Know the News: Border Wall Battle

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Read the article on pp. 10-13, then answer these questions. You'll need to click "Submit" to share your completed responses with your teacher.

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1. Which is a central idea of the article?

A. About 650 miles of barriers already exist on the U.S.-Mexico border.

B. The number of people trying to cross the border illegally is the lowest it’s been in decades.

C. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency so he could fund a border wall.

D. Several lawsuits have been filed against the Trump administration over the emergency declaration.

Clear selection

2. Which detail best supports that central idea?

A. Congress approved $1.38 billion for barriers.

B. America’s founders wanted the people to have a say in government spending.

C. The Supreme Court could decide whether Trump can use emergency powers for the wall.

D. Trump says a wall is the best way to stop undocumented immigrants and illegal drugs from entering the United States.

Clear selection

3. What does "underscores" mean in this sentence? “The situation underscores how important it is for everyone—even teens—to stay engaged.”

A. denies

B. values

C. reinforces

D. stretches

Clear selection

4. Which detail would be most important to include in a summary of the article?

A. Declaring a national emergency gives U.S. presidents powers they normally do not have.

B. The U.S.-Mexico border is 1,954 miles long.

C. About 6,000 military and National Guard troops are stationed at the border.

D. Fighting over border wall funding led to a government shutdown in December 2018.

Clear selection

5. On p. 13, the author writes that “a judge could temporarily halt the use of emergency funds.” To halt is to _____.

A. quicken

B. start

C. obey

D. stop

Clear selection

6. What’s the main purpose of the section “Congress controls the federal budget”?

A. to show how Trump is using the emergency declaration to activate additional powers

B. to explain why the House of Representatives plays a key role in government spending

C. to describe the checks and balances in our federal government

D. to persuade readers that Congress should not be solely in control of government spending

Clear selection

7. Which of these statements is an opinion?

A. A border wall is the best way to keep undocumented immigrants out of the U.S.

B. Dozens of former U.S. security officials have criticized Trump’s emergency declaration.

C. The Constitution has checks and balances so one branch of the government can’t dominate.

D. Several lawsuits have been filed in lower courts to stop the emergency declaration.

Clear selection

8. What’s the main purpose of the map on p. 12?

A. to explain where Trump plans to add barriers

B. to show where barriers exist along the border

C. to identify which states are suing the Trump administration

D. to highlight how many U.S. representatives each state has

Clear selection

9. Information about the duties of the judicial branch would best fit into which section?

A. “What this means for the future—and you”

B. “Congress controls the federal budget”

C. “Wall construction hasn’t started yet”

D. “The Supreme Court could get involved”

Clear selection

10. Why did Congress pass statutes for emergencies?

A. to prevent the Supreme Court from becoming too powerful

B. to let presidents react quickly to threats

C. to give more power to the American people

D. to stop the flow of drugs across the border

Clear selection

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