Mrs. Judd's Blogspot

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Nonfiction Articles for May 3, 2013

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question by writing the letter and correct answer for each question on your OWN paper.

6th Grade Nonfiction Article

READ THEORY

•• Reading Comprehension 1 Level 8

Right now, I am looking at a shelf full of relics, a collection of has-beens, old-timers, antiques, fossils. Right now I am looking at a shelf full of books. Yes, that's right. If you have some spare cash (the going rate is about $89) and are looking to enhance your reading experience, then I highly suggest you consider purchasing an e-reader. E-readers are replacing the books of old, and I welcome them with open arms (as you should).

If you haven't heard of an e-reader and don't know what it is, then please permit the following explanation. An e-reader is a device that allows you to read e-books. An e-book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the e-book as "an electronic version of a printed book," but e-books can and do exist without any printed equivalent.

So now you know what an e-reader is. But you still may be wondering why they put printed books to shame. E-readers are superior to printed books because they save space, are environmentally friendly, and provide helpful reading tips and tools that printed books do not.

E-readers are superior to printed books because they save space. The average e-reader can store thousands of digital books, providing a veritable library at your fingertips. What is more, being the size and weight of a thin hardback, the e-reader itself is relatively petite. It is easy to hold and can fit in a pocketbook or briefcase easily. This makes handling ponderous behemoths such as War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and Les Misérables a breeze. Perhaps the only drawback to the space-saving aspect of an e-reader is that it requires you to find new things to put on your shelves.

In addition, e-readers are superior to books because they are environmentally friendly. The average novel is about 300 pages long. So, if a novel is printed 1000 times, it will use 300,000 pieces of paper. That's a lot of paper! If there are about 80,000 pieces of paper in a tree, this means it takes almost 4 trees to make these 1000 books. Now, we know that the average bestseller sells about 20,000 copies per week. That means that it takes over 300 trees each month to sustain this rate. And for the super bestsellers, these figures increase dramatically. For example, the Harry Potter book series has sold over 450 million copies. That's about 2 million trees! Upon viewing these figures, it is not hard to grasp the severe impact of printed books on the environment. Since e-readers use no trees, they represent a significant amount of preservation in terms of the environment and its resources.

Finally, e-readers are superior to books because they provide helpful reading tips and tools that printed books do not. The typical e-reader allows its user to customize letter size, font, and line spacing. It also allows highlighting and electronic bookmarking. Furthermore, it grants users the ability to get an overview of a book and then jump to a specific location based on that overview. While these are all nice features, perhaps the most helpful of all is the ability to get dictionary definitions at the touch of a finger. On even the most basic e-reader, users can conjure instant definitions without having to hunt through a physical dictionary.

It can be seen that e-readers are superior to printed books. They save space, are environmentally friendly, and provide helpful reading tips and tools that printed books do not. So what good are printed books? Well, they certainly make nice decorations.

Questions

1) As used in paragraph 1, it can be inferred that "relics,” “has-beens, old-timers, antiques, fossils" are all words that describe something

A. ancient

B. useless

C. outdated

D. pathetic

2) The tone of the author can best be described as

A. shrewd

B. conniving

C. persuasive

D. authoritative

3) According to the author, e-books

I. were all once printed books

II. may be "born digital"

III. are able to display images

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. II and III only

D. I, II, and III

4) As used in paragraph 3, which of the following describes something that has been "put to shame"?

A. A dog is left outside on a frigid, dreary winter night.

B. Team A defeats Team B in a humiliating rout.

C. Martha is caught stealing at the mall and is arrested in front of a crowd of curious bystanders.

D. The machine has countless moving parts and Dustin has trouble assembling it.

5) A thesis statement is a sentence that clearly describes what the author plans to discuss. Based on this information, which of the following sentences from the passage is the thesis statement?

A. If you have some spare cash (the going rate is about $89) and are looking to enhance your reading experience, then I highly suggest you consider purchasing an e-reader.

B. E-readers are replacing the books of old, and I welcome them with open arms (as you should).

C. An e-reader is a device that allows you to read e-books. An e-book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices.

D. E-readers are superior to printed books because they save space, are environmentally friendly, and provide helpful reading tips and tools that printed books do not.

6) Based on its use in paragraph 4, it can be inferred that petite belongs to which of the following word families?

A. jubilant, euphoric, playful

B. compact, diminutive, little

C. cute, attractive, charming

D. light, airy, spacious

7) Based on information in the passage, it can be inferred that War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and Les Misérables are all

A. authored by Europeans

B. dense and impenetrable

C. timeless classics

D. awkward or unwieldy

8) As used in paragraph 5, which is the best synonym for sustain?

A. maintain

B. allow

C. enforce

D. yield

9) Which of the following, if true, would present the biggest challenge to the author's argument set forth in paragraph 5?

A. Books are not made only from whole trees, but from wood chips and forest waste as well.

B. The natural resources required to read an e-book on an e-reader are greater than the natural resources required to make a printed book.

C. The results of a recent survey show that people who read e-books are more likely to be distracted during their reading and remember less of the book.

D. Although the printing of the extremely popular Harry Potter book series had significant environmental impact, the Harry Potter movie series cost almost no trees to make and was also very well-liked.

10) According to the author, which of the following reading tips and tools are offered by the e-reader?

I. line spacing customization

II. the ability to quickly jump to the end of a book

III. access to an online thesaurus at the touch of a finger

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. II and III only

D. I, II, and III

11) Which of the following best describes the organization of this passage?

A. introduction, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, conclusion

B. history, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, conclusion

C. advertisement, background, introduction, supporting paragraphs, examples, conclusion

D. introduction, background, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, conclusion

8th Grade Nonfiction Article

READ THEORY

• Reading Comprehension 5 Level 9

The piranha is a much-maligned fish. Most people think that this is a deadly creature that swarms through rivers and creeks of the Amazon rainforest looking for victims to tear apart. And woe betide anyone unlucky enough to be in the same water as a shoal of piranhas. It takes only a few minutes for the vicious piranhas to reduce someone to a mere skeleton.

The truth is that the piranha is really a much more nuanced animal than the mindless killer depicted in the media. In fact, piranhas are a group made up of approximately twelve different species. Each piranha species occupies its own ecological niche. One type of piranha takes chunks out of the fins of other fish. Another type eats fruit falling from trees into the river. Each piranha species plays a unique role in the ecology of the rainforest floodplains. So what should you do next time you hear someone talking about the “deadly piranha”? You can remind them that the piranha is not always the notorious killer fish that the tough, muscular heroes of popular nature television shows would have us believe.

Questions

1) The primary purpose of the author is to

A. correct misconceptions about the piranha

B. illustrate the importance of piranhas in rainforest ecology

C. describe two different species of piranhas

D. instruct the reader on what to say if someone describes the piranha as “deadly”

2) In paragraph 1, the author most likely uses the old-fashioned expression “woe betide” to

A. highlight the danger posed by piranhas

B. suggest that the reputation of the piranha is well-deserved

C. emphasize the sarcastic tone

D. indicate that the passage was written in the 19th century

3) In paragraph 1, the author uses hyperbole—characterized by the use of exaggeration for effect—to describe the piranha. The author most likely uses hyperbole to

A. frame an argument that is supported in a later paragraph

B. create ambiguity so the reader cannot be sure which position the writer supports

C. juxtapose the myth of the piranha with the truth about the fish

D. evoke vivid images of nature television shows in the reader’s mind

4) As used in paragraph 2, which is the best definition for unique?

A. irreplaceable

B. important

C. individual

D. unusual

5) As used in paragraph 2, which is the best synonym for notorious?

A. celebrated

B. disreputable

C. notable

D. renowned

"The Ransom of Red Chief" by O. Henry Questions

Directions use your literature textbook to respond to the following questions.

1. Who was Bill? Please describe him.

2. What was the narrator's name and explain his relation to Bill.

3. Who is Red Chief?

4. Why is Summit's name ironic?

5. Why did the kidnappers chose a small town?

6. How do we know that the two men are in for a bad time?

7. What did the boy reveal about himself at the first dinner?

8. Would you say that two desperados slept well? Why or why not?

9. Does the litttle boy want to go home? (explain)

10. When did our villians begin to realize that their plan might backfire?

11. Why does the story teller say: "Heaven help the wolves"?

12. Do you think that they sign the letter "two desperate men" to be intimidating? In what other sense are they desperate?

13. Are the criminals well spoken? How can you tell?

14. Why does the narrator ask Bill if anyone in his familly suffers from heart disease?

15.What would be worse than playing the black scout?

16. What did our con man do to insure that his scheme was fit to "commend itself to professional kidnapers.

17. After the reply from Mr Dorset was read, why did Bill have such an "appealing look in his eyes"?

18. Why must the boy be taken back at night?

19. How do our con artists convince the boy to go home with them?

20. Why should they worry about how long Ebenezer Dorset can hold on to Red Chief?

Ce texte © 2004-2005 Susan GUILLAUMOND - tous droits réservés

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Nonfiction Articles for May 2, 2013

Directions: Use your OWN paper to read the passage and answer the questions by writing the letter and the correct answer.

6th Grade Nonfiction Article

READTHEORY

•• Reading Comprehension 8 Level 7

Directions: Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

Nepal, a small, mountainous country tucked between India and China, may seem completely foreign to many Americans. Cows walk down busy streets unharmed, 24 different languages are spoken, and people eat two meals of rice and lentils every day. Nepali holidays, many of which are related to the Hindu religion, can seem especially bizarre to Americans unfamiliar with the culture. However, if we look beyond how others celebrate to consider the things they are celebrating, we find surprising similarities to our own culture.

The biggest holiday in Nepal is Dashain, a ten-day festival for the Hindu goddess Durga that takes place in September or October. According to Hindu beliefs, Durga defeated the evil demons of the world. To thank the goddess, people visit temples in her honor and sacrifice goats or sheep as offerings. Throughout the year, most Nepalis do not eat much meat because it is expensive, but Dashain is a time to enjoy meat every day. Children fly colorful, homemade kites during Dashain. People also construct enormous bamboo swings on street corners and in parks. Every evening people gather at these swings and take turns swinging. Nepalis say that by swinging, people can relieve the earth of their weight, if only for a few minutes out of the year. Dashain is a time for people to eat good food, relax, and enjoy themselves!

Aside from eating and enjoying themselves, during Dashain people also receive blessings from their elders. Schools and offices shut down so people can travel to be with their families. Reuniting with family reminds people of the importance of kindness, respect, and forgiveness. People also clean and decorate their homes for Dashain. And, like many holidays in the United States, it is a time for shopping. Children and adults alike get new clothes for the occasion. People express appreciation for all that they have, while looking forward to good fortune and peace in the year to come.

During American holidays, people may not sacrifice goats or soar on bamboo swings, but we do often travel to be with family members and take time off work or school to relax. No matter how we celebrate, many people around the world spend their holidays honoring family, reflecting on their blessings, and hoping for good fortune in the future.

Questions

1) According to the passage, Hindus believe that the goddess Durga

A. sacrifices goats and sheep

B. defeated the evil demons of the world

C. visits temples

D. enjoys meat every day

2) Which of the following sentences from the passage best indicates why the author thinks Nepal would seem very foreign to many Americans?

A. “Cows walk down busy streets unharmed, 24 different languages are spoken, and people eat two meals of rice and lentils every day.”

B. “Every evening people gather at these swings and take turns swinging.”

C. “People also clean and decorate their homes for Dashain.”

D. “During American holidays, people may not sacrifice goats or soar on bamboo swings, but we do often travel to be with family members and take time off work or school to relax.”

3) As used in paragraph 1, bizarre most nearly means

A. unbelievable

B. unknown

C. awkward

D. strange

4) The colorful kites and bamboo swings are both used as examples of

A. ways people relax and enjoy themselves during Dashain

B. things people honor and reflect on during Dashain

C. offerings to the goddess Durga

D. ways people reunite with family during Dashain

5) The author suggests that although people in different cultures celebrate holidays differently, one similarity is that many people

A. ask for blessings from their elders during holidays

B. agree that holidays reveal a lot about a culture

C. believe that holidays must be celebrated

D. think of holidays as a time to spend with their families

8th Grade Nonfiction Article

READTHEORY

•• Reading Comprehension 4 Level 9

Some people say that the best defense is a good offense; an octopus, however, would disagree. In addition to being one of the strangest and most beautiful creatures in nature, the octopus has some of the most inventive and effective defense mechanisms imaginable. While other animals have teeth, horns, or claws to help defend them from predators, the octopus concentrates its energy on hiding from and confusing its attackers. When it wants to get away, the octopus has an impressive arsenal of tricks at its disposal.

The most well-known of the octopus’s defense mechanisms is its ability to squirt clouds of ink into the water. Some octopi use this cloud of ink as camouflage; after squirting the ink, the octopus retreats into the ink cloud where the predator cannot see it. Other octopi use the ink cloud as a decoy. If a large, intelligent predator such as a shark knows that octopi use ink clouds for camouflage, it might simply attack the ink cloud blindly, hoping to make contact with the octopus inside. However, some sneaky octopi will release the ink cloud in one direction and scurry away in another direction, leaving the predator with nothing but a mouthful of ink. In addition to confusing predators’ sense of sight, these ink clouds also confuse their sense of smell. The ink is composed primarily of melanin (the same chemical that gives human skin its color), which can shut down a predator’s sense of smell. If an octopus cannot be seen or smelled, it has a much higher chance of escaping an attack.

Another defense mechanism possessed by many octopi is the ability to change color, much like a chameleon. Most animals get their skin color from chemicals in the skin called chromatophores (melanin is one of these chromatophores). Chromatophores might contain yellow, orange, red, brown, or black pigments, and the amount of each pigment present in the skin determines an animal’s color. While most animals are always the same color, some species of octopi can control the amount of each color pigment in their skin cells, allowing them to change color. Some poisonous octopi, when provoked, will change their skin to a bright, eye-catching color to warn predators that they are dangerous and ready to strike. Other octopi use this ability to change their skin to the color and texture of seaweed or coral, allowing them to blend in with their environment. Finally, some octopi—such as the mimic octopus—use this color-changing ability to masquerade as another type of animal. The body of an octopus is highly flexible, and some species can combine this flexibility with their color-changing skills to make themselves resemble more dangerous animals such as sea snakes or eels.

Yet another defense mechanism possessed by some octopi is the ability to perform an autotomy, or self-amputation, of one of their limbs and regrow it later. Many species of skink and lizard also possess this ability, which allows them to shed their tails when caught by a predator and therefore get away. When a predator catches a tentacle the octopus can amputate this tentacle, thereby unfettering itself, and regrow the tentacle later. Some octopi, however, are even cleverer. When threatened by a predator, these octopi will shed a tentacle before being attacked in the hope that the predator will go after the detached tentacle rather than the octopus itself.

While the octopus may not be the most vicious creature in the ocean, its numerous and clever defense mechanisms help it to survive in the dangerous undersea world.

Questions

1) Which of the following sentences from the passage best expresses the main idea?

A. The most well-known of the octopus’s defense mechanisms is its ability to squirt clouds of ink into the water.

B. Some people say that the best defense is a good offense; an octopus, however, would disagree.

C. Another defense mechanism possessed by many octopi is the ability to change color, much like a chameleon.

D. When it wants to get away, the octopus has an impressive arsenal of tricks at its disposal.

2) The author claims in paragraph 1 that an octopus would disagree with the statement “the best defense is a good offense” because

A. octopi employ more defensive than offensive capabilities

B. octopi possess good defensive and offensive capabilities

C. octopi can protect themselves from teeth, horns, and claws

D. not all octopi possess the same defense mechanisms

3) Which of the following statements best describes the organizational structure of paragraphs 2-4?

A. The author lays out several reasons to support the argument that the octopus has the best defense mechanisms of any sea creature.

B. The author devotes one paragraph each to explaining three different defense mechanisms possessed by the octopus.

C. The author devotes one paragraph each to highlighting three potential threats to the octopus and how the octopus deals with each one differently.

D. The author compares and contrasts three different defense mechanisms employed by the octopus.

4) According to the passage, which of the following statements about the chemical melanin are true?

I. An octopus’s ink is composed primarily of melanin.

II. Melanin is a chromatophore.

III. Like the octopus, chameleons use melanin to change color.

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. II and III only

D. I, II, and III

5) As used in paragraph 4, which of the following is the best synonym for unfettering?

A. freeing

B. regrowing

C. amputating

D. sacrificing

6) The final paragraph can best be described as a

A. prediction conclusion, in which the author looks toward the future

B. full circle conclusion, in which the author incorporates and builds on a word or theme from the introduction

C. solution conclusion, in which the author proposes a solution to a problem posed earlier in the passage

D. summary conclusion, in which the author restates the passage’s main idea

Nonfiction Articles for May 1, 2013
Use your OWN paper to write the correct responses.

6th Grade Nonfiction Article

READTHEORY

•• Reading Comprehension 7 Level 7

Directions:: Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

Washington D.C., March 4th, 1865—the Inauguration Day of President re-elect Abraham Lincoln was cold and windy, just as it had been four years earlier. But the U.S. capital building was now complete; its great iron dome now in place, crowned by a bronze liberty. Just before the president began to speak, the clouds parted, flooding the stands with brilliant sunlight. Lincoln rose and gave his speech.

"I'm a tired man," Lincoln said afterwards. "Sometimes I think I'm the tiredest [sic] man on earth."

In the crowd just a few yards from Lincoln was the young actor, John Wilkes Booth. His vantage point on the balcony, Booth said afterwards, had offered an excellent chance to kill the president, "If [he] had wished."

John Wilkes booth was a fervent believer in slavery and white supremacy. He enthusiastically supported the confederate notion that African Americans were unequal to whites and should remain slaves. But during the four years of war, he had not been able to bring himself to actually fight for the southern cause. "I have begun to deem myself a coward, and to despise my own existence," he wrote. His mind fixed on Lincoln as the tyrant responsible for all the country's troubles and his own. Booth hatched a scheme to kidnap Lincoln, and he gathered a worshipful band of dubious conspirators willing to help out. This included: Lewis Paine, a wounded confederate who had recently sworn allegiance to the union; David E. Herold, a druggist clerk who was thought by some to be intellectually challenged; George Atzerodt, a German born wagon painter, barely able to make himself understood in English; and John H. Surratt, a sometime confederate spy, whose widowed mother, Mary, kept a Washington boarding house where Booth and his admirers sometimes met.

Questions

1) In paragraph 1, the author writes, "Washington D.C., March 4th, 1865—the Inauguration Day of President re-elect Abraham Lincoln was cold and windy, just as it had been four years earlier." Using this information, the reader can understand that

I. this was not Lincoln's first term as president

II. it was cold and windy in Washington D.C. on March 4th, 1861

III. Lincoln did not know that John Wilkes Booth was in the crowd

A. I only

B. I and II only

C. II and III only

D. I, II, and III

2) In paragraph 2, the author uses the term "[sic]." This is used to show the reader that a word or phrase was used incorrectly by the speaker, but that the author still wishes to preserve the speaker's actual language. In this case, the author writes "[sic]" after the word "tiredest" to show that it is used incorrectly (the correct form is "more tired"). Using this information, which of the following quotations should the term "[sic]" be applied to?

A. "Tommy bought a new bike down at the new bicycle shop."

B. "Some plants require a great deal of light in order to grow."

C. "No one knows this town like I do."

D. "Jessica Hampton is my bestest friend."

3) According to the author, what was John Wilkes Booth's profession?

A. writer

B. soldier

C. politician

D. actor

4) Marco is a fervent believer in animal rights. One day, Marco learns that the animals in a nearby zoo are being mistreated. Which of the following sentences describes how Marco would most likely react after learning this information?

A. Marco sighs and continues playing video games.

B. Marco does internet research with the hope of learning more.

C. Marco monitors updates on a local news channel.

D. Marco joins a protest outside the zoo entrance.

5) John Wilkes Booth can best be described as

A. treacherous, meaning unfaithful or disloyal

B. patriotic, meaning devoted to one's country

C. amicable, meaning friendly or agreeable

D. idiotic, meaning senselessly foolish or stupid

6) As used in the final paragraph, dubious most nearly means

A. questionable

B. uneducated

C. evil

D. greedy

8th Grade Nonfiction Article

READTHEORY

•• Reading Comprehension 3 Level 9

Directions:: Read the passage. Then answer the questions below.

Just announced: existing home sales hit an annualized rate of 5.03 million units during August. That exceeds the 4.70 million unit rate that had been expected, on average, among economists polled by InstaPoll.com. The pace is also up from the rate of 4.67 million units recorded during the previous month. The broad market hasn't reacted strongly to the data. However, homebuilders Genix (GEN 14.32, +0.22), ND Home (NDH 6.59, +0.15), and Home Group (HMG 4.54, +0.03) are all up nicely as investors anticipate that a rise in existing home sales portends an acceleration of the rate of new home sales.

Questions

1) Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?

A. Investors Favor Homebuilders

B. A Better Way to Build a Home

C. GEN and ND Home Register Big Gains

D. Led by Homebuilders, Stocks Hit New Highs

2) As used in the passage, which is the best synonym for portends?

A. predicts

B. decreases

C. affects

D. authorizes

3) This passage would most likely be found

A. in a high school economics textbook

B. in a book on twenty-first century economics

C. in a manual outlining stock market rules and regulations

D. on a real-time stock market trading website