School words and subject words

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   “Chemistry textbook: Adding a catalyst made the hydrogen peroxide break down in seconds, and the catalyst itself was left unchanged at the end.”

2. 1.

   Bo reads this chemistry sentence. What does catalyst mean here?

   • a person or event that sparks a sudden change in a group
   • a substance that is used up as it reacts with another one
   • a liquid that breaks down into other substances in a few seconds
   • a substance that speeds up a reaction without being used up

3. Use this

   “Chemistry lab: Stir the salt into the warm water until no crystals remain, and then label the clear solution before it cools.”

4. 2.

   Solution has different meanings in different classes. What does it mean in this chemistry lab step Esme is reading?

   • the warm water poured into the beaker before any salt is added
   • an answer that settles a problem or a puzzle
   • a mixture in which one substance is dissolved in another
   • a value that makes an equation true in math class

5. Use this

   “Art history task: Juxtapose the two paintings of the same harbor, one made in 1850 and one in 1950, and note what changed.”

6. 3.

   Jun reads this task. What does juxtapose ask the student to do?

   • explain who made each painting and why it was made
   • describe the 1850 painting of the harbor in careful detail
   • place two paintings of two different harbors side by side to compare them
   • place both paintings side by side so their differences stand out

7. Use this

   “Civics textbook: The president meets with the cabinet, the heads of the major executive departments, to hear advice before making decisions.”

8. 4.

   Kira reads this civics sentence. What does cabinet mean here?

   • the lawmakers in Congress who vote on new bills
   • the group of department heads who advise the president
   • a cupboard with shelves and doors for storing dishes and papers
   • the decisions the president makes after each meeting

9. Use this

   “Algebra lesson: The expression 3x + 7 has no equals sign, so it cannot be solved like an equation, but it can be evaluated for any value of x.”

10. 5.

    Expression means different things in different classes. What does it mean in the algebra sentence Luz is reading?

    • the number found when x is replaced by a value
    • in English class, a common saying, such as an idiom or a proverb
    • numbers, letters and signs joined with no equals sign
    • a look on a person's face that shows a feeling

11. Use this

    “English assignment: Contextualize the 1920s poem by explaining what was happening in the poet's city during the years it was written.”

12. 6.

    What does contextualize ask Milo to do in this English assignment?

    • summarize what the poem says, one stanza at a time
    • give the year in which the poem was written
    • explain what is happening in your own city today
    • explain the time and place that surround the poem

13. Use this

    “Literature guide: In the resolution of the novel, the two rivals finally settle their quarrel, and the family farm is saved.”

14. 7.

    Noah reads this sentence from a literature guide. What does resolution mean here?

    • a firm promise a person makes to change a habit
    • the turning point of the plot where the tension is at its highest
    • the part of a story where the main conflict is settled
    • the family farm that the characters work to save

15. Use this

    “Science reading task: Annotate the article on wetlands, writing a short note in the margin beside each claim the author supports with data.”

16. 8.

    Ren reads this task. What does annotate ask the student to do?

    • write a note beside each claim that has no data
    • write a summary of the article on a separate page
    • read the whole article carefully from the first line to the last
    • write short notes on the article itself while reading it

17. Use this

    “Biology textbook: The cell theory, supported by more than a century of microscope studies, states that all living things are made of cells.”

18. 9.

    What does theory mean in this biology sentence Tala is reading?

    • a well-tested explanation backed by much evidence
    • a hunch or guess that has not been checked yet
    • a single prediction to be tested in one experiment
    • the microscopes used to study living things

19. Use this

    “Algebra 2 note: In the function f(x) = x², the argument is x, the input value; when the argument is 4, the function gives an output of 16.”

20. 10.

    Argument means different things in different classes. What does it mean in the algebra note Zee is reading?

    • the output of 16 that the function gives back
    • the input value that a function acts on
    • in English class, a claim backed by reasons and evidence
    • a heated disagreement between two people