PA S S AG E 8

Name Date

Directions: Read “Roller Coasters in History” and “Safer Than They

Seem.” Then answer questions 1–8.

Roller Coasters in History

In recent years, the roller
coaster has become the world’s
most popular amusement park
ride. Today’s roller coasters
reach incredible speeds and
move in ways that seem to defy
gravity. Nicknamed “scream
machines,” they attract thrill-
seekers in countries all over
the world.
To trace the history of the roller coaster, you have to go all the way
back to fifteenth-century Russia where the first “ice slides” were built.
People climbed to the top of these wooden structures and slid down ice-
coated ramps on sleds. Some of these ice slides reached heights of 70 feet
and were as steep as modern roller coasters. Of course, they could only be
used in winter.
As early as 1784, the Russian Imperial Summer Palace featured sleds
with wheels for use in the warm months. However, the innovation of ice-
free slides really took off in nineteenth-century France. An early French
design fitted the ramps with rollers. Sleds with runners, which were
called “coasters,” could slide over the rollers. Although the rollers were
soon replaced with grooved tracks for sleds on wheels, the name “roller
coaster” stuck.
In 1884, the first modern roller coaster opened for business on Coney
Island, a famous beach resort in Brooklyn, New York. The “Switchback
Railroad,” as it was named, stretched over 600 feet along the beach. Its
track rose and fell like those of modern coasters, but it was only 15 feet
tall. Passengers climbed a tower at one end and boarded cars to coast
along the track. Then they had to climb another tower at the far end while
attendants pulled the cars up to meet them. Finally, they coasted back to
the start.
Although the ride was fairly slow, it was tremendously popular. The
next year, a new roller coaster built at Coney Island featured an oval track
and a cable for lifting the cars up a steep hill. These innovations allowed
for greater speeds and greater thrills. The popularity of this new ride
started a wave of roller coaster construction across America.
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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Pasages (Grades 7-8) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name Date

As roller coasters became larger, faster, and more elaborate in the

early twentieth century, it became clear that the standard designs were
not safe enough. A man named John Miller revolutionized the roller
coaster. He put the wheels of the cars below the tracks to keep them in
place. He also designed locking lap bars and other safety features that are
still in use today. His innovations opened the door for a whole new world
of high-speed drops and spirals, and the roller coaster industry flourished
in the 1920s.
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, roller coaster construction
slowed to a halt. People could not afford to spend money at amusement
parks. World War II and the advent of television led to the continued
demise of parks and roller coasters. Many amusement parks closed, and
the number of roller coasters worldwide dropped from about 2,000 to
200. Then, in 1955, the opening of Disneyland in California started a new
trend: theme parks. As the theme park industry took off, roller coasters
once again became an essential part of a successful park.
Steel construction and continued design innovations have led to far
larger and more complex roller coasters. The 1980s saw the first roller
coaster taller than 200 feet, and the tallest coaster now is considerably
higher. A new type of motor built in the 1990s allowed for smoother rides
and faster speeds, and today’s fastest coasters reach speeds over 100
miles per hour. Near-vertical descents, upside-down loops, spirals, and
inversions are common. Roller coasters have come a long way from the
icy wooden ramps of old Russia.

Safer Than They Seem

Roller coasters are designed to feel risky. Their purpose is to give
people the thrill of doing something dangerous without the real danger.
Should people really be afraid for their lives when they ride a roller
coaster, though? In truth, the answer is “no.”
There are many myths about the dangers of roller coasters. People
worry that they may cause brain damage. People worry that the forces
roller coasters put on the body are too great. Yet scientific evidence shows
that, for healthy people, these concerns are unnecessary. Mechanical
failures are also very rare, and accidents are uncommon. More than 300
million people visit amusement parks each year in America, but only a
few deaths occur. Compared with driving a car on the highway, riding a
roller coaster is very safe.

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Pasages (Grades 7-8) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name Date

Unlike most cars, roller coasters are inspected every single day they
run. Mechanics, electricians, and carpenters arrive at the park early in the
morning to inspect, maintain, and repair each ride. In parks that close for
the winter, all rides receive a lot of maintenance during the off-season.
Although accidents do happen, they are usually caused by people
who ignore posted rules. People who try to stand up, switch seats, or
remove safety devices can pose real threats to themselves and others. One
story tells of a man who stood to wave at his family while riding a roller
coaster. He was knocked out of the car by a sign that said, “Do Not Stand
Up!” Because people ignore rules, roller coasters now have many extra
safety devices. Most have at least four types of restraints to keep people
from standing or moving. But people should learn to follow park rules so
that everyone can enjoy the rides in safety.
It is true that roller coasters are unsafe for some people. Parks post
warnings about these risks. Small children, pregnant women, and people
with certain medical conditions should not ride coasters. For example,
roller coasters can raise people’s heart rates out of fear. This increase is
not dangerous for healthy people. Yet it can pose a serious risk for anyone
with heart disease. Parks warn people with heart disease to stay off the
roller coasters.
Although there are some risks to riding a roller coaster, they do not
make it a dangerous activity. Riders must make sure they follow safety
rules and instructions from ride operators. Each person should know
his or her own limits and medical conditions and act appropriately. If
everyone follows the rules, roller coasters can be an excellent way for
people to experience the thrill of “danger” without great risk. Roller
coasters are the greatest rides ever invented—and they’re safe.

Questions 1–8: Choose the best answer to each question, or write

your answer on the lines provided.

1. Which innovation in the roller coaster’s history occurred first?

𝖠 cables for lifting cars
𝖡 ramps with rollers for sleds
𝖢 sleds with wheels to ride down ramps
𝖣 a track that rose and fell

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Pasages (Grades 7-8) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name Date

2. Why did the construction of roller coasters decline in the 1930s?

𝖠 They were not safe enough.
𝖡 New kinds of construction materials were used to build rides.
𝖢 Theme parks became more successful.
𝖣 People could not afford to spend money at amusement parks.

3. Which of these innovations was developed by John Miller?

𝖠 locking lap bars
𝖡 spiraling tracks
𝖢 cables for lifting cars
𝖣 steel as a construction material

4. The information in “Roller Coasters in History” suggests that

roller coasters are —
𝖠 too dangerous for people to ride.
𝖡 not as popular as they once were.
𝖢 constantly changed and improved.
𝖣 an important part of Russian culture.

5. Which sentence from “Safer Than They Seem” states an opinion?

𝖠 People worry that the forces roller coasters put on the body
are too great.
𝖡 Mechanical failures are also very rare, and accidents
are uncommon.
𝖢 Because people ignore rules, roller coasters now have many
extra safety devices.
𝖣 Roller coasters are the greatest rides ever invented—and
they’re safe.

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Pasages (Grades 7-8) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name Date

6. To help persuade readers that roller coasters are safe, the

author of “Safer Than They Seem” leaves out which piece of
information?
𝖠 the number of accidents caused each year by roller coasters
𝖡 the speed of the fastest roller coaster
𝖢 the number of deaths caused each year by roller coasters
𝖣 the materials roller coasters are made of

7. Give two examples of evidence from “Safer Than They Seem” to

support the idea that roller coasters are safe. (2 points)

8. Summarize the development of roller coasters since the 1700s.

Use details from the passages to support your answer. (4 points)

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Pasages (Grades 7-8) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources