The Vortex

What weather phenomenon does Mrs. Matthews teach her students about?

• polar winds

• polar ice

• polar snow

• polar vortex

What motivates Jamal to start a new club?

• Jamal wants to help reduce global climate change.

• Jamal thinks that starting a new club will make him cool.

• Jamal wants to earn extra credit in his science class.

• Jamal has a dream about starting a new club.

The polar vortex has dangerous effects on the United States. What evidence from the passage supports this conclusion?

• “Previously that week, he had watched the local news anchors on television repeatedly talk about the icy temperatures that were creeping across the country.”

• The cold winds can potentially hit the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. This time, the polar vortex was affecting the United States.”

• “There were car accidents, losses of electricity and new shelters that had opened for those without heat. It was causing quite some trouble.”

• Jamal left his science class perplexed. Of course he had heard of global warming and global climate change, but he hadn’t ever given it much thought.”

How can Jamal best be described?

• uninterested in science

• concerned and proactive

• a follower, not a leader

• lazy and unmotivated

What is this story mostly about?

• Jamal learns about climate change

• Jamal falls asleep during science class.

• The U.S. experiences a polar vortex.

• Jamal goes to the principal’s office.

6

Read the following sentences: “Jamal flinched at the piercing sound as he removed all the layers he had put on to ward off the chilling weather.”

As used in this sentence, what does the phrase “ward off” most nearly mean?

• to increase

• to eliminate

• To welcome

• To repel

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

Jamal is concerned about the effects of global climate change, ____ he proposes a new club to raise awareness about the issue.

• So

• ultimately

• however

• namely

According to Jamal, what are some things that individuals can do to help limit climate change

• Buy a windwin

• Hide out

• Go to the store and stock up

• Individuals can recycle, take public transportation, and turn off the lights when not using them.

Explain how global warming causes the polar jet stream to

• Polar jet

• Global warming

• In the summer, global warming causes glaciers in the Arctic Ocean to melt and the water to warm up. In the winter months, the ocean gives off that heat into the atmosphere, which weakens the cold jet stream of air that circulates above the Arctic Ocean

• The summer being so hot

Explain what Jamal hopes to achieve with his new club, and whether this will help limit global climate change. Support your answer with details from the passage.

• Jamal went to sleep in class and dont no nothing

• that Jamal hopes the club will help students learn about new ways to reduce global climate change, motivate people to approach local government about new policies that support a healthy environment, and bring local experts to the school to discuss new technological options that can reduce electricity expenditure as well as the school’s carbon footprint. Students may answer that this club will help limit global climate change if enough people get involved, or they may answer that it will not help because it takes a large number of people to reduce global climate change.

• Thw global climate

• Climate change