Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________

Skills Worksheet

Active Reading
Section: Acid Precipitation
Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.
Thousands of lakes throughout the world are victims of acid
precipitation, which is also known as acid rain. Acid precipitation is
precipitation such as rain, sleet, or snow that contains a high
concentration of acids. When fossil fuels are burned, they release
oxides of sulfur and nitrogen. When the oxides combine with water in
the atmosphere, they form sulfuric acid and nitric acid, which fall as
acid precipitation. This acidic water flows over and through the
ground, and into lakes, rivers, and streams. Acid precipitation can kill
living things, and can result in the decline or loss of some local animal
and plant populations.
A pH (power of hydrogen) number is a measure of how acidic or
basic a substance is. The lower the number on a pH scale, the more
acidic a substance is; the higher a pH number is, the more basic a
substance is. Each whole number on the pH scale indicates a tenfold
change in acidity.
IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEAS
One reading skill is the ability to identify the main idea of a passage. The main
idea is the main focus or key idea. Frequently, a main idea is accompanied by
supporting information that offers detailed facts about main ideas.
In the space provided, write the letter of the term or phrase that best completes
each statement or best answers each question.

_____ 1. In which of these forms does acid precipitation reach the surface of
Earth?
a. light c. precipitation
b. energy d. oxides
_____ 2. What is harmed by acid precipitation?
a. lakes, rivers, and streams c. animal populations
b. plant populations d. all of the above
_____ 3. What does acid precipitation contain that is harmful to living things?
a. particulate matter c. sulfuric acid and nitric acid
b. fossil fuels d. calcium carbonate

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
Read each question and write the answer in the space provided.
4. What three forms can acid precipitation take?
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Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Active Reading continued

5. When an author puts something in parentheses, he or she is often explaining

the word or term that came just before. How does this author use parentheses
to explain pH?
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6. What does a pH number tell you?
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SEQUENCING INFORMATION
One reading skill is the ability to sequence information, or to logically place items
or events in the order in which they occur.
Sequence the statements below to trace the path of acid precipitation. Write “1” on
the line in front of the first step, “2” on the line in front of the second step, and so
on.

_____ 7. The oxides combine with water in the atmosphere.

_____ 8. Acid precipitation falls.
_____ 9. Sulfuric acid and nitric acid are formed.
_____ 10. The decline or loss of plant and animal populations can occur.
_____ 11. Fossil fuels are burned, releasing sulfur and nitrogen oxides.
_____ 12. Acidic water runs over and through the ground, and into lakes, rivers,
and streams.

RECOGNIZING SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

One reading skill is the ability to recognize similarities and differences between two
phrases, ideas, or things. This is sometimes known as comparing and contrasting.
Read the question and write the answer in the space provided.
13. What does it mean when something has a high pH level? a low pH level?
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RECOGNIZING CAUSE AND EFFECT

One reading skill is the ability to recognize cause and effect.
Read each question and write the answer in the space provided.
14. What is the basic cause of acid precipitation? What are some effects?
_______________________________________________________________
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ANSWER KEY
18. Accept any reasonable response. Sample
answer: The power plants in Country A SECTION: AIR, NOISE, AND LIGHT
give off oxides of sulfur and nitrogen that POLLUTION
combine with water in the air to make 1. c
acid precipitation. The wind carries the 2. d
acid precipita-tion over the border away 3. b
from Country A, and it falls into Country 4. a
B, where it acidifies the lake water. The 5. long, thin fibers that are valued for their
two countries could reach an agreement strength and resistance to heat
for Country A to install scrubbers in the 6. a potentially fatal disease that arises from
power plants, or take other measures to exposure to asbestos
reduce emissions. 7. 2
19. Accept any reasonable response.Sample 8. 1
answers: Agree. It would be impossible to 9. 5
maintain our society without any 10. 3
pollution. Many businesses would fail, 11 6
and many people would lose their jobs if 12. 4
businesses were banned from producing 13. Asbestos is a good insulator and fire
any pollution. Even non-industrialized retardant.
societies produce pollution in the form of 14. Exposure to asbestos can lead to the
smoke from fires. It makes more sense for disease asbestosis, which can be
our society to work toward drastically fatal.School officials don’t want to take
reducing pollution rather than completely the chance that a child might inhale
eliminating it. asbestos fibers.

SECTION: ACID PRECIPITATION

Active Reading 1. c
2. d
SECTION: WHAT CAUSES AIR 3. c
POLLUTION? 4. rain, sleet, and snow
1.d 5. The author writes “power of hydrogen” in
2.d parentheses to explain what the letters in
3.a pH stand for.
4.c 6. how acidic or basic a substance is
5.a 7. 2
6.chemical compounds that form toxic fum 8. 4
7.Harmful; they pollute the air. 9. 3
8.They burn fossil fuels, which releases 10. 6
huge amounts of sulfur dioxide and 11. 1
nitrogen oxides into the air. 12. 5
9. oil refineries, chemical manufacturing 13. It is more basic; it is more acidic.
plants, furniture refinishers, and 14. the burning of fossil fuels; decline or loss
automobile repair shops of plant and animal populations
10. two-thirds of all sulfur dioxide and more
than one-third of all nitrogen oxides that Map Skills
pollute the air
11. use fewer products that contain VOCs 1. low
2. Barnstable
3. over cities, especially over Boston
4. Answers may vary but should mention
that air pollution concentrations are higher
over cities.
5. Answers will vary.

Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.

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