Question: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Each time I see a balloon, my mind flies back to a memory of when I was a six-year-old girl. It was a rainy Sunday and my father had recently died. I asked my mom if Dad had gone to heaven. "Yes, honey. Of course." she said. "Can we write him a letter?" She paused, the longest pause of my short life, and answered, "Yes." My heart jumped. "How? Does the mailman go there?" I asked. "No, but I have an idea." Mom drove to a party store and returned with a red balloon. I asked her what it was for. "Just wait, honey. You'll see." Mom told me to write my letter. Eagerly, I got my favorite pen, and poured out my six-year-old heart in the form of blue ink. I wrote about my day, what I learned at school, how Mom was doing, and even about what happened in a story I had read. For a few minutes it was as if Dad were still alive. I gave the letter to Mom. She read it over, and a smile crossed her face. She made a hole in the corner of the letter where she looped the balloon string. We went outside and she gave me the balloon. It was still raining. "Okay, on the count of three, let go. One, two, three." The balloon, carrying my letter, darted upward against the rain. We watched until it was swallowed by the mass of clouds. Later I realized, like the balloon, that Dad had never let his sickness get him down. He was strong. No matter what he suffered, he'd persevere, dart up, and finally transcend this cold world and his sick body. He rose into sky and became something beautiful. I watched until the balloon disappeared into the gray and white and I prayed that his strength was hereditary. I prayed to be a balloon. Question: When the girl asked her mother if they could write to her father, her mother _ . - felt it hard to answer - thought her a creative girl - believed it easy to do so - found it easy to lie
Answer: felt it hard to answer

Question: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: Today, nearly 400 animals are listed as threatened or endangered animals in the United States. Many are at risk of becoming extinct or disappearing permanently. Unless efforts to save these vulnerable animals succeed, many of the country's greatest creatures will be lost forever. From the facts listed, guess which animals are endangered. Click on the picture to find out more about each of these animals in trouble. American Crocodile *American crocodiles are about 12 feet long. They live on land and in shallow water, swamps and marshes. *American crocodiles like to float in the water with only their eyes and noses above the water surface. *American crocodiles eat mostly small animals, which they grab with their strong jaws and sharp teeth. *American crocodiles lay eggs. They hide their eggs under twigs and leaves, or bury them in the sand. *Some crocodiles help their young hatch, and then carry them to the water in their mouth. Habitat Southern Florida, Mexico, Central and South American, Caribbean islands. Why It's Endangered Overhunted for its skin and habitat destruction. Peninsular Bighorn Sheep *Bighorn sheep can weigh as much as 280 pounds and stand about 3 feet tall. *They live in dry, desert mountain ranges, near rocky cliffs. *Bighorn sheep eat grass, twigs and leaves. *Male sheep are called rams and can be recognized by their huge, brown horns. The horns curl back over the ears, down,and up past the cheeks. *They live in herds or groups. The male sheep with the biggest horns are usually in charge. Male horns can weigh as much as 30 pounds. *Males will use their massive horns to fight. The fights can last as long as 24 hours. *Females are called ewes. They are smaller than rams and have shorter, smaller horns. Habitat Nevada and California to west Texas and south into Mexico. Why It's Endangered Loss of habitat, hunting illegally, drought and disease. Question: Rams make use of their massive horns to _ . - master the herds - show their beauty - fight with others - hunt for food
Answer: fight with others

Question: Read the following article and select the best answer. Article: A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape punishment. The event happened in the early morning hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923.He and his family were living in the same third-floor suite at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied several years before.The former President's wife was still living in the White House. Coolidge awoke to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain. Coolidge spoke, "I wish you wouldn't take that." The thief, gaining his voice, said, "Why?" "I don't mean the watch and chain, only the charm .Take it near the window and read what is impressed on its back, " the President said. The thief read, "Presented to Calvin Coolidge." "Are you President Coolidge ? " he asked. The President answered, "Yes, and the House of Representatives gave me that watch charm.I'm fond of it.It would do you no good.You want money.Let's talk this over." Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice, "I'll take this and leave everything else." Coolidge, knowing there was $80 in it, persuaded the young man to sit down and talk.He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill. Coolidge added up the roommate and two rail tickets back to the college.Then he counted out $32 said it was a loan . He then told the young man, "There is a guard in the corridor." The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered. Question: Coolidge counted out $32 _ . - in order not to be killed by the thief - in order to be out of danger - so as to help the young student overcome his difficulty - because he had no more money
Answer:
so as to help the young student overcome his difficulty