a personal pan pizza. "We're really proud of the program," says Leslie Tubbs, the director of Book It. "We get hundreds of e-mails from [past participants] who praise it and say it helped them get started with reading." In 1988, President Ronald Reagan honored the program for promoting literacy, or reading skills. But critics say schools can teach students to enjoy reading without the help of a fast-food company. "Schools need to realize that they are undermining their students' well-being," says nutrition expert Jane Levine. She explains that the Book It program is a problem not just because it rewards kids with fast food but also because it makes a large company a regular part of the school day.

6

Social Studies: School & Family Life

How many U.S. schools take part in the Book It program?

A. 200,000 B. 50,000 C. 200 million D. 22 million

B

The passage shows two sides of this debate: Should kids be reading for pizza? What is one argument in favor of the pizza reward program?

A. The program rewards kids with fast food. B. The program gives a company free advertising. C. The program promotes reading skills. D. The program teaches students healthy habits.

C

After reading the passage, what can you conclude about the Book It program?

A. Not everyone agrees that the program is a good idea. B. Kids who take part in the program will stop eating pizza. C. The program will start rewarding kids with fresh fruit. D. More schools will sign up for the program in the future.

A

Read this sentence from the passage: “They say the program promotes poor eating habits and gives Pizza Hut free advertising in public schools.” In this sentence, the word promotes means

A. quickly considers B. strongly agrees with C. actively encourages D. completely challenges

C

The primary purpose of this passage is to describe

A. the importance of setting reading goals for children B. how pizza can be used to reward students for reading C. both sides of a debate about the Book It program D. why students need to learn healthy eating habits

C

The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. More than 200 million pizzas have been rewarded to students ______ the program began.

A. since B. finally C. before D. about

A

The Problem Solvers

Problems—whether they are scientific, medical, creative, culinary, personal, communal, or any other type—require solutions. The best way to find a solution that fits is to first research the problem. Find out as much as you can about what the difficulty is. Say, for instance, the issue is architectural in nature. A boutique hotel was built several years ago on a beach, facing the sea, in Los Angeles, California. Its owners have pointed out that the building is not handicap-accessible and would like for you to make it so. To begin, you will need to study the hotel, look into what makes a physical space handicap-accessible, and understand what the owners’ needs are. Where exactly is the hotel? How big is it, how is it laid out and how many floors? Is it important that only the lobby be made wheelchair-accessible, or will handicapped guests also need to get from the hotel down to the sand? How much money do the hotel’s owners have to spend on solving this problem? Once you properly comprehend the problem and all of the details surrounding it, it’s time to brainstorm. No matter what stage you find yourself in, it is usually helpful to share proposed ideas with your peers. More heads are better than one, and shared ideas can lead to improved projects and designs. Now imagine that just the hotel’s lobby and rooms need to be made wheelchair-friendly. How might this be accomplished? You will have discovered, from your research, that a surface that is firm and level will allow for wheelchair traffic, and will also have traction for walkers. The easiest way to make an entry accessible is to install a ramp. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a ramp should use the least possible slope and be at least 36 inches wide to accommodate a person in a wheelchair. To prevent slipping, you might consider handrails and curbs. What about the front door leading to the lobby? Ensuring the outdoor entrance is protected from elements like rain will make it safer. Clearing paths of travel through doorways and hallways is also important. If there are potted plants on the ground, one solution could be to replace them with hanging plants. In the individual guestrooms, it could be helpful to install adjustable rods in closets, and certify that light switches are low enough and electrical outlets high enough. Throw rugs have the ability to move around, so it would be wise to go with other flooring choices instead. Showers are easier to roll into than baths for those with limited mobility. How about installing a seat or a hand-held showerhead? Grab-bars and a taller toilet would work to make the bathroom more accessible, too. It is crucial to come up with more than one solution. Now that you’ve thought of as many answers as possible to the problem at hand, test them and adjust them according to your test results. There are countless ways to evaluate solutions with respect to how well they meet the particular criteria and constraints of an issue. Maybe the best way to test out a ramp would be to build one or more prototypes. Then you can experiment with different materials and location. Tests are usually designed to identify points of failure. In other words, you will want to submit your ramp to tough conditions to see if it will be successful even under these circumstances. Try out a particularly heavy wheelchair. Will your prototype support it? Try out a manual chair, an electric mobility scooter and a walker. Will a permanent access ramp work better, or is a fold-up portable ramp more suitable in this situation? How does wood hold up in comparison to aluminum or concrete? Sometimes, different solutions can be combined to create a result that is better than any of the ones that have come before it. Perhaps during the brainstorming process, your peers suggested two equally good solutions to the problem at hand. One proposed using a ramp to help handicapped guests bypass the stairs. The other proposed using a stairlift, a mobilized chair with the ability to transport people right to the top of the steps. It is possible that the best solution will be some combination of these two suggestions. How might both of these ideas work together? Maybe the least costly solution would be to eliminate the ramp and the stairlift, and simply clear a path to an elevator. Test it out. Is the route leading to the elevator wide enough for a wheelchair? Is the elevator itself wide enough? When thinking up solutions and performing tests, you must take into consideration a whole variety of variables—in this case, factors like cost, efficiency and safety levels. These same steps can be applied to any kind of problem, from simple science experiments in the classroom to big, real-world difficulties. For people who have practiced problem solving, running through these stages comes as second-nature. Picture an experienced cook in a kitchen, readying herself to bake a chocolate cake for a birthday party. The birthday party begins in an hour or two, so she will need to work quickly! Suddenly, the cook realizes that she has run out of butter and the recipe calls for some. What to do? She does not have time to run to the grocery store. After rapidly examining the problem and brainstorming, she might come up with a list of butter substitutes. Some common ones are canola oil, olive oil, margarine and shortening. Sometimes butter can also be replaced with pureed fruits, like apples, bananas or dates. By performing various tests, the cook will be able to determine which butter stand-in will work best in her cake. From her research, she will understand that the process of creaming butter together with granulated sugar helps achieve the rich, fluffy, spongy texture that is so important to cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods. In her tests, she will likely discover that because of this “creaming” step, using oil on its own, instead of butter in this case, will not yield the results she is looking for. It could be that combining two of the butter substitutes would be best. Maybe the cook only has margarine with salt in it, when the recipe calls for unsalted butter. The solution here could be to use the margarine, but to then reduce the amount of salt added to the mixture. The cook will need to consider several variables here, including taste and texture. Next time you have a problem to solve, think back to these guidelines. What is the quickest way to get to school when you’ve missed the bus? How to block the light from coming through your windows when you don’t have any curtains or blinds? How to make a plant grow in a room that’s too dark, or a space in which the sun only shines in a single spot? What happens when you’d like to play a game with six people, but only have enough parts for five? What to use instead, when you have no face paints, but have promised your little cousin that you’d dress her up like a clown for Halloween? The keys are these: research the issue, brainstorm alone or with peers, list a variety of solutions, test those solutions, modify them on the basis of your tests, and then select the best one. In most instances, this should lead you to an answer that works well. Just follow our cook’s lead. She must have landed on the right solution because the kitchen smells great!

6

Science: Technology & Engineering

What is the best way to start solving a problem?

A. test possible solutions B. list a variety of solutions C. brainstorm with peers D. research the problem

D

The problem with the hotel described in the passage is that it is not accessible to handicapped people. What is one possible solution?

A. building a ramp B. putting a throw rug in every room C. placing potted plants in the hallways D. removing hand-held showerheads from the bathrooms

A

A problem can have more than one solution. What evidence from the passage supports this statement?

A. The best way to begin solving a problem is to research the problem. B. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a wheelchair ramp should be at least 36 inches wide. C. Throw rugs can move around on a floor, making a room less wheelchair-friendly. D. A cook who needs a butter substitute could use canola oil, olive oil, margarine, or shortening.

D

Why is testing ideas for solving a problem important?

A. Testing ideas shows people that their ideas are not as good as they thought. B. Tests can show whether an idea for a solving a problem will actually work. C. Tests show people that wood is always a better material for building than concrete. D. Tests make cooks feel foolish when they have run out of butter.

B

What is this passage mainly about?

A. a cook who runs out of butter B. the U.S. Department of Justice C. canola oil, olive oil, margarine, and shortening D. the process of solving problems

D

Read the following sentence: “When thinking up solutions and performing tests, you must take into consideration a whole variety of variables —in this case, factors like cost, efficiency and safety levels.” What does the word variables mean?

A. problems B. solutions C. things that can change D. things that stay the same

C

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. There are several steps in the process of problem solving, ______ research and brainstorming.

A. including B. last C. before D. meanwhile

A

What's Up, Doc?

—Kaitlin B., Pennsylvania Sweat happens from the inside out. When the body gets too hot, it uses sweat to regulate its temperature. "Sweat is produced by specialized glands in the skin called eccrine glands," explains Dr. Joely Kaufman, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Miami. When we exercise or spend time outside on a hot day, our bodies get hot and our sympathetic nerves (they're the part of our nervous system that deals with stress) signal the eccrine glands to release sweat to the skin. Eccrine glands are located right underneath the skin everywhere on our bodies (except for our lips and the insides of our ears). When the sweat "evaporates off of the skin, it carries the heat from the body into the environment," says Kaufman. This evaporation of sweat off the skin is what cools us down. Sweat is made up mostly of water but does include some sodium, which gives our sweat a salty taste. It is released not only when we're hot but also when we're in stressful and emotional situations; that is why when we're nervous, our palms become sweaty! —Cori V., Hawaii Most of the time, a temporary drop in blood pressure is what causes light-headedness. Blood pressure is the force created by blood as it pumps through your body. The drop in blood pressure can be caused by many different things, such as dehydration or standing up too fast. When blood doesn't flow properly to the brain, we feel light-headed. Sometimes the dizzy feeling happens right before fainting. There are also other potentially more dangerous reasons for light-headedness. Certain medications can bring on the woozy feeling. So can cigarettes and alcohol. Heart-related medical conditions can also cause the drop in blood pressure that causes light-headedness. If the feeling comes often, or leads to fainting, it's worth seeing a doctor. But usually, that light-headed feeling is telling your body to get hydrated, to eat something, or just to relax.

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

According to the text, what is sweat produced by?

A. evaporate glands B. eccrine glands C. skin glands D. sympathetic nerves

B

A temporary drop in blood pressure causes someone to feel light-headed. According to the text, which of the following may cause a temporary drop in blood pressure?

A. regulating body’s temperature B. getting too hot C. standing up too fast D. sweating

C

Read these sentences from the text. When we exercise or spend time outside on a hot day, our bodies get hot and our sympathetic nerves (they're the part of our nervous system that deals with stress) signal the eccrine glands to release sweat to the skin. Eccrine glands are located right underneath the skin everywhere on our bodies (except for our lips and the insides of our ears). When the sweat "evaporates off of the skin, it carries the heat from the body into the environment," says Kaufman. This evaporation of sweat off the skin is what cools us down. What can you conclude about the body from this evidence?

A. The body can only produce sweat when it’s hot outside. B. Often, the body produces sweat to keep from getting too hot. C. The nervous system is more important than the eccrine glands in cooling our bodies. D. Most people only sweat when they exercise for 30 minutes or more.

B

Based on the text, how is fainting and light-headedness connected?

A. Fainting always happens after light-headedness. B. Fainting is a dangerous cause of light-headedness. C. Fainting is a serious effect of light-headedness. D. Fainting is the main sign of light-headedness.

C

What is this text mostly about?

A. how the body cools itself down B. why humans sweat and get light-headed C. where eccrine glands are located on the body D. what to do if you’re feeling light-headed

B

Read this sentence from the text. When the body gets too hot, it uses sweat to regulate its temperature. As used in the text, what does the word "regulate" mean?

A. increase B. control C. ignore D. record

B

Choose the word that best completes the sentence. The body cools down ______ sweat evaporates and carries the heat from the body into the environment.

A. so B. but C. although D. after

D

Weather or Not

When it comes to her favorite kind of weather, eleven-year-old Elena W. knows exactly what she likes. “The sun is out, and there’s a cool breeze,” says the fifth grader from San Antonio, Texas. Patrick J., also eleven, likes cold weather the best. That’s because some of his favorite outdoor activities, such as ice fishing, take place when it’s cold out. But he doesn’t mind other types of weather too much—the Bristol, Connecticut, fifth grader says he just finds ways to stay busy and happy indoors. Everyone has their favorite kind of days. But can the weather actually make you feel a certain way? “Absolutely!” says Marti Erickson, founding board member of the Children & Nature Network. “Weather really does affect us. It affects our energy, and it can affect our mood.” Scientists say it’s not surprising that weather affects the way we feel. Spending at least thirty minutes a day in warm, sunny weather could improve people’s moods, one recent study found. Another study says that when heat and humidity go up, a person’s good mood can go down. Fifteen-year-old Sean F., of Olney, Maryland, knows what that’s like. “When it’s hot and humid and sticky, it makes me feel exhausted,” he says. And what about his mood? “I’m grumpy.” But for Pete S., of San Antonio, Texas, it’s cold, overcast days he can do without. Long days spent indoors make the sixteen-year-old uneasy. “It makes me feel kind of claustrophobic,” he says. That’s when people feel uncomfortable about being in a closed space. But being bummed out about the weather is different for some people. Those who have psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can be more sensitive to the weather’s effects. If you’re bothered by dark winter days, there are treatments to help you feel better. Some people use light therapy boxes, which have bright lights that mimic sunlight. But for most people, things don’t need to get that complicated. “One way to increase your light exposure is to just go outside,” says Jennifer Veitch, an environmental psychologist and senior research officer at the National Research Council Canada in Ottawa. “Even when it’s overcast or in winter, the amount of light exposure you can get could be enough.” Going outside has other benefits too. “Take a hike” takes on a whole new meaning when you know that nature can actually help put you in a better mood. Some researchers have found that the outdoors can help people relax and cope with stress, Veitch says. One study showed that kids with ADHD were able to focus better after taking walks through green areas. Another found that kids who attended schools that had playgrounds with more natural elements such as grass and trees were better behaved. Just what is it about seeing grass or a tree that lifts your mood? “Some scientists believe living things like plants and animals are so important for human survival that we are specially adapted to pay attention to them,” explains Johanna Weber, a researcher at the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “They signal a place is a good place to live, so we are put in a good mood just by seeing them.” Weather and nature alone can’t make you feel happy or sad. But understanding that they do have an effect on your mood means you won’t be surprised by your feelings. Or, like Elena’s thirteen-year-old sister Olivia W., you’ll know what to do when you need a boost. “When I come back from a walk in the park, I feel nice, I feel good, I feel sort of energized,” she says. “Even if the entire rest of your day totally stinks, one walk in the park for me is a perfect cure for it.” When you can’t bring people to nature, what do you do? Bring the nature to them! More and more nursing homes, hospitals, and schools are doing just that by creating gardens and green spaces on their grounds. Going green has healthy benefits. People who live in nursing homes feel less depressed if there is a garden, studies have found. Even people in hospitals who can’t get outside feel better when they can see gardens from their windows. Kids in schools that have natural playgrounds with grass and trees focus better and are less aggressive than those who don’t have such areas. Schools are turning to nature for teaching too. “Gardens and other outdoor spaces can be turned into places to study science, math, and language,” says Marti Erickson, founding board member of the Children & Nature Network. For learning from nature and in nature, it’s hard to beat the Walden Project, a school in Vermont that was named after the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau said he did some of his best thinking outdoors. Teachers hold classes outside every day of the year, in all kinds of weather, with just a makeshift tent for shelter and a wood burning stove for warmth.

6

Social Studies: Sports, Health & Safety

What is Elena W.'s favorite kind of weather?

A. sunny with a cool breeze B. humid, sticky weather C. wet, rainy weather D. cold and overcast

A

The text describes the effects different types of weather can have on your mood. What effect could spending at least thirty minutes a day in warm, sunny weather have on your mood?

A. It could improve your mood. B. It could make you feel exhausted. C. It could put you in a bad mood. D. It could make you feel lonely.

A

Different people prefer different types of weather. What evidence from the text supports this conclusion?

A. Some of Patrick J.’s favorite outdoor activities, such as ice fishing, take place when it’s cold out. B. One study says that when heat and humidity go up, a person’s good mood can go down. C. Patrick J. likes cold weather the best, but Pete S. can do without cold, overcast days. D. Long days spent indoors make Pete S. feel claustrophobic, or uncomfortable about being in a closed space.

C

Why might someone who usually enjoys the outdoors not find it relaxing every time?

A. A person might not enjoy certain types of weather, which would make his or her experience outdoors less relaxing. B. The outdoors is only enjoyable the first time a person experiences it. C. The outdoors is only enjoyable during the summer. D. Most people prefer being indoors to being outdoors.

A

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Some people use light therapy boxes to help them feel better. B. People should stay indoors on dark winter days. C. Henry David Thoreau did some of his best thinking outdoors. D. The weather and the outdoors can affect a person’s mood.

D

Read these sentences from the text. "Going green has healthy benefits. People who live in nursing homes feel less depressed if there is a garden, studies have found." What does the phrase "going green" mean here?

A. to recycle plastic bottles and cans B. to be around nature C. to save the environment D. to spend a lot of money

B

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. __________ weather and nature alone can't make you feel happy or sad, understanding that they do have an effect on your mood means you won't be surprised by your feelings.

A. If B. Since C. Because D. Although

D

Parasites: Kings of the World

What are the most plentiful organisms on Earth? Flies? Ants? Birds? Fish? If you guessed any of those, guess again. The most common living things on Earth are tiny organisms called parasites. Parasites are animals or plants that are usually so small that they cannot be seen without a magnifying glass or a microscope. Parasites can live on or in all plants and creatures--including you! Parasites cause many kinds of diseases, including malaria and AIDS. Parasites are incredibly common. In fact, some parasites even carry other parasites. The organisms that parasites live on or in are called hosts. For instance, dozens of kinds of parasites live on leopard frogs. For years, scientists thought that parasites led simple lives and were not very important to the world around them. They are now learning that parasites are complex organisms that affect many other organisms. Take the lancet fluke, for example. The lancet fluke is a parasite that both lives and lays its eggs inside cows. Cow manure carries the fluke eggs to the ground. There, snails eat the cow manure and the fluke eggs. Inside host snails, larvae hatch from the fluke eggs. To protect themselves from the larvae, the snails wrap the larvae in slime balls, which the snails cough up into the grass. An ant eventually comes by and eats the slime balls and the larvae. The larvae invade the ant's body. They travel to all its body parts. Soon they have taken control of the host ant, including its brain. At night, the larvae somehow make the host ant climb to the top of a blade of grass. The ant grasps the blade of grass with its mandibles until a cow eats it. Inside the cow, the larvae grow into adult flukes, where they spend the rest of their lives. Parasites may be small, but they live complicated lives. Scientists are only beginning to learn how they shape the actions of all plants and animals, including humans.

6

Science: Life Science

What are the most common living things on Earth?

A. flies B. ants C. parasites D. fish

C

What sequence of events does the text describe?

A. the sequence of events in the life of the lancet fluke B. the sequence of events in the life of the leopard frog C. the sequence of events in the life of a cow D. the sequence of events in the life of an ant

A

Parasites affect other organisms. What evidence in the text supports this statement?

A. Scientists used to think that parasites were not very important to the world around them. B. Parasites are more common than flies, ants, birds, and fish. C. Parasites are usually so small that they cannot be seen without a magnifying glass or a microscope. D. Lancet flukes are parasites than can take control of an ant.

D

Read this sentence from the text. "The organisms that parasites live on or in are called hosts ." What is an example of a host organism described in this text?

A. a lancet fluke B. a cow C. a bird D. a fly

B

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Parasites cause many kinds of diseases, including malaria and AIDS. B. The organisms that parasites live on or in are called hosts. C. Parasites are common, complex, and affect many other organisms. D. The lancet fluke is a parasite that both lives and lays eggs inside cows.

C

Read these sentences from the text. "For years, scientists thought that parasites led simple lives and were not very important to the world around them. They are now learning that parasites are complex organisms that affect many other organisms. "Parasites may be small, but they live complicated lives. Scientists are only beginning to learn how they shape the actions of all plants and animals, including humans." What does the word "shape" mean here?

A. affect B. circle C. stretch D. form

A

Read this sentence from the text. "Parasites may be small, but they live complicated lives." What word could replace "but" without changing the sentence's meaning?

A. so B. thus C. like D. yet

D

Why Is the Sky Blue?

Gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter, in all directions, the short wavelength light that appears blue to us. Longer wavelength light is largely unaffected as it passes through the atmosphere. As a result, when you look at the sky, you see blue everywhere. Read on for a more detailed explanation. Fact 1. Light travels in waves. The light's wavelength determines its color. Short wavelength light, for example, appears blue, and long wavelength light appears red. Fact 2. When light strikes particles that are larger than its wavelength, the light's path may be altered. When light strikes particles that are smaller than its wavelength, the light continues to travel unaffected. Fact 3. The atmosphere contains many particles and gases, mainly nitrogen and oxygen. Sunlight is composed of light of many different wavelengths. Longer wavelength light appears red, orange, and yellow, while shorter wavelength light appears blue, indigo and violet. The gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter, in all directions, shorter wavelength light (e.g., blue). The longer wavelength light (e.g., red) is largely unaffected by the atmosphere. As a result, when you look at the sky, you see the blue portion of the sun's light being scattered by the atmosphere. If you were to look at the sky while standing on the moon, you would see a very bright star surrounded by complete darkness. This is because the moon has no atmosphere and so sunlight is not scattered. You might wonder why the sky is not the color of the even shorter wavelength violet. The primary reason for this is that our eyes are better at detecting blue light than they are at detecting violet light.

6

Science: Earth & Space Science, Physical Science

What color might short wavelength light appear to us?

A. green B. blue C. red D. orange

B

This text describes what happens when light hits particles of different sizes. Why might the text include this description?

A. to persuade the reader to agree with the author about how light and particles interact B. to present evidence for different views about how light and particles interact C. to inform the reader about how light and particles interact D. to compare and contrast two ideas about how light and particles interact

C

When light strikes particles that are larger than its wavelength, the light’s path may be altered. The gas molecules in Earth’s atmosphere affect the path of light with a shorter wavelength (blue light). Based on this evidence, what conclusion can be drawn about the size of the gas molecules in Earth’s atmosphere?

A. The gas particles are smaller than the wavelength of blue light. B. The gas particles are larger than the wavelength of blue light. C. The gas particles are larger than the wavelength of red light. D. The gas particles are smaller than the wavelength of violet light.

B

If Earth had no atmosphere at all, what would the sky mostly look like?

A. It would look mostly red, with a very bright star. B. It would look mostly violet, with a very bright star. C. It would look mostly blue, with a very bright star. D. It would look mostly dark, with a very bright star.

D

What is the main idea of this text?

A. Long wavelength light appears to us as red, while short wavelength light appears to us as blue. B. The main reason why the sky looks blue is that our eyes are better at detecting blue light than light of other colors. C. The sky appears blue because gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter the wavelength of light that appears blue to us. D. The atmosphere contains many particles and gases, mainly nitrogen and oxygen.

C

Why might the author have chosen to include diagrams in this text?

A. to provide interesting information that does not have to do with the main idea of the text B. to distract readers from the discussion of some of the technical concepts in the text C. to suggest that the information in the text can be interpreted in different ways D. to highlight and clarify concepts that are important to understanding the main idea of the text

D

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. The gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter shorter wavelength light, _____ the longer wavelength light is largely unaffected by the atmosphere.

A. but B. similarly C. then D. therefore

A