4th Grade ELA Quiz: Paraphrasing Information From Texts And Presentations

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Paraphrasing Information From Texts And Presentations, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for 4th Grade ELA.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

Question 1

1. Add the key steps: add all side lengths using the same unit. (correct answer)
2. Make it shorter by removing the word 'shapes.'
3. Change it to a story about a rectangle.
4. Add new information about area to help the reader.

Explanation: This question tests 4th grade speaking and listening skills: paraphrasing portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally (CCSS.SL.4.2). Paraphrasing means putting information into your own words while keeping the meaning the same. Students listen to oral presentations, read texts, look at graphs or charts, watch videos, or see data presented in different ways. A good paraphrase includes the key information accurately, uses the student's own words (not copied phrases), and is complete (doesn't leave out important points). This skill shows you understand what you heard, read, or observed. In this scenario, the directions explained how to measure perimeter step by step. The information was presented orally as directions read aloud. Chen's paraphrase states: perimeter is about shapes. The original directions included: add lengths of all sides, use the same unit for each side, if sides are same length add twice, and perimeter tells distance around outside. Choice A is correct because Chen's paraphrase is missing the key steps of how to measure perimeter—specifically that you add all side lengths using the same unit. A good paraphrase is complete and includes the essential information. Choice B is incorrect because it suggests making the paraphrase shorter when the real problem is that it's missing key information about how to actually measure perimeter. Students sometimes think a shorter paraphrase is better, but completeness matters more than length. Being able to put information in your own words from different formats—whether you heard it, read it, or saw it in a graph—is how you learn and remember information. To help students paraphrase from diverse formats: Model paraphrasing think-alouds: "The source said... In my own words, that means..."; teach students to identify key information first before paraphrasing; practice with "Say it another way" games; provide sentence frames: "The directions explained that... This means... Another way to say this is..."; teach format-specific strategies: For oral directions, "listen for the steps and what to do". Use compare/contrast: Show original and good paraphrase, point out differences and similarities; practice checking: "Did I include all key information? Is it accurate? Did I use my own words? Does it make sense?"; give feedback: "You said what perimeter is about but not how to measure it"; practice with various formats so students learn to process information whether it's text, graph, presentation, or data. Watch for: students who paraphrase so vaguely it loses the specific meaning (like "perimeter is about shapes"); students who think paraphrase must be shorter (it doesn't—it just needs to be in own words). Also watch for students who miss procedural information in directions; students who don't check completeness against source; students who leave out the "how to" parts when paraphrasing instructions.

Question 2

1. Adult plants make flowers that can form new seeds. (correct answer)
2. Plants can only grow in deserts.
3. Seeds always sprout in one day.
4. Seedlings are a type of animal.

Explanation: This question tests 4th grade speaking and listening skills: paraphrasing portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally (CCSS.SL.4.2). Paraphrasing means putting information into your own words while keeping the meaning the same. Students listen to oral presentations, read texts, look at graphs or charts, watch videos, or see data presented in different ways. A good paraphrase includes the key information accurately, uses the student's own words (not copied phrases), and is complete (doesn't leave out important points). This skill shows you understand what you heard, read, or observed. In this scenario, the teacher explained a plant's life cycle stages orally. The information was presented orally as a lesson. Carlos's paraphrase states: A plant starts as a seed and grows into an adult plant. The original lesson included: seed sprouts to become seedling, seedling grows into adult plant, adult plant makes flowers that can form new seeds, and this starts the cycle again. Choice A is correct because Carlos's paraphrase accurately includes that plants start as seeds and grow into adults but is missing the key information that adult plants make flowers that can form new seeds. A good paraphrase is complete and includes all stages of the cycle. Choice B is incorrect because it identifies information that wasn't in the original source—the teacher never said plants can only grow in deserts. Students sometimes think they need to identify what's wrong rather than what's missing from a paraphrase. Being able to put information in your own words from different formats—whether you heard it, read it, or saw it in a graph—is how you learn and remember information. To help students paraphrase from diverse formats: Model paraphrasing think-alouds: "The teacher said... In my own words, that means..."; teach students to identify key information first before paraphrasing; practice with "Say it another way" games; provide sentence frames: "The lesson explained that... This means... Another way to say this is..."; teach format-specific strategies: For oral presentations, "listen for all steps or stages in a process". Use compare/contrast: Show original and good paraphrase, point out differences and similarities; practice checking: "Did I include all key information? Is it accurate? Did I use my own words? Does it make sense?"; give feedback: "You included seed and adult but missed seedling and flowers making new seeds"; practice with various formats so students learn to process information whether it's text, graph, presentation, or data. Watch for: students who paraphrase the beginning and end but miss middle steps; students who don't recognize cycles need the part that shows how it repeats. Also watch for students who think a shorter paraphrase is always better; students who miss the cyclical nature of processes; students who need reminders to include all stages when paraphrasing sequences or cycles.

Question 3

1. She copied the exact phrase "multiply length by width." (correct answer)
2. She used math words like "area" and "rectangle."
3. She wrote two sentences instead of three
4. She did not include the numbers 6 and 4

Explanation: This question tests 4th grade speaking and listening skills: paraphrasing portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally (CCSS.SL.4.2). Paraphrasing means putting information into your own words while keeping the meaning the same; students listen to oral presentations, read texts, look at graphs or charts, watch videos, or see data presented in different ways, and a good paraphrase includes the key information accurately, uses the student's own words (not copied phrases), and is complete (doesn't leave out important points), showing you understand what you heard, read, or observed. In this scenario, the math explanation text describes finding rectangle area by multiplying length by width, measured in square units, with an example of 6x4=24; the information was presented in text read aloud; Yuki's paraphrase states to find area of a rectangle multiply length by width and area is in square units; the original text included: multiply length by width for area, area in square units, and example 6 units long by 4 wide equals 24 square units. Choice A is correct because Yuki copied the exact phrase 'multiply length by width' showing it's too close to the original instead of using own words like 'times the long side by the wide side'; a good paraphrase uses own words and is complete. Choice D is incorrect because it claims she didn't include numbers 6 and 4, but while missing, the main issue is copying, not omission of example; students sometimes think using technical words means own words or don't notice copying; accurate, complete paraphrasing shows you understood, and being able to put information in your own words from different formats—whether you heard it, read it, or saw it in a graph—is how you learn and remember information. To help students paraphrase from diverse formats: model paraphrasing think-alouds like 'The text said multiply length by width; in my own words, that means do length times width'; teach students to identify key information first before paraphrasing; practice with 'Say it another way' games; provide sentence frames like 'The explanation said... This means... Another way to say this is...'; teach format-specific strategies such as for quantitative data, 'explain what the numbers mean.' Use compare/contrast: show original and good paraphrase, point out differences and similarities; highlight copied phrases in one color, paraphrased parts in another; practice checking 'Did I include all key information? Is it accurate? Did I use my own words? Does it make sense?'; give feedback like 'You copied the multiply phrase—reword it' or 'Add the example for completeness'; practice with various formats so students learn to process information whether it's text, graph, presentation, or data; watch for students who copy exact words especially in math, students who miss examples, or students who struggle with quantitative paraphrasing.

Question 4

1. Week 4 has 5 books, and Week 1 has 2 books (correct answer)
2. Week 2 has the fewest books, and Week 3 has the most
3. Week 1 and Week 4 have the same number of books
4. Week 4 has 3 books, and Week 1 has 5 books

Explanation: This question tests 4th grade speaking and listening skills: paraphrasing portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally (CCSS.SL.4.2). Paraphrasing means putting information into your own words while keeping the meaning the same; students listen to oral presentations, read texts, look at graphs or charts, watch videos, or see data presented in different ways, and a good paraphrase includes the key information accurately, uses the student's own words (not copied phrases), and is complete (doesn't leave out important points), showing you understand what you heard, read, or observed. In this scenario, the graph shows books read per week: 2 in Week 1, 4 in Week 2, 3 in Week 3, and 5 in Week 4; the information was presented visually in a graph; Carlos's paraphrase states he read the most in Week 4 and fewest in Week 1; the original graph included: Week 1 with 2 books, Week 2 with 4, Week 3 with 3, and Week 4 with 5. Choice A is correct because it matches the graph's data with Week 4 having 5 books and Week 1 having 2, aligning with the paraphrase's most and fewest while adding specific numbers for accuracy; a good paraphrase is accurate and complete. Choice B is incorrect because it says Week 2 has the fewest and Week 3 the most, but the graph shows Week 1 fewest with 2 and Week 4 most with 5; students sometimes focus on small details instead of key information or don't check accuracy against the source; accurate, complete paraphrasing shows you understood, and being able to put information in your own words from different formats—whether you heard it, read it, or saw it in a graph—is how you learn and remember information. To help students paraphrase from diverse formats: model paraphrasing think-alouds like 'The graph shows 5 in Week 4; in my own words, that means I read 5 books then'; teach students to identify key information first before paraphrasing; practice with 'Say it another way' games; provide sentence frames like 'The graph showed... This means... Another way to say this is...'; teach format-specific strategies such as for visuals, 'put the graph into words.' Use compare/contrast: show original and good paraphrase, point out differences and similarities; highlight copied phrases in one color, paraphrased parts in another; practice checking 'Did I include all key information? Is it accurate? Did I use my own words? Does it make sense?'; give feedback like 'You got most and fewest right but add numbers' or 'Week 2 isn't fewest—check the bars'; practice with various formats so students learn to process information whether it's text, graph, presentation, or data; watch for students who struggle with visual formats, students who don't verify numbers, or students who paraphrase incompletely.

Question 5

1. Chen exercised 20 minutes Monday, 35 Tuesday, 15 Wednesday, and 30 Thursday. (correct answer)
2. Chen exercised the most on Tuesday and never exercised on Wednesday.
3. Chen exercised for about 30 minutes every day that week.
4. Chen exercised the least on Tuesday and the most on Wednesday.

Explanation: This question tests 4th grade speaking and listening skills: paraphrasing portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally (CCSS.SL.4.2). Paraphrasing means putting information into your own words while keeping the meaning the same; students listen to oral presentations, read texts, look at graphs or charts, watch videos, or see data presented in different ways, and a good paraphrase includes the key information accurately, uses the student's own words (not copied phrases), and is complete (doesn't leave out important points), showing you understand what you heard, read, or observed. In this scenario, the table shows quantitative data on minutes of exercise over four days: 20 on Monday, 35 on Tuesday, 15 on Wednesday, and 30 on Thursday; the information was presented as quantitative data; Chen's paraphrase states he exercised the most on Tuesday and the least on Wednesday; the original table included: Monday 20 minutes, Tuesday 35, Wednesday 15, and Thursday 30. Choice A is correct because it is the best paraphrase as it includes all key points like the exact minutes for each day in the student's own words like listing them out instead of copying the table format; a good paraphrase is accurate, complete, and uses own words. Choice B is incorrect because it claims Chen exercised the most on Tuesday and never on Wednesday, but the table shows 15 minutes on Wednesday, not zero; students sometimes think making a paraphrase shorter is the same as making it their own or accept incomplete ones that miss data points; accurate, complete paraphrasing shows you understood, and being able to put information in your own words from different formats—whether you heard it, read it, or saw it in a graph—is how you learn and remember information. To help students paraphrase from diverse formats: model paraphrasing think-alouds like 'The table shows 20 on Monday; in my own words, that means I exercised 20 minutes Monday'; teach students to identify key information first before paraphrasing; practice with 'Say it another way' games; provide sentence frames like 'The data showed... This means... Another way to say this is...'; teach format-specific strategies such as for quantitative data, 'explain what the numbers mean.' Use compare/contrast: show original and good paraphrase, point out differences and similarities; highlight copied phrases in one color, paraphrased parts in another; practice checking 'Did I include all key information? Is it accurate? Did I use my own words? Does it make sense?'; give feedback like 'You included most and least but missed other days' or 'You said 'never' which is inaccurate—use the actual number'; practice with various formats so students learn to process information whether it's text, graph, presentation, or data; watch for students who struggle more with paraphrasing from quantitative formats, students who think paraphrase must be shorter, students who don't check accuracy against source, or students who paraphrase vaguely losing specific meaning.

Question 6

1. Plants make sugar in leaves using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, and they release oxygen. (correct answer)
2. Plants breathe in oxygen through their leaves and use it to make water, carbon dioxide, and sugar.
3. Plants use chlorophyll in leaves to catch sunlight, and this is how they release carbon dioxide.
4. Photosynthesis happens mostly in roots, where plants use water alone to make food without sunlight.

Explanation: A good paraphrase says all the key information in your own words and keeps the meaning the same. The slide explained that plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make sugar in their leaves, and that they release oxygen into the air. The best answer includes every one of these key points and states them accurately. The choice saying plants breathe in oxygen to make water, carbon dioxide, and sugar is wrong because it reverses the process — plants release oxygen and use carbon dioxide, they do not breathe oxygen in to make those things. The choice about chlorophyll catching sunlight starts with a true detail from the caption, but it is wrong because plants release oxygen, not carbon dioxide, so it mixes up what leaves give off. The choice saying photosynthesis happens in roots using water alone without sunlight is wrong because the slide clearly says it happens in leaves and that plants need sunlight. When you paraphrase, check: Did I include all the key points? Is each one accurate? Did I use my own words?

Question 7

1. That weathering does not move the rock pieces away (correct answer)
2. That freezing water in cracks pushes rocks apart
3. That blowing sand scratches the rock surfaces
4. That weathering always happens in dry deserts

Explanation: The presentation made four points: weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces, water freezes in cracks and pushes rocks apart, wind blows sand that scratches rock surfaces, and weathering changes the rock but does not move the pieces away. Maya's paraphrase says rocks break into smaller pieces because of water and wind. A good paraphrase must be accurate AND complete. The best answer names the one main idea she left out entirely: that weathering does not move the pieces away. The choice about freezing water pushing rocks apart is a detail, not the missing main idea—Maya already covered water as a cause, so this is not the key point she skipped. The choice about blowing sand scratching surfaces is the same kind of detail—she already mentioned wind, so this is not the missing key idea either. The choice about weathering always happening in dry deserts is wrong because the presentation never says that; a paraphrase should not add new ideas that were never presented. Only one choice states a whole main idea that Maya truly left out.

Question 8

1. Yes; it names the animals and shows that hibernation happens during the winter season
2. No; it leaves out the body changes and the use of stored fat for energy (correct answer)
3. Yes; it uses her own words and covers the main idea that animals sleep to survive
4. No; it says bears hibernate, but the passage only lists bats and frogs

Explanation: A complete paraphrase keeps all the important information from the passage. Keisha's paraphrase gets the main idea and names bears and bats, but it misses two key points: that an animal's body temperature drops and its heartbeat slows, and that the animal uses stored body fat for energy. So the best answer is that it is incomplete because it leaves out the body changes and the use of stored fat. The choice saying it is complete because it names the animals and mentions winter is wrong, because naming examples is not enough when the physical changes and energy source are missing. The choice saying it is complete because it uses her own words and covers the main idea is wrong, because using your own words is good, but a paraphrase must also include every key detail, not just the main idea. The choice saying bears do not belong is wrong, because the passage clearly lists bears, bats, and frogs as animals that hibernate.

Question 9

1. The judicial branch explains laws and checks if they follow the Constitution (correct answer)
2. The executive branch writes new laws and votes on them for the country
3. The legislative branch carries out laws and settles court cases
4. The judicial branch chooses the leaders who run the whole country

Explanation: Riley's paraphrase mentions three branches and names two of their jobs: one branch makes laws and one carries out laws. But the speaker described three jobs, and Riley skipped one. The missing information is that the judicial branch explains laws and checks if they follow the Constitution—so that is the correct answer. The choice saying the executive branch writes and votes on laws is wrong because the speaker said the executive branch carries out laws; making laws is the legislative branch's job. The choice saying the legislative branch carries out laws and settles court cases mixes up the jobs—the legislative branch makes laws, and it does not run courts. The choice saying the judicial branch chooses the country's leaders is also wrong, because the speaker said the judicial branch explains laws and checks the Constitution, not that it picks leaders. A good paraphrase must be complete, so the key information Riley left out is the judicial branch's real job.

Question 10

1. She copied the sentence "The governor is the leader of a state." (correct answer)
2. She wrote fewer total sentences than the original text used.
3. She explained the main idea about governors in a new way.
4. She replaced the word "state" with a word she chose herself.

Explanation: The best answer is that Sofia copied the exact sentence "The governor is the leader of a state." A good paraphrase puts ideas into your own words, but here Sofia wrote that sentence word-for-word, straight from the text. That copying is what shows she did not use her own words. Writing fewer sentences is not the real problem. A paraphrase can be shorter than the original as long as the words are your own—shortness alone is not copying, so this choice misses the true issue. Explaining the main idea in a new way is actually a sign of a GOOD paraphrase, not a bad one. If Sofia had truly reworded the ideas, that would help her, so this cannot be the thing she did wrong. Replacing the word "state" with her own word would also be good paraphrasing. But Sofia did not do that—she kept the original words. This choice describes something helpful, not the mistake she made.

Question 11

1. It is incorrect because the trip happens tomorrow, not next week. (correct answer)
2. It is incorrect because the class leaves at 9:30, not at 9:00.
3. It is incorrect because the class returns at 3:30, not at 2:30.
4. It is incorrect because students should bring dinner, not lunch.

Explanation: A good paraphrase keeps every important detail accurate. Amir got most of it right: the class does leave at 9:00, return at 2:30, and bring lunch. But he changed the timing of the trip. The announcement said the trip is tomorrow, and Amir said next week. That is the incorrect part, so the answer about the trip happening tomorrow, not next week, is correct. The choice saying the class leaves at 9:30 is wrong, because both the announcement and Amir say 9:00. The choice saying the class returns at 3:30 is wrong, because the announcement and Amir both say 2:30. The choice about bringing dinner is wrong, because the announcement said packed lunch and Amir correctly said lunch. When you paraphrase, always double-check facts like dates and times so you don't accidentally change the meaning, the way Amir did when he turned 'tomorrow' into 'next week.'

Question 12

1. Yes; it names the seasons, cities, and ports, and those are all the key ideas from the report.
2. No; it leaves out the forests and mountains and the jobs like fishing and shipping. (correct answer)
3. Yes; it uses her own words instead of the exact words from the report she heard.
4. No; it should repeat the exact same words the report used about the Northeast region.

Explanation: The report shared four main ideas about the Northeast: its seasons, its cities and ports, its forests and mountains, and its jobs like fishing and shipping. Keisha's paraphrase only covers the seasons, cities, and ports. That means it is not complete, because it leaves out the forests and mountains and the jobs like fishing and shipping. A complete paraphrase keeps all the key ideas from what you heard, so this is the best answer. Saying it names all the key ideas is wrong, because two big ideas—the geography and the jobs—are missing. Saying it is complete because she used her own words is wrong, too: using your own words is good, but a paraphrase must also include every important point. Saying she should repeat the exact same words is wrong because a paraphrase means putting information into your own words, not copying them. When you paraphrase, check that you kept all the key ideas and still used your own words.

Question 13

1. Magnets have north and south poles, and opposite poles pull together, so they must attract every material, including plastic and wood.
2. Magnets have two poles, and opposite poles attract while same poles repel; they pull iron but not plastic or wood. (correct answer)
3. Magnets are really cool because they stick to almost everything around them, even things made from wood and plastic.
4. Magnets have two poles, north and south, and opposite poles attract while the same poles repel each other.

Explanation: A good paraphrase says all the important ideas accurately, in your own words. The video explained that magnets have two poles, opposite poles attract while same poles repel, and magnets pull iron but not plastic or wood. The best answer covers every one of those points and uses fresh wording like "pull" instead of "attract." The choice saying magnets attract every material, including plastic and wood, is wrong because the video said magnets pull only some metals like iron, not everything. The choice saying magnets stick to almost everything, even wood and plastic, is also wrong and just gives an opinion instead of the real facts. The choice that stops after "north and south... same poles repel" leaves out the important part about magnets pulling iron but not plastic or wood, so it is incomplete. Only one answer is both accurate and complete, so that is the best paraphrase.

Question 14

1. It is accurate and complete, and it uses Yuki's own words instead of copying. (correct answer)
2. It is inaccurate because it says Lena finds the book when she never really does.
3. It is incomplete because a good paraphrase must include the exact place, under the couch.
4. It is copying because every phrase matches the original summary word for word.

Explanation: A good paraphrase keeps the meaning the same, includes all the main events, and uses your own words instead of copying. Yuki does all three. Yuki correctly says Lena loses the book, looks for it with help, finds it, and plans to be more careful. That covers every important part of the story, and Yuki uses fresh wording like "looks for it with help" instead of "retraces her steps and asks her brother." So the answer that says it is accurate, complete, and in Yuki's own words is correct. The choice saying the paraphrase is inaccurate is wrong, because the original clearly states they find the book under the couch. The choice saying it is incomplete is wrong, because a paraphrase can say "finds it" without listing every small detail like the exact hiding spot. The choice saying it is copying is wrong, because Yuki's sentence does not match the original word for word—Yuki changed the wording. Remember: paraphrasing means saying the same ideas a new way, keeping what matters and leaving out tiny details.

Question 15

1. Add the steps about using two wires to make a closed loop (correct answer)
2. Make it shorter by leaving out the part about the light bulb
3. Add a fact about electricity moving at the speed of light
4. Add a guess about which battery brand works the best

Explanation: A good paraphrase keeps all the important information and puts it in your own words. Amir's paraphrase is too vague—he left out the key steps. The best fix is to add the steps about using two wires to make a closed loop, because that includes the important information he skipped and keeps the demonstration's meaning. Making it shorter by leaving out the light bulb is wrong because a paraphrase should not drop key steps—it is already missing too much, not too full. Adding a fact about electricity moving at the speed of light is wrong because that idea was never in the demonstration, and a paraphrase should not add new ideas. Adding a guess about which battery brand works best is also wrong for the same reason: the demonstration never mentioned brands, so this adds an outside idea instead of restating what was shown. Only one choice actually completes Amir's paraphrase with the missing steps he saw.

Question 16

1. Riley copied the exact phrase "the way water moves on Earth." (correct answer)
2. Riley wrote the steps of the water cycle in a brand-new order.
3. Riley added extra facts about hail, sleet, and freezing.
4. Riley made the sentences much shorter than the original text.

Explanation: A good paraphrase keeps the meaning but uses your own words. When you look at Riley's writing, the phrase "the way water moves on Earth" is copied word-for-word straight from the text. That is why this shows Riley did not use own words. The choice about writing the steps in a brand-new order is wrong because Riley kept the same order as the text and did not rearrange anything. The choice about adding extra facts like hail, sleet, and freezing is wrong because Riley added no new details at all—the paraphrase only leaves information out. The choice about making the sentences much shorter is wrong because Riley copied the original sentences almost exactly instead of shortening them; the whole point is that the words are the same, not that they are shorter. Remember: changing the length or the order is not the real problem here. Copying the exact same words is what makes it not a true paraphrase. Next time, try covering the text and saying the idea a new way, like "how water travels around our planet."

Question 17

1. A food chain shows how energy moves and animals eat each other.
2. Plants get the energy they need directly from the soil. (correct answer)
3. Rabbits eat the green plants, and hungry foxes then eat the rabbits.
4. Decomposers break down dead things and put nutrients back in the soil.

Explanation: A good paraphrase keeps the same meaning as the original text. The choice saying plants get energy from the soil is incorrect, because the passage clearly said plants make their own food using sunlight, not soil. That changes the meaning, so it is the inaccurate part. The choice about a food chain showing energy moving and animals eating each other matches the passage well, since the text said a food chain shows how energy moves in an ecosystem. The choice about rabbits eating plants and foxes eating rabbits repeats the passage's facts correctly. The choice about decomposers breaking down dead things and returning nutrients to the soil also matches what the passage said. So the only part where Jamal changed the meaning is the plant energy sentence. When you paraphrase, check each idea against the original to make sure you kept the facts the same.

Question 18

1. It is correct because the text says friction is a force that works between two surfaces.
2. It is incorrect because the text says friction slows things down, not speeds them up. (correct answer)
3. It is incorrect because the text says friction only causes heat and never helps you.
4. It is correct because the text says smooth surfaces have more friction than rough ones.

Explanation: A good paraphrase keeps the same meaning as the text. The text says friction is a force that slows things down when two surfaces rub together, and that rough surfaces usually make more friction than smooth ones. The best answer points out that Jamal said friction speeds things up, but the text said it slows things down—so that part is wrong. The choice saying the paraphrase is correct because friction is a force misses the point: friction really is a force, but that is not where Jamal made his mistake. The choice saying friction only causes heat and never helps you is wrong because the text gives an example of friction helping—your shoes gripping the ground. The choice saying smooth surfaces have more friction is wrong because the text actually says rough surfaces make more friction, which is the second mistake in Jamal's paraphrase. When you paraphrase, check each part against the source to make sure you did not reverse the meaning.