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Inventing Progress: reading realistic fiction; Robots and Turtles 5

Problem

Read the two passages, then answer the TWO practice questions.

Robots and Rivals

  1. After school, Zahra sprinted to the robotics lab.
  2. I’m the reigning champion of the annual competition, so I should be the first one to read about this year’s details!
  3. She rounded the corner and slammed into a new student.
  4. “Sorry about that,” Zahra said.
  5. “Do you know where the robotics lab is? I want to find out about this year’s competition. I’m Jonas.”
  6. Zahra eyed him suspiciously. “Follow me.” She didn’t wait for a response and rushed to the lab.
  7. That night Zahra reviewed the requirements. Competitors could work in teams or alone. They would build miniature robotic vehicles that showcased ingenuity. The models should function like full-sized space exploration vehicles and navigate smoothly to ensure safety. She pulled out her notebook and started drawing concepts.
  8. A month later, Zahra had her prototype, but she also had a problem. She was deep in thought in the lab and ignored Jonas when he motioned her over. The new student had quickly proven to be her biggest rival in robotics, but—that rivalry existed mostly in her mind. As far as Jonas was concerned, competition should be friendly.
  9. “You know,” he said while walking toward her, “it could help both of us to talk about our inventions and challenges.”
  10. Zahra rolled her eyes. She was impressed (and irritated) by him. The robotics coach had decided each student would have a lab partner, and of course—she and Jonas were paired up. He questioned and debated everything and made Zahra think about solutions to problems that she’d never considered before.
  11. “There’s a reason I work alone,” she said.
  12. “Come on! It won’t kill you.”
  13. Zahra hesitated. “Okay. I have a problem. I made the wheels smaller so they’d take sharper turns, but something isn’t right.”
  14. Zahra drew a sketch to illustrate the problem. “Build a cardboard model to troubleshoot the problem,” Jonas suggested. “I know it sounds basic, but models have helped me with other projects. Try it.”
  15. She did try it, and she quickly identified the problem and fixed it. Two months later, she was in the gym testing her vehicle. It went smoothly, but she realized that the vehicle didn’t really “showcase ingenuity”. It navigated well, and they’d constructed a replica of lunar terrain for the demo, but there was nothing novel about it. She sighed. With the competition being tomorrow, it wasn’t feasible to make changes.
  16. After dinner, Zahra frantically searched for her notebook. I can’t believe I left it in the gym! Now I have to walk back to school.
  17. She went in near the robotics lab where she overheard Jonas talking with his team about their monitoring system that measured humidity and air temperature.
  18. There’s no way my vehicle can compete with that! Zahra tiptoed into the gym, found her notebook, and walked over to Jonas’s unattended vehicle. Within minutes, she found the monitoring system and started to dislodge one of its parts. Her hand froze as she thought about how Jonas had helped her solve her problem, and how hard he worked in the lab and on his invention. “May the best inventor win,” she whispered.
  1. The next morning Zahra watched Jonas’s demo of the monitoring system and—a motion-activated camera. She gulped when their eyes met. Jonas’s ingenuity clearly impressed the judges. Zahra’s vehicle navigated smoothly, but she saw a judge yawn and wasn’t surprised when Jonas’s team was announced as the winner.
  2. Later, Jonas plopped down next to Zahra. “Cool idea to replicate lunar terrain. And your navigation was perfect!”
  3. “Congratulations, and thanks for not . . . ”
  4. “It’s okay. Next year, we should team up. We’d be unbeatable!” Jonas held up his palm for a high five.
  5. Zahra thought for a second and then smiled as her hand clapped his.

Technology for Turtles

  1. “Push the camera up! I can’t see the feed.”
  2. “That’s because it’s midnight.”
  3. I laughed. Isabella is extremely sarcastic.
  4. “Perfect! I see the nest. No sign of poachers.”
  5. As Isabella headed home, I heard “Goodnight, Brainiac” and the video stopped. Her parents would not be happy about this secret jaunt to the beach, but sea turtle nesting is at its prime now, so poachers are on the prowl.
  6. We invented a device that shoots glow sticks and makes a screeching noise. It’s rigged in advance, so Isabella can activate it from a distance to scare away poachers. She and I met at the Sea Turtle Conservancy last year and came up with the idea. I'm Alley, by the way—I’ve been a member of the Conservancy forever because of my grampa, a retired marine biologist.
  7. Isabella and I make the perfect team because we both know a ton about sea turtles, but I handle all things tech and computer, while Isabella deals with people—plus she’s the legs of our operation.
  8. No, really. She’s the literal legs. I was born with a spinal problem, so my mode of transportation is an Electra 7 HD wheelchair that’s fast and—thanks to me—tricked out with custom settings. Mom wanted me to try public school, but I love online learning. I go at my own pace and have plenty of time to work on inventions. Isabella would rather be outdoors and doesn’t even own an iPad, but she likes solving problems. Like Grampa says, “Collaboration divides the task and multiplies the success.”
  9. The day after the midnight mission, Isabella came over and tossed a brochure on the table. “Compliments of my parents. My bedroom window somehow got jammed shut, and I couldn’t get in. This brochure came with a lecture on the topic of ‘less reckless ways to help sea turtles.’”
  10. The brochure explained that Florida was holding a competition for inventions to help save sea turtles, and engineers and biologists would develop the winning invention. Count us in!
  11. After months of research, we refined our design and were ready to create our prototype. Isabella’s dad Pascal is an engineer with access to a 3D printer, so Grampa drove us to Pascal’s office. He explained that prototypes don’t have to be perfect, but need to work well enough to convey an idea and prove that it’s feasible.
  12. We stared down at the two little 3D-printed eggs, which looked like smooth golf balls. Unlike me, Isabella has an artistic knack, so she painted the decoy eggs to make them look real, and I injected them with a tiny tracking device.
  1. The night after we'd planted the decoy eggs on the beach, Isabella went on another midnight mission to check on them. Pascal and Grampa walked to the beach with her, and I was with them too—virtually.
  2. “Are you there? I’m ready for testing!”
  3. “Patience, Alley, we’re . . . ”
  4. Pascal interrupted, “I see lights.”
  5. I heard yelling and running, and the camera wobbled. There were sounds of a scuffle and a woman’s face appeared in the video—then everything went dark.
  6. Later Isabella explained, “Your grampa grabbed the guy’s leg, and the woman tried to get the video camera!”
  7. The couple ran away with a handful of eggs (decoy included), but I turned the video footage and tracking data over to the wildlife agents. How’s that for a successful test!
  8. Grampa suggested we apply for a patent. “Your idea shows ingenuity,” he said, “and it could ensure that more poachers are caught. If you file a patent, you’ll legally protect your idea. No one else can copy it or charge for it. You can let scientists use it for free.”
  9. I started working on our patent application today. I want to submit it before the competition because I don’t want someone stealing our idea—or any more turtle eggs!

Practice Questions

This question has two parts. Answer Part A, then Part B.

Part A

Which statement accurately compares Zahra and Alley?
Choose 1 answer:

Part B

Which TWO details from the passages best support the answer to Part A? Select one for each character.
Choose 2 answers:
Psst! Don't forget to choose an answer for both questions :)