Directions: Read the selection, and then answer the questions that follow.
(1) The Panamint Indians, who were the primary inhabitants of California's Death Valley, called
it Tomesha, meaning "ground afire." And it is a real hot spot. In fact, it holds the record for the
highest temperature ever documented in the United States—134° F (57° C), recorded in July
1913! Death Valley also holds the record for the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere—a
salty pool in Badwater, 282 feet (86 m) below sea level!
(2) Normally, Death Valley gets only about 2 inches (5 cm) of rain annually. Some plants have
adapted to the dry, desert life, as have kangaroo rats, scorpions, small lizards, and rattlesnakes.
They find sustenance and can use the vegetation for shade in the extreme heat. But about every
50 years or so, it rains more in Death Valley. That's what happened in 2005. Winter storms
dumped an excessive amount—6 inches (15 cm)—on the valley. The result? A rare showcase of
color!
(3) For decades, wildflower seeds with thick or waxy veneers had been germinating
underground. When the heavy rains came, the additional moisture coaxed the seeds to bloom.
And they did, in an array of beautiful color all over the desert floor!
(4) The plants started a chain reaction. Caterpillars and moths flocked to the area to feed on the
flowers. The insects then attracted birds and small rodents, which in turn attracted snakes and
foxes, fabricating a whole new food chain in Death Valley.
(5) Now the flowers are gone and the dry, hot weather has returned. But the blossoms dropped
new seeds that will remain dormant in the ground waiting for the next really wet winter. Until
then, other parts of the new food chain will have to look for nourishment elsewhere!
5. A synonym for the word sustenance is
a. pollution.
b. devastation.
c. food.
d. flooding.
6. Which in NOT an antonym for fabricating?
a. constructing
b. destroying
c. devastating
d. razing
7. The author could have used the synonym sleeping instead of
a. array.
b. vegetation.
c. documented.
d. dormant.
8. Which antonym pair is used in the selection?
a.tallest and shortest
b.lowest and highest
c.oldest and newest
d.hottest and coldest
9. Which is a synonym for veneer?
a. roots
b. veins
c. stems
d. coatings
10. A synonym for the word excessive is
a. recessive.
b. disproportionate.
c. declined.
d. meager.
Practice 3: Revolutionary Resolution
A Young Colonist's Decision
Read the poem, and then answer the questions that follow.
Patriot or Loyalist, which one will I be? My kin came here from England, but I'm a colonist, you
see. We have resided here all of my life; we toil hard every day, So why should we pay levies to
a monarch far away? The people who really love this land will wrestle to make it free. I love this
land and I shall fight . . . so a Patriot I will be! Men and women, girls and boys, speak up for
democracy, So we can resolve what's best for us, rather than someone across the sea!
11. Which is a synonym for kin?
a. teacher
b. family
c. farmers
d. engineer
12. If resolve means "choose," an antonym would be
a. decide.
b. determine.
c. disallow.
d. establish.
13. A synonym for levies is
a. chairs.
b. taxes.
c. statues.
d. attention.
14. An antonym for toil is
a. relax.
b. hustle.
c. work.
d. labor.