Text Structures Quiz (20 points)
PART I: Multiple Choice (1 point each)
Directions: Read each of the passages below. Decide which text structure the author is using to present the information. Write the letter of your choice on the answer sheet. Choose only one answer for each passage.
1. If you have ever looked up at the sky and thought you saw something strange – perhaps something that looked like a flying saucer – you’re not alone. Every year hundreds of people report seeing strange objects, or objects known as UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). However, most of these UFOs turn out to be something ordinary, such as meteors, military aircraft, or weather balloons. In some cases, people even make up stories and create fake photos for publicity.
Most scientists do not believe that the planet Earth has been visited by alien beings. In fact, space exploration supports the belief that no other planet in our solar system has the technology that could send flying objects to Earth. In addition, the distance between our planet and the nearest star would make it extremely difficult for alien beings to visit Earth.
a. cause and effect
b. main idea and details
c. compare and contrast
d. sequence
2. Auditions for Fame were held Saturday from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. in the auditorium. Julie woke up early that morning to finish reading the play. At 9:30 A.M. her mother drove her to school for the audition. As she walked into the auditorium, she grew nervous, but once she saw her friends, she relaxed a bit. During auditions, Julie read a few scenes and did a monologue. At the end of auditions, Mrs. Martinez announced that callbacks would be posted outside her door on Monday.
a. compare and contrast
b. main idea and details
c. sequence
d. cause and effect
3. Last summer, there was very little rain. Because of the dry conditions, there were more forest fires than usual. People’s lawns and gardens were brown and sun-baked. Water supplies were very low, and many cities and towns put limits on how much water people could use.
a. sequence
b. cause and effect
c. main idea and details
d. problem and solution
4. Have you ever heard the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s fortune?” There are a number of stories from people who have found valuable antiques at auction sales, rummage sales, or Salvation Army resale shops. Next time you think about throwing or giving something away, perhaps you should determine its value.
a. main idea and details
b. cause and effect
c. problem and solution
d. sequence
5. Bats are important pollinators and are vital to our ecosystem; however, several species of North American bats have become endangered. Contributing to their endangerment is the fact that bats are sometimes deliberately killed by people and are also disturbed by spelunkers and tourists entering their caves. For example, caves are often vandalized when bats hibernate in the winter. Just entering a hibernation cave can result in mortality to the bat because disturbances can arouse them, requiring them to use enough stored energy that they do not survive the winter. The Gray Bat and the Indiana Bat of the Eastern and Midwestern United States, for example, are both endangered as a result of these activities.
Many bat caves now have gates that allow bats to fly through the open grating, but keep people out. This preventative measure has helped to protect important bat hibernation areas. Also, rather than killing bats that roost in buildings or block up entries, Bat Conservation International encourages the placement of bat houses nearby, which the bats tend to occupy instead.
a. problem and solution
b. compare and contrast
c. main idea and details
d. sequence
6. Although moths and butterflies belong to the same insect group, there are many differences between them. Most butterflies fly during the daytime, while moths fly at dusk or at night. Most butterflies have slender, hairless bodies in contrast to the plump, furry bodies of moths.
a. main idea and details
b. cause and effect
c. problem and solution
d. compare and contrast
7. Last weekend my history class visited Washington, D.C. On Saturday morning we visited the White House. After the White House, we visited the Lincoln Memorial. The statue of Abraham Lincoln is 19 feet high and faces the Reflecting Pool, another attraction in D.C. Following our visit to the Lincoln Memorial, we walked over to the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. More than 58,000 names of American soldiers who died in the war are carved into this memorial. Finally, our day ended at the Tidal Basin, where we rented paddleboats for a ride on the water.
a. main idea and details
b. sequence
c. cause and effect
d. problem and solution
8 The geography of India is one of the great extremes, encompassing desert, mountains, forest, and jungle. All of these environments are susceptible to unpredictable periods of flood, drought, and monsoon. Beginning with the earliest civilizations, the people have benefited as a result of these extreme features. The Himalayas have provided a great deal of protection from nomadic and military invasions from the north, and other mountain ranges have provided similar protection in the west and east. Also, the waterways of the Indus valley have provided an excellent resource for trade and commerce throughout India’s history. These are just a few of the reasons why India’s extreme geographical conditions are, in fact, an asset to its inhabitants.
a. compare and contrast
b. main idea and details
c. problem and solution
d. cause and effect
9. Kids are collecting more than stamps and stickers these days. Some collect coins and bills from around the world. Others collect miniature houses and mansions. An eighth-grade girl in Detroit, Michigan, collects spiders.
a. sequence
b. cause and effect
c. main idea and details
d. compare and contrast
10. The city of Trasker sits on the outskirts of its larger counterpart, the city of Laverne. Trasker has good reason to be proud. Its high school is a multiple state champion in football. Its streets have the smallest number of potholes in any city in the state. It has a huge farming community with more cattle per square acre than any other place in the state. It even is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the largest fast-food billboard in the entire world. It is a pleasant place to live; however, it’s apparently not a place to visit. Last year, the city only received $20,756 in revenue from tourism. Also, it’s widely known that most of the citizens leave on the weekends to spend their time (and money) in Laverne. In order to get more people to visit Trasker and to keep its citizens (and their money) in the city, the city needs to build a new mall.
In a survey last year, tourists who stayed in Trasker said that they only stopped in the city to fill their cars with gas on their way to Laverne. What if they had incentive to stay for more than a few minutes? What if they had a place to shop similar to the stores that exist in Laverne? They would have no need to go to Laverne. They would spend their money here in Trasker. People who say that building a mall would be too expensive don’t seem to understand that the mall would pay for itself. In addition to the money from tourists, the citizens of Trasker would also be spending more money in Trasker. The money from the taxes would help Trasker afford to build more tourist attractions instead of having to rely on our world-famous, giant billboard.
a. main idea and details
b. compare and contrast
c. sequence
d. problem and solution
11. Last year, I started volunteering at the local animal shelter. As a result, I have learned a great deal about animals. I am also in much better shape than I was because I walk dogs so often. I have often thought about becoming a veterinarian or animal trainer. For this reason, I chose to interview a veterinarian for my Career Day project.
a. cause and effect
b. problem and solution
c. compare and contrast
d. sequence
12. Growing up in America during the 1890s was much different from growing up today. Children as young as 10 years old held full time jobs in order to help their families. Many of these children worked 14 hours a day for as little as 27 cents. Today, however, children are not allowed to hold part-time jobs until they are at least 14 years old. Federal laws also restrict the number of hours teenagers work. While some teenagers today work out of necessity to help their families, most do so to earn spending money or to save for college.
a. sequence
b. compare and contrast
c. main idea and details
d. problem and solution
PART II: Essay (4 points/essay)
Directions: At numbers 13 and 14 on your answer sheet, you will see a sentence. You must use that sentence as the topic sentence (first sentence) in your essay. In #13, you must structure the essay so that you compare and contrast. In #14, you must structure the essay so that you show cause and effect. Remember to include signal words to help you organize your essay. You may want to use a graphic organizer as well to help you in planning. Each essay will be graded using PSSA grading standards.
13. SEE ANSWER SHEET
14. SEE ANSWER SHEET
Name ______AM/PM Score: ______/20
Text Structures Quiz: Answer Sheet
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13. Hurricanes are very violent natural disasters.______
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14. Hurricanes are very violent natural disasters.______
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