Unit 3 Benchmark Review

Which statement about author's purpose is most accurate?

• An author can have more than one purpose in a literary work.

• Authors always state their purposes for writing.

• Most authors write to change readers’ opinions.

• Most authors write to entertain readers.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RI.7.9

Read this nonfiction passage. Then, answer the questions that follow.

In what sport will you find the terms hack, guard, and slider? Baseball, perhaps? Nope. Golf? Wrong again. The answer is curling, an ice sport that originated in Scotland some 500 years ago. Today, millions of people around the world enjoy curling, a game in which two four-member teams slide 42-pound granite stones with handles toward a target. Players rotate the stone as it moves over the ice. This rotation is

also known as the curl—hence, the sport’s name. Team members use a broom, or brush, to sweep the ice, which reduces friction by creating a thin film of water between the stone and ice.

Which answer choice identifies the author’s

main purpose for writing the passage?

• to inform

• to persuade

• to reflect

• to express an opinion

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RI.7.6

Read this passage from an essay. Then, answer the questions that follow.

The shapes and colors of traffic signs are important. For example, diamond-shaped traffic signs are always warnings: “Slippery When Wet” or “HILL” or “Signal Ahead.” An inverted triangle means “Yield.” And you know that an octagon—the one with eight sides—means “STOP.” A pentagon shows that a school is nearby, and a circle shape warns of a railroad crossing. The colors of signs have meanings, too. Black-and-white signs post regulations such as “No U Turn” and speed limits. Signs with green backgrounds give directions and mileage information and point the way to hiking trails and parking places. Blue signs provide information about service facilities for motorists. Orange warning signs appear in

construction areas.

How do you know that the passage comes from an expository essay?

• It makes a persuasive argument.

• It tells about the author’s life.

• It is a short work of fiction.

• It provides information on a topic.

Which word in the following sentence is an adjective?

Jack trudged home through deep snow.

• trudged

• through

• deep

• home

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1F

CCSS.L.2.1E

CCSS.L.K.5B

Which word does the adjective in the following sentence modify?

Hannah walks briskly toward the front gate.

• Hannah

• walks

• briskly

• gate

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

Which is the best way for a reader to determine an author’s purpose in a literary work?

• Determine how long the complete work is.

• Know how well the literary work sold when it was published.

• Identify the types of details the author uses and decide which purpose they indicate.

• Ask other readers what the author’s purpose is and then decide.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RI.7.6

Read this nonfiction passage. Then, answer the questions that follow.

In what sport will you find the terms hack, guard, and slider? Baseball, perhaps? Nope. Golf? Wrong again. The answer is curling, an ice sport that originated in Scotland some 500 years ago. Today, millions of people around the world enjoy curling, a game in which two four-member teams slide 42-pound granite stones with handles toward a target. Players rotate the stone as it moves over the ice. This rotation is

also known as the curl—hence, the sport’s name. Team members use a broom, or brush, to sweep the ice, which reduces friction by creating a thin film of water between the stone and ice.

Which types of details best help you determine the author’s purpose in this selection?

• opinions and reflections on the topic

• appeals to readers’ emotions

• stories of the author’s experiences

• facts and statistics on the topic

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

Read this short editorial. Then, answer the questions that follow.

Today, many nuclear power plants operate safely in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Still, nuclear power sometimes poses a great threat to the environment and to life itself. If a nuclear reactor should fail and melt down, radioactive uranium would seep right through the reactor’s housing. The air, soil, and groundwater for miles around would be contaminated.

Even in the best-run plants, there is the danger of human error. It was human error that caused the explosion at Chernobyl, which blasted radioactive material into the atmosphere. Natural disasters can also lead to nuclear disasters. It was an earthquake followed by a tsunami that caused the disaster at a Japanese nuclear plant in 2011.

While it is true that we have an energy crisis in this country, we must carefully consider our options. There are alternatives to nuclear power. Scientists are researching geothermal energy, for example. This energy comes from the heat in the earth’s crust. Solar energy is another possible alternative.

Based on the details in this editorial, which answer choice best states the author’s main conclusion?

• Nuclear power should not be the only solution to the energy crisis.

• Solar power is the only practical alternative to nuclear power.

• Nuclear power plants should be monitored to make sure that they are run well.

• If human error could be avoided, there would be nothing wrong with nuclear power.

Read this short editorial. Then, answer the questions that follow.

Today, many nuclear power plants operate safely in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Still, nuclear power sometimes poses a great threat to the environment and to life itself. If a nuclear reactor should fail and melt down, radioactive uranium would seep right through the reactor’s housing. The air, soil, and groundwater for miles around would be contaminated.

Even in the best-run plants, there is the danger of human error. It was human error that caused the explosion at Chernobyl, which blasted radioactive material into the atmosphere. Natural disasters can also lead to nuclear disasters. It was an earthquake followed by a tsunami that caused the disaster at a Japanese nuclear plant in 2011.

While it is true that we have an energy crisis in this country, we must carefully consider our options. There are alternatives to nuclear power. Scientists are researching geothermal energy, for example. This energy comes from the heat in the earth’s crust. Solar energy is another possible alternative.

For which of these conclusions does the author offer the least support?

• Nuclear power poses a threat to the environment.

• Natural disasters can cause nuclear disasters.

• Solar energy is a good alternative to nuclear energy.

• Even the best-run nuclear plants can pose dangers caused by human error.

Read this short editorial. Then, answer the questions that follow.

Today, many nuclear power plants operate safely in the United States and elsewhere in the world. Still, nuclear power sometimes poses a great threat to the environment and to life itself. If a nuclear reactor should fail and melt down, radioactive uranium would seep right through the reactor’s housing. The air, soil, and groundwater for miles around would be contaminated.

Even in the best-run plants, there is the danger of human error. It was human error that caused the explosion at Chernobyl, which blasted radioactive material into the atmosphere. Natural disasters can also lead to nuclear disasters. It was an earthquake followed by a tsunami that caused the disaster at a Japanese nuclear plant in 2011.

While it is true that we have an energy crisis in this country, we must carefully consider our options. There are alternatives to nuclear power. Scientists are researching geothermal energy, for example. This energy comes from the heat in the earth’s crust. Solar energy is another possible alternative.

What evidence does the author use to support the conclusion that even the best-run nuclear power plants pose a danger?

• statistics

• the opinion of an expert

• an emotional appeal

• an example