RE 2 Unit 1 & 2 Reading Questions for Quiz 1

Text 1

Sweets from around the World

Since the beginning of time, people have enjoyed foods that taste sweet. Originally, desserts
were made from local, naturally sweet foods like fruit, nuts, and honey. However, during the
Middle Ages, sugar from sugarcane plants began to be traded around the world. This provided
a new ingredient for making sweets. At that time, sugar was something only the rich could
afford to buy. But by the 19th century, sugar-filled desserts were being mass produced in
factories and sold to common, everyday people.

Today, you can find aisles of sweet treats in almost any grocery store. There is no end to the
cookies, cakes, chocolates, candy, ice cream, puddings, and pies that you can buy. But around
the world, you can still find desserts that are unique--deserts that represent a certain culture or
place. For example, churros from Latin America are fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
Fried plantains (like bananas) are a sweet treat in certain parts of Africa. Pastries made with
honey and pistachio nuts can be found in the Middle East. And bean curd cookies are sold in
Asia. These dishes are made from local ingredients, and they may be the same desserts people
have been eating for generations.

How people eat dessert is different from place to place. Some people see dessert as an
occasional treat--something they don't eat very often, maybe as part of a celebration. Others
have dessert on a daily basis, and perhaps even more than one dessert a day. Some people call
a piece of fruit dessert. Others may eat left-over cake or cookies for breakfast. Although the
way people eat dessert and the ingredients of the dessert may differ from place to place, one
thing is certain. People will never stop enjoying a bit of something sweet.

1.What is the purpose of this passage?

a. to tell a story
b. to give information
c. to compare cultures
d. to explain a process

2. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?

a. how to make sugar
b. the history of desserts
c. the first kinds of desserts
d. when factories began making desserts

3. What does unique mean in paragraph 2?

a. special, not like any other
b. traded around the world
c. small in size
d. very sweet

4. In paragraph 3, what does Others refer to?

a. fruit
b. people
c. cookies
d. ingredients

5. What does this passage say is true about most

people?
a. They eat the same amount of sweets.
b. They eat the same kind of sweets.
c. They only eat local sweets.
d. They like sweets.
Text 2
Taking the Right Steps
Since ancient times, people have used Earth's natural resources to grow food. Farmers look
for the best places to plant their crops. Yet the land isn't always right for farming. It can be too
dry, too wet, or too rugged. If the land isn't suited for farming, people change it. They reshape
it. They build dams or cut down forests.
The Incas were expert farmers who changed their land. The Incas were an ancient people who
lived in South America. They built a vast empire of 12 million people. These people lived
among the snowy Andes mountains.
There wasn't a lot of flat land to farm on. Farming on a hillside was a bad idea. Water runs
downhill when it rains. The water can cause erosion, or wearing away of the soil. When the
soil is worn away, it takes valuable nutrients with it. Plants can't grow.
To feed millions of people, the Incas had to create something new. So they invented a form of
farming called terrace, or step, farming. The Incas changed their land by digging into it. They
carved huge steps into the sides of the mountains. They stacked stones around each step to
make a solid wall. Then they filled in the space behind the walls with soil. This made flat
places to plant crops.
When flowing rainwater reached a terrace, it slowed down and soaked into the soil. The water
helped crops grow. The walls in terrace farming also helped control erosion. The plants grew
well. From far away, these terrace farms look like a living staircase. The Incas grew corn,
potatoes, and quinoa. Quinoa is a grain they used to make cereal, flour, and soups.
Today, people all over the world use terrace farming to grow crops. In Asia, rice grows in
terraced fields called paddies. In Europe, grapes and olives grow on terrace farms.

1. What is this passage mainly about?

a. the culture of the Incas
b. the history of the Incas
c. a method of farming
d. how to grow grain

2. What does suited for mean in paragraph 1?

a. to have the right conditions
b. to use for another purpose
c. to buy from someone else
d. to not agree on something

3. In the passage, what is NOT mentioned about the Incas?

a. They built a large empire.
b. They were expert farmers.
c. They lived in the Andes mountains.
d. They ate only grains and vegetables.

4. In the passage, what is NOT mentioned about terrace farming?

a. It provides flat spaces to grow crops.
b. It is used to grow any kind of crop.
c. It slows down rain water.
d. It controls soil erosion.
5. Which paragraph gives other examples of places where terrace farming takes place?
a. paragraph 1
b. paragraph 2
c. paragraph 4
d. paragraph 6
Text 3
A Fascinating Creature
Which sea creature eats most its food during the summer, likes to sing and dance, and is as
big as a bus? If you guessed the humpback whale, you are correct. The humpback whale is
truly an amazing creature.
Humpback whales live in groups called pods. Pods swim in oceans all over the world,
spending summer months along the coastlines. There they feed on krill (a small, shrimp-like
animal), plankton (a sea plant), and other small fish. They use a filtering system to eat. Water
flows into their mouths through two rows of baleen plates. The plates catch food but let the
water back out. Then the food goes to the whale's stomach to be digested.
During the winter months, humpbacks swim to warmer waters near the Equator to mate.
When humpbacks mate, the male humpbacks often "sing" to attract the females. Once a
female becomes pregnant, it takes about a year before its baby is born. Newborn humpbacks
stay close by their mothers. Scientists have noticed that mother and baby always seem to be
touching--perhaps as a sign of affection.
Humpback whales are known for leaping out of the water. Scientists don't know whether they
do this just for fun, or for a more practical reason, such as to clean themselves. In either case,
the whales use their large tail fins, or flukes, to throw themselves out of the water, into the air,
and land with a big splash.
There are about 30-40,000 humpback whales today. Scientists keep track of individual whales
by looking at the white markings on their bellies. Each whale has unique markings, so
scientists are able to identify it. Scientists gather information such as the whale's size, its
songs, and where it travels to. Thanks to scientists' research, we continue to learn more about
these fascinating creatures.
1. What do scientists know for sure about humpback whales?
a. how to identify them
b. why they leap out of the water
c. why babies and their mothers touch
d. exactly how many humpbacks there are

2. Which word from the passage means "a small, shrimp-like animal"?
a. pod
b. krill
c. fluke
d. plankton

3. According to paragraph 2, what happens first when humpback whales eat?

a. Water flows into their mouths.
b. Water flows out of their mouths.
c. Food is digested in their stomachs.
d. Food is caught in the baleen plates.
4. In paragraph 3, what does a sign of affection mean?
a. the way a mother teaches its baby
b. information about whales
c. a marking on the whales
d. a way to show love
5. In the last paragraph, what does it refer to?
a. information
b. research
c. whale
d. size
Text 4
Search and Rescue Dogs

Humans and dogs have been living and working together for thousands of years. Because of
their protective and playful nature, people often acquire dogs as pets for children. Dog owners
have also found these domestic animals useful when they go hunting for wild animals. Today,
because of their natural curiosity and excellent sense of smell, many dogs are being trained to
help with a variety of search and rescue missions, for example, when a skier is lost in a snowy
wilderness area or a child disappears in a huge national park.

The first known use of dogs to help rescue people took place in the Great St. Bernard Pass, a
route located in the mountains between Switzerland and Italy. There, hikers often became lost
during bad winter weather. For many centuries, a group of religious men called monks ran a
small hotel there where travelers could spend the night. In the 17th century, the monks began
taking dogs with them when they went out to rescue lost travelers. They knew the dogs could
use their sense of smell to locate people, but they soon discovered that the animals also had an
excellent sense of direction, even when it was impossible to see anything through the blowing
snow. Using dogs for search and rescue missions became
common during the First World War. At that point, dogs were trained to help find injured
fighters in the fields when the conflict stopped for a moment.

Not every dog can do this complex and important work. The training can last up to two years,
and trainers look for four qualities in the animals they choose. First of all, the dog must
interact well with humans. Second, it must have a talent for keeping its awareness on one
single thing for a long period of time.Third, it has to enjoy playing games, since the training
involves constantly doing the same thing over and over. Finally, it must be obedient at all
times. Dogs with these qualities have become a valuable part of many life-saving teams
around the world.

1. What is the main purpose of the passage?

a. to show how rescue dogs are trained
b. to explain what makes a good rescue dog
c. to present some basic facts about rescue dogs
d. to describe the history of the use of rescue dogs

2. In paragraph 1, what does their refer to?

a. people
b. dogs
c. children
d. pets

3. According to the writer, which event occurred first?

a. The monks discovered that the dogs had a good sense of direction.
b. The monks began taking dogs with them on rescue missions.
c. The monks opened a hotel in the Great St. Bernard Pass.
d. The monks discovered that the dogs had an excellent sense of smell.

4. In paragraph 2,what does took place mean?

a. started
b. failed
c. disappeared
d. happened

5. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?

a. Not all dogs make good rescue dogs.
b. Rescue work is complex and demanding.
c. Trainers choose only dogs that interact well with people.
d. A dog that is easily bored won't make a good rescue dog.