Feeding Tikal

Which choice provides a summary of the text?

• A. The ancient Maya of Tikal were creative and clever farmers. Although they did not have metal, they made tools from stone and wood. They sweetened food by keeping bees in hives

  and using their honey. They even used the sap of the special trees for chewing gum.

• B. Tikal was an ancient Maya city located in the Yucatán. In order to farm in the rainforest, farmers cut down trees and burned them. Food could be grown in the cleared areas for a few years before the farmers moved on and cleared new areas in which to farm.

• C. The ancient Maya who lived in the city of Tikal got their goods from a busy market. Local villagers traded clothing, pottery, and tools. Maya farmers brought crops to the market to trade. The most important crops of the day were corn and beans.

• D. Tikal was an ancient Maya city. The Maya people in and around the city had many different jobs, but most were farmers. The farmers were able to find ways to farm near the coast, on hillsides, and by clearing forests in order to grow the food needed for the kingdom.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Why did farmers bend the stalks of corn?

• A. to make it easier to harvest the corn

• B. to make it easier to dry the ears

• C. to provide shade for the squash and beans

• D. to protect the corn from rain and mold

What does the author mean by the phrase “enriches the soil” in paragraph 4?

• A. makes the land cost more money

• B. makes the ground better for farming

• C. makes the crops cost more at the market

• D. makes the area safe from floods or mudslides

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

What point does the author make about Maya farmers?

• A. Maya farmers were necessary for life to go on in Tikal.

• B. Maya farmers did not like to use certain tools for farming.

• C. Maya farmers were unable to farm during the rainy season.

• D. Maya farmers only grew corn and beans in Tikal.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.6

CCSS.RL.3.6

CCSS.RL.4.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

Part A:

What did Maya farmers do with their crops after harvesting them?

• A. They offered the crops to the king to cook for the people.

• B. They saved the crops for later or took them to the city.

• C. They sprinkled the crops with salt to make them last longer

• D. They dried the crops and fed them to their animals.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

Which quotation from the text best supports the answer in Part A?

• A. “While the corn grows, so do vegetables. Every house has a large garden full of squash, manioc (a starchy root), chili peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, avocados, and other tasty things to eat.” (paragraph 6)

• B. “Farmers also harvest food from the forests. They gather wild papayas, avocados, figs, and guavas.” (paragraph 8)

• C. “Then it is time to harvest. The ears are dried and the hard kernels rubbed off. Then the corn is ready to store for the winter or send off to the city.” (paragraph 9)

• D. “They trade their salt for stone tools, jade, and food. When it’s time to go to market, the farmers load up their crops in canoes or big backpacks. But they don’t use wheeled carts.” (paragraph 10)

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

What does the word prevents mean as it is used in paragraph 9?

• A. avoids

• B. breaks

• C. uses

• D. watches

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

What text structure does the author use in paragraph 14?

• A. The author uses cause and effect to explain how the Maya used floodwaters to help improve farming.

• B. The author uses chronological order to explain that the Maya have changed the ways they farmed their lands over the years.

• C. The author uses compare and contrast to explain that the Maya farmed the seacoasts differently than the mountains.

• D. The author uses problem and solution to explain how the Maya overcame the difficulties of farming very wet areas.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

How does the illustration help the reader understand the text?

• A. The reader can see how the Maya farmed on the mountains.

• B. The reader can see where the Maya farmed most of their crops.

• C. The reader can see that the Maya used tools made of stone and wood.

• D. The reader can see why the Maya needed to cut steps into the hillsides.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.7

CCSS.RI.4.7

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7