Which detail from “Soil” BEST conveys the author’s tone? A. . . . we have not treated the soil on Earth well. (paragraph 2) B. We must continue to grow produce . . . (paragraph 3) C. Another problem with hydroponics . . . (paragraph 5) D. . . . and have healthier soil for a healthier planet. (paragraph 7)

Which is the BEST summary of “Soil”? A. Farming in soil is much better than hydroponic farming. Healthy soil will keep the planet healthy by cleaning water and storing carbon. Hydroponic farming will not help the soil. Also, hydroponic produce does not taste as good. B. Soil is important to grow crops and for Earth in general. Due to bad farming practices, some soil has eroded. Hydroponic farming can help grow some needed crops; however, it is not the solution. We need to save the soil we have. C. Hydroponic farming is seen as the solution to growing crops since some of the soil on Earth has eroded; however, there are some problems with this type of farming. Many types of produce cannot be grown this way. It is also very expensive. D. Soil is much more than dirt. It grows our crops, filters our water, and stores carbon, keeping Earth healthy. We need to keep our soil healthy in order for it to continue to do these functions. We can do this with the right farming techniques.

List 3 ways humans have degraded soil quality

Which sentence from “Hydroponics” BEST supports the inference in Part A? A. Hydroponics is farming without the dirty soil and all its problems. (paragraph 2) B. Hydroponic farming uses less water than traditional farming because the water is recycled. (paragraph 3) C. With hydroponics, there is no need for pesticides and herbicides, which keeps toxic chemicals away from our food. (paragraph 5) D. Kalera, one of the earliest commercial indoor farms, says that its romaine lettuce contains 50% more proteins, vitamins, and minerals than romaine that is grown traditionally. (paragraph 6)

Which sentence from “Hydroponics” supports the central idea of the text? A. Therefore, these farms take up less space than what is needed for open-field agriculture. (paragraph 2) B. In open-field farming, water is lost through evaporation and poor irrigation. (paragraph 3) C. Other problems faced by traditional farmers are those of bugs and weeds. (paragraph 5) D. Some people claim that the best-tasting food comes from the soil. (

In “Soil,” what is one way the author makes a distinction between farming in soil and hydroponic farming? A. The author contrasts the large yields of traditional farming with the smaller yields of hydroponics. B. The author contrasts the problems of traditional farming with the solutions offered by hydroponics. C. The author contrasts the natural component of traditional farming with the scientific component of hydroponics. D. The author contrasts the environmental cost of traditional farming with the environmental benefit of h