Excerpt from Nature's Fireworks: A Book About Lightning

How is the idea "Lightning begins inside thunderstorms" (par. 2) developed in the article?

• by comparing a lightning bolt to a small spark

• by describing how lightning occurs in different types of weather

• by explaining how air temperatures creates a charge in clouds

• by providing examples of how much electricity is produced by electrons jumping through air

Read this quotation from paragraph 6.

Between 1,500 and 2,00 thunderstorms are crackling and booming around the world at this very moment...

Why does the author use the words "crackling and booming" instead of "occurring" ?

• to help the reader experience the speed of lightning

• to help the reader imagine the sounds of thunderstorms

• to be clear about the electrical nature of lightning

• to be accurate about how common thunderstorms are

How does the illustration support the author's claims in the section "Lightning around the World"/

• by highlighting the size of lightning strikes in particular areas

• by providing evidence of why lightning strikes in some areas

• by illustrating which areas are more affected by lightning strikes

• by showing the limited areas in the world where lightning strikes occur

How does the section "Lightning Safety" connect to the section "What is Lightning?"

• "Lightning Safety" summarizes the effects of lightning described in "What is Lightning?"

• "Lightning Safety" contrasts different types of lightning described in "What is Lightning?"

• "Lightning Safety" elaborates on the cause of the powerful lightning described in "What is Lightning?"

• "Lightning Safety" describes ways to avoid the powerful lightning explained in "What is Lightning?"

Which sentence BEST expresses a central idea in the article?

• Lightning strikes are only about as thick as a pencil

• Lightning strikes are uncommon far out over the ocean

• Lightning strikes are due to unstable weather conditions

• Lightning strikes are able to travel through pipes in a building

What does paragraph 9 suggest about the author's point of view in the article?

• The author has a great deal of respect for lightning

• The author has difficulty understanding lightning

• The author believes that lighting can be useful

• The author believes that it is impossible to avoid lightning

Which idea would be most important to include in a summary of the article?

• "The farther away lightning strikes, the deeper the sound of the thunder..." (p 5)

• "Lightning zaps the remote mountain village of Kifuka, in central Africa, nearly every day." (p 6)

• "Because of its unpredictability and power, lightning can be extremely dangerous." (P8)

• "You're safe inside the car because electricity will travel over the metal surface instead of through the interior." (p9)