Inside Reading Unit 5 Test

Name: ______________________________________ Date: ______________________

Read this passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

It’s Windy up Here

Stand at the dizzying height of Taipei 101’s 1,046 feet and your biggest fear is how high you are.
However, that’s not the main concern of the engineers and architects who designed the building.
They rely on technology like steel beams to safely support the weight of buildings that now reach
over half a mile (0.8 kilometers) into the sky. While anyone standing in the viewing area at the
top of a skyscraper is focused on the vertical drop, engineers have been studying the force that
pushes the building from side to side. That force is wind.

The forces of nature, such as wind, gravity, and earth vibrations, all have to be considered when
constructing a skyscraper. However, wind is the most difficult to plan for. Wind can push and
pull from every direction. In fact, take an elevator ride to the top of any skyscraper on a windy
day, and you’ll notice the movement. All skyscrapers sway. They are designed that way. For
instance, the newly constructed Burj Khalifa in Dubai moves back and forth by about two meters
at its tallest point. Engineers designed this building to fight dangerous winds. Several spires rise
to the top of the structure. These stop the wind from whirling in circles and damaging the
building.

Taipei 101 uses different engineering tricks. One is a large weight that acts like the pendulum in
a clock. This structure weighs 730 tons. As it slowly moves back and forth, it helps balance the
tower as the wind pushes on it. Other skyscrapers use this same technique. It helps keep the
structures stable. And that’s not easy to do 1,000 feet off the ground.

Reading Comprehension

Mark each statement as T (True) or F (False) according to the Reading.

1. ____ Engineers are most concerned about the force of gravity.

2. ____ Skyscrapers are made so they can move back and forth.

3. ____ Taipei 101 has spires at that top that are designed to fight the wind.

4. ____ Taipei 101 is the only skyscraper to use a structure that acts like a pendulum in a
clock.

5. ____ It’s difficult to build taller and taller skyscrapers because of wind.

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Reading Skill: Identifying Examples

Read each question. Fill in the blank with the correct answer from the Reading. There may
be more than one word that goes in the blank.

6. The first paragraph says that engineers and architects rely on technology to support the
weight of a building. What is the example of technology that is given?

________________

The second paragraph gives two examples. Write the signal words that identify each
example.

7. first example ________________

8. second example _______________

9. The third paragraph gives an example. What is it an example of?

______________________

Vocabulary: Fill in the blank

Read the passage below. Fill in each blank with the correct word to complete the passage.

area design major structures

support vertical previously

A (10) __________ event in Chicago’s history led to the modern skyscraper. In 1871, a
fire started in the downtown (11) ____________ of the city. It burned an area four miles long
and one mile wide. The city was forced to rebuild. City planners and architects worked together
to (12) ____________ buildings that could withstand fire. (13) _______________, many of the
city’s (14) ________________ were made of wood. Instead of wood, steel was used. This
material was able to (15) ______________ much more weight than wood. Because of this,
buildings could be much taller. Cities grew up. While the fire caused much damage, it also led to
the (16) ____________ city.

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 Vocabulary: Word Forms

Choose the word form that correctly completes each sentence.

17. Architects studied the _____________ of bridges when they were designing skyscrapers.

a. constructed
b. construct
c. construction

18. Construction sites are a ____________ area. Only workers are allowed to enter.

a. restricted
b. restrict
c. restriction

19. The __________ of the tallest building is over half a mile.

a. tall
b. high
c. height

Writing Prompt

20. Would you live in a skyscraper? Why or why not? Write at least five sentences.

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