Central Idea and Relevant Details
Context Clues
Summarizing
Text Structure
100
Gila Monsters
Imagine living in a place where the ground can be scorching hot during the day and there is very little water—this is life in the desert! The desert has many amazing animals living there. One of these animals are gila monsters. Gila monsters are large, colorful lizards that live in the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Although they move slowly, these reptiles have special adaptations that help them survive in their harsh environment. One important adaptation is their thick, scaly skin, which helps their bodies hold in moisture in the dry desert air. Gila monsters also spend much of the hottest part of the day hiding in burrows or under rocks to stay cool. Another important adaptation is their ability to store fat in their tails, which gives them energy when food is difficult to find. Gila monsters eat insects, small animals, eggs, and other foods when they are available. They can survive for long periods without eating, which is helpful when desert food is scarce. With their special body features and behaviors, Gila monsters are well adapted to survive in the hot and dry desert.
Which sentence best states the central idea of the passage?
A. Gila monsters eat insects, eggs, and small animals when they can find them.
B. Gila monsters have special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert.
C. Gila monsters are colorful lizards that live in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
D. The desert is a hot, dry environment where many different animals live.
B. Gila monsters have special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert.
100
Gila monsters are colorful lizards that live in the hot, dry desert. They roam or travel across the desert floor looking for food and places to rest. Their thick skin and ability to store fat help them survive in this harsh environment.
Read this sentence from the passage.
“They roam or travel across the desert floor looking for food and places to rest.” (paragraph 1)
What does the word roam mean as it is used in this sentence?
A. To rest in one quiet place
B. To hide in a cool place
C. To search for food nearby
D. To move around from place to place
D. To move around from place to place
100
The desert can become extremely hot, so animals need special adaptations to survive its heat. Some animals sweat or pant to stay cool, others use their huge ears to cool off. The gila monster, which is a colorful, slow-moving lizard digs to stay cool. They live in the deserts of the southwestern United States. An adult Gila monster can grow to a total length of 18 to 22 inches! When the sun makes the desert too hot, a Gila monster can dig into a burrow or find an underground hiding place to escape the heat. The cooler ground inside the burrow helps the lizard stay at a safer temperature and prevents it from losing too much water. By digging into cool burrows and using other special adaptations, Gila monsters are able to survive the hot and dry desert.
Which sentence summarizes the passage?
A. Gila monsters are colorful lizards that can grow to be about 22 inches long.
B. Gila monsters live in the southwestern United States and spend time looking for food.
C. Gila monsters dig underground to escape the harsh desert heat.
D. Some desert animals use their ears, while others use different ways to stay cool.
C. Gila monsters dig underground to escape the harsh desert heat.
100
Gila monsters and fennec foxes are both desert animals that have special adaptations to survive the heat. Gila monsters have thick, beaded skin and can hide underground when the desert becomes too hot. Fennec foxes have very large ears that help release heat from their bodies. Unlike Gila monsters, fennec foxes use their large ears to help them stay cool. Both animals have adaptations that help them survive in the hot and dry desert.
What text structure does the author use in this paragraph?
A. description
B. comparison
C. chronology
D. cause/effect
B. comparison
200
Snowy Owls
The Arctic is an extremely cold region with temperatures dropping to between -40 degrees Fahrenheit and -50 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius to -46 degrees Celsius). A lot of animals could not survive here, but the snowy owl has special adaptations that help it thrive there! There are about 14,000 to 28,000 of these beautiful birds left in the world. Snowy owls have thick, soft feathers that cover their bodies and even their legs, helping them stay warm in freezing temperatures. Their thick feathers act like a warm coat, allowing them to keep their body heat in the cold Arctic air. Snowy owls also have mostly white feathers, which help them blend into their snowy surroundings and hide from predators or prey. They have large eyes that help them spot animals from far away while hunting. Snowy owls mainly eat small animals, such as lemmings, and they can swallow some prey whole. Unlike many owls, snowy owls often hunt during the daytime because there can be long periods of daylight in the Arctic. With their thick feathers and white coloring, snowy owls are well adapted to survive in the cold, snowy Arctic.
Which detail from the passage supports the central idea that snowy owls are adapted to live in the Arctic?
A. The arctic has a frigid climate.
B. Snowy owls can swallow some of their prey whole.
C. Snowy owls have thick feathers that help keep them warm.
D. There are 14,000 to 28,000 snowy owls in the world.
C. Snowy owls have thick feathers that help keep them warm.
200
Snowy owls are powerful birds that live in the cold Arctic. They can soar in the sky and fly high above the snowy land while searching for food. Their strong wings help them travel across the wide Arctic landscape.
Read this sentence from the passage.
“They can soar through the sky and fly high above the snowy land while searching for food.” (paragraph 1)
What is the meaning of the word soar as it is used in this sentence?
A. To move slowly across the ground
B. To fly high through the sky
C. To search carefully for food
D. To rest quietly in one place
B. To fly high through the sky
200
Snowy owls live in the arctic circle which includes Alaska, Russia, Canada, and other frigid countries. Snowy owls are built for the cold! They have thick feathers that cover almost their entire bodies. These feathers help keep their body heat inside so they can stay warm in the freezing Arctic. A snowy owl's feet are also covered with feathers. The feathers protect its feet from the cold snow and icy ground while it walks or hunts. Snowy owls also have large eyes that help them see their prey from far away. Their mostly white feathers help them blend into the snowy landscape, making it easier to hunt without being noticed.
Which two sentences should be included in a summary of the passage?
A. Snowy owls white feathers help them hide from prey.
B. The Arctic is freezing cold with lots of snow.
C. Snowy owls live the Arctic.
D. The Arctic includes Alaska, Canada, Russia, and other countries
A. Snowy owls white feathers help them hide from prey.
C. Snowy owls live the Arctic.
200
Snowy owls and bald eagles are both birds that use their strong wings to fly and hunt for food. Similarly, both birds have sharp talons that help them catch and hold their prey. Snowy owls have thick feathers that keep them warm in the freezing Arctic, while bald eagles have feathers suited for a variety of environments. Unlike snowy owls, bald eagles have dark brown bodies and white feathers on their heads and tails. Snowy owls also have mostly white feathers that help them blend into their snowy surroundings.
What text structure does the author use in this paragraph?
A. compare and contrast
B. cause/effect
C. order of importance
D. chronology
A. compare and contrast