Nonfiction Benchmark Quiz

Which choice provides a summary of the text?

• Giant squid are large creatures that live deep in the ocean. Scientists have studied the

  creatures for many years, but there have been very few sightings of giant squid alive.

  Scientists are working hard to continue learning more about giant squid.

• Giant squid are strange creatures that are rarely seen alive by scientists. Giant squid were

  first seen by sailors hundreds of years ago, but the sailors did not know what the creatures

  were. Scientists finally gave the creatures a name after they started washing up on beaches.

• Giant squid are large creatures that have eight legs like octopuses. They also have two long

  tentacles that they use to help them get food. Scientists have only learned this information

  recently because they finally found where giant squid live in the ocean.

• Giant squid are interesting creatures that live in some oceans around the world. Scientists

  have discovered many details about giant squid over the years but want to learn even more.

  Scientists hope to catch a giant squid alive one day in order to study it more closely.

How have scientists learned information about giant squid?

• Scientists followed giant squid as they hunted for food in the ocean.

• Scientists studied giant squid that died and washed onto beaches.

• Scientists placed special cameras on whales and watched giant squid.

• Scientists read stories written by people who had seen giant squid.

What can the reader infer about scientists based on the “Squid Squads” section?

• Scientists have no idea how whales are able to eat giant squid.

• Scientists sometimes spend their entire lives searching for giant squid.

• Scientists often prefer to work alone when studying giant squid.

• Scientists are trying to get creative to learn more about giant squid.

What does the word shred mean as it is used in paragraph 8?

• Move

• Rip

• Stop

• Watch

Which phrase from paragraph 8 best supports the meaning of shred?

• “...buried deep in muscle.”

• “...reach its stomach...”

• “...the pieces can’t be too big!”

• “...help it see in the deep ocean...”

How does the diagram help the reader understand the text?

• The reader can see why some parts of a giant squid are so big.

• The reader can see how parts of a giant squid help it change color.

• The reader can see what different parts of a giant squid look like.

• The reader can see which parts of a giant squid help it find food.

What is the text structure of the passage?

• Problem and solution

• Compare and contrast

• Sequencing

• Description

What is a text feature that is not present in the text?

• Glossary

• Sidebars

• Bold words

• Subheadings