The World's Most Valuable Vault

Read the information about the origin of the word replenish.

from Latin plenus, meaning “full”

This information helps the reader understand that replenished in paragraph 2 means —

• built up again

• highly valued

• properly managed

• correctly used

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

The main reason for building the vault in an isolated, underground location was to —

• ensure that it would be difficult for people to retrieve seeds they put in the vault

• decrease the amount of power necessary to keep the seeds at a cold temperature

• minimize the number of people that would be necessary to monitor the vault

• prevent outside events from damaging the contents of the vault

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Read these sentences from the selection.

“We are losing biodiversity every day,” Fowler explains. “It is kind of a drip, drip, drip—it’s also inevitable.”

The comparison in Fowler’s statement helps the reader understand that —

• few people realize the consequences of losing seed varieties

• seed varieties are lost slowly, but the loss accumulates over time

• many seed varieties have been lost as a result of natural disasters

• scientists think seed varieties could be saved through improved agricultural practices

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Based on the selection, the reader can conclude that the seed vault —

• stores rare seeds more securely than common seeds

• can be toured by visitors at any time

• is maintained by several different countries

• provides a unique and vital resource

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

Read the dictionary entry below.

critical \ı kri-ti-k l\ adj 1. relating to a stage of illness 2. tending to evaluate unfavorably 3. needed to serve a purpose 4. using careful judgment

Which definition best fits how critical is used in paragraph 1?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

Paragraph 4 is mostly about —

• how countries decide which seeds to send to the Svalbard Seed Vault

• why Norway decided to sponsor the construction of the Svalbard Seed Vault

• the process for shipping new seeds to the Svalbard Seed Vault

• the diversity of the contents stored in the Svalbard Seed Vault

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

The problem–solution organization of paragraph 2 helps the author emphasize the —

• difficulties other seed vaults have encountered in the past

• severity of the decrease in seed varieties

• reasons some seeds disappear more quickly than others

• best way to prepare for a natural disaster

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

What is the best summary of the selection?

• On the fourth anniversary of the Svalbard Seed Vault, rare seeds from North America and ancient grains were added to the vault. The vault contains many seeds with special genetic traits that may be useful in the future. Visitors are often awed by the biodiversity secured in the seed vault

• The seeds in the Svalbard Seed Vault are stored in rows of sealed boxes in a highly secure vault. The vault is made of steel, located inside a mountain, and requires the use of many codes to enter. The cold environment preserves the seeds even if power to the facility is lost.

• The Svalbard Seed Vault is located in an isolated region of Norway. The vault was created to protect varieties of seeds from being lost and to preserve them for later use. Many rare seeds have already been sent to the vault and have contributed to the effort to maintain biodiversity.

• The Svalbard Seed Vault is considered the greatest store of crop diversity to date. Efforts to build the seed vault began when scientists noticed that crop variety had decreased significantly in recent years. The vault contains many rare and ancient seeds.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Which statement is supported by the illustration of the vault that appears after paragraph 3?

• The seeds are housed in a highly secure location.

• Many donors help finance the maintenance of the vault.

• Many people understand the importance of the vault.

• Seeds are safer in separate chambers than in one open area.

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.K.5