Two authors, one topic, different evidence
Grade 7 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
The Moon Landing, Told Two Ways (article)
ACCOUNT A: AN ENGINEER WRITES
[1] On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 lunar module landed on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk there. [2] The landing depended on a computer that guided the craft, on a rocket stage that lifted off from the surface, and on thousands of parts that all had to work. [3] Michael Collins stayed in orbit in the command module, so the astronauts had a way to return home. [4] Every part had been designed, tested, and tested again. [5] The landing was above all a triumph of engineering.
ACCOUNT B: A TELEVISION HISTORIAN WRITES
[6] On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 lunar module landed on the Moon, and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk there. [7] Hundreds of millions of people around the world watched the landing and the first steps on television. [8] Families gathered in living rooms, crowds stood outside shop windows, and many people still remember where they were that night. [9] Newspapers around the world carried the story the next day. [10] The landing was above all a moment shared by the whole world.
Kira compares the two accounts. How do they differ in what they stress?
- Both accounts stress the engineering behind the landing, but Account B adds more detail.
- Account A stresses the worldwide audience; Account B stresses the engineering behind the landing.
- Account A stresses the engineering behind the landing; Account B stresses the worldwide audience.
- Account A says a few people made the landing, and Account B says the whole world did, so they disagree about who did it.
Milo wants to know how many people watched the landing. Which account helps most?
- Account A, which says a computer and a rocket stage had to work.
- Neither account, since neither names the exact number of viewers, so the question cannot be answered.
- Account B, which says hundreds of millions of people watched on television.
- Either account, since both give the date and the astronauts' names.
Joining the Railroads (article)
ACCOUNT A: AN ENGINEERING WRITER
[1] On May 10, 1869, workers joined the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads at Promontory Summit, Utah, and the first railroad across the country was complete. [2] The Central Pacific crews, working east from Sacramento, had to cut through the Sierra Nevada, where winter snow buried the camps. [3] They drilled tunnels through hard rock and built long wooden sheds to keep snow off the tracks. [4] The Union Pacific crews, working west from Omaha, crossed open plains much faster. [5] The route across the mountains was the hardest part of the project.
ACCOUNT B: A LABOR HISTORIAN
[6] On May 10, 1869, workers joined the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads at Promontory Summit, Utah, and the first railroad across the country was complete. [7] Thousands of Chinese immigrants made up most of the Central Pacific crews, laying track and drilling tunnels in the mountains. [8] Many Irish workers joined the Union Pacific crews, along with veterans of the Civil War. [9] These workers were paid little for hard and risky work, and few records list their names. [10] The railroad was built above all by the people who did the labor.
Noah compares the two accounts. How do they differ in what they stress?
- Both accounts stress the immigrant workers, but Account A gives more dates.
- Account A stresses the difficulty of building through the mountains; Account B stresses the immigrant workers.
- Account A stresses the immigrant workers; Account B stresses the difficulty of building through the mountains.
- Account A says the Union Pacific finished first, and Account B says the Central Pacific did.
Pia asks whether the accounts disagree about facts. Which statement is fair?
- No: Account A is the more complete account, since Account B leaves out the route.
- No: they report the same joining of the railroads, and each stresses different true facts.
- Yes: Account A says the mountains were hard to cross, and Account B says they were easy to cross.
- Yes: one account must be false, since the conclusions in [5] and [10] differ.
Plowing Alder Falls (article)
ACCOUNT A: THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WRITES
[1] Last winter, the town of Alder Falls spent $90,000 plowing and salting its streets. [2] Four plow trucks cleared the main roads within six hours of each storm, working through the night. [3] Side streets were plowed after the main roads, usually by the next morning, once the crews had finished their first round. [4] The plan keeps the main roads open for ambulances, buses, and delivery trucks at a cost the town can afford. [5] It is an efficient plan.
ACCOUNT B: A RESIDENT WRITES
[6] Last winter, the town of Alder Falls spent $90,000 plowing and salting its streets. [7] The plows cleared the main roads quickly, but sidewalks were left for homeowners to shovel by themselves. [8] Several older neighbors on my street could not clear their walks, and one had to stay inside for days. [9] Children walking to the bus stop each morning had to step into the street. [10] The plan keeps cars moving but leaves people on foot at risk.
Tala compares the two accounts. How do they differ in what they stress?
- Account A stresses speed and cost on the main roads; Account B stresses safety for people on foot.
- Account A says the town spent $90,000, and Account B says it spent more.
- Account A stresses safety for people on foot; Account B stresses speed and cost on the main roads.
- Both accounts stress the cost, but Account B gives a larger number.
Zee asks whether the accounts disagree about facts. Which statement is fair?
- Yes: Account B must be wrong, because a resident is not an official.
- No: both give the same cost and the same quick plowing of main roads, and each stresses different true results.
- No: Account A is the more reliable account, because it comes from the director.
- Yes: Account A says the main roads were plowed, and Account B says they were not.
Ari wants to know how fast the main roads were cleared. Which account helps most?
- Account A, which says four plow trucks cleared the main roads within six hours of each storm.
- Either account, since both give the cost of $90,000.
- Neither account, since neither says how many trucks the town owns.
- Account B, which says the plows cleared the main roads quickly.
Why Honeybees Matter (article)
ACCOUNT A: A BEEKEEPER WRITES
[1] Honeybees are among the most useful insects on a farm, and a single hive can hold fifty thousand bees. [2] A strong hive can make dozens of pounds of honey in a good year. [3] Beekeepers sell the honey and also use the wax to make candles and polish. [4] Many families buy local honey because they enjoy its flavor. [5] Honeybees are valuable above all for the honey they make.
ACCOUNT B: A FRUIT GROWER WRITES
[6] Honeybees are among the most useful insects on a farm, and a single hive can hold fifty thousand bees. [7] As bees move from flower to flower, they carry pollen, which many fruits and vegetables need to form. [8] An orchard without enough bees may bear far less fruit than an orchard with a hive nearby. [9] Growers often bring in hives and place them among the trees in spring. [10] Honeybees are valuable above all for the crops they pollinate.
Bo compares the two accounts. How do they differ in what they stress?
- Account A says bees are useful, and Account B says they are not.
- Both accounts stress pollination, but Account A adds more about honey.
- Account A stresses the pollination of crops; Account B stresses honey and other bee products.
- Account A stresses honey and other bee products; Account B stresses the pollination of crops.
Esme asks whether the accounts disagree about facts. Which statement is fair?
- No: both say a hive holds about fifty thousand bees, and each stresses a different use.
- No: Account B is the more complete account, because pollination matters more than honey.
- Yes: Account A says bees make honey, and Account B says they do not.
- Yes: bees are valuable for one thing, so one of the accounts must be wrong.
Jun wants to know why growers bring hives into their orchards. Which account helps most?
- Account B, which says growers bring in hives and place them among the trees in spring.
- Either account, since both say a hive can hold fifty thousand bees.
- Account A, which says many families buy local honey for its flavor.
- Account A, which says beekeepers sell honey and also use the wax.
