MAP Writing Review

Which sentence could be used for the opening of a fictional passage about finding a magic rock?

Which statement contains a transitional phrase?

Beautiful seashells that are washed ashore on beaches by ocean waves have always fascinated human beings. Shells come in a wonderful array of shapes, sizes, and colors. Shells are actually made by marine creatures to serve as their homes. Seashells are, quite simply, skeletons of mollusks. Mollusks are a class of water animals that have soft bodies and hard outer coverings called shells. Human beings carry their bony skeletons inside and wear their soft bodies on the outside, but mollusks do just the opposite. Shells are very durable and outlive the soft-bodied animals that produce them. Shells may be univalve or bivalve. Univalve shells are made up of just one unit, whereas bivalve shells have two units or two halves. Snails have univalve shells, and oysters have bivalve shells. Shells protect the soft-bodied animals from rough surfaces that can harm their bodies and from predators. A heading for this passage could be.

Tigers talk to each other by purring, hissing, growling, and chuffing. Which phrase is best for replacing "talk to" in the above sentence?

The ostrich is the largest bird in the world, but it cannot fly. Its legs are so strong and long that it can travel faster by running. Ostriches use their wings to help them gather speed when they start to run. They also use them as brakes when turning and stopping. Ostriches have been known to run at a rate of 60 miles an hour. This is faster than horses can run and as fast as most people drive cars. These huge birds stand as tall as a horse and sometimes weigh as much as 298 pounds. In their home country of Africa, they are often seen with some of the larger animals. The zebra, which is also a fast runner, seems to be one of their favorite companions. An ostrich egg weighs one pound, which is as much as two dozen chicken eggs. Ostrich eggs are delicious and are often used for food by people in Africa. The shells are also made into cups and beautiful ornaments. What is the main purpose of the author’s first paragraph?

Which of the following would not be a good idea to include in a report about grooming a dog?

(1) Tigers are the largest wild cats in the world. (2) They are easily recognizable by their reddish-orange coat with dark stripes. (3) A tiger can weigh over 700 pounds, and be six feet long with a three-foot long tail. (4) Their natural habitat is the eastern and southern portions of Asia. (5) Tigers live in areas with dense vegetation. (6) They live in areas that are close to water and have an abundance of prey such as antelope and deer. (7) They kill their prey. (8) They kill them by taking down their prey with their retractable claws, strong body, and powerful jaws. (9) Tigers are strong swimmers. (10) Tigers enjoy bathing in water. (11) They enjoy cooling in ponds, rivers, and lakes. (12) Tigers communicate with each other. (13) Tigers talk to each other by roaring, moaning, hissing, growling, and chuffing. (14) I love to hear a tiger roar. (15) Each sound has a different meaning and conveys whether the tiger is feeling content, mad, or threatened. What is the best way to combine sentences 5 and 6.

Edit the following sentence: Tigers are the most large wild cat in the world.

If you wanted to add information to a passage about the kind of food an ostrich eats, where would you search for that kind of information?

Most people refer to koalas as koala bears, but they are not bears at all. They are actually marsupials and are in the same family as the wombat. Koalas live in eucalyptus forests in eastern and southeastern Australia. Adult koalas are one of only three mammals that can survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves. These leaves contain 50% water, requiring them to seldom drink water since they obtain it through the leaves. What information would not be important enough to include in notes taken from this paragraph?

Wilburn, Kathy. “The First Heart Transplant.” New England Journal of Medicine, January 1968: Pg. 56-67. Melville, Thomas. “Medical Miracles.” New York Times, March 15, 2010: Pg. 4B. Kelly, Winston. “Biography of a Medical Pioneer: Christian Barnard.” February 1978: Pg. 127-135. Stacks, Larry. “Waiting on a Heart.” Newsweek, June 10, 2005: Pg. 21-24. Beal, Barry. “My New Heart.” November, 2007: Pg. 46-53. According to the bibliography above, who is the author of the book Biography of a Medical Pioneer: Christian Barnard?