Identifying Text Structures Quiz

What is the text structure of this passage?

Through the ages, Pennsylvania has seen many interesting events. The state was founded in 1681 by William Penn. Later, Pennsylvania was the site of important Revolutionary War battles. After that, Pennsylvania was home to new factories during the Industrial Revolution. Today, Pennsylvania continues to make history.

• compare and contrast

• description

• chronological/ sequence

• problem/solution

What text structure clue words are in the passage?

Through the ages, Pennsylvania has seen many interesting events. The state was founded in 1681 by William Penn. Later, Pennsylvania was the site of important Revolutionary War battles. After that, Pennsylvania was home to new factories during the Industrial Revolution. Today, Pennsylvania continues to make history.

• later, after, today

• site, battles, home

• the, of, to

• founded, new, continues

What is the text structure of the passage?

Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice the flames coming from the O’Leary barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8. A problem with the alarm box made it impossible for the people in the area to call for the fire department. By 9:30 pm, the entire block was blazing. In another 3 hours, there were fires all over Chicago. The heavy wind coming from the lake only made the fire bigger. It would be another day before the fire would be completely out. By that time, 17,500 buildings had been burned.

• chronological/

  sequence

• problem and solution

• description

• compare and contrast

What is the text structure of this passage?

Why was the Great Chicago Fire so disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire departments and fire alarms. One reason for the terrible fire is that the alarm malfunctioned. The local fire company noticed the fire by accident as it was returning from another fire. As another problem, a watchman who saw the flames directed other fire companies to a location that was nearly a mile away from the fire. Because of these two problems, a fire that could have been controlled rapidly spread across the city.

• description

• problem/solution

• chronological

• cause and effect

What is the text structure of this passage?

After the fire, thousands of people were left homeless. Many escaped the fire with nothing except the clothes on their backs. Providing all of these people with food, clean water, and shelter was a huge task. Luckily, the city quickly formed a Relief and Aid Society. This group started giving out the food donations that were pouring in from other cities. The society built places for people to live, gathered the tools that people needed to rebuild their houses, and even vaccinated 64,000 people against smallpox.

• problem/solution

• compare and contrast

• description

• cause and effect

What is the text structure of the passage?

Chicago changed in many ways after the fire. Before the fire, most of the buildings were less than five stories high. The buildings that were constructed after the fire, however, were some of the first skyscrapers in the country. Before the fire, most of the houses were made of wood. After the fire, people chose to build their houses out of stone or brick. There were changes in where people lived, as well. The poor people in the city lived close to the center of the city before the fire. After the fire, they moved into neighborhoods that were farther away from the downtown area.

• chronological/ sequence

• compare and contrast

• problem and solution

• description

What is the text structure of this paragraph?

By Monday night, the town of Chicago was burning. People described it as terrible, but amazing. The flames were brighter than anything people had ever seen. The harsh winds swept the fire across the city with terrible speed. For many who watched, it was a sight to remember for the rest of their lives.

• problem/solution

• chronological/

  sequence

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• cause and effect

What is the text structure of this passage?

The pond was a beautiful place to visit. The falling leaves, all different colors, decorated the surface of the water. At the edges of the pond, small wildflowers grew. The golden forest glowed faintly in the distance.

• description

• cause and effect

• problem/solution

• compare/contrast

What is the text structure?

Brown marmorated stinkbugs have caused many problems since they were accidentally introduced to North America. They damage fruit, bother people, and harm crops. Scientists are trying to find a solution. One promising possibility is a species of wasp that originally comes from Asia. This wasp is a predator of stinkbugs. Scientists hope that this wasp could solve the stinkbug problem.

• cause and effect

• problem/solution

• sequence

• compare/contrast

What is the text structure?

The cardinal and the goldfinch are two common birds. Both are brightly colored. Both are common at birdfeeders. But the birds have some differences. The male cardinal is a bright red, while the male goldfinch is yellow.  Cardinals like shrubs and trees, while goldfinches prefer open meadows.

• cause and effect

• chronological

• description

• compare/contrast