Selection: I-22

I-22

Grade level: 9

Word count: 2135 words

Author: Marian Iorio

Synopsis: Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist, and one of the few women of her time to achieve world recognition.

Excerpt: Regardless of her affliction, she was a fearless tomboy, furthering her closeness to her father. Together they practiced soccer and engaged in various athletic activities to build strength in her weakened leg. They went on nature walks, collecting specimens to view under his microscope, and shared intellectual and creative pursuits, including painting.

Question: The relationship between Frida and her father can be described as

1. nurturing and spirited.
2. competitive and strained.
3. formal and unemotional.
4. passive and reserved.

Selection: I-44

I-44

Grade level: 9

Word count: 2021 words

Author: Diane Lang

Synopsis: After experiencing homelessness, Jeremy makes something of his life by starting a business and helping others.

Excerpt: After landing in Minneapolis, we took a lengthy bus ride to Star Lake Wilderness Camp, located near small-town Brainerd. Once we arrived at our campsite, we unloaded our equipment: tents, sleeping bags, water jugs, cleaning supplies, and coolers of food.

After attending night school, I slept with my sparse belongings on a bench in Jefferson Park, a dangerous area across from the Drop-In Center, a place that helps find shelter and food for homeless people. Occasionally, a volunteer at the Drop-In Center would find a bed for me, but only for a few nights--competition was really stiff.

His agent loved my work, and a year later my creations were winning the respect of artists, journalists, photographers, and celebrities alike. I became a full-time artist and traveled often to Atlanta for photo shoots, much to the delight of my parents.

Then one night in Port-au-Prince, a random band performed "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," and my days spent in Sam's Gym drifted back to me. At that particular moment, I felt empty and purposeless.

Question: Put the following settings in order from first to last as they appear in the selection.

1. Star Lake Wilderness Camp
2. Drop-In Center at Jefferson Park
3. parents' home in Atlanta, Georgia
4. band concert in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Selection: I-1

I-1

Grade level: 9

Word count: 1740 words

Author: Peter Kupfer

Synopsis: Many bright minds came together to make the new Bay Bridge in San Francisco a technological wonder.

Excerpt: The idea of building a bridge between San Francisco and Oakland had been discussed since the California Gold Rush in the 1840s, but because the water separating the two cities was so wide (more than four miles) and so deep (more than 100 feet in some places), many people thought it would be too challenging and too costly to build. Finally, in 1926, the state of California set up a special commission to plan and build a bridge connecting the two cities. The commission decided that the most suitable solution was to build two separate bridges linked by Yerba Buena Island.

Question: Why did people think it would be too difficult to build the original Bay Bridge?

1. The water at the building site was so wide and deep.
2. Steel would have to be shipped from the East Coast.
3. No suitable locations could be found on each shore.
4. A special commission said there was no money to pay for it.

Selection: I-4

I-4

Grade level: 9

Word count: 1787 words

Author: Patrick Henry

Synopsis: A passionate speaker stirs his audience to make a historical decision.

Excerpt: Henry's speech had stirred up the patriotism of the people, and George Mason, one of the "Founding Fathers" of the United States, was very impressed with the young lawyer's skill as a public speaker. He said about Henry, "He is by far the most powerful speaker I ever heard. Every word he says not only engages but commands the attention, and your passions are no longer your own when he addresses them."

Question: In this excerpt, what is Mason really saying about Henry?

1. His words aroused feelings that inspired people to take action.
2. His words commanded people to do something they didn't want to do.
3. His words were too powerful for the people to understand.
4. His words angered those people who did not agree with him.

Selection: I-12

I-12

Grade level: 9

Word count: 2083 words

Author: Jake Gibson

Synopsis: The term avatar and the concept behind its use in video games have roots in Hindu mythology.

Excerpt: Without that avatar, the user could not enter these fantasy worlds because they are artificial and digitally enhanced environments that can be observed only through a gaming console or computer.

Like the gods in Hindu mythology who cannot visit Earth unless in avatar form, so too users cannot enter the fantasy worlds of their favorite video game without creating an avatar to represent them.

Question: How are Hindu avatars and video game avatars similar?

1. both allow interaction with an otherwise unreachable world
2. both have bodies that are subject to the laws of nature
3. both lack freedom and are destined to a life of struggle
4. both take the form of monsters to show their power

Selection: I-4

I-4

Grade level: 9

Word count: 1787 words

Author: Patrick Henry

Synopsis: A passionate speaker stirs his audience to make a historical decision.

Excerpt: Not long after that, Henry won a fight with the British governor of the colony, Lord Dunsmore, over the return of a large amount of the Virginia troop's gunpowder that the governor had sent to a British ship. The Governor felt the British would be safer if the gunpowder was away from the reach of the troops, but Henry challenged the Governor, who ended up making a large payment to the troops for the gunpowder he had taken.

Question: Why did Lord Dunsmore transport the troop's gunpowder to a ship offshore?

1. He was afraid the troops would use it against the British.
2. He planned to store it in a dry place so it would not be ruined.
3. He wanted to inspect it before returning it to the troops.
4. He was planning to pay the troops a good price for it.

Selection: I-12

I-12

Grade level: 9

Word count: 2083 words

Author: Jake Gibson

Synopsis: The term avatar and the concept behind its use in video games have roots in Hindu mythology.

Excerpt: The prophecy continues with Vishnu incarnating as Kalki, a warrior similar in appearance to the Rama avatar. Kalki is supposed to enter India bearing weapons and riding on a white horse. This final avatar is considered god-like, possessing unlimited power and singlehandedly defeating the invaders in India.

Question: According to the prophecy, what will the people expect to see when the avatar Kalki arrives in India to defeat the foreign invaders?

1. a warrior bearing weapons on a white horse
2. a gold-skinned god descending from heaven
3. a wild animal carrying a demon in its teeth
4. a monster ascending from the seafloor

Selection: I-19

I-19

Grade level: 9

Word count: 1977 words

Author: Karen Berman

Synopsis: Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver wants students to appreciate the taste and value of healthful eating.

Excerpt: In 2002, he started a restaurant in London called Fifteen. At the restaurant, he arranged to train 15 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds each year so they could get jobs in the restaurant industry.

Oliver instituted his campaign for better lunches in London's Kidbrooke School, and took his camera crew along to film a TV show.

Soon afterward, Oliver founded a group called Feed Me Better. After drafting an online petition for better school food, he received more than 271,000 signatures.

He began with a show in which he traveled around the country eating different kinds of food. He chose as his target a community in Huntington, West Virginia, a small town known for its poor health statistics.

He called this program "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," using techniques he had developed for "Jamie's School Dinners" and "Jamie's Ministry of Food."

Question: Put the four social activist projects Oliver created in the order in which they occurred, starting with the earliest.

1. He started a restaurant called Fifteen.
2. He instituted a campaign for better lunches at Kidbrooke School.
3. He founded a group called Feed Me Better.
4. He went to West Virgina to start Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

Selection: I-42

I-42

Grade level: 9

Word count: 2284 words

Author: James Herbert Walker

Synopsis: The Johnstown Flood was one of the worst calamities in American history. More than 2,000 people were killed in this tragic event.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: This selection is best described as

1. narrative nonfiction.
2. an autobiography.
3. a speech.
4. science fiction.

Selection: I-45

I-45

Grade level: 9

Word count: 1885 words

Author: Peter Brassai

Synopsis: Mo'ne Davis became the first girl to earn a win and pitch a shutout in Little League World Series history.

Excerpt: Davis is the first African-American girl, the fourth American girl, and the 18th girl overall to play in the Little League World Series. Those are splendid feats, especially when you consider that more than 9,000 boys have participated in the tournament since it was established in 1947. Her triumphs on the diamond have made her a media darling and a household name in many American homes. Like Brazilian soccer star Pele, Mo'ne requires only one name to be recognized.

Question: Choose the sentence in this excerpt that provides important details that support the main idea that Davis is breaking down gender barriers.

Selection: I-43

I-43

Grade level: 9

Word count: 1906 words

Author: Katherine Menard

Synopsis: During these events each team, called a "colla," builds and dismantles its own human tower.

Excerpt: After Franco's death in 1975, the Catalan people began to make their voices heard again, and Catalan cultural pride resurged. Catalans have continued to assert their determination to be an independent sovereign country, no longer part of Spain. This movement has become particularly strong since the turn of the 21st century. Catalans have tried to work with the Spanish government to claim their right to independence and their pride in their distinct culture and traditions, as well as to seek recognition for their contributions to the economy of Spain.

Question: Why did the death of Francisco Franco lead to a resurgence in the popularity of castell building?

1. The lifting of restrictions that Franco had imposed allowed for greater expression of the Catalan culture.
2. The end of the Franco regime made people see that working hard was not that important.
3. After Franco's death parents were no longer reluctant to permit their young children to participate in physical activities.
4. After Franco died, the Spanish government was eager to erect buildings in his honor.

Selection: I-46

I-46

Grade level: 9

Word count: 2076 words

Author: Joe Novelli

Synopsis: Nive grew up surrounded by whales, icebergs, and the swirling northern lights, and was motivated to use her talents to create and explore.

Excerpt: Greenland is known for its extreme seasons and the bizarre effects of being positioned so close to the North Pole. Notable among these is the daylight, with the summertime sun never fully disappearing, setting upon the horizon only to rise again a few hours later. The viewer's perception of this is a continuous transition between sunset and sunrise, causing brilliant swathes of color dancing over the sky for hours.

The extreme seasons' flip side is the impenetrable darkness of winter, lasting all day and night with only soft dusk for a few daytime hours. But this harsh period of perpetual night provides an utterly awe-inspiring experience: watching the Northern Lights sweep and spiral across the sky like a celestial ballet of greens and purples. The lights arc from horizon to horizon, bending and swirling around one another at alarming speeds. The motion of the spiraling lights in the center of the arc gives one the perception of a living sky, breathing and pulsing.

Question: How do these two paragraphs work together?

1. They both illustrate contrasting examples of the uniqueness of Greenland's extreme climate.
2. They both illustrate similar climatic phenomena and how they effect Greenland's environment.
3. They both illustrate how Greenland's environment affects its economy and cultural arts.
4. They both illustrate the aesthetic influence Greenland's environment has on Nive's songwriting.