TKA - Reading & Vocabulary ( Pre- test)

Floods can cause tremendous damage.  They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind.  It can take months to clean up after a flood.
 What is the main idea?

• Floods can cause a lot of damage.
• Floods cause mudslides.
• Floods damage houses and roads. 

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

Soccer is known in some countries as football. It is a popular sport across the world, with over 200 countries playing the sport. It is estimated that over 250 million people, both men and women, play soccer. The sport has been part of the Olympic games from 1900 to 1928 and from 1936 to today.
 What is the main idea?

• Soccer is important at the Olympics.
• Soccer is a worldwide sport.
• Soccer is also called football.
• Soccer is played by men and women.

It was raining outside. Sue got out of bed and got dressed for school. Then, she ate breakfast and grabbed her backpack.  Before Sue left the house, she probably ___________________.

• got her sunglasses
• made a sandwich
• picked up her umbrella
• put on sandals

Sam woke up and saw the sun shining in the sky. He packed his swimming suit, a towel, a beach ball, and his sandals in his bag. Then, he went to the kitchen and made a sack lunch.
Sam is most likely going to ___________________.

• the beach
• school
• the mall
• the library

Dolphins are very smart animals.  They even have their own language.   They talk to each other with clicks, whistles, and grunts.  Scientists have been studying this dolphin language.  They hope that in the future, people and dolphins will be able to talk to each other. This paragraph mainly tells:

• how dolphins talk to people
• how smart dolphins are 
• how dolpins are different from fish
• which scientists are studying languages

Do you enjoy kites?  If you order right away, we will give you directions for making kites out of all kinds of materials-sticks, straws, socks, and more.  All of this for only $10.95.  Hurry!  Time is limited. 
What is this ad trying to get the reader to do?

• buy information about sticks and straws.
• Buy information about sock puppets.
• Buy information about kite making.
• Buy a read-to-fly kite.

The renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert on October 22, 1881. It has continued to uphold the vision of its founder, the philanthropist, Civil War veteran, and amateur musician Henry Lee Higginson, who dreamed of founding a great and permanent orchestra in Boston for many years. The first concert was given under the direction of conductor Georg Henschel, who remained music director until 1884.

Question

"inaugural" could best replaced by____

• the first

• the famous

• the initial

• the beginning

The renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert on October 22, 1881. It has continued to uphold the vision of its founder, the philanthropist, Civil War veteran, and amateur musician Henry Lee Higginson, who dreamed of founding a great and permanent orchestra in Boston for many years. The first concert was given under the direction of conductor Georg Henschel, who remained music director until 1884

Question

"uphold" could be best replaced by_____

• endorse

• defend

• support

• maintain

The renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert on October 22, 1881. It has continued to uphold the vision of its founder, the philanthropist, Civil War veteran, and amateur musician Henry Lee Higginson, who dreamed of founding a great and permanent orchestra in Boston for many years.

Question

"founder" could be best replaced by ________

• creator

• initiator

• organizer

• author