Reading Problems and Solutions Practice Exercises

Review the following study guide for a concept review:

Reading Problems and Solutions Study Guide

Reading Problems and Solutions Practice Exercises

Practice 1: Wisdom of the Ages

Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.

[Jared seated, listening to music. Enter Cole]

COLE: Hi! [No response . . . taps Jared on shoulder] Hi! You busy?

JARED: [removes earphones] I was just listening to music, why?

COLE: It's . . . I mean . . . there's like this dance at school . . . and all the guys are inviting girls.

JARED [amazed]: This is a problem?

COLE: I just don't know how to ask a girl to go with me!

JARED: Got somebody in mind?

COLE: Yes . . . uh, Sabrina. She's, you know, nice! But what do I say? I don't want to sound like I, you know, LIKE her! And I thought . . . you know . . . since you're so cool with girls . . .

JARED [interrupts, a bit amazed]: Me? Oh, yeah . . . well, cool enough, I guess! I mean, I don't get any complaints!

COLE: I know . . . so I thought you'd know what to do, since girls say you're cute and all.

JARED [surprised]: They do? [with confidence] I mean . . . of course they do! [pause] Has any particular girl said that?

COLE: That good-looking girl with the long red hair said she thought you were "all that!"

JARED [surprised and eager]: What girl? What's her name?

COLE [casually]: I can't remember . . . but anyway, lots of girls like you. Now tell me how to get just one girl to go to the party with me!

JARED: Okay . . . we'll get back to that redhead later. Now, about your friend. [pause to think, proudly gets an idea] Just casually walk up to her and say, "Hi, Sabrina! You look really great today." Talk about anything, homework or whatever, for a couple of minutes, then spring it on her!

COLE: Spring what on her?

JARED: Flash your brightest smile and say, "Going to the dance with anyone, Sabrina?" If she says yes, say, "Good, I'll see you there!" BUT, if she says no, say, "Oh, yes you are . . . you're going with me!" And smile!

COLE: That's good! Thanks, Jared. I knew you'd know what to do!

JARED: Now . . . back to that redhead. You don't remember her name? COLE: I never heard it. All I know is that she's Pat Elliot's sister.

JARED: Marci Elliot? I can't believe it! She's the most popular girl in school! And she likes me? Wow! I think I'll ride my bike by her house right now!

COLE:Wait! I thought you said not to let on that you really like a girl?

JARED: When you get a little older, Cole, you'll be a little wiser . . . like me! Then you'll know when to let 'em know you like 'em . . . and when not to! [exits, saying, "Marci Elliot, are you a lucky girl or what?"]

1.	What problem does Cole have in the play?
	a.	He needs to learn how to do the mambo.
	b.	He needs his brother to sign his report card.
	c.	He needs to have a new suit for the school dance.
	d.	He needs to ask a girl to the school dance.
2.	Why does Cole think Jared can solve the problem?
	a.	Jared's older and girls seem to like him.
	b.	Cole knows Jared has a sister named Marci.
	c.	Jared studied about girls in ancient Egypt.
	d.	Cole thinks Jared likes Sabrina's mom.
3.	What is Jared's main problem in the play?
	a.	He has a crush on Sabrina's mom.
	b.	He needs to find out the name of the red-haired girl.
	c.	His MP3 player broke.
	d.	His favorite shoes don't fit anymore.
4.	How does Cole solve Jared's problem?
	a.	He calls Sabrina to get the red-haired girl's name.
	b.	He sees the red-haired girl's picture in the school yearbook.
	c.	He spots the girl on TV giving the weather.
	d.	He remembers that her last name is Elliot.

Practice 2: The Machine Age

Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.

(1)	For centuries, people made by hand most of the things they needed or wanted. They built houses, bridges, other structures, clothing, and furniture from materials that nature provided. People made tools and home furnishings in their homes or small workshops. They might make an extra or two to sell. But there was a problem: Only one item could be made at a time. Then in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, the Industrial Revolution changed things forever. Goods were made by mass production.
(2)	Mass production is the making of many items at one time. Rich people built large factories. Inside, workers ran machines that turned out many copies of the same product at the same time. Back when just one person made an object, he or she had to gather the parts, prepare them, and put them together. Sometimes, that meant using a different tool for each task. The production process was slow. But mass production solved that problem. Now each worker did just one task. And each task required just one tool. The whole process took less time. Factory owners made more items and sold them at lower prices.
(3)	But mass production also created a problem. Some workers were bored, doing the same job repeatedly, day after day. A few became so bored they didn't pay attention to what they were doing. They didn't feel responsible for the quality of the item because they had so little to do with the finished product. People began to complain that the quality of some items was not as good as before. That's when robots came to the rescue.
(4)	Robots are good for doing boring, repeating motions. The first industrial robot was used in 1954. It was an electronically controlled arm that lifted heavy things all day. Today robots still load and unload heavy items. But they also weld metal parts together, mix dangerous chemicals, spray paint, pack finished products, and even do guard duty! Mechanical workers increase production because they work day and night, without lunch or vacation breaks! Robots do the work faster than humans do. But factories still need humans to program the computers that control the mechanical mates!

5.	According to the first paragraph, why was there a problem when people made their own things by hand?
	a.	There were no natural materials for building homes.
	b.	Only one item could be made at a time.
	c.	No one knew how to make a table.
	d.	Only one person knew how to make a bridge.
6.	How did the Industrial Revolution solve that problem?
	a.	More natural wood resources were discovered.
	b.	People discovered gold on the moon.
	c.	People went back to making one thing at a time.
	d.	Factories used machines for mass production.
7.	Back when just one person made an object, it sometimes meant using
	a.	a different tool for each task.
	b.	the same tool for every task.
	c.	the same material with another worker.
	d.	a different color every time.
8.	Which problem did mass production most likely cause?
	a.	Some cities had many factories.
	b.	Some workers were bored doing one thing over and over.
	c.	Many workers ate lunch.
	d.	Many factory owners had big offices.
9.	Which problem did some bored workers cause?
	a.	The quality of products fell.
	b.	The number of products fell.
	c.	The quality of products increased.
	d.	The cost of products increased.
10.	How did robots solve a problem? Give at least three examples from the article.

Practice 3: A Teen Patriot

Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.

(1)	The Ludingtons lived in New York, an American colony fighting for independence from England. One rainy April night in 1777, a boy rode up shouting, "Danbury's burning!" He'd come from nearby Danbury, Connecticut. "The British have attacked the city!" he cried. "General George Washington must send troops!"
(2)	Mr. Ludington led the local Minutemen—live-at-home soldiers who were ready to fight at a minute's notice. He knew they could reach Danbury long before Washington's troops. But someone had to rally his men to gather for battle. He sent his 16-year-old daughter Sybil to tell them. All night the tired, frightened girl rode. She covered 40 miles (64 km), shouting from house to house, "Danbury's burning! Gather at Ludington's!" She stopped only to hide when she spotted any British soldiers. She knew they would have captured her as a traitor!
(3)	The next morning, the mud-splashed girl returned home. And 400 Minutemen marched against the British. When George Washington heard of Sybil's ride, he came to personally thank the brave young patriot.

11.	Which is the main problem in the story?
	a.	General Washington needed the Minutemen to find him a horse.
	b.	Mr. Ludington needed to get a doctor to help Sybil.
	c.	Someone had to rally the Minutemen to meet at Ludington's.
	d.	Sybil needed to find a date for the spring dance.
12.	What was the solution to the main problem?
	a.	Sybil asked her older brother to take a message to their dad.
	b.	Sybil rode to tell the Minutemen to gather at her house.
	c.	Mr. Ludington sent a text message to each of the Minutemen.
	d.	General Washington gave a speech to rally the troops.
13.	How did Sybil solve the problem if she ran into any British soldiers?
	a.	She fought them off with a sword.
	b.	She fed them poisoned apples.
	c.	Her horse knocked them down.
	d.	She hid by the side of the road.

Answers

1.	d
2.	a
3.	b
4.	d
5.	b
6.	d
7.	a
8.	b
9.	a
10.	Three of the following: lift heavy things, weld, spray paint, pack products, mix chemicals
11.	c
12.	b
13.	d

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Reading Problems and Solutions Practice Exercises