1st Semester Reading Test Review

People who wanted to travel from the east to settle in the west in the mid-1800s traveled on the 2,000 mile Oregon Trail in wagon trains. Over 50,000 settlers made this long and dangerous journey. Many died from illness, accidents, and bad weather. What is the author’s purpose?

• persuade

• inform

• entertain

"As it is now time for my son, the prince, to marry, we shall hold a great contest to find the strongest and bravest princess in all the kingdom," announced the king. Prince Harold sighed. He didn't care who won the contest. He didn't want to get married. He wanted to train unicorns. What is the author’s purpose?

• persuade

• inform

• entertain

I know you are super busy, but can you please help me with the math homework today? You are so good at math, and I am really having trouble. Plus, if you help me today, I will help you with your book report next week. Also, my mom made these totally yummy cookies today and we can have some while we are working. What is the author’s purpose?

• persuade

• inform

• entertain

Choose the MAIN IDEA ANSWER that ties all of the following details together. - The Hudson River wetlands are home to several species of mammals, like otters. - Also, the Hudson River has many underwater plants, like water celery. - Various types of fish, like the American eel, live at the bottom of the Hudson River.

• The bottom of the Hudson River is home to oysters and fish.

• The Hudson River is full of various underwater plants.

• The Hudson River is a thriving habitat for plants and animals.

Choose the MAIN IDEA ANSWER that ties all of the following details together. - By taking music lessons, students learn to read sheet music. - Practicing for music lessons teaches patience. - Through music lessons, students can learn about music from other countries.

• Music lessons introduce students to many types of music.

• Music lessons teach students how to keep a rhythm.

• Music lessons teach more than just how to play an instrument.

Choose the MAIN IDEA ANSWER that ties all of the following details together. • Graham crackers are used to make a sweet treat called a s'more. • Crushed graham crackers can be used in brownies instead of flour. • Graham cracker crumbs can be used to make pie crusts.

• All kinds of desserts are easy to make at home.

• Graham crackers are used in different desserts.

• You can mix graham crackers with cereal and marshmallows for a sweet treat.

Choose the MAIN IDEA ANSWER that ties all the details together. - Bees pick up pollen when they visit flowers, looking for nectar. - Bees transfer some of the pollen they pick up to other flowers that need it. - Bees carry some of the pollen they collect back to their hive to feed other bees.

• Flowers produce nectar to attract insects like bees.

• Bees can carry pollen to places over two miles away.

• Bees play an important role in transferring pollen.

Working for the Vote - In 1900, Carrie Chapman Catt became president of a women's rights group. The group was called the National American Woman Suffrage Association, or NAWSA. At that time, women weren't allowed to vote. NAWSA was trying to change that. In 1904, Catt left NAWSA to care for her sick husband. By 1915, the group was falling apart. Many of its strongest workers had left. Catt returned as president and became the strong leader the group needed. She won support from state and national leaders. As a result, the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1920. Thanks largely to Catt's skills as a leader, women could finally vote in the United States. WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA?

• The Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920.

• Carrie Chapman Catt is a big reason that women won the right to vote in the U.S.

• The National American Woman Suffrage Association faced many challenges in the 1900s.

An American Hero Rewarded - African American track star Jesse Owens made breaking records look easy. As a student at The Ohio State University in 1935, he set a world record in the long jump. That record stood for twenty-five years. At the 1936 Olympic Games, he won four gold medals and broke several more records. But it took forty years for Owens's Olympic victories to receive the attention they deserved. When he returned to the U.S., he didn't meet with the president, unlike most champions. It wasn't until 1976 that President Gerald Ford presented Owens with the Medal of Freedom. WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA?

• The Presidential Medal of Freedom was Jesse Owen's most important award.

• It took many years for Jesse Owens to be fully recognized for his success at the Olympics.

• Jesse Owens began breaking records early in his track career and went on to earn several Olympic gold medals.

The Water Cycle - In the water cycle, water travels around the planet in a repeating set of steps. Water from the surface of the earth goes into the air. For example, when the ocean is heated by the sun, some of the water evaporates. In other words, it turns into water vapor, a gas. The water vapor then rises into the sky. When water vapor starts to condense, or change to liquid water, clouds form. Next, when the clouds are full of water, tiny drops form. The drops fall to earth as rain or snow. Over time, the water will evaporate again, continuing the cycle. WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA?

• Water moves around the earth in a series of steps known as the water cycle.

• When the sun's rays heat the ocean's water, the water turns into water vapor.

• The water cycle takes place all around us all the time.