Author's Reasoning

Note: The following paragraph is from a speech by President George W. Bush about volunteering.

There are citizens who say, "I need love." Government can pass law, but it cannot put love into somebody's heart. Often times that helps when somebody puts their arm around you and says, "How can I help you, brother, or sister? What can I do to make your life better?" So today I call upon our fellow citizens to devote 4,000 hours over your lifetime in service to your country. You'll become a better person for it, and our society will be healthier as a result of it.

Based on the paragraph above, it is reasonable to say that President Bush...

• believed that volunteering helped both individuals and the country.

• agreed that volunteering was needed most during times of war.

• knew that volunteering was the best way to meet new people.

• thought volunteering could help businesses make more money.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

The Venus flytrap is a plant that eats meat. Like all plants, it uses sunlight to make its own food. But that alone is not enough. It needs meat to survive. Its leaves open and close, like a trap. If an insect comes close to the leaf, the leaf will begin to close. If the insect attempts to get out of the trap, it will make the leaf shut tighter. Escape is impossible. Could a Venus flytrap eat a person? No. It won't even eat your finger if you put it inside its trap. The trap can't close on your finger, since it is attached to your hand.

Based on the paragraph above, which statement is correct?

• The traps on a Venus flytrap are found on its roots.

• Insects can escape a Venus flytrap, even if the trap has begun to close.

• A Venus flytrap is not harmful to humans.

• The Venus flytrap can survive on only the food it makes from sunlight.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Professor Ueno took the train back and forth to work every day. His dog, Hachiko, quickly learned when the professor's train came back. Every day, Hachiko would wait at the train station for his owner to come home. This went on for over a year. Every single work day, Professor Ueno would go to work. Every single work day, no matter how noisy or busy the station was, Hachiko would wait for his return. Hachiko continued like this day after day for a year.

Based on the paragraph above, Hachiko's actions help support the idea that...

• trains are noisy.

• busy stations are dangerous.

• dogs are loyal.

• pets are expensive.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

The Day of the Dead comes from a festival that started very long ago. The Aztecs and Mayas of Central America held a Festival of the Dead each year. The festival went on for almost two months, until winter. It celebrated both the fall harvest and the memory of those who had died. The Aztecs and Mayas both believed that once a year the souls of the dead returned to the land of the living. The souls wanted to visit their family and friends who were still living. So people made special foods, drinks, and gifts for them.

Based on the paragraph above, what was the most likely reason the Aztecs and Mayas made special foods, drinks, and gifts for the souls of the dead?

• It was the only time of year that they were allowed to make such things.

• They wanted the souls of the dead to feel welcomed and loved.

• They needed to eat the foods and drinks before winter, when they would spoil.

• It was the only way to let the souls of the dead know that the festival was happening.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Everyone feels stress. Scientists found that stress that doesn't go away can harm the body. This kind of stress is bad stress. Bad stress can cause bad moods. It can even cause stomach pains and headaches. Luckily, most stress is caused by things we can control. We can get enough sleep. We can eat healthy food and get enough exercise. Doing these things can help the body control stress.

Based on the paragraph above, people who get enough sleep and exercise most likely...

• do not understand how stress affects the body.

• have fewer illnesses and bad moods.

• are happy in the morning but cranky in the afternoon

• feel some kind of bad stress every day

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

Scientists agree that an octopus is a very intelligent animal. But some were surprised to find out just how intelligent a baby octopus is. A baby octopus is not very strong. It can't catch food by itself. But some scientists were watching as one baby octopus showed an amazing type of behavior. It used a tool to catch a shrimp to eat. This little octopus looked for a long arm from a jellyfish. It used the arm of the jellyfish as a tool to catch a shrimp for dinner. it will do this until it is big enough to do the job itself.

Based on the paragraph above, which statement is correct?

• An octopus will eat shrimp but not crab.

• An octopus will grow weaker as it ages.

• An octopus can use a tool to complete a task.

• An octopus can swim faster than a jellyfish.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.7.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world. It is in India. The people who built it were excellent engineers. They understood how words seen on a slant can be hard to read. Suppose you took this page and tilted it on edge, leaning backward. The words become tight together. It's the same idea if you stand at the base of a wall and look up at the writing on it. The writing gets hard to read because they angle of your view causes the words higher up to run together. But if you stand at the base of the Taj Mahal and look at the word far above, you can easily read them. That's because the engineers made the words higher up very tall. If you saw them close up, they would look stretched out. But when viewed from the ground, the writing looks just right.

Based on the paragraph above, it is reasonable to say that the...

• people who built the Taj Mahal knew that visitors would stand at the base and look up.

• number of visitors who travel to the Taj Mahal every year has started to increase.

• materials used to build the Taj Mahal can no longer be found in that part of India.

• words written on the walls of the Taj Mahal can no longer be seen.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RI.8.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

CCSS.RL.7.1

CCSS.RL.8.1

Attila was one of the most successful, and feared, rulers in history. Known as Attila the Hun, he was the chief of the Huns from 434 to 453. The Huns were a group of people from North Central Asia. They were strong horse riders and fierce warriors in battle. Under Attila's rule, the Huns attacked many areas throughout Europe. They destroyed entire towns. They took over parts of France and Italy, and spread fear throughout the Roman Empire.

Based on the paragraph above, what is the most likely reason why Attila the Hun was described as both successful and feared?

• He was a strong horse rider but he fought all his battles on foot.

• He became chief at a time when the Huns were very powerful.

• He traveled through North Central Asia at a time when there were no roads.

• He took over parts of the Roman Empire but did so by destroying towns.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2