Link ideas with the right transition

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Green Roofs in Crowded Cities (student draft: informative)

   [1] In dense cities, roofs of tar and gravel absorb sunlight all afternoon, and the heat they store raises temperatures in the streets below. [2] A green roof, which consists of a waterproof membrane covered with soil and living plants, behaves very differently. [3] Its plants shade the soil, and the moisture they release into the air carries heat away as it evaporates. [4] As a result, measurements on a university library in the Midwest showed that the planted part of its roof stayed far cooler than the black part on summer afternoons.

   [5] Rainfall is affected as well. [6] Soil and roots soak up much of the water that would otherwise rush off a hard surface into storm drains, and the plants return part of it to the air. [7] For example, planners in cities with older combined sewers, which carry rainwater and household waste through the same pipes, value this effect since heavy storms can overwhelm the pipes. [8] Fewer sudden surges in the drains mean fewer overflows into rivers and harbors.

   [9] Green roofs are not a perfect solution, however. [10] The soil adds considerable weight, so many older buildings would need structural reinforcement before they could support one. [11] Installation costs more than a conventional roof, and the plants need occasional watering and weeding. [12] A green roof usually lasts longer than a bare membrane because the soil shields it from sunlight and sharp swings in temperature. [13] Over several decades, that longer life can offset part of the added cost.

2. 1.

   Ari wants to open [8] with a transition. Which version shows how [8] relates to [6] and [7]?

   • In addition, fewer sudden surges in the drains mean fewer overflows into rivers and harbors.
   • For instance, fewer sudden surges in the drains mean fewer overflows into rivers and harbors.
   • Consequently, fewer sudden surges in the drains mean fewer overflows into rivers and harbors.
   • Afterward, fewer sudden surges in the drains mean fewer overflows into rivers and harbors.
3. 2.

   Bo reads [10] and [11]. Which note best tells how [11] relates to [10]?

   • [11] answers the weight problem in [10] with a benefit.
   • [11] explains why the weight in [10] is a problem for older buildings.
   • [11] gives an example of the structural reinforcement in [10].
   • [11] adds a second drawback to the weight problem in [10].
4. 3.

   Esme thinks the link at the start of [4] sets up the wrong relationship. Which revision fixes it without changing the facts?

   • Therefore, measurements on a university library in the Midwest showed that the planted part of its roof stayed far cooler than the black part on summer afternoons.
   • In one test, measurements on a university library in the Midwest showed that the planted part of its roof stayed far cooler than the black part on summer afternoons.
   • Also, measurements on a university library in the Midwest showed that the planted part of its roof stayed far cooler than the black part on summer afternoons.
   • In one test, measurements on a university library in the Midwest showed that the planted part of its roof stayed slightly cooler than the black part on summer evenings.
5. 4.

   Jun wants to open [12] with a transition. Which version shows how [12] relates to the costs in [10] and [11]?

   • Therefore, a green roof usually lasts longer than a bare membrane because the soil shields it from sunlight and sharp swings in temperature.
   • Even so, a green roof usually lasts longer than a bare membrane because the soil shields it from sunlight and sharp swings in temperature.
   • Similarly, a green roof usually lasts longer than a bare membrane because the soil shields it from sunlight and sharp swings in temperature.
   • For example, a green roof usually lasts longer than a bare membrane because the soil shields it from sunlight and sharp swings in temperature.

6. Should Ridgeview Start Later? (letter to the principal) (student draft: opinion letter)

   [1] During puberty, the body clock of most teenagers shifts later, so falling asleep before eleven becomes hard even for students who try. [2] Ridgeview Middle School begins classes at 7:35 a.m., so many students wake before six, especially those who ride the bus for forty minutes. [3] A survey of 220 Ridgeview eighth graders found that about two thirds slept fewer than eight hours on school nights, which is less than doctors advise for teens. [4] Those same students most often reported dozing off in first-period classes.

   [5] Some districts that moved their start times later have reported benefits, although the results vary from place to place. [6] Consequently, after Seattle moved its high school start times about an hour later in 2016, University of Washington researchers studied the change. [7] They found that students slept about half an hour longer and that their grades rose slightly. [8] Critics point out that later schedules can interfere with after-school sports and with parents' work hours. [9] Those concerns are real, but several districts managed them by adjusting bus routes and shifting practice times.

   [10] Ridgeview could test the change step by step before it commits to anything. [11] A one-semester pilot with an 8:30 start would give the school its own data on sleep, attendance and grades before a permanent decision. [12] Meanwhile, if the results were disappointing, the school could return to the old schedule at little cost. [13] A pilot would therefore ask the community to accept a modest risk, not a permanent one.

7. 5.

   Milo wants to open [4] with a transition. Which version shows how [4] relates to the survey result in [3]?

   • Afterward, those same students most often reported dozing off in first-period classes.
   • For example, those same students most often reported dozing off in first-period classes.
   • As a result, those same students most often reported dozing off in first-period classes.
   • In addition, those same students most often reported dozing off in first-period classes.
8. 6.

   Noah reads [8] and [9]. Which note best tells how [9] relates to [8]?

   • [9] explains what caused the concern raised in [8].
   • [9] adds a second concern to the one raised in [8].
   • [9] grants the critics' concern in [8] and then answers it.
   • [9] tells what happened after the concern raised in [8] was settled by the districts.
9. 7.

   Pia thinks the link at the start of [6] sets up the wrong relationship. Which revision fixes it without changing the facts?

   • For example, after Seattle moved its high school start times about an hour later in 2016, University of Washington researchers studied the change.
   • Therefore, after Seattle moved its high school start times about an hour later in 2016, University of Washington researchers studied the change.
   • For example, after Seattle moved its high school start times about two hours later in 2016, University of Washington researchers studied the change.
   • Also, after Seattle moved its high school start times about an hour later in 2016, University of Washington researchers studied the change.
10. 8.

    Ren wants to open [10] with a transition. Which version shows how [10] relates to the concerns in [8] and [9]?

    • Similarly, Ridgeview could test the change step by step before it commits to anything.
    • Afterward, Ridgeview could test the change step by step before it commits to anything.
    • Given these concerns, Ridgeview could test the change step by step before it commits to anything.
    • For instance, Ridgeview could test the change step by step before it commits to anything.
11. 9.

    Tala reads [3] and [4]. Which note best tells how [4] relates to [3]?

    • [4] gives an example of the survey method in [3].
    • [4] contradicts the survey result in [3].
    • [4] reports a second finding that goes with [3] but does not prove a cause.
    • [4] shows that the short sleep in [3] caused the dozing, since the same students are involved.
12. 10.

    Zee thinks the link at the start of [12] sets up the wrong relationship. Which revision fixes it without changing the facts?

    • Furthermore, if the results were disappointing, the school could return to the old schedule at little cost.
    • And, if the results were disappointing, the school could return to the old schedule at little cost.
    • Furthermore, if the results were disappointing, the school could return to the old schedule at no cost to anyone.
    • Otherwise, if the results were disappointing, the school could return to the old schedule at little cost.