STAAR Practice "Persevering Plants" and "Cure for Concrete"

Use "Persevering Plants" to answer this question.

Which characteristic of the geothermal vents made the survival of the nearby plants so surprising?

• The depth of the holes

• The heat they generate

• The number of them that exist

• The amount of pressure they release

Use "Persevering Plants" to answer this question.

How do the photograph and caption after paragraph 4 help the reader better understand the selection?

• They explain how endophytes work to help plants.

• They demonstrate the effect endophytes can have on plants.

• They illustrate what kinds of plants endophytes can help.

• They show the conditions against which endophytes can protect plants.

Use "Persevering Plants" to answer this question.

How are paragraphs 2 through 4 organized?

• They compare the plants Rodriguez collected to the endophytes living on the plants.

• They describe the steps Rodriguez followed while researching plants in his laboratory.

• They explain the problem Rodriguez was trying to solve based on his observations.

• They describe the structure of the plants Rodriguez collected from a harsh environment.

Use "Persevering Plants" to answer this question.

What is paragraph 1 mostly about?

• The unusual conditions in which some plants can survive

• The occurrence of geothermal vents in several western states

• The way geothermal vents release pressure in the form of steam

• The types of plants that microbiologists have observed at a national park

Use "Persevering Plants" to answer this question.

An idea emphasized throughout the selection is that Rodriguez's endophyte solution--

• can improve plant life in national parks

• eliminates the need to water plants regularly

• will allow farmers to plant crops regardless of the season

• can restore a plant's natural resistance to the effects of a harsh climate

Use "The Cure for Concrete" to answer this question.

Which statement best expresses the main idea of paragraph 3?

• Modern highways and bridges are often constructed with concrete.

• Concrete was used by ancient Romans to build massive structures.

• The demand for concrete has doubled in the last decade.

• Concrete has been and continues to be an important building material.

Use "The Cure for Concrete" to answer this question.

The information in paragraph 6 helps the reader understand that bioconcrete--

• works best in areas affected by harsh weather conditions

• is effective in repairing water damage

• has a maximum weight it can support

• is limited to use in certain parts of the world

Use "The Cure for Concrete" to answer this question.

How does the author organize paragraph 1?

• By listing types of bacteria and then telling how they help fight diseases in the human body

• By defining bacteria and then explaining how bacteria are used in some products

• By stating a popular belief about bacteria and then disproving it with examples

• By comparing good and bad bacteria and then describing how bacteria work

Use "The Cure for Concrete" to answer this question.

What is the best summary of the article?

• Concrete is a popular material, but it can develop cracks over time. Microbiologist Hendrik Jonkers believes that adding bacteria to concrete can help remedy this problem and provide savings for the construction industry.

• Hendrik Jonkers, a Dutch microbiologist, noticed that concrete cracks over time. He decided to add bacteria to concrete to make a substance called bioconcrete. The bacteria are placed inside plastic capsules that are mixed into wet concrete.

• A Dutch microbiologist named Hendrik Jonkers became interested in investigating how bacteria might be applied to concrete to fill the cracks in concrete caused by water. He developed a self-healing bioconcrete that works to make concrete more durable.

• Microbiologist Hendrik Jonkers wondered if concrete could repair itself in the same way that human bones do. He developed bioconcrete, which was used to build a lifeguard station near a lake in the Netherlands and repair an irrigation system in Ecuador.

Use "The Cure for Concrete" to answer this question.

Read this sentence from paragraph 2:

"When a bone breaks in the human body, it is able to repair itself."

What is the most likely reason the author includes this information?

• To advocated for more research concerning skeletal injuries

• To suggest that bacteria could improve people's health

• To show the need for Jonkers' research

• To provide an example of the goal of Jonkers' research