Inventions

Every day it seems, new inventions surface that promise to add value to our day-to-day lives. But did you know, many of the inventions we interact with daily were developed entirely by accident?

Take the microwave, for instance. This accidental invention was developed by engineer Percy Spencer who, upon experimenting with a microwave-emitting magnetron, found that the candy bar in his pocket had begun to melt. Spencer was then able to harness this radiation into the microwave we use today to make snack time a speedy process!

Perhaps one of today’s most well-known accidental inventions, the potato chip, was born when a customer kept requesting that his french fries be sliced thinner and made crispier. Though chef George Crum responded with the chips as a joke, they quickly became a favorite snack worldwide!

Even the match is a result of accidental invention. When pharmacist John Walker was stirring chemicals, he noticed that the end of his stirring stick had dried into a hardened lump. When attempting to scrape the dried residue off, a flame sparked, and so did Walker’s idea to turn this accident into a helpful tool!

So, the next time your science experiment doesn’t go as planned, or you burn what you have cooked on the stove, keep in mind that some of today’s most valued inventions were discovered when the inventor least expected it!

Which of the following set of paragraphs have the most similar function?

Passage 1

Ecuador, in South America, is home to 417 types of frogs and toads. Many of these species, or types of frogs, are at risk of dying out. In the last 50 years, many amphibian species have gone extinct. Salamanders, frogs, and toads are all amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land, and have backbones. Amphibians must live near water. Amphibians are in trouble because their habitat is being destroyed as trees are being cut down to make room for farms and roads. Amphibians also absorb pollution easily, because they breathe through their skin. Amphibians are usually the first to disappear when an environment is under threat from pollution. Due to pollution, some frogs are born with deformed, or wrongly shaped, body parts, such as extra legs and eyes. Frogs with deformed body parts are a clue for scientists that an environment is suffering. Between the destruction of their habitats and risks to frogs from pollution, frogs are at risk of endangerment and extinction.

Scientists are working to save amphibians from their plight. Scientists want the government to pass laws that protect amphibian habitats and limit pollution.

Passage 2

My name is Maria and I am an amphibian conservation biologist. My job is to protect amphibians and their natural habitats, develop educational programs and exhibits to engage the public about amphibian conservation, and research to develop tools that will allow scientists to reintroduce amphibians back into the wild. Conservation biologists are scientists who study and protect animals and their environments. I work in a zoo, but I often travel to places like Ecuador or Brazil to observe a variety of amphibians in their natural habitats. Brazil, for example, has 1,022 different types of frogs, toads and salamanders! In my work at the zoo, I specialize in only a small portion of that number. Here in the zoo, we have many amphibians in our care because some or all of their natural habitats were destroyed. We are not alone in our work to protect amphibians. Many people, in many kinds of jobs, are helping protect amphibians and their habitats. I partner with other scientists and lawyers, like my friend Fernanda, to help create laws that best support the conservation, or protection, of amphibians. Fernanda is an environmental lawyer who works to create laws like the Endangered Species Act that protect wildlife and their homes. She, in turn, needs to partner with government workers who can lobby and vote to help get laws passed. Together, our goal is to work together to build a world where these amphibians have safe space to live outside of the zoo, in their natural habitat, protected from pollution or loss of space. We are working with a facility in Brazil to build protected space for amphibians to be released from the zoo and into a space where they can thrive.

“Amphibians also absorb pollution easily, because they breathe through their skin. Amphibians are usually the first to disappear when an environment is under threat from pollution. Due to pollution, some frogs are born with deformed, or wrongly shaped, body parts, such as extra legs and eyes.”

Which BEST describes how the paragraph is organized?

Inventions

Every day it seems, new inventions surface that promise to add value to our day-to-day lives. But did you know, many of the inventions we interact with daily were developed entirely by accident?

Take the microwave, for instance. This accidental invention was developed by engineer Percy Spencer who, upon experimenting with a microwave-emitting magnetron, found that the candy bar in his pocket had begun to melt. Spencer was then able to harness this radiation into the microwave we use today to make snack time a speedy process!

Perhaps one of today’s most well-known accidental inventions, the potato chip, was born when a customer kept requesting that his french fries be sliced thinner and made crispier. Though chef George Crum responded with the chips as a joke, they quickly became a favorite snack worldwide!

Even the match is a result of accidental invention. When pharmacist John Walker was stirring chemicals, he noticed that the end of his stirring stick had dried into a hardened lump. When attempting to scrape the dried residue off, a flame sparked, and so did Walker’s idea to turn this accident into a helpful tool!

So, the next time your science experiment doesn’t go as planned, or you burn what you have cooked on the stove, keep in mind that some of today’s most valued inventions were discovered when the inventor least expected it!

Which text structure is used to organize this passage?

In reading, you can think of finding the theme of the work as like:

After she retired from teaching, Mrs. Jones decided she wanted to become a baker. What did Mrs. Jones do before she was a baker?

Passage 2: Adapted from "Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky" in Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa by Elphinstone Dayrell (1910)

Many years ago the sun and water were great friends, and both lived on the earth together. The sun very often used to visit the water, but the water never returned his visits. At last the sun asked the water why it was that he never came to see him in his house, the water replied that the sun's house was not big enough, and that if he came with his people he would drive the sun out.

He then said, "If you wish me to visit you, you must build a very large compound; but I warn you that it will have to be a tremendous place, as my people are very numerous, and take up a lot of room."

The sun promised to build a very big compound, and soon afterwards he returned home to his wife, the moon, who greeted him with a broad smile when he opened the door. The sun told the moon what he had promised the water, and the next day commenced building a huge compound in which to entertain his friend.

When it was completed, he asked the water to come and visit him the next day.

When the water arrived, he called out to the sun, and asked him whether it would be safe for him to enter, and the sun answered, "Yes, come in, my friend."

The water then began to flow in, accompanied by the fish and all the water animals.

Very soon the water was knee-deep, so he asked the sun if it was still safe, and the sun again said, "Yes," so more water came in.

When the water was level with the top of a man's head, the water said to the sun, "Do you want more of my people to come?" and the sun and moon both answered, "Yes," not knowing any better, so the water flowed on, until the sun and moon had to perch themselves on the top of the roof.

Again the water addressed the sun, but receiving the same answer, and more of his people rushing in, the water very soon overflowed the top of the roof, and the sun and moon were forced to go up into the sky, where they have remained ever since.

After the water comes to visit in this story, he asks the sun questions. What happens after each of these questions?

Passage 1

Ecuador, in South America, is home to 417 types of frogs and toads. Many of these species, or types of frogs, are at risk of dying out. In the last 50 years, many amphibian species have gone extinct. Salamanders, frogs, and toads are all amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land, and have backbones. Amphibians must live near water. Amphibians are in trouble because their habitat is being destroyed as trees are being cut down to make room for farms and roads. Amphibians also absorb pollution easily, because they breathe through their skin. Amphibians are usually the first to disappear when an environment is under threat from pollution. Due to pollution, some frogs are born with deformed, or wrongly shaped, body parts, such as extra legs and eyes. Frogs with deformed body parts are a clue for scientists that an environment is suffering. Between the destruction of their habitats and risks to frogs from pollution, frogs are at risk of endangerment and extinction.

Scientists are working to save amphibians from their plight. Scientists want the government to pass laws that protect amphibian habitats and limit pollution.

Passage 2

My name is Maria and I am an amphibian conservation biologist. My job is to protect amphibians and their natural habitats, develop educational programs and exhibits to engage the public about amphibian conservation, and research to develop tools that will allow scientists to reintroduce amphibians back into the wild. Conservation biologists are scientists who study and protect animals and their environments. I work in a zoo, but I often travel to places like Ecuador or Brazil to observe a variety of amphibians in their natural habitats. Brazil, for example, has 1,022 different types of frogs, toads and salamanders! In my work at the zoo, I specialize in only a small portion of that number. Here in the zoo, we have many amphibians in our care because some or all of their natural habitats were destroyed. We are not alone in our work to protect amphibians. Many people, in many kinds of jobs, are helping protect amphibians and their habitats. I partner with other scientists and lawyers, like my friend Fernanda, to help create laws that best support the conservation, or protection, of amphibians. Fernanda is an environmental lawyer who works to create laws like the Endangered Species Act that protect wildlife and their homes. She, in turn, needs to partner with government workers who can lobby and vote to help get laws passed. Together, our goal is to work together to build a world where these amphibians have safe space to live outside of the zoo, in their natural habitat, protected from pollution or loss of space. We are working with a facility in Brazil to build protected space for amphibians to be released from the zoo and into a space where they can thrive.

In what chapter would passage 2 most likely appear?

Passage 1

Ecuador, in South America, is home to 417 types of frogs and toads. Many of these species, or types of frogs, are at risk of dying out. In the last 50 years, many amphibian species have gone extinct. Salamanders, frogs, and toads are all amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land, and have backbones. Amphibians must live near water. Amphibians are in trouble because their habitat is being destroyed as trees are being cut down to make room for farms and roads. Amphibians also absorb pollution easily, because they breathe through their skin. Amphibians are usually the first to disappear when an environment is under threat from pollution. Due to pollution, some frogs are born with deformed, or wrongly shaped, body parts, such as extra legs and eyes. Frogs with deformed body parts are a clue for scientists that an environment is suffering. Between the destruction of their habitats and risks to frogs from pollution, frogs are at risk of endangerment and extinction.

Scientists are working to save amphibians from their plight. Scientists want the government to pass laws that protect amphibian habitats and limit pollution.

Passage 2

My name is Maria and I am an amphibian conservation biologist. My job is to protect amphibians and their natural habitats, develop educational programs and exhibits to engage the public about amphibian conservation, and research to develop tools that will allow scientists to reintroduce amphibians back into the wild. Conservation biologists are scientists who study and protect animals and their environments. I work in a zoo, but I often travel to places like Ecuador or Brazil to observe a variety of amphibians in their natural habitats. Brazil, for example, has 1,022 different types of frogs, toads and salamanders! In my work at the zoo, I specialize in only a small portion of that number. Here in the zoo, we have many amphibians in our care because some or all of their natural habitats were destroyed. We are not alone in our work to protect amphibians. Many people, in many kinds of jobs, are helping protect amphibians and their habitats. I partner with other scientists and lawyers, like my friend Fernanda, to help create laws that best support the conservation, or protection, of amphibians. Fernanda is an environmental lawyer who works to create laws like the Endangered Species Act that protect wildlife and their homes. She, in turn, needs to partner with government workers who can lobby and vote to help get laws passed. Together, our goal is to work together to build a world where these amphibians have safe space to live outside of the zoo, in their natural habitat, protected from pollution or loss of space. We are working with a facility in Brazil to build protected space for amphibians to be released from the zoo and into a space where they can thrive.

In passage 2, how does this paragraph contribute to the overall structure of the text?

“My name is Maria and I am an amphibian conservation biologist. My job is to protect amphibians and their natural habitats, develop educational programs and exhibits to engage the public about amphibian conservation, and research to develop tools that will allow scientists to reintroduce amphibians back into the wild”

Mallory was training to run a race. Each day, she would run to a stadium near her house to train. The first thing she did after she ran there was stretch and warm up so that her muscles were ready for running. Then, she would run up and down the stairs in the stadium. After that, she would run laps around the track. Finally, she would run home to shower and eat.

Which event happened first?

Passage 1

Ecuador, in South America, is home to 417 types of frogs and toads. Many of these species, or types of frogs, are at risk of dying out. In the last 50 years, many amphibian species have gone extinct. Salamanders, frogs, and toads are all amphibians. Amphibians are animals that spend part of their life in water and part on land, and have backbones. Amphibians must live near water. Amphibians are in trouble because their habitat is being destroyed as trees are being cut down to make room for farms and roads. Amphibians also absorb pollution easily, because they breathe through their skin. Amphibians are usually the first to disappear when an environment is under threat from pollution. Due to pollution, some frogs are born with deformed, or wrongly shaped, body parts, such as extra legs and eyes. Frogs with deformed body parts are a clue for scientists that an environment is suffering. Between the destruction of their habitats and risks to frogs from pollution, frogs are at risk of endangerment and extinction.

Scientists are working to save amphibians from their plight. Scientists want the government to pass laws that protect amphibian habitats and limit pollution.

Passage 2

My name is Maria and I am an amphibian conservation biologist. My job is to protect amphibians and their natural habitats, develop educational programs and exhibits to engage the public about amphibian conservation, and research to develop tools that will allow scientists to reintroduce amphibians back into the wild. Conservation biologists are scientists who study and protect animals and their environments. I work in a zoo, but I often travel to places like Ecuador or Brazil to observe a variety of amphibians in their natural habitats. Brazil, for example, has 1,022 different types of frogs, toads and salamanders! In my work at the zoo, I specialize in only a small portion of that number. Here in the zoo, we have many amphibians in our care because some or all of their natural habitats were destroyed. We are not alone in our work to protect amphibians. Many people, in many kinds of jobs, are helping protect amphibians and their habitats. I partner with other scientists and lawyers, like my friend Fernanda, to help create laws that best support the conservation, or protection, of amphibians. Fernanda is an environmental lawyer who works to create laws like the Endangered Species Act that protect wildlife and their homes. She, in turn, needs to partner with government workers who can lobby and vote to help get laws passed. Together, our goal is to work together to build a world where these amphibians have safe space to live outside of the zoo, in their natural habitat, protected from pollution or loss of space. We are working with a facility in Brazil to build protected space for amphibians to be released from the zoo and into a space where they can thrive.

The theme of a story is a message about life from the author to the reader.