2025 Reading Nonfiction

What is the best summary of the selection “A Legacy of Stone”?

• Ferdinand Cheval spent many years collecting stones. He used these stones to build a structure, which he named the Ideal Palace. People doubted his abilities, but in time he completed the project. Today it is considered a masterpiece.

• Ferdinand Cheval noticed some stones when he worked for the postal service in France. He thought he could use the stones to build a palace. He used concrete, lime, and wire to cement the stones in place. The structure became known as the Ideal Palace.

• The Ideal Palace was built by Ferdinand Cheval. It is a historical monument that people from around the world travel to see. Cheval showed the world how an artist can succeed by working hard.

• The Ideal Palace is an inspiring masterpiece. The structure is 35 feet tall and took Ferdinand Cheval 33 years to complete. The Ideal Palace is so popular that it has even appeared on a postage stamp.

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Read these sentences from the selection “A Legacy of Stone.”

"He followed no design rules and mixed cultures from around the world (paragraph 5)." "Untrained in architecture or construction, he nonetheless had a vision (paragraph 9)."

What do these sentences help the reader understand about Cheval?

• He wanted to invent a new design that would impress professional builders.

• He experienced many challenges during the several years he spent building the palace.

• He thought that using unfamiliar materials could inspire his creativity.

• He did not let inexperience prevent him from creating an elaborate structure.

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In the selection “A Legacy of Stone,” what does the organizational structure of the section “Inspiration” help the author emphasize?

• How Cheval’s route differed from other mail carrier routes

• How Cheval took steps to fulfill his dream of creating a palace

• The causes and effects of Cheval’s retirement

• A problem that Cheval solved by learning building skills

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What is the most likely reason the author wrote the selection “A Legacy of Stone”?

• To describe the unusual life of Ferdinand Cheval

• To show why so many people visit the Ideal Palace

• To explain the history of the creation of the Ideal Palace

• To highlight important facts about Ferdinand Cheval

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What does the word prolonged mean in paragraph 1 of the selection “A Legacy of Stone”?

• Working with inspiration

• Continuing for an extended time

• Presenting a large problem

• Moving a great distance

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Read this quotation from paragraph 9 of the selection “A Legacy of Stone.”

“Whatever your age, whatever you wish to achieve, if you are courageous, persistent, and hardworking, you are sure to succeed.”

What can the reader infer from this quotation?

• Cheval did not realize it would take him 33 years to complete his project

• Cheval is surprised that his interest in rocks led him to create a masterpiece.

• Cheval had specific traits that helped him achieve his goal.

• Cheval is an independent artist and did not want others to help him

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Information in the selection “Trees Rise in the Desert” suggests that Sawadogo values--

• advice from others

• spreading knowledge

• personal wealth

• exploring new places

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Which conclusion is supported by the information in paragraph 3 of the selection “Trees Rise in the Desert”?

• People are eager to try new ways to farm.

• The desert landscape naturally encourages plant growth.

• Zaï farming is the only successful way to prevent desertification.

• It can be helpful to look to the past for answers.

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What is the author’s purpose in the selection “Trees Rise in the Desert”?

• To highlight the desert lifestyle of Sawadogo and his people

• To show people how to plant forests using zaï farming

• To explain the different steps involved in zaï farming

• To describe how Sawadogo found a way to improve desert land

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What is the best summary of the selection “Trees Rise in the Desert”?

• Burkina Faso is a dry area located between the Sahara Desert and West Africa. A man named Yacouba Sawadogo dug many holes in the ground to try a method called zaï farming. When the rain finally came, the seeds sprouted. Now the area is a forest in the middle of the desert.

• During a ten-year desert drought, Yacouba Sawadogo, a farmer in Burkina Faso, used an old method called zaï farming. Many doubted that his method would work. However, after years passed, the seeds Sawadogo planted produced a forest. Today Sawadogo shares his method with others.

• Yacouba Sawadogo dug several holes in the ground and filled them with organic materials such as cattle manure and leaves. The villagers thought Sawadogo was foolish for planting seeds in pits when there was no water to help them grow. However, the seeds grew and the zaï farming method proved successful.

• Farmers in Burkina Faso were having trouble growing crops because of the ten-year drought. Yacouba Sawadogo dug holes and waited for the rain. His neighbors laughed at him, but he explained that the rain would eventually come. Now Sawadogo travels around the entire region.

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