Name ____________________________
Mrs. Brown - Reading
TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Authors of all kinds use language to enrich or support the ideas they are trying to
express. Two of the most common ways they do this are with descriptive details and
factual details.
Descriptive Details
When an author describes a landscape as having purple wildflowers and yellow
daisies, or if she tells you a character has piercing blue eyes and a hooked nose like
an eagle, the author is using descriptive details. Sometimes the details do not
necessarily help the author make a point, but they add to the atmosphere or feeling
you get about the overall story. Without descriptive details, the stories we read would
be pretty boring! The details help us picture the story in our heads.
Factual Details
Nonfiction books and articles mostly use factual details to support ideas. A history book,
for example, might give you names and dates having to do with a famous event in
history. Or an article about dolphins might tell you where you are most likely to find
them, and how long they usually live. Factual details help support the main idea an
author is expressing. They help convince us that the author knows what he or she is
talking about and is not just expressing an opinion. We are more likely to believe an
author if there are factual details to back up what he or she is saying.
AFTER READING EACH PASSAGE, CIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER TO EACH QUESTION.
Of Donkeys and Elephants
You may be familiar with the elephant as a symbol for the Republican Party and the donkey as a
representative for the Democratic Party. But have you ever wondered how these symbols were chosen?
The Democratic National Convention says it never officially adopted the donkey as its mascot, but it
does make use of the symbol. The donkey first made an appearance in the 1828 presidential election.
The opponents of Andrew Jackson called him a donkey. Jackson decided to make the image work in his
favor by using it on his campaign posters. Then, an 1837 political cartoon showed Jackson riding a
donkey that represented the Democratic Party. In 1870, Thomas Nast‟s Harper’s Weekly political cartoon
revived the use of the donkey as a symbol for the party. Other cartoonists soon adopted this use.
Nast also introduced the use of the elephant as a symbol for the Republican Party. In his 1874 political
cartoon, he drew a donkey in lion‟s skin scaring away all of the animals at the zoo. The elephant in the
cartoon was labeled “The Republican Vote.”
© 1874 Thomas Nast Harper’s Weekly
After that, the use of the elephant symbol stuck with the Republican Party. When asked what the
symbols mean today, Democrats respond that the donkey is “smart and brave,” and Republicans say the
elephant is “strong and dignified.”
1. Which of these can be concluded from the passage?
A. Andrew Jackson used aggressive measures in 1828.
B. Thomas Nast had something against political parties.
C. In the 1800s, political cartoons were very influential.
D. Harper's Weekly favored one party over the other.
2. What does the evidence in this passage suggest?
A. The Republican Party finds the "elephant" label offensive and inaccurate.
B. Andrew Jackson referred to the Republicans as elephants, and it stuck.
C. Neither party chose its mascots, but both have come to embrace them.
D. The Democratic Party resents being referred to as a headstrong animal.
3. What can be inferred from the political cartoon in the passage?
A. The Democratic Party also chose the lion to represent them in addition to the donkey.
B. In Nast's view, the Republican Party was the largest and most influential political group.
C. Nast thought the Democrats of his day were aggressive and maybe even frightening.
D. Political parties were responsible for causing inflation and destroying government reform.
Miss America: Not Just Another Pretty Face
Many people are against the very idea of a beauty pageant. Most probably have no idea that the Miss
America Scholarship Program provides more scholarships to young women than any other organization
in the world. It started as just a beauty contest in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1921. However, Miss
America has been giving away scholarships since 1945. Bess Myerson became the first person to receive
a cash award. Between the national, state, and local organizations, Miss America reports that it gave
away more than $45 million in cash and scholarships last year.
One of the biggest objections to the pageant has been the swimsuit competition. In 1996, the pageant
conducted a poll. Almost 90 percent of voters wanted to keep the swimsuit portion. It is still used today to
judge physical fitness. However, several other parts of the competition are scored more heavily. The
personal interview that contestants have with the judges is worth 25 percent. The talent competition is
worth 35 percent. Evening wear counts for 20 percent. The swimsuit competition counts for 15 percent,
and the onstage question is worth 5 percent of the final score.
The young women who compete in pageants like this aren‟t just pretty faces. Each contestant is
required to select a “platform” issue. They are asked to choose something they feel strongly about and
that is relevant to the United States. The winners help bring attention to their issues by speaking to
organizations, businesses, and the media. HIV/AIDS prevention, domestic violence, school bullying,
literacy, and homelessness have all been highlighted by past Miss America winners.
Miss America has changed from a simple beauty pageant to its current role as a scholarship program.
Since 1945, women have received money to pay for graduate school and to pay off student loans. Miss
America is much needed. The thousands of young women who have benefited from it have also gone on
to have careers in television, film, and business.
4. Which sentence from the passage best supports the idea that Miss America is more than
a beauty pageant?
A. The swimsuit competition counts for 15 percent, and the onstage question portion is 5 percent of the score.
B. Issues like HIV/AIDS prevention, domestic violence, school bullying, literacy, and homelessness have all
been highlighted by past Miss America winners.
C. One of the biggest objections to the pageant has been the swimsuit competition.
D. The thousands of young women who have benefited from it have also gone on to have careers in television,
film, and business.
5. Which of the following would most likely agree with the author of this passage?
A. someone who would be interested in entering a scholarship pageant
B. someone who competed in the local Miss America pageant and lost
C. a person who believes that beauty pageants are a waste of time
D. students who have met Miss America after she visited their school
6. According to the information in the passage, which of these events is most significant to
the Miss America Program's current role?
A. Contestants represent 52 U.S. states and territories.
B. In 1945, the pageant awarded its first scholarship.
C. In 1996, 90 percent of viewers voted to keep swimsuits.
D. The competition is based on five distinct categories.
7. Which statement from the passage shows the author's bias in favor of Miss America?
A. Most probably have no idea that Miss America Scholarship Program provides more scholarships to young
women than any other organization in the world.
B. However, several other parts of the competition are scored more heavily.
C. It started as a beauty contest in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1921.
D. Between the national, state, and local organizations, Miss America reports that it gave away more than $45
million in cash and scholarships last year.
Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross was one of the most influential R&B singers of his time. He was born in New York
City and came from a musical family. His older sister was a member of a high school singing group.
Luther began playing the piano at three and also sung in a group in high school called Shades of Jade.
Vandross went off to college at Western Michigan University but dropped out to pursue music after
one year. He started his career behind the scenes of the music industry. He sang backup for successful
„80s artists like Roberta Flack, Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, and
David Bowie. He also started writing songs, including “Everybody Rejoice” for the Broadway musical The
Wiz.
In the „70s , Vandross and several other former Shades of Jade members formed another singing
group called Luther. The group had two fairly successful singles but didn‟t sell albums. Luther was
eventually dropped from its record label.
Vandross went on to write and sing jingles for commercials. He also sang lead in a disco band called
Greg Diamond‟s Bionic Boogie and sang with the band Soiree.
In 1980, Vandross became a featured singer with a group called Change. The group had several
successful singles, and after he left the group, Vandross got a solo record deal with Epic Records. He
released his debut album, Never Too Much. The title track became a hit as did a remake of a song called
“A House is Not a Home” that became one of Vandross‟ biggest hits.
He also continued to write and produce for other artists, including Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. He
produced Franklin‟s “comeback album” Jump to It. The CD sold 500,000 copies and won several awards.
In 1991, he released Power of Love and had his first two top ten hits on the pop charts. He went on to
record “Endless Love” with Mariah Carey.
During his career, he sold more than 25 million albums. Vandross also won eight Grammy Awards,
including four for Best Male R&B Performance and Song of the Year. He was nominated for a staggering
31 Grammys during his 20-year solo career.
After Vandross passed away from a heart attack in 2005, several tribute albums were released in his
honor. One of the most successful tributes was So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross. It
included artists like Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Elton John, and John
Legend. Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder won a Grammy award for their cover of Vandross‟ “So Amazing.”
Aretha Franklin also won an award for her version of his “A House is Not a Home.”
8. Which example best supports the idea that Vandross is respected by his peers?
A. a successful career singing and writing jingles
B. his successful solo debut, Never Too Much
C. several tribute CDs were released in his honor
D. becoming lead singer in a number of groups
9. Read this sentence from the passage.
Vandross sang backup for successful '80s artists like Roberta Flack, Diana Ross, Carly Simon, Chaka
Khan, Donna Summer, Bette Midler, and David Bowie.
This sentence from the passage supports the idea that
A. Vandross had a successful behind-the-scenes career before he got a record deal.
B. Vandross became discouraged after his singing group was dropped from its label.
C. Vandross only liked working with other R&B artists who were successful in music.
D. Vandross thought he would never make it big as a professional singer and writer.
10. Based on the evidence in this passage, which word best describes Luther Vandross?
A. rebellious
B. genial
C. irritable
D. determined