1. The Strange Idea Of
George Ferris
by June Swanson

2. 1 What is the main idea of the selection?
A. Riding a Ferris wheel is the best way to view a city.
B. World Fairs attract millions of visitors from around the world.
C. Large-scale designs are more successful than small-scale designs.
D. Ferris’s design was so successful that Ferris wheels are still around today.
IC11: Demonstrate understanding of major ideas and supporting details (Reading GLE 2.1.3)

3. 2 What is the purpose of the picture in the selection?
A. The picture shows the tremendous size of the 1893 Ferris wheel.
B. The picture demonstrates that few people could ride at one time.
C. The picture shows the Ferris wheel at the St. Louis World’s Fair.
D. The picture demonstrates that each car had five large glass windows.
IA15: Demonstrate understanding of text features (titles, headings and other information divisions, table of contents, indexes, glossaries, prefaces, appendices, captions) and graphic features (Reading GLE 2.2.2)

4. 3 Based on the information in the selection, what inference can the reader make about George Ferris? Include information from the selection to support your inference.
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IC13: Make inferences or predictions based on the reading (Reading GLE 2.1.5)

5. 2
A 2-point response makes a reasonable inference about George Ferris and provides text-based information to support the inference.
Example: Ferris is persistent. He didn’t give up even when people laughed at his strange idea for a new ride. 1
A 1-point response makes a reasonable inference about George Ferris OR
Provides text-based information that would support a reasonable inference.

6. Inferences may include, but are not limited to:
George Ferris is persistent
George Ferris is creative
George Ferris is clever
Text-based information may include, but is not limited to:
He invented (built) the first Ferris wheel
The first Ferris wheel was 264 feet high / had thirty-six enclosed cars / each holding sixty passengers / it carried 2,160 people / one-and-a-half million people rode the Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel attracted people to Chicago
George submitted drawings of a giant wheel that people could ride on
Everyone laughed at his strange idea
Mr. Ferris didn’t give up / finally the ride was accepted
It gave everyone a great view
After the fair it was moved to a nearby amusement park / it moved to St. Louis
Sold to a wrecking company for scrap metal / It took 200 pounds of dynamite to bring it down
Ferris wheels are still used today

7. 3 Based on the information in the selection, what inference can the reader make about George Ferris? Include information from the selection to support your inference. 2
This response receives full credit by making at least one reasonable inference about George Ferris:
...he is very smart.
And by providing text-based information for support:
J. ...Ferris wheels are still around today.

8. 3 Based on the information in the selection, what inference can the reader make about George Ferris? Include information from the selection to support your inference. 1
...he was a very good inventeor and builder.
He was also very smart.

9. 3 Based on the information in the selection, what inference can the reader make about George Ferris? Include information from the selection to support your inference. 1
D. …submitted drawings of a giant wheel that people could ride on.

10. 3 Based on the information in the selection, what inference can the reader make about George Ferris? Include information from the selection to support your inference.
This response is a 0. This response does not provide text-based evidence.

11. IC12: Summarize with evidence from the reading (Reading GLE 2.1.7)
4 Which sentence best summarizes this selection?
A. George Ferris was laughed at when he proposed the 1893 Ferris wheel.
B. The size of the 1893 Ferris wheel led to its success at the World’s Fair.
C. W.E. Sullivan built the popular 1893 Ferris wheel.
D. The 1893 Ferris wheel was built to shock people.
IC12: Summarize with evidence from the reading (Reading GLE 2.1.7)

12. 5 What is the author’s purpose for writing this selection?
A. To persuade the reader to ride a Ferris wheel
B. To describe the success of the 1893 World’s Fair
C. To entertain with a story about World Fairs
D. To inform the reader about the first Ferris wheel ever built
IT18: Analyze author’s purpose (including distinguishing between fact and opinion) and evaluate effectiveness for different audiences (Reading GLEs 2.4.2, 2.4.3, 2.4.4)

13. The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
6 Is this statement a reasonable conclusion that may be drawn from
the selection?
The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
Provide two details from the selection to support your answer.
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IT19: Evaluate reasoning and ideas/themes related to the text (Reading GLEs 2.4.1, 2.4.5)

14. 2
A 2-point response states or implies that it is or is not a reasonable conclusion, and
provides two text-based details to support the answer.
Example: (yes) One-and-a-half million people rode it at the fair. It gave them a
great view of the city. OR
Example: (no) It was sold for scrap metal and it took 200 pounds of dynamite to
bring it down.
Example: (yes and no) Many people went to the Chicago World’s Fair to see the
giant machine. But later it was sold for scrap metal. 1
A 1-point response states or implies that it is or is not a reasonable conclusion,
and provides one text-based detail to support the answer.

15. Text-based details may include, but are not limited to:
Yes or No
It attracted people to attend the Chicago World’s Fair (Chicago)
It carried 2,160 people / It carried 36 enclosed cars, each holding 60 passengers / one-and-a-half million (many) people rode the Ferris wheel
It gave people a great view of the city and Lake Michigan
An amusement park built to house Ferris wheel
It was moved to St. Louis
Wheel stood unused after St. Louis fair
It was sold for scrap metal
It took 200 pounds of dynamite to bring it down
In 1906 Sullivan started a Ferris wheel company / made a smaller one / made one easy to take apart
Sullivan’s company still makes Ferris wheels used today / still around today

16. The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
6 Is this statement a reasonable conclusion that may be drawn from the selection?
The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
Provide two details from the selection to support your answer. 2
A. ...attracted 1.5 million people to Chicago...
I. ...W.E. Sullivan wouldn’t have made a smaller version...
J. ...is still in use today...

17. The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
6 Is this statement a reasonable conclusion that may be drawn from the selection?
The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
Provide two details from the selection to support your answer. 2
B. ...tons of people rode it...
J. ...people still ride them to day.

18. The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
6 Is this statement a reasonable conclusion that may be drawn from the selection?
The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
Provide two details from the selection to support your answer. 1
J. ...[people]…still like it today!

19. The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
6 Is this statement a reasonable conclusion that may be drawn from the selection?
The Ferris wheel was a successful invention.
Provide two details from the selection to support your answer.
This response is a 0. This response does not provide specific text-based evidence.