Many thanks for your purchase! I am dedicated to creating products that help
students develop strong reading comprehension skills.
This reading comprehension packet is designed to help kids work toward the goals of
reading, comprehending and thoughtfully responding to Guided Reading Levels O
through S text.
This file includes 16 passages about inventors who made significant contributions to
their fields. There are two pages of questions with each passage. The first page
includes five text-based multiple choice questions. The second page is comprised of
two written response questions.
The passages in this set are ideal for use as morning work, close reading lessons or
homework. (Prior to having students read each passage, I introduce new vocabulary
terms as needed.)
These activities support the following Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL3.4 & RI.3.4 - Determine the meaning of words, phrases and
general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3..1 & RI3.1 - Ask and answer questions to demonstrate
understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A - Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4..1 & RI4.1 - Refer to details and examples in a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2 & RI4..2 - Determine the main idea of a text or theme of
a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.4.4.A - Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
If you have comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact me at
Annegardner4@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!
Sincerely,
Anne Gardner
(NBCT, Literacy)
Digital Links for Inventors Reading Passages
Reading Passages for Inventors (Guided Reading Levels
O to S), in Google Slides, are available here, or at the
following link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WPU8AQvhOhVfIieG4By8JBXsUfQREOPf9Qx60nI0wJY/copy
Important: Select the “Make a Copy” prompt when first accessing
Google files. The copy will be created in the Google Account you
are signed into.
To access the digital version of this resource using the new
TpT Digital Tool, go to the resource page, and click the TpT
Digital Activity button (below the Download Now button).
To access the TpT Digital Activity for resources purchased within a
bundle, click the smaller images below the bundle cover to
access the individual resources.
If you’d like a quick overview of this new digital tool, click here,
or on the following link, to access a FREE Two Minute Tutorial.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Two-Minute-TpT-Tool-Tutorial-5864191
In both of these digital options, text boxes have been inserted for
students’ responses to the multiple choice and written response
questions.
If you have comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact
me at Annegardner4@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you!
Best wishes to you and your students throughout
these ever-changing times.
Sincerely, Anne Gardner (NBCT Literacy)
Title
1
Flat-bottomed bags invented by Margaret Knight
2
Tabitha Babbit Circular Saw
3
Garrett Morgan Fire hood
4
Monopoly invented by Lizzie Magie
5
Barbie dolls invented by Ruth Handler
6
Noah and Joe McVicker Play Doh
7
Helping in India: Amy Smith
8
George Washington Carver
9
Jessica Mathews Sockket electric soccer ball
10
The Super Soaker invented by Lonnie Johnson
11
iRobot by Helen Greiner
12
The Gas-Powered Car by Henry Ford
13
William Upjohn Friable Pill
14
Guided Reading Level O
Guided Reading Level O
Guided Reading Level O
Guided Reading Level P
Guided Reading Level P
Guided Reading Level P
Guided Reading Level Q
Guided Reading Level Q
Guided Reading Level Q
Guided Reading Level Q
Guided Reading Level R
Guided Reading Level R
Guided Reading Level R
Use of Blissymbols by Rachel Zimmerman
Guided Reading Level S
15
Nikola Tesla the Inventor
16
Kevlar invented by Stephanie Kwolek
Guided Reading Level S
Guided Reading Level S
Margaret Knight
If you've ever used a brown paper bag to carry your lunch to school, you can
thank Margaret Knight. She was a famous female inventor in the 19th century
who designed more than 100 machines and products, including flat-bottomed
paper bags that are still in use today!
Before she went down in history; however, Margaret was a little girl growing up in the late 1800s. Her
father died when she was very young, and she was raised by a single mother without a lot of money.
Margaret was forced to drop out of school and work in a cotton mill before she'd even finished the fifth
grade.
When she was 12 years old, Margaret witnessed another employee getting hurt by a flying piece of
machinery. To the amazement of everyone around her, she invented a device that would stop it from
happening again. It became standard in mills across the county, and no one ever knew that it had been
designed by a young girl!
Margaret's most famous invention was the flat-bottomed paper bag. Though it seems obvious now,
paper bags didn't used to have flat bottoms, and it occurred to Margaret that people could fit much
more inside of them if they did. She built a small wooden prototype of a machine that could fold and
glue paper sheets into a flat-bottomed shape.
This is where the story gets frustrating. Because Margaret only had a wooden prototype, she couldn't
apply for a patent. She needed a full-scale working model made out of iron. Before she could find the
money or the materials, her idea was stolen by a male colleague and passed off as his own!
Margaret was furious, and she took him to court over it. This was highly unusual for a woman in the
1800s, but she was determined to get credit for her work.
The man tried to argue that Margaret didn't deserve the patent. He told the judge that a woman "could
not possibly understand the mechanical complexities" of the machine. Margaret whipped out her
designs and blueprints and explained that she could understand the complexities just fine: She'd
invented them!
Margaret won the lawsuit and started receiving royalties for her patent. She kept inventing, too,
creating more than 100 new products in her lifetime. She built a rotary machine, a numbering machine,
a shoe-cutting machine and much more!
Margaret can teach us all a lesson about standing up for ourselves in the face of injustice. She wasn't
afraid to do what was right, even if it meant proving herself in a court that was ready to dismiss her just
because she was a woman. She was a real pioneer of her time, and a great inventor too!
1.
In this passage, which of the following features are an enhancement to brown paper bags?
A. side pleats
B. reinforced panels
C. handles
D. flat bottoms
2. What did Margaret invent just before she turned 13 years old?
A. brown paper bags.
B. a device to enhance safety in cotton mills.
C. paper sheets
D. all of the above
3. What is the meaning of the word prototype as used in this passage?
A. a model of an object created to display special features
B. a model of a typewriter
C. a promotional item used to generate sales
D. an object that inventors keep as a souvenir
4. Why did Margaret decide to change brown paper bags?
A. She thought people were able to place too many items in one bag.
B. She wanted to make the bags stronger.
C. She wanted to increase the amount of items that people could place in the bags.
D. She thought the bags would look better with a handle.
5. Margaret proved herself against a rival who stole one of her ideas by _________________.
A. challenging him to a contest
B. taking him to court
C. turning the rival in to the police
D. sharing her blueprints with the manufacturer
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Tabitha Babbitt
Not all inventors have patents. Some of them prefer to share their products and
designs for free! This was the case with Tabitha Babbitt, the inventor of the circular saw.
Tabitha was born in Massachusetts in 1779. Not much is known about her early life, but she
was a member of the "Shakers," an early religious movement that branched off from the
Quakers.
Like the Quakers, the Shakers were a modest and simple people. They lived off the land,
raising their own cattle and hauling their own timber. They practiced a communal lifestyle
where everyone helped everyone else.
Unusually for the 18th century, Shakers also believed in gender equality. Women were allowed
to lead religious services, and they shared equal burdens of labor around the house and yard.
We can assume that Tabitha grew up with a good head on her shoulders and a willingness to
work hard.
As for her famous invention, it was born in 1810. On an otherwise ordinary day, Tabitha was
watching two men cut a log. The men were using an old-fashioned whipsaw that required one
person to stand on each side of the log and push the blade back and forth between them.
Tabitha noticed that the whipsaw only cut the wood on the first stroke. On the second stroke, or
"reverse" stroke, it didn't cut anything at all. It was simply a required motion to get the saw
back into place for another cut. This meant that the men were wasting half of their energy on a
process that didn't do anything!
Hoping to find a more efficient way to cut lumber, Tabitha started experimenting with different
tools and supplies. She finally had the idea of attaching a rounded blade to her weaving wheel.
As she powered the wheel with a foot pedal, the circular blade spun around and sliced wood
without any wasted energy or movement.
Tabitha's invention was such a hit that it was being used in saw mills by 1813. However, she
didn't seek any credit for her work. She never patented it. As a Shaker, it was her philosophy
that everything should be freely shared with her community.
Tabitha has been credited with several other inventions, including cut nails. Nails used to be
individually forged one at a time, but Tabitha had the idea of cutting multiple, identical nails
from a single sheet of iron. She was clearly a woman who didn't believe in working harder
when you could be working smarter!
Tabitha died in 1858, but her legacy can be seen in saw mills around the globe. Though she
never took a penny for her work, she revolutionized the entire lumber industry with both her
ingenuity and her selflessness.
Thanks, Tabitha!
1. Which type of context clue can we use to determine the meaning of the word, “communal” as used
in the sentence below?
They practiced a communal lifestyle where everyone helped everyone else.
A. explanation context clue
B. antonym context clue
C. punctuation context clue
D. all of the above
2. The fourth paragraph is significant because it _____________________.
A. explains the lifestyle of the Quakers
B. tells us about the type of family Tabitha came from
C. features a rare attitude toward women during a particular time period
D. none of the above
3. Which of the following is an appropriate title for this passage?
A. Tabitha Babbitt – A Builder for All
B. Tabitha Babbitt – Tough as Nails
C. Tabitha Babbitt – Quaker Pioneer
D. Tabitha Babbitt – Lumber Industry Pioneer
4. What was Tabitha doing when the idea for the circular saw dawned on her?
A. Tabitha was watching two men cut a log.
B. Tabitha was using her weaving wheel to make cloth.
C. Tabitha was eating a meal with her family.
D. Tabitha was working in her community when the idea came along.
5. From this passage we can tell that Tabitha Babbitt ___________________.
A. was ambitious and competitive
B. cared more about people than she did money
C. cared more about money than she did people
D. was kind and competitive
Garrett Morgan
Garrett Morgan was born in a small community in Kansas in 1877. His
parents had been enslaved in their younger years, and his family lived in
deep poverty. Garrett received very little education and quit going to
school after the sixth grade. His family needed him for labor.
As a teen and young adult, Garrett developed an interest in how things worked. One of his first
jobs was repairing sewing machines, so he got lots of practice with small, delicate parts that
had to be fastened together in a particular way to make them work. He started to invent things
of his own during this time.
In 1912, Garrett started experimenting with something called a "safety hood" for use by
firefighters. In those days, firefighters didn't have flame-resistant suits and masks, so they often
emerged from burning buildings with a lot of coughing. Garrett wanted to make their jobs safer
for them.
He started by sewing together a kind of hooded mask that completely covered the user's head.
He then added a wet sponge to the mouthpiece that would keep them cool. Finally, he added a
series of long, drooping tubes that allowed the user to draw oxygen from near the floor. Garrett
knew that smoke always rises, so during a fire he wanted the safety hood to draw the purest air
possible.
Garrett patented his invention, making him one of a small number of African-American
inventors to hold a patent, and he started touring the country to sell it. However, the safety hood
was only moderately successful, even after he tried hiring a white actor to sell it in his place.
Everything changed in 1916. There was a massive tunnel explosion under Lake Erie that
trapped a group of workers inside. The explosion was so fiery and smoky that multiple rescue
attempts were unsuccessful.
One of the people on the scene sent a frantic message to Garrett. The man had witnessed one of
Garrett's demonstrations for the safety hood, and he urged Garrett to bring them to the
explosion site.
Garrett rushed to the scene in his pajamas with four safety hoods. No one trusted his strangelooking invention at first, but after Garrett put it on, entered the tunnel and emerged with
several rescued workers, they all donned the hoods. They saved multiple lives that day, and
Garrett himself entered the tunnel four times to help.
As an African-American, Garrett's part in the rescue was ignored by newspapers after the fact.
However, sales for his safety hood skyrocketed as fire stations around the country heard about
its efficiency. A few years later, it would serve as the inspiration for the modern-day gas mask.
Not every inventor would trust their creation enough to run into a burning building with it, but
Garrett Morgan wasn't an ordinary inventor. He was also a hero!
1. Which statement from the passage supports the idea that Garrett was a curious person?
A. “Garrett rushed to the scene in his pajamas with four safety hoods.”
B. “Garrett knew that smoke always rises…”
C. “Garrett patented his invention…”
D. “As a teen and young adult, Garrett developed an interest in how things worked.”
2. How is the information in this passage primarily organized?
A. compare and contrast
B. chronological
C. description
D. all of the above
3. Why did Garrett hire a white actor to sell his fire hood?
A. Garrett was too busy to do it himself.
B. Garrett could not take rejection.
C. Garrett did not believe in his product.
D. Garret believed that prospective customers would discriminate against him.
4. Which of the following is a fact?
A. Garrett’s fire hood was his best invention, because it helped save lives.
B. Discrimination helped Garrett market his invention.
C. An unfortunate event gave Garrett an opportunity to prove himself.
D. none of the above
5. In the passage, Garrett is characterized as_____________________.
A. heroic
B. energetic
C. busy
D. stingy
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Lizzie Magie
It's one of the most popular board games in the world. It was also stolen from
its rightful inventor! This is the story of Lizzie Magie and Monopoly.
Elizabeth Magie was born in 1866. She wasn't raised like other girls of her time.
Her father was a politically active newspaper publisher and he taught her to be smart, outspoken
and self-sufficient. She went by the nickname "Lizzie" and talked about tax reform with adults.
As Lizzie got older, she rejected the notion that women had to marry in order to secure their futures.
She supported herself with various jobs like secretary and stenographer, and she spoke out about land,
property and wealth issues. She didn't marry until she was good and ready at the age of 44.
In her spare time, Lizzie liked to draw and invent things. She had a creative mind that was always
working. One day, she applied that creativity to an educational game called "Landlord's Game." It
involved moving pieces around a board and taking control of various resources. There were two
versions of the game. The anti-monopolist version allowed people to distribute their wealth and work
together, and the monopolist version made them compete against each other and win individual
victories.
The anti-monopolist game was the morally correct version. However, most people preferred the
competitive edition of the game.
One man named Charles Darrow liked the game so much that he went to a board game company and
sold it. Claiming it as his own, he started making money off the royalties.
Lizzie was furious. She'd already patented the Landlord's Game in 1903, and she had the paperwork to
prove it! She went to various newspapers and blasted Darrow as a cheat. She allowed people to take
photographs of the original board so that they could see its first edition. She even took Darrow to
court.
Unfortunately, the courts didn't care. Only one percent of patent holders were women, and female
inventions were often overlooked. Darrow made millions from Monopoly, and it's estimated that Lizzie
only saw around $500 from it. Even worse, most of that money went right back into her fruitless fight
to reclaim it.
According to one newspaper that was sympathetic to her story, "If one counts lawyer’s, printer’s and
Patent Office fees used up in developing it, the game has cost her more than she made from it."
Lizzie died at the age of 82. Her role in inventing Monopoly was forgotten for decades until
researchers dug it back up.
The good news is that modern society knows the truth about Lizzie's game. Today, everyone credits the
right person for inventing Monopoly, and Lizzie is celebrated for both her creativity and tenacity.
History wasn't always kind to female inventors, but as long as we learn from the mistakes of the past,
we can make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.
Ruth Handler
Barbie dolls are so common today that three of them are sold every second.
But have you ever wondered about the first Barbie dolls that were created way
back in 1959? Who invented them? What did they look like?
Barbie's inventor was a woman named Ruth Handler. Her husband was one of
the founders of Mattel, a company that originally sold picture frames. They only
transitioned into making toys when they started using leftover picture frame
materials to make dollhouses, and to their surprise, their dollhouses were a lot more
popular than their picture frames.
Around this time, Ruth noticed something strange about her daughter, Barbara, and the way that
Barbara played with her dolls. Back in the '50s, dolls were usually designed to look like babies and
infants. It was assumed that little girls only played with them because they wanted to nurture a toy that
resembled a baby.
However, Barbara and her friends liked to play games of pretend where their dolls were more grown
up. They'd act like their dolls were nurses, cheerleaders and fashion models. This is how Ruth realized
that there was demand for a doll that did more than just accept a bottle.
Ruth started by designing a "blank canvass" doll that could be customized with different clothes, shoes
and accessories. This way, girls wouldn't have to buy multiple dolls to turn them into teachers or
secretaries. They could simply re-dress the original.
Ruth also gave the doll a womanly figure. This proved quite controversial back in the day, but Ruth
was adamant that little girls should be given a realistic-looking toy that would accurately represent
their future selves. She wanted to encourage their sense of imagination and ambition, so the dolls
needed to inspire them by looking like real women.
The last step was giving the doll a name. Thinking of her daughter, Barbara, Ruth decided to call her
creation "Barbie.”
The original Barbie didn't look a lot like today's Barbie. She was available as both a blonde and a
brunette, and her gaze looked modestly to the side instead of straight forward like modern, assertive
dolls.
Barbie wasn't an immediate success, either. In fact, many parents refused to buy a doll that they
considered inappropriate.
The children of the '50s and '60s, however, started to like Barbie more and more. Sales grew with each
passing year, and Mattel expanded their range of Barbie products. Before long, Ruth had created an
entire world for Barbie that included multiple friends, careers and dream houses.
Ruth saw an empty space in the market and decided to fill it. Furthermore, she didn't let the critics and
doubters stop her from inventing something that would change the world of toys forever.
1. What is the meaning of the word, “transitioned” as used in paragraph 2?
A. Change your thinking and actions as a result.
B. Use someone else’s ideas.
C. Change your location.
D. Switch places with another person.
2. What inspired Ruth to create a grown up doll as opposed to a baby doll?
A. Ruth was inspired by her husband’s vision.
B. Ruth saw this trend with other toy manufacturers.
C. Ruth was inspired by watching her daughter and friends play with dolls.
D. all of the above
3. How did Ruth come up with the name for the doll she created?
A. Barbie was a popular name during the 1950s.
B. Ruth and her husband collaborated on the name.
C. Ruth’s daughter, Barbara, named the doll.
D. Ruth named her creation after her daughter.
4. Which of the following sentences best supports the idea that it took Barbie some time to
catch on?
A. Ruth felt that Barbie should look like a real woman.
B. Children of the 1950s and 1960s started to like Barbie more and more.
C. Ruth created an entire world for Barbie.
D. Barbie wasn’t an immediate success.
5. How is Ruth characterized in the last paragraph?
A. Ruth is characterized as determined and resilient.
B. Ruth is characterized only as ambitious.
C. Ruth often takes the opinions of others into consideration.
D. Ruth is characterized as enterprising, but lazy.
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Noah and Joe McVicker
Some inventions are created with an intentional purpose and design.
Others are created completely by accident.
Sometimes when the market is right, inventions that were made for one thing get re-purposed
and used for another.
Play-Doh started as a wallpaper cleaner that was commissioned by a grocery store. It was the
1930s, and people needed a solution to the problem of getting coal residue off their walls.
However, the product had to be non-toxic and non-staining since it would be used around food
items. They asked a soap company for help.
One employee of the soap company, Noah McVicker, created a putty-like substance that could
be used as a scrubbing tool. It enjoyed minor success but wasn't really a major invention.
In the 1950s, buildings started to make the switch from coal-based heating systems to natural
gas ones. They also started to use washable vinyl wallpaper that could be cleaned with soap and
water instead of special scrubbing putty. Noah's product was obsolete.
Around this time Noah's nephew, Joe, joined his uncle at the soap company. Joe's wife was a
nursery school teacher, and she was always looking for new ways to entertain her students.
Noah had never considered using his industrial cleaning product as a children's toy, but since it
was completely non-toxic, there was no harm in it. Besides, it was better to re-brand than
simply let his invention fade away!
Noah and Joe's first attempts at selling their new "Play-Doh" didn't go very well. It was fun
enough to mess around with, but it was still a plain, boring white, and its salt content made it
overly stiff when it dried.
They dyed the putty with different colors and tried again. This time, they offered samples at
educational conventions and gained the sponsorship of children's TV icons like Captain
Kangaroo. Play-Doh became a fun, colorful toy that every kid wanted to try, and a chemist even
found a way to reduce its salt content to make it a better modeling clay. By 1958, Play-Doh was
in schools nationwide and making more than $3 million a year!
There were further changes, of course. Play-Doh was originally sold in a cardboard can, but it
switched to its famously yellow plastic packaging to save money. There were also attempts to
popularize an elf as the Play-Doh mascot, but that never really took off.
Today, more than 100 million cans of Play-Doh are sold each year. It's also distributed in more
than 75 countries. It was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998, and September
16th is even known as National Play-Doh Day.
That's not too shabby for a coal reside cleaner!
1.
Which of the following enhancements helped make Play-Doh more marketable?
A. adding more salt to make it softer
B. adding interesting colors
C. using a fun character to appeal to young children
D. none of the above
2. Which of the following is an appropriate theme for this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.
Hard work is its own reward.
Love conquerors all.
Being different is a good thing.
3. What is the meaning of the word, obsolete as used in paragraph 5 of this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
increasing in usefulness
helpful for cleaning
no longer useful
not helpful for cleaning
4. Which of the following statements from the passage is true?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Noah and Joe McVicker intentionally set out to create a fun children’s toy.
Play-Doh was created to be used in schools.
Noah and Joe McVicker worked independently to create a fun children’s toy.
Play-Doh was created by accident.
5. How is the information in this passage primarily organized?
A. compare and contrast
B. problem and solution
C. description
D. sequence
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Amy B. Smith
You've probably seen pictures of starving children in third-world
countries. But have you ever wanted to do something about it?
Amy B. Smith was just a little girl when her father took her to live in India
for a year. She'd been born in the United States, and she'd enjoyed all of the
perks and privileges that came from growing up in the suburbs.
When she got to India, however; Amy was struck by the hardships of its poorer communities.
While some parts of the country were thriving, others were struggling. The people didn't always
have enough food and clean water, and electricity wasn’t always reliable.
More importantly, Amy could no longer pretend that poverty was a distant problem. It was
something that was affecting her friends, neighbors and classmates.
"I could put faces on the kids who have so little money," she said.
Amy vowed to do something about the difficult living conditions of other countries. She loved
science, so she decided to start inventing and improving machines that could be used for
overseas labor.
She started by obtaining a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Then she spent four
years in the Peace Corps so she could live among the people she was trying to help. Instead of
just assuming what they wanted or needed, she held conversations with them. She learned their
ways and found areas where she could help.
One of her first inventions was a screenless hammer mill that converts grain into flour. It was a
big hit in Senegal because it was easier to manufacture than regular screen mills. It could also
be made by the blacksmiths of Senegal, so they didn't have to import parts or wait for foreign
aid deliveries. They were able to make their own tools to convert their own grain.
Amy was also involved in the creation of the universal nut sheller. Popular in places like
Uganda, it's a simple, hand-powered machine that allows farmers to shell up to 100 pounds of
peanuts per hour. This is a much higher rate of production than doing it by hand, and like the
screenless hammer mill, it can be constructed cheaply and by the local population.
Amy's most enduring project, however, is the foundation of the D-Lab program at MIT. It
teaches young engineering students about problems in the third world and encourages them to
come up with viable, real-world solutions. Instead of inventing things for themselves, they
invent things to help their fellow man.
Amy is a great example of someone who was inspired at an early age to help people. She
followed her ambitions all the way across the world, and the world is better for it. Thank
you, Amy!
1. In the second paragraph, the word “perks” means _______________.
A. benefits
B. disadvantages
C. perkiness
D. scariness
2. From the third paragraph, we can infer that “hardships” means ________.
A. lucky circumstances
B. long periods of time
C. time away from family
D. difficult situations
3. Which is true of the universal nut sheller?
A. It is unpopular in Uganda.
B. It allows farmers to shell up to 100 pounds of peanuts per hour.
C. It is battery operated and uses rechargeable batteries.
D. All of the above.
4. We could draw the conclusion that Amy joined the Peace Corps because__________.
A. it provided an easy way for her to travel the world
B. she wanted to show her scientific inventions to people all over the world
C. she wanted to be sure about how to help people in need
D. she believed traveling is very important
5. How is the information in this passage organized?
A. problem and solution
B. compare and contrast
C. description
D. none of the above
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver was one of the most influential Black men
of the 19th century. He was an engineer, inventor and innovator. But did
you know that he was born into a family who was enslaved?
George was born in the 1860s. His birthday was never officially recorded,
partly because his family was enslaved, and partly because his mother and
sister were kidnapped when he was a baby.
Growing up, his enslaver was a man named Moses Carver, and George identified himself to others as
"Carver's George." This became "George Carver" when he needed a full name later in life.
Slavery was officially abolished sometime in George's youth, so he was able to attend school and
receive an education in math, science and natural subjects. He had to walk miles every day to a school
for African-American students, but to George, it was worth it. As one of his mentors told him, "You
must learn all you can, then go back out into the world and give your learning back to the people."
George was especially interested in botany, and as he studied the subject in college, he supported
himself by farming and maintaining a conservatory. He planted corn, rice, herbs, trees, fruits and
flowers. He learned a lot about agriculture as he manually tended more than 17 acres of land.
After obtaining his degree, George was invited to teach at the prestigious Tuskegee Institute. He would
remain there for more than 40 years as he became famous. Do you want to know his secret?
George had a knack for solving agricultural problems. For example, when farmers complained that
their fields weren't growing cotton like they used to, George performed soil research and figured out
that the fields were depleted of nitrogen. The farmers needed to rotate their crops by planting cotton
one year and soybeans the next. This would replenish the soil's nitrogen content.
He also encouraged the cultivation of peanuts. A low-cost, high-yield crop, they were ideal for poor
farmers who needed a way to feed their families. George became known as "The Peanut Man" for all
of the products and recipes he created and invented using peanuts.
This kind of help towards poor, working-class farmers made George a popular figure, especially when
the nation was struggling through WWII. At a time when racial discrimination was even more rampant,
the president was praising George. His face was on posters and job advertisements. Foreign dignitaries
requested meetings with him.
George died in 1943. His exact age was still unknown, but it was estimated that he was in his 80s. This
is what's on his headstone: "He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found
happiness and honor in being helpful to the world."
The world would certainly be a better place if we all tried to be more like George Washington Carver.
1.
How is George characterized in the passage?
A. George is characterized as being ambitious.
B. According to the passage, George is humble but lazy.
C. The passage suggests that George was enthusiastic about plants and science.
D. George is characterized as only being motivated by money.
2. What was George’s solution for soil that didn’t have enough nitrogen?
A. George suggested rotational planting of crops.
B. George suggested that farmers use less water when tending to crops.
C. George insisted that farmers use more fertilizer to promote plant growth.
D. George persuaded farmers to plant cotton year after year.
3. In the following sentence, prestigious is best defined as ______________.
“After obtaining his degree, George was invited to teach at the prestigious Tuskegee Institute.”
A.
B.
C.
D.
an institution that educated only African Americans
an institution that specializes in the teaching of agricultural practices
having a good reputation for positive reasons
having a bad reputation for negative reasons
4. According to this passage, why are peanuts such an important crop?
A. Peanuts are the crop that made George Carver famous.
B. Peanuts are inexpensive and produce a large harvest.
C. Growing peanuts helps to replenish soil’s nutrients.
D. None of the above
5. What does paragraph 9 help the reader to understand about the passage?
A. It explains how African Americans were discriminated against.
B. It discusses George’s inventions.
C. It summarizes George’s life.
D. It explains how George’s inventions elevated him in a discriminatory world.
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Jessica O. Matthews
Many people take electricity for granted. In Nigeria, however, it's common for
families to experience blackouts that last hours and even days. One woman
decided to do something about this - and she started with a soccer ball.
Jessica O. Matthews was born as a dual citizen of Nigeria and America. She grew up in New
York and attended Harvard Business School. Most of her family remained in Nigeria, and she
often visited them to keep in touch with her roots.
One day, during her aunt's wedding, the power went out. Diesel generators were brought in to
keep the festivities going, but Jessica noticed that the generators emitted unhealthy fumes.
When she asked her aunt about it, her aunt shrugged. It was simply a fact of life in Nigeria that
you had to inhale fumes if you wanted to keep the lights on.
Jessica was a junior in college at this time, and she made it a school project to find a way to
sustain energy for Nigerian homes. She came up with an unusual idea: harnessing energy
through a soccer ball.
Soccer is a popular sport in Nigeria, and many rural children play for hours in their fields and
villages. Jessica decided to build a soccer ball that would store kinetic energy inside of it. After
it was charged, it could be used to power an attached LED light.
Jessica named the ball the "Soccket," and it was such a hit that she created a jump rope with
similar properties called the "Pulse." She coined the term M.O.R.E. to describe it all: motionbased, off-grid renewable energy.
Unfortunately, M.O.R.E. wasn't perfect. Jessica ran into manufacturing issues as she tried to
mass-produce her products, and her soccer balls and jump ropes broke apart as fast as she could
put them together.
She decided on a new tactic. Instead of building her own gear from scratch, she would partner
with existing athletic brands and incorporate her technology into their products.
Today, Jessica's company is raising millions of dollars and patenting dozens of inventions in
preparation for the future. She hopes that M.O.R.E. can really take off with her new business
approach, and she sees potential in more than just athletic gear. According to Jessica, M.O.R.E.
can be put into anything that absorbs kinetic energy, including things like baby strollers and
floor panels.
Jessica has come a long way from being the college student with a crazy idea. She's traveled the
world, started a business, become a CEO and even met with presidents. It just goes to show that
you should never discount your imagination. A little ingenuity and a willingness to work hard
can take you all the way to the White House!
1. What is the significance of the first paragraph of this passage?
A. The first paragraph establishes a need for Jessica’s invention.
B. The first paragraph introduces us to Jessica.
C. The first paragraph explains the importance of soccer.
D. The first paragraph explains the fickle nature of electricity in the United States.
2. In the third paragraph, emitted probably means_______________________.
A. allowed
B. floated
C. released
D. inhaled
3. Which of the following most likely caused Jessica to seek out a solution for unreliable electricity?
A. She was inspired by a college friend to experiment with electricity.
B. The power went out at a family event.
C. She was always curious about where power came from.
D. All of the above.
4. Which of the following is an opinion in the passage?
A. In the beginning, Jessica’s products were as unreliable as the electricity that she wanted to fix.
B. It was a good idea for Jessica to join forces with other business owners.
C. Electricity is not always dependable in some parts of the world.
D. Jessica ran into manufacturing issues as she tried to mass-produce her products.
5. Which of the following adages most accurately sums up this passage?
A. Soccer is the most important sport.
B. Necessity is the mother of invention.
C. To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
D. None of the above.
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Lonnie Johnson
The world is full of inventions, which is something we don’t often think about.
One could say that things like water guns have always been around, but the truth
is that they were invented just like calculators and computers were invented.
Someone had to be the first person to dream them up. Someone had to patent them.
In the case of the Super Soaker, that person was Lonnie Johnson.
Lonnie was born in Alabama in 1949. A natural inventor, he gave his mother many gray hairs as he
explored his creative side with homemade science and engineering projects. He took apart his sister's
doll to figure out how its eye-closing mechanism worked. He built his own go-kart out of scrap metal
and a lawnmower engine. He even tried to make rocket fuel, and he almost burned the whole house
down!
As he got a little older, Lonnie learned how to channel his curiosity into proper scientific pursuits. For
example, he won the state science fair with a homemade robot. The year was 1968, and he was the only
African-American student at the entire science fair, but he didn't let any perceived barriers stop him
from stretching his wings.
As an adult, Lonnie dabbled in many different engineering projects. He joined the Air Force and
worked on stealth planes, and he coordinated with NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab to help them build
interplanetary spacecraft. He even founded two companies of his own to work on harnessing the
properties of solar and ocean power.
Surprisingly; however, Lonnie isn't known for his long and distinguished career as an engineer. He isn't
even known for being an African-American inventor in a world where African-Americans only own six
percent of patents.
No, Lonnie's most famous invention is a water gun!
In 1982, he was goofing around with water streams in his bathroom, trying to figure out how he could
improve the cooling systems of refrigerators and freezers. Then his thoughts drifted to other
applications of water streams. What if he created a pressurized water gun? What if the toy used things
like air chambers and piston pumpers? How powerful would it be?
Using all of the knowledge he'd acquired from places like NASA, Lonnie designed the world's first
Super Soaker. It took him a while to find investors and manufacturers that were interested in building
it, but when he did, the Super Soaker became an immediate success.
Today, the Super Soaker is one of the best-selling toys in the world. Lonnie has made millions of
dollars in royalties, and he funnels all of it right back into his scientific research.
The next time you spray someone with a Super Soaker, remember that you're holding a piece of finelycrafted technology made by a rocket scientist!
1.
How is Lonnie characterized in paragraph 3?
A.
B.
C.
D.
2.
The passage characterizes Lonnie only as smart.
Lonnie is characterized as fearless and very curious.
The passage indicates that Lonnie is not interested in how things work.
The passage suggests that Lonnie is afraid of his mother’s reaction to his experimenting.
What is the meaning of the phrase, “perceived barriers,” in the following sentence?
“He was the only African-American student at the entire science fair, but he didn't let any
perceived barriers stop him from stretching his wings…”
A. discrimination against African Americans
B. other science fair participants
C. an inferior science project
D. rules of the science fair
3. How is the information in the passage primarily organized?
A.
B.
C.
D.
sequence
problem and solution
compare and contrast
cause and effect
4. Which sentence supports the idea that Lonnie was always experimenting?
A. “Lonnie isn't known for his work with NASA.”
B. “Lonnie's most famous invention is a water gun!”
C. “Lonnie designed the world's first Super Soaker.”
D. “Lonnie dabbled in many different engineering projects.”
5. Which literary device is being used in the last paragraph of the passage?
A. irony
B. metaphor
C. simile
D. personification
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
1.
Explain how Lonnie’s curiosity helped him create the Super Soaker? Use
details from the passage to support your response.
2. Discuss Lonnie’s career and journey. What is most surprising to you?
Helen the Robotics Engineer
Helen Greiner has always loved tinkering with electronics. When she was a little
girl, she stole her brother's remote-controlled toys and wired them to perform new
tasks. When her family purchased a computer - a big deal back in the '70s - she
mastered its basic functions within days.
It wasn't until she was 10 years old; however, that Helen found her lifelong passion.
Her parents had taken her to see Star Wars, and she was instantly enthralled with the robot R2D2.
"He was not just a machine," she'd later tell reporters. "He had moods, emotions and his own
agenda."
Helen was devastated when she learned that R2D2 was just an actor inside of a costume. Instead of
living with the disappointment, she decided to do something about it. She was going to create real
robots!
She started by devoting herself to her schoolwork. Not only did she obtain several degrees in
mechanical engineering from MIT, a school famous for its science and technology programs, but
she also joined MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Understanding artificial intelligence (AI)
is an important part of robotics work.
Helen's next step was founding a company called the iRobot Corporation. As part of its dream
team, Helen designed, tested and built different kinds of robots for all kinds of tasks. One of
iRobot's projects even took her to the great pyramids of Egypt! Archaeologists needed a rover that
could navigate the narrow tunnels leading to a pharaoh's final resting place, and since the right
machine didn't exist yet, Helen was asked to create it.
iRobot has had other successes, too. Even if you haven't heard of the brand, you're probably
familiar with their inventions. For example, iRobot created the Roomba, the famous self-propelling
vacuum cleaner. They've also developed robots for everything from space exploration to active
military zones.
One of the most amazing things about Helen's career is that she was often a trailblazer in the world
of robotics. You see, she wasn't creating drones and rovers in modern times when everyone already
knew their worth. She was fighting an uphill battle against people who saw robots as too
complicated or too expensive to use in everyday life. It was up to Helen to convince them that they
were wrong, and she often did this by building something so spectacular that even the naysayers
couldn't deny it.
Helen is 50 years old now, but she still remembers being a wide-eyed little girl staring up at R2D2
and wondering how she could create a robot just like him. In fact, she tells this story all around the
world in hopes of inspiring other kids like her.
What do you say? Do you like robots?
1.
How is Helen characterized in the passage?
A. Helen is characterized only as being intelligent.
B. According to the passage, Helen is outgoing and friendly.
C. The passage indicates that Helen is intelligent, creative and determined.
D. Helen is characterized only as a hard-worker.
2. According to this passage, when did Helen discover her lifelong passion?
A. when she started studying at MIT
B. when she was 10 years old and watched Star Wars
C. when she visited Egypt
D. when she invented the Roomba
3. In the following sentence, founding is best defined as ______________.
“Helen’s next step was founding a company called the iRobot Corporation.”
A.
B.
C.
D.
finding the company she wanted to work for
establishing a new company
collecting materials that have been found
locating
4. According to this passage, the Roomba is _______________________
A. a vacuum cleaner
B. a rover
C. used for space exploration
D. all of the above
5. From this passage, the reader can infer that archaeologists ____________________.
A. work only in Egypt
B. are interested in learning more about pharaohs
C. generally believe that robots are too expensive to use in their line of work
D. all of the above
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
1. Explain how watching Star Wars helped Helen begin to plan her career path.
Use at least two details from the passage to support your response.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. List three ways that robots which Helen helped to develop are used. Can
you think of another use for one of these robots?
1.
Discuss Henry’s life, from farm boy to successful businessman and inventor. What part
did failure play in his journey? Use details from the passage to support your response.
2.
According to the passage, Henry was born into a farming family? Discuss the character
traits that helped him change his life. Use information from the passage to support your
answer.
William E. Upjohn
Medicine in the 1800s wasn't like the medicine of today. When people got
sick, they had to take either liquid solutions or hard-coated pills that weren't
guaranteed to dissolve in their stomach. Sometimes, the pills passed right
through their digestive systems and offered no relief at all.
William E. Upjohn was the first doctor to tackle this problem, and he did so in a way that
changed medicine forever.
William was one of 12 children born to an American pioneer family in the days of covered
wagons and log cabins. Their father, Uriah Upjohn, was a doctor who traveled on horseback to
help poor and injured people for no pay. This made a lasting impression on the young William,
and he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor too.
By his 20s, William had graduated from medical school and joined the family business, but he
was unsatisfied with the hard-coated pills of his day. He started experimenting with different
chemicals and powders in his attic, and after a few years of research, he'd perfected something
that he called the "friable" pill: One that would dissolve in the stomach when digested.
You might recognize this pill as the basis of all modern pills. They're solid when you hold them
in your hand, but when they hit your stomach acid, they dissolve and release their medicine.
William patented his invention in 1885. Then he started to market it to other doctors. His
method was quite clever: he'd send them a small wooden board along with samples of both the
friable pill and the traditional, hard-coated pill, and he'd ask them to crush both samples on the
board. The friable pills could be crushed with a human thumb. The hard-coated ones required a
hammer.
It didn't take long for the friable pill to become a sensation in the medical community, and
William started his own company to make and manufacture them. Several of his brothers joined
him, and the Upjohn Pill and Granule Company produced pills, tablets and pharmaceutical
products for all kinds of ailments. It would operate for more than 100 years before being
purchased by an investor in the 1990s.
Eventually, William tired of the medical industry and switched his focus to politics. He was an
extremely popular figure around his hometown, and he became a noted philanthropist who built
parks and helped people find jobs. He was even elected the city's first official mayor. When he
passed away in 1932, local businesses shut down for the day and flags were flown at half-mast.
As a young doctor, William couldn't have imagined the legacy that he would build. He simply
saw a problem and started tinkering in his attic to fix it. However, his ingenuity can serve as an
inspiration to us all!
1. How does the first paragraph help the reader understand the passage?
A. The first paragraph introduces us to William E. Upjohn.
B. The first paragraph presents a problem which will be solved in later paragraphs.
C. The first paragraph explains personal obstacles that William will overcome.
D. The first paragraph presents a solution to a problem.
2. How is the word, “sensation” used in the following sentence?
It didn't take long for the friable pill to become a sensation in the medical community…
A. a great feeling or experience
B. a product which heightens the senses
C. a condition which increases health
D. a new item or idea which quickly increases in popularity
3. How did sending samples of the friable pill to other doctors help William achieve his goal?
A. Sending samples allowed other doctors to contrast the friable pill with other pills.
B. Sending samples had no effect on William achieving his goal.
C. Sending samples encouraged other doctors to ingest and try the friable pill.
D. none of the above
4. From this passage, we can tell that _________________________________.
A. politics were more important to William than medicine
B. William practiced and studied medicine to earn a large profit
C. William was revered for being ambitious and also selfless
D. William knew more about medicine than he did about politics
5. Which of the following is a clue about how William’s community felt about him?
A. Flags were flown at half-mast when William passed away.
B. William’s community did not care for him.
C. His community did not patronize his company.
D. All of the above.
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
1.
How did the people of William’s community feel about him? Use
details from the passage to support your answer.
2.
What is a possible theme for this passage? Support your response with information
from the text.
Rachel Zimmerman
Rachel Zimmerman was just 12 years old when she invented something
that would help millions of people worldwide. She wasn't even seeking
fame or fortune. She was just playing around with a science project!
Before you learn about her invention, however, you need to know why it was necessary. It all started
with Blissymbols.
Created by a language expert in the 1940s, Blissymbols are small pictures that are used to convey
thoughts and ideas. They're a bit like Egyptian hieroglyphics or Japanese kanji in the sense that they
use images instead of letters, but Blissymbols are unique because they don't even correspond to letters.
For example, the Japanese kanji symbol looks like a box and translates to "tsuki," the Japanese word
for "moon." If you didn't know Japanese, however, you couldn't look at the box and know what it
meant.
On the other hand, Blissymbols were created as a universal language where images translate to
concepts instead of words. The Blissymbol image for "moon" is a crescent shape that looks just like a
moon. You could speak English, French, German or Spanish, and you would still know what it was
supposed to mean.
Blissymbols are commonly used to help disabled people communicate. When someone has a condition
like cerebral palsy, they aren't always able to talk or write with the traditional alphabet, so they're
taught Blissymbols as a simpler and more direct method of communication.
This brings us back to Rachel Zimmerman. At just 12 years old, Rachel realized that Blissymbols
could be used more effectively by disabled people and their families. Usually, the disabled person
pointed at a Blissymbols picture board and waited for a nearby assistant to interpret them. Rachel
decided to speed things up by creating a touch pad that allowed users to instantly and digitally translate
their chosen symbols into words. Not only did this eliminate the need for an assistant hovering nearby,
but it also gave the disabled person a much greater sense of independence.
Rachel's invention was a big hit. Originally just a DIY project that she completed on her own time, it
became a worldwide success after she submitted it to a few different science fairs and exhibitions. She
came in second place at the World Exhibition of Achievement of Young Inventors, and she won the
YTV Television Youth Achievement Award as well.
Today, Rachel holds degrees in both physics and space science. She works in NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory and hopes to use their cutting-edge research and technology to create even more gadgets
for the disabled.
Rachel is proof that good ideas can strike anyone, including young people who haven't even finished
school yet. If she can change the world, so can you!
1.
What is the purpose of paragraph 3 in the passage?
A. Paragraph 3 introduces the reader to Rachel Zimmerman.
B. Paragraph 3 explains how Blyssymbols work.
C. Paragraph 3 tells the reader why nonverbal communication is important.
D. Paragraph 3 has no purpose.
2.
From the use of the word, universal in paragraph 5, the reader can infer that_____________.
A. Blyssymbols can be used by people all over the world
B. Blyssymbols only work for people who speak French, German, and, Spanish
C. Blyssymbols help with verbal communication
D. the universe is vast
3.
What is the most common use for Blyssymbols?
A. This communication method does not correspond to letters.
B. Blyssymbols are most commonly used for people who don’t speak English.
C. This communication method is most commonly used for those who only communicate
verbally.
D. Blyssymbols are most commonly used for people who are disabled.
4.
How is the information in this passage organized?
A. compare and contrast
B. cause and effect
C. description
D. sequence
5.
What is the tone of the last paragraph of the passage?
A. The tone of the last paragraph is encouraging.
B. The tone of the last paragraph is doubtful.
C. The tone of the last paragraph is joyous.
D. The tone of the last paragraph is helpful.
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
Graphics by Arno Hollosi (thesis Alternative Representations) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
1. What is significant about Rachel’s contribution to the use of Blyssymbols?
Use details from the passage to support your response.
2. How would you help people who have problems communicating?
Nikola Tesla the Inventor
Nikola Tesla is considered one of the greatest minds in scientific
history. Not only did he design the alternating current (AC) system,
something that's still used in electrical systems today, but he even
had a rivalry with Thomas Edison!
Before he was a scientist; however, he was a little boy growing up in
an Austrian village in the 1800s. As one of five children, Nikola often
struggled to prove himself, and his humble life didn't make it easy. His
teachers actually thought he was cheating when he could solve math problems in his head.
Things got better when he grew up and was able to freely explore his passions. He worked at a phone
company for awhile, learning things like electrical and mechanical engineering, and then he landed a
job at one of Thomas Edison's manufacturing plants. He attended, but never graduated from college,
preferring to study things at his own pace.
This independent attitude is what eventually led him to create his own electrical system. He called it
the alternating current (AC) system, and it was completely different from Thomas Edison's direct
current (DC) system.
Nikola had left Edison's company by this time and started his own, and their different views on
electrical power started a rivalry that lasted their entire lives. Each scientist thought that their kind of
electric system was the best, of course, and they started fighting a "War of Currents" in the late 1880s.
They continually tried to out-do each other by inventing and patenting new products that ran on their
specific type of power.
Despite their feud; however, Nikola was doing his best work against his former boss. He invented
everything from electric oscillators to special transmission coils that would eventually be named after
him. He even gave demonstrations of "wireless lightning" to jam-packed rooms of awed spectators.
After years of struggle, Nikola had finally made his mark on the scientific community!
Today, Nikola is remembered for both his practical inventions and his philosophical outlook on life.
Even when other people were skeptical of his ideas, he never let their lack of imagination stop him
from dreaming up something new. He even went against Thomas Edison because he believed in his
own ideas and inventions! Imagine what the world would've missed out on if he'd been too scared to
challenge the great minds of his time.
Nikola died in 1943, but he wouldn't want you to mourn him. His work still lives on in motors, radios
and fuse boxes around the world, and in any case, he was a man who preferred to look towards the
future.
"The present is theirs," he once told his colleagues. "The future, for which I really worked, is mine.“
1. Why did Nikola’s teachers think he was cheating on his assignments when he was in school?
A. Nikola’s teachers thought he was cheating because he solved problems so quickly.
B. Nikola’s teachers thought he was cheating because he solved math problems mentally.
C. Nikola’s teachers thought he was cheating because he was not normally a good student.
D. Nikola’s teachers felt that he was not a hard worker.
2. Which of the following best supports the idea that Nikola Tesla “marched to the beat of his own
drum?”
A. “He never went to college…”
B. “He landed a job at one of Thomas Edison’s manufacturing plants.”
C. “He preferred to study things at his own pace…”
D. “He learned electrical engineering…”
3. Which of the following actions suggests that Nikola Tesla was ahead of his time?
A. He facilitated wireless lighting.
B. He learned mechanical engineering
C. He worked at a phone company.
D. He landed a job at Thomas Edison’s plant.
4. What does the word skeptical mean in this passage?
A. to disagree with
B. to not believe
C. to agree with
D. to support
5. What is the central idea of this passage?
A. Keep an eye on your adversaries.
B. Sometimes it’s okay to follow the crowd.
C. Always stand your ground in a feud.
D. Believe in your abilities and knowledge, even when others don’t.
Copyright © 2017 AnneGardner.com
1. Which of Nikola Tesla’s inventions do you think had the biggest impact
on our world? Use details from the passage to support your answer.
2. Would you consider a career as an inventor? Why or why not?
Stephanie Kwolek
Think about bulletproof vests. They're strong, right? They're made with special
synthetic fibers that are much more resilient than the regular kind. Though
officially known as poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide, most people just call
these fibers "Kevlar."
Who do you think invented Kevlar? Picture his face in your mind. He must've
been a tough guy to invent such a tough product, right?
Her name was Stephanie Kwolek.
Stephanie was born to a humble family in 1923. She was fascinated by science from an early age, so it
didn't surprise anyone when she decided to major in chemistry at college.
She didn't get her big break; however, until she was offered a job with a company that tested and
researched chemical reactions to new products. The year was 1946, and women didn't usually have
jobs like this. Stephanie was only given a chance because so many men were overseas fighting in
World War II.
She quickly proved her worth by inventing and improving new products that the company could
patent. In her many years of service, Stephanie was responsible for the creation of 20+ patents!
Kevlar was the result of an experiment that no one but Stephanie thought to do. You see, Stephanie and
her team had been trying to find a strong yet lightweight fiber that could be used in car tires, so they'd
been mixing up many different kinds of chemical solutions. One day, Stephanie noticed a cloudy
mixture that was behaving in an odd way, so she urged a lab technician to test it. Cloudy mixtures were
usually tossed in the trash, so the man didn't want to waste time with a test, but Stephanie convinced
him to give it a shot.
The solution turned out to be one of the strongest that they'd ever created. It was stronger than nylon
and even steel.
Not only had Stephanie invented Kevlar, but she'd prevented it from being thrown in the garbage!
Today, Kevlar is used in hundreds of products like ropes, cables, boats, airplanes, sports equipment and
body armor. Funnily enough, it's also used in tires. Stephanie and her team solved their original
problem and then some.
Stephanie passed away when she was 90, but she was heavily involved with the scientific community
until the day she died. Not only did she keep inventing things at her company for more than 40 years,
but she was also a kind of ambassador who spoke to crowds about the importance of dreaming big. She
was especially adamant about getting more kids into science and engineering.
"I tell young people to reach for the stars," she said. "And I can't think of a greater high that you could
possibly get than by inventing something."
1.
Which detail from the passage supports the idea that Kevlar is an important invention?
A. “She quickly proved her worth by inventing and improving new products…”
B. “She'd prevented it from being thrown in the garbage…”
C. “Kevlar is used in hundreds of products like ropes, cables, boats, airplanes….”
D. Stephanie was a brilliant scientist.
2.
What is the meaning of the word resilient as used in this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
able to maintain under unfavorable circumstances
subject to unfavorable circumstances
easily changed
all of the above
3. Which of the following helped Stephanie secure a job with a chemical company?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Women were hired without prejudice during that time.
Stephanie was bright and determined.
Stephanie would rather stay at home.
Employers found it difficult to fill job vacancies because of a war.
4. Which of the following statements supports the idea that Stephanie’s curiosity is partly responsible
for the discovery of Kevlar?
A. “Stephanie was responsible for the creation of 20+ patents!”
B. “Kevlar was the result of an experiment that no one but Stephanie thought to do.”
C. “She was especially adamant about getting more kids into science and engineering.”
D. “It didn't surprise anyone when she decided to major in chemistry at college.”
5. Which literary device is the author using in the second and third paragraphs of this passage?
A. irony
B. metaphor
C. alliteration
D. onomatopoeia
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1.
Besides coming from a family that didn’t have much material wealth,
what other challenges do you think Stephanie faced in her life? Use
details from the passage to support your answer.
2.
How would you describe Stephanie’s character? Use information from the text to
support your response.
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