Name: Date: Georgia Georgia, otherwise known as the Peach State, is a wonderful place to be. Any visitor would enjoy seeing all that Georgia has to offer from mountains and sparkling coastal waters to spans of lush green trees and fields. Georgia, which became a state in 1776, was one of the thirteen original colonies. In fact, it was named to honor King George II of England, who signed the royal charter establishing the colony of Georgia in 1732. Georgia is located in the southeastern part of the country, just above Florida. Being so far south, its warm climate contributes to the state s fame for being one of the country s largest producers of peaches, peanuts, and pecans. It also is the place for some of the world s largest blocks of granite. A famous travel destination, Stone Mountain, known as the Mount Rushmore of the South, reveals the faces of three heroes in Georgia s history: Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Stonewall Jackson. In addition, Georgia was the birthplace of several other famous citizens. Martin Luther King, Jr., a civil rights leader who worked so that all Americans would be treated equally, was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth President of the United States was born in Plains, Georgia. Other people who call Georgia their birthplace include Alice Walker, a famous writer, and Jackie Robinson, one of history s greatest baseball players. Upon visiting, you can taste many of Georgia s flavorful delights such as cornbread, peach pie, sweet tea, and more. The whole world got a glimpse of all that Georgia had to offer when Atlanta, its capital, hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1996. Atlanta, known as the City of Trees, welcomed over 2 million people that year. As you can see, Georgia can boast about more than just its peaches! 1. What is the main idea of this passage? A. Many famous people come from Georgia. B. Stone Mountain is the Mount Rushmore of the South. C. Atlanta, Georgia hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics. D. Georgia has a lot to offer all who visit. 2. How was the name Georgia FIRST chosen? A. after one of the thirteen original colonies B. in honor of King George II of England C. because it was George Washington's home D. after a peach farm named Georgia 1
3. Why is Stone Mountain called the Mount Rushmore of the South? A. It is made entirely of granite. B. It is a favorite place to visit. C. It is the tallest mountain in the South. D. It shows faces of famous heroes. 4thReading_information (4thReading_information) 4. What is the purpose of this passage? A. to tell a story about Georgia B. to persuade people that Georgia is warm C. to give information about Georgia D. to share how peaches grow in Georgia Right in Your Own Backyard I have become very interested in taking care of the environment. This happened because of my neighbor, Mr. Edwards. But he is not your typical neighbor. You will not see Mr. Edwards working in his backyard. He works in everyone's backyard, which is Planet Earth! He has spent many years working for environmental causes. But he never brags about the valuable work he does. Mr. Edwards believes it is people's duty to protect their home, Planet Earth. "Earth is one big backyard. We have to start in our own backyards and work outward," Mr. Edwards always says. Mr. Edwards has turned his words into action. First, he was named tree commissioner for our town. As commissioner, he oversees the planting of trees and teaches people about their environmental benefits. "If I can encourage one person to plant a tree, then I have done my job. Just think of how wonderful it would be if each person planted a tree," Mr. Edwards says. He has encouraged several citizens to plant more trees. In fact, our town has won the Tree City USA Award for the past nine years because of Mr. Edwards's work. Just last year, Mr. Edwards adopted a highway. Throughout the year, he and his friends clean up the litter along his highway. One afternoon, when I was out in my own yard, Mr. Edwards stopped by. He asked me if I wanted to join his highway clean-up group. It is hard work, but also a lot of fun. We wear bright orange safety vests so people can see us on the roadside. We use sticks to pick up the litter, and the town comes and picks up our bags at the end of the day. One of my friends asked me why I clean up the highway when people keep littering anyway. My answer surprised us both. "Earth is one big backyard. We have to start in our own backyards and work outwards," I proudly replied. We both laughed. I sounded just like Mr. Edwards. "May I join the highway clean-up group?" my friend then asked. "Sure!" I exclaimed with a smile. 2
5. Why do the highway workers wear orange vests? A. so they can be seen easily by drivers B. because that is the city color C. so all of the workers have matching outfits D. so people know that they are working 4thReading_information (4thReading_information) 6. This passage is an example of A. a letter. B. a story. C. a drama. D. a folk tale. 7. According to the passage, the author A. helps Mr. Edwards plant trees. B. helps clean up litter along Mr. Edwards's highway. C. works in Mr. Edwards's backyard. D. adopted a highway. 8. What would be another good title for this passage? A. How to Adopt a Highway B. The Planet Earth C. It's Everyone's Backyard D. My Neighbor, the Tree Commissioner 9. When the author says, "I sounded just like Mr. Edwards," what does she mean? A. Mr. Edwards tells people what to say. B. She learned from Mr. Edwards. C. Mr. Edwards is a very smart man. D. Her voice sounded like Mr. Edwards's. 3
How to Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies If you have never baked chocolate chip cookies, it can be a lot of fun. First of all, you have to gather all the necessary tools. You'll need a big mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a large baking tray, and a larger spoon for stirring the batter. The ingredients are next. Be sure to follow the recipe and add the correct amounts of butter, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and eggs. You will also need chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or walnuts to add after all ingredients are mixed. Measure everything exactly. If you add too little of one ingredient, such as flour, the cookie dough could be runny. If you add too much, the cookies may turn out chewy rather than nice and crisp. After the ingredients are measured, combine them in a large mixing bowl and stir them carefully so that nothing spills. The last things to add to the batter are the chocolate chips and some chopped pecans or walnuts. Then measure the dough with a teaspoon and place it carefully on a tray so that no cookie will touch another. Finally, be sure to set the correct temperature on the oven. Use a timer to make sure the cookies don't burn. There are quite a few steps to follow in order to make chocolate chip cookies, but the end result is always worth the work involved. Yum! 10. The author wrote this passage to A. entertain you with a story. B. tell you that the author likes cookies. C. teach you how to make cookies. D. persuade you to be careful when cooking. 11. Which kitchen item is NOT used for baking cookies? A. a mixing bowl B. a cutting board C. a large spoon D. a measuring cup 12. Which sentence from the passage is an opinion? A. It is fun to make cookies. B. You will need baking soda and baking powder. C. Measure the dough with a teaspoon. D. The ingredients are next. 13. According to this passage, how do you make sure your cookies don't burn? A. use a large mixing bowl B. use a timer C. measure the dough with a teaspoon D. check the cookies often 4
14. According to the passage, what is the FIRST step when making chocolate chip cookies? A. gather the cooking tools B. turn on the oven C. gather the ingredients D. place items in the bowl 15. The author wrote this passage to A. entertain you with a story. B. tell you that the author likes cookies. C. teach you how to make cookies. D. persuade you to be careful when cooking. 16. The campers trudged through the forest wearily. It had been a very long day for all of them. First they had learned how to pitch their tents and build a campfire, and then they had hiked several miles with all their gear on their backs. They had done a lot of hiking that day. Now they were returning to their campsite, and they had to put up their tents again, this time for real. They were required to clean up after dinner, but then they were promised a break. Mr. Jones had agreed to tell one of his famous ghost stories while they roasted marshmallows. What is the unifying idea of this paragraph? A. Learning to camp is hard work. B. Mr. Jones tells good ghost stories. C. Camping is enjoyed by the whole family. D. Roasting marshmallows is the best part of the day. 17. Each spring our school schedules a field day. Every spring every class has a special event. Kindergarten and first-grade students run relay races. Second and third graders compete in sack races and tug-of-war. The upper grades challenge each other in volleyball. All students enjoy the day of fun. Which is the best description of the underlined sentence in the passage above? A. a unifying sentence B. a transitional sentence C. an off-topic sentence D. a supporting sentence 5
18. Every night the forests of Georgia echo with the sounds of many living creatures. We call living creatures that come out to hunt or to eat at night nocturnal. Essentially, they sleep all day and then come out to hunt and to eat all night. Some common examples of nocturnal living creatures are the owl, the bat and the cricket. Although they often forage for food at night, bears are not strictly nocturnal since they can often be found hunting during the day. Sometimes bears sleep for three solid months or more during the winter. In contrast, animals like the bat are almost always dormant during the day. However, with the setting of the sun they come alive, filling the night with their eerie shrieks. The days may be full of the sounds of man. But at nighttime it is the chorus of the creatures that rings clear. Which is the unifying idea in the passage above? A. Bats and owls are nocturnal creatures. B. Bears are not strictly nocturnal animals. C. The forests of Georgia are full of living creatures. D. Living creatures that are active at night are called nocturnal. 19. Raising a butterfly can be fun and easy. You'll need a clean jar, some tissue paper, and a rubber band to make a safe place for your caterpillar to stay. Once you have these items, it is time to catch a caterpillar. The best place to find caterpillars is often right in your backyard. They are usually found in flower and vegetable gardens. However, be careful! Some caterpillars can sting! When you do find one, use a soft brush to push it gently into the jar. Next, cover the top of the jar with tissue paper and secure it with a rubber band. Put a sturdy stick in the jar. This will give it something on which to hang its cocoon, or chrysalis. Then, put the jar in a safe place away from drafts and direct sunlight. Which sentence from the passage above is the topic sentence? A. Raising a butterfly can be fun and easy. B. Once you have these items, it is time to catch a caterpillar. C. They are usually found in flower and vegetable gardens. D. When you do find one, use a soft brush to push it gently into the jar. 6
20. Use the paragraph below to answer this question. 1 Collecting old toys has become a popular hobby. 2 People go to flea markets and garage sales looking for specific things like a 1930s doll or a 1945 wind-up car. 3 My grandfather found a cookie jar from 1945 at a house sale last week. 4 Our neighbors have toys from as far back as the 1800s. 5 These old toys are a lot of fun to look at, so I can see why people are interested in collecting them. Which sentence is the topic sentence of the paragraph above? A. sentence 1 B. sentence 2 C. sentence 3 D. sentence 4 21. Which of the following sentences is the topic sentence of the paragraph below? If you were born in Japan, you might be fond of raw fish fresh from the sea. People in France think that frog legs or snails cooked in butter and garlic are a treat. One person's idea of perfect food does not always suit everyone. If you went to another country, the local food might seem strange. But in many places, people would be puzzled if you offered them a pizza or a pretzel. What we eat is a matter of taste. A. If you were born in Japan, you might be fond of raw fish fresh from the sea. B. People in France think that frog legs or snails cooked in butter and garlic are a treat. C. One person's idea of perfect food does not always suit everyone. D. If you went to another country, the local food might seem strange. 7
1. D) Georgia has a lot to offer all who visit. Answer Key 2. B) in honor of King George II of England 3. D) It shows faces of famous heroes. 4. C) to give information about Georgia 5. A) so they can be seen easily by drivers 6. B) a story. 7. B) helps clean up litter along Mr. Edwards's highway. 8. C) It's Everyone's Backyard 9. B) She learned from Mr. Edwards. 10. C) teach you how to make cookies. 11. B) a cutting board 12. A) It is fun to make cookies. 13. B) use a timer 14. A) gather the cooking tools 15. C) teach you how to make cookies. 16. A) Learning to camp is hard work. 17. A) a unifying sentence 18. D) Living creatures that are active at night are called nocturnal. 19. A) Raising a butterfly can be fun and easy. 20. A) sentence 1 21. C) One person's idea of perfect food does not always suit everyone. 8