Text Structures

Passage #1 – Chemical and Physical Changes All matter, all things can be changed in two ways: chemically and physically. Both chemical and physical changes affect the state of matter. Physical changes are those that do not change the make-up or identity of the matter. For example, clay will bend or flatten if squeezed, but it will still be clay. Changing the shape of clay is a physical change, and does not change the matter’s identity. Chemical changes turn the matter into a new kind of matter with different properties. For example, when paper is burnt, it becomes ash and will never be paper again. The difference between them is that physical changes are temporary or only last for a little while, and chemical changes are permanent, which means they last forever. Physical and chemical changes both affect the state of matter.

How is the above text organized?

• chronological

• compare and contrast

• cause and effect

• problem and solution

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CCSS.RI.5.5

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Passage #2 – The Best PB & J Ever When I got home from school after a long boring day, I took out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. After taking the lid off of the jars, I spread the peanut butter on one side of the bread and the jelly on the other, and then I put the two pieces of bread together. After that, I enjoyed it while watching “Cops” on the TV. I swear, that was the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich I ever ate.

How is the above text organized?

• chronological

• sequence/process

• cause and effect

• spatial/descriptive

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CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

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Passage #3 – Bobby Fischer

Robert James Fischer was born in Chicago but unlocked the secrets of chess in a Brooklyn apartment right above a candy store. At the age of six he taught himself to play by following the instruction booklet that came with his chess board. After spending much of his childhood in chess clubs, Fischer said that, “One day, I just got good.” That may be a bit of an understatement. At the age of 13 he won the U.S. Junior Chess Championship, becoming the youngest Junior Champion ever. At the age of 14 he won the U.S. Championship and became the youngest U.S. Champion in history. Fischer would go on to become the World Champion of chess, but he would also grow to become his own worst enemy. Instead of defending the title, he forfeited it to the next challenger without even making a move, and the rise of a chess superstar ended with a fizzle.

How did the author organize the above text?

• sequence/process

• cause and effect

• chronological

• problem and solution

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CCSS.RI.4.5

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CCSS.RI.6.5

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Passage #4 – Save the Tigers

Dr. Miller doesn’t want the tigers to vanish. These majestic beasts are disappearing at an alarming rate. Dr. Miller thinks that we should write to our congress people. If we let them know that we demand the preservation of this species, maybe we can make a difference. Dr. Miller also thinks that we should donate to Save the Tigers. Our donations will help to support and empower those who are fighting the hardest to preserve the tigers. We owe it to our grandchildren to do something.

How does the author organize the passage?

• cause and effect

• problem and solution

• sequence/process

• spatial/descriptive

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CCSS.RI.4.5

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CCSS.RI.8.5

Passage #5 – The Great Recession

Many people are confused about why our economy went to shambles in 2008. The crisis was actually the result of a combination of many complex factors. First, easy credit conditions allowed people who were high-risk or unworthy of credit to borrow, and even people who had no income were eligible for large loans. Second, banks would bundle these toxic loans and sell them as packages on the financial market. Third, large insurance firms backed these packages, misrepresenting these high-risk loans as safe investments. Fourth, because of the ease of acquiring credit and the rapid growth in the housing market, people were buying two or three houses, intending to sell them for more than they paid. All of these factors created bubbles of speculation. These bubbles burst, sending the whole market into a downward spiral, causing employers to lose capital and lay off employees. Consumer spending then plummeted and most businesses suffered. The economy is like a big boat, and once it gets moving quickly in the wrong direction, it’s hard to turn it around.

How did the author organize the passage?

• problem and solution

• cause and effect

• chronological

• spatial/descriptive

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CCSS.RI.4.5

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Passage #6 – Screen Protector Before applying the screen protector, clean the surface of your phone’s screen with a soft cloth. Once the surface of your screen is clean, remove the paper backing on the screen protector. Evenly apply the sticky side of the screen protector to your phone’s screen. Smooth out any air bubble trapped on between the protector and the phone screen. Enjoy the added protection.

How did the author organize the text?

• spatial/descriptive

• problem and solution

• cause and effect

• sequence/process

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

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CCSS.RI.8.5

Passage #7

The Age of the Dinosaurs Dinosaurs existed about 250 million years ago to 65 million years ago. This era is broken up into three periods known as the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The Triassic Period lasted for 35 million years from 250-205 million years ago. Planet Earth was a very different place back then. All the continents were united to form one huge land mass known as Pangaea. The Jurassic Period was the second phase. The continents began shifting apart. The time scale for this famous period is from 205 to 138 million years ago. The Cretaceous Period was the last period of the dinosaurs. It spanned a time from 138 million to about 65 million years ago. In this period the continents fully separated. However, Australia and Antarctica were still united.

How did the author organize the text?

• sequence/process

• cause and effect

• chronological

• problem and solution

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

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Passage # 8 Vicious Predators

The Cretaceous Period was filled with dangerous predators, but two of the most feared hunters were the tyrannosaurs rex and the velociraptor. The tyrannosaurs rex was one of the largest carnivores to ever walk the Earth. He was 20 feet tall and weighed seven tons. His jaws could crush down with 3,000 lbs. of force, enough to smash the bones of his prey. The velociraptor was very small compared to rex. Raptors only stood three feet tall and were seven feet long, weighing merely 35 pounds. But the velociraptor was fast. Scientists think that raptors could run 24 miles per hour and turn on a dime. Both dinosaurs used their jaws to kill prey, but the raptor had a secret weapon: a retractable toe claw that he pulled out like a knife to slash at his prey. Both dinosaurs had eyes on the front of their heads, which helped them track prey. If these two dinosaurs had fought, it would be difficult to say which would win; however since raptors died over ten million years before the first tyrannosaurs was born, scientists don’t believe such a fight ever occurred.

How did the author organize the text?

• problem and solution

• compare and contrast

• cause and effect

• chronological

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

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what does chrono mean?

• time

• order

• silver

• science

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CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.3.3C

CCSS.RF.3.3D

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

Passage #9 Creating a Dinosaur Sculpture

Materials: pipe cleaners, clay, non-toxic paint Wouldn’t you like a scary dinosaur model on your desk to protect your pencils and textbooks? You can easily make one by following these simple directions. First, bend your pipe cleaner to make the frame of your dinosaur. I suggest you create a tyrannosaurus frame by using one long pipe cleaner as his neck, spine, and tail, and then bend another into a u-shape to make his feet. Wrap the feet around the spine piece. Next, roll out clay to wrap around the pipe cleaners. Let the clay dry overnight. The next day you may want to paint your dinosaur using non-toxic paint. His eyes should be white, but feel free to color your dinosaur as you wish. Nobody really knows how dinosaurs were colored, so don’t let anyone tell you that your dinosaur can’t be pink. Lastly, put him on your desk and watch as he or she scares away bullies and pencil thieves.

How does the author organize the text?

• chronological

• cause and effect

• spatial/descriptive

• sequence/process

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.3

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.7.5