6th Grade Determining Word Meanings Enrichment (RI2.4)

"Scotland finally unveils the fossil of a monster sea creature"

1 Fifty years after it was first discovered, an ancient Scottish creature is finally getting its time in the spotlight. It is called an ichthyosaur, but its more common name is the Storr Lochs Monster.

2 The ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like creature, ruled the seas some 170 million years ago. Its fossil, or preserved remains, had been sitting on a shelf in the National Museums Scotland for a half century.

3 The museum has finally unveiled the creature to the public.4"A lot of specimens are in museums for a long time before they're studied," said Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland.

Now It's Study Time

5 Sometimes fossils really are forgotten on some neglected shelf. They are tucked away in an unmarked box, stored under a sink, or even mislabeled as another species.

6 But that's not what happened to the Storr Lochs Monster. Researchers just did not have the ability to study her until now.

7 Scientists have known about the creature since her discovery in 1966 on the Isle of Skye. Her bones have been lovingly preserved and cared for.

8 Back then, the fossil was clearly remarkable. Her vertebrae stuck out from the shore like a line of dominoes. It was the most complete marine reptile skeleton of her age ever found in Scotland.

Skeleton Preserved In Rock

9 However, the fossil was too tightly enclosed in stone. The scientists could not safely free her. Instead, she was brought to the museum, fully preserved in the rock.

10 At that time, Scotland did not have a strong community of scientists studying fossils like the Storr Lochs Monster. "I don't think there were any here at the time, actually," Brusatte said.

11 Brusatte moved to Scotland to help strengthen the science community. He said he felt there was not enough research happening in Scotland.

12 It took half a century for the pieces of the puzzle to fit together. Scientists had developed new techniques, or methods, for getting fossils out of rock. There were also many more new researchers who were interested in creatures like the Storr Lochs Monster.

Could It Be A New Species?

13 Brusatte and his team have not studied the ichthyosaur in detail yet. They don't know for sure if it is a new, previously unknown species.

14 Brusatte believes that the sea monster was pretty similar to marine reptiles that have been found elsewhere. The creature would have looked a lot like a dolphin at about the size of a small boat. It had a mouth full of cone-shaped teeth used to chow down on fish. It sat at the top of the underwater food chain.

15 Brusatte still suspects he will be adding a brand-new species to the books.

16 "There's a good chance it's a new species just because it's from a part of the world and a place in time where very few fossils are known," he explained. Very few fossils have been hunted down and studied in Scotland, and in the rest of the world fossils from the Middle Jurassic Period, when this creature lived, are very rare."

17 The Middle Jurassic Period is a period of time where many dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

The Big Ones Emerge

18 "We know that quite a lot was happening then," Brusatte said. "On land, the tyrannosaurs were getting their start, and it's probably when the first birds were flying around, and in the ocean you had this big turnover event when smaller marine animals were replaced by bigger ones."

19 It's frustrating, Brusatte said, because though it seems like an active period where you would find many animal fossils, scientists have found very few.

20 His hope is that an increase in interest in Scottish paleontology could mean that more new species and fossils might be found.

21 "So few people have ever looked for fossils here," he said. "Scotland isn't what you think of when you think of fossils. But there are a lot out there waiting to be found."

#1--Read the sentence from the introduction [paragraphs 1-4].

“The museum has finally unveiled the creature to the public.”

Which of the following words, if it replaced "unveiled" in the sentence, would CHANGE the meaning of the sentence? (RI.2.4)

• revealed

• showed

• transferred

• displayed

"Scotland finally unveils the fossil of a monster sea creature"

1 Fifty years after it was first discovered, an ancient Scottish creature is finally getting its time in the spotlight. It is called an ichthyosaur, but its more common name is the Storr Lochs Monster.

2 The ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like creature, ruled the seas some 170 million years ago. Its fossil, or preserved remains, had been sitting on a shelf in the National Museums Scotland for a half century.

3 The museum has finally unveiled the creature to the public.4"A lot of specimens are in museums for a long time before they're studied," said Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland.

Now It's Study Time

5 Sometimes fossils really are forgotten on some neglected shelf. They are tucked away in an unmarked box, stored under a sink, or even mislabeled as another species.

6 But that's not what happened to the Storr Lochs Monster. Researchers just did not have the ability to study her until now.

7 Scientists have known about the creature since her discovery in 1966 on the Isle of Skye. Her bones have been lovingly preserved and cared for.

8 Back then, the fossil was clearly remarkable. Her vertebrae stuck out from the shore like a line of dominoes. It was the most complete marine reptile skeleton of her age ever found in Scotland.

Skeleton Preserved In Rock

9 However, the fossil was too tightly enclosed in stone. The scientists could not safely free her. Instead, she was brought to the museum, fully preserved in the rock.

10 At that time, Scotland did not have a strong community of scientists studying fossils like the Storr Lochs Monster. "I don't think there were any here at the time, actually," Brusatte said.

11 Brusatte moved to Scotland to help strengthen the science community. He said he felt there was not enough research happening in Scotland.

12 It took half a century for the pieces of the puzzle to fit together. Scientists had developed new techniques, or methods, for getting fossils out of rock. There were also many more new researchers who were interested in creatures like the Storr Lochs Monster.

Could It Be A New Species?

13 Brusatte and his team have not studied the ichthyosaur in detail yet. They don't know for sure if it is a new, previously unknown species.

14 Brusatte believes that the sea monster was pretty similar to marine reptiles that have been found elsewhere. The creature would have looked a lot like a dolphin at about the size of a small boat. It had a mouth full of cone-shaped teeth used to chow down on fish. It sat at the top of the underwater food chain.

15 Brusatte still suspects he will be adding a brand-new species to the books.

16 "There's a good chance it's a new species just because it's from a part of the world and a place in time where very few fossils are known," he explained. Very few fossils have been hunted down and studied in Scotland, and in the rest of the world fossils from the Middle Jurassic Period, when this creature lived, are very rare."

17 The Middle Jurassic Period is a period of time where many dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

The Big Ones Emerge

18 "We know that quite a lot was happening then," Brusatte said. "On land, the tyrannosaurs were getting their start, and it's probably when the first birds were flying around, and in the ocean you had this big turnover event when smaller marine animals were replaced by bigger ones."

19 It's frustrating, Brusatte said, because though it seems like an active period where you would find many animal fossils, scientists have found very few.

20 His hope is that an increase in interest in Scottish paleontology could mean that more new species and fossils might be found.

21 "So few people have ever looked for fossils here," he said. "Scotland isn't what you think of when you think of fossils. But there are a lot out there waiting to be found."

Read the paragraph from the section "Now It's Study Time."

Back then, the fossil was clearly remarkable. Her vertebrae stuck out from the shore like a line of dominoes. It was the most complete marine reptile skeleton of her age ever found in Scotland.

What phrase from the paragraph helps the reader to understand how the fossil was "clearly remarkable"? (RI.2.4)

• Back then

• Vertebrae stuck out

• like a line of dominoes

• most complete marine reptile

"Scotland finally unveils the fossil of a monster sea creature"

1 Fifty years after it was first discovered, an ancient Scottish creature is finally getting its time in the spotlight. It is called an ichthyosaur, but its more common name is the Storr Lochs Monster.

2 The ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like creature, ruled the seas some 170 million years ago. Its fossil, or preserved remains, had been sitting on a shelf in the National Museums Scotland for a half century.

3 The museum has finally unveiled the creature to the public.4"A lot of specimens are in museums for a long time before they're studied," said Steve Brusatte of the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland.

Now It's Study Time

5 Sometimes fossils really are forgotten on some neglected shelf. They are tucked away in an unmarked box, stored under a sink, or even mislabeled as another species.

6 But that's not what happened to the Storr Lochs Monster. Researchers just did not have the ability to study her until now.

7 Scientists have known about the creature since her discovery in 1966 on the Isle of Skye. Her bones have been lovingly preserved and cared for.

8 Back then, the fossil was clearly remarkable. Her vertebrae stuck out from the shore like a line of dominoes. It was the most complete marine reptile skeleton of her age ever found in Scotland.

Skeleton Preserved In Rock

9 However, the fossil was too tightly enclosed in stone. The scientists could not safely free her. Instead, she was brought to the museum, fully preserved in the rock.

10 At that time, Scotland did not have a strong community of scientists studying fossils like the Storr Lochs Monster. "I don't think there were any here at the time, actually," Brusatte said.

11 Brusatte moved to Scotland to help strengthen the science community. He said he felt there was not enough research happening in Scotland.

12 It took half a century for the pieces of the puzzle to fit together. Scientists had developed new techniques, or methods, for getting fossils out of rock. There were also many more new researchers who were interested in creatures like the Storr Lochs Monster.

Could It Be A New Species?

13 Brusatte and his team have not studied the ichthyosaur in detail yet. They don't know for sure if it is a new, previously unknown species.

14 Brusatte believes that the sea monster was pretty similar to marine reptiles that have been found elsewhere. The creature would have looked a lot like a dolphin at about the size of a small boat. It had a mouth full of cone-shaped teeth used to chow down on fish. It sat at the top of the underwater food chain.

15 Brusatte still suspects he will be adding a brand-new species to the books.

16 "There's a good chance it's a new species just because it's from a part of the world and a place in time where very few fossils are known," he explained. Very few fossils have been hunted down and studied in Scotland, and in the rest of the world fossils from the Middle Jurassic Period, when this creature lived, are very rare."

17 The Middle Jurassic Period is a period of time where many dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

The Big Ones Emerge

18 "We know that quite a lot was happening then," Brusatte said. "On land, the tyrannosaurs were getting their start, and it's probably when the first birds were flying around, and in the ocean you had this big turnover event when smaller marine animals were replaced by bigger ones."

19 It's frustrating, Brusatte said, because though it seems like an active period where you would find many animal fossils, scientists have found very few.

20 His hope is that an increase in interest in Scottish paleontology could mean that more new species and fossils might be found.

21 "So few people have ever looked for fossils here," he said. "Scotland isn't what you think of when you think of fossils. But there are a lot out there waiting to be found."

#3--In paragraph three of the section, “Now It's Study Time,” what is meant when the Storr Lochs Monster’s bone are described as “lovingly preserved and cared for”? Use evidence from the text to support your response. (RI.2.4)

"The Father of Rock and Roll"

1 Rock musicians can trace their roots back to one individual: Chuck berry. he rose to stardom in the 1950s with music featuring driving beats and catchy guitar riffs-- short series of notes that repeat throughout a song. Berry's groundbreaking sound combined rhythm and blues with country music. As a guitarist, he was known for his phrasing. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry describes the way Berry grouped notes into quick bursts as, "that double-note stop, where you get the two notes bending against each other and they make that rock & rock sound."

2 Berry's clever lyrics about high school and dancing also won over teenage audiences. The words to his songs told the stories of their generation. "Everything I wrote about wasn't about me, but about the people listening," said Berry.

What does the author mean by the phrase, "As a guitarist, he was known for his phrasing."?

• The way he wrote song lyrics for the people who listening to his music.

• The way his music featured driving beats and catchy guitar riffs.

• The way he grouped notes and how they sounded.

• The way he combined rhythm and blues with country music.

"The Father of Rock and Roll"

1 Rock musicians can trace their roots back to one individual: Chuck berry. he rose to stardom in the 1950s with music featuring driving beats and catchy guitar riffs-- short series of notes that repeat throughout a song. Berry's groundbreaking sound combined rhythm and blues with country music. As a guitarist, he was known for his phrasing. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry describes the way Berry grouped notes into quick bursts as, "that double-note stop, where you get the two notes bending against each other and they make that rock & rock sound."

2 Berry's clever lyrics about high school and dancing also won over teenage audiences. The words to his songs told the stories of their generation. "Everything I wrote about wasn't about me, but about the people listening," said Berry.

Select the words or phrases that help determine the meaning of "As a guitarist, he was known for his phrasing." Select all that apply.

• "grouped notes into quick bursts"

• "that double-note stop, where you get the two notes bending against each other"

• He rose to stardom in the 1950s with music featuring driving beats and catchy guitar riffs.

• Berry's clever lyrics about high school and dancing also won over teenage audiences.

Father of Rock and Roll" continued

Berry also revolutionized guitar showmanship with his signature "duck walk". It involved playing guitar while squatting and moving forward. One leg would swing back and forth in the air while he hopped on the other.

Chuck Berry has shined a light on many rock stars' paths. Even the Beatles' john lennon credited Berry's sound and style. He said, "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'".

What does the author mean by the phrase, "Chuck Berry has shined a light on many rock stars' paths."?

• made it possible for musicians to play rock and roll for a living.

• drew attention to the talents of other rock musicians, making them famous.

• helped musicians learn their craft by studying his songwriting and performing

• exposed the secrets of rock musicians and the music business

Read the passage and then answer the question.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Austria in 1756. When he was very young, he showed great musical aptitude, playing the keyboard by the age of three and writing musical compositions by the age of five. His father, a musician, gave Mozart lessons in piano and other instruments. After this early start, Mozart spent his life studying, playing, and composing music. Over the course of his life, he wrote more than six hundred musical works of many different types. His music is still popular and is performed often today.

Select the meaning of the word, "aptitude".

• ability to do or learn something

• weariness of something

• enjoyment of something

• lack of interest in something

"The Evolution of the Guitar"

1 Guitars are dynamic, evolving instruments. Today, guitars are flat-bodied wonders with fretted necks and six strings. Frets are metal pieces cut into the neck at specific intervals. By pressing a string down onto a fret, guitarists change the string's length.

2 The guitar has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, but the first instruments that modern audiences would recognize as guitars developed in the 15th century. They arrived from Spain from Northern Africa. Initially, some had only four strings and were much smaller than guitars today. Guitars were all acoustic-- that is, their melodic sound was made from string vibrations in their hollow bodies. People used them to accompany songs and poetry.

3 Acoustic guitars delight the ears but are not very loud. By the 20th century, they were often drowned out by trumpets, pianos, and even singers. Few could actually hear them.

4 This changed in the 1920s when Lloyd Loar designed the first magnetic pickup, which could capture the acoustic guitar's string vibrations and amplify them electronically through speakers. A guitar could now hold its own with louder instruments. this was the birth of the electric guitar.

5 Now, guitarists can either amplify their acoustic hollow-body guitars with pickups or play solid-body electric guitars. the ways guitars sound, and even how they are built, continue to develop in fascinating ways.

Which words from the account have positive connotations?

• fretted, acoustic, vibrations, amplify

• evolving, specific, modern, solid

• wonders, rich, delight, fascinating

• ancient, smaller, hollow, louder

"The Evolution of the Guitar"

1 Guitars are dynamic, evolving instruments. Today, guitars are flat-bodied wonders with fretted necks and six strings. Frets are metal pieces cut into the neck at specific intervals. By pressing a string down onto a fret, guitarists change the string's length.

2 The guitar has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, but the first instruments that modern audiences would recognize as guitars developed in the 15th century. They arrived from Spain from Northern Africa. Initially, some had only four strings and were much smaller than guitars today. Guitars were all acoustic-- that is, their melodic sound was made from string vibrations in their hollow bodies. People used them to accompany songs and poetry.

3 Acoustic guitars delight the ears but are not very loud. By the 20th century, they were often drowned out by trumpets, pianos, and even singers. Few could actually hear them.

4 This changed in the 1920s when Lloyd Loar designed the first magnetic pickup, which could capture the acoustic guitar's string vibrations and amplify them electronically through speakers. A guitar could now hold its own with louder instruments. this was the birth of the electric guitar.

5 Now, guitarists can either amplify their acoustic hollow-body guitars with pickups or play solid-body electric guitars. the ways guitars sound, and even how they are built, continue to develop in fascinating ways.

What does the author mean by the phrase, "guitars were often drowned out by singers and other instruments"?

• There was a chance that guitars would be replaced by other instruments.

• The moisture in a hollow-body guitar kept it from being loud enough.

• It was difficult to hear acoustic guitars over other instruments and voices.

• Other instruments were becoming more popular than the acoustic guitar.

"The Evolution of the Guitar"

1 Guitars are dynamic, evolving instruments. Today, guitars are flat-bodied wonders with fretted necks and six strings. Frets are metal pieces cut into the neck at specific intervals. By pressing a string down onto a fret, guitarists change the string's length.

2 The guitar has a rich history that dates back to ancient times, but the first instruments that modern audiences would recognize as guitars developed in the 15th century. They arrived from Spain from Northern Africa. Initially, some had only four strings and were much smaller than guitars today. Guitars were all acoustic-- that is, their melodic sound was made from string vibrations in their hollow bodies. People used them to accompany songs and poetry.

3 Acoustic guitars delight the ears but are not very loud. By the 20th century, they were often drowned out by trumpets, pianos, and even singers. Few could actually hear them.

4 This changed in the 1920s when Lloyd Loar designed the first magnetic pickup, which could capture the acoustic guitar's string vibrations and amplify them electronically through speakers. A guitar could now hold its own with louder instruments. this was the birth of the electric guitar.

5 Now, guitarists can either amplify their acoustic hollow-body guitars with pickups or play solid-body electric guitars. the ways guitars sound, and even how they are built, continue to develop in fascinating ways.

Evaluate the effectiveness of any figurative language, connotative words, or technical words the author used in the text. How did they impact the meaning and tone? Choose a few words the author used well and a few words the author could have chosen better to convey the message.