Informational Text Structure Test

Sherman’s Act

1. The 1800s were a time of great change in the United States. Settlers flocked to the West. The country became larger. At the same time, people were dealing with changes brought on by the Civil War. Business and trade in the country grew at a rapid pace as America became industrialized.

2. The country changed for the better in some ways, but there were also problems. Certain business owners made decisions that created a large problem. They realized they might be able to make money from buying and controlling a lot of the same kinds of businesses. Then, the owners realized if they worked together, they could gain power. They would buy several of the same types of businesses. Owners of the businesses could work together and charge high prices for an item or service. Then the business owners could make more money.

3. Some business owners took advantage of this situation so that they grew wealthier and wealthier. As a result, many Americans grew frustrated when they saw that important industries, like railroads, were controlled by just a few owners. Soon, citizens and politicians began to think that such control was dangerous. Some business owners lowered what they paid workers. They set high prices, causing both workers and customers to suffer.

4. One concerned American was John Sherman. He was a senator from Ohio who knew a lot about trade and business. He believed that there should be limits to what businesses could do. He wrote a law that helped to limit how much power business owners could have. Sherman’s plan prevented businesses from scaring away competitors or forming groups to set prices.

5. The law was passed in 1890. It became known as the Sherman Antitrust Act. It took some time for business owners to accept the act and follow it. After all, it was designed to limit how large businesses could grow. However, customers and workers were able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Multiple Choice

What overall text structure does the author use to organize this selection?

• Chronological

• Cause and effect

• Question and answer

• Compare and contrast

Multiple Choice

What text structure does the author use in paragraphs 2 and 3 to describe the relationship among business, citizens, and government?

• Cause and effect

• Time order of events

• Problem and solution

• Compare and contrast

Multiple Choice

Which detail found in paragraph 5 of “Sherman’s Act” best summarizes the purpose of the Sherman Antitrust Act?

• The law was passed in 1890.

• It took some time for business owners to accept the act and follow it.

• After all, it was designed to limit how large businesses could grow.

• It became known as the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Hoop Games

Every day, children can be found playing games at recess. The history of some games may be unknown, but we know the story ofhoop games, which started long ago.

Thousands of years ago, ancient Greeks and Romans used hoops for fun and exercise. These early hoops were made out of metal. Artwork from that time shows children and adults rolling hoops. In these games, people would hit a hoop with a stick to get it rolling,and then they would run after it, trying to the keep the hoop going.

In the 1400s, hoop rolling was popular in England. In fact, it was so popular that the colonists brought the game with them to America,and children in colonial times would have hoop contests. They would play to see how far and fast they could push the hoop withsticks. Some children would play a game called “graces,” in whicha child would hold a hoop on two crossed sticks, then toss thehoop to another person. This person would try to catch it with oneof the sticks.

In the 1800s, hoop rolling became more popular than ever. Many paintings of children from this time include hoops. Childrenbegan to play some different games, such as trying to knockobjects over with the rolling hoops and using the hoops forskipping. Many of these games were played on city streets. Thehoops were made from both metal and wood, but wooden hoopswere more popular.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, children continued to playsimilar hoop games. However, city streets started to become morecrowded, and the children were in the way of other people. Thepopularity of hoop rolling games came to an end. Today, people still play with hoops, but in different ways

Multiple Choice

What is the overall structure of this selection?

• Chronological

• Cause and effect

• Problem and solution

• Compare and contrast

Multiple Choice

Which detail from the selection gives clues about the overall structure?

• In the 1400s, hoop rolling was popular

• how far and fast they could push the hoop

• hoop rolling became more popular

• children were in the way

Multiple Choice

What do most Greek and Roman hoop games have in common with English andAmerican ones?

• The hoops were made of metal.

• The games needed sticks to play.

• They knocked objects over with the hoops.

• They brought the games with them to the colonies.