RI 5.2 Assessment

"The Nile River in Africa is the longest river in the world. It is about 4,160 miles (6,670 km) long. The Nile River begins in Lake Victoria and flows through several countries before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River is an

important source of water for these countries."

What is the best summary for this passage?

• Africa has many long rivers.

• The Nile River in Africa is over 4,000 miles long, and flows through many countries.

• The Nile River begins in Lake Victoria.

"If you are in a desert during the day, you will probably not see many animals, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Most desert animals protect themselves from the hot sun by burrowing under-ground or hiding in the crevices between rocks. When the sun goes down, these animals will come out to find food in the cooler night air."

What is the best summary for this passage?

• Many desert animals stay cool by burrowing underground during the day.

• The desert is a very hot place with a lot of animals.

• The desert is not home to very many animals.

"Capybaras are the largest rodents in the world! A Capybara is about four feet (30 cm) long and can weigh up to 100 pounds (50 kg). That makes it about the size of a large dog. Capybaras are semi-aquatic, which means they spend a lot of their time in the water. They can be found in the swamps and marshes of Central and South America."

What is the best summary for this passage?

• Capybaras are the size of a large dog.

• Capybaras are found in Central and South America.

• The semi-aquatic capybara is located in Central and South America, and is the largest rodent in the world.

"The pictures on your computer screen are made from millions of tiny dots of light called pixels. Each pixel contains three colors: red, blue, and green. Together, these three colors make all the other colors.The pixels are arranged in different ways to make the pictures that you see on your screen."

What is the best summary for this passage?

• Pixels are tiny dots of light.

• Computer screens use millions of tiny pixels to make pictures.

• The pixels you see on your computer screen are not what you think.

"You probably know that seahorses are not really horses. In fact, a seahorse is a type of fish. Unlike most other fish, seahorses are not good swimmers. Instead of swimming, they spend most of their time anchored to sea grass or coral by their tails. From this position, they can use their long snouts to suck up plankton and other small bits of food."

What is the best summary of this passage?

• Seahorses use long snouts to suck up plankton.

• Seahorses are not really a part of the horse family.

• Seahorses attach themselves to sea grass or coral instead of swimming.

"Before toothbrushes were invented,

people used natural objects to clean

their teeth. People cleaned their teeth with small twigs. The first toothbrushes were made from bones and bristles from boars, horsehairs, or even feathers. Today the bristles on most toothbrushes are made from nylon."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• People used to clean their teeth with twigs.

• Most toothbrushes are made from nylon.

• Before toothbrushes were invented, people used

  natural objects to clean their teeth.

"Solar ovens use energy from the sun. When a family uses a solar oven to cook their food, they do not have to collect wood for fuel or spend money to buy fuel. Solar ovens are a good option for many families in developing countries."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• In many developing countries, people are using solar ovens.

• Solar ovens use energy from the sun.

• People who use solar ovens do not need to buy fuel.

"Christopher Paolini became an author at a young age. He was just 15 years old when he wrote the first draft to the fantasy book Eragon. His parents helped him to self-publish and to promote the book in schools and libraries. Three years later, Knopf Books for Young readers asked Christopher's

family if they could publish the book. Today, Eragon is a best seller!"

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Christopher Paolini wrote Eragon.

• Christopher Paolini became an author at a young age.

• Eragon was published by Knopf Books for Young

  Readers.

"Beavers make dramatic changes to the environment. When beavers build a dam across a river, they create a pond or even a lake. Land that was once dry gets covered in water. The new lake becomes a home for birds, fish, and other kinds of wildlife."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Beavers make dramatic changes to the environment.

• Beavers create new ponds and lakes.

• Beavers build dams across rivers.

"he thick, white coat of the Arctic fox keeps it warm in freezing temperatures. It also helps the fox to blend into the snowy landscape so that it can hide from predators and sneak up on prey without being seen."

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Arctic foxes have thick coats.

• Arctic foxes blend into the snowy landscape.

• The thick, white coat of an Arctic fox has two

  important jobs.