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-8

F-8

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1576 words

Author: Anonymous

Synopsis: Robin Hood's archery skill lands him on the wrong side of the law.

Excerpt: Now the Sheriff of Nottingham declared that he himself would bring this knave Robin Hood to justice, and for two reasons. First, he wanted the two hundred pounds. And second, the forester that Robin Hood had killed was of kin to him.

Question: The Sheriff of Nottingham planned to capture Robin because he wanted the

1. reward.
2. honor.
3. power.
4. deer.

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-18

F-18

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1774 words

Author: Mary R. Dunn

Synopsis: There is a lot of action going on inside Earth.

Question: How would this image have looked different 250 million years ago?

1. Earth would have only one big landform.
2. The continents would be tiny islands.
3. There would be more than seven continents.
4. Earth's surface would be covered in lava.

Selection: F-2

F-2

Grade level: 6

Word count: 1760 words

Author: Karen Berman

Synopsis: When traveling, it's good to know the local customs.

Excerpt: Greetings are universal customs, but they are given in many ways. In most major cities around the world, you would never say hello to strangers on the street. Greeting strangers is common in small towns, where not saying hello to everyone you pass might be considered rude. In Muslim countries, however, men and women do not speak unless they already know each other. To do so would be to commit a major etiquette mistake.

Question: Which of the following would be considered an etiquette mistake?

1. saying hello to strangers on the street in a Muslim country
2. accompanying a handshake with a smile in South Africa
3. shaking hands with everyone in the room in Cameroon
4. asking questions about a person's health in Kenya

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