Reading Comprehension

READING COMPREHENSION 
Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content is conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is through the lyrics. By contrast, in musical theater an actor's dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser role. The drama in opera is presented using the primary elements of theater such as scenery, costumes, and acting. However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken. The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra.

It is pointed out in the reading that opera ----.

• has developed under the influence of musical theater
• is a drama sung with the accompaniment of an orchestra
• is not a high-budget production
• is often performed in Europe

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

We can understand from the reading that ----.

• people are captivated more by opera than musical theater
• drama in opera is more important than the music
• orchestras in operas can vary considerably in size
• musical theater relies above all on music

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

It is stated in the reading that ----.

• acting and costumes are secondary to music in musical theater
• many
• music in musical theater is not as important as it is in opera
• an opera requires a huge orchestra as well as a large choir

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is much more probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. Could any of these mammals be more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common argument in favor of man's superiority over them that we can kill them more easily than they can kill us is the least satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover about these remarkable creatures, the less we appear superior
It is clear from the passage that dolphins ----.

• don't want to be with us as much as we want to be with them
• are proven to be less intelligent than once thought
• have a reputation for being friendly to humans
• are the most powerful creatures that live in the oceans

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

The fact that the writer of the passage thinks that we can kill dolphins more easily than they can kill us ----.

• means that they are better adapted to their environment than we are
• shows that dolphins have a very sophisticated form of communication
• proves that dolphins are not the most intelligent species at sea
• does not mean that we are superior to them

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RL.4.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

Spider Webs

All spiders spin webs. That's because webs help spiders. Webs help spiders do three things. Webs help spiders hold eggs. Webs help spiders hide and webs help spiders catch food. Webs help spiders hold eggs. Many spiders like to lay their eggs in their webs. The webs help keep the eggs together. Webs help spiders keep their eggs safe. Webs help spiders hide. Most spiders are dark. They are brown, grey, or black. But spider webs are light. They are white and cloudy. When spiders hide in their webs, they are harder to see. Webs help spiders catch food. Spider webs are sticky. When a bug flies into the web, it gets stuck. It moves around. It tries to get out. But it can't. It is trapped! Spiders can tell that the bug is trapped. That's because spiders feel the web move and the spider is hungry. The spider goes to get the bug. As you can see, webs help spiders hold eggs. Webs help spiders hide and webs help spiders catch food. Without webs, spiders would not be able to live like they do. Spiders need their webs to survive!

This passage is mostly about

• spider colors

• spider webs

• spider food

• spider size

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

This step involves "hidden information." It is the information that is NOT stated in the text.

• Making mental images
• Making inferences
• Monitoring reading

Tags

CCSS.RF.5.3A

CCSS.RF.5.4A

CCSS.RF.5.4B

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RI.6.10

This step helps guide your reading.  It involves who, what, when, where, why, and how.

• Synthesizing your understanding
• Determining importance
• Generating questions

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

This step creates pictures in your mind of what you are reading.

• Visualizing
• Inferring
• Monitoring

Tags

CCSS.RF.5.3A

CCSS.RF.5.4A

CCSS.RF.5.4B

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RF.4.4B

This step allows you to spark your reading by attempting to make a match to your life. 

• Determining importance or the main idea
• Inferring
• Making connections

Tags

CCSS.RF.5.3A

CCSS.RF.5.4A

CCSS.RF.5.4B

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RF.4.4B