Paired Passage

What is the best summary of the selection “A Ghostly New Creature”?

• Government scientists were sent to Hawaii to study animal life in the Pacific Ocean. They watched video that was taken by an underwater vehicle. Watching the video from a ship and from land, they saw a ghostlike octopod. The scientists named the mysterious new specimen Casper after Casper the Friendly Ghost, an old cartoon character.

• Near Hawaii a research team studied the Pacific Ocean thousands of feet below the surface. The team members became excited when they saw a white octopod appear on their video. They had not expected to see this finless animal as it was found below 13,000 feet where there is little food to support its existence.

• Scientists made an exciting find in the waters near Hawaii. While mapping the ocean floor to study ocean life, scientists saw a mysterious octopod. It was so unusual that scientists decided they had discovered a new species. The octopod that scientists found was unique, suggesting there are still undiscovered species located in other parts of the world.

• Dozens of researchers observed a white octopod in the ocean near Hawaii. Octopods are a category of eight-armed animals that include the octopus. The researchers used an underwater vehicle as part of their studies and were surprised to see the unusual creature. Scientists doubt that they will be able to examine a specimen of this new type of octopod.

In the selection “A Ghostly New Creature,” which idea about the octopod best explains why the author includes the map?

• Octopods are found in many oceans throughout the world.

• The ghostly octopod is common only to the ocean area around Hawaii

• Octopods are most commonly found near islands.

• The ghostly octopod was found near the Hawaiian Islands.

What can the reader conclude from Michael Vecchione’s comments throughout the selection “A Ghostly New Creature”?

• Vecchione is not interested in learning more about the new octopod.

• Vecchione is fascinated by the discovery of new species.

• Vecchione was the coordinator of the project that discovered the unknown creature.

• Vecchione was first to understand the significance of finding the new octopod.

Read the dictionary entry for the word screen in "Tiptoeing Scientist."

Which definition best matches the way the word screening is used in paragraph 1 of the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists”?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

Throughout the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists,” which idea about tiny frogs does the author highlight?

• Scientists are finding tiny frogs throughout the mountain ranges of the world.

• Researchers locate tiny frogs by their bold and unique coloring.

• Tiny frogs can be very difficult for scientists to capture.

• Tiny frogs have poisonous skin that helps to protect them.

For what reason does the author include the photograph after paragraph 3 of the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists”?

• To prove that this species is the smallest of all frogs ever discovered

• To highlight the effectiveness of the frog’s natural camouflage

• To emphasize how small the frog is by comparing it to a familiar object

• To demonstrate that the frog has a unique call

In the selections “A Ghostly New Creature” and “Tiptoeing Scientists,” how are Michael Vecchione’s work and Marcio Pie’s work different?

• Vecchione uses high-tech equipment to observe animals, but Pie does not.

• Vecchione studies animals that can be difficult to find, but Pie does not.

• Pie is employed by a government agency, but Vecchione is self-employed.

• Pie conducts research about many kinds of animals, but Vecchione studies only octopods.

One similarity between the scientists in the selections “A Ghostly New Creature” and “Tiptoeing Scientists” is that they both —

• study animals that live in the oceans

• learn about animals from the sounds they make

• perform their work in isolated areas

• capture the animal they each study

Read this sentence from paragraph 8 of the selection “A Ghostly New Creature.”

Which sentence from the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists” is related to this idea?

• He and his team have tiptoed to the location where they last heard them singing. (paragraph 1)

• But they must look very carefully because these frogs are smaller than a fingernail. (paragraph 1)

• The tiny amphibians were incredibly difficult to catch because they jump like crickets. (paragraph 4)

• In spite of the countless challenges, new tiny frogs are being found among the planet’s habitats that have previously been understudied. (paragraph 5)

How do the frogs in the selection “Tiptoeing Scientists” differ from the octopod in the selection “A Ghostly New Creature”?

• The frogs’ bodies have coloration that protects the frogs.

  The octopod’s body does not have coloration for protection.

• The frogs are found on islands in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.

  The octopod was sighted off the coast of Brazil in South America.

• The frogs’ size is typical for its species.

  The octopod’s size is smaller than normal.

• The frogs are well adapted to their environment.

  The octopod has not adapted to its environment.