STAAR Paired Nonfiction Passage

Use "Uncovering a New Era in Archaeology" to answer the following questions.

The author includes the description in paragraph 1 most likely to —

• illustrate the significance of what archaeologists hope to discover

• explain the tasks most commonly performed by archaeologists

• emphasize the difficulty archaeologists face when trying to locate ancient cities

• highlight the activities that take the most time for archaeologists to perform

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

In paragraph 5, the examples of lost cities suggest that a major role of an archaeologist is to —

• explain why real locations are mentioned in ancient literature

• locate written accounts of powerful cities that no longer exist

• create replicas of historical buildings based on satellite images

• find clues that provide a better understanding of the past

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CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

In paragraph 3, the author uses the example of the 3,000-year-old house in Tanis to —

• prove that satellites are constantly taking photographs to locate ancient cities

• demonstrate that sites once thought to be fictional have been proved to exist

• emphasize that satellite photography is powerful enough to find a single building

• suggest that previously discovered sites may be much older than originally thought

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

Parcak hopes that the use of modern technology in archaeology will —

• inspire more young people to become archaeologists

• help archaeologists better understand previous discoveries

• lead to more archaeological discoveries being used in movies

• one day allow archaeologists to find objects smaller than a meter in diameter

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Use "Picturing the Past for the Future" to answer the following questions.

Read the dictionary entry below for the word mission. Which definition represents the meaning of mission as it is used in paragraph 2?

• Definition 1: a group of people sent to establish relations with a foreign country

• Definition 2: a special assignment

• Definition 3: a building for carrying out religious or charity work

• Definition 4: a welfare organization established for people in need

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CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

Based on the information in the selection, which of these would CyArk most likely digitally preserve?

• Lambert Glacier, the largest glacier in Antarctica

• Eagle, the American lunar module used by the first astronauts to land on the moon

• Mount McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America

• The Great Pyramid at Giza, an ancient pharaoh’s tomb in the Egyptian desert

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Which sentence from the selection suggests that the author thinks CyArk’s work is important?

• It’s difficult to imagine a more majestic American landmark than Mount Rushmore, with its imposing likenesses of former presidents carved in stone and rising dramatically above the land.

• CyArk has documented locations across the globe.

• CyArk’s preservation process ensures that images of such sites will be available for future generations, even if the site itself is permanently lost.

• In 2010, Cedarleaf learned that the tombs had burned to the ground.

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CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RI.8.9

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

Which emotion is the photograph most likely intended to evoke in the reader?

• Concern for the environment

• Awe at a magnificent monument

• Excitement about visiting South Dakota

• Disappointment in the condition of the monument

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CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.6.7

Which sentence expresses an opinion?

• It is even harder to imagine the loss to our nation if time or the elements were to destroy this beloved landmark.

• Thanks to a company called CyArk, sites like Mount Rushmore can now be digitally preserved and explored for years to come.

• The team then uses these data to create high-definition images of the site for storage.

• Sites such as these are constantly at risk of destruction from continual exposure to water, sun, and wind or from natural disasters such as earthquakes.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

Use "Uncovering a New Era in Archaeology" and "Picturing the Past for the Future' to answer the following questions.

Dr. Sarah Parcak and Ben Kacyra would most likely agree about the importance of —

• discovering sites made famous in films

• using three-dimensional models to create images of landmarks

• making future generations aware of important cultural history

• allowing tourists to visit historical sites through the Internet

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.6.9