ABC EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Fourth Quarter Examination

READING 5

Name: _______________________________________ Score: ________

Directions: Read the story and answer the questions that follow.

Ball Games

A ball is really simple, isn’t it? It’s round, it rolls on the ground, you can throw it, you can kick it and you can hit it with something. Balls come in all sizes from a small ping pong ball to a large beach ball. Balls can be hard objects or soft and balls can be solid like a baseball or hollow like a basketball. Have you ever thought about how many kinds of balls and ball games there are?

People have played ball games for centuries. Ancient people devised ball games but without written language we don’t know how those games were played, who was able to play them or what the rules were. We know that the Mayan people of Central America invented a ball game 3,000 years ago because archaeologists have found statues of ball players. Excavations of Mayan ruins have unearthed the remains of stadium seating like we have today. From the layout of the stadium we know that two teams played and fans for each team sat together on one side. From other statues we know that the athletes wore helmets.

Think about the different kinds of ball games and how they are similar and different. Hitting games include, for example, tennis and baseball. Games with goals include basketball, soccer and polo. Are you aware that there’s lots of science in ball games? For example, when you kick a soccer ball harder, it travels further. This is one of the laws of the science of physics. If you learn more about physics you could become a better ball player!

1. Archaeologists have found statues of what people playing ball? a. Mohawk b. Mexican c. Mayan d. Mudhens

2. Which of the following statements are true? a. A football stadium is a modern idea. b. A ball game with two teams is a modern idea. c. Only modern ball games have rules.d. None of these statements are true.

3. Which of the following games is not a ball game? a. Monopoly b. Tennis c. Polo d. Soccer

4. What kind of scientist excavates ancient ruins? a. Physicist

b. Astronomer c. Archaeologist d. Astronaut

5. A person who plays a ball game should understand which science?

a. Botany b. Physics c. Chemistry d. Astronomy

Is Pluto a Planet?

By: National Geographic Kids

Many people are saying that Pluto is no longer a planet. Are they right? Is Pluto no longer a planet? There's debate in the scientific world about this issue. National Geographic News says that, according to the International Astronomical Union, a full-fledged planet is an object that orbits the sun and is large enough to have become round due to the force of its own gravity. Because Pluto doesn't meet these standards, the IAU classifies Pluto as a dwarf planet.

Not everyone agrees that this is a good way to decide, though. Andy Cheng, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University, says that the new rules aren't clear enough and asks the question "how round is round? ...I'll still continue to maintain that Pluto is a planet," he said.

Owen Gingerich is an astronomer and historian at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and head of the IAU committee proposing the definition. He favored a special distinction for Pluto. Gingerich supported a proposal to call the big eight planets classical planets—as opposed to just plain "planets"—and Pluto and the others dwarf planets, so there would be two classes of planets. He believes that reclassifying Pluto as a dwarf planet is not "sensitive to the historical and cultural role that Pluto has played."

The argument continues. In the meantime, however, many people are correct—new textbooks will list Pluto as being a dwarf planet. What do you think it is? Skill – Reading Comprehension

6. According to the IAU, what classifies Pluto as a dwarf planet?A. It is smaller than the other planets B. It does not orbit the sun C. It is not large enough to become round due to the force of its own

gravity D. Both B and C

7. What does IAU stand for? A. International Association of the Universe B. Intergalactic Association Union C. International Astronomical Union D. International House of Pancakes

8. What does Andy Cheng think about the IAU’s definition of a planet? 1. He thinks the IAU is not clear enough about the roundness of a

planet 2. He thinks that Pluto is not a planet 3. He thinks that Pluto is not round enough to be considered a planet

4. He thinks the IAU gives a clear definition of a planet

9. What did Owen Gingerich support? 1. A proposal to call the eight planets “planets” 2. A proposal to call the eight planets “dwarf planets” 3. A proposal to call the eight planets “classical planets” 4. A proposal to call Pluto a “classical planet”

10. What is the Author’s Purpose of this article? 1. To inform the reader 2. To tell a story 3. To persuade the reader 4. To expose the beliefs of the author

What’s Wild About African Wild Dogs?By: Catherine Clarke Fox

What’s the difference between African wild dogs and the dogs we know as pets? For one thing, African wild dogs, which live in Africa, south of the Sahara desert, only have four toes, while domestic dogs and wolves have five. But you wouldn’t want to count for yourself, because these are truly wild animals.

Wild dogs are not somebody's domestic dogs that ran away and didn't come back, although some people used to think that," explains Dr. "Tico" McNutt, who studies these animals at Wild Dog Research Camp in the African country of Botswana. "They are actually Africa's wolf, and just like wolves, they do not make good pets. They need to be out in the wild doing what they are supposed to be doing - ranging many miles every day and hunting to find the food they need to survive and feed pups."

In fact, they travel so far that researchers use radio collars to keep track of them. The collars send out radio signals that tell people where the dogs are. African wild dogs are a separate species from domestic dogs: Lycaon pictus, which means painted, wolf-like animal. No two wild dogs have the same pattern to their coats, so it is easy to tell them apart.

Roaming through grasslands, savannas, and wooded areas, they hunt gazelles and other antelopes, baby wildebeests, warthogs, birds, and rats. Incredible hunters, they can run up to 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour). Skill – Reading Comprehension

African wild dogs are smart and sociable, like pet dogs. They enjoy each others' company and live in packs of about six to 20 animals. Both males and females look out for young dogs and make sure they have food. Dr. McNutt was surprised to learn that they like pups so much; they will even take care of orphans that don’t belong to them.

African wild dogs talk to each other with two common types of calls, says Dr. McNutt. "The 'hoo' call is a call that they make when lost or when a pack member is missing. It sounds almost like an owl." The dogs can hear the call two or three miles away and easily find each other.

On the other hand, says Dr. McNutt, "The twitter calls are intended to carry only very short distances, and are used to wake up the pack members and rally them to go hunting. They are very high pitched and sound almost like songbird calls."

There's one huge difference between domestic or pet dogs and African wild dogs. Millions of domestic dogs live on the planet, but there are probably fewer than 6,000 African wild dogs left.

Lions and hyenas eat them, but most of all, African wild dogs are threatened by people. Humans hunt them, and ranchers and farmers who don’t want them going after cows and sheep poison them. Humans are also destroying the wild, natural habitat they need to survive.

Researchers like Dr. McNutt are working to help people understand how rare and special these animals are. Today more ranchers are finding other ways to protect their cows and sheep from African wild dogs instead of killing the rare and special animals.

11. In the sentence, “Wild dogs are not somebody's domestic dogs that ran away and didn't come back,” what does the word, “domestic” mean?A. Wild B. Circus C. Home D. Hot

12. How do researchers keep track of how far wild dogs travel?A. They hunt them B. They use radio collars C. They use infrared goggles D. They live with them

13. “Lycaon pictus” is the scientific name for the African wild dog, which means: A. The spotted bearded lady B. The queen of the hunt C. Painted, wolf-like animalD. The queen thought the princess looked tired

14. What is the purpose of the twitter call? A. To wake up the pack to go hunting B. To chat online with 140 characters or less C. When they are lost or a dog is missing D. Something bad is about to happen

15. Other than lions and hyenas, what is the biggest threat to African wild dogs?A. Starvation B. Not getting enough sleep C. Tigers, Leopards, and Wolves D. Humans and habitat destruction

Louisa May Alcottby Kimberly M. Hutmacher

Louisa May Alcott was born on November 29,1832. She was one of five children. Louisa spent most of her childhood in Concord, Massachusetts. She and her sisters spent lots of their free time acting out plays that Louisa had written. Many remarkable people lived in Concord during this time. Henry

David Thoreau taught Louisa to love the natural world around her, and Ralph Waldo Emerson introduced Louisa to books.

Louisa's first stories were published when she was just 16 years old. She published her first book at the age of 22. Louisa spent some time working as a nurse in a soldiers' hospital during the Civil War. She wrote and published a book about this experience titled, Hospital Sketches. This book became her first well known work. However, her most well known work was written in 1868 and 1869. Little Women was based on Louisa's childhood in Concord with her sisters. Louisa was Jo, the heroine of the story. Little Women became so popular that it became part of a series. Louisa went on to write Little Men, Jo's Boys and many other works.

Louisa May Alcott died on March 6, 1888. Over 100 years later, her books remain a childhood favorite.

16. What is Louisa May Alcott most famous for?a. working as a nurse during the civil warb. writing the book, Little Womenc. writing the book, Hospital sketchesd. writing plays that were acted out by her sisters

17. Place these events in sequential order. Label each sentence 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th.

__________ Louisa worked as a nurse.__________ Louisa wrote Little Men and Jo's Boys.__________ Louisa wrote plays and acted them out with her sisters.__________ Louisa May Alcott was born.__________ Louisa wrote her most famous book, Little Women.__________ Louisa's first book was published.

18. How old was Louisa May Alcott when she died?a. 45 c. 55b. 65 d. over 100

ABC EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Fourth Quarter Examination

SPEECH 5

Name: _______________________________________ Score: ________

The Coliseumby Edgar Allan Poe

Type of the _________ Rome! Rich _________Of lofty _____________ left to Time

By buried __________ of pomp and power!At length- at length- after so many daysOf weary __________ and burning thirst,

(Thirst for the springs of lore that in thee lie,)I kneel, an _________ and a humble man,Amid thy shadows, and so drink within

My very soul thy __________, gloom, and glory!

Vastness! and Age! and __________ of Eld!Silence! and __________! and dim Night!I feel ye now- I feel ye in your strength-

O spells more sure than e'er _________ kingTaught in the ________ of Gethsemane!

O charms more potent than the rapt _________Ever drew down from out the quiet stars!

Here, where a hero fell, a ______ falls!Here, where the ________ eagle glared in gold,A midnight _________ holds the swarthy bat!

Here, where the _________ of Rome their gilded hairWaved to the wind, now wave the reed and ________!

Here, where on golden throne the ________ lolled,Glides, _____________, unto his marble home,Lit by the wan light of the _________ moon,The swift and silent _______ of the stones!

But stay! these walls- these _________ arcades-These _________ plinths- these sad and __________ shafts-

These vague ___________- this crumbling frieze-These shattered _________- this wreck- this ruin-

These stones- alas! these ______ stones- are they all-All of the famed, and the colossal left

By the __________ Hours to Fate and me?

"Not all"- the _________ answer me- "not all!__________ sounds and loud, arise foreverFrom us, and from all Ruin, unto the wise,

As ________ from Memnon to the Sun.We rule the hearts of ________ men- we rule

With a _________ sway all giant minds.We are not ________- we pallid stones.

Not all our power is gone- not all our fame-Not all the ________ of our high renown-Not all the wonder that __________ us-

Not all the _________ that in us lie-Not all the _________ that hang upon

And _________ around about us as a garment,Clothing us in a __________ of more than glory."

Answer Key

Bal games1. c 2. d. 3. a. 4. c 5. b

Is Pluto a planet1. d2. c3. a4. c5. a

African1. c2. b3. c4. a5. d

Louisa May Alcott1. b2. 4,6,2,1,5,33. b