Passage 1: George Crum by Jim Whiting

Sometimes in restaurants people send their food back to the kitchen. They may say it’s too raw or cooked too much. Perhaps they don’t like the seasoning. Restaurants want to keep their customers happy. Almost always they fulfill the request and provide the diner with something that is more to his or her liking.

That wasn’t quite the case at the Moon Lake Lodge restaurant in Saratoga Springs, New York, one day in 1853. A diner had ordered what were known as “potatoes in the French manner.” They had been introduced in this country more than half a century earlier. Thomas Jefferson, who became the third United States president in 1801, had been the American ambassador to France after the Revolutionary War. He liked French cooking. When he returned home, he brought many recipes with him.

The recipe for “potatoes in the French manner” was one of them. The instructions called for the potatoes to be sliced into thick wedges. That way they could be eaten with a fork. Many people thought it was bad manners to eat with their fingers. This was especially true of the patrons of the Moon Lake Lodge. Nearly all were very wealthy.

On this occasion, the diner said the potatoes were too thick. They weren’t crunchy enough to suit his taste. He wanted them to be sliced a little bit thinner.

It took a certain amount of courage to send food back to the kitchen at the Moon Lake Lodge. George Crum, the chef, had a reputation for being bad-tempered. . . .

Crum may have grumbled, but he complied with the request. He took out a new batch of potatoes and sliced them a little thinner than he usually did. But the diner still wasn’t satisfied. Again he sent them back.

It must have seemed like a personal insult to Crum. He decided to get revenge. He sliced the potatoes as thin as he possibly could. Then he fried them in grease. They were now so crisp that they couldn’t be eaten with a fork. Crum probably chuckled to himself as the waiter picked up this new batch and took it to the customer.

His plan backfired. Apparently the diner didn’t mind using his fingers. He ate Crum’s offering and thought it was delicious. He wasn’t the only one. Other customers saw how much the diner had enjoyed this new way of preparing potatoes. They quickly ordered the same thing. Word soon spread. Within a short time, “Saratoga Chips”—or “potato crunches” as Crum himself called his creation—became very popular in the region.

Several decades later, the entire country would become very fond of what Crum had introduced simply as a way of getting even. By then Crum’s potatoes had become known as potato chips. Today they are one of the best-selling foods in the United States.

Which detail in Passage 1 supports the author's claim that restaurants want to keep their customers happy?

Passage 2: What’s the Real Story Behind Potato Chips? by Nellie Mayhouse

Sometimes, mistakes can be very good things. Chocolate chip cookies were created by accident. Popsicles were created by chance too! They are now both popular treats. Salty snacks can also take us by surprise. For example, who put the crunch in the potato chip? The answer might depend on whom you ask.

Legend Has It

One story explains that a man named George Crum invented the first potato chip. He was a chef at a New York restaurant. In 1853, it is said that a wealthy customer—possibly Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad billionaire—came to the restaurant and ordered fried potatoes.

The person was unhappy with the potatoes he had been served and sent them back to the kitchen. He insisted that the chef (Crum) remake the dish. Crum was known as a bit of a hothead and decided to teach the customer a lesson. He sliced the potatoes as thin as he could and stuck them in the fryer. Pleased with his plan, Crum sent the greasy creation to the table. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, Crum got word that the customer absolutely loved the crisp dish. These over-fried bits would go on to be known as potato chips.

Fact or Fiction?

As with every legend, there are many different sides to the same story. George Crum had a sister named Katherine who also worked at the Moon Lake Lodge restaurant. Some people believe that it was actually Katherine who dropped a slice of potato into the pot of hot fat and fished it out. She was, therefore, the creator of the first potato chip.

Another possibility comes from across the pond in England. A doctor named William Kitchiner wrote a cookbook way back in 1817 called The Cook’s Oracle. Within that cookbook is a recipe for “Potatoes Fried in Slices or Shavings.” It tells the home chef to slice the potatoes about a quarter-inch thick and to fry them in lard or oil until they are crisp.

Popular as Ever

Today, the potato chip industry is worth over a whopping $31 billion! That’s a lot of money, and a lot of chips. Potato chips can come in many different styles and flavors. They can be found at grocery stores all around the world. While questions remain over the true creator of the potato chip, the chips themselves are unquestionable.

In Passage 2, what do the subheadings Legend Has It and Fact or Fiction show?

Passage 2: What’s the Real Story Behind Potato Chips? by Nellie Mayhouse

Sometimes, mistakes can be very good things. Chocolate chip cookies were created by accident. Popsicles were created by chance too! They are now both popular treats. Salty snacks can also take us by surprise. For example, who put the crunch in the potato chip? The answer might depend on whom you ask.

Legend Has It

One story explains that a man named George Crum invented the first potato chip. He was a chef at a New York restaurant. In 1853, it is said that a wealthy customer—possibly Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad billionaire—came to the restaurant and ordered fried potatoes.

The person was unhappy with the potatoes he had been served and sent them back to the kitchen. He insisted that the chef (Crum) remake the dish. Crum was known as a bit of a hothead and decided to teach the customer a lesson. He sliced the potatoes as thin as he could and stuck them in the fryer. Pleased with his plan, Crum sent the greasy creation to the table. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, Crum got word that the customer absolutely loved the crisp dish. These over-fried bits would go on to be known as potato chips.

Fact or Fiction?

As with every legend, there are many different sides to the same story. George Crum had a sister named Katherine who also worked at the Moon Lake Lodge restaurant. Some people believe that it was actually Katherine who dropped a slice of potato into the pot of hot fat and fished it out. She was, therefore, the creator of the first potato chip.

Another possibility comes from across the pond in England. A doctor named William Kitchiner wrote a cookbook way back in 1817 called The Cook’s Oracle. Within that cookbook is a recipe for “Potatoes Fried in Slices or Shavings.” It tells the home chef to slice the potatoes about a quarter-inch thick and to fry them in lard or oil until they are crisp.

Popular as Ever

Today, the potato chip industry is worth over a whopping $31 billion! That’s a lot of money, and a lot of chips. Potato chips can come in many different styles and flavors. They can be found at grocery stores all around the world. While questions remain over the true creator of the potato chip, the chips themselves are unquestionable.

Which sentence from Passage 2 suggests that the author thinks potato chips are delicious?

Passage 2: What’s the Real Story Behind Potato Chips? by Nellie Mayhouse

Sometimes, mistakes can be very good things. Chocolate chip cookies were created by accident. Popsicles were created by chance too! They are now both popular treats. Salty snacks can also take us by surprise. For example, who put the crunch in the potato chip? The answer might depend on whom you ask.

Legend Has It

One story explains that a man named George Crum invented the first potato chip. He was a chef at a New York restaurant. In 1853, it is said that a wealthy customer—possibly Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad billionaire—came to the restaurant and ordered fried potatoes.

The person was unhappy with the potatoes he had been served and sent them back to the kitchen. He insisted that the chef (Crum) remake the dish. Crum was known as a bit of a hothead and decided to teach the customer a lesson. He sliced the potatoes as thin as he could and stuck them in the fryer. Pleased with his plan, Crum sent the greasy creation to the table. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, Crum got word that the customer absolutely loved the crisp dish. These over-fried bits would go on to be known as potato chips.

Fact or Fiction?

As with every legend, there are many different sides to the same story. George Crum had a sister named Katherine who also worked at the Moon Lake Lodge restaurant. Some people believe that it was actually Katherine who dropped a slice of potato into the pot of hot fat and fished it out. She was, therefore, the creator of the first potato chip.

Another possibility comes from across the pond in England. A doctor named William Kitchiner wrote a cookbook way back in 1817 called The Cook’s Oracle. Within that cookbook is a recipe for “Potatoes Fried in Slices or Shavings.” It tells the home chef to slice the potatoes about a quarter-inch thick and to fry them in lard or oil until they are crisp.

Popular as Ever

Today, the potato chip industry is worth over a whopping $31 billion! That’s a lot of money, and a lot of chips. Potato chips can come in many different styles and flavors. They can be found at grocery stores all around the world. While questions remain over the true creator of the potato chip, the chips themselves are unquestionable.

Which sentence best summarizes Passage 2?

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

In the poem, the repetition of "Two roads diverged" emphasizes the idea that...

What type of text structure shows how two or more things are alike and different?

The _____ is the events and actions in the story that move it forward.

The _____ is when and where the story takes place.

What does the word furious mean in the sentence below?

I was furious when I found out my computer was broken.

Which two words have about the same meaning?

Which two words have opposite meanings?

If a restaurant is "all the rage", it is --

If Damien is described as letting his hair down, he is --

Which prefix can be added to the word just to make a word meaning "not just"?

Which word means "perform better than"?

If a person's desk is disorganized, it is --

In which word is the suffix -est used?

If a person's actions are described as predictable, the actions --

Which word completes the sentence below to show that Harrison slept well?

After a long day of travelling, Harrison slept like a _______.

Dawn to Dusk

Sunrises and sunsets are some of nature's most awe-inspiring displays. Their brilliant hues and golden light have fascinated artists and sky watchers for centuries. For example, many famous paintings depict shades of color seen in sunrises and sunsets. To enjoy these same colors, some people plan activities so that they can view the sun rising or setting. It is clear that each event is striking in its own way. But overall, sunrises are more beautiful than sunsets.

Part of the reason a sunrise is more beautiful than a sunset is because our eyes perceive them as more attractive. If you wake up early to watch the sunrise, your eyes are still adjusted to seeing in the dark. Because your night vision is sharper than your daytime vision, your eyes can pick up each and every color of the sunrise. When viewing a sunset, your eyesight has been adjusted to daylight for many hours. Plus, your eyes may be tired from hours of active use throughout the day. So, your eyes are not able to easily see each color in a sunset as it appears.

The quality of air also makes sunrises more beautiful than sunsets. Pollutants, like smog and soot, cloud the air throughout the day. By the time the sun sets, there is often a filmy haze in the atmosphere. This haze mutes many colors in a sunset, giving us a less brilliant show. The atmosphere then cleans the haze away overnight, leaving the air as clean as possible for a colorful sunrise.

Of course, all beauty is subjective. For example, the same pollutants that dull the colors of the sunset also scatter its colors widely across the sky. This gives the sky a less orderly look. Many people consider this display to be more beautiful than a neat, restrained sunrise. But this man-made light show is not a natural representation of the setting's sun color and beauty. A sunrise, on the other hand, is a pure display of nature's colors.

Sunrises are not just more beautiful than sunsets. According to some studies, watching sunrises can also improve your mood. And you will better appreciate the natural beauty around you everyday. So, take some time to stop and watch the colors of the sunrise as they unfold. You might even feel inspired to pick up a camera, paintbrush, or pen to express how the experience made you feel.

What is the author's main claim or argument?

Point of view analysis helps readers understand:

Read the following passage from The Lightning Thief. In this excerpt, Percy is talking with his friend Annabeth after fighting a tough battle on their quest.

I was pretty much in shock myself. The explosion of bus windows still rang in my ears. But Annabeth kept pulling us along, saying: "Come on! The farther away we get, the better."

"All our money was back there," I reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight—"

"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"

"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine." [ . . . ]

We sloshed across mushy ground, through nasty twisted trees that smelled like sour laundry.

After a few minutes, Annabeth fell into line next to me. "Look, I . . ." Her voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."

"We're a team, right?"

She was silent for a few more steps. "It's just that if you died . . . aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world."

The thunderstorm had finally let up. The city glow faded behind us, leaving us in almost total darkness. I couldn't see anything of Annabeth except a glint of her blond hair.

"You haven't left Camp Half-Blood since you were seven?" I asked her.

"No . . . only short field trips. My dad—"

"The history professor."

"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." She was rushing her words out now, as if she were afraid somebody might try to stop her. "At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not."

If I didn't know better, I could've sworn I heard doubt in her voice.

Which of the following themes is developed in the passage?

Review the passage.

Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.

I loved the place.

We'd been going there since I was a baby. My mom had been going even longer. She never exactly said, but I knew why the beach was special to her. It was the place where she'd met my dad.

As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the color of the sea.

We got there at sunset, opened all the cabin's windows, and went through our usual cleaning routine.

We walked on the beach, fed blue corn chips to the seagulls, and munched on blue jelly beans, blue saltwater taffy, and all the other free samples my mom had brought from work.

I guess I should explain the blue food.

See, Gabe had once told my mom there was no such thing. They had this fight, which seemed like a really small thing at the time. But ever since, my mom went out of her way to eat blue. She baked blue birthday cakes. She mixed blueberry smoothies. She bought blue-corn tortilla chips and brought home blue candy from the shop. This—along with keeping her maiden name, Jackson, rather than calling herself Mrs. Ugliano—was proof that she wasn't totally suckered by Gabe. She did have a rebellious streak, like me.

What is most likely true about Percy's relationship with his mom?

Review the text below:

Our rental cabin was on the south shore, way out at the tip of Long Island. It was a little pastel box with faded curtains, half sunken into the dunes. There was always sand in the sheets and spiders in the cabinets, and most of the time the sea was too cold to swim in.

I loved the place.

How does the above text affect the reader?

Read the passage.

African Wild Dogs: Ultimate Predators?

Many books, papers, and television shows have created an image of the African wild dog as the ultimate predator. According to these sources, the dogs' coordinated teamwork and their unusual endurance help them catch about eighty percent of their prey. A 2012 study tested that notion. Researchers fit a pack of wild dogs with special collars that recorded the dogs' positions and speeds. The data that the collars recorded allowed the researchers to learn what the dogs did when they weren't being observed. The results provided a surprising contrast with the dogs' fierce reputation. The dogs never used teamwork in their hunts; they chased their prey over short distances as opposed to long runs; and instead of eighty percent, they brought down only about sixteen percent of their prey.

What is the central idea of the passage?

Read the two texts.

Text 1

J. R. R. Tolkien, one the most famous fantasy writers of the twentieth century, was the award-winning and best-selling author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These works focus on the adventures of inhabitants of a fictional continent called Middle-earth. These works became so popular that they have been reprinted multiple times and translated into dozens of languages. Tolkien's popularity persisted even after his death, when more of his works were published posthumously, including a large collection of myths called The

Silmarillion.

Text 2

J. R. R. Tolkien had a lifelong love of language. By the time he was twelve, Tolkien already showed remarkable linguistic gifts. He had mastered Greek and Latin and was becoming proficient in a number of other languages, including Gothic and Finnish. In college, he continued language studies with Welsh, Old English, and other Germanic languages. Languages eventually became his passion, and he would go on to invent many new ones, including Qenya and Khuzdul, for his fictional works.

Which sentence best combines the main, or central, ideas of both texts?

Read the following story.

One Bright Idea

I've been working on a present for my dad, Danielle told her friend, Lina. She was holding a colorful knitted strip.

"Neat!" Lina said. "What is it?"

"A bookmark," Danielle said. "Can't you tell?" Lina thought it looked a little too thick to put in a book.

Danielle was just learning to knit, and her creations were not very practical. Lina recalled the misshapen duck booties Danielle had knit for her baby cousin. Lina hoped the baby never had to wear them.

Now Danielle picked up a big bag of yarn. She beamed at Lina and patted the floor next to her. "Come and pick out your colors!" she said.

Lina sat down. "My colors?"

"I'm going to knit you a sweater for your birthday," said Danielle. "I bought all this yarn. I was thinking shades of blue. Maybe some yellow?"

"That is so sweet of you. But that's too much work," said Lina. The thought of Danielle spending so much time on something she would never wear almost broke her heart.

"It's no problem. You're my best friend. And I love knitting," said Danielle.

Lina took a deep breath. "Danielle, I don't want a sweater." There, she had said it. "Those colors are so pretty, though. Maybe you could make me something to decorate my room?"

"A decoration?" Danielle echoed. Lina hoped she wasn't upset.

"Have you ever seen those pictures online of lampshades wrapped in yarn?" Lina went on. "I've always thought they look so cool, but I'm not crafty enough to make one myself."

"Oh! I know what you're talking about!" Danielle said in excitement. "I could do blue yarn at the bottom, then start adding some yellow in the middle . . ."

As Danielle began to plan excitedly, Lina breathed a sigh of relief. Now she would be getting a birthday present that reminded her of her best friend—and one that she would be excited to use.

Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

Select the quotation from the story that most strongly suggests that the theme is A creative solution can ease a difficult conversation.

Read the text.

I step outside. First, it's a quick, cold intake of breath, then a warm, cloudy exhale into the new winter day. Dots of ice—tiny, sharp, frozen drops land and vanish on my still-warm cheeks.

I am packaged in wool, fleece, and thick nylon on top, and my feet are sheltered in warm rubber boots. "Shhh shhh shhh," whisper my snow pants as I walk.

One inch of snow is everywhere now, and the quiet world says, "shush." Weightless crystals glint in the light around me. It is the first one—the first day of snow!

Which author's purpose is suggested by the text?

Select the best evidence to support the statement that the narrator is excited about going to college.

My uncle, a doctor, like so many of my relatives, had asked me earlier that day what I planned on doing for a career.. . .If you had forced me to answer, I suppose I would have said a writer, but frankly, thoughts of any career at this point seem absurd. I was leaving this small Arizona town in a few weeks, and I felt less like someone preparing to climb a career ladder than a buzzing electron about to achieve escape velocity, swinging out into a strange and sparkling universe.

I lay there in the dirt, awash in sunlight and memory.

Which sentence states a fact?

Read the text.

There's been a lot of talk lately about the future of our little town. Gull's Haven has certainly seen better times, and people often wonder, What does our town have left to offer? The answer isn't hard to find, even if it is in the dark. Just go outside at night, and look up. Very few places still have what you can see here: a dazzling display of stars and the Milky Way.

Our town has a rare opportunity to be named a Dark Sky Community by the International Dark-Sky Association. The process could take years; we'd have to adopt lighting restrictions and establish dark-sky educational programs.

It wouldn't be easy, but in return for our efforts, we'd get publicity that would bring tourists and businesses to Gull's Haven. People from light-drenched areas could come here for a dark respite under our beautiful night skies. Let's seize this chance to find a renewed purpose for Gull's Haven and preserve the wonder of our night sky for future generations.

Which sentence best summarizes the author's point of view about the town of Gull's Haven becoming a Dark Sky Community?

Read the text.

I love skiing at Mount Prospect. The south side of the mountain has gentle slopes, which are labeled "green runs," for beginners and less adventurous skiers like me. You'll never find me on the mountain's north face with its steep "black diamond" slopes, which are for expert skiers.

Unfortunately, not all advanced skiers stay on the black diamond runs. I don't mind experienced skiers using the green runs for an occasional break, but they should show more courtesy. Recently, as I was enjoying my first-of-the-season glide down the "Easy Does It" run, I was suddenly cut off, without warning, by another skier racing past. Down I went in a jumble of twisted skis and knees. To make matters worse, a group of high-speed skiers whizzed past just as I was pulling myself up!

Please, expert skiers, when you ski on the green runs, slow down! You may be having some easy, fast fun, but you're ruining the slow-run fun for the rest of us.

Which sentence best summarizes the author's point of view about the expert skiers at Mount Prospect?

When I look for the author's perspective, I should pay attention to...

Which strategy/strategies did I learn that can help me on the FAST test?

Read the passage below:

We squint when the sun is in our eyes because the bright sunlight hurts. This is how our brain protected our eyes. Protecting our eyes is very important during an eclipse. An eclipse happens when an object moves between you and the object you are viewing. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between Earth and the Sun. The Moon blocks our view of the Sun. Viewing a solar eclipse can be exciting. It is not an everyday event. But can it be viewed safely? Yes; it can. The safest and easiest way to view a solar eclipse is to build a pinhole camera. A pinhole camera lets you see what happens during a solar eclipse without looking directly at the Sun. It is a very valuable tool because it lets you turn your back to the Sun and protect your eyes.

Choose the correct way to use protected in the sentence "This is how our brain protected our eyes"

Online Learning

Learning new things is an exciting part of life. Learning can happen anywhere. There are kids who learn at a school, kids who learn at home and some kids who learn online. Students who learn this way use their computers and the Internet to connect to online classrooms. They use a camera connected to their home computer to let the teacher and other students see them. They can see their teacher and classmates on their screens because their classmates and teacher use a camera, too.

Before the Internet, children in remote places sometimes had classes over the radio or used the mail to get lessons and return them. For example, in the past, children who lived in distant parts of Australia were taught using the radio. Every day at a certain time, they tuned in to a special radio station. All the children could hear their teacher at the same time, but they were hundreds of miles apart. They got their lessons in the mail, did their homework, and mailed it back to the teacher.

Today, students who live far away from their teacher have classes on the Internet. In some online classrooms, a classroom full of kids can use a special computer program at the same time as the teacher. The students can live in one country, and the teacher can be located in a different country. Still, it’s just like a classroom at your school. The teacher can teach the kids. The kids can ask questions. Everyone can see and hear everything that’s being said as it happens.

It is also possible for students to live in different places and be a part of an online class together. Each person goes to a website for the class he or she is taking. Thousands of people can watch and listen to this class at the same time. When they want to speak, they can use a microphone to ask and answer questions. When the lesson is completed and all good-byes have been said, the students and teacher in the online class log out. The connection over the Internet is broken, and the online classroom disappears.

Online classes can be held whenever is best for the teacher and students. Sometimes, they don’t have to have a class where everyone is together all at once. There are classes where all the materials are posted on the website and students can use them whenever they need to. They can write questions and turn in their assignments. They can check back later to see if the teacher has left answers or comments on their work. No one ever actually “meets” anyone face-to-face, even if it’s just with a web-camera. Many college classes are taught this way.

Internet classes can fit thousands of people, or just one person. It is a powerful way to let students everywhere learn. A student in Alaska and a student in China can go to the same class. That class can be taught by a teacher in Russia. You don’t need a building, desks, lights or enough chairs to fit everyone. Students who live far apart, students who can’t leave home, students who want to take a class they can’t take nearby—all they need is a computer and an Internet connection and they’re good to go! “Online Learning” written for educational purposes.

With which two sentences would the author agree?

Select the two correct meanings of the phrase good to go as it is used in the sentence.

“Students who live far apart, students who can’t leave home, students who want to take a class they can’t take nearby—all they need is a computer and an Internet connection and they’re good to go!” (paragraph 6)

Character perspective is...

Read the text.

From his seat at a table in the local library, Ruben turned to the side and saw Nora on a couch, deeply engrossed in a fantasy book. Nora barely seemed to blink as she read, and Ruben thought he had never seen anyone so absorbed in a story.

Suddenly, Ruben felt a rumbling beneath his feet. The model of the solar system suspended from the ceiling began swinging back and forth, as books started falling off the nearby shelves. There was a commotion as library patrons hustled out of the way.

Nora stood up and in a clear, loud voice, shouted, "Everybody! This is an earthquake. Get under the tables, now!"

Everyone looked at Nora in shock, frozen in place by a newfound fear.

"Do it!" Nora commanded, as the floor shifted. "Do it right now!"

Ruben and the other patrons followed Nora's instructions, scrambling under the library tables.

"Now, put your hands over your head and neck, face away from the windows, and stay still," Nora instructed.

As the room shook, some people squealed in fear, while others made soft whimpering noises.

From underneath her own table, Nora calmly reassured them. "Don't worry—this one doesn't seem too bad, and hopefully it'll be over in just a few seconds."

What is most likely true about Nora?

Read the claim below.

It's important to use punctuation in text messages.

Select the piece of evidence that best supports this claim.

Read the claim below.

The most important medical advance of all time was Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928.

Select the piece of evidence that best supports this claim.

Why might you distrust a news story?

Which would make water impure?

Read the text.

Lamar leaned forward on his snowboard as he shot downhill, his race number fluttering in the wind. He used the sharp turn to pass two other snowboarders and take the lead.

If I can win this, I'll make the state team, Lamar thought.

Through his goggles, Lamar spotted the finish line. Then he heard the sound of a snowboard scraping harshly against the ice. It was immediately followed by a terrible cracking noise. With his peripheral vision, he spotted a fluorescent purple helmet and bright yellow jacket tumbling down the mountain.

That looks like Mike's gear, Lamar realized, as he slowed slightly to get a better look. Lamar hesitated for a moment. If he stopped to check on his rival, he would lose the race.

Lamar came up to the next big jump in the course. But instead of launching into the air, he immediately brought himself to a stop. As quickly as he could, he unbuckled his bindings, removed his snowboard, and began the trek up to the figure who was now lying in the snow.

What do Lamar's actions suggest about his character?

Read the text.

It wasn't until the 1950s that engineers developed rockets strong enough to launch objects into space. In 1957, the Soviet Union sent Sputnik, the first satellite, into orbit. Four years later, a Russian astronaut named Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. He orbited Earth for about 108 minutes in April 1961. That year, President John F. Kennedy announced a new American goal. He said we'd land on the moon within ten years! On July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon.

Which text structure does the text use?

Have you ever thought about handwriting as art? In many cultures, people practice calligraphy, which actually means "beautiful writing." Calligraphy has been around for thousands of years. In China, this beautiful writing is considered as important as painting and poetry. The Chinese have long believed that how people write is just as important as what they write!

In China, calligraphy tools are called the Four Treasures. These consist of a writing brush, an ink stone, an ink stick, and paper. Writing brushes are traditionally made of animal hair and feathers. Brush handles may be made of bamboo, wood, or even the precious stone jade. Ink is often made by mixing soot from burnt pine trees with glue. Then the ink is pressed into sticks. Modern calligraphy artists use paper. Before paper was invented, calligraphy was written on strips of bamboo bound together by string. Sometimes calligraphy was inscribed on animal bones and turtle shells.

It requires years of practice and training to learn how to master this ancient Chinese art. Each written character is made by performing a set of brush strokes in a fixed order. This allows people to mentally picture and retrace how each character was created, stroke by stroke. By looking at the thickness of the lines, people can see how the artists moved their brushes. Calligraphers must develop good visual skills in order to balance interesting shapes with spaces between the strokes. If they make a mistake, they must start all over again.

Calligraphy can be found throughout the country of China. It is found on street signs, taught in universities, and widely practiced as a hobby by people of all ages and backgrounds. Although this beautiful form of writing is an ancient art, it is still very much part of modern Chinese culture.

The text mentions that calligraphy tools are called the Four Treasures in China.

Based on clues in the text, what does this name suggest about calligraphy in China?

What is the meaning of the metaphor?

The moon was a silver dollar in the sky.

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Layers of Discovery at Sutton Hoo

The discovery of an Anglo-Saxon ship at the Sutton Hoo burial site is one of the greatest archeological discoveries in the history of England. The ship found at Sutton Hoo dates back to the seventh century, during a time period in Europe sometimes referred to as the Dark Ages. The discovery of the ship and the items within it forever altered our understanding of the Anglo-Saxon people and the time period in which they lived.

The discovery started with a simple request; in 1939, a landowner who lived in an area known as Sutton Hoo asked an amateur archaeologist, Basil Brown, to excavate and examine a burial mound on her property. A burial mound is a human-made hill that covers the remains of the dead. While they are not unheard of in countries as old as England, this one was extraordinary. In their excavation, Brown and the landowner uncovered a treasure trove of objects.

Carefully removing layers of dirt, Brown and his helpers were shocked to discover an enormous wooden ship measuring over eighty-eight feet long. The center of the ship held a burial chamber that had collapsed over time, but in its remains Brown's team found ornate silverware, textiles, weapons and armor, drinking horns, and gold coins. While some objects were broken or had eroded, others were almost as pristine as they had been when they were buried thirteen centuries earlier. Brown and other archeologists wanted to figure out who was buried at Sutton Hoo and what the world had been like when the mound was built.

Whoever was laid to rest at Sutton Hoo was undeniably important in the Anglo-Saxon world. Some historians speculate that the person buried there was an Anglo-Saxon king. While we may never know for sure, we do know that great effort and resources went into the burial. A large ship was hauled uphill from the river, a burial chamber was built within it, and magnificent riches were placed inside. Finally, a massive hill was raised around the ship. Some of the items in the chamber—like an ornate helmet and a beautifully decorated iron sword—attest to the importance of its occupant. However, the objects in the tomb also tell a much broader story as well.

At the time of the Sutton Hoo discovery, many scholars believed there was little advancement in Anglo-Saxon culture between the fifth and tenth centuries—hence the historical term "Dark Ages." However, the treasures at Sutton Hoo indicated something different. As the archeologists pieced together fragments of objects, they also put together new ideas about the Anglo-Saxons and their world. The Sutton Hoo burial mound held jewels from Sri Lanka, a country off the coast of India. There was silverware from the Byzantine Empire in the Middle East and coins from all across Europe. The helmet and sword found at the site feature artistic designs that are difficult to match—even with today's tools. Together, these items suggest that the Anglo-Saxons were more knowledgeable and had a more complex culture than previously believed. The burial mound at Sutton Hoo contained many rare and expensive objects. But the real treasure was what it taught us about the past.

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Whoever was laid to rest at Sutton Hoo was undeniably important in the Anglo-Saxon world. Some historians speculate that the person buried there was an Anglo-Saxon king. While we may never know for sure, we do know that great effort and resources went into the burial. A large ship was hauled uphill from the river, a burial chamber was built within it, and magnificent riches were placed inside. Finally, a massive hill was raised around the ship. Some of the items in the chamber—like an ornate helmet and a beautifully decorated iron sword—attest to the importance of its occupant. However, the objects in the tomb also tell a much broader story as well.

Based on the text, why do historians believe someone important was buried at Sutton Hoo? Select all that apply.

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Schools should focus on teaching practical math skills instead of abstract concepts.

Select the piece of evidence that best supports this claim.

Which of the following is used to support an author's claim?

You are going to do amazing on the FAST test. :)