Link sections with the right words
Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Keep Real Grass on the Fairview Field (student draft: argument)
[1] The school board in Fairview is deciding whether to replace the grass on the high school's practice field with artificial turf, a carpet of plastic blades laid over a bed of rubber pellets. [2] The board should keep the real grass, because turf would make the field hotter in summer and more costly in the long run.
[3] ______, a turf field grows far hotter than grass on a summer afternoon. [4] Last August, the science club measured a turf field in a neighboring town at 142 degrees Fahrenheit, while the grass field beside it measured 88 degrees. [5] Also, on days like that, coaches would have to cancel practice or move it indoors, which would defeat the purpose of a new field.
[6] ______, turf has real advantages, since it never needs mowing, stays green without watering, and can be used right after a heavy rain. [7] These savings matter in a dry summer, when the town limits how much water parks and schools may use.
[8] ______, the savings shrink once the full costs are counted. [9] A turf field usually wears out after eight to ten years, and the district estimates that replacing the carpet would cost about $400,000 each time. [10] Grass costs money to mow and water each year, therefore, those costs are far smaller than the price of a new carpet every decade. [11] Worn spots on grass can be reseeded one patch at a time for a few hundred dollars. [12] Real grass asks for steady care, but it gives Fairview's students a cooler field for far less money over time.
The openers of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 are blank. Which set of links, in order, should Ari write in sentences [3], [6] and [8]?
- [3] First, / [6] Admittedly, / [8] For example,
- [3] Still, / [6] Admittedly, / [8] Even so,
- [3] First, / [6] Admittedly, / [8] Even so,
- [3] First, / [6] Therefore, / [8] Even so,
Bo finds two problems in sentence [10]: a wrong link word and a punctuation slip. Which revision fixes both and keeps the writer's meaning?
- Grass costs money to mow and water each year; however, those costs are far smaller than the price of a new carpet every decade.
- Grass costs money to mow and water each year, however, those costs are far smaller than the price of a new carpet every decade.
- Grass costs money to mow and water each year; therefore, those costs are far smaller than the price of a new carpet every decade.
- Grass costs money to mow and water each year; however, those costs are far larger than the price of a new carpet every decade.
Keep Real Grass on the Fairview Field (student draft: argument)
[1] The school board in Fairview is deciding whether to replace the grass on the high school's practice field with artificial turf, a carpet of plastic blades laid over a bed of rubber pellets. [2] The board should keep the real grass, because turf would make the field hotter in summer and more costly in the long run.
[3] ______, a turf field grows far hotter than grass on a summer afternoon. [4] Last August, the science club measured a turf field in a neighboring town at 142 degrees Fahrenheit, while the grass field beside it measured 88 degrees. [5] Also, on days like that, coaches would have to cancel practice or move it indoors, which would defeat the purpose of a new field.
[6] ______, turf has real advantages, since it never needs mowing, stays green without watering, and can be used right after a heavy rain. [7] These savings matter in a dry summer, when the town limits how much water parks and schools may use.
[8] ______, the savings shrink once the full costs are counted. [9] A turf field usually wears out after eight to ten years, and the district estimates that replacing the carpet would cost about $400,000 each time. [10] Grass costs money to mow and water each year, therefore, those costs are far smaller than the price of a new carpet every decade. [11] Worn spots on grass can be reseeded one patch at a time for a few hundred dollars. [12] Real grass asks for steady care, but it gives Fairview's students a cooler field for far less money over time.
Before: [5] Also, on days like that, coaches would have to cancel practice or move it indoors, which would defeat the purpose of a new field.
After: [5] As a result, on days like that, coaches would have to cancel practice or move it indoors, which would defeat the purpose of a new field.Esme changed the link at the start of sentence [5], as shown below the draft. Which margin note labels the change and says what it does for the reader?
- Reword: "As a result" makes the paragraph flow more smoothly and sound more formal.
- Reword: "As a result" now shows that the canceled practices follow from the heat in [4].
- Move: [5] now sits after the heat reading, so the reader sees that the canceled practices follow from it.
- Reword: "As a result" now shows that [5] turns against the heat reading in [4].
How a Vacuum Bottle Keeps Soup Hot (student draft: informative)
[1] A vacuum bottle can keep soup hot from breakfast until lunch, even though its outside feels barely warm to the touch. [2] The Scottish scientist James Dewar invented the design in 1892, and it works by blocking the ways that heat travels from a warm object to a cooler one. [3] Heat can pass by conduction, when moving particles bump into their neighbors, by convection, when warm air or liquid carries it along, and by radiation, when it travels as invisible waves.
[4] ______, a vacuum bottle is built with two walls, one inside the other, and almost all of the air is pumped out of the narrow gap between them. [5] Conduction and convection both need particles of matter to carry heat, however, an empty gap stops most of the heat that would otherwise flow through the sides.
[6] ______, an empty gap cannot stop radiation, because radiant heat can cross empty space, just as sunlight crosses space to reach the Earth. [7] To block it, the surfaces facing the gap are coated with a shiny layer of metal that reflects most radiant heat back toward where it came from. [8] Heat leaving the soup bounces back toward the soup, and heat from a sunny day outside bounces away from a cold drink.
[9] ______, soup in a good vacuum bottle loses only a few degrees over a whole morning. [10] For example, some heat still escapes through the bottle's neck and its stopper, which is why soup left overnight is warm rather than hot by the next day. [11] A vacuum bottle cannot make heat, but by slowing all three paths, it keeps whatever heat is inside for a remarkably long time. [12] The same design keeps iced lemonade cold on a hot afternoon, since heat from outside cannot easily get in either.
Sentences [4], [6] and [9] open paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 with blanks. Which set of links should Jun write, in order?
- [4] In contrast, / [6] However, / [9] As a result,
- [4] First, / [6] However, / [9] Even so,
- [4] First, / [6] For example, / [9] As a result,
- [4] First, / [6] However, / [9] As a result,
Kira spots a wrong link word and a punctuation slip in sentence [5]. Which revision fixes both without changing the science?
- Conduction and convection both need particles of matter to carry heat; therefore, an empty gap stops very little of the heat that would otherwise flow through the sides.
- Conduction and convection both need particles of matter to carry heat; however, an empty gap stops most of the heat that would otherwise flow through the sides.
- Conduction and convection both need particles of matter to carry heat, therefore, an empty gap stops most of the heat that would otherwise flow through the sides.
- Conduction and convection both need particles of matter to carry heat; therefore, an empty gap stops most of the heat that would otherwise flow through the sides.
How a Vacuum Bottle Keeps Soup Hot (student draft: informative)
[1] A vacuum bottle can keep soup hot from breakfast until lunch, even though its outside feels barely warm to the touch. [2] The Scottish scientist James Dewar invented the design in 1892, and it works by blocking the ways that heat travels from a warm object to a cooler one. [3] Heat can pass by conduction, when moving particles bump into their neighbors, by convection, when warm air or liquid carries it along, and by radiation, when it travels as invisible waves.
[4] ______, a vacuum bottle is built with two walls, one inside the other, and almost all of the air is pumped out of the narrow gap between them. [5] Conduction and convection both need particles of matter to carry heat, however, an empty gap stops most of the heat that would otherwise flow through the sides.
[6] ______, an empty gap cannot stop radiation, because radiant heat can cross empty space, just as sunlight crosses space to reach the Earth. [7] To block it, the surfaces facing the gap are coated with a shiny layer of metal that reflects most radiant heat back toward where it came from. [8] Heat leaving the soup bounces back toward the soup, and heat from a sunny day outside bounces away from a cold drink.
[9] ______, soup in a good vacuum bottle loses only a few degrees over a whole morning. [10] For example, some heat still escapes through the bottle's neck and its stopper, which is why soup left overnight is warm rather than hot by the next day. [11] A vacuum bottle cannot make heat, but by slowing all three paths, it keeps whatever heat is inside for a remarkably long time. [12] The same design keeps iced lemonade cold on a hot afternoon, since heat from outside cannot easily get in either.
Before: [10] For example, some heat still escapes through the bottle's neck and its stopper, which is why soup left overnight is warm rather than hot by the next day.
After: [10] Even so, some heat still escapes through the bottle's neck and its stopper, which is why soup left overnight is warm rather than hot by the next day.Luz reworded the start of [10], as shown under the draft. Which margin note names the change and what it does for the reader?
- Reword: "Even so" now shows that [10] gives a result of the shiny walls in [8].
- Reword: "Even so" now shows that [10] admits a limit to the good result in [9].
- Reword: "Even so" sounds more natural and makes the ending more interesting.
- Add: a new sentence now admits a limit to the good result in [9].
A Lending Closet for Sports Gear (student draft: argument)
[1] Every fall, dozens of students at Brookfield High School try out for athletic teams and then quietly withdraw when they discover what the required equipment costs. [2] The athletic department should open a lending closet where students can borrow cleats, shin guards, gloves and other gear for a season, because cost should not decide who gets to play.
[3] ______, the price of gear keeps many students off the field. [4] A pair of soccer cleats and shin guards costs about $90 at the sporting goods store downtown, and a lacrosse stick with gloves can cost more than $200. [5] Coach Ramirez reported that eleven students left the junior varsity soccer team after the first week last year, and seven of them named the cost of cleats as the reason.
[6] ______, a lending closet would cut down on waste. [7] Students outgrow cleats every year or two, and most of those shoes sit unused in closets long after they stop fitting. [8] Also, those same cleats could be donated and worn by three or four younger players before they wear out.
[9] ______, a lending closet would take time and space to run. [10] The gear would need a room, as a result, the old trophy storage room beside the gym has sat empty since the trophies moved to the front hall. [11] The parent association has also offered to run the closet on Saturday mornings, so the coaches would not have to give up practice time. [12] A lending closet would keep valuable equipment in use and make sure that no student abandons a team over the price of a pair of shoes.
Milo must fill the blanks that open paragraphs 2, 3 and 4. Which set of links fits sentences [3], [6] and [9], in order?
- [3] To begin with, / [6] In addition, / [9] Of course,
- [3] To begin with, / [6] For example, / [9] Of course,
- [3] To begin with, / [6] In addition, / [9] Therefore,
- [3] In contrast, / [6] In addition, / [9] Of course,
Noah sees two problems in sentence [10]: the link word and the punctuation. Which revision fixes both?
- The gear would need a room; however, the old trophy storage room beside the gym has been full since the trophies moved to the front hall.
- The gear would need a room; as a result, the old trophy storage room beside the gym has sat empty since the trophies moved to the front hall.
- The gear would need a room; however, the old trophy storage room beside the gym has sat empty since the trophies moved to the front hall.
- The gear would need a room, however, the old trophy storage room beside the gym has sat empty since the trophies moved to the front hall.
Open Garnet Street for Play on Saturdays (student draft: argument)
[1] Garnet Street runs for four quiet blocks between Mill Pond Elementary School and the town park, and on most Saturday mornings only a few cars use it. [2] The town should close those four blocks to cars from eight o'clock until noon each Saturday from May through September, so that families have a safe, open place to play, ride bikes and meet their neighbors.
[3] ______, many children in the neighborhood have no safe place to play near home. [4] The nearest park is a fifteen-minute walk for families on the east side of town, for example, many children there play in driveways and parking lots. [5] A street closed to cars would give them a wide, flat space for chalk drawings, jump ropes and first bike rides, just a few steps from their front doors.
[6] ______, some residents worry that the closing would block drivers who need to reach their own homes. [7] Then, the town could give each household on the four blocks a pass that lets its car in and out at walking speed. [8] The nearby town of Westbrook has used such passes for three summers, and its public works office has received no complaints about blocked driveways.
[9] ______, the town council should try a Saturday play street this summer, at a cost of little more than a few barriers and some signs. [10] Families would gain a safe place to play, while drivers would give up only four quiet blocks for four hours each week. [11] Parents could watch from their porches instead of driving across town to the park, and children could walk out their own front doors to play. [12] It would turn a quiet road into a place where children could play outside and neighbors could get to know one another.
Tala rereads sentence [4] and finds a wrong link word and a comma slip. Which revision fixes both and keeps every fact?
- The nearest park is a fifteen-minute walk for families on the east side of town, as a result, many children there play in driveways and parking lots.
- The nearest park is a fifteen-minute walk for families on the east side of town; for example, many children there play in driveways and parking lots.
- The nearest park is a five-minute walk for families on the east side of town; as a result, many children there play in driveways and parking lots.
- The nearest park is a fifteen-minute walk for families on the east side of town; as a result, many children there play in driveways and parking lots.
Open Garnet Street for Play on Saturdays (student draft: argument)
[1] Garnet Street runs for four quiet blocks between Mill Pond Elementary School and the town park, and on most Saturday mornings only a few cars use it. [2] The town should close those four blocks to cars from eight o'clock until noon each Saturday from May through September, so that families have a safe, open place to play, ride bikes and meet their neighbors.
[3] ______, many children in the neighborhood have no safe place to play near home. [4] The nearest park is a fifteen-minute walk for families on the east side of town, for example, many children there play in driveways and parking lots. [5] A street closed to cars would give them a wide, flat space for chalk drawings, jump ropes and first bike rides, just a few steps from their front doors.
[6] ______, some residents worry that the closing would block drivers who need to reach their own homes. [7] Then, the town could give each household on the four blocks a pass that lets its car in and out at walking speed. [8] The nearby town of Westbrook has used such passes for three summers, and its public works office has received no complaints about blocked driveways.
[9] ______, the town council should try a Saturday play street this summer, at a cost of little more than a few barriers and some signs. [10] Families would gain a safe place to play, while drivers would give up only four quiet blocks for four hours each week. [11] Parents could watch from their porches instead of driving across town to the park, and children could walk out their own front doors to play. [12] It would turn a quiet road into a place where children could play outside and neighbors could get to know one another.
Before: [7] Then, the town could give each household on the four blocks a pass that lets its car in and out at walking speed.
After: [7] To answer this concern, the town could give each household on the four blocks a pass that lets its car in and out at walking speed.Zee reworded the start of [7], as shown below the draft. Which margin note labels the change and tells what it does for the reader?
- Reword: "To answer this concern" sounds more formal and makes the paragraph longer.
- Reword: "To answer this concern" now shows that [7] replies to the worry in [6].
- Move: [7] now comes right after the worry, so the reader sees that it replies to [6].
- Reword: "To answer this concern" now shows that [7] is the next step in time after [6].