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To read a scientific text successfully, it is important that you do the following:

  • Always read more than once – first to get the main idea and then again to make sure you did not miss any important details.
  • Take notes so you can identify important details and revisit them later.
  • Look for parts of the text where the quantitative information is needed to support or further explain what is being conveyed by the qualitative information.

 

a damaged tree barkEmerald ash borer beetles have destroyed tens of millions of trees in the United States.  The larvae of these tiny beetles feed on the inner bark of trees, destroying the trees’ ability to transport water and nutrients, thus causing the trees to die.

Read the following excerpt from the Newsela article "Little green bug devours big trees."opens in new window As you read, pay attention to the qualitative and quantitative details that are given, and then explore the slideshow below.

Things were already looking bad for trees. The emerald ash borer, a tiny, glitter-green insect from China, is expected to kill nearly all ash trees in the eastern United States, unless they are treated with expensive chemicals. Now, there is more disturbing news: The borer may have found a new target.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that the borer had attacked the white fringe tree, which is in the same family as not only the ash, but forsythia and lilac.

Experts don’t know quite what to make of the find yet, other than that it is worrisome.

Tom Tiddens supervises plant health care at the Chicago Botanic Garden. The finding, he said, "is bringing up more questions than answers.”

The Botanic Garden has 42 “beautiful” fringe trees of its own to worry about.

- Newsela article, "Little green bug devours big trees"opens in new window


Speaker plays audio

Examining Qualitative and Quantitative Information in a Text

Things were already looking bad for trees. The emerald ash borer, a tiny, glitter-green insect from China, is expected to kill nearly all ash trees in the eastern United States, unless they are treated with expensive chemicals. Now, there is more disturbing news: The borer may have found a new target.

Let's revisit the text now that we have read it once.

What important qualitative information is given in the first sentences?
Things were already looking bad for trees. The emerald ash borer, a tiny, glitter-green insect from China, is expected to kill nearly all ash trees in the eastern United States, unless they are treated with expensive chemicals. Now, there is more disturbing news: The borer may have found a new target.

We know that something is happening to damage trees, based on the first sentence.

We also find out that this is the result of a "tiny" bug called the emerald ash borer and that it is expected to "kill nearly all ash trees."

We also find out that it may be moving on to some other type of tree.
Things were already looking bad for trees. The emerald ash borer, a tiny, glitter-green insect from China, is expected to kill nearly all ash trees in the eastern United States, unless they are treated with expensive chemicals. Now, there is more disturbing news: The borer may have found a new target. Speech bubble asking 'what is tiny' pointing to underlined phrase, Ash borer, a tiny. Speech bubble asking How many is 'nearly all' pointing to underlined phrase, kill nearly all Speech bubble asking what is the 'new target?' pointing to underlined phrase, may have found a new target.

At this point, we should stop and ask some questions. What information is left unclear at this point?

The word "tiny" is qualitative information, but as thorough readers, we should find out exactly what "tiny" means.

What size is "tiny"?

When the writer says that they have killed "nearly all" ash trees, how many is that?

What new target has the ash borer found?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that the borer had attacked the white fringe tree, which is in the same family as not only the ash, but forsythia and lilac. Experts don't know quite what to make of the find yet, other than that it is worrisome.

Let's continue rereading to see if this information is provided.

In the next section of the excerpt, we find the answer to at least one of our questions.

The white fringe tree is the ash borer's new target. We also learn that there are other trees that may be at risk and that scientists are worried.
Remaining Questions: What size is 'tiny?' How many is 'nearly all?'

However, we are not told exactly how tiny the ash borer is and we still don't know exactly how much damage they have caused.

After reading the first section of the article, there are still some unanswered questions. Return to the article, "Little green bug devours big trees,"opens in new window and view the diagram titled Tree Killer. Next, combine evidence from the excerpt you read and the image to answer the question in the activity below.