Nonfiction Text Structures Practice Quiz

The Twenties: Then and Now

1920 and 2020 are separated by 100 years and a world of change. In 1920, America had 48 states and a population of 106.5 million. The 19th Amendment passed in August of that year which finally gave women the right to vote. Technological advances were making modern life more convenient. Major purchases that year included home radios and cars like the Ford Model T, which cost $260! 100 years ago people loved watching silent movies at the theater.

Since 1920, Hawaii and Alaska have since been added to the US, for a total of 50 states. Our population has increased in the last 100 years to over 328 million people. Women have been voting for 100 years, hold thousands of elected offices, and have even run for president. We now have computers, smartphones, and streaming services to make our lives more convenient. Today, a new Ford Fusion will set you back about $30,000. But one thing that will never change is American's love for going to the movies!

• Sequential order

• problem and solution

• Compare and contrast

• Description

Answer explanation

The article is discussing the 1920s and the 2020s by providing several facts about each and discussing how the years are both similar and different.

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The Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is a bay in Maryland and Virginia. A bay is a body of water surrounded by land. The Chesapeake Bay ecosystem was harmed over many years of population growth, deforestation, and pollution. This led to algae blooms, reduced aquatic vegetation, and disruption to the food chain and marine life.

Following studies in the 1970s, the Chesapeake Bay Program was established to respond to the growing problems of the health of the bay. The program involved a combined effort by the local government and the Environmental Protection Agency. The program's goals include reducing pollution, restoring estuary habitats, protecting natural resources, and educating the public about restoration efforts. Concrete actions to heal the Bay have included discouraging pesticide and chemical use; planting native plants, grasses, and trees; and limiting pollutants that may flow into the Bay. It has been a lot of hard work, but the Chesapeake Bay Program is starting to make progress towards preparing and preserving the Chesapeake Bay.

• cause and effect

• description

• problem and solution

• question and answer

Answer explanation

The problem is that the Chesapeake Bay is polluted. As a solution, the Chesepeake Bay Program was founded to combat the issue.

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Germinating Seeds

Did you know that seeds are alive? Inside each sead is a plant embryo that just needs a little magic to grow. On their own, seeds will remain dormant for a long time. But if they are given the right conditions, seeds will sprout and grow into plants.

Seeds contain everything they need to grow into plants, they just need to be activated. Seeds need moisture and a place to sprout, which is usually soil. Spome seeds need dark to germinate and some need some light. The moisture, soil, and correct amount of light feed the embryo and soften the outer shell fo the seed. As a result of these conditions, the epicotyl will grow into the plant's "seed leaves," or first leaves. The stem and root are also in there waiting to grow. The cotydon has food for the seed while it germinates before it grows enough to create its own food through photosynthesis. If you have a seedling growing in your garden, it is because you provided the right conditions for it to sprout and grow.

• description

• cause and effect

• sequence and order

• problem and solution

Answer explanation

The article explains what causes a seed to grow properly. The effect described is that the seed has grown.

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Cracking the Surface

Our planet Earth has four primary layers. We live on the top of the outermost layer, which is called the crust. If you're looking at a diagram of the Earth, the crust looks very thin, like a candy shell. But in reality, it is really quite thick. At its most delicate points, it is a minimum of 3 miles thick, but in some places, it is up to 46 miles thick.

The crust of the Earth sits on top of the mantle, which is the next layer. The mantle is the thickest layer of the Earth and is almost 2,000 miles thick. The mantle is much hotter than the crust and is made up of different rocks and solid surfaces. The crust of the Earth and top layer of the mantle combine together to create tectonic plates. These large plates shift ever so slowly. Even though they only move a few inches each year, when they do bump into each other they can cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The next two layers of the Earth are the outer core and the inner core. Both the outer and inner core are extremely hot and under a lot of pressure. While scientists haven't been able to explore all the layers of the Earth in person, they still know a lot about the interior of our planet's structure.

• cause and effect

• sequence and order

• question and answer

• description

Answer explanation

The article describes several layers of the Earth's crust. There is no timeline of events, and the author is not comparing each layer to the next.

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     Most people have wondered about the differences between horses and zebras. To understand the difference, you must first understand exactly what a horse is. The horse is a hoofed, plant-eating mammal of the family Equidae. This family includes domestic horses, wild horses, and zebras. All are swift, plains-dwelling herd animals who eat coarse grass.     

Horses, as we know them, evolved in North America and spread over the world. They were hunted by early humans and put to work by Asian nomads. Until the mid-20th century, horses were widely used for warfare, agriculture, and transportation. Today, most horses are used for farming purposes. Few modern horses roam wild.     

On the other hand, most zebras live in open plains or brush country. Mountain zebras like rocky hillsides. Zebra herds on the Serengeti of East Africa can be as large as 200,000 zebras. All travel in family groups led by a stallion. The plains zebras usually mix with other grazing animals, such as wildebeest and antelopes.     

You would have to look at the DNA of horses and zebras to understand their physical differences. Zebras and horses have very similar bodies except for their skins!

• sequence and order

• compare and contrast

• question and answer

• problem and solution

Answer explanation

The article compares zebras to horses.

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     Most people have wondered about the differences between horses and zebras. To understand the difference, you must first understand exactly what a horse is. The horse is a hoofed, plant-eating mammal of the family Equidae. This family includes domestic horses, wild horses, and zebras. All are swift, plains-dwelling herd animals who eat coarse grass.     

Horses, as we know them, evolved in North America and spread over the world. They were hunted by early humans and put to work by Asian nomads. Until the mid-20th century, horses were widely used for warfare, agriculture, and transportation. Today, most horses are used for farming purposes. Few modern horses roam wild.     

On the other hand, most zebras live in open plains or brush country. Mountain zebras like rocky hillsides. Zebra herds on the Serengeti of East Africa can be as large as 200,000 zebras. All travel in family groups led by a stallion. The plains zebras usually mix with other grazing animals, such as wildebeest and antelopes.     

You would have to look at the DNA of horses and zebras to understand their physical differences. Zebras and horses have very similar bodies except for their skins!

The section above uses its text structure

• to show that a horse is much weaker physically compared to a zebra.

• to illustrate that zebras are wild animals and are foreign to North America.

• question and answerto show that horses are animals that are only unique to North America.

• problem and solution to explain the differences and similarities between a horse and a zebra.

Answer explanation

The article compares zebras to horses.

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CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

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