The 2018 US midterm elections were in November. Midterm elections happen every four years. They give citizens a chance to vote for members of Congress. The House of Representatives and the Senate are the two parts of Congress. Members of Congress work together to create laws. This midterm election, the Democratic Party won control of the House. The Republican Party kept control of the Senate.

Based on the passage, what is true about the 2018 midterm elections?

President Trump met with Kim Jong-un in June. Kim Jong-un is the leader of North Korea. He’s considered a brutal ruler by most world leaders. The US has been worried about the risk of war with North Korea for a long time. Trump met with Kim in Singapore to discuss peace. This meeting was historic. It was the first time a serving US president met with a North Korean leader.

What is the main idea of this passage?

This year, the world experienced a lot of extreme weather. In May, high temperatures led to dust storms in northern India. More than 125 people died. In September, a powerful earthquake rocked Indonesia and caused a tsunami. More than 800 people died, 1,300 people were injured, and over 350,000 people lost their homes. And since the summer, parts of California have been devastated by wildfires. The Camp Fire was the deadliest blaze in the state’s history. Over 80 people died, and over 150,000 acres of land burned.

Based on the passage, what is true about the extreme weather in 2018?

The United Nations released a new report about climate change. It says that the world needs to lower greenhouse gas emissions now more than ever. If it doesn’t in the next 12 years, we could see severe effects of climate change by 2040. Droughts, extreme heat and flooding will be more common. This could lead to food shortages and make it hard for people to thrive. To keep this crisis from happening, the Earth cannot get warmer. The report says that governments need to cut down on carbon emissions to stop global warming.

Based on the passage, what is true about the UN report on climate change?

California is leading the way on going green in the US. Starting in 2020, solar panels will be a requirement for all new homes in the state. This law may make it more expensive to build a house. But solar power is less expensive and better for than environment. The state also promised to use only clean energy by 2045. This could include sources like wind, solar or hydropower.

Based on the passage, which of these is not part of California’s green plan?

In July, scientists found a lake on Mars. This discovery could mean that life once existed — or currently exists — on Mars. In fact, scientists believe it's possible that microbes might be in the water. Microbes are very tiny living things, like bacteria. The water is salty and touches rocks. It’s similar to underground lakes found on Earth in Greenland and Antarctica.

Based on the passage, what is significant about the lake on Mars?

In August, NASA launched its Parker Solar Probe into space. It’s designed to help scientists learn more about sun and space weather. The spacecraft will orbit the sun 24 times. The probe will get as close as 4 million miles from the sun’s surface. That’s close enough to touch the star’s outer atmosphere! No other spacecraft has ever gotten this close to our sun before.

Which of the following would be the best headline for this passage?

As of May, India is considered a fully electric country. Technically, every village now has some electricity. India counts a village as connected when at least 10% of households have electricity. In total, 82% of all Indian households have power.

What is the main idea of this passage?

This year, scientists discovered a new way to help stop the spread of malaria. Malaria is a dangerous disease carried by mosquitoes. Scientists want to edit mosquitoes’ genes so that they can’t have babies. This means fewer mosquitoes will be born over time. Eventually, the mosquito population could disappear. Scientists think this can eventually stop malaria and other deadly diseases that some mosquitoes spread. But this could be very risky. Once the genetic change is made, it can’t be undone. Scientists worry that if they kill off mosquitoes, they could cause other problems.

Which of the following would be the best headline for this passage?

In May, Britain’s Prince Harry married Meghan Markle. Markle is a biracial American actress. She has been praised for starting a new era of diversity in the monarchy. She is the first person of color to join the royal family.

Which statement would the author of this passage most likely agree with?

In February, the 2018 Winter Olympics took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The US ranked fourth in the competition. US athletes brought home a total of 23 medals.

The FIFA World Cup was also held this year. Soccer teams from around the world competed in 64 matches throughout Russia. France beat Croatia for the trophy in the final match in Moscow. This was France’s first World Cup win in 20 years.

Based on the passage, what happened at the FIFA World Cup?

2018 has been an exciting year in music, especially for hip-hop artists. In April, rapper Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music. Lamar is the first hip-hop artist to ever win this award. It’s seen as a major victory for the genre. In December, Spotify announced that Drake and Ariana Grande topped the charts. Drake is now Spotify’s most streamed artist of all time.

Which of the following would be the best headline for this passage?

True or False: In the midterm elections, Democrats won the Senate.

This year, parts of India experienced

A major climate report says we must

California will soon require new homes to have

This year, NASA launched a probe to

Scientists recently discovered a _______ on Mars

Which country was declared fully electric this year?

Scientists want to edit the genes of ________ to stop malaria.

This year, France won the

Which of the following recording artists won a Pulitzer Prize this year?