At first, tap dancing was a novelty that people only enjoyed during live shows. Later, tap dance gained popularity with the release of films with sound. The presence of sound in films was helpful because of the very important role sound plays in tap dance. Most of the popular acts from live shows were shot on film for the public. Bill Robinson, Fred Astaire, and Eleanor Powell were some of the tap dancers who became stars because of films. However, the way a viewer saw dancing in these early films was different from the way it was seen in later movies. Early movie dance numbers were filmed with little camera movement. Fred Astaire changed that. He insisted that the camera follow his foot movements as he danced. Astaire's idea changed the way that dance was filmed, resulting in a much more interesting experience for the viewer. 3. What are the two main ideas in the passage? Tap dancing was filmed in early movies similar to the way dance movies are filmed today, and tap dancing A. has remained popular for decades. Tap dancing became common in the mid-1800s because metal plates were nailed to dancer's shoes, and B. Fred Astaire was the most famous tap dancer. Tap dancing was enjoyed more during live shows, and metal plates were nailed to dancer's shoes in the C. 1920s to create music. Tap dancing became popular when films with sound were created, and Fred Astaire changed the way dance D. numbers were filmed. Birds in Winter Flocks of geese flying to warmer places for the winter are a common sight. Birds migrate to faraway regions in order to find food and nesting spots. In warm tropical countries such as Peru and Brazil, birds can find food throughout the year. However, in colder countries such as Canada and the United States, food sources like insects become scarce during winter. Therefore, many North American birds, including the broad-winged hawk and the ruby-throated hummingbird, migrate to Central and South America to escape the cold weather and to find food. They fly back north during spring to build nests and lay their eggs. Many migrating birds fly thousands of miles across open spaces such as vast tracts of forests and oceans. They follow the same route every year. How birds navigate across such large distances continues to baffle many people. They cannot understand how birds remember the route they take each year. Scientists believe that these birds use different senses to help them navigate. Some birds use the position of the Sun and the stars or prominent landmarks like rivers and mountains to find their way. Some birds use their sense of smell. Scientists also believe that birds use Earth's magnetic field to navigate. 4. What are the two main ideas of the passage? During winter, the insect population in colder countries decreases, and many birds use their sense of smell A. to find places with sufficient food. Many birds migrate from cold countries by following the same route every year, and tropical countries have B. sufficient food throughout the year. During spring, birds build nests for laying eggs, and they use the position of celestial bodies such as stars to C. find their way during migration. Many birds migrate to distant places during the winter months to find food, and they use different senses to D. find their way during migration. Kathy Jimson moved into our neighborhood in August. Right away, she started to change her front yard. She pulled out all the old vines and planted a simple garden that's easy to take care of. Its most striking feature is a trail of Arizona river rock. These silver stones brighten the yard and are a good contrast to the plants. She has planted slow-growing garden juniper among the rocks. Their gray-green needles provide an excellent contrast to the stones. The grass she chose, with its wonderful yellow spires, requires little water. The yellow mums, which also use
little water, are great accents to the darker shrubs. At both corners, she has planted bright red roses that need little care. All her shrubs are dwarf varieties that need little attention. In the center of the yard are a soft-leaf yucca tree and a Japanese maple tree. The whole yard is surrounded by a border of liriope flowers, which can survive on rainfall alone. 5. What is this passage mainly about? A. describing a simple garden B. fitting dwarf plants into a garden C. how to use river rock in a garden D. educating readers about fall plants Dear Consumer: Thank you for taking part in this survey. By giving us information about this product, you are helping us develop better products. Only a few people are participating. We want your honest opinions about this product and its packaging. We think you will find the survey easy to fill out. We will send you $10 as a thank you for your answers once we get them. Sincerely, Upside Surveys 6. What is this letter mainly about? A. giving the rules for getting $10 B. informing about a new product C. filling out a product survey D. surveying future voters Dolphins Dolphins are extremely smart mammals. They belong to the same family as toothed whales, which includes orcas and pilot whales. Found all over the world, most types of dolphins prefer shallow waters, but that varies from species to species. About five dolphin species reside in rivers. However, the remaining species live in other locations, determined by an assortment of factors like the availability of food, water temperature, and depth of water. Like habitat, diet also differs from species to species. Dolphins' sleeping habits set them apart from other marine animals. They have to remain awake in order to breathe. Going into a deep slumber causes breathing problems. To overcome this challenge, half of a dolphin's brain is alert while it sleeps. This helps dolphins not only obtain the necessary amount of rest but also helps them stay alert enough to breathe normally. This ability is just one of the many outstanding qualities of dolphins. 7. What are the two main ideas of the passage? Dolphins prefer to live in shallow bodies of water, and dolphins that reside in rivers have a different diet A. than the other dolphins. Dolphins face breathing difficulties if they sleep too deeply, and dolphins can stay alert while asleep to B. control their breathing. Dolphins dwell in different places based on many factors, and dolphins can modify their brain's activity to C. protect themselves. Dolphins are from the same family as orcas and pilot whales, and dolphins sleep differently from way D. compared to other mammals.
The Walrus A walrus is a large animal found in the Arctic region. It lives both in water and on land. There are three subspecies of walruses—the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Laptev. Many scientists consider the Laptev walrus, found in Russia, to be the same species as the Pacific walrus and the Atlantic walrus. However, what separates the Laptev walrus from the Pacific walrus is its intermediate size. The Laptev walrus is larger than the Atlantic walrus but smaller than the Pacific walrus. A walrus's skin is brown or pink in color and is covered with short, dark fur. It has a fleshy body, two long tusks, and a mustache. Its thick and fleshy body keeps it warm in the freezing waters of the Arctic Circle. The two tusks, which are located on either side of the walrus's mouth, help it protect itself, break ice, and climb out of water. The walrus prefers to stay in shallow waters, where it can find food easily. It is carnivorous and mainly eats small fish, clams, and shellfish. The long whiskers on the corners of the walrus's mouth are sensitive and help it find food underwater. Even though the walrus moves slowly on land due to its heavy body, it can swim swiftly in water. A young walrus, known as a calf, can swim as soon as it is born. A calf's mother stays with it for a period of three years, after which she leaves the calf to join a group of male walruses. Walruses do not prefer isolation but move in groups or herds. 8. What are the two main ideas of the passage? A. The walrus is found in the Arctic region, and it has thick skin, which is brown or pink in color. The walrus can live on land and in water, and the physical features of the walrus help it survive the cold B. weather. The Laptev Sea walrus is found in Russia, and many scientists believe that it is the same as the Pacific C. walrus. D. A young walrus is called a calf, and its mother stays with the calf for up to three years. Antarctica (1) For centuries, little was known about Antarctica. It was thought of as a distant, dangerous, frozen wasteland. It was the last continent to be discovered. No one sighted it until the early 1800s. Before that time, many explorers had sailed south in an attempt to visit the ice-covered land. In those days, their trips were as famous as those of the first astronauts. (2) Even before the land was discovered, stories were told about it. The ancient Greeks thought there was a land at the bottom of the world. Over the years, some of the world's greatest sailors tried to find it. In 1772, the famous Captain James Cook made the trip. (3) Captain Cook was the first sailor to make it all the way to the ice cap. The ice surrounds Antarctica in the winter. Cook sailed all the way around the continent but was blocked from getting too close by the ice. Captain Cook went farther south than anyone had ever gone. His record stood for 50 years. (4) In the 1820s, a different type of sailor was setting sail toward Antarctica. Seal hunters and whale hunters made the journey. A young American named Nathaniel Palmer was probably the first person to see Antarctica. He and other adventurers were sailing through uncharted ocean in search of seals. In doing so, they became explorers as well as hunters. 9. What is paragraph 3 mostly about? A. Antarctica's dangerous ice cap B. Stories being told about Antarctica C. Cook's attempt to see Antarctica D. Hunters breaking Cook's record
10. Paragraph 4 is mostly about A. Nathaniel Palmer sailing to Antarctica in the 1820s. B. how seals and whales live in the ice cold waters. C. how sailors were different in the nineteenth century. D. hunters becoming the first explorers of Antarctica. 11. What is the main idea of the article? A. Antarctica has fascinated people for many centuries. B. Nathaniel Palmer was the first person to see Antarctica. C. The ancient Greeks knew about Antarctica for centuries. D. Antarctica was the last continent to be discovered. Dear Students, Please tune in on November 9 for the first broadcast of KSHS. You can hear Sandia High's new school radio station at 91.7 FM. KSHS will broadcast from 7-9 each school morning. It will also broadcast from 2-4 p.m. The DJs will play your favorite music. There will also be interviews with your classmates and teachers. Please tune in on November 9 and support KSHS. Your principal, Mr. Salazar 12. What is the main idea of this letter? A. to announce a new school radio station B. to find advertisers for the radio station C. to explain the new format of the station D. to introduce the DJs running the station Flying Lemurs The flying lemur is a fascinating creature found in the tropical rainforests of Asia. This mammal is neither a true lemur nor does it fly. Flying lemurs can glide so efficiently that it makes them appear to be flying. They use the thin, sheet-like skin that stretches from their front legs to their hind legs to glide. The flying lemur uses its limbs to push against a tree trunk and hurl itself into the air. Then, it spreads its limbs, stretches the sheet-like skin, and glides down to another tree trunk. This movement resembles a person using a parachute to descend to the ground. Flying lemurs can glide a distance of around 100 meters, or approximately 328 feet. Flying lemurs glide to escape and protect themselves from other animals. They also glide to search for food quickly by scanning their surroundings. Their diet includes soft parts of plants, such as young leaves, flowers, and fruit. There are only two species of flying lemur: the Sunda flying lemur and the Philippine flying lemur. 13. What are the two main ideas of the passage? Flying lemurs can glide because of a thin strip of skin, and they glide to flee from other animals and to A. search for food. B. Flying lemurs jump from one tree to another, and they can glide over long distances.