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Read the passage and answer the questions.
Pyramids
The Great Pyramid at Giza is one of the world's most amazing landmarks. Rising high above the Sahara Desert in the Giza region of northern Egypt, the Great Pyramid stands some 450 feet into the burning desert sky and occupies of an area of 13 acres. The rough climate of the Sahara has actually caused the pyramid to shrink 30 feet from its original height. The pyramid was such an amazing feat of engineering, that it remained the tallest structure in the world for over 3800 years! The entire pyramid was originally faced with polished limestone to make it shine brilliantly in the sun.
Most Egyptologists, scientists who study ancient Egypt, agree that the Great Pyramid was built around 2560 BC, a little more than 4,500 years ago. It took tens of thousands of workers twenty years to build. The pyramid contains over two million stone blocks. Although most of the blocks weigh two or three tons, some weigh up to 80 tons!
The Great Pyramid of Giza was ordered built by the Pharaoh Khufu as a magnificent tomb. His vizier (advisor) Hemon is credited with being the pyramid's architect. Khufu's pyramid is actually part of a complex of pyramids that includes the Pyramid of Khafre, the smaller Pyramid of Menkaure, a variety of smaller pyramids and structures, and the Great Sphinx. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Show questions one by one
1. Where is the Great Pyramid NOT located?
A. ? Sahara Desert
B. ? Southern Egypt
C. ? Northern Egypt
D. ? Giza
2. The Great Pyramid was built a little more than __________________ years ago.
Check
3. How many stone blocks make up the pyramid?
A. ? 4,500
B. ? More than two million
C. ? 2,560
D. ? 3800
4. Most of the blocks in the pyramid weigh about ____________ tons.
A. ? 4,500
B. ? two or three
C. ? five
D. ? 80
5. The Great Pyramid of Giza has shrunk about _____________ feet.
Check
6. Egyptians used polished __________________ to make the pyramid shine in the sun.
Check
7. The Pharaoh ________________ ordered the pyramid to built as his ___________.
A. ? vizier; tomb
B. ? Hemon; tomb
C. ? Khufu; wonder of the world
D. ? Khufu; tomb
8. Which of the following definitions best describes the meaning of "complex" in the passage.
A. ? pyramid
B. ? group or set
C. ? army
D. ? materials
9. Which is NOT part of complex of pyramids?
A. ? The Pyramid of Khafre
B. ? The Tomb of King Tut
C. ? The Sphinx
D. ? The Great Pyramid of Giza
10. Which of the following is FALSE?
A. ? The Great Pyramid is the last of the Seven wonders of the World.
B. ? Hemon was Khufu's vizier and architect.
C. ? Khufu was Hemon's vizier and architect.
D. ? The Pyramid took tens of thousands of works about twenty years to complete
Read the passage and answer the questions.The Atlanta Falcons were born in 1965 when the city of Atlanta elected to build the team a new stadium (Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium). The name “Falcons” was chosen as a result of a fan contest. Local businessmen made the deal but it was the NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle who named Rankin Smith Sr. the owner in an attempt to persuade him to join the NFL rather than the rival AFL (American Football League). Smith paid $8.5 million dollars for the team, which the highest amount ever paid for an NFL franchise at the time. In 1966, Atlanta chose linebacker Tommy Nobis in the NFL Draft, making him the first Atlanta Falcon. The Atlanta Falcons played their very first game on August 1, 1966, and lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in a pre-season matchup. The 1960s were not kind to the fledgling franchise; the Falcons would win just 12 games during the remainder of the decade. It wasn’t until 1971 that the Atlanta Falcons enjoyed their first winning season. In 1978, the Falcons made the playoffs for the first time. They would also make the playoffs in 1980 and 1982, before enduring a nine-year playoff drought that ended in 1991. In 1998, the Atlanta Falcons upset the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game 30-27, earning them their first (and only) Super Bowl birth. In Super Bowl XXXIII, however, the Falcons were defeated by the Denver Broncos 34-19. In 2001, former Home Depot co-chairman Arthur Blank purchased the Atlanta Falcons. Blank purchased the Falcons in the midst of the Michael Vick era, a lightning-fast quarterback from Virginia Tech whom they drafted with the
first pick overall in 2001 NFL draft. Vick quickly became a sensation, and electrified crowds in Atlanta and in other NFL cities, but never led the Falcons back to the Super Bowl. In 2007, he pled guilty to felony dogfighting charges and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. The Falcons would eventually release him. Today, the future looks bright for the Atlanta Falcons. With quarterback Matt Ryan, running back Michael Turner, and star wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White, the Falcons are one of the NFL favorites to make it to the Super Bowl in 2012. In 2010, they won 13 games before losing to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoff. In 2011, they lost to the New York Giants (eventual Super Bowl Champions) in the NFC Wild Card Game.
Show questions one by one
1. Which of the following could be a headline in an Atlanta newspaper describing the 1960s?
A. ? Super Bowl Bound! B. ? Falcons Make it to the Playoffs for the First
Time! C. ? The Falcons Can't Get on a Winning Track! D. ? Magnificent Falcons Keep on Winning!
2. What does the word "rival" mean in the following sentence?
Local businessmen made the deal but it was the NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle who named Rankin Smith Sr. the owner in an attempt to persuade him to join the NFL rather than the rival AFL (American Football League).
A. ? opponent B. ? model
C. ? team D. ? friend
3. What happened in 1978?
A. ? The Falcons made the playoffs for the first time. B. ? The Falcons had their first winning season. C. ? The Falcons made their first Super Bowl
appearance. D. ? The Falcons chose Tommy Nobis.
4. How many games did the Atlanta Falcons win in the 1960's?
A. ? 8 B. ? 16 C. ? 18 D. ? 12
5. What does the author suggest about the 2012 NFL season for the Atlanta Falcons?
A. ? They need a new owner B. ? They have a poor chance of making it to the
Super Bowl C. ? They have few stars or notable players on their
team D. ? They have a good chance of making it to the
Super Bowl
6. Which of the following best describes the meaning of the word "upset" as used in the following sentence:
In 1998, the Atlanta Falcons upset the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game 30-27, earning them their first (and only) Super Bowl Birth.
A. ? anger B. ? losing to a team that was expected to win C. ? defeating a team that was expected to win D. ? sadness
7. Which of the following best describes Michael Vick?
A. ? His career ended early due to injury B. ? His career started very well, but took a turn for
the worse when he broke the law C. ? His career started very well and ended even
better D. ? His career started badly but improved as time
went on
8. What word could accurately replace "drought" in the following sentence?
They would also make the playoffs in 1980 and 1982, before enduring a nine-year playoff drought that ended in 1991.
A. ? return B. ? absence
C. ? deal D. ? adventure
9. In 2010 and 2011...
A. ? The Falcons lost in the playoffs B. ? The Falcons made the playoffs and won the
Super Bowl C. ? The Falcons failed to make the playoffs D. ? The Falcons defeated the New York Giants in the
playoffs
10. Which of the following is true about the Atlanta Falcons?
A. ? The Falcons cost more than any other NFL franchise at the time
B. ? The Falcons joined the AFL. C. ? They were purchased by Pete Rozelle. D. ? They were named by Rankin Smith.
Read the passage and answer the questions.The Buffalo Bills have played in Buffalo, New York since they were founded in 1959. They are the only team to play in the state of New York as both other “New York” teams, the Jets
and Giants, play in New Jersey. The team plays in the American Football Conference (AFC) East Division. The name “Bills” was chosen as a result of a fan contest. The team was previously known as the Bisons but other teams in the area were also called the Bisons. Although Nickels, Blue Devils
and Bullets were considered, a local boy won the contest with the Bills. The word “Bill” refers to Buffalo Bill Cody and his gang and is meant to symbolize the wild frontier. Their sponsor was Frontier Oil at the time so it fit really well. The
Bills hold several records: They are the only NFL team to win four back-to-back conference championships, which they
accomplished between 1990 and 1993. Unfortunately, they lost in the Super Bowl each year, becoming the only team to
lose more than two consecutive Super Bowls, and the second team to lose four Super Bowls without winning one
(The Minnesota Vikings have also lost four). Before the advent of the Super Bowl, however, The Buffalo Bills won league titles in 1964 and 1965. The Buffalo Bills have had
many Hall-of-Fame caliber players. O.J. Simpson spent most of his career with the Bills and was once the league’s all
time leading rusher. Thurman Thomas was the team’s star running back during its Super Bowl years and Jim Kelly was
its quarterback. Bruce Smith, considered one of the best defensive tackles in the history of the NFL, played most of
his career with the Bills as well. Smith holds the career record for most sacks in by an NFL player (200) and was
enshrined in the Hall-of-Fame in 2009. Show questions one by one
1. Why did the Bills change their name from "Bisons"?
A. ? They wanted to name their team after a famous president.
B. ? They didn't think "bisons" represented their team well.
C. ? The passage doesn't say. D. ? Other teams in the area were also named
"Bisons."
2. Which of the following team names for the Buffalo Bills was NOT considered?
A. ? Trains
B. ? Nickels C. ? Bullets D. ? Blue Devils
3. Which Buffalo Bill was formerly the NFL's all-time leading rusher?
A. ? Thurman Thomas B. ? O.J. Simpson C. ? Jim Kelly D. ? Bruce Smith
4. Which question is answered in the second paragraph?
A. ? Who won the Super Bowl in 1991? B. ? What team holds the record for winning the
most Super Bowls? C. ? How many league titles did the Buffalo Bills win? D. ? Why was the team named after Buffalo Bill
Cody?
5. The Buffalo Bills are one of ______ teams to lose _______ Super Bowls without having won any.
A. ? four; four B. ? three; four C. ? two; four D. ? three; two
6. Which is NOT true about Bruce Smith?
A. ? He holds the NFL career record for most sacks. B. ? He has 200 career sacks. C. ? He played most of his career with the Buffalo
Bills. D. ? He is considered one of the best quarterbacks in
NFL history
7. How many teams currently play in the state of New York?
A. ? 2 B. ? 3 C. ? 0 D. ? 1
8. If the entire passage was limited to the final paragraph, what would an appropriate title be?
A. ? How the Bills Made it to Four Super Bowls B. ? The Championship Years C. ? Notable players in Buffalo Bills History D. ? The Birth of the Buffalo Bills
9. The Buffalo Bills are the ONLY team to...
A. ? lose more than two Super Bowls in a row
B. ? lose four Super Bowls C. ? win two league titles D. ? lose two Super Bowls
10. When did the Buffalo Bills win a league title?
A. ? After they won a Super Bowl B. ? After the Super Bowl was born C. ? Before the Super Bowl existed D. ? In 1990
Read the passage and answer the questions.The Chicago Bears are a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. They were founded in 1919. They initially played in Decatur, Illinois and moved to Chicago in 1921. They are one of the only two remaining franchises that were founding members of the NFL (the other is the Cardinals franchise). The history of the Chicago Bears is long. They were originally known as the Staleys because the owner was the A. E. Staley Food Company. They were renamed the Bears when George Halas bought them in 1921. Halas purchased rights to the team for $100.00. Halas would control the team until 1983 and served as head coach on and off for over 40 years. The Chicago Bears dominated the league in its early years. In the league’s first six years, the Bears posted 34 shutouts and won the 1921 Championship Title. They would also win championships in 1932, 1933, 1934, 1940, 1941,1943, and 1946. During this time, the Bears also formed rivalries with the Chicago Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. In 1940, the Bears made history by crushing the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the Championship Game. The 73-0 score remains the most lopsided score in NFL history. Their victory in the 1963 NFL Championship Game over the New York
Giants (14-10) would be their eighth championship (but last until 1986). In 1986, the Bears, led by quarterback Jim McMahon, legendary running back Walter Payton, and head coach Mike Ditka, won their first Super Bowl, 46-10, over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Many people believe the 1985 Bears had the most fearsome defense in the football history. During the 1985 season, the Bears achieved a record of 15 wins and one loss. On November 18, 2010, the Bears secured the record for the most wins by any NFL franchise with their 700th. In 1995, the Bears made it to Super Bowl XLI, but were defeated by Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, 29-17.
Show questions one by one
1. The Chicago Bears hold the record for the most _______ in NFL history.
A. ? losses B. ? championships C. ? wins D. ? trades
2. George Halas....
A. ? was the head coach of the Chicago Bear for 40 straight years.
B. ? controlled the team until 1983 C. ? sold the team to A.E. Staley D. ? Bought the Bears for one million dollars
3. In its early years, the Chicago Bears...
A. ? never won a championship B. ? struggled to find success C. ? posted very few shutouts D. ? dominated the league
4. In the 1985-1986 NFL season, the Chicago Bears....
A. ? defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl
B. ? were defeated by the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl
C. ? had one of hte worst defenses in NFL history D. ? achieved a record of 15 wins and one loss
5. In the most recent Super Bowl the Chicago Bears participated in, they _____________.
A. ? defeated the New England Patriots B. ? were defeated by the New England Patriots C. ? defeated the Indianapolis Colts D. ? were defeated by the Indianapolis Colts.
6. "During this time, the Bears also formed rivalries with the Chicago Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers."
Which of the following also represents a rivalry?
A. ? Batman and the Joker B. ? Shoes and Socks
C. ? Batman and Robin D. ? Trees and Leaves
7. Which team was defeated byt he Chicago Bears in the most lopsided game in NFL history?
A. ? The Cardinals B. ? The Patriots C. ? The Packers D. ? The Redskins
8. In which era were the Chicago Bears most successful?
A. ? 1970-1980 B. ? 1930-1940 C. ? 1990-2000 D. ? 1960-1970
9. The Chicago Bears were originally known as the ____________.
A. ? Stayles B. ? Patriots C. ? Packers D. ? Cardinals
10. How many franchises are among the "founding franchises" of the NFL?
A. ? 3 B. ? 1 C. ? 2 D. ? 4
Read the passage and answer the questions.
The Civil War was waged because 11 southern states seceded (broke away and started their own government) from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. The secession took place primarily because of a long-standing debate concerning states rights, and more specifically the issue of slavery. As new territories became states, opponents of slavery and advocates of slavery often clashed over whether or not that state should allow slavery. After violence broke out in Kansas over the issue, and after Kansas entered the Union as a free state, southerners began to believe that the new president, Abraham Lincoln would take away their rights to make local decisions and would abolish slavery. Henceforth, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas broke away from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. Richmond, Virginia was made its capital and Jefferson Davis was made president. Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware and Missouri were divided on the issue and were declared "border states". Congress, in an effort to preserve the United States, declared war on the Confederate States of America on April 14, 1861.
The first shots of the Civil War were fired April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Although there we no deaths reported that day, the shots at Fort Sumter signified the start of a long, bloody war that would become the most deadly in the history of the United States. Many major battles such as Bull Run I and II, Antietam and Shiloh, among others, claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides in 1861 and 1862. Neither the Union or the Confederacy had the upper hand.
The turning point in the war, however, occurred on July 1, 1863, when Confederate and Union armies met at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle that ensued was one of the bloodiest battles
in American history. Eventually, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was driven away from Pennsylvania by Union general George Meade and his Army of the Potomac. The battle did much to cripple the Confederate army. Meanwhile, in the western battlegrounds, Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant had gained control of the Mississippi River and port of New Orleans which effectively split the Confederacy in two.
Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was further decimated after Ulysses S. Grant was made commander of the Union Army. Grant waged dozens of surprise attacks against Lee's army in the wilderness of Virginia in 1864. Although the battles resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers on the Union side, the Confederate Army was at the brink of collapse. Meanwhile, Union general William T. Sherman marched through Georgia and the Carolinas, destroying everything in his path. The march came to be known as "Sherman's March to the Sea".
Finally, after Union forces had invaded the Confederate capital of Richmond, the Confederate states surrendered on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. The Union was preserved.
Show questions one by one
1. What does secede mean?
A. ? To break away from
B. ? To join
C. ? To accomplish
D. ? To lose
2. Which of the following best describes why 11 southern states seceded from the Union?
A. ? Because the government wanted the states to make important decisions concerning slavery.
B. ? Because the southern states wanted the government to make important decisions concerning slavery.
C. ? Because the southern states did not want the government to make important decisions for them concerning slavery
D. ? Because the government did not want to malke important decisions for the southern states concerning slavery.
3. Which of the following is true?
A. ? Congress declared war before the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter.
B. ? The first shots fired at Fort Sumter occurred after Congress declared war.
C. ? Congress declared war after the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter.
D. ? Abraham Lincoln was president of the Confederacy.
4. Which of the following was NOT a state that seceded from the Union?
A. ? Maryland
B. ? Virginia
C. ? North Carolina
D. ? Florida
5. What was the turning point of the Civil War?
A. ? Shiloh
B. ? Appomattox Courthouse
C. ? Antietam
D. ? Gettysburg
6. What general was responsible for the retreat of General Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia at the Battle of Gettysburg?
A. ? Ulysses S. Grant
B. ? William T. Sherman
C. ? George Meade
D. ? Jefferson Davis
7. Which of the following is not true?
A. ? Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War.
B. ? Robert E. Lee's Army of the Potomac was forced out of Pennsylvania by General George Meade and the Amry of the Potomac.
C. ? After Ulysses S. Grant was made commander of the Union army, he staged a series of attacks in Georgia that decimated Lee's army.
D. ? William T. Sherman and his army destroyed much of Georgia.
8. After which event(s) did the Confederate States of America surrender?
A. ? Gettysburg
B. ? The invasion of Richmond.
C. ? Sherman's March to the Sea.
D. ? The Wilderness attacks.
9. What happened first?
A. ? The invasion of Richmond.
B. ? The surrender of the Confederacy.
C. ? The Battle of Gettysburg.
D. ? Sherman's March to the Sea.
10. What was president Lincoln's main goal during the war?
A. ? To make the southern states submit to the will of the north.
B. ? To destroy Georgia.
C. ? To invade Richmond.
D. ? To preserve the Union.
Read the passage and answer the questions.William Henry Gates III (Bill) was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. Bill was the second of three children in an upper-middle class family. He enjoyed playing games with the family and was very competitive. He also loved to read. Bill became bored in public school so his family sent him to Lakeside School where he excelled in math and science and did well in drama and English. He became interested in computer programming when he was 13. These were the days of giant mainframe computers. The school had a fund-raiser to purchase a teletype terminal so students could use computer time that was donated by General Electric. He wrote a tic-tac-toe program using BASIC, one of the first computer languages. Later he created a computer version of Risk, a board game he liked in which the goal is world domination. Lakeside is where Bill met Paul Allen who shared his interest in computers. Gates and Allen and two other students hacked into a computer belonging to Computer Center Corporation (CCC) to get free computer time. They lost their computer privileges. After a period of probation, they were allowed back in the computer lab when they offered to fix glitches in CCC's software. At age 17, Gates and Allen were paid $20,000 for a program called Traf-O-Data that was used to count traffic. In early 1973, Bill Gates served as a congressional page in the U.S. House of Representatives. He scored 1590 out of 1600 on the SAT and was accepted by Harvard University.
Steve Ballmer, who became CEO of Microsoft after Bill retired, was also a student there. Paul Allen dropped out of Washington College to work on computers at Honeywell. Bill worked for Honeywell in the summer of 1974. Bill left Harvard to join Paul in starting a new software company in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They called it Micro-Soft. This was soon changed to Microsoft, and they moved their company to Bellevue, Washington. IBM was one of the biggest computer companies at this time. In 1980, they asked Microsoft to write software to run their new personal computer, the IBM PC. Microsoft kept the licensing rights for the operating system (MS-DOS) so that they earned something for every computer sold first by IBM, and later by all the other companies that made PC computers. Microsoft grew from 25 employees in 1978 to over 90,000 today. Microsoft developed many new technologies. Gates used questionable business practice to get ahead. He has been described as brilliant but childlike, driven, competitive, intense, fun, but lacking in empathy. Bill Gates is one of the richest men in the world. In 2012 the Forbes list of richest people in the world placed him second with $61 billion in assets. Steve Ballmer is #44 with $15.7 billion; and Paul Allen is #48 with $14.2 billion. In 2006, Gates announced that he would cut back his involvement at Microsoft to spend more time on philanthropy. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation supports many causes. Some are: helping to eradicate polio; fighting AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; providing vaccinations for children and even reinventing the toilet among many other things.
Show questions one by one
1. Which of the following was the EFFECT of Bill hacking into the CCC computer
A. ? He wrote a TIC-TAC-TOE program B. ? He met Paul Allen C. ? They were allowed back on the computer
eventually D. ? He lost computer privileges
2. The second to last paragraph describes...
A. ? how Microsoft became a bigger company than IBM
B. ? the technical details of MS-DOS C. ? how Microsoft rose to a major corporation D. ? how Bill Gates became a billionnaire
3. Microsoft earned money every time....
A. ? Traf-O-data was used B. ? CCC used its software C. ? IBM sold a computer running MS-DOS D. ? IBM built a computer
4. In which of the following ways were Bill Gates and Paul Allen NOT alike?
A. ? They went to the same school B. ? They both dropped out of college C. ? They both went to the same college D. ? They both liked computers
5. Where was Steve Ballmer a student?
A. ? Washington College B. ? Harvard University C. ? Albuquerque, New Mexico
D. ? The passage doesn't say
6. Which of the following WAS NOT a program written by Bill Gates or Paul Allen?
A. ? BASIC B. ? A computerized version of Tic-Tac-Toe C. ? Traf-o-Data D. ? A computerized version of Risk
7. Which is NOT true about Bill Gates in the first paragraph?
A. ? He was born in Seattle, Washington B. ? He was involved in drama C. ? He enjoyed public school D. ? He was competitive
8. What does the word "philanthropy" mean in the last paragraph?
A. ? wealth B. ? computer technology C. ? business D. ? charity
9. What question is answered in the second to last paragraph?
A. ? What new technologies, besides MS-DOS, did Microsfot develop?
B. ? What does empathy mean? C. ? How rich is Bill Gates? D. ? How many people work for Microsoft today?
10. If the entire passage was limited to the last paragraph, what would an appropriate name for the passage be?
A. ? The Business Practices of Microsoft B. ? Microsoft and its Billionnaires C. ? Microsoft and its Software D. ? The Rise of Microsoft
Read the passage and answer the questions.Description: The Great White Shark is the largest predatory shark, and is probably the most well-known and feared shark. The Great White Shark is gray or bluish above and white below. The largest Great Whites can reach lengths of 22 feet and weigh up to 5,000 pounds. Most are between 13 and 16 feet and weigh 1,500-2,400 pounds. The Great White has massive teeth, which are positioned in rows and serrated. When the Great White attacks, it bites its prey and shakes it head back and forth. The serrated teeth act as a saw and literally tear the victim apart. The Great White Shark often swallows many of its own teeth in an attack.
Diet: The Great White Shark normally feeds on fish, seals, dolphins, porpoises, otters, and turtles. It is thought to locate its prey by electrosense and by smell. Like all sharks, Great Whites have special pores called Ampullae of Lorenzini, which enable them to detect the electromagnetic fields radiated by moving organisms. Great Whites can detect voltage as small as one half billionth of a volt.
Great Whites employ several hunting techniques depending on the prey. Most of the time, the shark will remain still underwater before ambushing its prey from underneath. In the case of hunting some kinds of seals, the impact of the shark is so powerful that it knocks both the shark and the seal clear out of the water. With larger prey such as elephant seals, the shark will simply take a huge bite out of it and wait for it to bleed to death. When hunting dolphins, the shark will attack from above, presumably to avoid detection from the dolphin's echolocation.
Range/Habitat: Great White Sharks are most commonly observed throughout the world's sub-arctic coastal waters, though they likely spend most of their time in the open ocean. Highest concentrations are found in the waters off the coast of South Africa, Australia, California, and Mexico. The Great White Shark is also found in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. They generally prefer water between 54 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reproduction: A Great White Shark has never been observed giving birth, however pregnant females have been caught. The Great White Shark is known to be ovoviviparous (young develop in eggs within the mother's body). Females give birth to eight or nine pups that are about five feet in length upon birth. Great Whites reach reproductive maturity when the male is about 12 feet long and the female about 13 feet long. It is thought that Great White Sharks live up to 40 years in the wild, but this estimate may be too low.
Shark Attacks: Despite the fear of Great White Sharks, at least in part generated by Steven Spielberg's 1975 movie, Jaws, Great White Sharks do not target humans as prey. Most attacks are attributed to mistaken identity. Sharks can easily mistake humans for seals. Many human injuries caused by Great White Sharks are cases of test-biting. If a shark is unsure about a floating object, it often gives it a test bite to determine what kind of object it is. While such bites do little damage to buoys and other objects, they obviously can inflict serious damage on the human body.
Show questions one by one
1. Which of the following is least likely?
A. ? Finding a 15 foot long Great White Shark.
B. ? Find a Great White Shark hunting a porpoise
C. ? Finding a Great White Shark in 85 degree (Fahrenheit) water.
D. ? Find a Great White Shark that weighs 2,000 pounds
2. The maximum weight of MOST Great White Sharks is ____________ pounds.
A. ? 4,200
B. ? 5,000
C. ? 2,400
D. ? 24,000
3. Select all of the following that are normal parts of the Great White Shark's diet.
a.
Humans
b.
Fish
c.
Dolphins
d.
Seals
4. Check
5. The ___________________________ are specialized pores that allow a shark to detect magnetic fields of moving organisms.
A. ? Ampullae of Lorenzini
B. ? Echolocation
C. ? Serrations
D. ? Electomagnets
6. What does ovoviviparous mean?
A. ? It refers to animals that lay eggs
B. ? It refers to animals that do not lay eggs
C. ? It refers to animals whose young develop in eggs within the mother's body.
D. ? It refers to animals whose young develop outside the mother's body.
7. You would have something in common with the Great White Shark if you.....
A. ? spend most of your time near the shore
B. ? have four brothers and four sisters
C. ? located your food by sound
D. ? lived to be 80 years old
8. In which of the following places would you have the best chance to see a Great White Shark?
A. ? Mediterranean Sea
B. ? coastal South Africa
C. ? Antarctica
D. ? Mississippi River
9. Sharks often mistake humans for _________________.
Check
10. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. ? Great White Sharks often target humans as prey.
B. ? Great White Sharks employ different hunting techniques depending on the prey they are stalking.
C. ? Great White Sharks swallow their own teeth during attacks.
D. ? Great White Sharks can detect prey by smell or by magnetic field.
11. Which of the following may or may not be true?
A. ? Newborn Great White Sharks are about five feet in length.
B. ? Great White Sharks have a life span of 40 years.
C. ? The Great White Shark is actually only white on its underparts.
D. ? Great White Sharks have serrated teeth that act like saws.
Read the passage and answer the questions. Description: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is named for its large head and blunt jaw. This huge sea turtle can grow to 800 pounds (though the average turtle is about 200 pounds) and three and a half feet in length. It is the largest hard-shelled turtle in the world. The carapace (shell) and flippers are reddish brown and the plastron (lower shell) is yellowish. The carapace has five lateral scutes and five central scutes. Scutes are hexagonal sections of the carapace. Underparts are white or whitish. These incredible turtles have powerful flippers that can propel them through the water at speeds of up to 16 miles per hour. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle has a life span of up to 50 years in the wild.
Habitat/Range: The seafaring Loggerhead Sea Turtle is found throughout the world's tropical oceans. They are also found in temperate waters in search of food and in migration. Breeding populations exist in many locales including the Atlantic coast of the United States (from North Carolina to Florida), numerous Caribbean islands, Central America, the Mediterranean Sea, and Africa.
Diet: Loggerhead Sea Turtles consume fish, crustaceans, mollusks, crabs, and jellyfish, They use their powerful jaws to crush prey. These turtles often ingest stray plastic bags which are mistaken for jellyfish and which cause potentially fatal complications.
Nesting: The Female Loggerhead Sea Turtle normally lays her
eggs on the same beach in which she was born. It may take up to 30 years before these turtles reach reproductive age. In June or July, females will emerge from the ocean and dig a hole in the sand. Between 70 and 150 eggs are deposited in the hole. The female uses her hind flippers to cover the hole. The eggs are about the size of ping pong balls. Eggs hatch within 65 days. Young turtles instinctively head toward the ocean upon hatching (which reflects the moonlight). Many of these young turtles are taken as prey by opportunistic gulls, vultures, and raccoons. Others are led in the wrong direction by lights from roads and beach houses which the turtles mistake as moonlight. Those that are fortunate enough to make it to the water are swept toward the open ocean by waves and sea currents.
Show questions one by one
1. Why is this species named Loggerhead Sea Turtle?
A. ? It has a large head.
B. ? It rests its head on logs.
C. ? It hunts on logs.
D. ? No one knows.
2. What shape are scutes?
A. ? octagonal
B. ? hexagonal
C. ? square
D. ? diamond
3. Which of the following is not part of the turtle's shell?
A. ? tail
B. ? scute
C. ? carapace
D. ? plastron
4. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. ? Loggerhead Sea Turtles are negatively affected by trash that makes its way into the sea.
B. ? Loggerhead Sea Turtles can live 50 years.
C. ? There are no hard-shelled turtles larger than the Loggerhead Sea Turtle.
D. ? Baby Loggerhead Sea Turtle, by instinct, stray away from light when they hatch.
5. Loggerhead Sea Turtles DO NOT eat...
A. ? crabs
B. ? molluscs
C. ? dolphins
D. ? jellyfish
6. Where would you most likely NOT see a Loggerhead Sea Turtle?
A. ? Off the coast of Africa.
B. ? In the ocean near South Carolina
C. ? In Lake Michigan
D. ? In the Caribbean Sea
7. Where do female Loggerhead Sea Turtles lay eggs?
A. ? At the bottom of the ocean.
B. ? On gravel surfaces away from the beach.
C. ? On the beach in which she was born.
D. ? On any beach that does not have people.
8. What does the word "fatal" mean in the following sentence?
These turtles often ingest stray plastic bags which are mistaken for jellyfish and which cause potentially fatal complications.
A. ? annoying
B. ? deadly
C. ? painful
D. ? confusing
9. What does the word "emerge" mean in the following sentence?
In June or July, females will emerge from the ocean and dig a hole in the sand. Between 70 and 150 eggs are deposited in the hole.
A. ? return to
B. ? swim away from
C. ? give birth in
D. ? come from
10. Which is not true about Loggerhead Sea Turtle eggs?
A. ? They are shaped liked ping pong balls
B. ? They are laid in the sand
C. ? They are poisonous to predators
D. ? They hatch within 65 days
Read the passage and answer the questions.Description: The Emperor Penguin is the world's largest and tallest penguin. It is also the heaviest penguin, with some individuals recorded at nearly 100 pounds. Adults have a black head, back, tail, and black wings. The underparts are dingy white. The sides of the neck are marked with a large golden or yellow stripe. In addition, there is a varying amount of gold on the upper breast. Like most penguins, the Emperor Penguin has thick, waterproof feathers that cover the entire body except for the bill and feet. Emperor Penguins normally live about 20 years in the wild, though some individuals have been recorded at 40 years of age.
Diet: Crustaceans, krill, and small fish. Emperor Penguins will dive to depths of 800 feet in search of food. Most dives last 3-6 minutes.
Predators: Sharks, Leopard Seals, Orcas. Chicks are vulnerable to predation from South Polar Skuas.
Range: The Emperor Penguin is found throughout the Antarctic perimeter. It is the only species of penguin to breed during the Antarctic winter. Breeding takes place about 60 miles from the coast in the Antarctic interior, where temperatures regularly drop to -40 degrees Celsius. The trek from the Antarctic coastline to the breeding grounds was the inspiration for "March of the Penguins".
Nesting: Female Emperor Penguins lay a single egg in May or June. After the egg has been laid, the female must immediately feed in the ocean. First, the egg is carefully transported to the male, who incubates the egg under a brood patch that rests above the feet. Occasionally, the transfer is unsuccessful and
the egg rolls onto the ice and instantaneously freezes.
The male will incubate the egg for up to 65 days! During this time, he will not eat a single meal. On particularly cold days, hundreds of male penguins may gather together in a compact huddle to warm themselves in the pounding Antarctic winds. In about two months, the female returns and locates her mate and chick by sound. She regurgitates food stored in her stomach to feed the growing chick. The male then takes his turn feeding in the ocean and returns after about a month, at which point both parents tend to the chick by regurgitating food and keeping it off the ice. Once the chick is about seven weeks old, it joins other chicks in a creche (huddle) to keep warm.
Status: Populations of Emperor Penguins are thought to be stable. Estimates indicate about 200,000 breeding pairs.
Show questions one by one
1. Where do Emperor Penguins breed?
A. ? Along the coast
B. ? In the water
C. ? The Antarctic interior
D. ? South America
2. At the end of the passage, a line reads "Populations of Emperor Penguins are thought to be stable. Estimates indicate about 200,000 breeding pairs." What does stable mean?
A. ? Increasing
B. ? Uncertain
C. ? Staying the same
D. ? Decreasing
3. Which of the following scenarios is unlikely?
A. ? Finding an Emperor Penguin that weighs 80 pounds.
B. ? Finding an Emperor Penguins after it has been underwater for 10 minutes.
C. ? Finding an Emperor Penguin that is about 20 years old.
D. ? Finding an Orca that has just eaten an Emperor Penguin.
4. Which of the following is NOT part of the diet of the Emperor Penguin?
A. ? crustaceans
B. ? insects
C. ? fish
D. ? krill
5. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. ? Sometimes, the egg transfer from the female to male results in the egg freezing.
B. ? The female lays an egg during the Antarctic winter.
C. ? The male incubates for more than two months without eating.
D. ? After the female lays the egg, the male must immediately feed in the ocean.
6. What color is the tail of the Emperor Penguin?
A. ? black
B. ? orange
C. ? yellow
D. ? white
7. How many eggs are laid by the female Emperor Penguin?
A. ? 0
B. ? 1
C. ? 2
D. ? 3
8. Which of the following animals only preys on Penguin chicks?
A. ? seals
B. ? skuas
C. ? orcas
D. ? sharks
9. Select all of the following that are TRUE
a.
The female locates her chick by sound.
b.
Both parents will feed chicks by regurgitating food.
c.
After the egg is laid, the maleventures off to the sea first.
d.
The female locates her chick by sight.
10.Check
11. What happens third?
A. ? The egg transfer
B. ? The young penguin joins a creche.
C. ? The male feeds in the ocean while the female tends to the chick.
D. ? The female feeds in the ocean while the male incubates
24:55The Peregrine Falcon is a large, powerful falcon of seashores, mountain ranges, and the arctic tundra. Peregrine Falcons hunt medium to large sized birds, and are especially fond of ducks, shorebirds, and pigeons. Peregrine Falcons are extremely strong flyers, and often seize their prey at speeds of over 100 miles per hour. Some Peregrine Falcons have even been clocked at higher speeds while hunting.
The Peregrine Falcon could once be found throughout the United States. DDT, a chemical for controlling insects, caused the eastern population of Peregrine Falcons to crash. Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, and other birds of prey would eat fish and ducks that were contaminated with the chemical. As DDT built up in the their bodies, such birds of prey would lay brittle eggs that would crack easily. In 1972, DDT was made illegal to use in America, and some birds of prey made a comeback. The Peregrine Falcon, however, did not.
Scientists took a different approach to the Peregrine Falcon. Since Peregrine's nest on mountain cliffs, scientists began capturing the falcons and relocating them to big cities with skyscrapers. The plan worked. Today the Peregrine Falcon is no longer an endangered species. Peregrines now thrive in Boston, New York City, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. In those cities, they can have as many pigeons as they want.
Show questions one by one
1. Where would the Peregrine Falcon not be found?
A. ? Rocky Mountains
B. ? California shore
C. ? Arctic tundra
D. ? Arizona desert
2. Which of the following would the Peregrine Falcon likely not eat?
A. ? Wood Duck
B. ? Hummingbird
C. ? Pigeon
D. ? Shorebirds
3. Some Peregrine Falcons have been clocked at speeds of more than ___________ miles per hour while ______________.
A. ? 100; hunting
B. ? 100; sleeping
C. ? 50; defending the nest
D. ? 50; chasing away predators
4. Which of the following words would best describe DDT?
A. ? harmless
B. ? harmful
C. ? helpful
D. ? colorful
5. Which of the following statements is true?
A. ? Unlike other birds of prey, the Peregrine Falcon made a comeback after DDT was made illegal.
B. ? Like other birds of prey, the Peregrine Falcon made a comeback after DDT was made illegal.
C. ? Unlike other birds of prey, the Peregrine Falcon did not make a comeback after DDT was made illegal.
D. ? Like other birds of prey, the Peregrine Falcon did not make a comeback after DDT was made illegal.
6. What does brittle mean?
A. ? weak
B. ? strong
C. ? thick
D. ? hard
7. How did scientists try to save the Peregrine Falcon?
A. ? They set aside land for them.
B. ? They captured them and brought them back to the mountains.
C. ? They captured them and released them in big cities.
D. ? They captured them and released them in skyscrapers.
8. Which happened first?
A. ? DDT was made illegal.
B. ? Peregrine Falcons became endangered
C. ? Scientists brought them to live in big cities.
D. ? Peregrine Falcons were taken off of the endangered species list.
24:55Print Passage and Questions
Highlight Color: Clear Highlights
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 3, 1847. When he was only eleven years old, he invented a machine that could clean wheat. Graham studied anatomy and physiology at the University of London, but moved with his family to Quebec, Canada in 1870.
Bell soon moved to Boston, Massachusetts. In 1871, he began working with deaf people and published the system of Visible Hearing that was developed by his father. Visible Hearing illustrated how the tongue, lips, and throat are used to produce vocal sounds. In 1872, Bell founded a school for the deaf which soon became part of Boston University.
Alexander Graham Bell is best known for his invention of the telephone. While trying to discover the secret of transmitting multiple messages on a single wire, Bell heard the sound of a plucked string along some of the electrical wire. One of Bell's assistants, Thomas A. Watson, was trying to reactivate a telephone transmitter. After hearing the sound, Bell believed he could send the sound of a human voice over the wire. After receiving a patent on March 7, 1876 for transmitting sound along a single wire, he successfully transmitted human speech on March 10th. Bell's telephone patent was one of the most valuable patents ever issued. He started the Bell Telephone Company in 1877.
Bell went on to invent a precursor to the modern day air conditioner, and a device called a "photophone" that enabled sound to be transmitted on a beam of light and which today's fiber optic and laser communication systems are based. In 1898, Alexander Graham Bell and his son-in law took over the National Georgraphic Society and built it into one of the most recognized magazines in the world. Bell also helped found Science Magazine, one of the most respected research journals in the world.
Alexander Graham Bell died August 2, 1922. On the day of his burial, in honor of Bell, all telephone services in the United States were stopped for one minute.
Show questions one by one
1. Where was Alexander Graham Bell born?
A. ? England
B. ? Quebec
C. ? Scotland
D. ? Boston
2. What did Alexander Graham Bell do in 1872?
A. ? Invent a machine for cleaning wheat.
B. ? Start a school of deaf people
C. ? Invent the telephone
D. ? Study at the University of London
3. What happened FIRST?
A. ? Bell invented the telephone
B. ? Bell moved to Canada
C. ? Bell published the Visible Hearing system
D. ? Bell moved to Massachusetts
4. What was Thomas A. Watson doing when Alexander Graham Bell heard the sound of a plucked string over electric wire?
A. ? Transmitting multiple message over a single wire.
B. ? Transmitting the human voice over the single wire.
C. ? Starting the Bell Telephone Company
D. ? Reactivating a telephone transmitter
5. What is the best definition for "transmit" in this passage.
A. ? to block by stopping
B. ? to send.
C. ? to make larger
D. ? to disturb
6. Which of the following was Alexander Graham Bell NOT involved with?
A. ? National Geographic Magazine
B. ? Science Magazine
C. ? Photophone
D. ? Teaching blind people
7. What is a photophone?
A. ? A device that can transmit a message on a soundwave.
B. ? A device that can transmit a message on a wire.
C. ? A device that can transmit a message on a beam if light.
D. ? A device that can transmit a message on a telephone.
8. The phonophone was most important to what industry?
A. ? Fiber optics and laser communication systems
B. ? Telephone
C. ? Air-conditioning
D. ? Pubishing
9. On the day of his funeral, American telephone services were disabled for how many minutes?
CheckHintShow answer
Read the passage and answer the questions.The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It covers an area of nearly 2.8 million square miles, which is nearly the
size of the continent of Australia. The Amazon Rainforest gets its life from the majestic Amazon River, the world's second largest river, which runs directly through the heart of the region. The rainforest itself is simply the drainage basin for the river and its many tributaries. The vast forest itself consists of four layers, each featuring its own ecosystems and specially adapted plants and animals.
The forest floor is the lowest region. Since only two percent of the sunlight filters through the top layers to the understory, very few plants grow here. The forest floor, however, is rich with rotting vegetation and the bodies of dead organisms, which are quickly broken down into nutrients integrated into the soil. Tree roots stay close to these available nutrients and decomposers such as millipedes and earthworms use these nutrients for food.
The understory is the layer above the forest floor. Much like the forest floor, only about 2- 5 percent of the sunlight reaches this shadowy realm. Many of the plants in the understory have large, broad leaves to collect as much sunlight as possible. The understory is so thick that there is very little air movement. As a result, plants rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.
The layer above the understory is the canopy. This is where much of the action in the rainforest occurs. Many canopy leaves have specially adapted leaves which form "drip tips". Drip tips allow water to flow off the leaves which prevents mosses, fungi, and lichens from occupying the leaves. Leaves in the canopy are very dense and filter about 80 percent of the sunlight. The canopy is where the wealth of the rainforest's fruits and flowers grow. Bromeliads, cup-like plants, provide drinking pools for animals and breeding locations for tree frogs.
The emergent layer is above the canopy, and is the top layer of the rainforest. Trees in the emergent layer break through the canopy and may reach heights of 200 feet. Leaves in the emergent layer are small and covered with a special wax to hold water. Seeds are blown to other parts of the forest. Trees which rise to the emergent layer are massive. Many are braced by huge buttress roots. Trunks can be 16 feet in circumference. Many animals that survive in the emergent layer never touch the ground.
Show questions one by one
1. The Amazon Rainforest covers an area nearly the size of the continent of __________________________.
Check
2. Which of the following is not a layer of the rainforest?
A. ? Emergent
B. ? Canopy
C. ? Subcanopy
D. ? Understory
3. Which layer of the rainforest is right above the forest floor?
A. ? Canopy
B. ? Emergent Layer
C. ? Understory
4. Most of the fruits and flowers of the rainforest grow in its ______________.
A. ? Canopy
B. ? Understory
C. ? Emergent Layer
D. ? Forest Floor
5. ____________________ provide drinking pools for animals and breeding locations for tree frogs.
Check
6. Many trees in the ____________________________ of the rainforest are braced by huge buttress roots.
A. ? Canopy
B. ? Emergent Layer
C. ? Forest Floor
D. ? Understory
7. Animals that live in the ____________________ may never touch the ground.
A. ? Emergent Layer
B. ? Understory
C. ? Forest Floor
D. ? Canopy
8. Why do few plants grow in the understory?
A. ? Their leaves are too large.
B. ? There is not enough nutrients.
C. ? There is not enough water.
D. ? There is not enough sunlight.
9. Why do plants in the understory have to rely on insects to pollinate them?
A. ? There is very little wind in the understory.
B. ? The sun is too bright in the understory.
C. ? The wind is too strong and seeds blow into the Amazon River.
D. ? There are very few butterflies in the rainforest.
10. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. ? The Canopy is higher than the Emergent Layer.
B. ? The Understory is below the Canopy.
C. ? The Amazon Rainforest is located in South America.
D. ? Leaves in the canopy are very dense and filter a high percentage of sunlight.
Read the passage and then answer the questions. Description: The massive California Condor is one of America's largest and rarest birds. The adult is mostly black with large white wing patches and a featherless head. The color of the head can vary from white, to pink, to orange, depending on the condor's emotional state. The male condor has a tuft of black feathers extending from the base of the neck. The condor's wingspan can exceed nine feet and the average adult weighs in excess of 20 pounds.
Diet: The California Condor eats carrion. It actually has no sense of smell, and finds dead animals by observing the movements of vultures and eagles. They prefer to eat large mammals such as deer, goats, horses, sheep, and even bears. The huge condor dominates other birds at carcasses, except the Golden Eagle. Condors in the wild go days or weeks without eating before gorging themselves on several pounds of dead animal.
Reproduction: The California Condor's notoriously slow rate of reproduction has undoubtedly contributed to its population decline. Females become reproductively mature at age six, and choose a mate for life. The simple nest is built in a cave or upon a cliff and the female lays one or two eggs every other February or March. After about eight weeks, the eggs hatch. The young condor(s) can fly after about six months.
Range/Habitat: The California Condor once roamed the entire American southwest from Texas to California and into parts of northern Mexico. Today, it is restricted to designated habitats in Arizona (such as the Grand Canyon) and southern California. California Condors prefer dry, mountains habitats with large trees and scrub growth.
Status: The California Condor is one of America's most critically endangered animals. Today, there are about 300 individuals in existence, which is actually a significant improvement over the 22 individuals that were confirmed in existence in 1987. All 22 of those birds were captured and cared for in captivity that year for the purpose of saving the species from certain extinction. Although the condor was never common, populations of condors plummeted because of habitat destruction, pesticides, lead shot (which would contaminate carcasses), and electrical towers (which the birds would collide with). In a landmark effort, biologists from the San Diego Zoo initiated a captive breeding program with the condors and successfully increased their numbers to the point where some individuals could be re-released into the wild. Scientists took advantage of the condor's tendency to double clutch, or, lay another egg if the first is lost or destroyed. Newly released Condors have been trained to avoid electrical towers and people. In 2003, the first young condor fledged in the wild since 1981. Furthermore, a female Condor recently laid an egg in Mexico, marking the first time a condor has nested in Mexico since the 1930's.
Show questions one by one
1. The wingspan of the California Condor exceeds __________________ feet.
A. ? ten
B. ? nine
C. ? eleven
D. ? eight
2. How does the California Condor find carrion?
A. ? By following other vultures.
B. ? Its strong sense of smell.
C. ? By following herds of deer and sheep.
D. ? Its strong sense of hearing.
3. Which of the following is unlikely?
A. ? A California Condor feeding on a squirrel carcass.
B. ? A California Condor feeding on a bear carcass.
C. ? A California Condor that hasn't eaten in three days.
D. ? A California Condor nesting on Valentine's Day.
4. In which of the following places would there probably have never been populations of California Condors?
A. ? Alaska
B. ? Mexico
C. ? Texas
D. ? Arizona
5. In which of the following habitats would it be unlikely to find a California Condor?
A. ? Swamplands
B. ? Dry Canyons
C. ? Scrublands
D. ? High mountains
6. How many California Condors exist today?
A. ? About 300
B. ? 22
C. ? It's hard to say
D. ? They are extinct
7. Select all of the following that have contributed to the Condor's decline.
a.
Electrical Towers
b.
Lead Shot
c.
Habitat Destruction
d.
Wolves
8. Check
9. Select the statement below that is true. Select only one.
A. ? California Condors will not a lay another egg if the first egg is lost or destroyed.
B. ? In 1987, all 300 California Condors were taken from the wilderness.
C. ? At some points in the last 100 years, the California Condor was common.
D. ? A, B, and C are all untrue.
10. Why were all California Condors taken from the wild?
A. ? None of the Above
B. ? To maximize the number of young condors born.
C. ? To save them from extinction.
D. ? All of the above
11. Which of the following words would best describe the future of California Condors?
A. ? doomed
B. ? uncertain
C. ? perfect
D. ? unhappy
Read the passage and answer the questions. To understand meteors, one must also understand meteoroids and meteorites. First, a meteoroid is a particle in the solar system. The meteoroid may be as small as a grain of sand, or, as large as a boulder. When the meteor enters the Earth's atmosphere, and becomes visible as a shooting star, it is called a meteor. If the meteor makes it to the ground, it is called a meteorite.
Meteors, also called shooting stars, occur in the Earth's mesosphere at an altitude of about 40-60 miles. Millions of meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere every day, though the vast majority are observed at night. Their visibility in the night sky is due to air friction which causes the meteor to glow and emit a trail of gasses and melted particles that lasts for about a second. Meteor showers are relatively common events that occur when the Earth passes through a trail of debris left by a comet.
Sometimes Meteoroids make it throughout the atmosphere and hit the ground, where they are referred to as meteorites. There are over 31,000 documented meteorites to have been found, although only five or six new ones are found every year. The largest meteorite ever found was in the African nation of Namibia. It weighs over 100 tons and left a huge impact crater in the ground. Scientists believe the massive Berringer Carter in Arizona was formed when a 300,000 ton meteorite crashed to the ground over 49,000 years ago. On November 30, 1954, the Hodges Meteorite (actually a fragment of a meteorite) crashed through the roof of the residence of Ann Hodges in the town of Sylacauga, Alabama. It bounced off a table before striking her in the leg. Although she was badly bruised, she was not seriously injured. It was the first recorded instance of a meteorite injuring a human. The actual meteorite was donated to the Alabama
Museum of Natural History after various legal battles concerning ownership. Some scientists believe the impact of a large meteorite from an asteroid or comet in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula was responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. Such an impact would have had catastrophic global consequences including immediate climate change, numerous earthquakes, volcano eruptions, wildfires, and massive supertsuanims, along with the proliferation of massive amounts of dust and debris that would block solar energy and lead to a disruption in photosynthesis.
Most meteorites that reach the Earth are classified as chondrites or achondrites, while a small percentage are iron meteorites and stony-iron meteorites. Most meteorites are chondrites. Chondrites contain silicate materials that were melted in space, amino acids, and other presolar grains, particles likely formed from stellar explosions. Diamond and graphite are among materials found to be present in these grains. Chondrites are thought to be over 4.5 billion years of age and to have originated in the asteroid belt, where they never formed larger bodies. Achondrites are less common. These type of meteorites seem to be similar to igneous rock. Iron meteorites make up less than five percent of meteorite finds. These type of meteorites are thought to come from the core of asteroids that were once molten. Finally, stony-iron meteorites constitute less than one percent of all meteorite falls. They are made of iron-nickel metal and different silicates.
Show questions one by one
1. Chrondrites are thought to have originated in ____________________.
A. ? the asteroid belt
B. ? Earth's atmosphere
C. ? the outer reaches of the Milky Way.
D. ? the Oort Cloud
2. Which kind of meteorite is the least common?
A. ? Iron Meteorites
B. ? Achrondrites
C. ? Story-iron meteorites
D. ? Chrondrites
3. Which of the following was not (possibly) caused by a meteorite impact?
A. ? The extinction of the dinosaurs
B. ? A slight injury to Ann Hodges
C. ? The formation of the Yucatan Peninsula
D. ? The Berringer Crater
4. Another name for a shooting star is a ___________________.
A. ? meteoroid
B. ? meteorite
C. ? meteor
5. A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through ____________________________.
A. ? a trail of debris left by a comet
B. ? a solar flare
C. ? a meteoroid
D. ? the asteroid belt
6. _______________________ meteors enter the Earth's atmosphere every day.
A. ? Few
B. ? Millions
C. ? Thousands
D. ? Hundreds
7. Which of the following actually hits the ground?
A. ? meteorite
B. ? meteor
C. ? meteoroid
8. Most meteorites are _____________________.
A. ? iron
B. ? achrondrites
C. ? stony-iron
D. ? chrondrites
9. ________________________ meteorites are found every year.
A. ? Very few
B. ? Numerous
C. ? Thousands of
D. ? No
10. The largest meteorite ever discovered landed in __________________.
A. ? Mexico
B. ? The United States
C. ? Alabama
D. ? Africa
