Milestone Practice # 10

A student is writing a report for class about jellyfish. The student wants to revise the draft to include more precise language. Read the paragraph from the report and complete the task that follows.

Jellyfish have been around for a long time. Jellyfish were even floating in the ocean before the dinosaurs lived on Earth. Their tentacles play an important part in stinging and capturing their prey. After stinging their prey, they use their tentacles like arms to lift their food to their mouth.

Revise the underlined sentence in the paragraph by selecting a sentence that includes more precise language for the audience.

• One of the reasons they have been around for so long is their ability to protect themselves with their stinging tentacles.
• It is amazing that jellyfish have been around for such a long time.
• Jellyfish have thrived for thousands of years because they have the ability to protect themselves with their stinging tentacles.
• Jellyfish use their tentacles to sting, capture, and eat their prey.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

A student has written an informational paragraph and wants to revise it to make sure it maintains formal language and style. Read the paragraph and answer the question that follows.

Tourists and residents in New York City are discovering a surprising garden walk located 30 feet above the bustle of the street. Open since 2009, it is called the High Line, and it attracts millions of visitors every year. A group of people raised money to turn the messed-up old railroad track into a tree-lined pedestrian pathway. If walkers get hungry along the way, there are yummy snacks you can buy. The High Line also features a variety of sculptures and other works of art.

Select the two phrases that should be revised.

• messed-up old railroad track
• yummy snacks you can buy
• sculptures and other works of art
• Tourists and residents in New York City
• it attracts millions of visitors every year

A student is writing an essay about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The student wants to revise the essay to include a conclusion. Read the draft of the essay and complete the task that follows. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most famous buildings in the world because of its tilt. When builders began construction on the bell tower, they did not intend for it to lean.

In 1173, builders started construction on the tower in Pisa, Italy. As they started work on the second story, they noticed the tower start to lean. They had not thought about the softness of the soil in the area. The soil, mostly made of clay and sand, was not able to support such a heavy structure.

Builders tried to solve the problem by making the southern end of the structure taller than the sinking northern side. They built two more steps on the north side of the tower than on the south side. Despite the change, the building continued to lean.

The tower was finally completed in 1372. Construction was delayed several times because of wars and other problems in Italy. Experts think the delays in construction may have saved the tower from falling to the ground completely. They think because the construction was so slow it gave the ground time to adjust to the heavy structure's weight. Choose the paragraph that would best conclude the student's essay.

• While the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the most famous tower in Pisa, it is not the only one that leans. Two churches in the city also lean due to the soft soil throughout the city.
• In the late twentieth century, workers tried to fix the Leaning Tower of Pisa's tilt. While they were not able to completely fix the lean, they were able to lessen the tilt by almost two degrees.
• The original purpose of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was to show Pisa's power and strength. Over time, it has had several different purposes including its use as a watch tower during World War II.
• Even though the Leaning Tower of Pisa was not meant to lean, the lean is what makes it so famous. The mistakes made during its construction make it a popular place for people to visit each year.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

The word antidote is a noun. What does its affix suggest about the meaning of antidote?

• An antidote works against something.
• An antidote is the study of something.
• An antidote is a quality of something.
• An antidote carries something.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.4B

CCSS.L.3.4C

CCSS.RF.3.3B

CCSS.RF.4.3A

CCSS.RF.5.3A

Read this sentence. The farmer planned to sow his corn seeds late in the spring. Now read this thesaurus entry for sow. Main entry: sow 1. female hog 2. plant 3. nurture 4. introduce

Which entry is the best synonym for sow as it is used in the above sentence?

• female hog
• plant
• nurture
• introduce

Tags

CCSS.L.11-12.4C

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

CCSS.L.9-10.4C