IXL A.1 determine the main idea of the passage 8th grade

The First "Newspaper" War The Crimean War was fought in the 1850s between Russia on one side and Britain, France, and Turkey on the other. Although it was a major conflict, it is perhaps best remembered as the first war in which journalists were present on the battlefield. News dispatches from William Howard Russell, a reporter for the Times of London, exposed military blunders and revealed the filthy conditions that existed in military hospitals and camps. Photographers such as James Robertson and Roger Fenton made hundreds of photographs of soldiers on the battlefield. These news reports and photographs provided an uncensored look at life on the frontlines. The Crimean War marked the first time in history that people back home were exposed to the horrors of war.

The Crimean War was the first war to be documented for civilians.

African Wild Dogs: Ultimate Predators? Many books, papers, and television shows have created an image of the African wild dog as the ultimate predator. According to these sources, the dogs' coordinated teamwork and their unusual endurance help them catch about eighty percent of their prey. A 2012 study tested that notion. Researchers fit a pack of wild dogs with special collars that recorded the dogs' positions and speeds. The data that the collars recorded allowed the researchers to learn what the dogs did when they weren't being observed. The results provided a surprising contrast with the dogs' fierce reputation. The dogs never used teamwork in their hunts; they chased their prey over short distances as opposed to long runs; and instead of eighty percent, they brought down only about sixteen percent of their prey.

African wild dogs have a reputation as fierce hunters who work in teams, but new data suggests otherwise.

When Heidi Transformed Televised Football On November 17, 1968, football fans across the United States sat glued to their televisions. A close game between two top teams—the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders—was being broadcast. When the Jets pulled ahead with only fifty seconds remaining, viewers went wild. But then, just as the Raiders were bringing the ball across midfield, the game disappeared from the screen! In its place, a previously scheduled children's movie, Heidi, started playing. Callers flooded the TV network's phone lines, but it was too late. The Raiders scored two touchdowns in the very final moments—touchdowns that were unseen by all but West Coast viewers. As a result of the interrupted event, dubbed "the Heidi game," television networks began delaying their regularly scheduled programs until football games had ended.

After Heidi interrupted a crucial moment during a televised football game, networks began to delay regularly scheduled shows until football games were over.

Naming Pluto When "Planet X" was discovered in 1930, astronomers began debating what to call it. An eleven-year-old girl named Venetia Burney suggested the name "Pluto" to her grandfather, who passed the idea along to a friend who was a professor of astronomy. The professor, in turn, immediately forwarded the suggestion to scientists at the Lowell Observatory, where the planet had been discovered. The astronomers appreciated the fact that Pluto was the ancient Romans' name for the god of the underworld, making it a fitting moniker for such a cold and distant celestial body. In addition, its first two letters matched the initials of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who first proposed the existence of Planet X. The matter was eventually put to a vote, with Pluto the hands-down winner.

After an eleven-year-old girl suggested "Pluto," astronomers chose it as the name of a newly discovered planet.

The Evolving Human Skeleton Our early ancestors were hunter-gatherers who obtained food by hunting and by searching for edible wild plants. They needed strong bones, including large, strong jaws that enabled them to eat tough, uncooked foods. When our ancestors developed agriculture, however, their diet changed. They began growing plants, such as grains and beans, and raising animals for food; they also started cooking their foods, making them softer and easier to chew. Consequently, the human skeleton underwent radical changes. Over time, the human jaw became smaller and changed shape. Other bones also evolved, becoming lighter, especially in the joints, as a result of both dietary changes and a less active lifestyle.

As early humans developed agriculture, their bones changed significantly.

Blooms in Death Valley In March 2016, Death Valley National Park in California experienced a rare occurrence: thousands of yellow wildflowers covered the region in a "super bloom." Why was this unusual? Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. The area's average yearly precipitation is just two inches, making it a challenging place for flowers to grow. However, in October 2015, the valley had received more than three inches of rain in some areas. As a result of the unusually wet season, wildflower seeds that had been lying dormant underground suddenly began to grow, producing an abundance of golden blooms.

Because of an unusual amount of rain, thousands of wildflowers grew in Death Valley in 2016.

Saving the Rhinos Poachers in Africa are killing large numbers of rhinos for their horns. Rhinoceros horns, valued for use in traditional medicines in Vietnam and China, can fetch as much as thirty-six thousand dollars a pound. Officials have tried to protect the rhinos: they have created fenced areas for the animals, patrolled their habitats, and even tried removing their horns. Despite these efforts, the number of rhinos in Africa has been dwindling. One creative solution to the poaching problem is to remove the rhinos from Africa altogether. Ray Dearlove, the founder of the Australian Rhino Project, came up with a plan to relocate eighty rhinos to a safari park outside Adelaide, Australia, where a breeding herd can be established.

Because other attempts to protect African rhinos from poachers have failed, The Australian Rhino project is relocating the rhinos to Australia.

Supporting Biliteracy There are many good reasons to learn a second language. A second language can improve your understanding of your native language, open the door to new job opportunities, and help you learn about other cultures. Yet American students are less likely than European students to study foreign languages in school. To address this gap, several states have begun doing more to encourage biliteracy—the ability to read and write in two languages. California, New York, and Illinois are among the states that have passed laws establishing a state "Seal of Biliteracy." A Seal of Biliteracy shows that a student has achieved proficiency in a second language. Supporters of the seals say that they honor the importance of second-language learning. The seals also provide colleges and future employers with evidence of students' abilities.

Fewer American students than European students learn a second language, so some states are promoting the study of foreign languages.