Analyze How Ideas Are Developed
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6th Grade ELA › Analyze How Ideas Are Developed
Read the passage, then answer the question.
(Paragraph 1) On a hot Alabama day in 1955, a Black seamstress named Rosa Parks climbed onto a city bus after work. She was 42 years old, quiet in manner, and already active in her local civil rights group. At the time, many Southern cities followed segregation laws that forced Black passengers to sit in certain seats.
(Paragraph 2) When the bus filled up, the driver told Parks and three other Black riders to give up their row so a white passenger could sit. The others moved. Parks stayed seated. Later she explained that she was not refusing because her legs were tired; she was tired of being treated unfairly.
(Paragraph 3) Parks was arrested, and news of her arrest spread quickly through Montgomery, Alabama. Local leaders, including a young minister named Martin Luther King Jr., helped organize a bus boycott. For 381 days, many Black residents chose to walk, carpool, or ride in shared taxis instead of taking the bus.
(Paragraph 4) The boycott was not easy. Some people walked miles to work in rain and heat. Others lost jobs or faced threats. However, the organizers kept meeting, printing flyers, and collecting donations so the boycott could continue.
(Paragraph 5) As a result, the case reached the courts, and in 1956 the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Browder v. Gayle ended bus segregation in Montgomery. Parks later said, “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”
(Paragraph 6) Today, Rosa Parks is remembered not only for one brave moment, but also for how her action helped a community work together for change. Her story shows how a single choice can lead to organized, long-term efforts that shape history.
Question: How does the author develop the significance of Rosa Parks throughout the passage?
The author develops her significance by comparing Montgomery to several other cities and focusing mostly on bus technology.
The author develops her significance by using a long fictional story about a made-up rider instead of real events and dates.
The author develops her significance by listing only her later awards and then ending with a summary of her childhood.
The author develops her significance by introducing her background on a bus, illustrating her refusal and the boycott with specific facts, and elaborating with the court outcome and lasting legacy.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In this passage, the author introduces Rosa Parks with her background as a seamstress and civil rights activist, illustrates her significance through the specific bus incident and the 381-day boycott with concrete details, and elaborates by explaining the Supreme Court decision and her lasting legacy as someone whose single choice led to organized change. Choice B is correct because it accurately identifies all three development stages and matches the actual progression in the passage. Specifically, paragraph 1 introduces her background, paragraphs 2-4 illustrate with the bus incident and boycott details, and paragraphs 5-6 elaborate on the court outcome and lasting impact. Choice A represents the common error of misidentifying the development sequence. Students make this mistake because they confuse the chronological order of events with the author's method of developing significance. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage and answer the question.
(1) In 1969, a young engineer named Ellen Ochoa watched the first Moon landing on television and wondered what it would be like to work in space. She grew up in California and loved math and science, but she did not yet know that she would one day become an astronaut.
(2) Years later, Ochoa studied electrical engineering and earned a doctorate. Furthermore, she became interested in optics, the science of light. While working as a researcher, she helped create inventions that used lasers and computers to process images.
(3) For example, one of her patents improved the way computers recognize patterns in pictures. Another helped clean up blurry images so scientists could study them more clearly. These ideas mattered because space missions depend on accurate pictures of Earth and other planets.
(4) Ochoa also faced a new kind of challenge: becoming an astronaut is extremely competitive. In addition to strong grades, candidates must pass physical tests and learn to solve problems under pressure. Even so, she kept applying and training.
(5) As a result, in 1993 she flew on the space shuttle Discovery. During later missions, she helped operate a robotic arm and carried out experiments. She once said, “It’s important to have dreams and goals,” reminding students that big achievements begin with steady effort.
(6) In the final part of her career, Ochoa became the first Latina director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Moreover, her story shows that science is not only about ideas in a lab. It is also about teamwork, persistence, and using knowledge to explore new places.
Question: Throughout the passage, how does the author develop the idea that Ellen Ochoa’s success came from both scientific skill and persistence?
The author develops the idea by comparing Ochoa to several other astronauts and showing that they all had the same background.
The author develops the idea by focusing mostly on the details of one shuttle mission and leaving out her work in optics.
The author develops the idea by listing only Ochoa’s awards and titles, without explaining what she did to earn them.
The author develops the idea by introducing Ochoa’s childhood interest, illustrating her inventions and training with examples, and elaborating with her later leadership and message to students.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In this passage, the author introduces Ochoa's dual qualities through her childhood interest and education (paragraphs 1-2), illustrates them through specific examples of her inventions and astronaut training challenges (paragraphs 3-4), and elaborates by showing her achievements in space and leadership role while emphasizing her message about dreams and effort (paragraphs 5-6). Choice B is correct because it accurately identifies all three development stages and captures how the passage traces both her scientific accomplishments (optics inventions) and her persistence (competitive astronaut training, continued applications). Choice A represents the common error of focusing on surface details without recognizing the development pattern - students see awards mentioned but miss how the passage actually develops the idea through concrete examples and progression. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage and answer the question.
(1) In the early 1900s, many people in the United States bought food in cans without knowing exactly what was inside. Labels were sometimes unclear, and some companies used unsafe ingredients to save money. This problem led to an important event: the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.
(2) The passage explains that reformers and journalists raised alarms about food safety. One writer, Upton Sinclair, described dirty conditions in meatpacking plants in his novel The Jungle. Although it was fiction, it made readers worry about real factories. Soon, citizens demanded stronger rules.
(3) In response, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. The law required honest labeling and banned the sale of misbranded or harmful foods and medicines. For example, a medicine bottle could not claim to cure an illness if it did not contain the ingredients it advertised.
(4) Furthermore, the law helped the government begin inspecting products more carefully. Companies had to pay attention to cleanliness and accuracy because they could face penalties. As a result, consumers gained more trust when buying packaged goods.
(5) The passage also notes that the 1906 law did not solve every problem. Over time, new laws and agencies were created to handle modern challenges, such as new chemicals and mass production. Still, the Pure Food and Drug Act is often seen as a starting point for consumer protection.
(6) Today, people expect nutrition facts and ingredient lists on many items. The passage connects these modern expectations to the 1906 law to show how one event can shape everyday life for generations.
Question: Which detail best illustrates how the Pure Food and Drug Act is developed through cause-and-effect in the passage?
The passage mentions that the novel The Jungle was fiction.
The passage states that new laws were created later, without explaining what caused them.
The passage says that cans were popular in the early 1900s.
The passage explains that public concern, increased by journalists’ reports, led Congress to pass a law requiring honest labeling.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). The passage develops the Pure Food and Drug Act through cause-and-effect relationships, particularly showing how public concern driven by journalists' reports led Congress to pass the law. Choice B is correct because it identifies the key cause-and-effect relationship that illustrates the event's development - reformers and journalists raising alarms (cause) led to Congress passing the law (effect). Specifically, paragraph 2 establishes the cause (public concern from Sinclair's novel and journalism) and paragraph 3 shows the effect (Congress passing the law). Choice D represents the common error of identifying a detail that mentions sequence without explaining causation. Students make this mistake because they confuse chronological order with cause-and-effect relationships, not recognizing that true cause-and-effect must show how one thing directly led to another. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage and answer the question.
(1) When people talk about saving energy, they often mention renewable energy. Renewable energy comes from sources that can be replaced naturally, such as sunlight, wind, and moving water.
(2) The author begins by describing a familiar scene: a sunny roof covered with solar panels. These panels convert light into electricity. In contrast, burning coal uses fuel that took millions of years to form and cannot be quickly replaced.
(3) For example, a school might install solar panels and lower its electricity bill. A windy region might build wind turbines that spin like giant pinwheels. Furthermore, some dams use flowing water to turn turbines and generate power.
(4) The passage also explains challenges. Solar panels do not make electricity at night, and wind turbines need steady wind. As a result, many communities use a mix of energy sources and improve batteries that store power.
(5) In the final paragraph, the author elaborates on why renewable energy matters. Moreover, using more renewable energy can reduce air pollution and help communities rely less on fuels that may become expensive or hard to obtain.
Question: How does the author develop the idea of renewable energy from the beginning to the end of the passage?
The author develops the idea by focusing mainly on the history of coal mining and leaving out renewable sources.
The author develops the idea by starting with a definition, illustrating it with concrete examples and a comparison to coal, and then elaborating on challenges and benefits.
The author develops the idea by telling a long fictional story about a family that moves to the countryside.
The author develops the idea by giving only a list of renewable energy types, without explaining how they work or why they matter.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In this passage, the author introduces renewable energy with a definition and familiar scene (paragraphs 1-2), illustrates it through concrete examples of solar panels, wind turbines, and water power plus challenges (paragraphs 3-4), and elaborates on its broader significance for pollution reduction and energy independence (paragraph 5). Choice B is correct because it accurately traces all three development stages: the definition introduction, the illustration through multiple examples and comparison to coal, and the elaboration on challenges and benefits. Choice A represents the common error of incomplete analysis - students might notice the list of types but miss how the passage actually develops understanding through examples, comparisons, and exploration of significance. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage, then answer the question.
(1) If you have ever listened to a song and felt like you could predict the next beat, you have experienced rhythm. Rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences that helps music move forward in time.
(2) One way to understand rhythm is to think of a heartbeat. It is steady, repeating, and it keeps the body moving. Similarly, many songs have a steady pulse, sometimes called the beat, that musicians follow.
(3) However, rhythm is not only a steady beat. Musicians add variety by changing how long notes last. For example, a drummer might play two quick taps followed by a longer pause. This creates a pattern that listeners can recognize.
(4) Different cultures use rhythm in unique ways. In West African drumming, several rhythms may be played at once, creating a layered sound. In addition, many Latin music styles use syncopation, which means the emphasis lands on unexpected beats.
(5) Rhythm also affects how people move. As a result, dancers often count beats to stay together. Even athletes use rhythm when they run or jump, because repeating patterns can help the body keep a steady pace.
(6) Understanding rhythm can make listening more fun. When you clap along to a song, you are joining its pattern. Furthermore, learning rhythm helps musicians read music and play accurately with others.
Question: How does the author introduce the key idea of rhythm in paragraph 1?
The author introduces rhythm by describing how to build a drum set from wood and metal.
The author introduces rhythm by arguing that only professional musicians can understand patterns in music.
The author introduces rhythm by giving a definition and connecting it to a familiar experience of listening to music.
The author introduces rhythm by listing the names of famous composers without explaining what rhythm is.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In paragraph 1, the author introduces rhythm by first connecting it to a familiar experience (predicting the next beat in a song) and then providing a clear definition (the pattern of sounds and silences that helps music move forward in time). Choice A is correct because it accurately identifies this introduction method of connecting to familiar experience before defining. Specifically, the author uses the relatable experience of listening to music and feeling like you can predict the next beat to make the concept accessible before providing the technical definition. Choice B represents the common error of confusing introduction methods. Students make this mistake because they expect introduction to always involve listing examples or names, rather than recognizing that connecting to familiar experiences is an effective introduction technique. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage and answer the question.
(1) If you have ever seen a tree sprouting in a crack of a sidewalk, you have witnessed nature’s determination. This determination is also part of the idea called ecological succession. Succession is the process in which an ecosystem changes over time as different plants and animals move in.
(2) The passage explains that succession often begins after a disturbance, such as a wildfire, a flood, or a volcanic eruption. At first, the area may look empty. However, the change starts quickly. Tiny organisms and hardy plants begin to grow, even in difficult conditions.
(3) For example, after a lava flow cools into rock, lichens can be among the first living things to appear. Lichens help break down rock into small pieces, which eventually becomes soil. As soil builds, grasses and small plants can take root.
(4) Later, shrubs may grow, followed by young trees. As a result, more animals can live there because there is more shelter and food. The passage describes this as a step-by-step pattern, like building layers in a sandwich.
(5) Furthermore, succession does not always end with the same kind of forest or field. Climate, rainfall, and the types of seeds nearby all affect what the ecosystem becomes. In addition, human actions, such as replanting trees, can change the speed of succession.
(6) Understanding succession helps scientists and communities make decisions. For instance, after a fire, land managers can decide whether to let an area recover naturally or to plant certain species. The idea shows that ecosystems are not frozen in place—they are always responding to change.
Question: How does the author develop the key idea of ecological succession from the beginning to the end of the passage?
The author develops succession by arguing that ecosystems never change and stay the same forever.
The author develops succession by defining it, giving a concrete example of stages after a disturbance, and then explaining why the idea matters for real-world decisions.
The author develops succession by focusing on a single animal’s life story and never mentioning ecosystem change.
The author develops succession by listing only vocabulary words without examples or cause-and-effect relationships.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). The passage develops ecological succession by introducing it as a process of ecosystem change (paragraph 1), illustrating with the concrete example of post-lava flow stages from lichens to forests (paragraphs 2-4), and elaborating on its significance for scientific understanding and land management decisions (paragraphs 5-6). Choice A is correct because it accurately captures all three development stages and their progression through the passage. Specifically, the definition comes first, followed by the step-by-step lava flow example, then the real-world applications for land managers. Choice B represents the common error of completely misidentifying the content - the passage focuses on ecosystem processes, not individual animals. Students make this mistake because they expect all science passages to focus on organisms rather than processes, missing the abstract concept being developed. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage, then answer the question.
(1) Every time you send a text, stream a video, or search online, information travels across invisible pathways. Those pathways are part of the internet, a global network that connects computers and devices.
(2) The internet works because data is broken into small pieces called packets. Each packet contains part of the message and an address, like a digital mailing label. Furthermore, packets can travel along different routes to reach the same destination.
(3) For example, if one pathway is crowded or broken, routers can send packets another way. Routers are devices that direct traffic, helping data move quickly. As a result, you might still receive a message even if one connection is slow.
(4) This packet system began as an idea in the 1960s, when researchers wanted communication networks that could keep working even if parts failed. Over time, universities and governments connected their networks, and later businesses and homes joined too.
(5) The internet has changed how people learn and share. In addition, it allows video calls, online maps, and instant news. However, it also raises new responsibilities, such as protecting passwords and checking whether information is reliable.
(6) Understanding how the internet works helps users make smarter choices. When you know that data travels through many devices, you can better understand why speed changes and why security matters.
Question: How does the author’s development of the internet in paragraph 2 differ from paragraph 5?
Paragraph 2 defines key technical parts like packets, while paragraph 5 elaborates on the internet’s effects and responsibilities for users.
Paragraph 2 focuses on online safety rules, while paragraph 5 explains how packets are addressed and routed.
Paragraph 2 tells a personal anecdote about a student building a router, while paragraph 5 lists only dates from the 1960s.
Paragraph 2 argues that the internet is unnecessary, while paragraph 5 explains that the internet was invented in 1815.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). The question asks how development differs between paragraph 2 and paragraph 5, requiring analysis of different development approaches. Paragraph 2 defines technical components (packets, addresses, routing), while paragraph 5 elaborates on the internet's broader effects on society and user responsibilities. Choice A is correct because it accurately identifies this difference: paragraph 2 focuses on technical definitions while paragraph 5 elaborates on effects and responsibilities. Specifically, paragraph 2 explains how the internet works mechanically (packets, addresses), while paragraph 5 explores its impact on learning, sharing, and the need for security awareness. Choice D represents the common error of reversing or misidentifying the content of paragraphs. Students make this mistake because they don't carefully track which paragraph contains which type of development, confusing technical explanation with elaboration on effects. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage, then answer the question.
(Paragraph 1) In 2012, a teenager named Malala Yousafzai wrote a blog about life in Pakistan’s Swat Valley and why education matters. She believed that girls should have the same chance to attend school as boys.
(Paragraph 2) Malala’s writing made her well known. She spoke in interviews and encouraged families to support learning. Even when it was difficult, she kept repeating a simple message: education helps people build better futures.
(Paragraph 3) After Malala survived an attack in 2012, she continued her work from a new home in the United Kingdom. She returned to school and also began speaking to world leaders. In 2013 she addressed the United Nations and said, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
(Paragraph 4) Furthermore, Malala and her father created the Malala Fund, which supports education projects in several countries. The fund helps pay for school supplies, trains teachers, and speaks up for policies that keep students learning.
(Paragraph 5) In 2014, Malala became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. The award recognized her courage and her steady focus on education instead of revenge.
(Paragraph 6) Today, Malala’s story is used in classrooms to show how one person’s voice can reach far beyond their hometown. Her work continues as she studies, writes, and supports students around the world.
Question: How does the author’s development of Malala in paragraph 1 differ from paragraph 6?
Paragraph 1 focuses on the Malala Fund’s budget, while paragraph 6 explains the details of the 2013 United Nations speech.
Paragraph 1 elaborates on her global legacy, while paragraph 6 introduces her name and where she lived for the first time.
Paragraph 1 introduces Malala with basic context about her writing and belief in education, while paragraph 6 elaborates on her lasting influence and ongoing work today.
Paragraph 1 and paragraph 6 both only list dates, without explaining any actions or impact.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In this passage, paragraph 1 introduces Malala with basic context about her blog writing and belief in education, while paragraph 6 elaborates on her lasting influence by explaining how her story is used in classrooms and her ongoing work supporting students worldwide. Choice A is correct because it accurately identifies the different development stages: introduction with basic context versus elaboration on lasting impact and continued influence. Specifically, paragraph 1 establishes who she is and her core belief, while paragraph 6 expands on her broader significance and ongoing legacy. Choice B represents the common error of reversing the development stages. Students make this mistake because they confuse the chronological order of information with the author's method of developing the individual's significance from introduction to elaboration. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage, then answer the question.
(Paragraph 1) Sometimes an invention is not a new machine, but a new way of organizing information. In the early 1800s, Louis Braille, a French student who was blind, wanted a faster way to read and write.
(Paragraph 2) At his school in Paris, students used raised-letter books, but the books were heavy and slow to read. Braille learned about a military code that used raised dots so soldiers could send messages at night without speaking.
(Paragraph 3) Braille experimented with dot patterns and created a system of six dots arranged in a small cell. Different combinations represent letters, numbers, and punctuation. Because the dots fit under a fingertip, readers can move smoothly across a line.
(Paragraph 4) For example, a student can write Braille using a slate and stylus, pressing dots into thick paper. Later, Braille typewriters and modern refreshable Braille displays made writing and reading even quicker.
(Paragraph 5) At first, some adults resisted the new system because they were used to raised letters. However, students preferred Braille because it gave them independence. As a result, Braille spread to many countries and was adapted for different languages.
(Paragraph 6) Today, Braille remains important in schools, libraries, and public signs such as elevator buttons. It continues to support literacy, proving that access to reading can change a person’s opportunities.
Question: How does the author develop the idea that Braille increased independence for people who are blind?
The author develops the idea by describing only Louis Braille’s favorite subjects and ignoring how the system works.
The author develops the idea by arguing that raised-letter books were always easier and that Braille was never adopted.
The author develops the idea by defining Braille’s dot cell, giving examples of how it is written and used, and explaining that students preferred it because it allowed independent reading and writing.
The author develops the idea by focusing on a comparison between Braille and Morse code, without mentioning reading or writing.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In this passage, the author develops the idea of Braille increasing independence by defining the dot cell system (paragraph 3), giving examples of how it's written and used with tools like slate and stylus (paragraph 4), and explaining that students preferred it specifically because it gave them independence compared to raised-letter books (paragraph 5). Choice A is correct because it accurately identifies all three development methods used to show how Braille increased independence. Specifically, the author defines the system, illustrates with examples of tools and usage, and directly states that students preferred it for the independence it provided. Choice B represents the common error of incomplete analysis. Students make this mistake because they focus on biographical details about Louis Braille rather than tracking how the author develops the specific idea about independence through the system's features and student preferences. To help students master this skill: Use graphic organizers with three columns (Introduction / Illustration / Elaboration) to map development. Teach difference between illustration (showing through evidence) and elaboration (expanding significance). Practice identifying development methods: example vs. anecdote vs. description vs. fact. Have students trace one idea through entire passage using different colors for each stage. Watch for: students who summarize content instead of analyzing development, students who identify details without explaining their role, students who can't distinguish introduction from elaboration.
Read the passage, then answer the question.
(1) In 1903, two brothers from Ohio—Orville and Wilbur Wright—stood on the sandy dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, watching the wind. They were not famous scientists. They ran a bicycle shop, but they were curious about a question that many people had tried to answer: could a machine carry a person into the air and stay there?
(2) The author explains that the brothers did not begin with a perfect airplane. Instead, they studied what went wrong for earlier inventors. They read reports, built models, and tested kites to learn how wings create lift.
(3) One key step was building a small wind tunnel. In that wooden box, they measured how different wing shapes affected air pressure. For example, they discovered that some published data about lift was inaccurate, so they collected their own measurements.
(4) After that, they used what they learned to improve their gliders. They also designed a system to control the plane by twisting the wings, which helped the pilot balance in the air.
(5) Finally, on December 17, 1903, their powered airplane flew for 12 seconds. That flight was short, but it proved that controlled, powered flight was possible.
(6) In the last paragraph, the author notes that modern airplanes are safer and faster, yet they still depend on the same basic ideas: lift, control, and careful testing. As a result, the Wright brothers’ method of learning from experiments continues to influence engineers.
Question: How does the author organize the passage to develop the Wright brothers’ achievement?
The author organizes it as a comparison between bicycles and cars, without describing the brothers’ invention.
The author organizes it by listing random facts about weather patterns without connecting them to flight.
The author organizes it as a problem-solution argument that never mentions any experiments.
The author organizes it chronologically, moving from early curiosity and tests to the 1903 flight and then to the lasting impact on modern aviation.
Explanation
This question tests CCSS.RI.6.3: analyzing how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in nonfiction text. Development includes three stages: INTRODUCTION (first mention with context), ILLUSTRATION (examples, anecdotes, evidence showing significance), and ELABORATION (deeper exploration of impact/meaning). In this passage, the author organizes the Wright brothers' achievement chronologically: introduction of their curiosity and background (paragraph 1), illustration through their methodical experiments and wind tunnel tests (paragraphs 2-3), the successful flight event (paragraph 5), and elaboration on lasting impact to modern aviation (paragraph 6). Choice B is correct because it accurately identifies the chronological organization pattern that moves from early curiosity through testing to the 1903 flight and modern impact, matching the actual time-based progression in the passage. Choice A represents the common error of misidentifying organizational structure by claiming it's problem-solution without experiments, when the passage clearly follows a timeline and includes multiple experimental examples; students make this mistake because they see a problem (flight) and solution (airplane) without recognizing the chronological development pattern. To help students master this skill: Use timeline graphic organizers to map chronological development. Teach transition words that signal time progression: "first," "after that," "finally." Have students number events in order and identify how each stage builds on the previous one.