Grade Practice Test | Lumos Learning

Environmental pollution causes the poisoning of our immediate surroundings.

It hurts Mother Earth by disturbing nature’s balance, which is very important for the survival of all living beings. Today’s environmental problems arise from four distinct forms of pollution that affect the soil, water, air and sound levels. Dumping massive amounts of industrial wastes and household refuse causes land pollution. Pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture also pollute the soil. Plastics are also major pollutants.

Overgrazing and deforestation lead to the formation of deserts and wastelands. Deserts already cover 40 percent of the Earth’s surface.

The presence of harmful wastes in water makes it unsafe for human and animal use. Even aquatic life suffers due to thousands of tons of oil that get spilled into the seas and oceans. The air that we breathe is contaminated by smoke and dust in the atmosphere. Lung diseases are common when the air is polluted. Noise pollution in cities has grown beyond human tolerance. Pollution is also responsible for global warming or heating up of the environment. Thus pollution is becoming a serious problem for the whole world.

Which detail from the passage supports the statement that deserts and wastelands are increasing?

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Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.

At the Museum
by Michael Signal


1 “Is it really that tall?” Simon asked the guide. “Of course it’s really that tall,” the guide responded. “You’re really looking at it.”
 
2 “Wow, that’s the rocket that sent people to the moon?” Simon questioned. “Well, Simon, that’s not the rocket that went to the moon” the guide explained. “The actual rocket that went to the moon was used up. It fell back to Earth in pieces. This one is a replica, but it’s exact to every detail.”
 
3 Simon couldn’t believe how tall the rocket was. It stretched higher than any building he had ever seen up close. “You seem impressed by the size,” the guide concluded. Then he said, “It’s taller than the Statue of Liberty.” Simon’s jaw dropped. He had never really seen the Statue of Liberty, but he knew it was huge.
 
4 “Can we go inside?” Simon wondered. “Inside the rocket museum?” the guide questioned back. “Inside the rocket?” Simon questioned, hoping the answer would be yes.
 
5 The guide laughed softly and said, “No, but there is a real Saturn V rocket in the museum. We can’t go in that one either.” Simon sighed in disappointment. The tour guide saw the look on his face and continued, “But we can walk under it. It’s lying flat, held up in the air with strong cables.” Simon’s attitude and face perked right up. “Let’s get in there,” he said.
 
6 The inside of the museum was more amazing than Simon could ever imagine. There were tons of rocket replicas, and even an actual capsule that carried astronauts safely home from the moon. “This one is the real deal,” the guide assured Simon. 
 
7 When Simon’s parents told him they would spend their summer vacation visiting a museum, he didn’t think it would be fun at all. In fact, he tried to convince them to go to an amusement park, or a water park, or to go see an erupting volcano. The tour guide saw how happy Simon had become in the museum. Then he said, “Your parents didn’t tell you it was a rocket museum, did they?” “Nope,” Simon replied. They sure didn’t. 

Arrange the phrases of events from the story in the correct sequence on the timeline.

A. The tour guide told Simon about the actual capsule that went to the moon.
B. The tour guide asked Simon if his parents had told him about the rocket museum.
C. Simon entered the museum.
D. Simon found out about a rocket taller than the Statue of Liberty.
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Nearly two thousand five hundred years ago, there lived a king called Alexander the Great. He was the son of Philip II of Macedonia.

When Alexander was a boy, a magnificent horse for sale was brought to the court of his father. The animal was to be sold for thirteen talents. Talents are ancient coins. Many were eager to buy the horse, but none could get close enough to saddle the restless animal. He was wild, and it was impossible to ride him.

Alexander pleaded with his father to let him try. Realizing that the horse was terrified of its own shadow, he turned the horse towards the sun so that its shadow fell behind it. This calmed the horse, and the prince proudly rode away. Observing this, his father said, “My son, look for a kingdom worthy of your greatness. Macedonia is too small for you.”

That is exactly what Alexander tried to do when he grew up. He fought many battles and always rode Bucephalus. (That was the horse’s name.) Friendship and trust grew between man and horse. When Bucephalus died of wounds received in battle, Alexander was heartbroken and deeply mourned the loss of his horse. He wished that he had died along with it.

What did Alexander the Great do when he grew up?

Reading: Literature (RL.4.1)