Selection: H-3

H-3

Grade level: 8

Word count: 1920 words

Author: Mary R. Dunn

Synopsis: Scientists hope to uncover buried secrets about dinosaurs.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: This selection is mainly about dinosaurs and

1. what scientists are doing to learn more about them.
2. how they roamed Earth during the Cretaceous Period.
3. why they disappeared from the face of Earth.
4. where exhibits of their skeletal remains can be seen.

Selection: H-12

H-12

Grade level: 8

Word count: 1910 words

Author: Mary R. Dunn

Synopsis: Many Japanese families living in the United States were uprooted during the war.

Excerpt: When the truck finally reached its destination, Jackson yanked aside the tarp and surveyed the strange world outside. A barbed-wire fence enclosed the property and armed soldiers paced back and forth near a sign that read, "Manzanar War Relocation Center." In a tower high above the grounds, another armed soldier stood guard, surveying the landscape and shouting orders to soldiers below.

Question: What does this excerpt tell you about the relocation center?

1. The people inside were treated like prisoners.
2. The armed soldiers were there to protect the people inside.
3. The people inside could come and go as they pleased.
4. The tower was a good place for the people inside to view the landscape.

Selection: H-9

H-9

Grade level: 8

Word count: 1657 words

Author: Ben Robinson

Synopsis: Germs are everywhere so it's a good idea to have a plan of protection.

Excerpt: After the athletic director and Coach Carter were notified, new policies to arrest the spread of MRSA and prevent future contamination were adopted. All athletes were checked and those who showed signs of infection received treatment. The mats had to be washed after every practice and meet to eliminate any residue from perspiration. In addition, all wrestlers were required to wash their hands with soap or hand sanitizer in the bathroom before and after practice. Finally, all team members had to wash their uniforms after every use.

Question: How could Steve's case of MRSA be viewed as something positive?

1. New policies were enacted to prevent its spread to others.
2. Wrestling team members were provided with new mats.
3. Infected members were barred from watching sports events.
4. Bathrooms were cleaned and inspected at regular intervals.

Selection: H-32

H-32

Grade level: 8

Word count: 2030 words

Author: Anna Fisher

Synopsis: Many people escaped from East Germany through tunnels under the Berlin Wall, but some did not make it.

Excerpt: "It's the anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall," Gram unexpectedly remarked, as Maggie started back into the kitchen. "Do you know about the wall that separated West Berlin from East Berlin?"

Maggie paused and faced her grandmother. "Of course, Gram, we studied the Cold War in history class. People from the eastern side couldn't escape, while those on the western side were free."

Then, one day, we watched as members of the Soviet militia brought out rolls of barbed wire, stringing it along the east-west border. Living conditions had worsened in East Germany, as the economic situation became bleak; in fact, government officials forced people to work on state-owned farms because there was a food shortage.

Question: In which two ways were the lives of people in East Berlin different from those in West Berlin?

1. East Berliners could not travel freely to and from the area.
2. East Berliners experienced shortages of food.
3. East Berliners were not permitted to get an education.
4. East Berliners had to turn in all their valuables to the government.
5. East Berliners had no means of sending letters through the mail.

Selection: H-34

H-34

Grade level: 8

Word count: 2065 words

Author: Claire O'Connell

Synopsis: The pressure is on Lucas. He is the only one of his brothers left to take over the family fishing business.

Excerpt: Lucas Tanner scratched a mosquito bite on his arm and then cast his line. "Saw the rest of the riggers go out to Minette Point this morning, so I guess we'll be the only fishing smack in Oyster Bay."

Mr. Tanner wrenched a dead shrimp from his barb, threw it over the side of the skiff, and hooked the curve of his Eagle Claw into an eyelet. "There's too much competition unless we find more remote inlets. After the oil spill of 2010, it's been near impossible to make a living, especially with your brothers off truck driving.

Question: Choose the sentence in this excerpt that indicates why Lucas and his father decided to fish in Oyster Bay.

Selection: H-9

H-9

Grade level: 8

Word count: 1657 words

Author: Ben Robinson

Synopsis: Germs are everywhere so it's a good idea to have a plan of protection.

Excerpt: The club, called "Clean Is Cool," was responsible for instituting many healthful and informative programs. This step was already in place, but the club helped educate students on the importance of immunizations.

Next up was another strong move: hand sanitizers. Steve and "Clean Is Cool" instituted a program to install large bottles on the walls in hallways, the cafeteria, and classrooms.

"Clean Is Cool" stopped this practice in its tracks by popularizing the slogan, "In the Cafeteria, Sharing is NOT Caring." It let students know that they should stick to what their parents packed them, and not swap food, and consequently germs.

One final move was to encourage classmates to regularly clean their backpacks. "Clean Is Cool" encouraged kids to either wash their bags completely, or use a wet cloth or wipe with rubbing alcohol to really get down to business.

Question: Put these steps in the order in which they were initiated at Steve's school, starting with the first.

1. Students were educated on the importance of immunizations.
2. Hand sanitizers were installed in the hallways, classrooms, and cafeteria.
3. Students were made aware of the danger of sharing school lunches.
4. Backpacks needed to be washed regularly to rid them of germs.