"A Scratch Tells All" & "Hard Facts" Review

1. How does the author’s inclusion of the hyperbole “shocked the world” impact the tone of paragraph 1 of “A Scratch Tells All”?

• It creates a serious tone.
• It creates a regretful tone.
• It creates an amazed tone.
• It creates an energetic tone.

2. The following question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Part A: What inference can be made based on paragraph 4 of “A Scratch Tells All”?

• People with tooth decay generally live shorter lives.
• People of the farming era were not aware of tooth decay.
• People with a poor diet may also have a shorter life span.
• People of the non­farming era were concerned with dental hygiene.

3. Part B: Which quotation supports the answer to Part A?

• “The early farmers traded their good health, nutritious diets, and longer life span for shorter lives plagued by disease. . . .” (paragraph 3)
• “. . . early farmers ate the same boring starches and sugars that came from their crops of corn, barley, wheat, or rice.” (paragraph 3)
• “The change in lifestyle and diet from pre­farming to farming is recorded in the archaeological record.” (paragraph 3)
• “Research on skeletal remains reveals that before farming Europeans had few problems with their teeth.” (paragraph 5)

4. Which quotation supports the claim that humans have paid a high price for the change in lifestyles in “A Scratch Tells All”?

• “Didn’t farming end starvation and famine?” (paragraph 2)
• “The change in lifestyle and diet from pre­-farming to farming is recorded in the archaeological record.” (paragraph 3)
• “Wear patterns, scratch marks, and dental decay all tell a story about the foods we eat and how they were prepared.” (paragraph 6)
• “The most significant change in the teeth of early farming communities is the number and types of cavities.” (paragraph 7)

5. What is the author’s purpose for writing “A Scratch Tells All”?

• to encourage readers to take better care of their teeth by making it a daily priority
• to inform readers about the effect tooth decay has on the overall health of an individual
• to explain that the diet that resulted from farming has contributed to an increase in tooth decay
• to explain the harmful effects of sugar on the human body, as well as its role in increasing tooth decay

6. The following question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Part A: Which sentence summarizes a central idea in “A Scratch Tells All”?

• The benefits of farming outweigh any possible negative effects.
• Science and history reveal that diet strongly affects tooth decay.
• The creation of refined sugar created worldwide health problems.
• Tooth decay has decreased significantly since the pre-farming era.

7. Part B: Which quotation supports the answer to Part A?

• “Didn’t farming end starvation and famine? Didn’t it free us from having to wander the land looking for our next meal?” (paragraph 2)
• “Wear patterns, scratch marks, and dental decay all tell a story about the foods we eat and how they were prepared.” (paragraph 6)
• “The most significant change in the teeth of early farming communities is the number and types of cavities.” (paragraph 7)
• “Certainly, we cannot go back to being nomads, but we can learn to eat nutritious diets and save our teeth.” (paragraph 8)

8. Which three statements should be included in an accurate summary of “A Scratch Tells All”?

• While farming has benefited society in many ways, its products have increased the rate of tooth decay.
• Humans have made a costly mistake by consuming too much starch, leading to an increase in tooth decay.
• Research shows that across the world, the increase of farming also increased the percentage of tooth decay.
• Finely ground bits of starches cause most cavities because they are trapped between teeth.
• Consuming large amounts of meat and fat does not contribute to the decaying of tooth enamel.

9. Read paragraph 1 from “Hard Facts.” What’s more destructive to teeth than fire, extreme cold, or desert heat? Read on to find the answer. How does the structure of the introduction relate to a central idea in the passage?

• Description demonstrates the problems of tooth decay.
• Comparison and contrast states the topic of tooth decay.
• Question and answer helps lead into the topic of tooth decay.
• Statement of a problem suggests a solution to decrease tooth decay.

10. Read the sentence from paragraph 2 of “Hard Facts.” Modern day police often use teeth to help identify victims of accidents and foul play. What does foul mean as it is used in the sentence?

• wrongful
• unpleasant
• make certain
• out-­of-­bounds