North Carolina Testing Program
EOG Reading Grade 8 Sample Items
Firefighters everywhere should be grateful to Garrett Morgan. Read the following selection to
find out why. Then answer the questions that follow.
Garrett Morgan
by Nathan Aaseng
As the owner of a business that
combined machines and a large number of
people in a single enclosed space,
Garrett Morgan was concerned about the
possibility of deadly fires. The danger hit
home when he read news reports of the
terrible Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire in
1911 in New York City. One hundred
forty-six workers had been trapped and
killed in the factory. The thick, deadly
smoke thwarted firefighters’ efforts to get at
the victims.
Shortly after the fire, Morgan
designed a helmet that could help a
firefighter survive smoke and deadly fumes.
His “gas inhalator” consisted of a durable
hood that fit over the head and two long
tubes that ran from the hood to the floor.
One tube was for taking in air. Morgan
placed the opening of the tube, lined with
absorbent material, at floor level below the
smoke, which tends to rise. When the
absorbent material was moistened just prior
to use, it cooled the incoming air and
prevented smoke and dust particles from
being pulled in with the air. The second tube
was for exhaling.
3
Morgan later improved the helmet so
that it used a bag of compressed air, which
prevented any possible contamination of the
wearer’s air supply. Morgan equipped his
device with enough air to last for about
20 minutes. In talking with firefighters
about what they wanted in a rescue helmet,
he learned that they were concerned about
how quickly they could put on and take off
his device. Morgan redesigned the hood so
that a firefighter could be fully equipped in
seven seconds and could remove the hood in
three seconds.
On his patent application, Morgan
called his invention a “Breathing Device.”
When he set up another company to
manufacture and sell his invention, he used
the brand name “Morgan Helmet.” Over the
years, customers called the device by many
names, including gas inhalator and gas
mask. By any name, the Morgan helmet was
an instant success.
Morgan did not even wait for patent
approval before taking his device to the
market. Ever the astute businessman,
Morgan recognized that the best way to sell
his invention was to demonstrate it. He
especially targeted the firefighters who could
most benefit from the “Morgan Helmet.”
On September 15, 1914, the fire chief
of Yonkers, New York tested the Morgan
helmet against a leading competitor’s
product. Volunteers entered the smoke-filled
tent that became the cornerstone of Morgan’s
sales pitch, equipped with one of the two
hoods. While the firefighter in the rival hood
staggered out after fourteen minutes, the one
wearing the Morgan hood emerged after
twenty-five minutes showing no ill-effects.
Fire chief J. T. Martz of Akron, Ohio was so
impressed by the Morgan helmet, he
recommended his firefighters have one
readily available at all times. Morgan’s
invention passed every test that fighters
created for it and won First Grand Prize at
an international safety and sanitation
exposition in New York.
“Garrett Morgan” from Black Inventors by Nathan Aaseng. Copyright © 1997 by Nathan Aaseng. Reprinted by
permission of Facts On File, Inc.
Page 1
Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and
educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain.
North Carolina Testing Program
1.
2.
What inspired Garrett Morgan to
begin working on his helmet for
firefighters?
A
his concern for worker safety
B
a chance to make a lot of money
C
his need to start a new business
D
a request from a firefighter
Why did Morgan design his first
helmet with a tube for taking in air
that was long enough to reach the
floor?
A
It would be less likely to disturb
the firefighters’ movements.
B
There is less smoke at floor level,
so firefighters would breathe in
cleaner air.
C
D
Page 2
It could be attached to another
source of air more easily.
Morgan did not realize yet that
the long tubes would allow more
contaminated air in.
EOG Reading Grade 8 Sample Items
3.
4.
Which concern expressed by
firefighters led Morgan to redesign the
helmet?
A
how quickly the helmet could be
put on or taken off
B
how much the helmets would cost
their fire department
C
whether the helmet’s air supply
could become contaminated
D
whether the helmet could hold
enough air to last twenty minutes
What does the information in
paragraph 3 best show about
Garrett Morgan?
A
He was interested in improving
his designs.
B
His original inventions had some
obvious flaws.
C
He never got tired of working on
inventions.
D
He redesigned his inventions only
when he had to.
Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and
educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain.
North Carolina Testing Program
5.
Why is Garrett Morgan described as
an astute businessman?
A
6.
Page 3
He was motivated primarily by
money.
EOG Reading Grade 8 Sample Items
7.
Which of the following would be best
to include in an advertisement for the
helmet?
A
a photograph of Garrett Morgan
B
He knew that his inventions were
innovative.
B
the directions for using the
helmet
C
He had run his own small
business for years.
C
a photograph of a burning
building
D
He knew how to create interest in
his products.
D
the comment made by J.T. Martz
How did Garrett Morgan market his
invention?
A
by advertising it in newspapers
B
by sending pictures of it to
firefighters
C
by receiving a patent for it
D
by demonstrating it to firefighters
End of Set
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provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, the Department of Public Instruction does not
discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color,
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service in its policies, programs, activities, admissions
or employment.
Published January 2004. May reproduce for instructional and
educational purposes only, not for personal or financial gain.
Answers to
Grade 8 Reading Comprehension Sample Items
Passage Title
Question
Number
Correct
Answer
Category
Thinking Skill
Objective
Number
Garrett Morgan
1
A
Interpretation
Analyzing
2.01
Garrett Morgan
2
B
Cognition
Knowledge
2.01
Garrett Morgan
3
A
Interpretation
Analyzing
2.01
Garrett Morgan
4
A
Interpretation
Integrating
2.01
Garrett Morgan
5
D
Interpretation
Analyzing
2.01
Garrett Morgan
6
D
Cognition
Analyzing
2.01
Garrett Morgan
7
D
Critical Stance
Evaluating
3.03
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
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