Name:     ID: 
 
    Email: 

Townview CIP - Science Reading Exercises for TAKS

Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 
 
Critical Reading

The questions below are based on the following selection.

In the following excerpt from Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, the author describes seeing a mountain he is about to climb for the first time.

Immediately I recognized the huge, sprawling bulk of Kanchenjunga, . . . the third-highest mountain on Earth. Fifteen minutes later, Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest peak, came into view—and then, finally, the unmistakable profile of Everest itself.

The ink-black wedge of the summit pyramid stood out in stark relief, towering over the surrounding ridges. Thrust high into the jet stream, the mountain ripped a visible gash in the 120-knot hurricane, sending forth a plume of ice crystals that trailed to the east like a long silk scarf. As I gazed across the sky, . . . it occurred to me that the top of Everest was precisely the same height as the . . . jet bearing me through the heavens. That I proposed to climb to the cruising altitude of an [airplane] struck me, at that moment, as [absurd], or worse. My palms felt clammy.
 

 1. 
Why does the author say “My palms felt clammy”?
a.
Riding in an airplane makes him nervous.
b.
The idea of climbing Everest makes him nervous.
c.
He is afraid of heights.
d.
He is experiencing motion sickness.
 

 2. 
Which of the following details from the selection is least precise?
a.
a plume of ice crystals that trailed to the east like a long silk scarf.
b.
The ink-black wedge of the summit pyramid stood out in stark relief.
c.
it occurred to me that the top of Everest was precisely the same height as the . . . jet . . .
d.
That I proposed to climb to the cruising altitude of an [airplane] struck me . . . as [absurd] . . .
 

 3. 
Which of the following sentences best describes the author’s main impression of Everest?
a.
Everest is very cold.
c.
Everest is extremely tall.
b.
There are many storms on Everest.
d.
The air on Everest is thin.
 

 4. 
What realization startles the author?
a.
He is about to climb to an elevation equal to that of the airplane.
b.
Kanchenjunga is higher than Makalu.
c.
Everest looks blacker than he thought it would.
d.
He was riding in a hurricane.
 

 5. 
What is the setting for this passage?
a.
Base camp
c.
An airplane
b.
The summit
d.
A helicopter
 

 6. 
How does the writer feel about his first glimpse of Everest?
a.
He is terrified at seeing it.
c.
He is unhappy to see it.
b.
He is awestruck by it.
d.
He is thrilled to climb it.
 

 7. 
The author’s description of the mountains shows that he probably
a.
has studied photographs of these mountains
b.
is an expert geologist.
c.
would prefer to climb Kanchenjunga and Makalu.
d.
has flown through hurricanes before.
 

 8. 
What conditions are present at 29,000 feet?
a.
High winds and mild temperatures
b.
Snow and chilly breezes
c.
Hurricane winds and extremely cold temperatures
d.
Blinding sun glare and hurricane winds
 

 9. 
This selection is a good example of
a.
a visual essay.
c.
biographical writing.
b.
autobiographical writing.
d.
workplace writing.
 

 10. 
Which of the following descriptions of Everest demonstrates its height compared with the height of the other mountains?
a.
The ink-black wedge of the summit pyramid
b.
towering over the surrounding ridges
c.
ripped a visible gash in the 120-knot hurricane
d.
the unmistakable profile of Everest itself
 
 
Vocabulary and Grammar
 

 11. 
Which of the following sentences contains an appositive?
a.
She played an important role in championing space travel.
b.
In July 1997, the Mars Pathfinder landed on the Red Planet.
c.
Mars Pathfinder, the first roving spacecraft to explore the surface of Mars, has been sending information back to Earth.
d.
A big city like New York seemed an unlikely subject for an article on agriculture.
 

 12. 
Which of the following sentences contains an introductory phrase?
a.
She played an important role in championing space travel.
b.
In July, 1997, the Mars Pathfinder landed on the Red Planet.
c.
Mars Pathfinder, the first roving spacecraft to explore the surface of Mars, has been sending information back to Earth.
d.
A big city like New York seemed an unlikely subject for a woman painter.
 

 13. 
Which of the following words contains a root meaning “to feel”?
a.
Sentimental
c.
Forbears
b.
Enigma
d.
Static
 

 14. 
____ rare that flying results in significant ill ____.
a.
Its . . . effects
c.
It’s . . . effects
b.
Its . . . affects
d.
It’s . . . affects
 

 15. 
The view was so intense that the astronauts were under ____ ____ for hours.
a.
its effects
c.
it’s effects
b.
its affects
d.
it’s affects
 

 16. 
The deck had to be redesigned because the carpenter was a ____ who cut the boards too short.
a.
professional
c.
craftsman
b.
novice
d.
perfectionist
 

 17. 
The ____ writer never worried that her age might ____ the quality of her work.
a.
eighty-two-year-old . . . affect
c.
eighty-two year old . . . affect
b.
eighty-two-year old . . . effect
d.
eighty two year old . . . effect
 

 18. 
In the word forebears, the prefix fore- means ____.
a.
coming after
c.
occurring again
b.
able to stand
d.
coming before
 
 
The question(s) below consists (consist) of a related pair of words in CAPITAL LETTERS followed by four lettered pairs of words. Choose the pair that best expresses a relationship similar to that of the pair in capital letters.
 

 19. 
AERODYNAMICS : PHYSICS : :
a.
song : melody
c.
perception : perspective
b.
cardiology : medicine
d.
automobile : mechanics
 

 20. 
TUMULTUOUS : PEACEFUL : :
a.
ominous : threatening
c.
terrifying : reassuring
b.
diffused : spread out
d.
mystery : riddle
 



 
Submit          Reset Help