Invasive Species
Which of the following is more similar to an invasive species?
- Workers who repair unsafe buildings
- Soldiers who attack and take over a village
Soldiers who attack and take over a village
Why were Europeans able to survive smallpox? Why were the Native Americans more likely to die of smallpox?
The Europeans had immunity, passed on to them from previous generations. The Native Americans had no immunity to smallpox.
TRUE or FALSE: Between domestic cats and wild cats, only wild cats have the instinct to hunt.
FALSE
exotic
(adj.) introduced from a distant or foreign country
(adj.) no longer existing or living
extinct
TRUE or FALSE: Both the zebra mussel and the nutria had negative impacts on their new environments.
TRUE
What were the Americas like before 1492?
They were inhabited by diverse groups of people with rich cultures.
What is the author's overall opinion in the reading?
Cats that live outside are a danger to wildlife. All domestic cats should be indoor cats.
profound
(adj.) very great, strong, or intense
cuddly
(adj.) nice to squeeze and hold in your arms
Why was the cane toad introduced into Australia in 1935?
to kill pests in sugarcane fields
How did the British use smallpox to their advantage in the Americas?
as a weapon of war
Which of the following is an example of how cats put our ecosystem at risk?
- Indoor cats can still use their hunting skills.
- Outdoor cats kill more than a billion birds every year.
Outdoor cats kill more than a billion birds every year.
(n.) one having authority by virtue of age and experience; an aged person
elder
(n.) living things, especially animals, that live in nature, away from people
wildlife
Name 3 advantages for invasive species.
1. The ability to out-compete local species for food
2. The presence of local species to prey on
3. The ability to grow faster than local species
Why did the author write this selection?
to inform readers of the effects smallpox had on the Native American population
How can outdoor cats be helpful to farmers?
They can hunt animals that eat the farmer's crops.
(n.) an idea that explains how something works or why something happens
theory
(adj.) lost, out of place, or without a home
stray
Why are some scientists against removing invasive species?
Not all invasive species are bad, and some have become a valuable part of their new ecosystems.
Name 3 results of the encounters between Europeans and Native Americans.
1. Native Americans had to abandon whole villages.
2. Many Native American oral traditions were lost.
3. Native American populations were radically reduced.
Which would be another good title for this reading?
- Keep All Pet Cats Indoors
- Where Animals Prefer To Live
Keep All Pet Cats Indoors
invasive
(adj.) tending to spread very quickly
ecosystem
(n.) everything that exists in a particular area and the ways in which those things interact