Comparing Texts — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Text A explains that bees pollinate flowers. Text B explains that bees make honey from nectar. What do you learn by reading BOTH texts?
A) Bees are only useful for making honey
B) Bees both pollinate flowers and produce honey, making them important in multiple ways
C) Bees only visit flowers to rest
D) Text A and Text B are about completely different insects
Reading both texts provides a more complete picture of bees' importance — both pollination and honey production.
2. Text A describes the water cycle as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Text B explains how pollution affects water quality. How do these texts work together?
A) They contradict each other completely
B) Text A explains the natural process while Text B shows how humans affect that process
C) Text B proves that Text A is incorrect
D) They are about two totally unrelated topics
The texts complement each other — Text A explains the natural water cycle, Text B shows human impact on it.
3. When you synthesize information from two texts, what are you doing?
A) Copying sentences from both texts word for word
B) Choosing which text is better and ignoring the other one
C) Combining ideas from both texts to build a deeper understanding
D) Finding spelling errors in both texts
Synthesis means combining information from multiple sources to create a new, deeper understanding.
4. Text A says the Great Wall was built for defense. Text B says thousands of workers spent decades building it. Which BEST combines both texts?
A) The Great Wall was never finished because it took too long to build
B) The Great Wall was built only for decoration purposes
C) The Great Wall was a massive defense project that took thousands of workers decades to complete
D) The Great Wall was easy to build because so many workers helped
Synthesizing both texts: defense purpose (Text A) + scale and labor (Text B) = massive defense project requiring enormous human effort.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Combining ideas from multiple texts to form a new understanding is called synthesizing.
Synthesis is the process of combining information from multiple sources into a new, integrated understanding.
2. Each text may add unique details that the other text does not include.
Each text contributes unique details that, when combined, create a fuller picture.
3. After reading two texts, a reader can draw a conclusion that neither text states alone.
Synthesis allows readers to draw conclusions that go beyond what either text individually states.
4. Synthesizing requires readers to think about how ideas from different texts fit together.
Synthesis involves thinking about how ideas from multiple texts connect, complement, or contrast.
5. A reader who synthesizes well can explain a topic more thoroughly than either single text does.
Synthesized understanding is more thorough because it draws on multiple sources and perspectives.