Riiip! Thanks, George! by Hannah Ford

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then answer Part B.

Part A: How did George Mestral come up with the idea for Velcro?

• He looked at the unusual fasteners used on hiking clothes.

• He saw special fabrics that were fuzzy on one side and prickly on the other.

• He had been asked to invent a new kind of fastener.

• He noticed that burs were sticking to his pants and socks after a hike.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage best supports your answer to Part A?

• "Close up, George saw that each little spike on the bur ended in a hook."

• "After many years of experimenting, George was able to re-create the sticking power of the little burs."

• "He named it 'Velcro,' a combination of the words velour ('velvet') and crochet ('hook')."

• "Even toddlers could fasten and unfasten their straps!"

According to both the photographs and the text of the passage, how is a bur similar to Velcro?

• Both grow on a plant.

• Both are brownish in color.

• Both have tiny hooks on the ends.

• Both are shaped like tiny zippers.

Reread paragraph 4 and look again at the photographs. Which two of the following details explain how Velcro is made?

• It is made with spikes and hooks pulled from burs.

• It uses two different pieces of fabric.

• It uses the same fibers that socks are made from.

• It has prickly hooks on one side and loops on the other.

• It is made from velvet.

What is one reason that astronauts first started to use Velcro?

• It held tools in place so they couldn't float away.

• It allowed astronauts to wear sneakers.

• It allowed astronauts to walk inside a spaceship.

• It helped astronauts walk safely on the moon.

Why was Velcro popular with skiers? Use complete sentences.

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Read these sentences from paragraph 5.

He knew that his invention could take the place of many fasteners. Zippers, buttons, pins, and shoelaces would all become a thing of the past, he claimed.

What are two ways to figure out the meaning of fastener?

• Use the meaning of invention, which means something similiar.

• Use the examples in the next sentence, which are all objects used to join things together.

• Think about the meaning of fasten, which means "to hold in place."

• Think about the meaning of fast, which means "quick."

• Break the word fasteners down into two smaller words.

Why would Velcro be most useful on clothing meant for children?

• Chidren usually wear bulky clothing.

• Velcro makes a ripping sound that children enjoy.

• Velcro straps are easy to fasten and unfasten.

• It can be used to hold caps and gloves in place.

Which sentence does the photograph of the astronaut on page 291 help you understand?

• "He knew that his invention could take the place of many fasteners."

• "Velcro's first big fan was NASA."

• "It could hold tools in place so they wouldn't float away."

• "Astronauts had lots of bulky equipment to put on and take off."

Write a paragraph explaining how Velcro works. Use details from both the text and the photographs in your answer.

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