What an article is mostly about
Grade 6 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Cooling a Building without a Machine (article)
[1] Thick stone or earth walls absorb heat slowly during the day. [2] Because the heat moves through them over time, indoor rooms may stay cooler until evening.
[3] Small windows limit direct sunlight, while a shaded courtyard creates a cooler outdoor pocket. [4] A porch or deep roof edge can protect walls from the strongest afternoon sun.
[5] High openings let rising warm air escape, and lower openings admit replacement air. [6] In some climates, residents open shutters after sunset to capture cooler night air.
[7] These features work best when builders consider local sun, wind, and daily temperature changes. [8] A design useful in a dry region may need adjustments in a humid one. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: heavy walls delay heat | P2: ? | P3: openings guide cooler air | P4: ?
Ari has rungs 1 and 3. Which central idea fits the whole article?
- Thick walls and deep roof edges reduce afternoon heat inside rooms on warm days.
- High openings let rising warm air escape from the rooms.
- Several design features can work together to manage heat without power.
- Traditional designs keep rooms comfortable in most climates.
Cooling a Building without a Machine (article)
[1] Thick stone or earth walls absorb heat slowly during the day. [2] Because the heat moves through them over time, indoor rooms may stay cooler until evening.
[3] Small windows limit direct sunlight, while a shaded courtyard creates a cooler outdoor pocket. [4] A porch or deep roof edge can protect walls from the strongest afternoon sun.
[5] High openings let rising warm air escape, and lower openings admit replacement air. [6] In some climates, residents open shutters after sunset to capture cooler night air.
[7] These features work best when builders consider local sun, wind, and daily temperature changes. [8] A design useful in a dry region may need adjustments in a humid one. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: heavy walls delay heat | P2: shade limits direct sun | P3: openings guide cooler air | P4: local climate shapes the design
Bo drafts, “Shade keeps a building cool.” Which revision fits the complete ladder?
- Several choices, from walls to airflow, can reduce indoor heat.
- Small windows and deep roof edges reduce direct sunlight indoors.
- Passive designs keep the same indoor temperature through changing weather.
- A shaded courtyard creates a cooler outdoor pocket beside the rooms.
Esme tests the idea, “One passive design works everywhere.” Which response uses the ladder correctly?
- It holds because shutters let one design suit most climates.
- It holds for walls and shade, though the openings may differ.
- It fails because residents must open the shutters after sunset.
- It fails because a design may need adjustments in a different climate.
Counting Birds with Consistent Routines (article)
[1] Volunteers in a bird count walk the same path during each survey. [2] Starting at a similar time reduces changes caused by morning and afternoon activity.
[3] Counters record birds they see and birds they identify by sound. [4] They also note weather, since wind or rain can make birds harder to detect.
[5] One walk cannot reveal the exact number of birds in a region. [6] Repeated observations can still show whether certain species appear more or less often.
[7] Organizers compare records from many dates and locations. [8] Consistent routines make those separate observations more useful together. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: surveys repeat a route and time | P2: ? | P3: repeated counts show patterns, not exact totals | P4: ?
Jun has rungs 1 and 3. Which central idea connects the whole article?
- Weather notes explain why a counter may hear fewer birds.
- Walking the same route lets one count reveal most birds in a region.
- Routes and weather notes organize what volunteers observe during a survey.
- Consistent survey routines turn observations into comparable bird-count evidence.
Counting Birds with Consistent Routines (article)
[1] Volunteers in a bird count walk the same path during each survey. [2] Starting at a similar time reduces changes caused by morning and afternoon activity.
[3] Counters record birds they see and birds they identify by sound. [4] They also note weather, since wind or rain can make birds harder to detect.
[5] One walk cannot reveal the exact number of birds in a region. [6] Repeated observations can still show whether certain species appear more or less often.
[7] Organizers compare records from many dates and locations. [8] Consistent routines make those separate observations more useful together. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: surveys repeat a route and time | P2: counters record birds and conditions | P3: repeated counts show patterns, not exact totals | P4: consistent records can be compared
Kira drafts, “Volunteers record birds and weather.” Which revision includes the article's larger point?
- Repeated, consistent observations reveal bird patterns despite limits.
- Volunteer surveys give reliable totals for most birds in a region for one season.
- Routes and weather records make a single survey more organized.
- Volunteers note wind and rain beside each list of birds.
Luz tests, “A survey gives the exact bird population.” Which response matches the article?
- It fails because repeated counts show patterns, not exact regional totals.
- It fails because counters must identify some birds by their sounds.
- It holds because many survey dates correct the birds missed during each walk.
- It holds for one repeated route, though not across many locations.
A Map Cannot Show Everything (article)
[1] A mapmaker begins by asking what the map needs to help a reader do. [2] A hiking map and a bus map may describe the same area for different purposes.
[3] The hiking map may emphasize slopes, water, and trail surfaces. [4] The bus map may emphasize stops and connections while leaving out the shape of each hill.
[5] Symbols replace detailed pictures, and a scale shrinks long distances onto a page. [6] A legend teaches the reader how to interpret those choices.
[7] Leaving out a feature can make important information easier to notice. [8] A reader can then notice the route or landmark the map was made to show. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: purpose guides a map | P2: ? | P3: symbols and scale simplify | P4: ?
Milo has rungs 1 and 3. Which statement expresses the article's central idea?
- Hiking and bus maps emphasize different features of the same area for travelers.
- Detailed maps give readers a close copy of the real place.
- A legend explains the symbols that a mapmaker places on a page.
- Mapmakers select and simplify information to serve a reader's purpose.
A Map Cannot Show Everything (article)
[1] A mapmaker begins by asking what the map needs to help a reader do. [2] A hiking map and a bus map may describe the same area for different purposes.
[3] The hiking map may emphasize slopes, water, and trail surfaces. [4] The bus map may emphasize stops and connections while leaving out the shape of each hill.
[5] Symbols replace detailed pictures, and a scale shrinks long distances onto a page. [6] A legend teaches the reader how to interpret those choices.
[7] Leaving out a feature can make important information easier to notice. [8] A reader can then notice the route or landmark the map was made to show. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: purpose guides a map | P2: different maps select different features | P3: symbols and scale simplify | P4: useful omissions improve clarity
Noah drafts, “Maps use symbols and scales.” Which revision covers the whole ladder?
- Mapmakers can include enough detail to reproduce a place closely.
- A legend tells a reader what each map symbol represents.
- Symbols and scales shrink real features to fit a page.
- A map becomes useful through choices about what to show and simplify.
Pia tests, “A useful map leaves out details a reader does not need.” Which answer best uses the ladder?
- It holds because a legend teaches readers how to read symbols.
- It holds because omitting some features makes needed information easier to see.
- It holds because a bus map marks stops and connections.
- It fails because extra detail helps one map serve more reader purposes.
Keeping a Public Clock on Time (article)
[1] A public clock's gears divide steady motion into minutes and hours. [2] Dust, temperature changes, or worn parts can make that motion slightly fast or slow.
[3] A caretaker compares the clock with a verified time signal. [4] The caretaker records how many seconds the clock gains or loses over several days.
[5] A small regulator adjustment changes the pace of the mechanism. [6] The caretaker waits and compares again instead of repeatedly turning the clock's hands.
[7] Cleaning and inspection can reveal friction or a loose connection inside the case. [8] The clock receives another check after the next stretch of unusually warm or cold weather. Paragraph gist ladder: P1: mechanical motion can drift | P2: timed comparisons measure the error | P3: small adjustments are tested | P4: maintenance and checks continue
Tala drafts, “A time signal keeps the clock accurate.” Which revision covers the article?
- Comparisons and regulator changes correct the clock's pace over several days.
- A verified time signal helps a caretaker measure the clock's error.
- Accuracy depends on a cycle that repeats measurement and care.
- Modern time signals keep mechanical clocks precise without later maintenance.