Text 1 (Diary Fiction): The noon sky turned the color of a bruise. We hung wet sheets over the windows, but dust still found the table's seams. My little sister tied a damp kerchief around the dog's snout. When the wind quieted, we shoveled drifts from the doorstep like it was winter made of soil. Pa says the wheat will not sprout unless rain remembers us. I pressed a seed into a jar of clean water and watched it float, stubborn as hope.

Text 2 (Nonfiction Article): During the 1930s, parts of the Great Plains experienced severe drought combined with poor farming practices, such as over-plowing and removing native grasses. Without deep roots to hold soil, windstorms lifted topsoil into massive "black blizzards." Families lost crops and livestock, and many migrated west in search of work. Government programs later encouraged contour plowing, windbreaks, and soil conservation to reduce erosion and restore farmland.

Which response best shows understanding by comparing the two texts?

Text 1 (Historical Fiction): I wiped grit from my eyes as the rail crews gathered at the meeting point. Hammers lifted and paused, and then the spike rang like a bell across the plain. A cheer rolled down the line—Irish hands, Chinese hands, calloused and shaking. Dust rose, hats flew, and someone passed a canteen down the ties. For a moment, the track felt like a stitched seam pulling two far pieces of cloth together.

Text 2 (Nonfiction Article): On May 10, 1869, the first U.S. transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory Summit. Crews working from the east and west met after years of construction through plains and mountains. The railroad connected distant regions, reduced travel time, and boosted trade. It also depended on the labor of many workers, including large numbers of immigrant laborers. The event was celebrated nationally and signaled major changes in transportation and the economy.

Which response best shows understanding by comparing the two texts?