Read Grade-Level Informational Texts Practice Test
•8 QuestionsRead the passage, then answer the question.
Seeds of Change: How a New Crop Traveled
In the 1500s, ships crossed the Atlantic Ocean more often than ever before. People usually remember this time for exploration, but another kind of travel was just as significant: the movement of plants. When a crop moved to a new place, it could change what people ate, how they worked, and even where they lived.
One crop that traveled widely was maize, which many people today call corn. Long before Europeans arrived in the Americas, Indigenous farmers had investigated which seeds produced the strongest plants. Over many generations, they selected seeds from the best harvests. This careful process, sometimes called selective breeding (choosing traits on purpose), made maize more reliable and easier to grow.
After contact between continents increased, maize seeds were carried on ships to Europe and then to parts of Africa and Asia. Maize spread partly because it could grow in different climates and soils. In contrast, some familiar European grains needed cooler weather or special kinds of fields. As a result, farmers in new regions could plant maize where other crops struggled.
However, the new crop did not solve every problem. In some places, leaders encouraged farmers to grow maize because it produced considerable food per acre. Yet when communities relied on one crop too much, they became less prepared for droughts, pests, or plant diseases. This risk is called dependence (needing something so much that it is hard to replace).
Maize also affected trade. When harvests increased, some towns had extra food to sell, and markets expanded. Consequently, more people could live in cities, where they worked at crafts and services instead of farming. Still, the benefits were not equal everywhere, because geography, weather, and local choices shaped what happened next.
Which statement best summarizes the passage?
Read the passage, then answer the question.
Seeds of Change: How a New Crop Traveled
In the 1500s, ships crossed the Atlantic Ocean more often than ever before. People usually remember this time for exploration, but another kind of travel was just as significant: the movement of plants. When a crop moved to a new place, it could change what people ate, how they worked, and even where they lived.
One crop that traveled widely was maize, which many people today call corn. Long before Europeans arrived in the Americas, Indigenous farmers had investigated which seeds produced the strongest plants. Over many generations, they selected seeds from the best harvests. This careful process, sometimes called selective breeding (choosing traits on purpose), made maize more reliable and easier to grow.
After contact between continents increased, maize seeds were carried on ships to Europe and then to parts of Africa and Asia. Maize spread partly because it could grow in different climates and soils. In contrast, some familiar European grains needed cooler weather or special kinds of fields. As a result, farmers in new regions could plant maize where other crops struggled.
However, the new crop did not solve every problem. In some places, leaders encouraged farmers to grow maize because it produced considerable food per acre. Yet when communities relied on one crop too much, they became less prepared for droughts, pests, or plant diseases. This risk is called dependence (needing something so much that it is hard to replace).
Maize also affected trade. When harvests increased, some towns had extra food to sell, and markets expanded. Consequently, more people could live in cities, where they worked at crafts and services instead of farming. Still, the benefits were not equal everywhere, because geography, weather, and local choices shaped what happened next.
Which statement best summarizes the passage?