OSSLT: Reading: news reports

All 24 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. Teen Volunteers Bring Back Riverbend's Outdoor Rink RIVERBEND — For the first time in six winters, children are skating on the outdoor rink in Willow Park. On Saturday afternoon, about 150 residents gathered at the park to celebrate the rink's reopening, which was made possible by a group of teenagers who spent much of December rebuilding and flooding it. The rink closed in 2020 after its wooden boards rotted and the town could not find volunteers to look after the ice. Last fall, Grade 11 student Leah Martineau, 16, started an online sign-up sheet asking for help. Within two weeks, 31 people had joined, most of them high school students. "My dad taught me to skate on this rink when I was four," Martineau said. "It felt wrong that kids in my neighbourhood were growing up without it." The volunteers replaced the rotten boards with lumber donated by a local building supply store. They also made a schedule so that two people flood the ice every night when the temperature drops below minus 5 degrees Celsius. Flooding is cold, slow work. Volunteers drag a heavy hose back and forth across the ice in the dark, often after 10 p.m., to lay down a thin, even layer of water. Town recreation manager Gordon Pike said the town will pay for the water and the lights this season. "The young people did the hard part," he said. "The least we can do is keep the lights on." At Saturday's celebration, a local hockey coach gave free lessons to beginners, and volunteers handed out hot chocolate. The rink is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. Martineau said the team still needs more volunteers, especially adults who can flood the ice on weeknights. Anyone who wants to help can sign up at the front desk of the Riverbend Community Centre.

   Why does the reporter include Leah Martineau's memory of learning to skate on the Willow Park rink?

   1. It proves that her father built the original rink
   2. It gives her personal reason for starting the project
   3. It shows that she plans to become a skating coach
   4. It describes what the rink looked like before 2020

2. What main idea does the headline of the Riverbend outdoor rink report give readers?

   1. The town built a brand-new rink for local teenagers
   2. Teenagers are now in charge of all the town's parks
   3. The rink will close for good at the end of winter
   4. Young people made it possible to skate there again

3. A Riverbend parent wants to help flood the Willow Park rink on weeknights. According to the report, what should the parent do?

   1. Bring a garden hose to the park on Saturday
   2. Email the local hockey coach about a shift
   3. Call the town recreation manager's office
   4. Sign up at the community centre's front desk

4. Students Turn Library Parking Strip Into Pollinator Garden LARKFIELD — A strip of cracked pavement beside the Larkfield Public Library is now home to more than 400 native plants, thanks to 22 Grade 10 students from Larkfield District Secondary School. The students removed the old asphalt and planted the garden over three Saturdays in May so that bees and butterflies would have a place to feed in the middle of town. The idea began in Ms. Renata Okafor's environmental science class. While studying local insects, the class learned that many pollinators struggle to find flowers in paved areas. "We kept reading about the problem, and finally someone asked, 'Why don't we just fix one small piece of it?'" said student Daniel Huang, 15. "That question turned into a plan." The town agreed to lend a small machine to lift the asphalt, and a local nursery donated soil and seedlings, including wild bergamot, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. The students raised the remaining $1,800 through a bake sale and a car wash. Head librarian Paul Desrosiers said the garden has already changed the look of the building. "It is the most beautiful entrance any library in this county has," he said. "Visitors stop to read the plant signs before they even come inside." The project was not always easy. Heavy rain washed away some seedlings in the first week, and the students had to replant almost a quarter of the garden. Ms. Okafor said she hopes the garden teaches students that small actions add up. The students will care for the plants through the summer. They also plan to count the bees and butterflies they see each week and share the numbers with the library. Residents can visit the garden at any time. A free guided walk will be held on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m., starting at the library's front doors.

   A test asks: 'Did the Larkfield garden project help the community? Use details from the report.' Which response would earn the highest score?

   1. Yes. The students had fun, and the library used the money to buy new books for its shelves.
   2. Yes. It gives bees and butterflies food downtown, and visitors now stop to read the plant signs.
   3. The garden project helped the community because it was a project that helped the community.
   4. Yes, I think it helped because gardens are nice and most people in a town like Larkfield probably enjoy flowers.

5. North Ashby Library Opens Shelves Full of Tools NORTH ASHBY — Residents of North Ashby can now borrow a drill, a ladder or a pressure washer as easily as they borrow a novel. The North Ashby Public Library opened its new tool-lending collection on Tuesday, offering more than 120 tools free of charge to anyone with a library card. The collection fills a former storage room at the back of the library. Its shelves hold power drills, garden tools, a sewing machine, camping stoves and even a set of snowshoes. Most items can be borrowed for one week. Library director Simone Achterberg said the idea came from a survey the library ran last winter. More than 60 per cent of the residents who answered said they had bought a tool they used only once or twice. "A family should not have to spend $200 on a tile cutter for one bathroom project," Achterberg said. "Sharing makes much more sense." About two-thirds of the tools were donated by residents. The rest were bought with a $9,000 community grant. Retired carpenter Walter Bianchi, 71, checks every returned tool and sharpens the blades each Friday. "I spent 40 years taking care of tools," Bianchi said. "Now I get to help my neighbours use them safely." The first borrower on Tuesday was Grade 12 student Ava Lindqvist, who took out a hedge trimmer so she can earn money doing yard work this summer. "I couldn't afford to buy one," she said. "Now I can start my business this weekend." Borrowers must be at least 18 or have a parent or guardian sign their card. A short safety video is required before anyone takes out a power tool. The library will accept more tool donations in good working condition until the end of June. A full list of available tools is posted on the library's website.

   A North Ashby resident has an unused ladder in good condition. According to the tool library report, what could the resident do with it?

   1. Donate it to the library before the end of June
   2. Bring it to Walter Bianchi to be sharpened
   3. Trade it at the front desk for a library card
   4. Sell it to the library using the grant money

6. Teen Volunteers Bring Back Riverbend's Outdoor Rink RIVERBEND — For the first time in six winters, children are skating on the outdoor rink in Willow Park. On Saturday afternoon, about 150 residents gathered at the park to celebrate the rink's reopening, which was made possible by a group of teenagers who spent much of December rebuilding and flooding it. The rink closed in 2020 after its wooden boards rotted and the town could not find volunteers to look after the ice. Last fall, Grade 11 student Leah Martineau, 16, started an online sign-up sheet asking for help. Within two weeks, 31 people had joined, most of them high school students. "My dad taught me to skate on this rink when I was four," Martineau said. "It felt wrong that kids in my neighbourhood were growing up without it." The volunteers replaced the rotten boards with lumber donated by a local building supply store. They also made a schedule so that two people flood the ice every night when the temperature drops below minus 5 degrees Celsius. Flooding is cold, slow work. Volunteers drag a heavy hose back and forth across the ice in the dark, often after 10 p.m., to lay down a thin, even layer of water. Town recreation manager Gordon Pike said the town will pay for the water and the lights this season. "The young people did the hard part," he said. "The least we can do is keep the lights on." At Saturday's celebration, a local hockey coach gave free lessons to beginners, and volunteers handed out hot chocolate. The rink is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. Martineau said the team still needs more volunteers, especially adults who can flood the ice on weeknights. Anyone who wants to help can sign up at the front desk of the Riverbend Community Centre.

   According to the report, why did the outdoor rink in Riverbend's Willow Park close in 2020?

   1. Warm winters made it impossible to keep ice frozen
   2. Too few children came to skate there each winter
   3. The town needed the park land for new houses
   4. Its boards rotted and no one could care for the ice

7. Students Turn Library Parking Strip Into Pollinator Garden LARKFIELD — A strip of cracked pavement beside the Larkfield Public Library is now home to more than 400 native plants, thanks to 22 Grade 10 students from Larkfield District Secondary School. The students removed the old asphalt and planted the garden over three Saturdays in May so that bees and butterflies would have a place to feed in the middle of town. The idea began in Ms. Renata Okafor's environmental science class. While studying local insects, the class learned that many pollinators struggle to find flowers in paved areas. "We kept reading about the problem, and finally someone asked, 'Why don't we just fix one small piece of it?'" said student Daniel Huang, 15. "That question turned into a plan." The town agreed to lend a small machine to lift the asphalt, and a local nursery donated soil and seedlings, including wild bergamot, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. The students raised the remaining $1,800 through a bake sale and a car wash. Head librarian Paul Desrosiers said the garden has already changed the look of the building. "It is the most beautiful entrance any library in this county has," he said. "Visitors stop to read the plant signs before they even come inside." The project was not always easy. Heavy rain washed away some seedlings in the first week, and the students had to replant almost a quarter of the garden. Ms. Okafor said she hopes the garden teaches students that small actions add up. The students will care for the plants through the summer. They also plan to count the bees and butterflies they see each week and share the numbers with the library. Residents can visit the garden at any time. A free guided walk will be held on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m., starting at the library's front doors.

   Which statement from the Larkfield garden report is an opinion rather than a fact?

   1. It is the most beautiful entrance any library in this county has.
   2. A free guided walk will be held on Saturday, June 14.
   3. The students raised the remaining $1,800 through a bake sale and a car wash.
   4. Heavy rain washed away some seedlings in the first week.

8. Teen Volunteers Bring Back Riverbend's Outdoor Rink RIVERBEND — For the first time in six winters, children are skating on the outdoor rink in Willow Park. On Saturday afternoon, about 150 residents gathered at the park to celebrate the rink's reopening, which was made possible by a group of teenagers who spent much of December rebuilding and flooding it. The rink closed in 2020 after its wooden boards rotted and the town could not find volunteers to look after the ice. Last fall, Grade 11 student Leah Martineau, 16, started an online sign-up sheet asking for help. Within two weeks, 31 people had joined, most of them high school students. "My dad taught me to skate on this rink when I was four," Martineau said. "It felt wrong that kids in my neighbourhood were growing up without it." The volunteers replaced the rotten boards with lumber donated by a local building supply store. They also made a schedule so that two people flood the ice every night when the temperature drops below minus 5 degrees Celsius. Flooding is cold, slow work. Volunteers drag a heavy hose back and forth across the ice in the dark, often after 10 p.m., to lay down a thin, even layer of water. Town recreation manager Gordon Pike said the town will pay for the water and the lights this season. "The young people did the hard part," he said. "The least we can do is keep the lights on." At Saturday's celebration, a local hockey coach gave free lessons to beginners, and volunteers handed out hot chocolate. The rink is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. Martineau said the team still needs more volunteers, especially adults who can flood the ice on weeknights. Anyone who wants to help can sign up at the front desk of the Riverbend Community Centre.

   What is the purpose of the Riverbend rink report's paragraph that begins 'Flooding is cold, slow work'?

   1. To warn readers that skating late at night is unsafe
   2. To explain why the rink closes every evening at 9 p.m.
   3. To show how much effort the volunteers put in
   4. To describe the new equipment the town bought for the rink

9. North Ashby Library Opens Shelves Full of Tools NORTH ASHBY — Residents of North Ashby can now borrow a drill, a ladder or a pressure washer as easily as they borrow a novel. The North Ashby Public Library opened its new tool-lending collection on Tuesday, offering more than 120 tools free of charge to anyone with a library card. The collection fills a former storage room at the back of the library. Its shelves hold power drills, garden tools, a sewing machine, camping stoves and even a set of snowshoes. Most items can be borrowed for one week. Library director Simone Achterberg said the idea came from a survey the library ran last winter. More than 60 per cent of the residents who answered said they had bought a tool they used only once or twice. "A family should not have to spend $200 on a tile cutter for one bathroom project," Achterberg said. "Sharing makes much more sense." About two-thirds of the tools were donated by residents. The rest were bought with a $9,000 community grant. Retired carpenter Walter Bianchi, 71, checks every returned tool and sharpens the blades each Friday. "I spent 40 years taking care of tools," Bianchi said. "Now I get to help my neighbours use them safely." The first borrower on Tuesday was Grade 12 student Ava Lindqvist, who took out a hedge trimmer so she can earn money doing yard work this summer. "I couldn't afford to buy one," she said. "Now I can start my business this weekend." Borrowers must be at least 18 or have a parent or guardian sign their card. A short safety video is required before anyone takes out a power tool. The library will accept more tool donations in good working condition until the end of June. A full list of available tools is posted on the library's website.

   A test asks: 'Why did the North Ashby library start lending tools? Use details from the report.' Which response would earn the highest score?

   1. Libraries should lend lots of different things because sharing is nice and it helps everybody in every town and the planet too.
   2. The library started lending tools because it wanted to start lending tools to people in North Ashby.
   3. A survey found over 60 per cent of residents had bought tools they used once or twice, so sharing saves families money.
   4. Walter Bianchi asked the library to sell his old carpentry tools last winter.

10. Volunteers Pull 300 Kilograms of Litter From Cedar Hollow Creek CEDAR HOLLOW — More than 80 volunteers waded into Cedar Hollow Creek on Sunday morning and removed about 300 kilograms of litter from a two-kilometre stretch of the stream. The Cedar Hollow Naturalists Club organized the cleanup to protect the brook trout that lay their eggs in the creek each fall. Volunteers wore rubber boots and gloves and worked in teams of four. Their haul included plastic bottles, a shopping cart, three bicycle tires and a rusty mailbox. "Every piece of garbage we pull out is one less thing in the way of the fish," said club president Helen Tremblay. "Brook trout need clean, cold water and loose gravel to lay their eggs." The creek has been cleaned every spring since 2019. Tremblay said the amount of litter has dropped each year, from about 500 kilograms in the first year to this year's total. She believes new signs along the trail and extra garbage cans near the bridge have made a difference. Grade 9 student Omar Haddad, 14, joined the cleanup to earn volunteer hours, but he said he plans to come back next year anyway. "I didn't expect it to be fun," he said. "Finding the mailbox was the best part of my weekend." Not everyone thinks the cleanup is enough. Brian Kowalski, who lives beside the creek, said the town should also stop salt from roads draining into the water in winter. "Picking up bottles is great, but the salt is the bigger problem," he said. The town's environment committee will discuss road salt at its meeting on May 8. All the garbage collected on Sunday was sorted, and about one-third of it was recycled. The club will hold its next cleanup on the Ashby River in September.

    Which sentence from the Cedar Hollow Creek cleanup report expresses an opinion?

    1. The creek has been cleaned every spring since 2019.
    2. Picking up bottles is great, but the salt is the bigger problem.
    3. About one-third of the garbage collected was recycled.
    4. Volunteers wore rubber boots and gloves and worked in teams of four.

11. Students Turn Library Parking Strip Into Pollinator Garden LARKFIELD — A strip of cracked pavement beside the Larkfield Public Library is now home to more than 400 native plants, thanks to 22 Grade 10 students from Larkfield District Secondary School. The students removed the old asphalt and planted the garden over three Saturdays in May so that bees and butterflies would have a place to feed in the middle of town. The idea began in Ms. Renata Okafor's environmental science class. While studying local insects, the class learned that many pollinators struggle to find flowers in paved areas. "We kept reading about the problem, and finally someone asked, 'Why don't we just fix one small piece of it?'" said student Daniel Huang, 15. "That question turned into a plan." The town agreed to lend a small machine to lift the asphalt, and a local nursery donated soil and seedlings, including wild bergamot, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. The students raised the remaining $1,800 through a bake sale and a car wash. Head librarian Paul Desrosiers said the garden has already changed the look of the building. "It is the most beautiful entrance any library in this county has," he said. "Visitors stop to read the plant signs before they even come inside." The project was not always easy. Heavy rain washed away some seedlings in the first week, and the students had to replant almost a quarter of the garden. Ms. Okafor said she hopes the garden teaches students that small actions add up. The students will care for the plants through the summer. They also plan to count the bees and butterflies they see each week and share the numbers with the library. Residents can visit the garden at any time. A free guided walk will be held on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m., starting at the library's front doors.

    What does the lead paragraph of the Larkfield library garden report mainly tell readers?

    1. Who built the garden, where it is and why
    2. When the guided walk of the garden will be held
    3. How much money the garden project cost in total
    4. Which plants grow best in Larkfield soil

12. Volunteers Pull 300 Kilograms of Litter From Cedar Hollow Creek CEDAR HOLLOW — More than 80 volunteers waded into Cedar Hollow Creek on Sunday morning and removed about 300 kilograms of litter from a two-kilometre stretch of the stream. The Cedar Hollow Naturalists Club organized the cleanup to protect the brook trout that lay their eggs in the creek each fall. Volunteers wore rubber boots and gloves and worked in teams of four. Their haul included plastic bottles, a shopping cart, three bicycle tires and a rusty mailbox. "Every piece of garbage we pull out is one less thing in the way of the fish," said club president Helen Tremblay. "Brook trout need clean, cold water and loose gravel to lay their eggs." The creek has been cleaned every spring since 2019. Tremblay said the amount of litter has dropped each year, from about 500 kilograms in the first year to this year's total. She believes new signs along the trail and extra garbage cans near the bridge have made a difference. Grade 9 student Omar Haddad, 14, joined the cleanup to earn volunteer hours, but he said he plans to come back next year anyway. "I didn't expect it to be fun," he said. "Finding the mailbox was the best part of my weekend." Not everyone thinks the cleanup is enough. Brian Kowalski, who lives beside the creek, said the town should also stop salt from roads draining into the water in winter. "Picking up bottles is great, but the salt is the bigger problem," he said. The town's environment committee will discuss road salt at its meeting on May 8. All the garbage collected on Sunday was sorted, and about one-third of it was recycled. The club will hold its next cleanup on the Ashby River in September.

    According to the lead of the Cedar Hollow Creek report, why did the naturalists club organize the cleanup?

    1. To help local students earn volunteer hours
    2. To prepare the creek for a fishing contest
    3. To clear space for a new walking trail by the creek
    4. To protect the brook trout that lay eggs there

13. North Ashby Library Opens Shelves Full of Tools NORTH ASHBY — Residents of North Ashby can now borrow a drill, a ladder or a pressure washer as easily as they borrow a novel. The North Ashby Public Library opened its new tool-lending collection on Tuesday, offering more than 120 tools free of charge to anyone with a library card. The collection fills a former storage room at the back of the library. Its shelves hold power drills, garden tools, a sewing machine, camping stoves and even a set of snowshoes. Most items can be borrowed for one week. Library director Simone Achterberg said the idea came from a survey the library ran last winter. More than 60 per cent of the residents who answered said they had bought a tool they used only once or twice. "A family should not have to spend $200 on a tile cutter for one bathroom project," Achterberg said. "Sharing makes much more sense." About two-thirds of the tools were donated by residents. The rest were bought with a $9,000 community grant. Retired carpenter Walter Bianchi, 71, checks every returned tool and sharpens the blades each Friday. "I spent 40 years taking care of tools," Bianchi said. "Now I get to help my neighbours use them safely." The first borrower on Tuesday was Grade 12 student Ava Lindqvist, who took out a hedge trimmer so she can earn money doing yard work this summer. "I couldn't afford to buy one," she said. "Now I can start my business this weekend." Borrowers must be at least 18 or have a parent or guardian sign their card. A short safety video is required before anyone takes out a power tool. The library will accept more tool donations in good working condition until the end of June. A full list of available tools is posted on the library's website.

    What does the headline of the North Ashby library report suggest about the library's new collection?

    1. The library now lends tools as well as books
    2. The library needs tools to repair its old shelves
    3. The library has been turned into a hardware store
    4. The library will soon remove its shelves of books

14. According to the North Ashby tool library report, what must a borrower do before taking out a power tool?

    1. Watch a short safety video
    2. Donate a tool in good condition
    3. Pay a small weekly rental fee
    4. Take a lesson with Walter Bianchi

15. Volunteers Pull 300 Kilograms of Litter From Cedar Hollow Creek CEDAR HOLLOW — More than 80 volunteers waded into Cedar Hollow Creek on Sunday morning and removed about 300 kilograms of litter from a two-kilometre stretch of the stream. The Cedar Hollow Naturalists Club organized the cleanup to protect the brook trout that lay their eggs in the creek each fall. Volunteers wore rubber boots and gloves and worked in teams of four. Their haul included plastic bottles, a shopping cart, three bicycle tires and a rusty mailbox. "Every piece of garbage we pull out is one less thing in the way of the fish," said club president Helen Tremblay. "Brook trout need clean, cold water and loose gravel to lay their eggs." The creek has been cleaned every spring since 2019. Tremblay said the amount of litter has dropped each year, from about 500 kilograms in the first year to this year's total. She believes new signs along the trail and extra garbage cans near the bridge have made a difference. Grade 9 student Omar Haddad, 14, joined the cleanup to earn volunteer hours, but he said he plans to come back next year anyway. "I didn't expect it to be fun," he said. "Finding the mailbox was the best part of my weekend." Not everyone thinks the cleanup is enough. Brian Kowalski, who lives beside the creek, said the town should also stop salt from roads draining into the water in winter. "Picking up bottles is great, but the salt is the bigger problem," he said. The town's environment committee will discuss road salt at its meeting on May 8. All the garbage collected on Sunday was sorted, and about one-third of it was recycled. The club will hold its next cleanup on the Ashby River in September.

    Why does the reporter include resident Brian Kowalski's comments near the end of the Cedar Hollow Creek report?

    1. To present a different view of what the creek needs
    2. To show that residents dislike the naturalists club
    3. To explain how the volunteers sorted the garbage
    4. To prove that road salt has killed all the trout in the creek

16. A test asks: 'Are the Cedar Hollow Creek cleanups making a difference? Support your answer with the report.' Which response would earn the highest score?

    1. Yes. The trout are much bigger now, and the town banned road salt last winter.
    2. No, because people will always throw garbage into every creek and river in Canada no matter what anyone tries to do about it.
    3. Yes. Litter dropped from about 500 kg in the first year to about 300 kg, and Tremblay credits the new signs and garbage cans.
    4. Yes, the cleanups are making a difference because they make a difference to the creek.

17. Students Turn Library Parking Strip Into Pollinator Garden LARKFIELD — A strip of cracked pavement beside the Larkfield Public Library is now home to more than 400 native plants, thanks to 22 Grade 10 students from Larkfield District Secondary School. The students removed the old asphalt and planted the garden over three Saturdays in May so that bees and butterflies would have a place to feed in the middle of town. The idea began in Ms. Renata Okafor's environmental science class. While studying local insects, the class learned that many pollinators struggle to find flowers in paved areas. "We kept reading about the problem, and finally someone asked, 'Why don't we just fix one small piece of it?'" said student Daniel Huang, 15. "That question turned into a plan." The town agreed to lend a small machine to lift the asphalt, and a local nursery donated soil and seedlings, including wild bergamot, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. The students raised the remaining $1,800 through a bake sale and a car wash. Head librarian Paul Desrosiers said the garden has already changed the look of the building. "It is the most beautiful entrance any library in this county has," he said. "Visitors stop to read the plant signs before they even come inside." The project was not always easy. Heavy rain washed away some seedlings in the first week, and the students had to replant almost a quarter of the garden. Ms. Okafor said she hopes the garden teaches students that small actions add up. The students will care for the plants through the summer. They also plan to count the bees and butterflies they see each week and share the numbers with the library. Residents can visit the garden at any time. A free guided walk will be held on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m., starting at the library's front doors.

    What can readers infer about the Larkfield students from how they responded when heavy rain damaged the new garden?

    1. They had not planned the garden carefully enough
    2. They lost interest once the hard work began
    3. They were determined to finish despite setbacks
    4. They expected the town to replant the garden for them

18. North Ashby Library Opens Shelves Full of Tools NORTH ASHBY — Residents of North Ashby can now borrow a drill, a ladder or a pressure washer as easily as they borrow a novel. The North Ashby Public Library opened its new tool-lending collection on Tuesday, offering more than 120 tools free of charge to anyone with a library card. The collection fills a former storage room at the back of the library. Its shelves hold power drills, garden tools, a sewing machine, camping stoves and even a set of snowshoes. Most items can be borrowed for one week. Library director Simone Achterberg said the idea came from a survey the library ran last winter. More than 60 per cent of the residents who answered said they had bought a tool they used only once or twice. "A family should not have to spend $200 on a tile cutter for one bathroom project," Achterberg said. "Sharing makes much more sense." About two-thirds of the tools were donated by residents. The rest were bought with a $9,000 community grant. Retired carpenter Walter Bianchi, 71, checks every returned tool and sharpens the blades each Friday. "I spent 40 years taking care of tools," Bianchi said. "Now I get to help my neighbours use them safely." The first borrower on Tuesday was Grade 12 student Ava Lindqvist, who took out a hedge trimmer so she can earn money doing yard work this summer. "I couldn't afford to buy one," she said. "Now I can start my business this weekend." Borrowers must be at least 18 or have a parent or guardian sign their card. A short safety video is required before anyone takes out a power tool. The library will accept more tool donations in good working condition until the end of June. A full list of available tools is posted on the library's website.

    What can readers infer about retired carpenter Walter Bianchi from the North Ashby tool library report?

    1. He is proud to use his skills to help others
    2. He wants to be paid for repairing the tools
    3. He donated most of the tools in the collection
    4. He has little experience working with blades

19. Students Turn Library Parking Strip Into Pollinator Garden LARKFIELD — A strip of cracked pavement beside the Larkfield Public Library is now home to more than 400 native plants, thanks to 22 Grade 10 students from Larkfield District Secondary School. The students removed the old asphalt and planted the garden over three Saturdays in May so that bees and butterflies would have a place to feed in the middle of town. The idea began in Ms. Renata Okafor's environmental science class. While studying local insects, the class learned that many pollinators struggle to find flowers in paved areas. "We kept reading about the problem, and finally someone asked, 'Why don't we just fix one small piece of it?'" said student Daniel Huang, 15. "That question turned into a plan." The town agreed to lend a small machine to lift the asphalt, and a local nursery donated soil and seedlings, including wild bergamot, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. The students raised the remaining $1,800 through a bake sale and a car wash. Head librarian Paul Desrosiers said the garden has already changed the look of the building. "It is the most beautiful entrance any library in this county has," he said. "Visitors stop to read the plant signs before they even come inside." The project was not always easy. Heavy rain washed away some seedlings in the first week, and the students had to replant almost a quarter of the garden. Ms. Okafor said she hopes the garden teaches students that small actions add up. The students will care for the plants through the summer. They also plan to count the bees and butterflies they see each week and share the numbers with the library. Residents can visit the garden at any time. A free guided walk will be held on Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m., starting at the library's front doors.

    Why does the reporter include head librarian Paul Desrosiers's quotation in the Larkfield pollinator garden report?

    1. To explain how the students lifted the old pavement
    2. To prove that the garden cost less than the school expected
    3. To show the garden's effect on the library and on its visitors
    4. To suggest that every library should copy Larkfield

20. According to the report, how did the Larkfield students raise the remaining $1,800 for their garden?

    1. With a bake sale and a car wash
    2. With a grant from the town council
    3. Through donations from the nursery
    4. By selling seedlings at the library

21. Teen Volunteers Bring Back Riverbend's Outdoor Rink RIVERBEND — For the first time in six winters, children are skating on the outdoor rink in Willow Park. On Saturday afternoon, about 150 residents gathered at the park to celebrate the rink's reopening, which was made possible by a group of teenagers who spent much of December rebuilding and flooding it. The rink closed in 2020 after its wooden boards rotted and the town could not find volunteers to look after the ice. Last fall, Grade 11 student Leah Martineau, 16, started an online sign-up sheet asking for help. Within two weeks, 31 people had joined, most of them high school students. "My dad taught me to skate on this rink when I was four," Martineau said. "It felt wrong that kids in my neighbourhood were growing up without it." The volunteers replaced the rotten boards with lumber donated by a local building supply store. They also made a schedule so that two people flood the ice every night when the temperature drops below minus 5 degrees Celsius. Flooding is cold, slow work. Volunteers drag a heavy hose back and forth across the ice in the dark, often after 10 p.m., to lay down a thin, even layer of water. Town recreation manager Gordon Pike said the town will pay for the water and the lights this season. "The young people did the hard part," he said. "The least we can do is keep the lights on." At Saturday's celebration, a local hockey coach gave free lessons to beginners, and volunteers handed out hot chocolate. The rink is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. Martineau said the team still needs more volunteers, especially adults who can flood the ice on weeknights. Anyone who wants to help can sign up at the front desk of the Riverbend Community Centre.

    Based on the Riverbend report, what will most likely decide whether the Willow Park rink stays usable all winter?

    1. Whether the hockey coach keeps giving lessons
    2. Whether enough volunteers keep flooding the ice
    3. Whether the town agrees to pay for new boards
    4. Whether residents attend another celebration

22. North Ashby Library Opens Shelves Full of Tools NORTH ASHBY — Residents of North Ashby can now borrow a drill, a ladder or a pressure washer as easily as they borrow a novel. The North Ashby Public Library opened its new tool-lending collection on Tuesday, offering more than 120 tools free of charge to anyone with a library card. The collection fills a former storage room at the back of the library. Its shelves hold power drills, garden tools, a sewing machine, camping stoves and even a set of snowshoes. Most items can be borrowed for one week. Library director Simone Achterberg said the idea came from a survey the library ran last winter. More than 60 per cent of the residents who answered said they had bought a tool they used only once or twice. "A family should not have to spend $200 on a tile cutter for one bathroom project," Achterberg said. "Sharing makes much more sense." About two-thirds of the tools were donated by residents. The rest were bought with a $9,000 community grant. Retired carpenter Walter Bianchi, 71, checks every returned tool and sharpens the blades each Friday. "I spent 40 years taking care of tools," Bianchi said. "Now I get to help my neighbours use them safely." The first borrower on Tuesday was Grade 12 student Ava Lindqvist, who took out a hedge trimmer so she can earn money doing yard work this summer. "I couldn't afford to buy one," she said. "Now I can start my business this weekend." Borrowers must be at least 18 or have a parent or guardian sign their card. A short safety video is required before anyone takes out a power tool. The library will accept more tool donations in good working condition until the end of June. A full list of available tools is posted on the library's website.

    Why does the reporter include Ava Lindqvist's comments in the North Ashby tool library report?

    1. To give a real example of how the collection helps someone
    2. To explain why the hedge trimmer is the most popular tool there
    3. To prove that the library needs more garden tools for teenagers
    4. To show that students are the library's most frequent borrowers

23. Volunteers Pull 300 Kilograms of Litter From Cedar Hollow Creek CEDAR HOLLOW — More than 80 volunteers waded into Cedar Hollow Creek on Sunday morning and removed about 300 kilograms of litter from a two-kilometre stretch of the stream. The Cedar Hollow Naturalists Club organized the cleanup to protect the brook trout that lay their eggs in the creek each fall. Volunteers wore rubber boots and gloves and worked in teams of four. Their haul included plastic bottles, a shopping cart, three bicycle tires and a rusty mailbox. "Every piece of garbage we pull out is one less thing in the way of the fish," said club president Helen Tremblay. "Brook trout need clean, cold water and loose gravel to lay their eggs." The creek has been cleaned every spring since 2019. Tremblay said the amount of litter has dropped each year, from about 500 kilograms in the first year to this year's total. She believes new signs along the trail and extra garbage cans near the bridge have made a difference. Grade 9 student Omar Haddad, 14, joined the cleanup to earn volunteer hours, but he said he plans to come back next year anyway. "I didn't expect it to be fun," he said. "Finding the mailbox was the best part of my weekend." Not everyone thinks the cleanup is enough. Brian Kowalski, who lives beside the creek, said the town should also stop salt from roads draining into the water in winter. "Picking up bottles is great, but the salt is the bigger problem," he said. The town's environment committee will discuss road salt at its meeting on May 8. All the garbage collected on Sunday was sorted, and about one-third of it was recycled. The club will hold its next cleanup on the Ashby River in September.

    Why does the reporter place the sentence about the May 8 environment committee meeting right after Kowalski's comments on road salt?

    1. It tells readers when his concern will be discussed
    2. It proves that the town has already banned road salt
    3. It explains why the club cleaned the creek on a Sunday
    4. It shows the spring cleanup will be cancelled next year

24. According to the Cedar Hollow Creek report, about how much litter did volunteers remove in the first year of cleanups?

    1. About 300 kilograms
    2. About 500 kilograms
    3. About 200 kilograms
    4. About 80 kilograms