Released Reading Selections and Assessment Questions, 2015

Junior DivisionGrade 6 Language Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics Education Quality and Accountability Office, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1200, Toronto ON tario M5B 2M9 Telephone: 1-888-327-7377 Web site: www.eqao.com © 2015 Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

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Section C1 Reading

Joseph-Armand Bombardier . – Dreamer and Inventor .

April 16, 1907, Valcourt, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada: Joseph-Armand Bombardier is born. No one in this peaceful farming village anticipates the newborn’s unusual destiny.

As a boy, Joseph-Armand shows remarkable curiosity about everything mechanical, taking apart and reassembling a variety of machines. At a mere 13 years old, he manufactures one of his first mechanical toys - a miniature train engine driven by a clock mechanism.

To the immense pleasure of his brothers, sisters and friends, Joseph-Armand’s imagination soon gives life to other mobile toys, such as tractors and boats. He builds a steam engine out of old sewing-machine parts and, with permission from his aunt, mounts it on her spinning wheel. To his great joy, the wheel spins faster and faster.

To his father’s dismay, Joseph-Armand takes great pleasure in dismantling and reassembling the family car’s motor. As a result, his father gives him an old, irreparable Model T Ford motor. With the help of his brother, Leopold, the teenager nevertheless fixes the motor and uses it in a vehicle of his own design. On New Year’s Eve, his family watches in astonishment as a strange sled propelled by the old Ford motor emerges from his workshop. Sitting in front, Leopold steers the machine while Joseph-Armand, standing at the back, operates the motor, which turns a propeller manufactured by the young inventor himself. At 15 years old, he has just created his first snow vehicle.

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In 1926, at the age of 19, he opens his own garage. His remarkable ability to solve any mechanical problem earns him an outstanding reputation throughout the region. His success allows him to concentrate on his dream of designing a motorized vehicle light enough to travel on snow. Snow has been a concern throughout his youth because of the way it isolates Quebec villages in winter.

For 10 years, he works on the project, often late at night. Year after year, he develops a variety of prototypes. In the winter of 1934, Bombardier’s two-year-old son dies because the family is unable to get him to the hospital for treatment. Joseph-Armand increases his efforts, and, in 1935, he finally assembles a vehicle using a sprocket wheel/track system - at long last, the solution for snow travel!

The first seven snowmobiles emerge from a new factory in the winter of 1936 to 1937. They are given the name B7 - “B” for Bombardier and “7” for the number of passengers they can carry. They are well received by customers, but the inventor is always seeking ways to improve his creation. In 1940, unable to keep up with demand, the company builds a more modern plant with a production capacity of 200 vehicles per year.

Throughout 1941, Joseph-Armand perfects a new snowmobile called the B12, which becomes very popular with a range of customers. It is used for ambulance and rescue services, for installing and maintaining electricity and telephone lines, and on mining sites. An expanded version of the B12 can seat up to 25 schoolchildren, meeting a need for winter student transport. Known as the school snowmobile, it is sold in Quebec and Ontario.

The future seems certain, but 1948 to 1949 brings new challenges for the company. The winter snowfall is very light, and the Quebec government begins clearing snow from country roads. In one year, sales fall nearly $1 million.

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A disaster? Joseph-Armand Bombardier takes these changes as a challenge and creates new machines to tackle all sorts of terrain, from snow to swamps. He develops new industrial vehicles equipped with an interchangeable system of wheels and skis, and in 1953 the Muskeg is launched. It is greatly successful and is used in the Alps to carry skiers as well as in the Sahara Desert to clear roads.

The success he has enjoyed and the use of lighter motors allow the inventor to return to his dream of a light, individual vehicle. At the end of 1958, Joseph-Armand creates the prototype for a “miniature” snowmobile. In 1959, he delivers the first Ski-Doo snowmobile to a missionary in remote Northern Ontario. The famous snowmobile will forever change life in northern communities. The name Bombardier will continue to represent the man and his dreams for generations.

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1.: How can this text best be described?

a biography featuring Joseph-Armand’s activities.

a description of events in Joseph-Armand’s childhood.

an article about the effectiveness of the Ski-Doo in winter.

a summary about manufacturing Bombardier snowmobiles.

2.: What does the word, “dismantling” , mean as used in paragraph 4?

repairing.

exploring.

taking apart.

playing with.

3.: In paragraph 4, why does Joseph-Armand’s father give him an old motor?

to encourage Joseph-Armand to make new toys.

to provide Joseph-Armand with a bigger challenge.

to discourage Joseph-Armand from working with his brother.

to take Joseph-Armand’s attention away from the family’s car.

4.: Which of the following would be an appropriate subheading for paragraph 5?

Early Struggles.

Pursuing a Goal.

Winter Worries.

Problems of Success.

5.: What does the dash introduce in the last line of paragraph 6?

a change of opinion.

a concluding thought.

a definition of a term.

an interruption of a thought.

6.: Which word is closest in meaning to, “version” , (paragraph 8)?

model.

benefit.

service.

performance .

7.: What caused sales to fall (paragraph 9)?

There was a lack of snow.

There was an increase in prices.

The snowmobile did not perform well.

The company experienced many problems.

8.: Why was the Muskeg model so popular (paragraph 10)?

It was the newest design.

It carried many passengers.

It travelled at faster speeds.

It worked in many environments.

9.: What does paragraph 10 tell the reader about Joseph-Armand?

He is angered.

He is frustrated.

He is determined.

He is disappointed.

10.: What were Joseph-Armand’s earliest creations?

toys.

motors.

snowmobiles.

sewing machines.

11.: Explain why Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s age is mentioned in paragraphs 1 to 5. Use specific details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)

12.: Explain how Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s creations have improved people’s li yves. Use specific details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)

Section C2 Writing 13.: Your teacher wants to invite a special guest to speak to your class.

Write a detailed letter encouraging your teacher to choose who you think the special guest should be.

This page will not be scored.

Ideas for My Letter

Write your answer on the next page.

Write your letter here. Remember to check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. (10 typed lines)

Section C3 Writing Multiple-Choice

14.: Choose the best opening sentence for this paragraph.

Blank space., . If you take the time to check, you’ll see opportunities all around you to save energy. Empty classrooms are left with the lights on. Computer

monitors are left on with no one using them. If you are watchful and take action, you can help reduce the amount of energy that is used every day.

Energy conservation starts with observation.

Energy conservation is important for the environment.

Energy conservation begins with everyone helping out.

Energy conservation can make a difference to people’s quality of life.

15.: Choose the correct words to complete the following sentence.

Of the many houses on the street, the , Blank space., , . was the, ,Blank space., . decorated.

largest, more creative.

largest, most creatively.

most largest, more creative.

more largest, most creatively.

16.: Choose the word that completes the following sentence correctly.

Arjan stayed up late to watch the Olympic games, ,Blank space., . he was tired from a long day at school.

then.

although.

therefore.

meanwhile.

17.: Choose the pair of words that complete the following sentence correctly.

I, ,Blank space., . many hours last week, ,Blank space., . my notes for the science test.

spend, review.

spent, reviewed.

spent, reviewing.

spending, reviewing.

Section D1 Reading

Blast-Off

Students read a graphic text titled “Blast-Off” and then answered questions 1 through 6, which follow.

Due to copyright restrictions, the text cannot be released to the public over the internet.

1.: What does the word, “propelling” , mean as used under the sub-heading, “What Makes Rockets Go”?

guiding.

burning.

pushing.

speeding.

2.: According to the information in, “Space Journey,” what is the most likely reason the rocket separates before entering orbit?

It must avoid space junk.

The rocket is too large to enter orbit.

Empty sections are collected and reused.

Only the capsule is needed to finish the mission.

3.: Which separation stage is let go in number 2 in, “Space Journey”?

first stage.

second stage.

third stage.

capsule.

4.: Which section of the rocket carries the astronauts back to Earth?

nose cone.

lunar module.

service module.

command module.

5.: Explain why the, “Rocket Sections” , diagram, and the, “Space Journey” , section are both needed to show how a rocket operates. Use details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)

6.: Explain what makes a space journey both difficult and dangerous. Use specific details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)

Section D2 Writing7.: Imagine that you are the leader of a team that is exploring an exciting location. Write a detailed letter to someone back home describing your team's experiences.

This page will not be scored.

Ideas for My Letter

Write your answer on the next page.

Write your letter here. Remember to check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. (20 typed lines)

Stop.

Permissions and Credits

Section C1: ReadingAdapted from “J. Armand Bombardier,” published on the Musée Bombardier Web site, www.museebombardier.com. © J. Armand Bombardier Museum. Reprinted with permission.