Balloon Launch

Nora would like to close the first paragraph (sentences 1–5) with a sentence that tells what the story is about. Which of the following should Nora add after sentence 5?

• For Jayden’s birthday they had wanted to do something special.

• The balloons would fly effortlessly across the sky.

• Today Jayden and his dad would be passengers on one of the balloons!

• It was time for a birthday celebration!

Answer explanation

Adding this sentence effectively introduces the idea that Jayden’s birthday gift is a ride on a hot-air balloon, which is the focus of the entire story.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

What is the most effective way to combine sentences 12 and 13?

• What is the most effective way to combine sentences 12 and 13?

• Huge flames shot out of the burner because the air inside the balloon was heated.

• Huge flames shot out of the burner, the flames heated the air inside the balloon.

• Huge flames shot out of the burner, heating the air inside the balloon.

Answer explanation

Combining the ideas from two short sentences to form a single complex sentence eliminates the repetition of “flames” and is an effective way to combine the sentences.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.3

The transition from the third paragraph (sentences 9–15) to the fourth paragraph

(sentences 16–18) is weak. Read both paragraphs again. Which sentence could BEST replace sentence 16 and improve the transition between these two paragraphs?

• Finally, it was time for the riders to climb inside the basket attached to the balloon.

• Even though it was time, the strong ropes kept the balloon from taking off.

• When it was finally time, Jayden and his father smiled.

• The time had come, but Jayden began to feel a slight twinge of fear that he hadn’t

  expected.

Answer explanation

A transition is a word, phrase, or sentence that connects topics or ideas. Adding the transitional word “Finally” and the idea that “it was time for the riders to climb inside the basket” improves the transition because the information added logically supports the series of events described in the paragraph.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RL.6.10

CCSS.RL.7.10

Sentence 20 does not say what Nora intended it to say. How should she rewrite this sentence?

• With each blast from the air in the burner growing hotter, the balloon was allowed to fly higher and higher.

• With each blast from the burner, the air in the balloon grew hotter, allowing the balloon to fly higher and higher.

• With each blast from the burner, the balloon’s air grew hotter, this allowed the balloon to

  fly higher and higher.

• With each blast from the burner, the balloon grew hotter, allowing the balloon to fly higher

  and higher in the air.

Answer explanation

Rearranging the ideas to clarify that the “air in the balloon grew hotter” eliminates the awkward phrasing in the sentence and clearly shows the connection of ideas.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.3

CCSS.RI.8.5

Nora wants to expand on the idea she has expressed in sentence 23. Which sentence could BEST follow sentence 23?

• The adventure of the day had only just begun.

• As the balloon got higher in the air, things on the ground got smaller and smaller.

• Soon people were the size of ants, and cars and trucks looked like toys.

• Everything on the ground looked different when viewed from the air.

Answer explanation

Adding this sentence supports the ideas expressed in sentence 23 because specific details about what different objects look like are provided.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

How should sentence 24 be revised?

• For more than an hour, Jayden, his father, and their fellow passengers floated high and

  floated way above the trees and the town.

• For more than an hour, Jayden, his father, and their fellow passengers floated high above

  the trees and the town, which was way up high.

• For more than an hour, Jayden, his father, and their fellow passengers floated high above

  the trees and the town, which was way up high.

• For more than an hour, Jayden, his father, and their fellow passengers floated high above

  the trees and the town.

Answer explanation

Removing “and way” from the sentence eliminates the redundant idea “floated high and way above” in sentence 24.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.3

CCSS.RI.8.5