★Evaluate Reasons and Evidence
Grade 5 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the answer.
Read this first
Paint the Crosswalks Near Our Schools
Last spring, a car had to brake hard for a fourth grader in the crosswalk on Alder Street. The driver later said he never saw the faded white lines. That moment convinced many parents that something had to change. Several of them wrote letters to the city that same week. I agree, and I have a proposal. Our city should paint the crosswalks near schools with bright, colorful designs created by students.
My strongest reason is that bold crosswalks may help drivers notice people on foot. Plain white stripes fade within a year or two. Colorful designs stand out against gray pavement. A few years ago, the city of Pine Harbor painted art crosswalks at twelve busy corners. The city's traffic office compared crashes there before and after. Crashes involving walkers dropped by half over the next two years. Drivers there also slowed down more often near the painted corners. The office also checked corners that were not painted. Crashes there stayed about the same, which suggests the paint made the difference.
My second reason is that the project would bring the neighborhood together. Students would design the crosswalks in art class. Then families could help paint them on a weekend. In Pine Harbor, more than 600 volunteers joined the painting days. Neighbors who had never met worked side by side. Several of them told the local newspaper that they now feel the corners belong to them.
My third reason is that art crosswalks make a town more beautiful. I think everyone would agree that a rainbow of shapes looks better than gray road. Visitors would enjoy them, and people would smile on their way to school. A beautiful street is simply a nicer place to walk.
Some readers may worry about the cost. Special road paint costs more than regular paint. One art crosswalk in Pine Harbor cost about $3,000, compared with about $800 for plain stripes. That is a real difference. However, a local hardware store has offered to donate paint for the first four crosswalks. Also, the colorful paint there lasted about three years, while white lines on busy streets often need repainting every year.
Others may say that bright designs could distract drivers. They worry that drivers might stare at busy pictures instead of the road. This is a fair question. Pine Harbor's traffic office watched for this problem closely. It found no rise in crashes caused by drivers looking at the art. Even so, our city could test the idea at two corners first and study the results.
The close call on Alder Street was a warning. Painting a few bright crosswalks is a simple step that could make our streets safer and our neighborhood stronger. Our students already have their designs ready. I urge the city council to approve a test of two student-designed crosswalks this fall.
Which reason does the author support with the least evidence?
- Art crosswalks make a town more beautiful.
- Bold crosswalks may help drivers notice walkers.
- Colorful paint lasts longer than white lines.
- The project would bring the neighborhood together.
Why is the third reason weaker than the first?
- It rests on the author's opinion, not facts.
- It is based on a study from another city.
- It is about cost rather than safety.
- It is answered by the hardware store's offer.
Which evidence best supports the reason that bold crosswalks help drivers notice walkers?
- More than 600 volunteers joined the painting days.
- Crashes involving walkers dropped by half.
- One art crosswalk cost about $3,000.
- A rainbow of shapes looks better than gray road.
Which reason does the detail about 600 volunteers support?
- Bold crosswalks help drivers notice walkers.
- The colorful paint would save money.
- The project would bring the neighborhood together.
- Art crosswalks make a town more beautiful.
How does opening with the Alder Street story help the argument?
- It gives the cost of painting a crosswalk.
- It shows a real problem the proposal could solve.
- It explains how students would design the art.
- It proves that colorful crosswalks prevent all crashes.
How does the author respond to the worry about cost?
- argues that safety should never cost money
- skips the worry and moves on to a new reason
- says the art paint costs the same as plain paint
- admits the paint costs more, then shows how that could balance out
