Challenger Expedition Comprehension Quiz

1: What does the word unknown mean as it is used in paragraph 4 of Passage 1 and paragraph 2 of passage 2?

• known again

• well known

• known before

• not known

2: Select three sentences that belong in a summary of Passage 1.

• The reason for the expedition was to learn more about the ocean bottom so that telegraph cables could be laid down.

• The Challenger Deep is almost five miles down beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

• The Challenger made many important discoveries, including the deepest point on the ocean floor and a number of new species.

• Over 200 people took part in the Challenger voyage, and many more helped analyze the materials and information the expedition brought back.

• From 1872 to 1876, the British ship Challenger sailed the world’s oceans, collecting data and samples that became the base of modern oceanography.

3: Which sentence from Passage 1 is supported by information in the map?

• "On December 21, 1872, an unusual ship departed Portsmouth, England, ready to make science history."

• "The voyage would take them to every ocean region except the Arctic."

• "They also wanted to know more about the oceans’ geography, especially the deepest bottom."

• "The location was about 200 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean."

4 Part A: Based on Passage 1, which sentence about the Challenge team is most likely true?

• They were all trained to identify different species of marine life.

• They did not expect to measure the deepest part of the ocean.

• They wanted to find out what different depths of the ocean contained.

• They thought the voyage would encourage other people to explore the oceans.

4 Part B: Which sentence from the passage best supports the answer to part A?

• “They also wanted to know more about the oceans’ geography, especially the deepest bottom.”

• “They measured the temperature and collected water samples at different depths.”

• “This collection revealed many new facts about the oceans and confirmed earlier observations.”

• “The crew took a sounding of 4,475 fathoms—more than five miles!”

5: How does the author structure the information in paragraph 4 of Passage 1?

• by showing the daily activities and hardships faced by the Challenger’s crew

• by comparing and contrasting different tasks aboard the Challenger

• by describing the many events that took place on the Challenger in time order

• by stating the causes of problems the Challenger faced and how those problems were overcome

6: Read this sentence from paragraph 4 of Passage 1: “Sometimes weather conditions interrupted this work.” What is the meaning of the Latin root in the word interrupted?

• measure

• write

• break

• see

7: In Passage 2, what information does the illustration provide to the reader?

• the type of areas that the Challenger explored

• what the deck of the Challenger looked like

• how many crew members were aboard the Challenger

• the length and depth of the Challenger

8: Select two sentences that belong in a summary of Passage 2.

• Lord George Campbell kept a detailed log of the famous Challenger expedition.

• One night, the sea was shining so brightly that it was possible to read without any other light.

• The Challenger crew had largely stopped dredging for samples and turned to trawling instead.

• The passage covers a period ending when the Challenger reached St. Paul’s Rocks.

• Campbell reports on the results of the scientists’ sampling work, including the catching of unusual creatures.

9 Part A: Read the sentence from paragraph 1 of Passage 2.

"Astern of the ship, deep down where the keel cut the water, glowed a broad band of blue, emerald-green light."

Which meaning of the word band is used in the sentence?

• group acting together

• stripe of color or material

• range of values or numbers

• flat strip of cloth, elastic, or metal