RL 6.2

Russian investigators are studying the Kursk submarine. They are trying to find out the cause of the explosions that sank it on August 12, 2000. Now, investigators say the sinking was not caused by a wreck with another ship. They also think the explosion could have been caused by a problem with a torpedo on the submarine. The Kursk is now at the bottom of the Barents Sea. A final report is expected in May.

What is this passage mostly about?

• The reason that the Kursk sank will be revealed by investigators in May.

• The Kursk sank to the bottom of the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000.

• Investigators are still studying the sinking of the Kursk submarine.

• Russian investigators have been working very hard to make the final report.

The Nobel Prize for Literature went to Doris Lessing of Britain. She won for her book The Golden Notebook, which was written in 1962. Lessing has been named a candidate for the award for 30 years. She once said, "I'll never get it." Less than two months after her 88th birthday, she received her award. She was the oldest person to win this prize. Lessing was honored at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden in December.

What is the central idea of this paragraph?

• Lessing turned 88 years old before getting her award.

• The Nobel Prize ceremony takes place in Sweden.

• The Golden Notebook was written in 1962.

• Doris Lessing won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Dear Editor,

Last Friday morning I awoke to find my apartment building in flames. Everyone in my building was affected by the fire damage, fear, shock, and a sense of loss. However, these feelings were greatly eased by the Springfield Fire Department. They were kind, professional, and efficient. Also, the American Red Cross offered counseling. They assisted those of us who were left without a home or belongings. In addition, a local moving company showed up. They donated their services to the residents who needed to move their furniture that was not ruined in the fire. Thank you to all the concerned citizens who brought us breakfast and lunch that day. Your kind actions will always be remembered.

Sincerely,

A Thankful Citizen

What was this letter mostly about?

• the damage, fear, and shock caused by an apartment fire

• the work that has to be done by many people after a fire

• the helpfulness of many people after a damaging fire

• the hard work and kindness of the city fire department

The Rhinoceros

There are several species of rhinoceroses, some of which are found in Asia and others in different parts of Africa. The four varieties of rhinoceroses are the black rhinoceros, having a single horn; the black species having two horns; the long-horned white rhinoceros; and the common white species, having a short, stubby horn.

The largest of the African species is the long-horned, white, or square-nosed rhinoceros. When full-grown, it sometimes measures eighteen feet in length and about the same around the body. Its horn frequently reaches a length of thirty inches.

The black rhinoceros, although much smaller than the white and seldom having a horn over eighteen inches long, is much fiercer than the white species and possesses a wonderful degree of strength.

The form of the rhinoceros is clumsy, and its appearance is dull and heavy. The limbs are thick and powerful, and each foot has three toes, which are covered with broad, hoof-like nails. The tail is small, and the head is very long and large. Taken altogether, the rhinoceros is the most unattractive of all animals. The eyes are set in such a manner that the animal cannot see anything exactly in front of it, but the senses of hearing and smell are so keen that sight is not required to detect an enemy. The skin of the African rhinoceros is smooth and has only a few hairs here and there. It is, however, very thick and tough.

The largest known species of the rhinoceros is found in Asia. It lives chiefly in the marshy jungles and on the banks of lakes and rivers in India. Some of this species are over five feet in height and have horns three feet in length and eighteen inches around the base.

The food of the rhinoceros consists of roots and the young branches and leaves of trees and shrubs.

Though clumsy, the rhinoceros is a very active animal when attacked or otherwise alarmed and moves at a great speed. It is very fierce and savage, and when attacking an enemy, it lowers its head and rushes forward.

Which statement showing two central ideas is supported by details from the passage?

• The African rhino is the largest of all, and the Asian rhino is the smallest rhino

• The skin of the African rhino is smooth, but the skin of the Asian rhino is rough.

• African rhinoceroses eat only plants, roots, and leaves and have sharp eyesight, and Asian rhinos have a sharp sense of hearing.

• There are four kinds of rhinoceroses, and though they look clumsy, they are very strong and can defend themselves fiercely.

Global warming is a topic that has been causing a lot of arguments lately. Some scientists say that temperatures around the globe have been rising because of all the pollution humans have let into the air. Others say that temperatures around the globe naturally rise every few thousand years. They say that it is not the fault of humans at all. People cannot seem to agree on the cause. Whatever the case, however, rising temperatures are causing glaciers around the world to melt. The lives of plants and animals are in danger. Effects of rising temperatures are being felt around the world. Whether everyone agrees about the causes or not, everyone is going to have to deal with the effects.

This paragraph is mostly about

• A. the causes of, effects of, and arguments about global warming.

• B. the natural rise of global temperatures that happens every few thousand years.

• C. the melting of glaciers caused by global warming and its effects on animals.

• D. the rising of global temperatures that is caused by pollution.

We often let others know what we are thinking without using words. The name that we give for this kind of communication is body language. Body language includes gestures, facial expressions, and posture. Body language does not always mean the same thing to everyone.

What is the central idea of the paragraph?

• We use body language to communicate with others.

• We sometimes use words to express ourselves.

• Body language may not mean the same thing to everyone.

• Body language includes gestures, facial expression, and posture.

Hummingbirds will entertain for food. They will put on an aerial show by soaring, diving, then hovering in midair before retreating temporarily to nearby trees and shrubs. Other tiny performers perch in nearby trees and shrubs or sip nectar from flowers while waiting their turn to go onstage. Several years ago we thought it would be nice to invite a few hummingbirds to our back yard. We put up a feeder and a few birds showed up for dinner. Little did we know they would invite all their friends. More of the feisty little birds show up each year. The birds earn their keep by entertaining us and our guests. Children and adults love to see their shows. The aerobatics start early each morning and continue until nightfall, so the entertainment is available most any time of the day.

Which sentence from the passage best describes the central idea?

• Children and adults love to see their shows.

• Hummingbirds will entertain for food.

• Other tiny performers perch in nearby trees.

• More of the feisty little birds show up each year.

What would you do if you loved to surf, but lived nowhere near the ocean? Well, in Wales, a country in Great Britain, the world's first public artificial wave pool has been built. What was once an aluminum factory has been turned into the longest man-made surf wave in the world, using rainwater from a nearby reservoir to fill the lagoon. The pool is able to produce a 6ft-tall barrel of water that peels for 490 feet and runs for 16 seconds. So, living in a landlocked city doesn't have to keep people from enjoying the water. An artificial beach or lagoon could solve this problem, especially if they are built indoors.

What is the central idea of this passage?

• Man-made lagoons and beaches allow the opportunity to reuse rainwater from reservoirs.

• Artificial lagoons are regularly created from old ponds of water that are no longer needed to support wildlife.

• Man-made lagoons and beaches can provide a place for people to surf even without an ocean nearby.

• Artificial beaches are found in many cities around the world, especially those close to the coast.

The Naismith Award is given to the nation's best college basketball player. Voters found room on their ballots this year for Illinois guard Frank Williams. His team is not playing well, even though he is. They also nominated Maryland's Lonny Baxter. Baxter is playing well but averages only 15.3 points a game. The most surprising name on the list was Kansas forward Nick Collison. Collison is having a fine year for one of the nation's top teams. He is probably only his team's third-best player.

For some reason, the sportswriters voting on this award did not pick Kansas player Kirk Hinrich. That is hard to understand. It is possible that no one has been more valuable to the Kansas team than him. This includes player of the year candidate Drew Gooden. Hinrich is at least one of the twenty best players in college this season. He may even be one of the ten best.

What is the central idea in this passage?

• The list of players nominated for the Naismith Award is surprising because of who it includes and who is missing.

• The people who nominated players for the Naismith Award are actually sportswriters from around the country.

• Kansas player Kirk Hinrich is one probably of the ten best college basketball players in the entire country.

• Kansas is one of the nation's top college basketball teams, and it has at least three great players on the team.

Daylight savings is a system of setting clocks 1 or 2 hours ahead. This causes sunrise and sunset to happen at a later hour. Daylight savings results in an extra hour of daylight in the evening. This idea was first jokingly mentioned in an essay by Benjamin Franklin in 1784. British builder William Willet wrote seriously about the idea in 1907.

Daylight savings has been used in the U.S. and many European countries since World War I. The system was started to conserve fuel needed to get electric power. Homes and businesses did not have to turn their lights on as early. Some places in the U.S. went back to standard time after the war.

During World War II, U.S. Congress passed a law putting the whole country on "war time." This set the clocks ahead 1 hour for the rest of the war. The Uniform Time Act in 1966 set up a daylight savings schedule for most of the U.S. Each state voted on whether the state would follow daylight savings time.

What is the central idea of this passage?

• how to set the clocks for daylight savings time

• how daylight savings time helps conserve fuel

• the people who invented daylight savings time

• what daylight savings time is and why we use it