Topic 17 Comprehension

Which of the following best supports the conclusion that living conditions on the island were unpleasant?

• "The last part of Wilbur's trip, in a decrepit, flat-bottomed fishing schooner, was a nightmare."

• "They made camp at the foot of Kill Devil Hills, a group of huge sand dunes four miles (6.5 km) to the south of Kitty Hawk."

• "Then there were the mosquitoes. 'The sand and grass and trees and hills and everything were covered with them,' Orville wrote to Katharine."

• "Orville arrived two weeks later, bringing supplies of tea and coffee, and they pitched their tent on the sand dunes, close to where they would fly the glider."

Read this sentence from the article.

Each flight brought the moment closer when Wilbur would take his life in his hands and pilot the glider himself.

What conclusion can the reader draw from the sentence above?

• Wilbur often took careless risks.

• Wilbur's first flight would be successful.

• The Wright brothers knew flying the glider was risky.

• The Wright brothers were never concerned about safety.

Read this excerpt from the article.

In the final week Wilbur had the confidence to fly again, and this time he would try free flight, without the ropes...On October 23, they went home, leaving the glider behind on the dunes. During the winter it would be destroyed...

How does the author organize the information in the excerpt above?

• by sequence of events

• by order of importance

• by problem and solution

• by comparison and contrast

Which sentence supports the conclusion that the Wright brothers refused to let setbacks stop them?

• "On August 9, when Wilbur tried to turn the glider, he crashed nose-first into the ground, banging his head against a wooden strut."

• "He'd thought there would be all the time in the world to plan his moves, to look around him, and to experience life from the air."

• "On the train home, Orville said what both of them were feeling: 'Not within a thousand years will man ever fly.'"

• "Instead they decided to go back to the beginning and think through everything they had done."

Read this excerpt from the article.

If size alone hadn't improved their performance, then maybe the secret was the shape of the glider and the wings. To research this, they built a wind tunnel in the workshop.

How does the author organize the information in the excerpt above?

• by order of importance

• by comparison and contrast

• by describing a cause and its effect

• by describing one character at a time.

6. Which sentence from the article includes an example of personification?

• "The winds were stiff today--thirty knots."

• "The engine sputtered and coughed into life."

• "The weather was almost perfect--except for the wind."

• "Orville hoisted a large red flag on the roof of the shack."

Which sentences from the article best show that the Wright brothers had a supportive, caring relationship?

• "Wilbur and Orville went home happy. They had achieved their first goal, designing a glider that could be controlled by air."

• "Orville and Bill pulled on the ropes and brought the glider safely down onto the sand. Wilbur had done it."

• "The track was laid down the side of the hill; then the brothers tossed a coin to decide who would be the pilot."

• "'Orville's going to be nervous,' Wilbur said to the men watching. 'Let's try and cheer him on.'"

Based on information in the article, what generalization can the reader make about the Wright brothers?

• They each thought the other was a bad pilot.

• They thought making bicycles was a waste of time.

• They looked forward to becoming rich and famous.

• They were never satisfied and always tried to improve.

Use the articles "First to Fly" and "Young Pilot Sets Record" to answer this question.

How are the two articles similar?

• Both are examples of historical fiction.

• Both are examples for narrative nonfiction.

• Both describe the achievements of teenagers.

• Both are written about events that actually happened.

Use the articles "First to Fly" and "Young Pilot Sets Record" to answer this question.

How are the two author's perspectives different?

• One is an experienced pilot but the other has never flown before.

• One presents mostly facts, but the other presents mostly opinions.

• One is writing about historical events, but the other is writing about current events.

• One uses a sequence text structure, but the other uses a compare-and-contrast structure.