Summary Non-Fiction practice

Geologists are scientists who study the Earth. They search through rivers, mountains, and caves for clues about how and when the Earth was formed. Some of these clues are millions of years old. Geologists study clues like caves and fossils to find out more about the Earth.

Caves are natural holes or tunnels that go underground. A geologist would study a cave to find out several things. First, what made the tunnel? Some caves are made by water or lava. Second, what kind of rock is the cave made of? Caves can be made out of many different types of rock.

Sometimes, geologists find fossils buried under the ground. A fossil is a bone, shell, or footprint left from ancient animals or people. Fossils are good clues for geologists to study. If a geologist finds the fossil of an ancient fish in a rock, he or she can guess that a river or ocean used to flow nearby.

Which is the best summary of the selection?

• Geologists are scientists who study the Earth. They study important clues like caves and fossils.

• A fossil is something left by a creature that used to be alive. Some fossils were left by ancient fish.

• Caves are natural holes that go underground. Geologists study caves to learn how they were formed.

• Geologists are scientists who study caves. Caves can be made out of many different types of rock.

Geologists are scientists who study the Earth. They search through rivers, mountains, and caves for clues about how and when the Earth was formed. Some of these clues are millions of years old. Geologists study clues like caves and fossils to find out more about the Earth.

Caves are natural holes or tunnels that go underground. A geologist would study a cave to find out several things. First, what made the tunnel? Some caves are made by water or lava. Second, what kind of rock is the cave made of? Caves can be made out of many different types of rock.

Sometimes, geologists find fossils buried under the ground. A fossil is a bone, shell, or footprint left from ancient animals or people. Fossils are good clues for geologists to study. If a geologist finds the fossil of an ancient fish in a rock, he or she can guess that a river or ocean used to flow nearby.

In a short summary of this passage, which idea would be important to include?

• where caves are located

• how the Earth was formed

• what a geologist studies

• why fossils are important

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, a port city in Italy. Seeing Columbus's strong liking for the sea, his father sent him to a school where he could learn things about Earth, map-drawing, and whatever else might help him to become a commander of a vessel. When he was 14 years old, he went to sea. He made extra money by drawing maps, which he sold to commanders of vessels visiting Lisbon.

The maps that Columbus made and sold were very different from the ones we use now. At that time, more than half of the world had not been discovered by Europeans. Europe, Asia, and a small part of Africa were the only places known to Europeans then. No one had sailed around the world.

While living in Lisbon, Columbus made up his mind to try to do what no other man had attempted—to cross the Atlantic Ocean. If successful, he could start a very profitable trade with rich countries of the East. In those days, spices and silk were brought to Europe from the East. The people of Europe could not reach those countries directly by ships, because they had not found their way around the southern point of Africa then.

One fine day, he set out on a journey to the unknown world. After traveling for several weeks, when the crew had given up all hope, certain signs of land were seen. This gave them courage. The men noticed birds flying, a branch of a floating thornbush full of red berries, and a walking stick. The men now felt sure that they were approaching the shore. On October 12, 1492, Columbus saw a beautiful island with many trees growing on it. That was his first sight of the New World. When he, along with the crew, landed, they fell on their knees and kissed the ground out of joy.

Which detail would be most important to include in a summary of this piece?

• Europe, Asia, and a small part of Africa were the only places known to Europeans then.

• Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, a port city in Italy.

• While living in Lisbon, Columbus made up his mind to try to do what no other man had attempted—to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

• The maps that Columbus made and sold were very different from the ones we use now.

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, a port city in Italy. Seeing Columbus's strong liking for the sea, his father sent him to a school where he could learn things about Earth, map-drawing, and whatever else might help him to become a commander of a vessel. When he was 14 years old, he went to sea. He made extra money by drawing maps, which he sold to commanders of vessels visiting Lisbon.

The maps that Columbus made and sold were very different from the ones we use now. At that time, more than half of the world had not been discovered by Europeans. Europe, Asia, and a small part of Africa were the only places known to Europeans then. No one had sailed around the world.

While living in Lisbon, Columbus made up his mind to try to do what no other man had attempted—to cross the Atlantic Ocean. If successful, he could start a very profitable trade with rich countries of the East. In those days, spices and silk were brought to Europe from the East. The people of Europe could not reach those countries directly by ships, because they had not found their way around the southern point of Africa then.

One fine day, he set out on a journey to the unknown world. After traveling for several weeks, when the crew had given up all hope, certain signs of land were seen. This gave them courage. The men noticed birds flying, a branch of a floating thornbush full of red berries, and a walking stick. The men now felt sure that they were approaching the shore. On October 12, 1492, Columbus saw a beautiful island with many trees growing on it. That was his first sight of the New World. When he, along with the crew, landed, they fell on their knees and kissed the ground out of joy.

Which of these best summarizes the last paragraph of the piece?

• Columbus had a very long and difficult journey to the new world, but found hope when he saw signs of land. When they finally landed, he was so overjoyed that he fell to his knees and kissed the ground.

• Columbus had almost given up hope of landing in an unknown world when he saw birds and branches. He finally landed in the New World and fell on his knees and kissed the ground with joy.

• Columbus set out on a long journey to an unknown land and had almost lost hope before seeing signs of land. On October 12, 1492, Columbus and his crew landed in the New World.

• Columbus set out on a difficult journey to an unknown world. They saw birds flying and a branch floating in the water. They landed on October 12, 1492 and kissed the ground.

Glass is one of the oldest and most used man-made materials. Used in many shapes and forms, glass is made mainly from sand.

Glass is created by melting sand, but a very high temperature is required to melt sand. Glass cannot be found naturally on a beach, because the heat of the Sun is not strong enough to melt the sand. When heated to about 1700°C (3090°F), sand turns into liquid. When this molten sand cools, it does not change back into solid sand. Instead, a new type of semi-solid material is created. This is because the structure that forms the grains of sand changes on heating. It changes into a special type of matter, which is between solid and liquid. This solid-liquid sand has properties of glass, but it is not the glass we use in our daily lives.

To create glass in a factory, sand is mixed with some waste, recycled glass. Recycled glass helps save raw materials. To this mixture of sand and recycled glass, soda ash (also known as sodium carbonate) and limestone are added. This mixture is then heated in a furnace. These materials play different roles in the glass-making process. The soda ash helps lower the melting temperature of sand, which helps the factory save energy. But glass created using soda ash easily dissolves in water. The added limestone prevents glass from dissolving. Through this process, ordinary glass is created.

To make glass of different shapes and sizes, another process is followed. For making a glass jar or vase, a lump of molten glass is wrapped around an open pipe. Air is blown through one end, and the pipe is slowly rotated. This causes the glass to blow up like a balloon. Different shapes can be created depending on how the glass is blown and turned.

Which of these best summarizes paragraph 3 of the piece?

• Recycled glass is used to make glass to help save raw materials. Soda ash helps lower the melting temperature, and limestone prevents the glass from dissolving. Sand is also added to the mixture.

• To make glass, recycled glass is used to help save raw materials. Sand, soda ash, and limestone are added to the mixture and heated in a furnace. Each ingredient plays an important role in making glass.

• To make glass, recycled glass, sand, soda ash, and limestone are mixed together and heated in a furnace. Soda ash helps lower the melting temperature, while limestone prevents the glass from dissolving.

• Soda ash is used to make glass because it lowers the temperature, while limestone prevents the glass from dissolving. The other ingredients used to make glass are sand and recycled glass.

Glass is one of the oldest and most used man-made materials. Used in many shapes and forms, glass is made mainly from sand.

Glass is created by melting sand, but a very high temperature is required to melt sand. Glass cannot be found naturally on a beach, because the heat of the Sun is not strong enough to melt the sand. When heated to about 1700°C (3090°F), sand turns into liquid. When this molten sand cools, it does not change back into solid sand. Instead, a new type of semi-solid material is created. This is because the structure that forms the grains of sand changes on heating. It changes into a special type of matter, which is between solid and liquid. This solid-liquid sand has properties of glass, but it is not the glass we use in our daily lives.

To create glass in a factory, sand is mixed with some waste, recycled glass. Recycled glass helps save raw materials. To this mixture of sand and recycled glass, soda ash (also known as sodium carbonate) and limestone are added. This mixture is then heated in a furnace. These materials play different roles in the glass-making process. The soda ash helps lower the melting temperature of sand, which helps the factory save energy. But glass created using soda ash easily dissolves in water. The added limestone prevents glass from dissolving. Through this process, ordinary glass is created.

To make glass of different shapes and sizes, another process is followed. For making a glass jar or vase, a lump of molten glass is wrapped around an open pipe. Air is blown through one end, and the pipe is slowly rotated. This causes the glass to blow up like a balloon. Different shapes can be created depending on how the glass is blown and turned.

Which sentence best shows an idea that is important to include in a summary of this piece?

• The soda ash helps lower the melting temperature of sand, which helps the factory save energy.

• To make glass of different shapes and sizes, another process is followed.

• But glass created using soda ash easily dissolves in water.

• It changes into a special type of matter, which is between solid and liquid.