AzM2 Informational Text Reading 2

Question 1

A student reads a passage about Arizona water conservation and encounters the phrase: 'With only 13 inches of rainfall annually, Arizona faces a chronic water deficit.' What does 'chronic' mean as used here?

Accepted Answer

A recurring, long-term, persistent problem

Answer

'Chronic' means persisting over a long time or recurring constantly. A 'chronic water deficit' is an ongoing, long-term shortage.

Question 2

In an article about the Arizona heat, the author writes: 'Phoenix recorded 145 days above 100°F in 2023.' What is the BEST inference a reader can make?

Accepted Answer

Phoenix's extreme heat poses significant challenges for residents

Answer

Nearly half the year above 100°F allows the reader to infer that such extreme heat creates challenges for daily life, infrastructure, and public health.

Question 3

An informational text uses the following signal words: 'first, then, next, finally.' What text structure does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

Sequence/chronological order

Answer

Signal words like 'first, then, next, finally' indicate a sequence — events or steps presented in a specific order.

Question 4

An author's PURPOSE in an editorial about school lunch programs is most likely:

Accepted Answer

To persuade readers about the importance of improving school nutrition

Answer

An editorial is an opinion piece intended to persuade. An editorial about school lunch programs would argue for a specific position about improving nutrition.

Question 5

A student reads: 'The Hohokam people of ancient Arizona constructed an extensive canal system that stretched over 500 miles, irrigating crops in the Sonoran Desert.' What is the BEST summary of this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Ancient Hohokam people built a large irrigation system to farm the desert

Answer

A summary captures the main idea — here, that the Hohokam built an extensive canal system for agriculture in the desert. It includes the key who, what, and why.

AzM2 Practice Test

AzM2 Practice Test

AzM2 Informational Text Reading 2