Module 6 HMH

Read this paragraph.

It is spring in California. The sun shines down on a desert road with bright yellow sunflowers in full bloom on either side. Snow-capped mountains tower ahead. The road narrows and winds through the mountains. The mountains part, and there is a valley below. Circling the white valley floor are fields of wildflowers—golds and purples and pinks. People talk and laugh as they walk through the fields. With so much life, it is hard to believe that this place is actually named “Death Valley.”

Why does the author use descriptive language?

• to explain how the desert got its name

• to show there can be beauty even in the desert

• to explain how the desert became a national park

• to show that the weather changes quickly in the desert

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

Read this sentence.

It includes four mountain ranges that extend through the California desert.

Now read the dictionary entry. extend (ik-’stend) verb 1. to take up space 2. to cause to last longer: extend the school day by an hour 3. to put off until later: extend a deadline 4. to give or offer Which definition best matches the way extend is used in the sentence?

• definition 1

• definition 2

• definition 3

• definition 4

Tags

CCSS.L.2.4E

CCSS.L.3.4D

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

How are the ideas presented in these paragraph?

Summers in Death Valley are hot. During the summer months, the average temperature is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Daytime temperatures can skyrocket to 116 degrees, while nighttime temperatures are in the 80s.

Death Valley reaches such high temperatures for a reason. The valley floor is a long and narrow oval that is surrounded by tall mountains. The sun beats down on the valley floor, warming the air. Hot air tends to rise, but the high mountains around the valley are like walls that trap most of the heat during the day. Hot air is then forced back down into the valley, and with little chance to cool off at night, the heat is on!

• First paragraph asks a question about Death Valley and the next paragraph answers it.

• The first paragraph states a fact about Death Valley and the second gives an opinion based on it.

• First paragraph describes a problem in Death Valley and the second explains how it is solved.

• First paragraph describes conditions in Death Valley and the second explains what causes them.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

Read this paragraph.

What causes the amount of rain to be so small? Four mountain ranges stand between Death Valley and the Pacific Ocean. As storm clouds from the Pacific move toward the valley, they must rise to cross the mountains. Each time the clouds rise, they lose water in the form of rain or snow. By the time storm clouds have crossed over all four ranges, very little water is left for Death Valley.

The author says that Death Valley is so dry because there are four mountain ranges between Death Valley and the Pacific Ocean. How does the author support this idea?

• by explaining that Death Valley is below sea level

• by providing the name of the Badwater Basin valley

• by telling how much water visitors should take to Death Valley

• by explaining that storm clouds lose water as they cross the mountains

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.6

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RL.3.6

CCSS.RL.4.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

Read this sentence;

But those willing to take on the challenge will find happiness in the wonders of the hottest, lowest, and driest place in North America.

Think about the suffix –ness. What is the meaning of happiness above?

• the process of making someone not happy

• a feeling that is opposite of happy

• the state of being happy

• a group of happy people

Tags

CCSS.L.3.4B

CCSS.RF.3.3A

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

Read these paragraphs:

Spring is a special time to visit. Wildflowers blossom as the valley comes alive with color. One spring, Death Valley had a “superbloom.” The fall before had an unusually high rainfall. Millions of seeds sprouted in the following months. People flocked to the park in record numbers to experience this event that happens only once every ten years.

Death Valley is a place unlike any other. For some visitors, the weather might be challenging. But those willing to take on the challenge will find happiness in the wonders of the hottest, lowest, and driest place in North America.

As explained in the first paragraph , what was a result of the heavy rainfall in Death Valley?

• There were warmer temperatures in springtime.

• Many seeds were washed away before springtime.

• Many areas of the valley were closed by springtime.

• There were a very large number of flowers in springtime.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.3

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.5.3

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.7.3

Read these paragraphs:

Spring is a special time to visit. Wildflowers blossom as the valley comes alive with color. One spring, Death Valley had a “superbloom.” The fall before had an unusually high rainfall. Millions of seeds sprouted in the following months. People flocked to the park in record numbers to experience this event that happens only once every ten years.

Death Valley is a place unlike any other. For some visitors, the weather might be challenging. But those willing to take on the challenge will find happiness in the wonders of the hottest, lowest, and driest place in North America.

Which sentence from these paragraphs best supports that there were a very large number of flowers in springtime.

• Spring is a special time to visit. (paragraph 1)

• The fall before had an unusually high rainfall. (paragraph 1)

• Millions of seeds sprouted in the following months. (paragraph 1)

• For some visitors, the weather might be challenging. (paragraph 2)

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

Read the following stanza

The forest has been shaped over millions of years,

the earth shifting and moving around it.

But these trees planted their roots at the beginning of time,

proudly rose up and patiently waited

while the rest of the world pieced itself into place.

What does this stanza explains?

• It describes the size of the forest.

• It discusses the history of the forest.

• It explains where the forest is located.

• It tells how the forest protects the land.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

What does the figurative language in this stanza help readers understand about the redwoods?

These redwoods mysteriously soar

until they touch the sky,

giants who rest their heads upon the clouds.

Their trunks stand like pillars

that were built to support the stars.

• their quick growth

• their sleepy nature

• their enormous height

• their fearsome strength

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.5

Read these three lines.

Near the treetops,

layers of leaves and limbs interconnect,

knitted like a blanket covering the forest.

Think about the prefix inter-. What is the meaning of interconnect above?

• to fail at becoming connected

• to refuse to connect together

• to connect just before

• to connect between

Tags

CCSS.L.3.4B

CCSS.L.3.4C

CCSS.RF.3.3A

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.4.3A