Selection: B-14

B-14

Grade level: 2

Word count: 934 words

Author: Amie Leavitt

Synopsis: Jane Goodall is an expert on chimps and one of nature's greatest friends.

Excerpt: During her trip, Goodall met a man named Louis Leakey. He was a scientist who studied the natural world. He studied fossils, animals, and plants. Leakey was impressed with Goodall's love of nature. So he hired her to work with his group of scientists.

At first, Goodall worked as a secretary. Then Leakey gave her other tasks to do. He could see that she had great potential as a scientist.

Question: Louis Leakey was most impressed with Goodall's

1. love of nature.
2. kindness.
3. sense of humor.
4. ability to work with others.

Selection: B-21

B-21

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1150 words

Author: Amie Leavitt

Synopsis: Sister volcanoes: twice the fun, and twice the danger.

Excerpt: Native American groups said the mountain was a sacred place. They did not climb to the top. They were afraid that doing so might upset their gods.

Question: Native Americans did not climb to the top of Mount Rainier because

1. they thought it might make the gods angry.
2. English settlers were living at the top.
3. they thought the mountain was too small to climb.
4. the mountain constantly erupted with lava.

Selection: B-18

B-18

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1107 words

Author: R. Bender

Synopsis: It would be impossible to live without plants. They are very important to our lives. From breathing to eating to brushing our teeth, we use plants throughout the day.

Excerpt: How do plants put oxygen in the air? Inside the leaves of plants are special cells. These cells are where a plant makes food for itself. As a plant makes food in its cells, it gives off this gas. The gas goes into the air.

Question: The selection states oxygen enters the air when plants

1. make food.
2. are cut down.
3. make water.
4. are eaten.

Selection: B-11

B-11

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1026 words

Author: Tracey Baptiste

Synopsis: What makes a good pet? Loyalty? Friendliness? Fur?

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: How does the author organize the information in this selection?

1. Things are compared to see how they are similar or different from one another.
2. One problem is presented and many possible solutions are described.
3. Information is presented randomly and is not organized.
4. Events are described in alphabetical order.

Selection: HiB-6

HiB-6

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1143 words

Author: Kate Carter

Synopsis: When you adopt a pet from a shelter, you can do a world of good.

Excerpt: Puppy mills became big business. They "make" and sell puppies the way other mills make and sell cotton or flour.

But the trouble is, dogs are not cotton or flour. They're living, breathing creatures. Puppy mill owners care about making money. They don't care about dogs' well being.

Question: In this excerpt, why does the author say that dogs "are not cotton or flour"?

1. She is pointing out that dogs shouldn't be treated like nonliving things.
2. She is afraid readers won't know the difference between dogs and cotton or flour.
3. She thinks it's more important for mills to make and sell cotton and flour.
4. She believes that cotton and flour can be useful to dogs.

Selection: B-15

B-15

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1069 words

Author: Kate Carter

Synopsis: How to make your school environmentally friendly, one step at a time.

Excerpt: Now that we're outside, let's talk about the best thing you can do to help your school go green. Have a Walk Ride Day each month. That's a day when students, parents, teachers--everyone--agrees to walk, ride a bike, take a bus or subway, or share a ride to school. This is a win for everyone. You get exercise and have fun. Your school's neighborhood gets cleaner air.

Question: How does sharing a ride to school help the environment?

1. You will use only one car, so you save gas and cause less pollution.
2. While you ride to school, you can talk to your friends.
3. Riding in a car is faster than walking or riding a bike, so you will arrive at school earlier.
4. Riding in a car means you can do your homework on the way to school.

Selection: B-28

B-28

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1112 words

Author: Michael H. Levitt

Synopsis: A son remembers his favorite trip to Mount Rushmore.

Excerpt: My dad took my older brother James and me camping every summer. We would pack our sleeping bags in our dad's car. We would go to all different parts of the country.

That night at camp we sat around the fire. Dad began to speak. "James, you were right when you said those men were four of our greatest presidents. But they were very good at many different things. Each of them was something other than a president."

Now I take my own kids to see the faces carved in the stone. My children look up at the huge faces in the mountain. I like to tell them the stories about the men who were great presidents. I tell them that these great men were once young children too. These great men had started as young kids with dreams, just like them.

Question: Based on what you read, in which two of the following ways are the author of this selection and his father alike?

1. Both took their children to places to learn about history.
2. Both believed it was important to teach their children about the presidents.
3. Both served as president of the United States.
4. Both helped carve Mount Rushmore.
5. Both thought Jefferson was the greatest president.

Selection: B-49

B-49

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1087 words

Author: Barbara Smalley

Synopsis: Hot dogs are one of America's most popular foods.

Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.

Question: Hot dogs are popular for many reasons. All of these statements explain why hot dogs are popular EXCEPT

1. "Hot dogs have a narrow tube shape, and they are usually brown."
2. "Hot dogs can be easily heated in a pan, on a grill, or in boiling water."
3. "Hot dogs are available in most places, and they do not cost much money."
4. "Hot dogs can be served with any kind of topping a person likes."