Reading Standards for Informational Text: Stories Across Media (CCSS.RI.6.5) Practice Test

Paragraph 1: Cities heat up faster than rural areas because dark roofs and roads soak in the sun. This urban heat island effect can raise summer temperatures by several degrees, increasing energy use and health risks.

Paragraph 2: Planting and caring for street trees is one proven solution. A broad tree canopy shades pavement, cools air through evaporation, and offers places to rest. Studies show that neighborhoods with more shade have lower temperatures and lower electricity bills during heat waves.

Section: Case Study: Riverton's Shade Map

Paragraph 3: To decide where to plant first, the city of Riverton made a shade map. Volunteers walked blocks with thermometers at 3 p.m. on a hot day and marked tree cover on a digital map. The hottest spots were wide, treeless avenues by bus stops and schools. Within a year, Riverton added 300 young trees along those routes and partnered with students to water them.

Paragraph 4: The map did not solve every problem, but it helped the city target limited funds where shade would help the most.

When scientists study fossils, they are not only hunting for dinosaur bones. Fossils also record details about ancient climates. For example, seashells found high in the mountains show that an area was once under water. Layers of pollen trapped in mud cores can reveal which plants once dominated a region.

Researchers read the chemistry of fossil shells and teeth to estimate past temperatures. Tiny differences in the elements that make up these materials change with the warmth of the water or air. By comparing these patterns across many sites, scientists can map climate shifts over thousands of years. One set of fossils might show a long stretch of warm, wet weather; another might capture a sudden cold snap.

Understanding how climate changed before people kept records helps researchers test their ideas about how the climate system works today. By connecting the past to the present, scientists improve their predictions about future changes and how communities can prepare.