Winter Benchmark '23 Review

What is the most likely reason the author includes the information in paragraphs 4 and 5?

• To illustrate that identifying a new species requires careful analysis of an animal.

• To explain that scientists are searching constantly for unknown types of animals.

• To argue that studying ocean animals is easier than studying land animals.

• To show that most animal research is conducted by government agencies.

What can the reader conclude from Michael Vecchione’s comments throughout the selection “A Ghostly New Creature”?

• Vecchione is not interested in learning more about the new octopod.

• Vecchione is fascinated by the discovery of new species.

• Vecchione was the coordinator of the project that discovered the unknown creature.

• Vecchione was first to understand the significance of finding the new octopod.

What is the best summary of the selection “A Ghostly New Creature”?

• Government scientists were sent to Hawaii to study animal life in the Pacific Ocean. They watched video that was taken by an underwater vehicle. Watching the video from a ship and from land, they saw a ghostlike octopod. The scientists named the mysterious new specimen Casper after Casper the Friendly Ghost, an old cartoon character.

• Near Hawaii a research team studied the Pacific Ocean thousands of feet below the surface. The team members became excited when they saw a white octopod appear on their video. They had not expected to see this finless animal as it was found below 13,000 feet where there is little food to support its existence.

• Scientists made an exciting find in the waters near Hawaii. While mapping the ocean floor to study ocean life, scientists saw a mysterious octopod. It was so unusual that scientists decided they had discovered a new species. The octopod that scientists found was unique, suggesting there are still undiscovered species located in other parts of the world.

• Dozens of researchers observed a white octopod in the ocean near Hawaii. Octopods are a category of eight-armed animals that include the octopus. The researchers used an underwater vehicle as part of their studies and were surprised to see the unusual creature. Scientists doubt that they will be able to examine a specimen of this new type of octopod.

What is the most likely reason the author wrote this selection?

• to describe a new creature scientists have discovered.

• to convince readers to become scientists to help discover new species.

• to detail how scientists discovered new creatures.

• to expose readers to all the new creatures they find.

Read the quote from paragraph 2:

“I was really excited because I recognized it was something unusual,” says zoologist Michael Vecchione.

What does this quote help the reader to understand?

• This Octopod was different than other Octopods.

• Scientists had been looking for the creature for a long time.

• The reason why Vecchione searched for this specific Octopod.

• Why scientists named the octopod after a cartoon character.

The author develops the controlling idea of the selection mainly by-

• describing how this octopod was found

• providing information about where the octopod lives and its unique qualities

• listing the unique qualities of this new octopod

• persuading others to search for new and unique creatures

In the selection “A Ghostly New Creature,” the author includes the photograph of the octopod most likely to help the reader better understand —

• why the octopod lives so deep in the ocean

• how far the octopod can move without having fins

• why scientists named the octopod after a cartoon character

• how the octopod uses its suckers to grasp objects

In the selection “A Ghostly New Creature,” which idea about the octopod best explains why the author includes the map?

• Octopods are found in many oceans throughout the world.

• The ghostly octopod is common only to the ocean area around Hawaii.

• Octopods are most commonly found near islands.

• The ghostly octopod was found near the Hawaiian Islands.

What sentence from the texts helps the reader understand this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience?

• But it did not look like any octopod the scientists had seen before.

• Still, the octopod’s discovery is exciting because it suggests that many more undiscovered species could live in the deep sea and other places on Earth.

• Some other types of octopods are known to live that deep in the ocean, but they all have fins on the sides of their bodies.

• “The likelihood of encountering another one of these octopods is very small,” Vecchione says.

Read this sentence from paragraph 8 of the selection “A Ghostly New Creature.”

Still, the octopod’s discovery is exciting because it suggests that many more undiscovered
species could live in the deep sea and other places on Earth.

Which sentence from the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists” is related to this idea? 

• He and his team have tiptoed to the location where they last heard them singing. (paragraph 1)

• But they must look very carefully because these frogs are smaller than a fingernail. 

     (paragraph 1) 

• The tiny amphibians were incredibly difficult to catch because they jump like crickets. 

     (paragraph 4)

• In spite of the countless challenges, new tiny frogs are being found among the planet’s 

     habitats that have previously been understudied. (paragraph 5)