Understanding Informational Tex t Features
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CD-404181 ©Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers
Answer Keys
Answer Keys
Organizational Text Structures
What Are Organizational Text Structures? (p. 5)
1. c, 2. e, 3. d, 4. a, 5. b, 6. c, 7. a, 8. d, 9. b
10. Tex t structures can help you focus your attention on
key concepts and better understand what you are read-
ing. For example, cause and effect explains why some-
thing happened and the result of it happening. Sequenc-
ing describes items or events in order or tells the steps to
follow to do something or make something.
Cause and Effect (p. 7)
1. The selection tells about why the earthquake happened
and the results of the earthquake. 2. Signal words used
are “As a result,” “so,” and “another effect.” 3. Cause is
Earthquake of 1906. Possible answers for Effects: build-
ings collapsed, gas pipes broke, over 28,000 buildings
were destroyed, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives,
300,000 people were left homeless, $400,000,000 in
property damage (any five).
Compare and Contrast (p. 9)
1. The passage has two subheadings, hurricanes and tor-
nadoes. It says these are two common types of severe
weather. The reader concludes that there are likenesses
and differences. 2. both, like, unlike
3. Possible answers: Hurricanes: form over warm ocean
water in the tropics; wind speeds from 75–155 mph+; ex-
tend out from the eye several hundred miles; last several
hours to weeks; damage caused by storm surge, rainfall,
flooding, and wind; season from June to end of Novem-
ber
Both: wind storms that cause destruction of property and
loss of life; form around low-pressure area; have an eye in
the center; rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemi-
sphere; rotate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere
Tornadoes: form over land; wind speeds from 40–320+
mph; width from a few yards to more than a mile; lasts
a few minutes to over an hour; damage mainly caused
by extreme winds and wind-blown debris; season from
March through August
Sequential Order (p. 11)
1. a. Brown onion and garlic in butter in an 8 qt. pan.
b. Add ground beef and brown until well done.
c. Add remaining ingredients.
d. Cover and simmer for two hours.
2. c, 3. d, 4. a, 5. d
6. The author uses signal words. Next, then, and finally
are used.
Main Idea and Supporting Details (p. 13)
1. United States Constitution, Possible Detail answers:
27 amendments have been added to it, composed of a
preamble and seven articles, first ten amendments are
known as the Bill of Rights, most important document in
our nation’s history
2. a, 3. b, 4. a, 5. a
Description (p.
15)
1. One of Dolley Madison’s White House parties
2. She remembered everyone’s name as she greeted
them and put them at ease. 3. Seabiscuit: head was too
big, legs were too short, knees were knobby, heart of a
racer War Admiral: sleek, long-legged thoroughbred
4. c, 5. a, 6. b, 7. c
Chronological Order (p. 17)
1. almanacs 2. 1806 3. d, 4. c, 5. b, 6. c
Events in order: A. 6, B. 8, C. 5, D. 1, E. 4, F. 7, G. 3,
H. 2
Organizational Text Features
What Are Organizational Text Features? (p. 19)
1. b, 2. c, 3. d, 4. a, 5. b, 6. d, 7. a, 8. c
9. An atlas would help the reader locate geographical
places that are included in the text. It would also help de-
velop an understanding of the text.
Table of Contents (p. 21)
1. The heading is Earthquakes, and the subheading is
Forces Inside the Earth. 2. Age of Rocks 3. The heading
is Volcanoes, and the subheading is Eruptions and Types
of Volcanoes. 4. The subheadings are Early Earth His-
tory and Middle and Recent Earth History. 5. The main
headings are Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Plate Tectonics,
Earth’s Past, and Geologic Time.
6. b, 7. d, 8. a, 9. c
10. The purpose of a table of contents is to help the read-
er locate parts of the book quickly.
Glossary (p. 23)
1. d, 2. e, 3. b, 4. c, 5. a, 6. c, 7. b, 8. b, 9. d
10. A pronunciation key helps the reader speak the un-
known word by using a special alphabet of symbols. For
example, if you didn’t know how to pronounce the word
biome, you could look in the pronunciation key and see
the words with the long i and the words with the long o to
help pronounce each syllable.
Index (p. 25)
1. The secondary entries under Volcanoes are active,
cause of, cinder cone, forms of, model of, and shield. 2.
One would expect to see a weather map. 3. The bold-
faced number lets the reader know that the words cinder
cone and shield volcanoes are defined on that page. 4.
It is a cross-reference where more information about the
topic can be found. 5. The primary entry words under U
are ultraviolet radiation, universe, uranium, and Uranus.
6. a, 7. b and c, 8. d, 9. d