RI 6.5

RI 6.5

Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.

Practice question #1

How Sea Lions Live

_______?--Sea lions roar when they want to be left alone, and this roaring gets louder if they feel threatened. Sea lions can produce sounds resembling musical instruments like trumpets. Sea lions often make trumpet sounds when they sense danger to their colony.

Senses---Apart from being communicative, sea lions are also known for their excellent hearing in water and on land. For example, a newborn sea lion, which is called a pup, identifies its mother by memorizing the sounds she makes.

A Mysterious Species---Despite researching the sea lions' interactive behavior for a long time, experts find it difficult to monitor them individually because of their need to stay within large colonies. The protective animals continue to remain a mystery, although they are one of the most expressive species.

Multiple Choice

What would be the best subheading title for paragraph #1?

• Sounds

• Senses-part 1

• Ears

• Body parts of the Sea Lion

Explanation for #1

Sounds is the best answer because all the details focus on the sounds of the sea lion. It lists how, why, and who makes sounds of the sea lion colony.

Practice Question #2

There are many climate regions around the world. Some of them can vary from mild temperatures to very extreme ones. One of the harshest regions is the tundra. The tundra is an area of land that has no tree growth due to its cold, windy, and dry nature. Tundras can be found in the northern parts of the globe, in the Arctic, and the tops of mountains. They have a layer of frozen ground called permafrost, which prevents almost anything from growing in the soil. Therefore, only a few animals and plants can survive in these conditions.

Multiple Choice

The author organizes this passage by

• showing the effects of very mild and extreme climates.

• giving the different classifications of permafrost.

• defining the term tundra and describing its conditions.

• comparing the tundra's climate to other climate regions.

Explanation for #2

The paragraph is organized by using definition. This structure defines a term or an idea by providing examples and descriptions. Tundra is defined as the "an area of land that has no tree growth due to its cold, windy, and dry nature." The rest of the paragraph provides more information about the tundra.

Practice question #3

Goldberg's Career--- Rube L. Goldberg's cartoons appeared in several respected New York City newspapers, including the New York Evening Journal & the New York Evening Mail.

 How to Build a Cause-Effect Machine---Every year students build machines based on Goldberg's designs for school projects, for competitions, or simply for fun. Students and engineers of all ages can learn to build these elaborate cause-effect machines. The key to building one of these machines is to understand how to use gravity and force to push and pull objects along a path. Reading up on these concepts is a good place to start.

The Cause-Effect Machine in Popular Culture---Cause-effect machines are incredibly fun to watch. For this reason, they have found their way into Hollywood movies such as Back to the Future and The Goonies. The machines also inspired a board game for kids.

Multiple Choice

Which section develops the idea that Goldberg's machines help inspire young scientists and engineers?

• Goldberg's Career

• How to Build a Cause-Effect Machine

• The Cause-Effect Machine in Popular Culture

Explanation for question #3

The section How to Build a Cause-Effect Machine develops the idea that Goldberg's machines help inspire young scientists and engineers. This section explains that students are motivated to learn how to use gravity and force to push and pull objects along a path in order to build these machines for school projects.

Practice question #4

Why and When Do Deserts Bloom?---The Great American Desert produces a gorgeous exhibition of wildflowers when conditions are favorable.

The Saguaro---Largest of the cacti in the United States, the saguaro, (suh-WAR-oh) is found in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. The saguaro flowers form huge buds. It is the state flower of Arizona and the subject of a U.S. postage stamp issued in February 1962.

The Night-blooming Cereus---In Mexico, the beauty and fragrance of the blossoms of the Night-blooming cereus have earned it the name of reina-de-la-noche, meaning "queen-of-the-night."

The Yellow Mentzelia---The yellow mentzelia is used as an herb and is also called stick leaf. Prickly small hairs cover the leaves and stems of this plant, causing the plant to cling to what it touches. Flowers grow at ends of branches, and some species open fully only in sunlight.

Multiple Choice

Which section develops the idea that some desert plants have cultural importance?

• The Yellow Mentzelia

• The Night-blooming Cereus

• The Saguaro

• Why and When Do Deserts Bloom?

Explanation for #4

The section on "The Saguaro" mentions that the Saguaro is the state flower of Arizona and is also the subject of a US. postage stamp. This shows that the Saguaro has cultural importance in the United States. Therefore, the correct answer is "The Saguaro."