COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION IN READING 6

Name: _______________________________ Date: _________________

Section: ______________ Teacher:Ms. Elaine Nanual Score: _____________ I. Choose the best answer. Encircle the letter of the correct answer. The United States has a vast amount of newly discovered clean geothermal (natural heat from the Earths crust) energy. Tapping into this energy source could provide at least 10 times the energy that can be obtained from the nations known coal reserves.

1. What does vast mean?a. a large amountb. not enoughc. dangerousd. having no known use

2. Which word in the above paragraph meanssupplies that are available to be used?a. geothermalb. tappingc. continentd. reserves

Using IQ tests and MRI brain scans, researchers have found that the measurable intelligence of teenagers can rise and fall over time. We used to believe that intelligence was static. But now, because of new studies, we know that teens and even fully mature adults can grow more brain cells when needed.

3. What does static mean in the above selection?

a. noiseb. not changingc. moldyd. unreal

4. What are researchers?

a. people who lose thingsb. people who search for knowledgec. creatures from Marsd. students who dont study Kim wants to drive her three kids and their two friends to the soccer game. The problem is that her shiny new SUV only has room for five passengers including the driver. Kim misses her old eight passengers SUV but shes still thankful that the new one gets much better gas mileage.

5. Which of the following statements isfalse?

a. Kims new vehicle is not meant to carry six people.b. Kims old SUV had seating for more passengers than the new one.c. Kim wont be able to take her kids to the soccer game.

Karim had $500 dollars to invest. He was considering a number of options. Id really like to buy gold bars with the money and hide them in a big hole in our yard, he said. Five hundred dollars wont buy much gold, his father pointed out. You could put all the gold in your shoe and never notice that its there. That takes all the fun out of it! Karim groaned. I just wont buy any gold at all! When Karims father suggested that he deposit the money in his new savings account at the local bank, Karim quietly stated, That could work.

6. What did karim want to buy?

a. new shoesb. a small gold coinc. gold barsd. a used hamburger

7. From the selection we can tell that Karim _______.

a. will save his $500 at the local bankb. might decide to put his money into his bank accountc. will put the cash under his pillow and wish for a toothd. does not trust banks

Scientists in Australia have discovered a planet that seems to be a solid diamond. They estimate it to be about five times the size of Earth. The diamond planet is 4,000 light years away, so dont plan on traveling there any time soon.

8. Which one of the following do you think scientists needed in order to make this discovery?

a. a microscopeb. a smartphonec. a jewelery stored. a radio telescope

BPA is a chemical that is put into plastics that are used as food containers. Unfortunately, some of the BPA passes from the containers into the foods that they are meant to protect. When people and animals eat those foods, BPA goes into their bodies.

There are studies that have found that BPA can increase our chances of getting a number of serious diseases. Many food companies are concerned about that risk and are starting to use containers that contain no BPA.

Thats good right? Not necessarily. Some scientists caution that the substitute chemicals being used might turn out to be dangerous as well. They could possibly be even worse!

9. According to this article, BPA _______.

a. is used to make food taste betterb. leaks into foodc. means Better Plastic Articlesd. makes us strong

10. Food companies are starting to _______.

a. tell people not to worry about BPAb. pretend that they dont use BPA in their containersc. charge more for BPAd. use containers that do not contain BPA

11. Some of the new food containers _______.

a. might have chemicals that are dangerousb. look more colorfulc. leak all over shelvesd. have extra BPA at no additional charge

12. The final paragraph of the article makes the point that _______.

a. its best to just stop eatingb. BPA might really be good for usc. change does not always mean improvementd. there is no such thing as a safe food container

FoxNews.com reports that Dr. Richard B. Hoover, an astrobiologist at NASA, believes that he has found the fossils of bacteria in meteorites. In other words, he claims to have found traces of life from outer space.

Not surprisingly, his claim is controversial; many scientists do not accept that Dr. Hoover has come to the correct conclusion from what he has observed. Therefore, he has invited over 5,000 scientists to review his work and to publish their comments.

14. Bacteria are a _______.

a. group of scientistsb. place where meteors come fromc. kind of restaurantd. form of life

15. When something iscontroversial, people _______.

a. get sick from itb. believe it is ancient and extremely rarec. have strong disagreements about itd. brush their teeth with it

16. Dr. Hoover seems confident that his research will be proven correct because _______.

a. he is named after a vacuum cleanerb. he has invited many scientists to look closely at his workc. he works for NASAd. he gets a rash when he touches meteorites

17. Based on the reading selection, which statement istrue?

a. No one believes that Dr. Hoover has made an important discovery.b. Astrobiologists are smarter than other scientists.c. Dr. Hoover believes he has found fossils of bacteria.d. Dr. Hoover did his work without using a microscope.

Scientists have known for a long time that vitamin D is essential for humans. If children have a vitamin D or calcium deficiency, they can develop rickets, a softening of the bones. New studies are showing that people of all ages need vitamin D to help them fight off diseases by keeping their immune systems strong.

18. The main idea of this paragraph is that vitamin D _______.

a. is found in milkb. has been studied by scientistsc. is no secretd. is important for good health

19. If something isessential, it is _______.

a. harmfulb. expensivec. dreadfuld. needed

20. When you have adeficiencyof something, you _______.

a. have all you needb. do not have enoughc. look like an oniond. are rich

Our bodies can make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. However, its best to eat a diet that is rich in the vitamin.

21. The remainder of the above incomplete paragraph probably goes on to _______.(Remember that every paragraph should have a single main idea.)

a. say why vitamin C is also importantb. explain why you should brush your teeth after eating beetlesc. give some examples of foods that are rich in vitamin Dd. say which diseases might be prevented by vitamin D

22. Which statement is false?

a. Some foods contain vitamin D.b. Our bodies can use sunlight to make vitamin D.c. Some people dont have to get vitamin D from food.d. If youre a child, you will definitely get rickets if you dont play in the sun.Carsons older sister, Madison, is a very good student. She isnt satisfied to just get by in school. Shes involved in extra activities including band and the Good Citizens Club.

23. Which statement is not supported by the paragraph. (It may or may not be factual.)

a. Music is part of Madisons school experience.b. Madison is a straight A student.c. Carson is younger than Madison.d. Madison is a member of at least one club.

24. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

a. Madison was born before Carson.b. Madison likes music.c. Madison is a very good student.d. Madison is cruel and unusual.

Almost every day after school, Madison and Carson have fun at the local winter sports facility. Carson glides down the mountainside without ever losing his balance. Madison has a different style. She often soars into the air, lands in various twisted positions, and waits for her snowboard to join her on the ground.

25. From this paragraph, we can conclude that _______

a. Carson prefers skiing to snowboarding.b. Madison and Carson do not live in Florida.c. Madison is as graceful as a swan.d. It never snows in Vermont.

26. The selection informs us that _______

a. Madison doesnt like winter sports because she always falls.b. Carson owns a plane.c. Madison loves tennis.d. Both Carson and Madison enjoy their time on the snowy slopes.Luke is very competitive and loves to win when he plays sports. Kyler doesnt take sports all that seriously. So when their tennis singles match was over, it was no surprise that both boys were in a good mood, especially Luke.

27. Which statement is most likely true?

a. Luke won the match.b. Kyler won the match.c. The game was rained out.d. Kyler was given a new truck.

Leslies main playlist has forty rock songs, fifteen rap songs, and one country song. It also contains twelve classical instrumentals.

28. Which statement is probablyNOTtrue.

a. Leslie likes music.b. Leslies favorite music is country.c. Leslie likes rock better than rap.d. Leslie listens to a wide range of music.

I think youll like your present, Scott. Youll still be able to use it for at least the next couple of months before the weather gets too warm. It can be a lot of fun, especially if you take a lesson or two first. Remember, people are often injured by using these things if they dont know what theyre doing.

29. Scotts new present is a _______.

a. rifleb. tennis racquetc. snow shoveld. snowboard

Brad put a load of clothes into the washing machine. An hour later, he unloaded the damp clothes and put them into the dryer. Later, he unloaded the clothes and carried them upstairs in a basket. To his dismay, Brad noticed that the load of laundry just didnt smell nearly as fresh as usual.

30. One of the following is the reason why. Which one is it?

a. Brad forgot to turn on the washing machine.b. Brad wasnt paid to do the laundry.c. Brad had forgotten to put detergent into the machine.d. The radio didnt work.As the summer sun sent scattered rays through the maple and oak leaves overhead, the young deer stoodfrozen, making it almost impossible for the hikers to see her.

31. In the above passage, the word frozen means _______.

a. very coldb. visiblec. not movingd. not melted

Christmas is a time when Dadrevertsto his childhood. I really think he looks forward to Santas visit more than any other member of the family. Mom says that hell always be a child during this season.

32. What does reverts mean in the above passage?

a. stands up straightb. peeks at presentsc. drinks too much egg nogd. goes back to being what he was

Fortunately, the explosiondivertedthe asteroid from a course that would have sent it hurdling into our planet.

34. Todivertis to _______.

a. change the direction ofb. look for really high wavesc. jump into a dry riverd. look through a telescope

A wonderful 98 year old woman is working day and night to knit scarves to send as gifts for the troops. What aselflessperson she is!

35. Aselflesswoman _______.

a. is selfishb. has no namec. likes to wear scarvesd. cares more about others than herself.

Texting TrollsWell, it happened once again. Tremor Troll had another crush. This time it was the new girl in class, Tina Troll. Tremor was very shy and reluctant to actually talk to a girl. How can I introduce myself to her? he asked his close friend, Trogmire Troll. Send her a nice text message, Trogmire suggested. I can get her number from her friend, Tammy Troll. Tremor had gotten his first cell phone just two days earlier so this would be the perfect time to enter the world of texting.Great idea! Tremor said, I can think all day in school about what Ill say. The boys got together after school and Tremor was ready. Ill say, Hi, Im Tremor, he told his friend. Trogmire entered Tinas number for Tremor and quickly typed and sent the message for him.It seemed like forever to Tremor, but in less than a minute a response triggered a musical tone from his phone. She sent me an answer! Tremor gasped, shaking all over. Trogmire, who considered himself to be a cell phone expert, said, No, she sent you areply! Tremor stared at the screen with a confused look. This is hard to read, he groaned. Thats because we texters use all kinds of shortcuts to make typing go faster, Trogmire explained. Here, let me translate for you. It says, Tremor, you are ugly and you smell bad too. Did shereallysay that? Tremor asked. Yes, she really did, Trogmire replied. Tremor jumped up and shouted, This is the happiest day of my life! And so, Tremor Troll and Tina Troll became good friends. But as things often go, true romance did not blossom. Tremors crushes were always fleeting and Tina Troll was more interested in her hobby, collecting rare bed bugs, than in having a serious relationship. However, Tremor Trolls love of texting had been born and went on and on and on.

36. If you arereluctantto do something, you are _______.

a. in a rush to do itb. not very willing to do itc. very pushyd. crazy

37. For how long had Tremor owned a cell phone?

a. about a yearb. neverc. less than a weekd. about two months

38. How much time did Tremor plan to spend on creating a message?

a. about the length of one school dayb. thirteen yearsc. less time than it takes to blinkd. a little more than two days

40. Trogmire was proud of his _______.

a. athletic abilityb. lack of interest in textingc. buttermilk pancakesd. knowledge about cell phones

41. This experience led Tremor to _______.

a. marry Tinab. hate bugsc. love textingd. order pizza by phone44. In the early 1600s, a dangerous trip across the Atlantic Ocean was adauntingidea. The Europeans, who would someday be known as the Pilgrims, must have been a very determined and brave group of settlers.

Adauntingtask is one that would _______ someone.

a. tickleb. amusec. lose or misplaced. frighten or intimidate

45. TheoriginalPilgrims called themselves the Saints and referred to others who joined with them for the voyage as the Strangers.

In this context, original means _______.

a. one of a kindb. firstc. humorousc. musical

46. The Saints and Strangers argued about how they would live in the New World. After much discussion, they came together and signed the MayflowerCompact.

TheCompactwas _______.

a. a container for makeupb. a small itemc. a machine used for mashing cornd. an agreement

47. When the Pilgrims landed in what is now Massachusetts, they were fearful that the Native Americans would attack them. However, the people that theyencountered, the Wampanoag Indians, were a peaceful and generous tribe.

Toencounter, is to _______.

a. meetb. note how manyc. fightd. exchange text messages48. I believe that if you lower taxes so that people can keep more of the money they earn, it will be anincentivefor them to work harder.What is the meaning ofincentive?__________.a. a reason to do somethingb. a small amount of moneyc. a taxd. a good job49.Most of America's Founding Fathers did not believe in women'ssuffrage. Only men could vote in the United states until 1920.What issuffrage?a. something that causes physical painb. an early flagc. skirts that did not cover anklesd. the right to vote50.Some people are sure that the new health care law will mean better care for everyone. Others argue that the law will mean less care and longer waiting lines for those who need to see doctors. It's acontroversythat will not go away soon.Acontroversyis something that people _______.a. have strong disagreements overb. blow their noses intoc. need to pay for a visit to a doctord. eat with sweet candy51.Removing seeds from cotton plants was a slow job until Eli Whitney invented thecotton gin.What is a cotton gin?a. a drinkb. a bookc. a machined. a clothFeathers and Gas

TheBBCis reporting that Harry Potter is responsible for thedwindlingnumber of wild owls in India. One of the reasons that owls are being trapped and sold as pets is that parents are buying them as gifts for their kids who are fans of the fictional wizard. As you may already know, Harry has his own pet owl, Hedwig.

52. What does dwindling mean?

a. having feathersb. becoming lessc. flyingd. appearing in movies

53. Many children in India want owls _______.

a. as petsb. to become extinctc. as a special food itemd. to use their feathers in hats

57. From the above selection, we can see that _______.

a. Everyone loves Harry Potter moviesb. Owls dont taste as good as chickensc. People want to wipe out owlsd. being popular can be harmful

Volvo is building a car that will use gasoline without burning it.CNet Car Techreports that Volvo will use a fuel cell that convertsthe hydrogen in gasoline into electricity to run the vehicles electric motor when the battery is low. The plug-in hybrid will go farther on the same amount of fuel because regular gasoline engines waste much of the fuels energy as heat.

58. To fill this car with fuel, _______.

a. youll have to find a station that sells hydrogenb. youll be able to go to any regular gas stationc. you must plug it in overnightd. you only need to add water

59. What does converts mean?

a. frightensb. burnsc. losesd. changes

60. Emir rarely rides to school each morning. He could take the school bus but prefers to walk the two miles from his home to school. He believes that the walk wakes him up and improves his learning throughout the day.

a. Emir always rides the bus home at the end of the school day.b. Emir never rides the bus to school.c. Emir values learning.d. Emir is usually late for school.

61. Remember, Maria, Mrs. Russo said, youre very allergic to chocolate. Please dont eat any chocolate candy at the Halloween party!

Three hours later, Maria was home from the party with a terrible stomach ache. I promise you, Mom, Maria groaned, Ill always do what you say from now on.

a. Maria got into a fight at the party.b. Maria ate chocolate at the party.c. Maria ate no chocolate at the party.d. Maria embarrassed herself by singing at the party.

62. In another week, well be turning our clocks back one hour. Then it will be almost dark by the time most of us get home from school. It will seem as if we suddenly have less daylight each day. Of course, people arent actually changing the behavior of the sun or the earth by messing with their clocks.

a. Our planet has to spin faster when we reset our clocks.b. Its clear that turning our clocks back will help prevent global warming.c. If according to our clocks, the sun sets an hour earlier, it will also rise an hour earlier.d. The earth will actually rotate at a slower rate when we turn back the clocks.

63. Every time I give my cat a plate of tuna, he ignores it. Every time I give him a plate of salmon, he quickly eats it all. When I feed him beef, he eats a little bit of it, but doesnt seem to love it.

a. Cats prefer salmon over tuna.b. I give my cat more than one kind of food.c. My cat likes tuna better than beef.d. My cat wont eat fish.64. No matter where you go, the Internet is following you. Almost every portable device is being made with an Internet connection. Most new TVs and many other appliances come with Internet connections as well.The Internet is trulyubiquitous.If something is ubiquitous,__________.a. it is fuzzy and will bite youb. it is everywherec. it costs too much moneyd. it causes rashes65.Speaking rudely to the judges wasrashbehavior. You really hurt your chances of winning!In the above context, what doesrashmean?a. an itchy skin conditionb. funnyc. trying to hide or disguise a piece ofcheesed. with littlethought or consideration66.Some people are alwaysbashingthe president just like others bashed the one before him. Wouldn't you think that everyone could find something to praise him for, at least once in a while?What doesbashingmean in the above selection?a. hitting hard with a heavy toolb. going to too many expensive partiesc. speaking or writing harshly aboutd. voting for a different candidate67. Wherever he goes, theesteemedDr. Sanchez is applauded for his life saving research.What doesesteemedmean?a. held over boiling waterb. very oldc. unable to chew gumd. greatly admired

68. Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made. George BurnsBurns was _______.A. saying that he is honestB. angry about what actors doC. a fakeD. making a joke69. If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins. Benjamin FranklinThis means that _______.A. you should think before you actB. avoid fast horsesC. do whatever you feel like doingD. let someone else drive70. You must do the things you think you cannot do. Eleanor RooseveltThis meansthat _______.A. we should fool ourselvesB. we are confusedC. we can't do all that muchD. we're capable of doing more than we realize71. Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives. Ronald ReaganReagan wanted to _______.A. have government solve all our problemsB. limit the power of governmentC. shrink themilitaryD. eliminate all governments

72. You aren't learning anything when you're talking. Lyndon B. Johnson

This means that it's important to _______.A.talk louderB. teachC. help others.D. listen to others

73. A teacher is someone who talks in our sleep. Alfred E. NeumanThe point of this quote is that _______.A. students dream about going to schoolB. students don't pay attention in schoolC. homework is relaxingD. teachers shouldn't disturb students' naps74. A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read. Mark TwainTwain is saying that _______.A. reading isn't necessaryB. reading ability is nothing if it isn't usedC. he is a great authorD. you should learn how to read75. Too bad SpongeBob isn't here to enjoy SpongeBob not being here. SquidwardSquidward actually means that _______.A. he misses SpongeBobB. he likes SpongeBob's visitsC. he enjoys SpongBob's absenseD. he enjoys television76. Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential. Winston ChurchillChurchill really meant this because he wasnota _______.A. smokerB. leaderC. farmerD. quitter

78. An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching. Mohandas GandhiWhich statement or quote is similar to the above quote?A.The pen is mightier than the sword. Edward Bulwer-LyttonB. Actions speak louder than words.C. Practice makes perfect.D. Courtesy is as much a mark of a gentleman as courage. Theodore RooseveltDo you want to keep up with the latest research and discoveries in science? There are many good websites that you can visit to make that easy.One great site is calledScience News for Kids. This site reports science news covering a wide range of subjects. The articles are written with the interests and educational experience of younger readers in mind, but adults will find this site suitable for them as well.79. The author believes that adults _______a. won't understand a site for kids.b. will findScience News for Kidsuseful.c. don't like science as much as kids.

Another wonderful site, one that I check out every day, is calledScience Daily. The site is constantly updated with news, often about exciting findings that change how we look at the world and the universe. Whether it's newly unearthed discoveries about creatures that have been extinct for millions of years or the latest advances in cures for human diseases, you'll find it atScience Daily.80. What does daily mean?a. never at nightb. only for scientistsc. every day81. What does unearthed mean in the paragraph?a. dug upb. from another planetc. shot into spaceThese sites post stories as they become news and also archive all the past articles. That way you can enter a search term and find articles on just about anything related to science that they've ever published.82. What does archive (AR-kive) mean?a. a nest in a boatb read carefullyc. keep in a safe place83.Your cousin claimed to be latebecause the doors of his house were frozen shut. Even though I have my doubts, his explanation isplausible. It got really cold last night. I'll just have to take his word for it.If a statement isplausible, __________.a. you must always believe itb. you should never believe itc. it's hard to understand because it makes no sensed. it's believable enough to possibly be true84. If you don'tcurtailyour spending, you'll be broke in no time at all!Which word is a synonym of "curtail"?a. reduceb. followc. behindd. buy85. No word must ever leak out about this military action! It has to be aclandestineoperation in order to succeed.Which word is a synonym of "clandestine"?a. familyb. usefulc. dangerousd. secret86. Put this medicine on your arm and rub it into your skin until it's invisible. It willinhibitthe infection's attempt to spread.What doesinhibitmean?a. live in a certain placeb. block or slow downc. itch or burnd. help to do something important87. Fortunately, the dizzy spell wastransient. He was able to continue playing within seconds and had no trouble winning the match.When you describe an event as transient, you are saying that __________.a. it sounds like a trainb. it is quite harmfulc. it helps you wind. it doesn't last long88 . Brea and Elizabeth are having adisputeover which radio station to play at work. It would be so much simpler if they both liked the same kind of music.A dispute is a __________.a. musical instrumentb. choice of musicc. discoveryd. disagreement89. When they heard the good news about the courts decision, the angry crowd cheered and then began todisperse. It looks like everyone is going home, one reporter stated.Which would be theoppositeof disperse?a. come togetherb. smilec. fly like a birdd. sing90. Its a wonder to me how anyone can still be undecided about this election. These two candidates are certainlydistinct. Each would lead our nation in opposite directions.What doesdistinctmean?a. needing a bathb. dishonestc. clearly differentd. about the same age91. Mr. Huge was very proud of his auto superstore. We have such anextensiveselection of cars, he said, so everyone should find a vehicle that he or she will love!The word extensive means __________.a. costing a lot of moneyb. large amountc. having no colord. not enough92. Friendship is apricelessthing. If Chris put a price, or conditions, on her friendship, its no longer priceless. In fact, its not real friendship at all!If something is priceless, __________.a. it has a missing tagb. it has no valuec. it has great valued. it is made out of rice93. The news story was based on a letter that was afabrication. Now the reporter who wrote the story is in big trouble. Will anyone believe him again?A fabrication is __________.a. made of clothb. full of long wordsc. funnyd. fake94. The reporter insisted that the letter he used wasauthentic. He said that he had shown it to many experts before he used it in his story.When something is authentic, its __________.a. genuine, or realb. carefully writtenc. full of tasty wormsd. very old95. In 1975, Governor James promised to do something about the high taxes in our state. She didnt present a tax cut bill to lawmakers until 1985. It took her adecadeto keep her promise, but better late than never.How long is a decade?a. 75 yearsb. 85 yearsc. a centuryd. 10 yearsMarsha is really an introvert. When I took her to Jasons party, she sat in a corner without speaking to anyone. All she did was eat most of the snacks. The only reason she hangs out with me is because I never try to force her to be sociable. She would never forgive me if I introduced her to anyone.96. An introvert is usually _____.a. friendlyb. hungryc. uncleand. shySunshine said,Amber, why are you making such a big deal about Roberts hair? Yes, he did dye it purple. It is rather unusual for a guy to have purple hair. On the other hand, its not exactly going to change the course of world history. Its really quite a trivial matter.97. What does trivial mean?a. strangeb. unimportantc. disgustingd. dangerous98. Murphy Mole is theprotagonistin the new novel by Trent Troll. Murphy must stop Oscar Rat and Shrimpy Shark from enslaving the inhabitants of Lazy Woods Park. He risks his life in a series of events that lead to a final battle between good and evil.What is a protagonist?a. the main character of a storyb. an animal that lives undergroundc. someone whose first and last names start with the same letterd. someone with bad body odor99. I just cant beat Paula when we play chess! Every time I make a move that should lead me to victory, she makes a better move thatthwartsmy plan.If you thwart a robbery, you __________.a. commit a crimeb. stop a crime from happeningc. imagine a theftd. give warts to a thief100. Dont feel stupid. Yes, you thought this worthlessreplicawas a valuable work of art. But it even fooled a lot of experts. It certainly looked like the real thing!A replica is __________.a. a dishonest actb. something uglyc. anything that has no valued. a copy