When two texts disagree

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Two Reports on the Founders' Day Parade

   Text A, the Harbor Times: [1] The annual Founders' Day parade marched through Harbor Town on Saturday, May 17, under a bright spring sky that drew families from across the county. [2] A police count taken at the starting line at ten o'clock found about two thousand people watching the first floats pass. [3] The ninety-minute parade ended at the town green, where the mayor gave a short speech about the founders' voyage.

   [4] A marching band from Dunlap led the way, followed by horses from the riding club and a line of antique tractors. [5] Dozens of volunteers distributed cups of water to the marchers along the route. [6] Some neighbors thought the street closings were hard on local shops that depend on Saturday customers, especially along Water Street. [7] The mayor said the celebration demonstrated how much pride the community takes in its history and traditions.

   Text B, the Bay Bulletin: [8] Founders' Day brought a large crowd to Harbor Town on Saturday, May 17, and the sidewalks were full for most of the morning. [9] Counting along the entire route from ten o'clock until the last float passed, the town clerk found about five thousand spectators. [10] The ninety-minute parade ended at the harbor, where the mayor gave a short speech beside the old pier.

   [11] Volunteers distributed water to the marchers at three locations along the route. [12] Shop owners said the closed streets were a small price to pay for such a crowd, and several reported their best sales of the spring. [13] The oldest float, built in 1962 from salvaged lumber and painted canvas, belonged to the volunteer fire company. [14] A band from Dunlap led the way, followed by horses from the riding club. Labels. A fact conflict means the texts give different facts about the same thing. A difference of view means the texts take up the same thing and judge it differently. In one text only means one text gives a detail that the other never mentions.

2. 1.

   Ari sorts three differences between the texts: where the parade ended, how the closed streets affected shops, and the oldest float. Which sort is right?

   • The ending place is a difference of view; the closed streets are a fact conflict; the oldest float is in one text only.
   • The ending place is a fact conflict; the closed streets are a difference of view; the oldest float is in one text only.
   • The ending place is in one text only; the closed streets are a difference of view; the oldest float is a fact conflict.
   • The ending place is a fact conflict; the closed streets are in one text only; the oldest float is a difference of view.

3. Two Reports on the Founders' Day Parade

   Text A, the Harbor Times: [1] The annual Founders' Day parade marched through Harbor Town on Saturday, May 17, under a bright spring sky that drew families from across the county. [2] A police count taken at the starting line at ten o'clock found about two thousand people watching the first floats pass. [3] The ninety-minute parade ended at the town green, where the mayor gave a short speech about the founders' voyage.

   [4] A marching band from Dunlap led the way, followed by horses from the riding club and a line of antique tractors. [5] Dozens of volunteers distributed cups of water to the marchers along the route. [6] Some neighbors thought the street closings were hard on local shops that depend on Saturday customers, especially along Water Street. [7] The mayor said the celebration demonstrated how much pride the community takes in its history and traditions.

   Text B, the Bay Bulletin: [8] Founders' Day brought a large crowd to Harbor Town on Saturday, May 17, and the sidewalks were full for most of the morning. [9] Counting along the entire route from ten o'clock until the last float passed, the town clerk found about five thousand spectators. [10] The ninety-minute parade ended at the harbor, where the mayor gave a short speech beside the old pier.

   [11] Volunteers distributed water to the marchers at three locations along the route. [12] Shop owners said the closed streets were a small price to pay for such a crowd, and several reported their best sales of the spring. [13] The oldest float, built in 1962 from salvaged lumber and painted canvas, belonged to the volunteer fire company. [14] A band from Dunlap led the way, followed by horses from the riding club.

4. 2.

   Bo asks whether the two crowd counts could both be accurate. Which statement is fair?

   • Both counts could be accurate, because Text A counts the starting line at ten o'clock and Text B counts the whole route.
   • Both counts could be accurate, because the clerk probably also counted people watching from boats in the harbor.
   • They cannot both be accurate, because both count the crowd at the same parade on the same morning, so one must be wrong.
   • They cannot both be accurate, and the police count is probably too low because police counts often miss people.
5. 3.

   Esme wants one statement that both texts support, whatever else they dispute. Which one is it?

   • The parade included a line of antique tractors that followed the horses from the riding club.
   • The oldest float, built in 1962 from salvaged lumber, belonged to the volunteer fire company.
   • The mayor gave a short speech at the end of the parade, at the town green, about the founders' voyage.
   • The parade was held on Saturday, May 17, lasted ninety minutes, and was led by a Dunlap band.

6. Two Reports on the Gallin River Bridge

   Text A, the Gallin Gazette: [1] The Gallin River Bridge, completed in 1931, carries Route 9 across a gorge nine hundred feet wide and remains the main link between the two halves of the county. [2] Its steel arch was designed by the engineer Lucille Ferrand, who supervised the work for three years. [3] Records from the state highway department list the final cost as $4.2 million.

   [4] Many residents regard the arch as the most graceful structure in the county, and photographers visit it every autumn. [5] The bridge was closed for repairs in 2019 and reopened after seven months, which engineers called a swift job. [6] A walkway along the north rail lets pedestrians cross on foot. [7] Today about eleven thousand vehicles cross it on an average weekday.

   Text B, the County Courier: [8] The Gallin River Bridge opened to traffic in 1934 and spans a gorge nine hundred feet wide, linking the two halves of the county ever since. [9] State records put the cost of construction at $4.6 million, a sum some taxpayers at the time considered extravagant. [10] Its steel arch made the bridge a symbol of the county during the long years of the Depression, when few public projects were completed.

   [11] Engineers closed the bridge for repairs in 2019, and drivers endured seven months of detours before traffic returned. [12] Pedestrians can cross on a walkway that runs along the north rail. [13] On a typical weekday about eleven thousand vehicles use the crossing. [14] A plaque at the east end honors the workers who built it. Labels. A fact conflict means the texts give different facts about the same thing. A difference of view means the texts take up the same thing and judge it differently. In one text only means one text gives a detail that the other never mentions.

7. 4.

   Jun sorts three differences between the texts: the final cost, the 2019 repair, and the plaque at the east end. Which sort is right?

   • The cost is a fact conflict; the repair is in one text only; the plaque is a difference of view.
   • The cost is in one text only; the repair is a difference of view; the plaque is a fact conflict.
   • The cost is a fact conflict; the repair is a difference of view; the plaque is in one text only.
   • The cost is a difference of view; the repair is a fact conflict; the plaque is in one text only.

8. Two Reports on the Gallin River Bridge

   Text A, the Gallin Gazette: [1] The Gallin River Bridge, completed in 1931, carries Route 9 across a gorge nine hundred feet wide and remains the main link between the two halves of the county. [2] Its steel arch was designed by the engineer Lucille Ferrand, who supervised the work for three years. [3] Records from the state highway department list the final cost as $4.2 million.

   [4] Many residents regard the arch as the most graceful structure in the county, and photographers visit it every autumn. [5] The bridge was closed for repairs in 2019 and reopened after seven months, which engineers called a swift job. [6] A walkway along the north rail lets pedestrians cross on foot. [7] Today about eleven thousand vehicles cross it on an average weekday.

   Text B, the County Courier: [8] The Gallin River Bridge opened to traffic in 1934 and spans a gorge nine hundred feet wide, linking the two halves of the county ever since. [9] State records put the cost of construction at $4.6 million, a sum some taxpayers at the time considered extravagant. [10] Its steel arch made the bridge a symbol of the county during the long years of the Depression, when few public projects were completed.

   [11] Engineers closed the bridge for repairs in 2019, and drivers endured seven months of detours before traffic returned. [12] Pedestrians can cross on a walkway that runs along the north rail. [13] On a typical weekday about eleven thousand vehicles use the crossing. [14] A plaque at the east end honors the workers who built it.

9. 5.

   Kira asks whether “completed in 1931” and “opened to traffic in 1934” could both be accurate. Which statement is fair?

   • Both could be accurate, because the bridge was probably rebuilt in 1934 after a flood damaged the first one.
   • They cannot both be accurate, and 1934 is probably the mistake because it appears in a county paper rather than a state record.
   • Both could be accurate, because Text A gives when the bridge was completed and Text B gives when it opened to traffic.
   • They cannot both be accurate, because a bridge opens to traffic as soon as its construction is completed.
10. 6.

    Luz wants one statement that both texts support, whatever else they dispute. Which one is it?

    • The final cost of the bridge was $4.2 million, according to records from the state highway department.
    • The steel arch was designed by the engineer Lucille Ferrand, who supervised the work for three years.
    • A plaque at the east end of the bridge honors the workers who built the structure.
    • The bridge spans a gorge nine hundred feet wide and was closed for repairs in 2019.

11. Two Reports on the Elm Hill Clock Tower

    Text A, the Elm Hill Gazette: [1] The Elm Hill clock tower is sixty-two feet tall, measured from the sidewalk to the tip of the weather vane that crowns the roof. [2] The Brandt family donated the bricks for the tower in 1931, when the town hall was being rebuilt after a fire. [3] Townspeople describe that donation as a generous gift and a source of civic pride.

    [4] The clock strikes the hour from eight in the morning until eight at night, and volunteers wind its mechanism by hand every Sunday afternoon. [5] The Brandts have lived in Elm Hill for six generations and still operate the hardware store on Main Street. [6] Tours are offered on the first Saturday of each month, and visitors may climb to the bell room. [7] The town hopes to repaint the tower's iron fittings next summer, if the budget committee approves the expense.

    Text B, the Valley Chronicle: [8] Measured from the sidewalk to the tip of the weather vane that crowns the roof, the Elm Hill clock tower rises forty-eight feet. [9] In 1931, when the town hall was being rebuilt after a fire, the Brandt family donated the bricks for the tower. [10] Some residents say the gift saddled the town with the cost of repairing the brickwork for generations.

    [11] The tower's bell weighs eight hundred pounds, and its tone carries across the valley on quiet evenings. [12] The Brandts, one of the oldest families in Elm Hill, still operate the hardware store on Main Street. [13] Volunteers wind the clock's mechanism by hand every Sunday afternoon. [14] Tours are offered on the first Saturday of each month, and visitors may climb to the bell room. Labels. A fact conflict means the texts give different facts about the same thing. A difference of view means the texts take up the same thing and judge it differently. In one text only means one text gives a detail that the other never mentions.

12. 7.

    Milo sorts three differences between the texts: the height of the tower, the Brandt family's gift, and the weight of the bell. Which sort is right?

    • The height is a difference of view; the gift is a fact conflict; the bell is in one text only.
    • The height is a fact conflict; the gift is in one text only; the bell is a difference of view.
    • The height is a fact conflict; the gift is a difference of view; the bell is in one text only.
    • The height is in one text only; the gift is a difference of view; the bell is a fact conflict.

13. Two Reports on the Elm Hill Clock Tower

    Text A, the Elm Hill Gazette: [1] The Elm Hill clock tower is sixty-two feet tall, measured from the sidewalk to the tip of the weather vane that crowns the roof. [2] The Brandt family donated the bricks for the tower in 1931, when the town hall was being rebuilt after a fire. [3] Townspeople describe that donation as a generous gift and a source of civic pride.

    [4] The clock strikes the hour from eight in the morning until eight at night, and volunteers wind its mechanism by hand every Sunday afternoon. [5] The Brandts have lived in Elm Hill for six generations and still operate the hardware store on Main Street. [6] Tours are offered on the first Saturday of each month, and visitors may climb to the bell room. [7] The town hopes to repaint the tower's iron fittings next summer, if the budget committee approves the expense.

    Text B, the Valley Chronicle: [8] Measured from the sidewalk to the tip of the weather vane that crowns the roof, the Elm Hill clock tower rises forty-eight feet. [9] In 1931, when the town hall was being rebuilt after a fire, the Brandt family donated the bricks for the tower. [10] Some residents say the gift saddled the town with the cost of repairing the brickwork for generations.

    [11] The tower's bell weighs eight hundred pounds, and its tone carries across the valley on quiet evenings. [12] The Brandts, one of the oldest families in Elm Hill, still operate the hardware store on Main Street. [13] Volunteers wind the clock's mechanism by hand every Sunday afternoon. [14] Tours are offered on the first Saturday of each month, and visitors may climb to the bell room.

14. 8.

    Noah asks whether the two heights could both be accurate. Which statement is fair?

    • Both heights could be accurate, because one writer probably measured to the top of the clock face.
    • They cannot both be accurate, and the taller figure is probably the mistake because tall measurements are often exaggerated.
    • Both heights could be accurate, because the true height is probably somewhere between the two figures.
    • They cannot both be accurate, because both texts measure from the sidewalk to the tip of the weather vane.
15. 9.

    Pia wants one statement that both texts support, whatever else they dispute. Which one is it?

    • The bell in the tower weighs eight hundred pounds, and its tone carries across the valley.
    • The Brandt family donated the bricks in 1931, and volunteers wind the clock every Sunday.
    • The clock strikes the hour from eight in the morning until eight at night, every day.
    • The tower is sixty-two feet tall, measured from the sidewalk to the tip of the weather vane.

16. Two Reports on the Old Orchard

    Text A, the Ashby Ledger: [1] On April 12, a count conducted by the town forester found one hundred twenty living apple trees in the Old Orchard on Hill Road. [2] Ashby's first settlers planted the orchard in the 1860s, and some of the original trees still stand beside the stone wall. [3] About forty varieties of apple grow there, and several are no longer sold in stores or at farm stands.

    [4] Preservation groups call the orchard a living museum and argue that it should become a public park protected from development. [5] The orchard yields about two tons of apples each fall, and volunteers press cider on the first Saturday of October. [6] Hill Road is closed to cars on cider-pressing day. [7] The town council will discuss the park proposal at its June meeting, according to the clerk's office.

    Text B, the Hill Road Herald: [8] On April 12, two forestry students counted ninety living apple trees in the Old Orchard on Hill Road, recording each tree on a map. [9] The settlers who planted it in the 1860s chose about forty varieties of apple, several of them now rare. [10] Neighbors who favor replanting the orchard say the old trees are past their best years and should be replaced with healthy stock.

    [11] The orchard still yields roughly two tons of apples each fall, volunteers estimate. [12] Volunteers press cider every year on the first Saturday of October. [13] On that day Hill Road is closed to cars so that visitors can walk safely between the rows of trees. [14] The students will present their count and map to the town council in June. Labels. A fact conflict means the texts give different facts about the same thing. A difference of view means the texts take up the same thing and judge it differently. In one text only means one text gives a detail that the other never mentions.

17. 10.

    Ren sorts three differences between the texts: the number of living trees, what should happen to the orchard, and the students' presentation. Which sort is right?

    • The tree count is a difference of view; what should happen to the orchard is a fact conflict; the students' presentation is in one text only.
    • The tree count is in one text only; what should happen to the orchard is a difference of view; the students' presentation is a fact conflict.
    • The tree count is a fact conflict; what should happen to the orchard is in one text only; the students' presentation is a difference of view.
    • The tree count is a fact conflict; what should happen to the orchard is a difference of view; the students' presentation is in one text only.