Word Meaning
Make Way for Fun Guy!
1. What is neither a plant nor an animal but is very much alive? Fungi! Long ago, scientists used to think fungi (pronounced FUN-jie or FUN-guy) were plants. But plants use the sun, air, and water to make their own food. Fungi can't make their own food. That makes them more like animals. Animals have to to find their food. They may eat plants or other animals or both. But unlike animals, fungi can't move around. So scientists decided that fungi belong to their own kingdom, or group of living things.
2. Fungi play an essential role in helping the earth stay healthy. They often feed on what gets left behind, such as dead plants. As the dead stuff decays, fungi turn it into soil. Imagine what would happen if there were no fungi. Dead plants and animals would pile up everywhere!
3. There are different kinds of fungi. Yeast, mold, and mushrooms are just a few examples. They might not seem interesting, but they are useful. Bakers use yeast to make bread rise. Some kinds of mold are used to make cheese. Others are used to make medicine.
4. Mushrooms are the most familiar type of fungi. They grow in warm, damp places. Some look like small caps on stems. Some are shaped like umbrellas. You've probably eaten mushrooms in salads, soups or sauces. Some mushrooms are so large that people eat them as burgers. Today, the American diet includes more mushrooms than ever. On an annual basis, each American eats about four pounds of mushrooms.
5. Some people like to hunt for mushrooms, too. They gather mushrooms in the wild. Some kinds are hard to find, but people love their taste. Experts know which mushrooms to pick and when. But you should never pick mushrooms yourself. Some kinds can make you sick. The bad ones look similar to the good ones. So pickers must be careful!
Question 1
What does the word essential mean as it is used in paragraph 2?(1 point)
Responses
hard to understand
hard to understand
interesting or amusing
interesting or amusing
able to fight disease
able to fight disease
very important or necessary
very important or necessary
Question 2
Which phrase from paragraph 4 gives a clue to the meaning of diet?(1 point)
Responses
"so large"
"so large"
"more mushrooms"
"more mushrooms"
"each American eats"
"each American eats"
"four pounds"
"four pounds"
Question 3
What is the meaning of annual in paragraph 4?(1 point)
Responses
per year
per year
very large
very large
all at once
all at once
hard to believe
hard to believe
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Question 1: The word "essential" means very important or necessary in paragraph 2.
Question 2: The phrase "each American eats" gives a clue to the meaning of "diet" in paragraph 4.
Question 3: The meaning of "annual" in paragraph 4 is per year.
Read the paragraph. Then choose the best answer.
A roller brigade glides down a boulevard in Paris. This group of inline skaters is part of the city’s police force. Their job is to keep bus lanes free of passenger cars on busy streets. They also pull over drivers who are chatting on mobile phones. The best part of their work is posing for pictures with tourists. The rolleurs wear helmets and knee pads as part of their uniform. Even so, it can be tricky to navigate some streets in Paris, especially those paved with cobblestones.
The main idea of this paragraph is
(1 point)
Responses
Paris has a lot of automobile traffic.
Paris has a lot of automobile traffic.
A rolleur wears a helmet and pads
A rolleur wears a helmet and pads
Some police in Paris work on skates.
Some police in Paris work on skates.
Inline skates are not just for fun.
Inline skates are not just for fun.
Question 2
A supporting detail is(1 point)
Responses
Police departments try new things.
Police departments try new things.
Tourists visit Paris to see the police.
Tourists visit Paris to see the police.
Inline police keep bus lanes free.
Inline police keep bus lanes free.
Cobblestones make driving difficult.
Cobblestones make driving difficult.
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Question 1: The main idea of the paragraph is that some police in Paris work on skates.
Question 2: A supporting detail is that inline police keep bus lanes free.
Read each paragraph. Choose the best answers.
People have used oil since early times. Ancient cultures learned that oil was sticky and useful for binding things together. They also noted that oil kept water out. For example, the Sumerians used the oil in asphalt to keep mosaics on walls and in floors. The people of Mesopotamia used the oil in bitumen to seal the joints in wooden boats. Other groups found that oil burned well to create light. Throughout the ages, hundreds of other uses for oil were discovered.
The main idea of this paragraph is
(1 point)
Responses
The Sumerians used oil as glue.
The Sumerians used oil as glue.
When burned, oil creates light.
When burned, oil creates light.
Oil has sticky qualities.
Oil has sticky qualities.
People have used oil through the ages.
People have used oil through the ages.
Question 2
A supporting detail is(1 point)
Responses
The Chinese found oil underground.
The Chinese found oil underground.
Mesopotamians used oil as a sealer.
Mesopotamians used oil as a sealer.
People learned that oil is useful.
People learned that oil is useful.
Oil is a precious resource.
Oil is a precious resource.
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Question 1: The main idea of this paragraph is that people have used oil through the ages.
Question 2: A supporting detail is that Mesopotamians used oil as a sealer.