Question

reread paragraphs 6 and 7 from passage 2.

the word illiteracy comes from the root \liter\ meaning \the ability to read, write, or understand\, and the prefix \il\ meaning \the opposite of\. which sentence best expresses the meaning of the word illiteracy?

6 the fact is students need practice and drills, especially when introducing something new. for the teacher to move into multi-layered and complex problems without the assurance that students have mastered basic facts is naive. students must have a solid foundation in computation or be at risk for mathematical illiteracy for the rest of their lives. a student without a solid foundation in basic skills is like a fish without fins; the latter isnt able to swim, and neither will students be able to succeed in math.
7 the results of a 2017 survey found that the united states ranked 38 out of 71 countries in math. with the recent push to make problem-solving based curriculum the core instruction for schools, its clear that this form of instruction is not doing much to help our students and very well may be contributing to our countrys mathematical illiteracy.

options:
6 the fact is students need practice and drills, especially when introducing something new.
for the teacher to move into multi-layered and complex problems without the assurance that students have mastered basic facts is naive.
students must have a solid foundation in computation or be at risk for mathematical illiteracy for the rest of their lives.
a student without a solid foundation in basic skills is like a fish without fins; the latter isnt able to swim, and neither will students be able to succeed in math.
7
the results of a 2017 survey found that the united states ranked 38 out of 71 countries in math.
with the recent push to make problem-solving based curriculum the core instruction for schools, its clear that this form of instruction is not doing much to help our students and very well may be contributing to our countrys mathematical illiteracy.

Explanation:

First, define "illiteracy" using the given root "liter" (ability to read/write/understand) and prefix "il-" (opposite): illiteracy means lack of the ability to read, write, or understand. For mathematical illiteracy, this translates to lack of foundational math skills needed to succeed in math.

1. The first highlighted sentence focuses on teacher preparedness, not illiteracy.
2. The second highlighted sentence directly links lack of computational foundation to mathematical illiteracy, matching the definition.
3. The third highlighted sentence uses an analogy to explain that without basic skills, students can't succeed in math, which aligns with the meaning of mathematical illiteracy.
4. The fourth highlighted sentence only states a survey ranking, no connection to illiteracy.
5. The fifth highlighted sentence claims problem-solving curricula may contribute to mathematical illiteracy, which ties the term to lack of effective skill-building, aligning with the definition.

Answer:

• Students must have a solid foundation in computation or be at risk for mathematical illiteracy for the rest of their lives.
• A student without a solid foundation in basic skills is like a fish without fins; the latter isn't able to swim, and neither will students be able to succeed in math.
• With the recent push to make problem-solving based curriculum the core instruction for schools, it's clear that this form of instruction is not doing much to help our students and very well may be contributing to our country's mathematical illiteracy.