Two authors, one topic, different evidence

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. 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.

2. 1.

   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.
   • Either account, since both give the date and the astronauts' names.
   • Account B, which says hundreds of millions of people watched on television.

3. 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.

4. 2.

   Noah compares the two accounts. How do they differ in what they stress?

   • Account A stresses the difficulty of building through the mountains; Account B stresses the immigrant workers.
   • Both accounts stress the immigrant workers, but Account A gives more dates.
   • Account A says the Union Pacific finished first, and Account B says the Central Pacific did.
   • Account A stresses the immigrant workers; Account B stresses the difficulty of building through the mountains.
5. 3.

   Pia asks whether the accounts disagree about facts. Which statement is fair?

   • 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.
   • No: Account A is the more complete account, since Account B leaves out the route.
   • Yes: one account must be false, since the conclusions in [5] and [10] differ.
6. 4.

   Ren wants to know who made up most of the Central Pacific's workforce. Which account helps most?

   • Account A, which says winter snow buried the camps in the Sierra Nevada.
   • Account B, which says the Union Pacific had the most workers.
   • Account B, which says thousands of Chinese immigrants made up most of that workforce.
   • Either account, since both name the Central Pacific.

7. 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.

8. 5.

   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.
   • Both accounts stress the cost, but Account B gives a larger number.
   • Account A stresses safety for people on foot; Account B stresses speed and cost on the main roads.
   • Account A says the town spent $90,000, and Account B says it spent more.
9. 6.

   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.
   • Yes: Account A says the main roads were plowed, and Account B says they were not.
   • No: Account A is the more reliable account, because it comes from the director.
   • No: both give the same cost and the same quick plowing of main roads, and each stresses different true results.
10. 7.

    Ari wants to know how fast the main roads were cleared. Which account helps most?

    • Either account, since both give the cost of $90,000.
    • Account B, which says the plows cleared the main roads quickly.
    • Account A, which says four plow trucks cleared the main roads within six hours of each storm.
    • Neither account, since neither says how many trucks the town owns.

11. 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.

12. 8.

    Bo compares the two accounts. How do they differ in what they stress?

    • Account A stresses honey and other bee products; Account B stresses the pollination of crops.
    • Account A stresses the pollination of crops; Account B stresses honey and other bee products.
    • Both accounts stress pollination, but Account A adds more about honey.
    • Account A says bees are useful, and Account B says they are not.
13. 9.

    Esme asks whether the accounts disagree about facts. Which statement is fair?

    • Yes: Account A says bees make honey, and Account B says they do not.
    • No: both say a hive holds about fifty thousand bees, and each stresses a different use.
    • Yes: bees are valuable for one thing, so one of the accounts must be wrong.
    • No: Account B is the more complete account, because pollination matters more than honey.
14. 10.

    Jun wants to know why growers bring hives into their orchards. Which account helps most?

    • Account A, which says beekeepers sell honey and also use the wax.
    • Account B, which says growers bring in hives and place them among the trees in spring.
    • Account A, which says many families buy local honey for its flavor.
    • Either account, since both say a hive can hold fifty thousand bees.