Lab Activity 3: Using Prior Knowledge in Reading

Chapter 1: A System for Skilled Reading
Lab Activity 3: Using Prior Knowledge in Reading

Objective
To recognize that connecting your reading to prior knowledge can enhance your understanding.

Step 2: Answer the following questions about "West Virginia, 1923." Your instructor will tell you whether to write your answers in your book or to submit your answers online for electronic grading.

6. All of the following would be helpful prior information to have before reading this passage except

a. the bombing of Pearl Harbor marked the first time the United States was attacked during World War II.

b. the West Virginia participated in the Pacific during World War II.

c. Hawaii is almost halfway between the United States mainland and Japan, the country that attacked the ships on December 1, 1941.

d. the movie Pearl Harbor romanticized the events leading to United States to enter the war.

7. Based on your reading, you would believe the ship

a. is no longer in use.

b. was not built very well.

c. was commanded by an incompetent captain.

d. used inexperienced sailors.

8. After the attack, the monumental salvage job began, and the West Virginia was refloated in May 1942.

Salvage means

a. recovery.

b. destruction.

c. secret.

d. difficulty.

9. To understand the reading completely, you would need to know that the country that attacked the ship was

a. Russia.

b. Japan.

c. Germany.

d. Italy.

10. From your reading, you realize that the line "Salvage was made unpleasant . . ." refers to

a. the fire and ashes that made the rebuilding difficult.

b. the high cost of rebuilding the ship.

c. the discovery that some men had survived the bombing and lived two weeks without being rescued.

d. the realization that after it was rebuilt, the ship was bound for more bombing.