Ohio Test Prep 5th Grade ELA - Ancient Timekeeping Quiz

What did ancient people use to measure hours in a day about 4,000 years ago?

• They used mechanical clocks.

• They observed the sun's position in the sky.

• They used water clocks.

• They relied on digital timekeeping.

Why were water clocks more practical than sundials at night or on cloudy days?

• Because water clocks could work without the sun.

• Because water clocks were easier to read.

• Because water clocks were less expensive.

• Because water clocks were more accurate.

What was the problem with clocks that burned and dripped?

• They could only show how much time had passed since they were set.

• They were too expensive for most people to afford.

• They were not accurate in different temperatures.

• They could not be used during the daytime.

Why did old clocks become inadequate as towns and cities grew and trade between countries increased?

• Because they were not durable enough for travel.

• Because they did not show the correct time of day.

• Because they were too large to be practical.

• Because they were not attractive enough.

According to the passage, what did early explorers use to estimate the time of day before the understanding that the Earth revolves around the sun was common?

• They used a sundial.

• They used a stick in the ground and its shadow.

• They used a mechanical clock.

• They observed the position of the stars.

What is the main reason you should never look directly at the sun, as mentioned in the passage?

• It can cause psychological effects.

• It can lead to temporary blindness.

• It can cause damage to your eyes.

• It can change your perception of color.

How can you determine the east direction using the shadow of a stick?

• By marking where the shadow is the longest.

• By marking where the shadow is at noon.

• By marking the tip of the shadow at two different times and drawing a line between the marks.

• By observing the shadow at sunrise.

Which sentence from Passage 1 explains a problem of telling time with sundials?

• “Thousands of years ago, people didn’t care what time it was.” (paragraph 1)

• “But to survive, our ancestors did need to keep track of day, night, and seasons.” (paragraph 2)

• “At night, or on cloudy days, they didn’t work.” (paragraph 4)

• “...[T]hey only showed how much time had passed.” (paragraph 5)

What does 'revolving' mean as it is used in the sentence from Passage 2?

• moving around a central point

• repeating again and again

• turning around quickly

• tilting to one side

What does sustain mean as used in the sentence?

• preserve

• prove

• suffer

• support