Social Studies-related readings will occur each week in class.
Sample Reading Passage "A"
"Getting Help with Math"
It's nine o'clock on a Tuesday night. You are trying to finish your math assignment. You have only two problems left to go. Almost done! You are looking forward to a nice snack and your favorite TV show. You read the next problem and groan. You don't have a clue how to do it. You may check your notes from class. Or you may try reading your textbook. But the problem might as well be written in a foreign language.
Does this sound familiar? Most people who have taken any kind of math class have had this experience. What do you do when you get stuck? Perhaps you call a friend. Or you ask a family member for help. But what if it's late at night?
Years ago there were very few ways to get help if you were stuck on a math problem. Math is different from other school subjects. You often cannot find what to do in a book. A dictionary or even an encyclopedia probably won't help you. You need someone to show you the steps. Learning most kinds of math is something like learning to play a musical instrument. You need a coach to show you what to do.
In many areas there are homework telephone lines. These hot lines have volunteers. They can help you do homework in all subjects. A math volunteer can explain the steps in a math problem that has you stumped.
Today you can also get help on the Internet. There are several homework help programs and Web pages. In some, you leave your question on a message board. Or you write it in an e-mail note. In other math-help programs there are live volunteer teachers. You can wait for a real math teacher to help you do the problem.
MAIN IDEA
1. Which statement is the main idea (M), the statement that is to broad (B) and the statement that is too narrow (N)?
a. Dictionaries and encyclopedias won't help you do math homework.
b. There are various ways to get help if you have trouble with math homework.
c. A lot of students find it hard to do math.
2. This passage is mostly concerned with
a. why math is difficult to do.
b. ways of getting help with math homework.
c. using reference books to do math homework.
d. using a computer to do math.
3. In the first paragraph, the writer asks you to
a. solve a math problem.
b. recall how you once asked someone to help you with math.
c. use a computer to get help in math homework.
d. imagine yourself doing math homework.
4. The passage suggests that people who need math homework help should
a. not take any more math classes.
b. try a homework help program on the Internet.
c. watch some television.
d. write an e-mail note to a friend.
5. The writer compares learning math to
a. learning to play a musical instrument.
b. using a computer.
c. finishing a homework assignment.
d. calling a friend to get help on homework.
6. In this passage, the word coach means
a. someone who teaches a sport.
b. someone who can explain math problems.
c. someone who will solve problems for you.
d. the head of an Internet Web site.
Answers: 1a - N; 1b - M; 1c - B; 2 - B; 3 - D; 4 - B; 5 - A; and 6-B
Sample Reading Passage B
"Are We There Yet?"
If you are like most people, you have probably been on a car trip. You may stop and ask directions, but sometimes the directions aren't helpful. Sometimes they may even be wrong! The best way to not get lost is to learn to use road maps.
The first thing to understand about road maps is the scale. The scale on a map tells you how the map relates to the actual area it is showing. For example, you may see a note on a map saying "1 in. = 150 miles." On this map, each inch stands for 150 miles. A distance of 10 inches equals 1,500 miles (10 x 150 - 1,500). If the map is 20 inches wide, it could show the whole United States.
A map with the scale 1in. = 150 miles can help you plan a car trip from Boston to Los Angeles, but it will not help you find your way around city streets. For this you need a city street map. The scale on this map will be different. For instance, every inch may show one half of a mile. A map isn't useful if it doesn't have the right scale for your trip.
The second tip for using road maps is finding two locations. ou need to know where you are right now and where you want to go. Then select the roads or streets you will use to get there. Use the intersections of large streets or highways to help you zero in on locations.
Finally, it is an excellent idea to keep a small compass in your car. The compass will tell you if you are driving north, south, or some other direction. On most road maps, north is at the top. Turn the map so the top edge is towards north. This can help you avoid driving in the opposite direction.
It may take some practice to learn to use road maps. But if you have a map with the right scale and know how to use it, you will never get lost again.
MAIN IDEA
1. Which statement is the main idea (M), the statement that is too broad (B) and the statement that is too narrow (N)?
a. A map scale shows how distances on the map are related to real distances.
b. Road maps give useful information.
c. Using a road map will help you not get lost on a car trip.
2. Another good title for this passage would be
a. Finding the Distance Between Two Cities.
b. Learning to Use Road Maps.
c. Understanding How a Compass Works.
d. Estimating Costs for a Car Trip.
3. On a map with a scale of 1 in. = 150 miles, 10 inches represents
a. 15 miles.
b. 150 miles.
c. 1,500 miles.
d. 15,000 miles.
4. A road map won't help you on a trip if you
a. don't know where you are to begin with.
b. don't have a compass.
c. turn the map so the top edge is north.
d. don't know the distance between two locations.
5. The writer explains the idea of a map scale by
a. describing a diagram.
b. giving tips for using a map.
c. giving an example.
d. telling a story in which people get lost.
6. In this passage, the word intersections means
a. places where two streets meet.
b. two cars crashing into each other.
c. lines to help you fold a street map.
d. ways to cut maps into smaller sections.
Answers - 1a -N; 1b - B; 1c - M; 2 - B; 3 - C; 4 - A; 5 - C; and 6 - A
Passages are from Jamestown Education, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.
Sample Reading Passage "A"
"Getting Help with Math"
It's nine o'clock on a Tuesday night. You are trying to finish your math assignment. You have only two problems left to go. Almost done! You are looking forward to a nice snack and your favorite TV show. You read the next problem and groan. You don't have a clue how to do it. You may check your notes from class. Or you may try reading your textbook. But the problem might as well be written in a foreign language.
Does this sound familiar? Most people who have taken any kind of math class have had this experience. What do you do when you get stuck? Perhaps you call a friend. Or you ask a family member for help. But what if it's late at night?
Years ago there were very few ways to get help if you were stuck on a math problem. Math is different from other school subjects. You often cannot find what to do in a book. A dictionary or even an encyclopedia probably won't help you. You need someone to show you the steps. Learning most kinds of math is something like learning to play a musical instrument. You need a coach to show you what to do.
In many areas there are homework telephone lines. These hot lines have volunteers. They can help you do homework in all subjects. A math volunteer can explain the steps in a math problem that has you stumped.
Today you can also get help on the Internet. There are several homework help programs and Web pages. In some, you leave your question on a message board. Or you write it in an e-mail note. In other math-help programs there are live volunteer teachers. You can wait for a real math teacher to help you do the problem.
MAIN IDEA
1. Which statement is the main idea (M), the statement that is to broad (B) and the statement that is too narrow (N)?
a. Dictionaries and encyclopedias won't help you do math homework.
b. There are various ways to get help if you have trouble with math homework.
c. A lot of students find it hard to do math.
2. This passage is mostly concerned with
a. why math is difficult to do.
b. ways of getting help with math homework.
c. using reference books to do math homework.
d. using a computer to do math.
3. In the first paragraph, the writer asks you to
a. solve a math problem.
b. recall how you once asked someone to help you with math.
c. use a computer to get help in math homework.
d. imagine yourself doing math homework.
4. The passage suggests that people who need math homework help should
a. not take any more math classes.
b. try a homework help program on the Internet.
c. watch some television.
d. write an e-mail note to a friend.
5. The writer compares learning math to
a. learning to play a musical instrument.
b. using a computer.
c. finishing a homework assignment.
d. calling a friend to get help on homework.
6. In this passage, the word coach means
a. someone who teaches a sport.
b. someone who can explain math problems.
c. someone who will solve problems for you.
d. the head of an Internet Web site.
Answers: 1a - N; 1b - M; 1c - B; 2 - B; 3 - D; 4 - B; 5 - A; and 6-B
Sample Reading Passage B
"Are We There Yet?"
If you are like most people, you have probably been on a car trip. You may stop and ask directions, but sometimes the directions aren't helpful. Sometimes they may even be wrong! The best way to not get lost is to learn to use road maps.
The first thing to understand about road maps is the scale. The scale on a map tells you how the map relates to the actual area it is showing. For example, you may see a note on a map saying "1 in. = 150 miles." On this map, each inch stands for 150 miles. A distance of 10 inches equals 1,500 miles (10 x 150 - 1,500). If the map is 20 inches wide, it could show the whole United States.
A map with the scale 1in. = 150 miles can help you plan a car trip from Boston to Los Angeles, but it will not help you find your way around city streets. For this you need a city street map. The scale on this map will be different. For instance, every inch may show one half of a mile. A map isn't useful if it doesn't have the right scale for your trip.
The second tip for using road maps is finding two locations. ou need to know where you are right now and where you want to go. Then select the roads or streets you will use to get there. Use the intersections of large streets or highways to help you zero in on locations.
Finally, it is an excellent idea to keep a small compass in your car. The compass will tell you if you are driving north, south, or some other direction. On most road maps, north is at the top. Turn the map so the top edge is towards north. This can help you avoid driving in the opposite direction.
It may take some practice to learn to use road maps. But if you have a map with the right scale and know how to use it, you will never get lost again.
MAIN IDEA
1. Which statement is the main idea (M), the statement that is too broad (B) and the statement that is too narrow (N)?
a. A map scale shows how distances on the map are related to real distances.
b. Road maps give useful information.
c. Using a road map will help you not get lost on a car trip.
2. Another good title for this passage would be
a. Finding the Distance Between Two Cities.
b. Learning to Use Road Maps.
c. Understanding How a Compass Works.
d. Estimating Costs for a Car Trip.
3. On a map with a scale of 1 in. = 150 miles, 10 inches represents
a. 15 miles.
b. 150 miles.
c. 1,500 miles.
d. 15,000 miles.
4. A road map won't help you on a trip if you
a. don't know where you are to begin with.
b. don't have a compass.
c. turn the map so the top edge is north.
d. don't know the distance between two locations.
5. The writer explains the idea of a map scale by
a. describing a diagram.
b. giving tips for using a map.
c. giving an example.
d. telling a story in which people get lost.
6. In this passage, the word intersections means
a. places where two streets meet.
b. two cars crashing into each other.
c. lines to help you fold a street map.
d. ways to cut maps into smaller sections.
Answers - 1a -N; 1b - B; 1c - M; 2 - B; 3 - C; 4 - A; 5 - C; and 6 - A
Passages are from Jamestown Education, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.