From far out in space, Earth looks like a blue ball. Since water covers three-fourths of the Earth’s surface, blue is the color we see most. The continents look brown, like small islands floating in the huge, blue sea. White clouds wrap around the Earth like a light blanket. The Earth is shaped like a sphere, or a ball. It is 25,000 miles around! It would take more than a year to walk around the whole planet. A spaceship can fly around the widest part of the sphere in only 90 minutes.
Even though spaceships have traveled to the Moon, people cannot visit the Moon without special suits. The Moon has no air or water. Plants and animals can’t live there either. Astronauts first landed on the Moon in 1969. After that, there were six more trips to the Moon. They brought back Moon rocks, which scientists are still studying. There are holes, or craters, all over the Moon’s surface. Scientists believe that meteorites smashed into the Moon millions of years ago and formed the craters.
The Sun is the closest star to Earth. A star is a hot ball of burning gas. The Sun looks very big because it is so close. But the Sun is just a medium-sized star. Billions of far-away stars are much bigger than our Sun. The burning gases from the Sun are so hot that they warm the Earth from 93 million miles away! Even though the Sun is always glowing, the night here on Earth is dark. That’s because the Earth rotates, or turns around, every 24 hours. During the day, the Earth faces the Sun. Then we see light. During the night, the Earth turns away from the Sun. Then it faces the darkness of space.
Each day we learn more about the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun.
Now proceed to the Answer Section below.
Practice Reading Test Answer Section
This is your Practice Reading Test Answer Section. The questions in this section are based on the story and article in your practice Reading Section (above). You may go back to the Reading Section to help you answer the questions.
Now answer Numbers 1 through 8. Base your answers on the story "Julie’s Race."
The author of "Julie’s Race" wrote the story in order to
describe how dogs stay warm in cold weather.
tell about a dogsled race.
explain how cold it can be in winter.
entertain the reader with funny stories about dogs.
Where does the dogsled race take place?
in Antarctica
on a track
in Alaska
in a field
What happened BEFORE the dogs began running?
The dogs pulled the sled slowly.
Julie and the dogs lined up at the starting gate.
The runner on Julie’s sled broke.
The dogs pulled the sled over hills and into valleys.
Read this sentence from the story.
Julie’s team of dogs was lined up at the starting gate.
What does team mean?
friends and family
to join together
many dogs
a group working together
Why did Julie and her dogs win the race?
Use the story to explain your answer.
Why don’t the dogs freeze in the cold weather?
Julie puts special booties on their feet.
They sleep by the fire at night.
Their thick fur coats keep them warm.
It doesn’t get very cold in Alaska.
Read this sentence from the story.
The dogs’ thick fur coats helped keep them warm in the cold wind and weather.
What does thick mean?
thin
hard
fat
skinny
What kind of person is Julie?
Use the story to help explain your answer.
Proceed to the next reading: "Outer Space"
Practice Reading Test Answer Section
This is your Practice Reading Test Answer Section. The questions in this section are based on the story and article in your practice Reading Section (above). You may go back to the Reading Section to help you answer the questions.
Now answer Numbers 9 through 16. Base your answers on the article "Outer Space."
Why is blue the color we see most when looking at Earth from outer space?
Because most of the Earth is covered in land.
Because the Sun’s rays make the Earth look blue.
Because most of the Earth is covered in water.
Because clouds wrap around the Earth.
Read this sentence from the story.
Scientists believe that meteorites smashed into the Moon millions of years ago and formed the craters.
What does formed mean?
hit
made
broke
stopped
Write one fact and one opinion from the article that tells what the Earth looks like from outer space.
What causes daylight on Earth?
The full Moon causes daylight.
Daylight is caused by the Earth facing away from the Sun.
The heat of the Sun’s rays causes daylight.
Daylight is caused by the Earth facing toward the Sun.
Which of the following sentences BEST describes the Sun?
The Sun looks small because it is so far from Earth.
The Sun is a ball of burning gases that gives the Earth heat and light.
The Sun is a small st