The Iron Horse

Part A: What is the author’s purpose for writing this passage?

• to entertain readers with a story about baseball players

•  to persuade readers that Gehrig was one of the best baseball players

• to inform how baseball players have changed over the years

•  to inform readers about Gehrig’s life as a baseball player

Part B: Select the sentence that best shows how the author develops the purpose.

• The author describes the changes baseball players have gone through.

• The author shares stories about different baseball players.

• The author provides important facts about Gehrig’s life.

• The author gives reasons why Gehrig was the best baseball player.

Part A: What is the overall text structure of this passage?

• Cause and effect

• Comparison

• Chronology

Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports your answer from Part A?

• “Then, in 1925, first baseman Wally Pipp was injured when he was hit in the head with a ball.” (paragraph 5)

• “They came to say goodbye to Lou Gehrig.” (paragraph 1)

• “They worked hard to make ends meet.” (paragraph 2)

• “He had an illness that kept his brain and muscles from working right.” (paragraph 6)

What is the central idea of the text?

•  Lou Gehrig had many injuries as a baseball player.

• Baseball players are incredible players. 

• Lou Gehrig worked hard as a baseball player.

• Anyone can play baseball if they work hard.

How does the following relevant detail support the central idea?

 

“For the next fourteen years, Gehrig did not miss a single game.”

•  The detail explains how Lou Gehrig was determined.

• The detail describes the injuries Lou Gehrig had.

•  The detail explains how anyone can work hard.

• The detail describes how baseball players practice.

How does the photograph contribute to your understanding of the text?

• It describes the different baseball players that played in the stadium.

• It shows how big the stadium was where Lou Gehrig said goodbye.

• It shows how Lou Gehrig practiced for his baseball games.

• It describes how baseball is played in a stadium.