RI 7.4: Meaning and Word Choice

Even if you have never studied broadcast journalism, you are probably familiar with its story formats. Readers are probably the most basic kind of broadcast story. They're usually short and mixed in with other story formats to keep the show interesting. After all, who wants to watch 30 minutes or an hour of an anchor sitting there reading? Sometimes, if the producers want to get fancy, a reader may include an over the shoulder graphic or a picture of the story's subject.

Often, the anchor's role is limited to giving a lead-in to a reporter's package. After a sentence or two from the anchor, viewers see video of reporters narrating their own stories. Most of the time, the video stories include a sound-bite from a person who was interviewed about the story's subject. In some cases, anchors wrap the story up with additional information after the video is over.

According to the passage, the term over the shoulder graphic can be defined as

• an image that is used to support a news story.

• a video of a reporter's narration of a story.

• a photo of a news anchor or reporter's family.

• a large version of the news channel's logo.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.10

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Ballet is one of the most widely performed types of concert dance. Each year, thousands of people flood theaters to see ballerinas put on shows. Choreographers plan each movement and step the dancers make. Countless hours of preparation go into practicing routines before dance concerts.

Classical ballet is a very difficult dance style to master. It strictly follows traditional ballet technique. Dancers are expected to properly use their bodies to execute and artistically express routines. Good technique requires that dancers have proper alignment. Dancers’ heads, shoulders, and hips are supposed to line up perfectly. Ballet places a lot of emphasis on the lines of the body. “Good lines” are a combination of the body a dancer is born with and the development that comes from training.

The proper positioning of the feet is especially important to ballet dancing. Turnout is the basis for all ballet movements. In this position, the legs are rotated outward from the hips down, and the knee and foot are turned away from the center of the body. A perfect turnout is measured at a 180-degree line between the feet when the dancer is in first position with his or her heels touching. The knees are also supposed to touch, and correct posture includes straightened legs.

One of the most recognizable classical ballet techniques is en pointe dancing. This skill requires that dancers wear special shoes that allow them to dance on the tips of their toes for extended periods of time. It takes a lot of training and strength to dance en pointe. The entire body—including legs, back, ankles, and abdominal muscles—is used for this technique. Dancers can injure themselves or permanently damage their feet if they start pointe dancing too early.

Which sentence from the passage best helps readers determine that alignment has something to do with posture?

• Choreographers plan each movement and step the dancers make.

• The entire body—including legs, back, ankles, and abdominal muscles—is used for this technique.

• Dancers' heads, shoulders, and hips are supposed to line up perfectly.

• The knees are also supposed to touch, and correct posture includes straightened legs.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

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CCSS.RI.8.4

Even if you have never studied broadcast journalism, you are probably familiar with its story formats. Readers are probably the most basic kind of broadcast story. They're usually short and mixed in with other story formats to keep the show interesting. After all, who wants to watch 30 minutes or an hour of an anchor sitting there reading? Sometimes, if the producers want to get fancy, a reader may include an over the shoulder graphic or a picture of the story's subject.

Often, the anchor's role is limited to giving a lead-in to a reporter's package. After a sentence or two from the anchor, viewers see video of reporters narrating their own stories. Most of the time, the video stories include a sound-bite from a person who was interviewed about the story's subject. In some cases, anchors wrap the story up with additional information after the video is over.

Which word has nearly the same meaning as lead-in as it is used in this passage?

• recognition

• representative

• intermediate

• introduction

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

Even if you have never studied broadcast journalism, you are probably familiar with its story formats. Readers are probably the most basic kind of broadcast story. They're usually short and mixed in with other story formats to keep the show interesting. After all, who wants to watch 30 minutes or an hour of an anchor sitting there reading? Sometimes, if the producers want to get fancy, a reader may include an over the shoulder graphic or a picture of the story's subject.

Often, the anchor's role is limited to giving a lead-in to a reporter's package. After a sentence or two from the anchor, viewers see video of reporters narrating their own stories. Most of the time, the video stories include a sound-bite from a person who was interviewed about the story's subject. In some cases, anchors wrap the story up with additional information after the video is over.

An anchor is

• a broadcaster who presents reporters and reads the news.

• a television personality who interviews people for a talk show.

• the reporter who films and edits his or her own broadcast story.

• a type of story format that includes an interview.

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CCSS.RI.7.4

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CCSS.RI.5.10

The Red Planet

Look to the eastern sky on a spring evening, and you'll see the reddish orb that is the planet Mars. The red hue is its trademark, distinguishing it from the other close planets. Its color can be attributed to the dusty blanket of rust, or iron oxide, that appears on the surface. The wind carries some of the dust into the atmosphere, making Mars appear red—hence its nickname, the Red Planet.

This answer is too simple for scientists, however. They want to know where the iron oxide came from. One theory has it that it came about early in the planet's evolution when there were rivers of warm water on Mars. The theory suggests that this water carved the long, serpentine channels that can be observed winding throughout the planet. Scientists know that Mars has more iron on its surface than other planets in our solar system. The warm water likely wore away at the iron-rich rocks. The oxygen in the water was then combined with the iron, and they formed iron oxide. As the water naturally evaporated, some of the rust particles would have been picked up. These eventually would have fallen as part of raindrops, spreading the rust all over the planet. Of course, this process would have happened at a glacial pace, over billions of years.

As scientists continue to explore Mars, newer theories arise about how the planet achieved its color. No matter how the planet got its color, the reddish hue makes Mars unique and a real treat for planet watchers.

Why does the author use the word blanket in the first paragraph?

• to show that the dust covers the entire planet

• to indicate that Mars has very thick soil

• to indicate that humans could live on Mars soon

• to show that the planet's climate is warm

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

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The Red Planet

Look to the eastern sky on a spring evening, and you'll see the reddish orb that is the planet Mars. The red hue is its trademark, distinguishing it from the other close planets. Its color can be attributed to the dusty blanket of rust, or iron oxide, that appears on the surface. The wind carries some of the dust into the atmosphere, making Mars appear red—hence its nickname, the Red Planet.

This answer is too simple for scientists, however. They want to know where the iron oxide came from. One theory has it that it came about early in the planet's evolution when there were rivers of warm water on Mars. The theory suggests that this water carved the long, serpentine channels that can be observed winding throughout the planet. Scientists know that Mars has more iron on its surface than other planets in our solar system. The warm water likely wore away at the iron-rich rocks. The oxygen in the water was then combined with the iron, and they formed iron oxide. As the water naturally evaporated, some of the rust particles would have been picked up. These eventually would have fallen as part of raindrops, spreading the rust all over the planet. Of course, this process would have happened at a glacial pace, over billions of years.

As scientists continue to explore Mars, newer theories arise about how the planet achieved its color. No matter how the planet got its color, the reddish hue makes Mars unique and a real treat for planet watchers.

Why does the author use the word serpentine in the second paragraph?

• to show that the river channels are shaped like a snake

• to illustrate how deep the river channels are on Mars

• to suggest that snakes once lived in the rivers on Mars

• to explain that the rivers are poisonous, like some snakes

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CCSS.RL.7.4

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Howard Carter

Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, was born in 1874 in London. Carter was raised by his aunts, who hired a private tutor to assist with his home schooling. As a young child, he quickly discovered he shared his father's artistic interest and talent.

One of Carter's first jobs was working as an artist for an archaeologist who needed someone to draw the artifacts that he discovered. When he was 17, Carter left for Egypt and began work on the Egypt Exploration Fund's excavation. He started out by sketching many different sculptures and inscriptions in Thebes. Later, he was hired by Lord Carnarvon, and their excavation work led to the discovery of the Egyptian tombs of Hatshepsut and Thutmose IV. Believing this was the site where King Tutankhamun rested, Carnarvon acquired a license to dig and gave the job to Howard Carter.

In November of 1922, a young boy working for Carter discovered a stone step in the sand. Carter's crew quickly unveiled a staircase that led to a sealed door. Carnarvon and Carter were the first to infiltrate the secret chamber located behind the door, where they discovered gold, treasures, and the tomb of King Tut.

It took a decade to excavate the substantial amount of wealth, treasures, and artifacts found in King Tut's tomb. Carter returned to London in 1932, and then toured the United States, providing lectures about his life as an archaeologist in Egypt and the steps that led to the discovery of King Tut's tomb. Today, most of the treasure from King Tut's tomb are in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

What is the meaning of the word infiltrate as it is used in paragraph 3 of the passage?

• return

• enter

• discuss

• climb

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CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

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The newspaper report of the fire was succinct; that is, it included only the most important information.

What is the meaning of the word succinct in the sentence above?

• interesting

• to the point

• difficult to understand

• detailed and involved

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CCSS.RL.7.4

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Read the sentence from the first paragraph.

"Cephalopods can change the color, pattern, and texture of their skin to camouflage, or hide, themselves."

Which sentence best helps readers determine the meaning of texture?

Cephalopods

The octopus, squid, and cuttlefish are members of a class of animals called cephalopods. These animals have a very special ability. Cephalopods can change the color, pattern, and texture of their skin to camouflage, or hide, themselves. For example, an octopus can blend in with coral, plants, or the sea floor. In less than a second, an octopus can change the color of its skin to match another object. The octopus can also change its shape. It can make its skin look bumpy or smooth to imitate the surface of another object. This ability helps these animals hide from predators.

Scientists have studied cephalopods in order to learn how they change their appearance. The secret to their color-changing talent comes from their chromatophores. An octopus has thousands of these specialized skin cells all over its body. Chromatophores can make many different colors and patterns. However, scientists still do not know how cephalopods control the cells. Scientists will continue to study these animals to find out more about their special ability.

• These animals have a very special ability.

• In less than a second, an octopus can change the color of its skin to match another object.

• It can make its skin look bumpy or smooth to imitate the surface of another object.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

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Save the Planet

Over the past few years, the depletion¹ of the ozone layer has become a major concern. The ozone layer is a belt of ozone gas that is situated above the troposphere—a layer in our atmosphere. The ozone layer is very useful as it acts as a barrier between the Earth and the Sun. It stops the Sun's harmful ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from reaching the Earth. One of the primary reasons for the continuous ozone depletion is the excessive use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases. Chlorofluorocarbon gases are usually used in air conditioners, refrigerators, and various sprays used by companies that produce pesticides. The chemical elements from these gases react with the oxygen in the atmosphere and rip the ozone molecules apart. This creates holes in the ozone layer, which let the Sun's harmful UVB rays reach the surface of the Earth. These UVB rays affect humans and their health, causing various skin diseases. Along with human life, the UVB rays also affect the environment and other living organisms. Even the soil loses its minerals and becomes arid. If the ozone depletion is not checked, many animals and plants might be on the brink of dying out completely.

1. reduce to a great extent

In the passage, what is the meaning of the word brink?

• tip

• center

• line

• rate

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CCSS.RL.7.4

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CCSS.RI.6.4

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