Selection: C-4

C-4

Grade level: 3

Word count: 1243 words

Author: Mary Dunn

Synopsis: Rachel Carson sounded an alarm about the environment while everyone else was asleep.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: What is another good title for this selection?

1. Warrior for the Environment
2. The Woman Who Loved Birds
3. The Cape Cod Shoreline
4. Why Chemicals Are Bad

Selection: C-25

C-25

Grade level: 3

Word count: 1130 words

Author: Marshif Quoyle

Synopsis: How do green plants matter? Let us (lettuce!) count the ways.

Excerpt: The links in that food chain begin with a green plant and then go on to insects and worms.

People and other large animals are at the end of many food chains. A food chain ends with an animal that will not be eaten by another animal.

The second link in any food chain is always a creature that eats plants.

Question: Think about what you read. Put these links to a food chain in order, from the first link in the last.

1. plant
2. grasshopper
3. frog
4. hawk

Selection: F-6

F-6

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1783 words

Author: Mary R. Dunn

Synopsis: Flying high over the countryside, spies in hot air balloons could spot enemy troops.

Excerpt: "My husband has built at least five balloons of different sizes to use as observation posts," explained Mrs. Lowe. "Realizing the need to refuel the balloons frequently, he also invented and operated a portable gas generator that could be transported to positions near the battlefields."

The driver nodded and said, "What did I hear about your sending valuable intelligence reports about Falls Church?"

"That was an exciting encounter. I was in Arlington, Virginia, high above the countryside, and I was able to telegraph intelligence on the Confederate troops so that the Union soldiers could take aim at the enemy and maintain fire on them without even seeing them."

Question: Which two major contributions did Mr. Lowe make to the war effort?

1. He sent valuable information on enemy troop positions.
2. He invented a portable gas generator to fuel balloons.
3. He wounded his arm in a hot air balloon accident.
4. He fired on the enemy without even seeing them.
5. He spent most of his time on a barge in the river.

Selection: F-6

F-6

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1783 words

Author: Mary R. Dunn

Synopsis: Flying high over the countryside, spies in hot air balloons could spot enemy troops.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: This selection is mainly about the Civil War and

1. some brave people who help the Union spy on enemy forces.
2. some children who take a hot air balloon ride in Virginia.
3. some Confederate soldiers who are looking for deserters.
4. some farmers who hide spies in their barns.

Selection: F-3

F-3

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1579 words

Author: Travis J. Best

Synopsis: Jeremy Lin's road to stardom on the basketball court is unique.

Excerpt: Gie-Ming would take Jeremy and his two brothers to the local YMCA to run drills every day after school. He made them practice the same things over and over to perfect them. Bird's picture-perfect jump shot. Magic's kickout passes. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar's famous overhead skyhook, something very rare for a guard to perfect. Gie-Ming pushed them hard, but the boys were game; they could not wait to hit the gym and keep getting better.

Question: Which saying characterized the training Lin received from his dad on the court?

1. Practice makes perfect.
2. First things first.
3. Nice guys finish last.
4. It's what on the inside that counts.

Selection: F-4

F-4

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1740 words

Author: Kelley Sachs

Synopsis: Some scientists believe life could exist on planets outside our solar system.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: This selection is mainly about astronomers and

1. how they are learning about newly discovered planets.
2. why they are sure life cannot exist outside our solar system.
3. when they think space travel to exoplanets will be possible.
4. what they are doing to prove all planets revolve around suns.

Selection: F-1

F-1

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1577 words

Author: Tamara Ellis Smith

Synopsis: A new idea for sneaker soles was inspired by a household item.

Excerpt: At that time, six people died while mountain climbing in the Swiss Alps, which was partly due to their improper footwear. This inspired a friend of the climbers to create a new shoe sole.

Two years later, he patented his invention of a rubber sole that resisted abrasion and provided superb traction on all sorts of surfaces. In 1954 the first successful climb of K2, the second highest mountain in the world, was made by hikers wearing shoes with these soles.

Question: Based on this selection, which shoe characteristic is most important for mountain-climbers?

1. traction
2. length
3. price
4. warmth

Selection: C-48

C-48

Grade level: 3

Word count: 1339 words

Author: Charles Reade

Synopsis: Is there a hidden treasure on an old man's farm? The old man searches even while his neighbors laugh and his wife doubts him.

Excerpt: "What difference does it make if I cut all the roots?" the old man shouted. "These old trees aren't worth a penny a piece. They are all in such poor condition! All together the do not give us enough good apples to make a living. These trees will make us into beggars! During my father's time, these trees used to produce wagon loads of the very finest fruit. How I wish these trees were all dead!"

Summer passed. Autumn followed. The old man's old trees had more apples than they had ever had before. In fact, the branches of the old trees staggered under their weight of fruit. The old man and his wife sold the apples and made more money than they could ever use.

Question: Which character changes the most, and in what way does the character change?

1. The old man changes the most because at first he thinks the trees are worthless, but then he learns they are the treasure.
2. The wife changes the most because at first she is looking for the treasure, but then she doubts that it really exists.
3. The neighbors change the most because at first they help the old man dig holes, but then they start to laugh at him.
4. The stranger changes the most because at first he makes a lot of noise, but later he sneaks away from the old man.

Selection: C-60

C-60

Grade level: 3

Word count: 1197 words

Author: Jacque Summers

Synopsis: This story tells how one Native American girl found a special way to use the basket she made.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: This selection is mainly about a

1. shy girl who discovers a way to communicate comfortably with others.
2. grandmother who teachers her granddaughter to speak in a loud, strong voice.
3. chief who entertains children with stories about animals.
4. new way to make baskets so they are colorful and useful.