PSSA Sampler September 2021

1. Read the sentence from the passage.

"But this water has no reassuring bottom close to my feet."

Why does the author include the sentence in the passage?

• to illustrate how the ocean waters are more dangerous in the summer than they are in the winter

• to compare her current experience in the ocean with her experience in a pool as a youth

• to explain how her goal to do research in the ocean is a goal she regrets having made

• to establish the fact that the water conditions are an unpredictable characteristic of the ocean

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

2. Which idea does the author convey by writing that newborn whale calves are "tailor-made for fundraising posters"?

• Newborn whale calves are the focus of expensive research

• Newborn whale calves have an emotional impact on people

• Newborn whale calves are interesting subjects for photographers

• Newborn whale calves need more attention from environmental groups

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

3. How does the author develop the central idea that humpback whales are extremely wary of humans?

• by describing the distances that humpback whales travel each year

• by describing the remote areas of the ocean inhabited by humpback whales

• by emphasizing the caution that must be used to approach humpback whales

• by emphasizing how little time humpback whales spend at the surface of the ocean

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

4. Which sentence does the author include in the passage to disprove a theory?

• "New humpback moms rarely rest with such young calves in tow, so my teammate, John Cesere and I know that is a moment not to be missed.

• "We've already spent an hour with this pair, following from our research boat at a discreet distance, plotting their movements, dive patterns and surface activity."

• "To get the full perspective, we need to see the underwater portion, so with that in mind, we gently push away from the side of the boat..."

• "However, as it turns out, even the smallest calves are thermo-neutral, generating enough metabolic heat to keep them toasty warm..."

Part One

5. What is the meaning of the statement that humpback whales have come "back from the brink"?

• The whales were close to becoming extinct

• The whales are now popular with the public

• The whales are now flourishing in deeper waters

• The whales were being chased away by predators

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Part Two

5. Which phrase from the passage best provides the context to support the answer in Part One? Choose one answer.

• "success story"

• "environmental awareness"

• "endangered species"

• "around the globe"

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

6. Read the sentence from the passage.

"As whale-watching companies switch to larger vessels and land use along the shoreline transitions from agriculture to housing, the coastal regions of west Maui are becoming more and more urbanized."

What is the meaning of the word transitions in the sentence?

• changes

• improves

• expands

• commences

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Part One

7. Based on the passage, which event has most directly influenced the author's current research plans?

• the change in the preferred habitat of female humpback whales and their calves

• the increased public interest in the preservation of humpback whale populations

• the opportunity to make a documentary about humpback whale calves

• the presence of male humpback whales in different areas of the ocean

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.6

Part Two

7. Which sentences from the passage support the answer in Part One? Choose two answers.

A. "...we have yet to document exactly where and when pregnant females give birth.."

B. "...females and their young calves are moving away from some regions of the shoreline.."

C. "...For maternal females in Maui waters, is there a cost to this offshore switch?"

D. "...but my lingering thought for today--exactly who was watching who?"

• A, B

• B, C

• C, D

• A, D

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.1

CCSS.RI.3.1

CCSS.RL.1.1

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

What are the key words in the following prompt:

Nature often has a role in many myths. Write an essay analyzing the role of nature in both the passage and the poem. Use evidence from both the passage and the poem to support your response.

• myth, nature

• essay, evidence

• both, support

• analyzing, response

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.7