8.RI.CS.6 Newsela UGA's Malcom Mitchell Essay

What is the main purpose of Malcom Mitchell's essay?

• To share his experiences playing football for the University of Georgia.

• To encourage Georgians to support early literacy and read to children.

• To promote his children's books and literacy program.

• To highlight the achievements of the Share the Magic Foundation.

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What was Malcom Mitchell's greatest fear as a child?

• Reading aloud in front of the class.

• Playing football in tough games.

• Poverty.

• The color of his skin.

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What did Malcom Mitchell realize he needed to improve while at the University of Georgia?

• His athletic skills.

• His reading ability.

• His writing ability.

• His public speaking skills.

What does Malcom Mitchell compare to winning a Super Bowl in terms of its reward?

• Playing football.

• Writing a book.

• Graduating from college.

• Reading to a child.

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Read the paragraph from the essay.

Picture this: I, Malcolm Mitchell, the Super Bowl champion, am sitting in a classroom as a child, my heart pounding like a drum. Why am I so nervous? My teacher has just announced the day’s reading activity — round-robin reading — and when my turn comes, I will have to read out loud in front of the whole class. Which conclusion can be drawn from the paragraph?

• Mitchell struggled in school due to his difficulty with reading.

• Mitchell believes many students share his fear or reading aloud.

• Mitchell believes learning to read can unlock many opportunities.

• Mitchell hopes other students will overcome the fear of reading aloud.

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CCSS.W.8.9A

Read the sentence from the essay.

Research shows that children with the lowest reading scores are much more likely not to graduate from high school.

How does this sentence contribute to the effectiveness of the author's argument overall?

• It suggests the fear of reading is a nationwide issue for pre-K students.

• It speaks directly to Mitchell’s audience of Georgia community members.

• It provides a counterargument to Mitchell’s opinions about reading aloud.

• It strengthens the claims Mitchell makes regarding his personal experiences.

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The author uses a personal story to gain the reader’s attention.

What effect does this style choice have on the reader?

• It helps the reader empathize with Mitchell and his request.

• It helps the reader relate to Mitchell and agree with his suggestion.

• It helps the reader make predictions about the issue Mitchell shares.

• It helps the reader feel responsible for fixing the problem Mitchell describes.

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Read the sentence from the essay.

Trust me, it is more rewarding than winning a Super Bowl.

Which sentence from the essay BEST supports this idea?

• It goes beyond the simple fear of reading difficult texts.

• But due to my athletic ability and several people believing in me, I was lucky, and was able to attend the University of Georgia.

• To make the best of my opportunities in life, I needed to improve my reading ability.

• Participating students are less likely to experience the same fear I felt when asked to read aloud as a child.

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According to the essay, many students experience the same issues with reading as Mitchell.

Which paragraph BEST supports this idea?

• My stomach churns with worry. I shift nervously in my chair, my eyes darting around the room, searching for an escape route that does not exist. As our teacher begins to assign passages to students, my palms grow sweaty and my throat goes dry.

• The fear of reading is a very real problem. It goes beyond the simple fear of reading difficult texts. It is a dread that can make a person feel bad about themselves and hold them back in school and in life. This process starts by the time a child enters pre-K.

• My problems with reading became apparent on the University of Georgia campus. To make the best of my opportunities in life, I needed to improve my reading ability. I decided to dedicate myself to reading as much as I had to football.

• That is what Georgia Pre-K Week is all about. Every year, elected officials, public servants and former professional athletes get together to read to students in Georgia pre-K classrooms. In its 30-year history, Georgia pre-K has served more than 2 million 4-year-olds.

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CCSS.RL.8.1

Read the paragraph from the section "The Positive Effect Of Stories."

As part of the Georgia football team’s community outreach program, I visited schools to read children’s books to young students. I saw firsthand what a positive effect stories and the ability to read them have on young learners.

Which idea is BEST supported by this paragraph?

• Mitchell’s experience reading to young students helped him with his own reading.

• Mitchell’s experience reading to young students inspired him to help more children.

• Mitchell’s experience reading to young students helped him on and off the football field.

• Mitchell’s experience reading to young students caused him to enroll at the University of Georgia.

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