Reading Informational Text Unit Test

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Question
Use the excerpt to answer the question.

Foley artists use props to create sound effects for movies. Their principal job is to immerse viewers in what they see by including the dimension of sound to add to the experience. Foley artists rarely capture sounds during live taping that are included in the edited version you view. But, just how is this accomplished? How can the tiptoes of a child or the boom of thunder be recreated? A Foley artist sees the opportunity to use an everyday object to capture the sound: swishing a feather duster across a sheet of paper brings thoughts of a ballerina dancing across center stage, and waving a large piece of heavy aluminum evokes thoughts of a thunderstorm!

Which of the following is a central idea of this paragraph?

(1 point)
Responses

Everyday objects are often used to create effects.
Everyday objects are often used to create effects.

Foley artists edit films before viewers see them.
Foley artists edit films before viewers see them.

Foley artists create sound effects for movies.
Foley artists create sound effects for movies.

Sound is usually added to movies after they are filmed

Sound is usually added to movies after they are filmed.

Use this excerpt to answer the question.

Hollywood movies originated without sound, and silent movies told stories using visuals only. Eventually, background music was added to create feelings of suspense, melancholy, or romance, but there were no lines of dialogue spoken aloud by actors. As microphone technology improved, the stage was set to add dialogue, and this is when the role of the Foley artist became so important.

The movie industry is now known for creating more than silent movies, and Foley artists are part of that industry's work in elevating the viewers' senses. The term Foley artist is named after Jack Foley, an innovator in the realm of sound effects. His vision paved the way for sound to be included in the world of movies and added the dimension that what our eyes miss, our ears will pick up.

What is the central idea of the excerpt?

(1 point)
Responses

Silent movies relied on visuals to tell the story.
Silent movies relied on visuals to tell the story.

Jack Foley pioneered the use of sound effects in movies.
Jack Foley pioneered the use of sound effects in movies.

Improvements in microphones allowed Foley artists to record dialogue for movies.
Improvements in microphones allowed Foley artists to record dialogue for movies.

Advancements in technology made it possible for movies to have sound.
Advancements in technology made it possible for movies to have sound.
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Advancements in technology made it possible for movies to have sound.

Which detail best supports the idea that Foley artists have enhanced the experience of watching movies?(1 point)

Responses

Foley artists use technology such as microphones.
Foley artists use technology such as microphones.

Foley artists are named after innovator Jack Foley.
Foley artists are named after innovator Jack Foley.

Foley artists create sounds that are added to the images in movies.
Foley artists create sounds that are added to the images in movies.

Foley artists entered the movie industry in the middle of the twentieth century.

Foley artists create sounds that are added to the images in movies.

Use the paragraph to answer the question.

The hills and canyons of California provide all three of a wildfire’s needs in abundance. Dry brush and small shrubs and trees encircle the towns. Santa Ana winds blow steadily. The winds pick up twigs or small embers and carry them miles away. Dry lightning is a common occurrence, too, and tourists’ campfires, broken electric lines, or even dropped cigarettes can spark a fire.

Which is the best summary of the information in this paragraph?

(1 point)
Responses

Towns in California are surrounded by natural plants, such as trees and shrubs.
Towns in California are surrounded by natural plants, such as trees and shrubs.

California is vulnerable to wildfires due to its dry climate, lightning, and tourist activities.
California is vulnerable to wildfires due to its dry climate, lightning, and tourist activities.

Some tourists cause wildfires while camping and sightseeing in California.
Some tourists cause wildfires while camping and sightseeing in California.

California weather is usually windy with the occasional dry lightning storm.

California is vulnerable to wildfires due to its dry climate, lightning, and tourist activities.

Which statement about an objective summary is true?(1 point)

Responses

It includes the writer's opinion of the text.
It includes the writer's opinion of the text.

It describes each detail from the text.
It describes each detail from the text.

It conveys the central idea of the text.
It conveys the central idea of the text.

It quotes the text directly

It conveys the central idea of the text.

Use the sentences to answer the question.

The official population of some states increased, while the populations of others decreased. As a result, the number of U.S. representatives allocated to these states changed.

What type of interaction does the underlined phrase show?

(1 point)
Responses

chronological
chronological

problem and solution
problem and solution

cause and effect
cause and effect

compare and contrast

cause and effect

Use the sentences to answer the question.

No matter what he tried, Tom could not get his car to start. He had to figure out another way to get to work. He quickly decided to take the bus, figuring that if he caught the next one, he should get there just in time.

What is the primary text structure used in these sentences?

(1 point)
Responses

compare and contrast
compare and contrast

steps in a process
steps in a process

order of importance
order of importance

problem and solution

problem and solution

Use the paragraph to answer the question.

It was too cold to play outside in the treehouse, so the boys decided to play in the living room instead with a makeshift fort they built out of old cardboard boxes. It wasn't very sturdy and collapsed at the end of the day, but they had a great time playing in it all afternoon.

What does the word makeshift mean in this context?

(1 point)
Responses

spacious
spacious

temporary
temporary

complicated
complicated

cozy

temporary

Use the sentence to answer the question.

In order to help her clients make the best decision, Lea spent hours searching through data for the most important information to their situation.

Which word from the sentence provides the best context clue to define the term data?

(1 point)
Responses

help
help

situation
situation

information
information

order

information

Use the paragraph to answer the question.

Iodine is an important micronutrient, a vitamin or mineral that is necessary for good health. It helps the body to produce hormones, helps babies develop in the womb, and is important to many other body processes. In 1924, iodine was added to salt to make up for a lack of public access to dairy foods and ocean fish, which are natural sources of iodine. The modern American diet, however, includes many processed foods that contain iodine. As a result, many salt manufacturers have stopped adding iodine to their product, a change that did not get much attention in the media. Some nutrition experts are concerned that people who still rely on table salt as a source of iodine will have an increase in disease caused by a diet lacking in this micronutrient. Only time will tell, as America moves into a new era where table salt is no longer a guaranteed source of iodine.

Why does iodine matter to nutrition experts?

(1 point)
Responses

It is necessary for good health.
It is necessary for good health.

It is added to table salt.
It is added to table salt.

It is important for certain trendy diets.
It is important for certain trendy diets.

It is only found in dairy foods and ocean fish.
It is only found in dairy foods and ocean fish.
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It is necessary for good health.

Reading Informational Text Unit Test

11 of 1511 of 15 Items

Question
Use the paragraph to answer the question.

People fear wolves. While some of their fear is sensible, wolves actually have more to fear from people than people do from wolves. Although wolves are strong and fierce, wolf attacks on humans are very rare. In nearly all cases, they occur only when people provoke or corner wolves. People, on the other hand, have regularly baited and trapped wolves from the earliest of times. For various reasons, farmers, ranchers, and trappers in North America have all sought to reduce the wolf population. By 1950, there were almost no wolves left in the United States. Finally, in 1974, Congress granted gray wolves a protected status.

What saved the gray wolf population of North America?

(1 point)
Responses

Gray wolves became strong and fierce.
Gray wolves became strong and fierce.

Congress granted gray wolves protected status.
Congress granted gray wolves protected status.

People stopped baiting and trapping gray wolves.
People stopped baiting and trapping gray wolves.

People avoided gray wolves out of fear.

Congress granted gray wolves protected status.

Many fire-prone California towns don’t plan for evacuations

Counterintuitive as it may sound, Paradise has some of the strongest evacuation planning in California. In fact, a USA TODAY Network-California survey of communities at high risk from wildfires found only 22% (including Paradise) have a robust, publicly available evacuation plan.

The scale of disaster in the Camp Fire was unprecedented, but the scene of people fleeing wildfires was familiar, repeated numerous times over the past three years up and down California from Redding and Paradise to Santa Rosa, Ventura, and Malibu.

In many of those communities, motorists became stuck in traffic as officials tried to evacuate thousands onto a few roads leading away from the flames.

NO REQUIREMENT TO PLAN

The 85 deaths and nearly 19,000 buildings destroyed in Paradise’s Camp Fire made it the deadliest and most destructive blaze in California history. Eight of those who perished were found in their vehicles, with two others found outside their vehicles.

In some spots, burned-out and abandoned vehicles lined roads leading out of town.


Should cities be required to have detailed evacuation plans? In 3–5 sentences, answer the question and provide specific textual evidence to support your analysis.

(4 points)

Yes, cities should be required to have detailed evacuation plans. The article states that only 22% of high-risk communities in California, including Paradise, have a robust and publicly available evacuation plan. This lack of planning can lead to chaotic and dangerous situations during wildfires, as seen in the Camp Fire and other incidents. The text also mentions the deaths of individuals who were found in their vehicles and the presence of burned-out and abandoned vehicles on the roads. This suggests that without proper evacuation plans, people may become trapped and unable to escape the flames. Requiring cities to have detailed evacuation plans would help save lives and ensure more efficient and organized evacuations during emergencies.

Reading Informational Text Unit Test

15 of 1515 of 15 Items

Feature
Question
In 3–5 sentences, identify and explain an inference you made about news media based on the passage. Support your answer with text evidence from the passage.(4 points)

Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.

The answer is fully supported by details.

There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

3
The answer is mostly clear.

The answer is supported by mostly relevant details.

There are a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

2
The answer is somewhat clear.

Details are weak or not related.

There are some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

1
The answer is not clear.

There are few or no supporting details.

There are many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

0 The question is not answered.
Why Is the News Sometimes Controversial?
Reporters gather facts and write about them—so why do some people say the news is unreliable? They are worried that news stories might be biased.

Bias is an unfair representation of something or someone. It can happen when only one side of a story is presented, when only certain facts are shared, or when news organizations choose which stories they want to publish. Readers sometimes worry that news organizations, intentionally or accidentally, publish biased stories.

News organizations try to avoid bias as much as they can. They hire trained reporters who know how to ask good questions about all sides of a story. They also employ many different editors to double-check all of the facts cited in the articles.

Readers of the news can take their own steps to avoid possible bias in the news they read. They can read news from multiple sources, or they can look up facts on their own to make sure the news matches other websites and records. It is impossible to avoid bias completely, but news writers and news readers can still do a lot to make sure the information they share and read is accurate.

In 3–5 sentences, identify and explain an inference you made about news media based on the passage. Support your answer with text evidence from the passage.(4 points)

Based on the passage, an inference that can be made about news media is that bias in news reporting is a concern for both news organizations and readers. The passage mentions that readers worry about bias in news stories and that news organizations try to avoid bias by hiring trained reporters and employing multiple editors to fact-check the articles. This suggests that bias in the news is acknowledged as a potential problem and that efforts are made to mitigate it. The passage also suggests that readers can take their own steps to avoid bias by seeking news from multiple sources and verifying facts on their own.