Student Practice Tests Booklet in Reading and Writing: Upper Elementary Grades 3 to 5 Comprehension and Writing Teacher to Student

By Leslie Knight

This test booklet has some unique qualities. It allows the students to get an idea of the kinds of passages and the level of vocabulary used in questioning. But the uniqueness does not end there. The booklet also provides teachers and parents with the instruments that will improve the ability of the children to complete the state tests. Know that teachers and parents can begin by allowing their fourth-grade children to work on passages intended for third graders and move forward and vice versa. Other grades can do the same. Everyone has the opportunity to look at the passages and questions presented to the other grades. Note carefully the approaches to the questions, because there is a specific vocabulary used in the questions. There is a wealth of writing exercises that require the students to think deeply.

Building stamina is very important. Length of passages and level of difficulty are considered. Each grade is presented with one mini-test and three full length tests. The parents and the teachers can actually simulate the real test and give themselves time to identify the childrens weaknesses and strengths. Therefore, they can work on these weaknesses and reinforce concepts at the same time.

At the end of every test there are additional questions designed to challenge the children and encourage the teachers and the parents to create their own questions from the passages.

There is a teachers edition that identifies the answers to all questions and the types of questions. For example, there may be questions that require the students to know main idea, authors purpose, compare and contrast and so on. These are indicated in the teachers edition. There are writing exercises for the students to do. Useful hints relating to the kinds of responses are also presented in the teachers edition. A suggested rubric is also included.

This book is inclusive of all, including Special Needs Students who must write the same tests as other students, and whose grades and progress impact the general performance of the school.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503598874

Leslie Knight

He gives a unique perspective on the price that some white people during the 1860s, are willing to pay to maintain their way of life, while the Negroes are also willing to sacrifice their lives, so that other Negroes will not have to bear the brutal burden of slavery.

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Copyright © 2015 by Leslie Knight.

ISBN:  Softcover   978-1-5035-9888-1

            eBook        978-1-5035-9887-4

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Rev. date: 10/12/2015

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About the Author

Leslie Knight is a career teacher who started as a teenager in Trinidad.

Although Mr. Knight taught at all levels, from the Gifted and Talented, the Adult Education Classes, the SAT Classes and the students who were home bound, his main focus was always the Elementary and Junior High Schools where he was a class-room teacher, a mentor, a professional developer, a test coordinator and an Assistant Principal during his tenure.

The system of writing tests is not new to him, because he created many tests just for his class of students or for the Junior High School that he supervised. For several years Mr. Knight had been involved in the grading of the New York City Tests also.

This book is written with the aim of raising the reading level of the students by introducing vocabulary rich exercises, thoughtful and challenging questions, and a variety of writing exercises that require the students to think objectively. The book is intended to be different because the students can review other exercises that are intended for a lower grade, or the students can take the opportunity to try a more advanced piece of reading material. The author is aware that the Special Needs Students are given the same tests as the General Education Students. Therefore, they must be given the experience of the same material.

Leslie Knight

CONTENTS

About the Author

Illustration and Acknowledgement

Note to the students

Mini-test: Grade 3

Test 1: Grade 3: Book 1

Grade 3: Test 1: Book 2

Grade 3: Test 1: Book 3

Test 1: Grade 3: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 3

Grade 3: Test 1: Book 1

Test 2: Grade 3: Book 1

Test 2: Grade 3: Book 2

Test 2: Grade 3: Book 3

Test 2: Grade 3: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 3

Test 3: Grade 3: Book 1

Test 3: Grade 3: Book 2

Test 3: Grade 3: Book 3

Test 3: Grade 3: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 3

Mini-test: Grade 4

Test 1: Grade 4: Book 1

Test 1: Grade 4: Book 2

Test 1: Grade 4: Book 3

Test 1: Grade 4: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 4

Test 2: Grade 4: Book 1

Test 2: Grade 4: Book 2

Test 2: Grade 4: Book 3

Test 2: Grade 4: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 4

Test 3: Grade 4: Book 1

Book 2: Grade 4: Test 3

Test 3: Grade 4: Book 3

Test 3: Grade 4: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 4

Mini-test: Grade 5

Test 1: Grade 5: Book 1

Book 2: Grade 5: Test 1

Book 3: Grade 5: Test 1

Test 1: Grade 5: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 5

Test 2: Grade 5: Book 1

Test 2: Grade 5: Book 2

Test 2: Grade 5: Book 3

Test 2: Grade 5: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 5

Test 3: Grade 5: Book 1

Test 3: Grade 5.: Book 2

Test 3: Grade 5: Book 3

Test 3: Grade 5: Book 4

Additional Exercises: Grade 5

Answer Grid

Glossary

Books (Bibliography)

Illustration and Acknowledgement

Book Cover Illustrated by Kever Renaud Dundas

Special Acknowledgement:

Special thanks to Ms. Caudel Knight (my wife) and Justin (my son) for their kind suggestions. Caudel and Justin also purchased the computer on which all the work was done.

Note to the students

There are one mini- test and three full length tests in each of the upper grades in the elementary school. You are required to master most of the skills and the concepts, to demonstrate that you are worthy of promotion to another grade. This booklet does not certify that all the comprehension skills are addressed. However, the most important skills and concepts are included. It is important to review these skills and concepts before attempting to do each test.

Your teachers will instruct you in the requirements for the tests. Reading is very important. When you read, you should not think that it is just a matter of knowing and calling words. The words have meanings. Without the experiences of the vocabulary, you will not be able to comprehend what you have read. You are advised to consider the context in which a word is used, so that you can deduce the meaning of the word.

Each reading passage requires you to respond to a variety of questions. You are given four choices. You must know how to eliminate some of the choices that are not possible or do not address the question. You must be able to reread the passage or part of the passage that addresses the question, before you are sure of the correct response. All of the choices sometimes seem to be correct, but there is only one best choice. If you can just reduce the number of possible choices to only two per question, you would be more than likely select the correct response to the question.

Indeed, you want to know how well you will perform in the State Tests, so your teacher will tell you how much time you have to complete each exercise. You must write the tests as though they are the actual examinations. Remember, if you do not understand a question, or you do not know the answer to a specific question, leave it and move on to the other questions. When you have completed the ones that you know, you can return to the question that you skipped. Re-read the passage and the question and try to give a response. You cannot spend too much time on one question. The tests are timed. Each test has a time limit of 50 to 70 minutes working time. When you are finished, you should review your responses to the questions on the test, because chances are, mistakes could be made. You have your answer sheet with the choices, A to D. You might try to bubble in C as the right answer, but you bubble D instead. Now, you have a chance to correct this mistake.

When you have to answer the short and extended response questions, remember to respond with complete sentences. Only address the question. Make certain that you have correct sentence structure. There must be no run-on lines or incomplete thoughts. You must paragraph your work and edit as much as you can. You might be thinking that penmanship does not count. If you write and no one can understand your handwriting, this can be your downfall. Writing legibly makes communication easier and comprehensible. Punctuation makes the thoughts that you express on paper understandable. Be sure to include where necessary, commas, periods or full stops, colons and other marks that make grammar and usage correct. Be careful about the spelling. It is in your best interest to try your best to spell words correctly. An essay contains three sections —introduction where the topic is introduced, body where the details are mentioned and the summary or conclusion where the essay ends with other pieces of details that might be helpful to the essay, but might have been forgotten during the writing of the body of the essay.

The passages are designed and presented in such a way that grades 3 to 5 will have a chance to hone their skills before attempting to do the real tests. Indeed, some of the questions might be a little challenging at times, but reading carefully and analyzing what the question requires make a big difference.

Your teacher will guide you and discuss each question and response with you after you have completed the test.

You also have a unique opportunity to get a great look at each test. It would be wise for fifth graders to attempt the tests that are given to fourth graders and vice versa. The same skills and concepts are presented in all of the tests.

The mini-tests are important, because they prepare you and indicate some of the skills and concepts that you need to master before attempting to write the full length tests.

There must be some means by which you would know how well you have performed on any of the tests. Therefore, a rubric is presented as a guideline. Your teacher will have the details of the rubric that include the raw scores for the objective type questions and the scoring for the short and extended responses.

Below 70% = Level 1 -

70% to 79% = Level 2

80% to 89% = Level 3

90% + = Level 4

Essay: Noted in the teacher’s edition.

L. Knight

Mini-test: Grade 3

Passage 1

The Staten Island Greenbelt

If you ever go on a tour to Staten Island you might want to visit the Staten Island Greenbelt. It is a forest and a park all in one. It is just to the southern part of the island and contains many miles of hiking trails, a variety of trees and birds. This greenbelt is so large that it requires a great number of people who are willing to care for the upkeep of such a lovely area on the island. There are so many things to upkeep. The main concern is to protect the vegetation and the wildlife that are important to the area. The hiking trails have to be kept in excellent condition also.

Many people volunteer their time to help in the upkeep of the greenbelt. Some of these people are college students and high school students. Many of these students are interested in the study of the environment. They get the opportunity to learn some of the ways in which they can maintain a clean and safe surrounding. They learn about the value of the trees to the soil. Trees keep the soil from washing away. Trees also keep the earth cool so that the water supply can be preserved. The students who study biology have an opportunity to observe the growth of plants and some animals such as the birds in their natural habitat.

Although these people are not paid for their services, they still receive valuable information and a better understanding of life in the forest. There are other volunteers that just help for the love of the forest. Their only business is to help in keeping the greenbelt in excellent condition. The volunteers and the other workers also help to clear the forest of unhealthy trees. They help to plant new trees and clear some of the areas of unwanted vines. The job of pruning the trees by cutting some of the branches is a special one and must be done very carefully. Trees can die if this is not done in the right way. Some of the low branches are cut. Branches that are cracked are also cut and some of the trees are just cut to a specific height. The workers who help to make the trails are careful not to destroy the trees.

There are many guides on the trails and these tour guides are always eager to explain the different kinds of trees that grow there. The guides can also help if you are on a hike. They can give you direction on how to get to different parts of the trail. If you are lost and you see a guide, he or she can help you find your way. Some of the guides tell about the history of the greenbelt to those who are interested in forestry. Some tell about the different names of the trees and the way you should care for such trees. Indeed there are trees that are very old and historical. Many oaks and willows as well as maple trees fall into this category. The guides can tell you the approximate ages of some of the trees by the number of rings in the trunks. Of course when an old tree is cut, you can tell the average number of years the tree is by counting the number of rings in the trunk.

Visitors come from all over New York and from many other countries to get a glimpse of nature that the greenbelt provides. They get an excellent view of some of the different types of trees that grow in the forest. The visitors can view the maple, the oak and the willow trees. These are just a few of the trees that grow in the forest. The trees are interesting to watch during the spring. Some of the trees are covered with beautiful flowers that range from pink to red to white. During the fall the forest is adorned in a golden color. The fallen leaves create a soft bed on the floor of the forest during this time. In addition the visitors seize an opportunity to see some of the birds that inhabit the forest. These birds chirp and whistle and fill the air with lively sounds. The forest comes alive with the different sounds of the birds. Someone says that there are also wild turkeys in the forest, but this has never been proven.

People who enjoy hiking usually find that the greenbelt is great for such an adventure. Here you can travel for miles on man-made trails that extend into some of the deepest parts of the woods. You travel on dirt roads, up a few small risings and down into some shallow valleys. You encounter vines and orchids on your trail. You come to large shady areas and out into short bushes. There are areas where you can take a rest when you are tired. Some hikers enjoy running, so the trails are wide enough to let the runners follow their passion.

Whenever you are in Staten Island, and you are interested in nature such as the forest, do not forget to visit the Staten Island Greenbelt. You will be in for surprises.

Answer the following questions.

1.  According to the first paragraph

a.  the Greenbelt is the most important hiking area in the country.

b.  people should always visit the greenbelt and volunteer to help in its upkeep.

c.  the author states the location, size and vegetation of the greenbelt.

d.  all wildlife and vegetation come from the greenbelt.

2.  Paragraph two supports paragraph one

a.  by stating why the greenbelt is maintained in an excellent condition.

b.  by stating why so many volunteers are needed to help in the upkeep of the Greenbelt.

c.  by telling why people enjoy the activities in the greenbelt.

d.  by giving some of the details for supporting the upkeep of the greenbelt as a place that all visitors should enjoy.

3.  It can be said that

a.  some of the volunteers benefit from helping in the maintenance of the greenbelt.

b.  the people who work in the greenbelt take the opportunity to guide all the visitors through the entire park.

c.  all help comes from the volunteers in the greenbelt.

d.  visitors share in the upkeep of the park.

Select the best choices to complete the answer to question 4.

4.  It is apparent that

1.  guides and other caretakers of the greenbelt know about many ways by which they can help visitors.

11. interest in the hiking trails and the trees in the greenbelt are just two of the reasons for visiting.

111. people are always lost in the greenbelt when they do not ask the guide for directions.

1V. the greenbelt is the only forest area in Staten Island.

V. all the workers in the greenbelt are familiar with all the natural vegetation and animals of the greenbelt.

V1. to becomes a volunteer in the greenbelt you must be familiar with all the rules of the forest and you must be able to care for animals.

a.  1, 11, 1V

b.  V, 111, V1

c.  1, 11, V1

d.  1V, V, V1

5.  The main Idea of the passage is

a.  the Staten Island Greenbelt is an area of natural beauty that people should see.

b.  visitors to the greenbelt should give some help to upkeep the areas that they travel.

c.  the greenbelt is the best forest where you can hike and care for the wildlife that exist.

d.  there should be more areas like the greenbelt where people can travel and relax on a daily basis.

6.  The author’s purpose is to

a.  encourage other people to visit the greenbelt, so he outlines a number of details to support his suggestion.

b.  discourage people from visiting such large forested areas such as the greenbelt so he supported his suggestion by letting you know that you could be lost.

c.  encourage everyone to care for wildlife and trees if you live near a forest.

d.  outline some of the trees and animals that can be found in all forests so that an interest in visiting forests will be created.

7.  From the passage you can tell that

a.  the job of keeping the forest and the trails is easy and exciting.

b.  people often enjoy the jobs that they have to do in the greenbelt.

c.  most people do not have to be trained to work in the greenbelt.

d.  it is a very challenging and demanding job to upkeep the forest and the hiking trails.

Short Response Questions

1.  Why do you think the area is called the greenbelt? In three sentences support your answer by stating two pieces of details from the passage.

2.  According to the passage some of the volunteers benefit from working in the greenbelt. Give at least one detail from the passage that tells that the volunteers benefit from working in the greenbelt.

3.  How does the author explain that the greenbelt is a great place to visit? Give two examples from the passage. Answer in about 2 sentences.

1. Extended Response:

If you are a volunteer in the greenbelt, state what part of the job you think you will enjoy most. Explain your response by using some of the information from the passage.

Vocabulary

duplicate: copy

genuine: real

imitation: not real, a copy, artificial

reputable: well known and reliable

Passage 2

Be Ever Watchful

The people who make the product want to sell it so that they can make lots of money. They advertise the product. They tell how good the product is so people are willing to buy the product. Then something happens. Other people begin to make an item that looks exactly like the real product. Do not be too quick to buy the item. Buyers who are not careful enough begin to purchase this item that is just looking like the real product. The product is sometimes sold at a lower price than the real one. Sometimes the fake product does not last long and the customers realize too late that they have been fooled into buying the fake product. The item is just a duplicate of the real product. It is not genuine. It is fake or phony. They cannot get their money back. They become angry and disappointed. There is no one to help with this problem sometimes. The product is not made by the real manufacturer. It is called an imitation of the real product.

Nike Company makes sneakers for males and for females. People buy the sneakers. The company advertises how great the sneakers are and people can be seen wearing these sneakers everywhere. People want Nike Sneakers so many dishonest business men begin to make sneakers that resemble the Nike Sneakers and start to sell these sneakers at a lower price than the real Nike Sneakers. Buyers begin to complain when they realize that the sneakers are just not comfortable and only last for a short time.

The buyers think that they are getting a bargain. They are paying less, but the item is phony. Most times this happens when customers buy from street vendors. Some of these street merchants are only interested in making a quick sale. They do not care about anything else. Big stores have their reputation to protect. They want the customers to buy in confidence. They give the customers a guarantee that they will stand behind the items that they are selling. They will not risk selling a product that is not genuine. They want the customers to be satisfied, so they will return and buy other items. They may even have a return policy that states if you are not satisfied with the product you can return it by a specific time.

Winter coats and sweaters can be made to look like those that the manufacturers sell to store owners and to other people. You have to examine the items carefully to know if they are the real ones. Some people only look at the labels to see if the brand names are written on the items. Once they see the names they are ready to purchase. Some of the imitation products can look so real that even the most careful buyer cannot tell.

If you think that you have great skill in recognizing items that are real from items that are not real, you are in for a surprise. Try to identify some of the pairs of pants and some of the head bands that are sold under the manufacturers’ names. Even some of the experts cannot tell the differences. Wrist watches, necklaces and team sweaters are sometimes made by phony manufacturers. They look real and can fool even the experts.

To avoid being a victim of some heartless street vendors, the Consumers Association and the Better Business Bureau urge shoppers to purchase from reputable stores. This way, there would be a return policy. You would have a money back guarantee or a warranty on the item that you purchased. You must always make certain that you have a receipt for the item and that you know the return policy of the store, because some stores offer limited warranties which might say that you must return the merchandise before a specific number of days. Some stores offer lifetime warranties on some of their products while other stores might not have any warranty on some items.

Remember to be watchful when you are purchasing any product. Name brand products are special targets for many people who are only interested in selling some buyers fake products. These vendors are only interested in making quick money.

LK

1.  The author wants

a.  to make us laugh by his comments on fake products.

b.  to help us in being more careful about the products that we buy.

c.  to shock us into believing that for each genuine product in stores, there is one that is not genuine.

d.  to tell us that we should not buy brand name products.

2.  The sixth paragraph

a.  gives a warning about people who sell brand name products.

b.  tells people how important it is to listen to the manufacturers of products.

c.  reminds people of the retailers who sell products that are not genuine.

d.  offers some advice that can help protect people from buying fake products.

3.  What is the purpose of the second paragraph in the passage?

a.  The author wants to give an example of the kinds of imitation products that people are influenced to buy.

b.  The second paragraph tells how difficult it may be to identify the fake product, so you can be easily fooled.

c.  The second paragraph shows how quickly people can sell and buy some products.

d.  This shows how willing the seller is to part with his sneakers.

4.  The third paragraph in the passage

a.  tells the joy of purchasing the genuine brand of the product.

b.  warns the consumers of the quickness to purchase the product.

c.  tells the consequences of realizing that you have bought the imitation product.

d.  compares the street merchants with the reputable store owners.

5.  According to the fourth and fifth paragraphs

a.  the author shows sympathy for the person who cannot recognize the real product from the fake one.

b.  the author is about to test the skill of recognition of different products.

c.  there are some solutions to lessen the problems of buying fake name brand products

d.  it is the responsibility of the consumer to tell the sellers when he or she is not selling a name brand product.

6.  The author thinks that

a.  advertisement of the genuine products is partly responsible for the imitations that are being sold.

b.  there should be no advertisement of the genuine products.

c.  when the genuine products are being advertised, no one should rush to buy the products.

d.  any item that is advertised and become popular loses its appeal.

7.  The word genuine in paragraph 1 probably means

a.  unreal

b.  false

c.  real

d.  artificial

8.  The word duplicate in paragraph 1 could mean

a.  substitute.

b.  printed.

c.  changed.

d.  created.

9.  The word reputable in paragraph 6, probably means

a.  famous but untrustworthy

b.  popular and unknown

c.  well known and genuine

d.  outstanding but fake

Vocabulary

mystery: an event that cannot be explained

diligent: steady, focused

accomplished: completed

wilderness: thick forest or woods

Passage 3

A Tale of Mystery: A Secret Resides.

A story is told about a man called Nine Task Brown. He was famous for his workmanship. He was very extraordinary in the sense that no one in his village could work as hard, diligent and as quick as he did. He did tasks that would take nine men to complete in the time that Brown accomplished the same task. Even his wife thought that this was an uncommon feat. As much as people knew, they could not remember seeing anyone who was as strong and as quick as Brown.

One day Brown was given several acres of forest to clear, because it was needed to erect new houses and parks. At the same time, another great contractor was given the same amount of land to prepare. The contractor had to hire eight people other than himself, in order to get the land prepared. This did not happen with Brown! His task was finished days before the other contractor and his employees ever completed their task. It was a marvel to everyone, when Brown returned home leaving the once forested land clean as though nothing ever grew on that soil.

Brown was never a great talker. He was well respected in his community, and farmers would usually give him any job to do. Needless to say, he was well paid and he ate well. No matter how big the task, it never took more than a day to complete. Brown’s wife always prepared his lunch and put it in a bag, because when he leaves the house at dawn, he never returns until dusk. He left the house at crack of dawn which was at six o’clock daily. His hours were strict and consistent. He worked every day in distant or close lands.

One day his wife was late in the preparation of his lunch, so Brown told her to bring the lunch for him. He instructed her to call him very loudly, three times, and then put the bag of lunch under the big spreading tree that he described to her. This tree guarded the entrance to the huge clearing that she would see. Lunch must be delivered before high noon. She should turn her back to the forest when she was calling his name. She must not stare into the forest.

Brown’s wife hurried to the forest with the bag in her hand. She called for her husband. He did not answer, so she approached the big tree. She went past the clearing. She began to hear a great swishing and a crashing and a noise that was unbearably strange. She did not realize that she had passed the clearing and the tree. As she walked into the forest, there were mountains of freshly felled trees. Then to her horror, she saw eight little men and one big tall man, just cutting and clearing in silence. They looked up and saw Brown’s wife. They all vanished and the forest with its clearing became a dark wilderness. In a wilderness such as this one, chances were you will never find your way. Shrubs and mounds of ant hills grew and were built on the lost travelers. People who worked in these forests were forgotten and wandered away sometimes.

LK.

1.  The author’s purpose tells

a.  it is unwise to allow someone to help you in your daily tasks

b.  never be the one to be praised too much. You might become ashamed.

c.  there is great sacrifice in cutting down forest quickly.

d.  a simple mistake can reveal a secret.

2.  The main idea of the passage is

a.  you can never be too careful about your actions. You will be discovered.

b.  wives usually disobey instructions and cause problems for husbands.

c.  it is always wise to reveal your work habits before someone discovers them.

d.  remember to hide all your instruments before attempting to answer anyone that is in the forest.

3.  The second paragraph

a.  tells about Brown’s life.

b.  defines the problem and the character of Brown.

c.  identifies a setting and the problem.

d.  gives details about others who cut forests.

4.  Paragraphs 2 and 3

a.  give the readers some information about the lives of Brown and his wife.

b.  contrast the way Brown works with the way other people work.

c.  identify the sizes of the forests and the hard work of the men.

d.  tell how great in strength Brown is.

5.  The final paragraph infers that

a.  the people of the forest ran and hid themselves.

b.  all the helpers left Brown to do the work.

c.  Brown and his wife met a terrible fate.

d.  the forest was never cut as Brown intended.

6.  The turning point of the story

a.  was when the little men decided not to help Brown.

b.  was when Brown’s wife failed to obey instructions.

c.  came when Brown became lost in the wilderness.

d.  came when Brown’s wife did not deliver food for her husband.

7.  Which statement gives an example of a cause and an effect that led to misfortune?

a.  John’s wife went pass the big tree, so she saw the little men.

b.  Brown was never a talker, so he was respected in the community.

c.  The little men worked so hard, that they did not notice that John’s wife was present.

d.  John’s wife looked at the forest, so he could not take the food.

Extended Response

1.  Listen carefully and always try to obey instructions.

Write an essay that can support this statement or disagree with this statement. You can use examples from the passage above.

Vocabulary

hygienic: clean, sanitary

indigestion: difficulty in digesting food

cavities: holes

eliminated: got rid of

Passage 4

Your Teeth and You

How will you react if you know that in the next two years that you will lose most of your permanent teeth, because you failed to take proper hygienic care of them?

You are already aware of the importance of your teeth to the digestion of food. The teeth are used to masticate or to grind the food, making the food easier to swallow. There is a hard covering called enamel on all teeth. This enamel acts as a protective covering and must be kept clean and healthy at all times. Healthy white teeth should be the goal. Without healthy white teeth, a number of diseases or conditions can develop. Gingivitis or inflammation of the gum is only one result of unhealthy teeth. This is a very painful condition that leads to indigestion. The pain in the gum does not allow you to chew the food properly. You swallow the food without it being chewed enough and made ready to be swallowed. You do not want this to happen to you.

Dentists very often warn people about eating and chewing very sweet foods that are filled with sugar. This sugar is a great destroyer of the teeth. The enamel is destroyed and cavities appear. As the holes in the teeth develop, the nerves to the base of the teeth become exposed. There is severe toothache in most cases, if you do not take care of the problem. Some teeth take on a different color. They are not white as teeth should be. They develop tarter to the base of the teeth. This tartar can be ugly looking brown and green stains near the gum.

If the problem is not addressed in time, you might have to extract the teeth and that means that you will have fewer teeth in your mouth. This is very grim for digestion.

There is a simple way to care for your teeth. Brush your teeth daily. Use a medium bristle toothbrush so that you do not damage your gum or your teeth. Brush the teeth up and down, because there are tiny grooves in the teeth and the food must be removed from these grooves. Be sure to brush the outside surface of the teeth and the inside surface of the teeth. Do not forget to floss the teeth. You get a piece of thread and pass it between the teeth, so that the bits of food that are hidden between the teeth will be eliminated. Wash your mouth thoroughly after eating food. Remember never go to bed without washing your mouth. Your healthy teeth are a passport to good health and a happy life.

LK.

Answer the following questions.

1.  According to the passage

a.  brushing the teeth at nights only, leads to healthy teeth.

b.  careless teeth hygiene leads to dental problems.

c.  the reason for white teeth is the way you floss your teeth.

d.  no one can determine the causes of gingivitis.

2.  The writer tells about the effects of not keeping your teeth clean

a.  when he gives suggestions on the way to keep the teeth clean.

b.  when he describes how to floss the teeth.

c.  because he tells that this is unhygienic.

d.  when he gave examples of diseases and conditions that can occur.

3.  The passage suggests that

a.  people can maintain all their teeth if proper hygienic care of the teeth is taken.

b.  most of your teeth are affected because we all get gingivitis.

c.  you should never eat any foods that contain sugar.

d.  only specific foods cause cavities in the teeth.

4.  The final paragraph

a.  gives suggestions on teeth care.

b.  caution people on the consequences of not caring for their teeth.

c.  only tells about flossing your teeth.

d.  gives examples of people who did not wash their mouths.

5.  Without proper care of the teeth

a.  there is no reason to think that we will enjoy our food.

b.  people will not be able to survive.

c.  it will be difficult to stop the spread of any disease.

d.  it will be difficult to achieve proper digestion of the food.

6.  Gingivitis is

a.  a condition that affects the entire body.

b.  a disease that stops the digestion of all food.

c.  a disease of the gum.

d.  a condition that blocks the flow of nutrients to the teeth.

Short Response Questions

1.  In about four sentences state how the teeth help to keep the body healthy. Use information from the passage to answer the question.

2.  Using some of the information from the passage, write 2 ways to prevent tooth decay.

3.  How can gingivitis affect your entire body? Explain in about three sentences, by using some of the details from the passage to arrive at a conclusion.

Extended Response

1.  What would you tell a friend about the importance of having healthy teeth? You must use information from the passage.

Vocabulary

vision:            eyesight

rarely:            seldom, not often

predators:     one that preys or feeds on another

Passage 5

Sharks

Isaiah watches a series of programs about sharks. He learns that sharks have a very excellent sense of smell. The sharks use their sense of smell in finding food. Some of the species of sharks hunt in large schools which seem to help the sharks catch other fish more easily. Some species of sharks have very large mouths. They just have to open these wide mouths as a school of fish is passing. These sharks suck these fish into their mouths and close their jaws as a meal is eaten. Strangely enough, Great White Sharks do not have very good vision and rely more on their sense of smell. Seals are their favorite type of prey.

The Great White is interesting. They hunt during the day. The enormous size, the huge jaws, the fierce attacker of anything in its sight and the speed make the Great White a fearsome creature of the ocean. The Great White lives in the deep sea. They live in the cool temperate waters off Australia, South Africa and California among other places. Great Whites are rarely found in very cold waters. It is unusual to see a shark of this great size in very shallow waters. From time to time they can be seen swimming near the shores in search of food. Living near the shallow waters is very risky because these sharks must have a large supply of food to support their great size. Some people say that sharks are like scavengers. They eat anything. They help to keep the ocean clean.

Some sharks are nocturnal. They hunt mainly by night. But do not think that sharks only come out to feed in the night. However, some sharks enjoy the warm water and many shark attacks are recorded in the summer. Beachgoers in Florida have to be very careful in the warm waters. There are many instances where sharks have attacked people during the daytime. Many injuries from shark bites are recorded over a period of years. You should not think that sharks set out looking for human beings to hunt as prey. Sometimes human beings get in their way and the sharks attack them.

The Great White is not the only shark in the deep ocean. There is also the Tiger Shark that roams the ocean and this species is well known to fishermen and people who study the ocean. These sharks also swim in shallow waters. You can see more Tiger Sharks in shallow waters than you might ever see Great Whites. It is not clear why some sharks sometimes venture into shallow waters, but some observers of shark behavior think that sometimes the slightest smell of blood can cause the sharks to come among people.

Although the Megalodon Shark is extinct, scientists are still interested in learning how this enormous creature, larger than the Great White survived. They believe that it must have become extinct because there was too great a burden on the food in the ocean. Therefore, the creature found difficulty in collecting enough food to remain satisfied. The Megalodon is noted for the length of its teeth which are about seven inches long as compared with the teeth of the Great White which are about three to four inches long. This prehistoric creature would have been something to fear if there were human beings alive at that time.

People become afraid of swimming in the ocean or the sea because of the amount of news about shark attacks in the water for no apparent reasons. Fishermen tell their stories about some sharks that threaten to overturn their boats. Some tell about sharks that lunge at them as they fish. But there are some stories that can be verified. People have been eaten by sharks. There is this well known incident where a boy is swimming in the ocean and this shark swims close enough to him, bites a chunk of his flesh from his leg and swims away.

The more information we have about sharks, the more beneficial it is to help us keep safe. Sharks are not the only predators in the ocean, but we know that they sometimes present a danger, especially to fishermen, deep sea divers and other people who enjoy water sports. You must remember that sharks whether they are the Great White, the Tiger or any other shark seldom attack people. Hunger, defense or curiosity causes sharks to get close to people. Sometimes people decide to enter areas where sharks are common, causing the animals to attack.

At the slightest signal that sharks are seen in the water where you are swimming, you should not delay. You should get out right away. Obey all cautions posted by the coast guards. Any cut that is bleeding can encourage sharks to come, especially if the waters in which you are swimming are frequented by sharks.

LK

Answer the following questions.

1.  Some sharks hunt in groups

a.  for safety and friendship.

b.  for satisfaction and sharing.

c.  for survival and protection.

d.  for attack and peace.

2.  According to the passage what makes the Great White Shark different is

a.  the size and the amount of food they consume.

b.  the quickness and the way they attack people.

c.  the shallow waters and the way they attack other creatures in the ocean.

d.  the types of food they eat and how they live in California.

3.  The conclusion is that

a.  sharks hunt only by night or under the cover of darkness.

b.  sharks attack human beings because the sharks are always hungry.

c.  sharks enjoy the company of human beings and sometimes the humans become prey.

d.  sharks hunt at all times because some of them are not just nocturnal.

4.  According to the passage

a.  the Megalodon was the only prehistoric shark that was extinct.

b.  scientists knew for sure why the Megalodon