Figurative Language/Meanings

Building the transcontinental railroad was a huge job. Workers worked year round, in snowstorms and heat waves. They laid track through mountains, over valleys, and across rivers. In 1840, only 3,000 miles of track had been laid. By 1890, 164,000 miles of track SNAKED ITS WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. What do the bold words mean?

• The railroad tracks had many turns in them.

• The railroad tracks were dangerous.

• The railroads were quiet and fast.

• Trains were curvy.

In 1901, oil was discovered in Texas. Oil was in demand because it was used to heat homes and run trains. Suddenly oil companies sprang up all over the Southwest, as everyone wanted a piece of the pie. Some companies failed, but others, like Standard Oil, are still going strong today. What does the underlined word mean?

• the popped up out of the ground

• started as businesses

• grew from seeds

• bounced from place to place

In 1901, oil was discovered in Texas. Oil was in demand because it was used to heat homes and run trains. Suddenly oil companies sprang up all over the Southwest, as everyone wanted A PIECE OF THE PIE. Some companies failed, but others, like Standard Oil, are still going strong today. What do the bold words mean?

• to start a new business

• to eat because they were hungry

• to make money and be a part of the oil industry

• to heat their homes

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across America. And she was the first woman to fly across an ocean. In 1937, she tried to be the first woman to fly around the world. But this trip SPELLED DISASTER. Earhart's plane crashed into the sea, and she was never found. What do the bold words mean?

• made her famous

• had the words printed on the side of her airplane

• was impossible

• turned out badly

In 1886, Josephine Cochrane was tired of careless servants breaking her dishes. So she built a dishwasher. She placed racks on a wheel inside a large tub. As a motor turned the wheel, hot, soapy water sprayed the dishes. HUMMING HAPPILY AS IT WORKED, Cochrane's invention never broke a dish. What is the dishwasher being compared to in the bold words?

• a tub of water

• a machine

• a human being

• a bird

When Meg Conkey STUMBLED UPON a cave in France in 1994, she was in for a surprise. The walls of the cave were covered with drawings of animals and human handprints. These drawings are the oldest cave drawings ever found. What do the bold words mean?

• found by accident

• fell into

• became lost in

• tripped into

In World War II, the Russians thought the wide Bug River would protect them from the German army. But the Germans had AN ACE UP THEIR SLEEVE. They had invented an underwater tank! The Russians were surprised when 80 tanks emerged from the river--on their side! What do the bold words mean?

• The Germans could perform magic tricks.

• The Germans were good at magic tricks.

• The Germans had been keeping their underwater tanks a secret.

• The Germans wore lose fitting clothing.

In 1941, many countries were at war, but the United States refused to join the fight. However, on December 7, the Japanese AWOKE THE SLEEPING GIANT. Japanese planes attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, killing more than 2,000 sailors. The next day, the U.S. declared war on Japan. Who was the sleeping giant?

• The United States

• the naval base at Pearl Harbor

• Japanese

In the mid-1960s, young men in college could not be forced to join the military. Still, many of them protested the Vietnam War. In 1968, that law was changed, and even college students were for forced to serve in the military. This ADDED FUEL TO THE FIRE, and protests against the war increased. What do the bold words mean?

• made the situation worse

• increased the size of the military

• cause a fire with a lot of damage

• caused people to burn things

The changing of the guard at England's Buckingham Palace draws thousands of people every year. Soldiers, AS SERIOUS AS STONE in their red uniforms and bearskin helmets, stand watch outside of the castle. As new guards relieve the old, the guards band plays. Its music ranges from marches to pop songs. What do the bold words mean?

• sad

• angry

• unsmiling

• solid