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Summarizing Fiction and Non-Fiction

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 1hrs 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
In 2029 the mutant population has shrunk significantly and the X-Men have disbanded. Logan, whose power to self-heal is dwindling, has surrendered himself to alcohol and now earns a living as a chauffeur. He takes care of the ailing old Professor X whom he keeps hidden away.
b)
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X somewhere on the Mexican border. However, Logan's attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are upended when a young mutant arrives, pursued by dark forces. Eventually he makes peace with his inner demons and paves the ways the for a new generation at great personal cost.
c)
 In this third cinematic outing featuring the Marvel comic book character Wolverine we see the superheroes beset by everyday problems. They are ageing, ailing and struggling to survive financially.
d)
One day, a female stranger asks Logan to drive a girl named Laura to the Canadian border. At first he refuses, but the Professor has been waiting for a long time for her to appear. Laura possesses an extraordinary fighting prowess and is in many ways like Wolverine. She is pursued by sinister figures working for a powerful corporation.
2.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
A team of scientists explore an uncharted island in the Pacific, venturing into the domain of the mighty Kong, and must fight to escape a primal Eden.
b)
It's 1971, a team of explorers with a company of soldiers are following myth and legend in the Pacific amidst rumors of an island where creatures both prehistoric and monstrous are supposed to live. Soon they come across Skull Island, the very island of lore and legend. 
c)
The creatures they soon come across make the soldiers and explorers running for their very lives. Soon Kong shows up to let all know that he is the King of Skull Island and top of the food chain. Will they survive to tell their story?
d)
A diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific. The team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they fight alongside Kong to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.
3.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
A young prince, imprisoned in the form of a beast, can be freed only by true love. What may be his only opportunity arrives when he meets Belle, the only human girl to ever visit the castle since it was enchanted. Their emotional journey gives life to a lasting love.
b)
An adaptation of the Disney fairy tale about a monstrous-looking prince and a young woman who must find each other.
c)
A young woman whose father has been imprisoned by a terrifying beast offers herself in his place, unaware that her captor is actually a prince, physically altered by a magic spell.
d)
Disney's animated classic takes on a new form, with a widened mythology and an all-star cast. A young prince, imprisoned in the form of a beast, can be freed only by true love. 
4.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
In a city of humanoid animals, a hustling theater impresario's attempt to save his theater with a singing competition becomes grander than he anticipates even as its finalists' find that their lives will never be the same.
b)
Buster Moon, a dapper koala, presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some, might even say delusional-optimist, who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life's ambition, he produces the world's greatest singing competition to restore his fading jewel to its former glory.
c)
As Buster rides through town, we meet some of the other main characters - Johnny the gorilla is singing to himself in an alley, but he ducks when he sees some cops. He speaks into a radio to tell a group of guys to stay put, but his father, gang leader Big Daddy, and his goons break out and grab Johnny as they have just robbed some valuables.
d)
Buster calls the animals so that the show may go on. Mike bails when he learns that it's no longer a competition and there won't be any prize money. They set up a stage in the middle of the theater ruins and get some of the animals' families to come by, except it's just Rosita and Meena's families that show up. The show begins with Rosita and Gunter performing "Shake It Off" with a dance in sparkly outfits. Rosita's kids are all excited, and Norman is so astonished that he runs up on the stage to kiss his wife.
5.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master way-finder. Together they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds.
b)
Moana is a daughter of the chief of her tribe, Coming from a long line of navigators she sets off for a fabled island with her hero, the demi God Maui. Along the voyage they battle the treacherous ocean and all which it hides.
c)
In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the Demigod Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the Demigod to set things right.
d)
Moana Waialiki is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island's fishermen can't catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess, Te Fiti. The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti's heart, so Moana sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific, and in the process saving her community.
6.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
Marvel's "Doctor Strange" follows the story of the talented neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. 
b)
The story of the talented neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. Based in New York City's Greenwich Village, Doctor Strange must acts as an intermediary between the real world and what lies beyond, utilizing a vast array of metaphysical abilities and artifacts to protect mankind.
c)
In New York, the arrogant Dr. Stephen Strange is a talented neurosurgeon with a huge ego. After a car accident, Dr. Strange damages his fingers and loses control of his hands. The surgeon, Christine Palmer, who was his lover, tries to help him. But Dr. Strange unsuccessfully spends his savings searching for an experimental treatment for his fingers.
d)
The Ancient One teaches Dr. Strange how to be a hero. However, her former protégé, Kaecilius, has contacted the powerful demon Dormammu in the Dark Dimension and wants to destroy the three Sanctums with his minions to let the Dark Dimension, where time does not exist and anyone can live forever, to rule the world. Will The Ancient One, Dr. Strange and Mordo save the world?
7.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life. John navigates this criminal abyss to thwart the price on his head.
b)
After returning to the criminal underworld to repay a debt, John Wick discovers that a large bounty has been put on his life.
c)
John returns home to the still unnamed dog he took at the end of the first movie. He calls Aurelio to come pick up the car, which is a total wreck. Still, Aurelio claims he can fix it. After he leaves, John reburies his weapons beneath cement, as he feels he is done with the assassin life. He watches a video on his phone of himself and his late wife Helen.
d)
John heads to a museum where Santino is set to take his place at the High Table. John crashes the shindig and starts going after all of Santino's men. John chases Santino through a hall of mirrors before having to fight Ares. John manages to stab Ares and leave her to die.
8.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
It feels good to be bad...Assemble a team of the world's most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government's disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. 
b)
A secret government agency, led by the ruthless, high-ranking official Amanda Waller, recruits some of the most dangerous, incarcerated villains on the planet to execute dangerous black ops missions and save the world from a potentially apocalyptic threat from a mysterious, supernatural entity.
c)
A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse. The unlikely “team” bands together to halt a deadly and save the planet from impending doom.
d)
After the death of Superman, the leader of a secret agency, Amanda Waller, convinces the government to recruit super-villains imprisoned in Belle Reve to protect the world. 
9.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
A group of people are taking a tour of the Aldridge mansion in New York City. The tour guide Garrett tells the group of Gertrude Aldridge, a disturbed woman that was kept locked in the basement by her father.
b)
Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.
c)
Garrett hears a noise near the basement. The door begins shaking, and he runs for it. Garrett tries to run out of the mansion, but the doorknob has been heated. 
d)
The Ghostbusters head to the hotel to find a still-possessed Kevin having frozen the police and military. Rowan leaves Kevin's body and decides to take on a familiar, more "friendly" form - the Ghostbusters logo. However, he grows into a humongous beast that bursts out of the hotel and begins wreaking havoc on the city.
10.
What is the BEST summary of this film?
a)
The Trolls all lived in a tree, and they were the happiest creatures ever. They would sing, dance, and hug all the time. However, they were discovered by the Bergens.
b)
The Trolls have a party, but the bursts of glitter and light and the sound of loud music is enough to get the attention of Chef, who now looks ragged and disheveled, having spent the last 2 decades searching for the Trolls.
c)
Poppy goes to Branch's bunker and asks for his help, but he refuses. Poppy then brings back the rest of the Trolls into the bunker, to Branch's displeasure, as she sets off to find her friends by herself.
d)
After the Bergens invade Troll Village, Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and the curmudgeonly Branch set off on a journey to rescue her friends. By working together as a team, they are able to save all of the Bergens.
11.
For as long as anyone can remember, humankind has believed that any food item dropped on the floor can still be eaten, as long as it was on the floor for less than five seconds.
Of course, there are still rebels who say that floors are consistently unclean. They think that if food spends any time on the floor it becomes unsafe. Then there are those who are just happy to take their chances. But lately, scientists have been trying to get in on the act.

The biggest story never told in five-second rule headlines is that it does not matter either way. It is true that contamination of food from dirty cooking tools is a leading cause of food poisoning. Using unwashed knives that have cut raw chicken to cut raw vegetables can make people sick. However, good food landing on a fairly clean floor has seldom harmed anyone.

a)
Maybe science is oversimplifying things.
b)
In 2014, Aston University announced that when food hit the floor, it instantly picked up at least some bacteria.
c)
The 5-second rule has intrigued us for years, now scientists weigh in.
d)
The amount of dirt stuck to the food increased tremendously in the period from three to 30 seconds after landing.
12.
You have probably seen it plastered all over hats, T-shirts and Instagram feeds: "YOLO," short for "You Only Live Once." The rapper Drake made the phrase go mainstream in his song "The Motto."
In other words, "YOLO" means life is short so we had better make the most of it. It's something humans seemingly have tried to remind each other since the dawn of time.
Scientists now say it might be more than just a trendy saying. A team of researchers from several universities, including Cambridge and Cal State, say that adopting a "YOLO" lifestyle is good for our brains.
a)
Two Groups Chart Their "YOLO" Activities.
b)
Researchers say a "YOLO" attitude is good for our brains.
c)
How Certain Are The Results?
d)
It could be that thinking of your time in a place as limited makes you go out and do more things to enjoy your time in that place.
13.
Buying and selling rhino horn is illegal, but that does not stop some criminal groups. After all, rhino horn is said to be worth more than gold.
Those involved in the illegal trade of rhino horn are going to ever-greater lengths. That became clear last week at a zoo near Paris, France. During the night, criminals broke into the zoo, shot a white rhino named Vince, and cut off his 8-inch horn with a chainsaw.
The attack marks a shocking development in a crisis that sees more than three rhinos killed every day in their southern African homelands. Demand for rhino horn in Vietnam and China continues to fuel poaching and smuggling. The illegal sales put rhinos at risk of becoming extinct.

a)
A White Rhino shot and killed at a French zoo for its valuable horn.
b)
Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails.
c)
Wildlife trafficking is a multibillion-dollar business surpassed only by the smuggling of drugs, guns and people.
d)
Hundreds of poachers have been killed in the last seven years, and rangers, soldiers and policemen have also died.
14.
There is history preserved on a Bolivian mountain top. It is ice, but it is also about 18,000 years of records of the Earth's climate.
Glaciers hold information about the Earth. It dates back to when humans were only just learning to farm.
A glacier is a slow-moving mass of ice. It forms when snow accumulates year after year and is then pushed down into tightly packed ice.
Glaciers can be very old and contain bits of gas, chemicals and dust. Because of this, scientists can study glacier ice in a lab to learn about what the past was like.
The scientists use glacier ice to learn about how it used to rain, about forest fires, about what temperatures used to be like, changes in greenhouse gases and things that pollute the air. The ice provides an important understanding of how our climate is changing.
a)
One ice core from Col du Dome and one from Illimani will remain in Grenoble to be studied.
b)
Studying a glacier means the area's environment can be reconstructed as far back as the peak of the last Ice Age.
c)
A glacier is a slow-moving mass of ice.
d)
Scientists drill deep down into glaciers to learn about climate changes.
15.
Tamara Estupinan is a historian. She found lost Incan ruins and is in the middle of defending her discovery. She found them because of a signature in a 400-year-old, leather-bound book.
The story begins in 1532. Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captured Atahualpa in Peru. Atahualpa, which is pronounced ah-ta-WAL-pah, was the last king of the Inca. The Inca were an ancient people. They controlled the largest empire in South America before Europeans arrived. The Spanish came to South America in search of land and gold. They defeated the people who were already there, like the Inca, and took their land.
Pizarro demanded a room full of gold in exchange for Atahualpa. He could not wait, though, and killed the ruler. Atahualpa's body disappeared. People say his faithful generals hid the treasure they were carrying. Since then, people have been searching Ecuador for the gold.

a)
Estupinan began researching Incan funerals. She discovered that a ruler's mummy was referred to as a malqui.
b)
A researcher uses 400-year-old book to solve Incan mystery.
c)
Estupinan says the followers were not hiding treasure. They were hiding the king's body.
d)
Estupinan's search for Atahualpa's body began with a book and a signature.
16.
Folks on "Sesame Street" have a way of making everyone feel welcome.That certainly goes for Julia, a Muppet youngster with red hair, bright green eyes — and autism. Rather than being treated like an outsider, which too often is the case for kids on the autism spectrum, Julia is one of the gang. Autism is a condition that can make it hard to communicate verbally. Sometimes, people with autism have a hard time in social situations. The term "spectrum" is used because there is a wide range of challenges as well as strengths among people with autism. "Sesame Street" is filmed at New York City's Kaufman Astoria Studios. On this friendly street, Julia is about to play a game with Oscar, Abby and Grover. In this scene, these Muppet friends have been challenged to spot objects shaped like squares, circles or triangles.
a)
"Sesame Street" is filmed at New York City's Kaufman Astoria Studios.
b)
Developing Julia and all the other parts of this campaign has required years of consultation with experts.
c)
Working on "Sesame Street" is a blast.
d)
"Sesame Street" introduces its newest character — a Muppet with autism.
17.
By the time Mary-Pat Hector was in high school, she was already a seasoned activist.It began, she says, when she was 9 years old and a friend was struggling with an abusive parent. So Hector wrote a play about the trials young people of different socio-economic backgrounds face in order to give her friend's problems a voice. She called it "Easy Street Ain't So Easy." Two years later, at 11 years old, she arranged a protest of 50 students to advocate for a new community recreation center in response to increasing juvenile crime in her neighborhood. Local media and community leaders ignored her. So she called in to the national radio show of Rev. Al Sharpton, the famous civil rights advocate, and he came down to Georgia to meet her.The two hit it off, and Sharpton made her, at age 14, the national youth director of his organization, National Action Network. That relationship brought her face-to-face with President Barack Obama last summer at the White House for an intimate roundtable discussion on civil rights issues with people of all ages. There, Obama, a former community organizer, told them that change begins at the local level.
a)
Diversity means including people Of different ages.
b)
Teen wants city council members and local residents to look past her young age.
c)
To see change, you have to effect change in an effective manner.
d)
Having the voice of a younger person is crucial.
18.
Lego is adding five new female characters to its line. They all represent NASA scientists and astronauts. These women were some of the first females in their male-heavy fields. The new line of Legos was announced on Tuesday. Margaret Hamilton, a computer scientist will be one of the Legos. Katherine Johnson, the mathematician, and the astronomer Nancy Grace Roman will also be characters. The astronauts are Sally Ride, the first woman in space, and Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space. The idea came from Maia Weinstock, the deputy editor of MIT News. It was part of the Lego Ideas competition where fans send in ideas for new legos. 
a)
Lego celebrates NASA's female figures.
b)
The Oscar-nominated film, "Hidden Figures," has put NASA women in the spotlight recently.
c)
NASA announced through Twitter that the toy set will be available in about a year. 
d)
Katherine Johnson, a mathematician and space scientist, will be part of a new Lego set.
19.
More than 15 years ago, Dawn Prescott was riding on a bus that crashed in Omaha, Nebraska.Prescott was a chaperone for the high school band. Her 14-year-old son, Benjamin, was sitting a few rows ahead of her.Benjamin, two other students and a parent were killed. Twenty-six passengers were injured and so was the driver. The driver was the only one on the bus wearing a seat belt. Seat belts weren't required, so the bus didn't have any for its riders.Since the crash, Prescott, a middle school teacher, has wanted a law to have seat belts on new school buses. So far, Nebraska lawmakers have not made this law. They're considering it again this year, though.
a)
School bus seat belt laws have been suggested in at least 19 other states.
b)
Small buses are required to have seat belts because they are more like vans and cars. 
c)
School districts without enough money could put off buying new, safer buses.
d)
States buckle down to discuss making seat belts mandatory on school buses.
20.
For the past two weeks, heavy rains have pushed water levels at one of Northern California’s largest reservoirs into the danger zone. Officials warned it could overflow.That happened over the weekend, sending massive amounts of water into the Coyote Creek, which runs through the heart of San Jose, a city with over a million residents. By Tuesday last week, the creek was overflowing at numerous locations. Neighborhoods were inundated and hundreds of homes were flooded. This forced the frantic evacuation of more than 14,000 residents, who remained out of their homes the following day.
a)
Many residents rushed to fill up their cars with priceless valuables.
b)
Flooding in San Jose forces shocked and angry residents from their homes.
c)
Residents are angry about why they were not given more warning that a disaster was about to happen.
d)
Evacuation centers were set up at two community centers, where more than 300 residents stayed overnight. 
21.
President Donald Trump signed a new bill into law last week. It gives $19.5 billion dollars to NASA, the U.S. space agency.Last week, Trump laid out a blueprint for the federal budget. This is a plan for how the U.S. government will spend its money. The NASA bill more or less lines up with Trump's plan. NASA's long-term goal will remain sending humans to Mars. To help the agency do this, the government will continue to support several NASA projects. It will pay for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew capsule for the Mars mission.Trump said the bill showed the nation's commitment to "human space exploration, space science and technology." Later he added, "We support jobs. It's about jobs."
a)
Trump signs off on NASA money to send humans to Mars.
b)
NASA is now looking for other stops on the path from Earth to Mars.
c)
 NASA is looking at adding astronauts to the first test flight of the SLS rocket. 
d)
Lawmakers also want NASA to come up with an alternative to the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM).
22.
The dream of flying cars might not get off the ground just yet. Rising in its place is the dream of self-flying drones big enough to carry people around town. Drones are small planes without pilots that are controlled by computers. Several companies are now developing passenger drones.Passenger drones are different from flying cars. They are autonomous, which means they operate themselves. They do not need a trained pilot. Last month, the Chinese company EHang announced that it would launch its passenger drone service in July. The company built a drone called the EHang 184. It looks like a large quadcopter with a space on top for passengers.Last October, the Uber company publicized its Elevate program for air transportation in cities. It announced its support for companies building drones like the 184. Uber also hired Mark Moore, a scientist at NASA. Moore is an expert in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft designs. VTOL aircraft do not require the long runways that airplanes need. As a result, they can land in busy places such as cities.
a)
NASA would like drone operators to send flight information to a central system. 
b)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in charge of the nation's skies.
c)
Flying cars might sound crazy, but some say they are right down the road.
d)
Passenger drone designs use something called "distributed electric propulsion."
23.
The head of a huge statue was recently discovered in a poor neighborhood in Cairo, Egypt. Archaeologists, scientists who study ancient people through the artifacts they dig up, believe it may be of Ramses II. He was one of the most famous pharaohs to rule ancient Egypt.A large part of the statue's head was pulled from the mud and water last week. The head is about 26 feet high. It was discovered by a team of archaeologists from Egypt and Germany. A bulldozer lifted the head out of the ground. The team had to be very careful with the statue in order to be sure that removing it did not cause any damage. 
a)
Khaled Nabil Osman is an expert on ancient Egypt. 
b)
Ramses II ruled Egypt for 60 years, longer than most ancient Egyptian rulers. 
c)
a giant statue head found in Cairo a sign of more buried history in waiting.
d)
Egypt is packed with ancient treasures. 
24.
On Saturday, Serena Williams won a Grand Slam for the 23rd time. She made history, taking over the record for the most Grand Slam wins in modern tennis. In tennis, there are four Grand Slam tournaments every year. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. On Saturday, Serena won her seventh Australian Open title.Venus Williams, Serena's sister, got to watch from close range again. The two sisters were facing off from opposite sides of the net. Serena won the match by a score of 6-4, 6-4. Venus cried after losing, but more out of joy than sadness. It was the seventh time she was beaten by her record-breaking younger sister. 
a)
Serena Williams wins Australian Open to take Grand Slam record.
b)
The Williams sisters are close friends.
c)
After winning, Serena sat on the court and held up both arms. 
d)
During the tournament, Serena got a little bit superstitious.
25.

The average person would probably have trouble telling the difference between a couple of lemurs. It's hard even for scientists who study them.


Now, computers can tell the difference — and they're pretty good at it.Scientists have created software that remembers lemur faces, and it will be used in the forests of Madagascar to identify and track the whereabouts of endangered lemurs.As the BBC reports, the software, known as LemurFaceID, allows scientists to easily track the primates.


When it looks at digital photographs, the software can tell the difference between individual lemurs with greater than 97-percent accuracy. Researchers hope the tool will help with the protection of the species. It could also provide a more humane way to identify individual lemurs without hurting them. The team recently published their work in the journal BioMed Central Zoology.

a)

To track lemurs, scientists traditionally trapped and tagged individual animals.

b)

The new software will give scientists who study lemurs a new tool for tracking them over time.

c)

The police will quickly be able to say if that lemur has been illegally taken from the wild.

d)

Endangered Madagascar lemurs will be tracked by facial recognition software.