Reading Standards for Informational Text: Central Ideas and Summaries (CCSS.RI.8.5) Practice Test

Paragraph 1: In many cities, "pocket gardens" turn vacant lots into small shared plots where neighbors grow herbs and flowers. More than a decoration, each garden becomes a meeting place that can strengthen a block.

Paragraph 2: On Saturday mornings, families gather to water and weed, borrowing tools from a shared shed. Parents teach children how to plant, and neighbors who rarely spoke trade tips about tomatoes. The steady activity discourages litter and invites care.

Paragraph 3: Some worry that a handful of volunteers will carry all the work. To prevent burnout, organizers create rotating schedules, post a calendar at the gate, and set clear tasks for short shifts. Small grants cover soil and seeds so costs don't fall on one person.

Paragraph 4: With routines and roles in place, pocket gardens are practical as well as pretty, inviting residents to see empty lots as possibilities rather than problems.

Paragraph 1: The new footbridge did not spring from a flash of genius. It took months of persistence to shape a safe, elegant design.

Paragraph 2: Early sketches looked impressive but failed wind tests. After each failure, the engineer adjusted angles and materials, filling the margins with notes.

Paragraph 3: A mentor's brief comment—"test it on a smaller span first"—led to a scaled model. That trial revealed where the deck flexed and how to reinforce it.

Paragraph 4: By the time the final plans were approved, the bridge was less a brilliant idea than a carefully proven solution, built through revision.