Comparing Texts | Answer Keys

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	Both texts are about volcanoes/volcanic eruptions.
2	Text A focuses on scientific facts (types, how they work, how scientists monitor them). Text B focuses on personal experience and emotional impact (what it felt like, how scary it was, what the family experienced).
3	B. Text B - because it shares a personal experience with emotional details Text B uses sensory details and emotions to convey what the eruption was like to experience.
4	Sample: "Both texts discuss volcanoes, but Text A focuses on scientific information while Text B shares a personal account of an eruption." OR "Text A is written to inform readers about volcanoes, whereas Text B helps readers understand what an eruption feels like to experience."

Practice Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	A. Text A provides historical facts; Text B shares personal experiences of soldiers
2	From Text B you can learn what it felt like to be a soldier at Valley Forge - the cold, hunger, lack of shoes, the emotional struggle of wanting to leave but being inspired by Washington. Text A doesn't include personal experiences or emotions.
3	Text A has a formal, objective, factual tone - it presents information neutrally. Text B has a personal, emotional tone - you can feel the cold, desperation, and hope through Thomas's words.
4	Text A, because it includes specific dates, key events (Lexington and Concord, Declaration of Independence, Yorktown), and important leaders with their roles. Text B only mentions Valley Forge.
5	Text A presents Washington as a military commander who led the army - factual and official. Text B presents Washington as an inspiring leader who shared his soldiers' suffering and kept them motivated - personal and emotional.
6	A. Text A: to persuade students; Text B: to inform about research findings
7	Text A is written for elementary school students (uses exclamation points, direct address "you," simple language). Text B is written for adults interested in education/health research (uses academic language, cites university study, discusses implications).
8	B. Text A uses general claims and enthusiasm; Text B uses specific research data Text A makes claims like "helps you concentrate" without data. Text B cites a 5-year Stanford study with specific percentages.
9	Both texts agree that healthy eating helps students perform better in school - they say it affects concentration/attention and energy/test performance.
10	A. Text A argues we should explore space; Text B presents factual information
11	No, Text B does not address the criticism about spending money on Earth's problems. It mentions the budget ($2.7 billion) but doesn't argue whether this is justified. Text A directly responds to critics.
12	Text A provides stronger persuasive evidence because it directly addresses benefits (technology, inspiration) and responds to critics. However, Text B provides concrete data (specific missions, costs, challenges) that could also support an argument. Both together would be most convincing.
13	Text A has an enthusiastic, persuasive, passionate tone - using phrases like "immeasurable rewards" and "wonder." Text B has a neutral, informational, factual tone - presenting data and challenges objectively.
14	Sample: Both texts discuss space exploration and its benefits. However, Text A takes a persuasive approach, arguing that we must continue exploring and addressing critics who say it's too expensive. Text B takes an informational approach, presenting facts about current missions, timelines, and challenges without arguing for a position. Together, they provide both the "why" and the "what" of space exploration.

FAST Format Quiz Answers

Question	Answer
1	A. Text A focuses on environmental benefits; Text B focuses on challenges for local ranchers
2	A. Text A is enthusiastic and celebratory; Text B is concerned and frustrated
3	D. Wolves have a significant impact on the area Both agree wolves matter - one sees positive ecological impact, one sees negative economic impact.
4	B. He sees the issue as more complex than Text A presents it
5	B. It demonstrates that the wolf issue affects different groups in different ways
6	A. Text A, because it explains how wolves affect the ecosystem
7	A. Text A: people interested in nature/conservation; Text B: people interested in local community impacts
8	B. Because together they show different perspectives on a complex issue
9	See rubric and sample response below.
10	See rubric and sample response below.

Question 9 Scoring Rubric (Compare/Contrast Perspectives)

Score	Criteria
2	Clearly explains what EACH author wants readers to understand AND uses specific evidence from both texts
1	Identifies perspectives but lacks evidence from one text, OR uses evidence but doesn't clearly explain perspectives
0	Does not compare perspectives or misunderstands the texts

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 9:
The two texts present very different perspectives on wolves in Yellowstone. Text A wants readers to understand that wolves are beneficial - calling their return "one of conservation's greatest success stories" and explaining how they helped recover trees, bring back other animals, and improve the ecosystem. Text B wants readers to understand that the situation is "complicated" - the rancher explains that wolves kill livestock (three of his calves), cause financial hardship, and that local families "pay the price." While Text A sees wolves as purely positive, Text B argues we need "balance" that considers both wildlife AND people.

Question 10 Scoring Rubric (Using Both Texts)

Score	Criteria
2	Explains what EACH text contributes to a balanced understanding AND describes how they work together
1	Explains contribution of one text well but not the other, OR doesn't explain how they complement each other
0	Does not address how to use both texts or shows misunderstanding

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 10:
For a balanced report, I would use Text A to explain the ecological benefits of wolves - how they control elk populations, help vegetation recover, and create a "trophic cascade" that benefits the whole ecosystem. I would use Text B to present the challenges - that ranchers lose livestock and income, and that the solution isn't simple. Together, the texts help readers understand that wolves have real benefits for nature AND real costs for local communities, and that finding "balance" requires considering both perspectives. Neither text alone gives the complete picture.

Quick Reference: Aspects to Compare