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TEST NAME: Weather Passage
TEST ID: 641276
GRADE: 05
SUBJECT: English Language and Literature
TEST CATEGORY: My Classroom
Weather Passage
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Student: Class:
Date:
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
What is the Climate System?
What is the Climate System?
It may seem hard to believe that people can actually change the Earth’s
climate. But scientists think that the things people do that send greenhouse
gases into the air are making our planet warmer.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere covers the Earth. It is a thin layer of mixed gases which
make up the air we breathe. This thin layer also keeps the Earth from
becoming too hot or too cold, much like clothing does for us. Weather
systems, which develop in the lower atmosphere, are caused by heat from
the sun, the rotation of the Earth, and variations in the Earth’s surface.
Oceans
Oceans cover about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. Their large mass and
thermal properties enable them to store vast quantities of heat. Oceans
buffer and regulate temperature—energy absorbed or lost by the oceans
results in a smaller surface temperature change than would occur over land.
The atmosphere and ocean constantly exchange energy and matter. For
example, water evaporates from the oceans into the atmosphere. This
moisture then falls back to the Earth as precipitation—rain, snow, sleet, and
even the morning dew on the grass.
Land
Land covers 27 percent of the Earth’s surface, and land topography
influences weather patterns. For example, the weather in areas covered by
mountains can be completely different than the weather in areas where the
land is mostly flat.
Ice
Ice is the world’s largest supply of freshwater. It covers the remaining 3
percent of the Earth’s surface including most of Antarctica and Greenland.
Because ice is highly reflective and because of its insulating properties, ice
plays an important role in regulating climate.
Biosphere
Weather Passage
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The biosphere is that part of the Earth’s atmosphere, land, and oceans that
supports any living plant, animal, or organism. It is the place where plants
and animals, including humans, live. Large quantities of carbon dioxide are
exchanged between the land­based biosphere and the atmosphere as plants
take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, and animals inhale oxygen and
exhale carbon dioxide.
“What is the Climate System?” from the Environmental Protection Agency at
http:// epa.gov/climatechange/kids/climatesys.html (05/07/2007). 1.
Based on the context of the selection, what is the meaning of climate?
A.
oxygen
B.
precipitation
C.
usual weather
D.
greenhouse gases
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
2.
Which phrase from the selection explains how ice helps control climate?
A.
“largest supply of freshwater”
B.
“remaining 3 percent of Earth’s surface”
C.
“most of Antarctica and Greenland”
D.
“insulating properties”
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
3.
Which phrase from paragraph 2 explains how the Earth’s movement
affects its weather systems?
A.
“covers the Earth”
B.
“keeps the Earth”
C.
“rotation of the Earth”
D.
“variations in the Earth’s surface”
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
Weather Passage
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4.
Based on the context of the section Oceans, which phrase could replace,
“Their large mass and thermal properties”?
A.
their extreme size and their moisture properties
B.
their extreme size and their energy properties
C.
their great size and their moisture properties
D.
their great size and their energy properties
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
5.
Based on the context of the selection, what is a biosphere?
A.
a place where weather occurs
B.
a place where oceans are found
C.
a place where scientists study Earth
D.
a place where plants and animals live
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
6.
Based on the section entitled Atmosphere, what are “variations in the
Earth’s surface”?
A.
gases on Earth
B.
weather on Earth
C.
changes on Earth
D.
temperatures on Earth
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
7.
Based on the section entitled Oceans, what does energy absorbed mean?
A.
energy given off
B.
energy taken in
C.
energy released
D.
energy changed
Weather Passage
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Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
8.
Which sentence from the selection states reasons for the development of
changes in weather?
A.
“Weather systems . . . are caused by heat from the sun, the rotation
of the Earth and variations in the Earth’s surface.”
B.
“Weather in areas covered by mountains can be completely different
than the weather in areas where the land is mostly flat.”
C.
“Ice is highly reflective and because of its insulating properties . . .
plays an important role in regulating climate.”
D.
“Large quantities of carbon dioxide are exchanged between the land­
based biosphere and the atmosphere.”
Read the passage ­ 'What is the Climate System?' ­ and answer the question below:
9.
Which sentence from the selection suggests that people are making our
planet’s temperature increase?
A.
“It may seem hard to believe that people can actually change the
Earth’s climate.”
B.
“Scientists think that the things people do that send greenhouse
gases into the air are making our planet warmer.”
C.
“This thin layer also keeps the Earth from becoming too hot or too
cold.”
D.
“It is the place where plants and animals, including humans, live.”
Weather Passage
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