Read the selection. Then answer the questions that …

1 Pearson Education 4 NameTurn the Reads Unit 3 Week 5 SI85 The great kapok TreeRead the selection . then answer the questions that Slow SlothIn a forest of Central or South America, a sloth hangs in the trees. It hooks its huge, curved claws over a tree branch, where it hangs upside-down for several days at a time. The long legs of the sloth need to be strong to support its weight. Tiny plants called algae grow in its hair, giving the animal a greenish color. This helps the sloth hide from its enemies.

2 Sloth means laziness. It moves slowly whenever it moves at all. The sloth rarely climbs down from the trees. Since it eats mainly leaves and small branches, food is all around. On the ground, its huge claws make walking difficult. So it hangs out in the trees most of the time, eating and sleeping. Pearson Education 486 Fresh Reads Unit 3 Week 5 SIAnswer the questions below. 1 Which statement from the selection is a generalization about sloths?A It hooks its huge, curved claws over a tree branch.

3 B Tiny plants called algae grow in its The sloth s name means laziness. D So it hangs out in the trees most of the time. 2 The author probably wrote this selection toF encourage readers to visit South give information about the explain how to find a describe the beauty of Central American forests. 3 Which of the following is a valid generalization?A Sloths are well suited for life in trees. B Sloths are always Sloths are impossible to Sloths never leave the trees.

4 4 Write two generalizations that can be made about the sloth to justify its name. Pearson Education 4 NameTurn the Reads Unit 3 Week 5 OL87 The great kapok TreeRead the selection . then answer the questions that in the SeaCoral reefs are like great cities in the sea. Millions of creatures live in them. They always lie in warm, clear ocean water. This is because the corals that build them need warmth and sunlight to live. These creatures are cousins of the jellyfish. They eat tiny plants and animals that float in the water.

5 They are shaped like short tubes, and grow one on top of another. They pile up, like apartment buildings for fish. Over time, some die and others grow on their bones. Fish and other sea creatures add to the pile. Sand fills the spaces between them. In this way, over many years, reefs are made. Some are thousands of years old and cover many , sea snakes, and other sea animals move in. In fact, the area becomes crowded with life, just like a city. These city dwellers find holes that offer safety from their enemies.

6 They eat the tiny plants and animals that drift in the water. Many more eat each eat the animals that live there too. We also make medicines from some of them. Many people take vacations near reefs so they can dive around them. They enjoy seeing the beautiful creatures that live and hunt there. However, we must take care of these cities in the sea. Pollution, boating, fishing, and change in climate can all harm the corals. Pearson Education 488 Fresh Reads Unit 3 Week 5 OLAnswer the questions below.

7 1 What clue word tells you that the following sentence is a generalization? Pollution, boating, fi shing, and change in climate can all harm the corals. A andB changeC canD all 2 What sentence from the selection is not a generalization?F They always lie in warm, clear ocean water. G Sand fills the spaces between Some are thousands of years old. J Many people take vacations near reefs. 3 Why might the author have written this selection ?A to inform readers about coral reefsB to entertain readers with a sad taleC to express excitement about divingD to persuade readers not to eat fish 4 What valid generalization can readers make about coral reefs?

8 F Coral reefs are found in all warm, clear People find many uses for coral Most of the world s fish live in coral Few coral reefs are left in the world. 5 What generalizations does the author make about cities? Pearson Education 4 NameTurn the Reads Unit 3 Week 5 A89 The great kapok TreeRead the selection . then answer the questions that TundraWhat Is It?Arctic Tundra is mostly flat land in areas that are too cold for trees to grow. Most of the world s tundra is near the Arctic Circle.

9 In these areas, soil beneath the top layer stays frozen all the time. This frozen soil is called stay below freezing for most of the year. Summers are always short, and very little rain or snow falls. Water that does fall does not drain away, because the land is flat and mostly frozen. This means that when the weather warms up in the summer, much of the land turns into a muddy love swamps, and in the summer months the air is thick with them. Some birds nest in the bushes in summer and then fly south when the long winter sets in.

10 Reindeer and other grazing animals eat low-growing plants. A few kinds of hares and rabbits do too. In turn, foxes, wolves, and snowy owls eat these animals. Compared with other places, the tundra is home to very few plants and animals. The climate is just too doesn t sound like a great place to live, does it? The truth is, the arctic tundra is beautiful in its way. Some people do choose to live there. For a few groups in the United States and in Russia, this cold, lonely, and beautiful place is home.