The Need for High Speed Trains

The Need for High Speed Trains

Practice STAAR for 8th Grade ELAR.

First Read through the passage.

Passage Directions

Read & Answer

Remember to read your passage at least twice for comprehension. Then when you go through the quiz, you need to read all answer choices. Remember the STAAR will trick you with a second possible good answer. Don't just read the first few and think you have it, verify. You have all day for the STAAR, quit speed racing it.

Read the image, go back to the paragraph it tells you to. Practice going back through the selection.

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Multiple Choice

Answer the question from the slide before, using the picture for reference.

Reminder: A word can have multiple definitions, you have to know what context it's being used in based on the sentence.

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

Read the image, go back to the paragraph it tells you to. Practice going back through the selection.

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Multiple Choice

How does the information in paragraph 6 support the author’s argument?

• F By telling how long high-speed trains have been used in other countries

• G By detailing the safety records of Japanese and French high-speed trains

• H By telling how many passengers have been transported on high-speed trains

• J By explaining the results of international studies analyzing high-speed trains

Multiple Choice

Who is likely the intended audience for this selection?

• A Readers who have not considered the benefits of high-speed trains in U.S. cities

• B Workers who believe diversity in urban transportation will create more jobs

• C Readers who are not convinced that air quality in U.S. cities is a concern

• D Commuters who think the development of high-speed trains will relieve traffic

Read the image, go back to the paragraph it tells you to. Practice going back through the selection.

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Multiple Choice

The details in paragraphs 9 and 10 support the key idea that the development of high-speed trains will —

• F increase people’s interest in using alternate forms of transportation in the United States

• G encourage people to support the use of high-speed trains in cities throughout Florida

• H cause the real-estate market to improve in cities that commit to improving urban transportation

• J lead to numerous new construction and employment opportunities

Read the image, go back to the paragraph it tells you to. Practice going back through the selection.

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Multiple Choice

In paragraph 11, the author presents a counter argument most likely to —

• A show that the benefits of high-speed trains are outweighed by the disadvantages

• B suggest that many travelers would likely be unable to plan a trip by train

• C acknowledge that widespread acceptance of high-speed trains will not happen easily

• D establish that commuters will choose the method of travel that is least disruptive

Read the image, go back to the paragraph it tells you to. Practice going back through the selection.

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Multiple Choice

Based on paragraphs 4 and 5, what can the reader infer about how high-speed trains would affect the way people live?

• F People would be able to enjoy more leisure time.

• G People would be motivated to establish a daily schedule.

• H People would choose to look for jobs farther from home.

• J People would visit cities they have never seen before.

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​Subheader text

“Loaded language” describes words or phrases that imply more than their literal meanings. It is used to elicit a strong emotional response, whether positive or negative, from the reader or listener.

Definition:

What is loaded language?

Read the image, go back to the paragraph it tells you to. Practice going back through the selection.

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence from paragraph 1:

There are good reasons to answer “yes” to the high-speed-train revolution!

What is the most likely reason the author uses loaded language in this sentence?

• A To urge the U.S. to join the international movement toward safer travel

• B To show that high-speed trains will replace all other forms of transportation

• C To suggest that high-speed trains will have a huge impact on the way people travel

• D To emphasize that people in the U.S. should reject our current transportation system