This Sol Review Packet Belongs to:

______________________________Before you take the test, you have to be prepared. Here are some tools to help you do the very best you can:

Read the questions before you read the passage. This way you know what to look for while you’re reading the passage.

Slash the trash. Get rid of any answers that you know won’t work.

Be slick and predict. Think of the answer before looking at the choices

Jail the detail. Identify, underline or circle keywords in the question.

Extra! Extra! READ! READ all the choices. Don’t skip or scan over ANY part of the test.

Plug it in! Plug it in! Plug in all answers to see if they make sense.

Be smart with charts, and zap the maps! Study all information provided. Read the key and the labels.

Keep on keeping on! Don’t give up! Give each question your best attention.

Be a whiz with the grid! Be VERY careful when bubbling in your answer.

Check it out! Go back and check your work one more time!

IF you snooze, you lose! Don’t leave any question unanswered.

Main Idea1. Despite the hatred that most people feel toward cockroaches,

they do help humans in several ways. For example, they are perfect experimental animals and are used for scientific research in the laboratory. Breeding them is easy, for they thrive under

almost any condition. In studies on nutrition and food, cockroaches are good subjects because they will eat any kind of food. They can be used to study heart disease, and cancer researchers work with roaches because they grow cancerous tumors like those that are found in humans.

Which sentence in the paragraph contains the main idea? a) in the first sentenceb) in the second sentencec) in the third sentenced) in the fourth sentencee) in the last sentence2. Making a study schedule is one important step in becoming a successful student in college. Students should schedule one hour of study time for every one hour of class time. At exam time, more study time may be necessary. Also, students must study in an appropriate place. It is important to study in a quiet place away from the distraction of other people and such things as the television and the radio. Students should find a comfortable place with plenty of space for all the necessary study supplies. Then, students need to study the information in small amounts. It is a good idea to learn the required concepts slowly and thoroughly instead of trying to learn everything on the evening before the exam. Students who want to be successful in college should remember these three helpful study strategies.Which sentence in the paragraph contains the main idea?

a) in the first sentenceb) in the second sentencec) in the third sentenced) in the fourth sentencee) in the last sentence

Summarizing and ParaphrasingWhat is the best definition of summarizing?

a. Shortening a story to make more sense for the reader b. restating the information in a shortened form; focusing on the most

important informationa. restating the information in your own words; it is about the same length as

the original reading selection.c. focusing on the most important information and adding detail

What is the best definition of paraphrasing? b. restating the information in your own words; it is about the same length as

the original reading selection.c. Plagiarize what an author writes d. Restating the whole story in a new extended form d. restating the information in a shortened form; focusing on the most

important information

Read the flowing paragraph

In 1588, the Spanish Armada sailed to fight against England. The Armada consisted of a fleet of 130 ships. Aboard one of these ships was a tailless cat. Her job was to catch mice. After a great naval battle that England dominated, the Spanish ships set sail for home. The cat’s ship was wrecked near the Isle of Man. The nimble cat got ashore safely and lived there ever after. Her many descendants become known as Manx cats after the name of their island home. Manx cats are known for being tailless.

1. What was unusual about the cat in the Spanish Armada?___________________

2. What happened to the cat’s ship?___________________________________________

3. Where did the cat end up living? ____________________________________________

4. The title that best summaries this paragraph isa. Why some cats are tailless b. Why the Spanish lost at sea c. How the Manx cat got its name d. Catching mice aboard a ship

5. Use your answers above to create a summary: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Figurative LanguageWrite an example of metaphor _________________________________________________

Write an example of simile _____________________________________________________

Write an example of personification ______________________________________________

Write an example of alliteration _________________________________________________

Write an example of a couplet _________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Write an example of hyperbole __________________________________________________

What is a haiku? ______________________________________________________________

What is a limerick? ____________________________________________________________

What is repetition? ____________________________________________________________

Write a quatrain with an ABAB rhyme scheme

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right.” Mary Kay Ash

Each sentence displays a type of figurative language. Circle the letter of the answer that BEST identifies that line of figurative language.

1. "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” A: MetaphorB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Hyperbole

2. "Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark innyard." A: AlliterationB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Metaphor

3. "But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near" A: MetaphorB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Hyperbole

4. "See the red berries...fallen like little footprints on the garden snow" A: MetaphorB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Hyperbole

5. "The sea is a hungry dog, giant and gray." A: MetaphorB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Hyperbole

6. "The angels, not half so happy in heaven, went envying her and me"A: AlliterationB: SimileC: MetaphorD: Imagery

“It doesn't matter if you try and try and try again, and fail.It does matter if you try and fail, and fail to try again.” Charles Kettering

7. "When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon the seas”A: MetaphorB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Hyperbole

8. "so gently you came rapping, so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door."

A: RhymeB: PersonificationC: OnomatopoeiaD: all of the above

9. "Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter"A: AlliterationB: RhymeC: none of the aboveD: both A and B

Michael Jordan: ”I've failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

10. "Slowly, silently, now the moon walks the night in her silver shoon; This way, and that, she peers and sees silver fruit upon silver trees."

A: MetaphorB: SimileC: PersonificationD: Hyperbole

11. “Imagery” is the same thing as…A: Sensory DetailsB: ThemeC: Figurative languageD: Hyperbole

“Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

Word Meanings From ContextUse the context to help you determine the correct meaning of each underlined word.

 1. Murphy Mole is the protagonist in the new novel by Trent Troll. Murphy must stop Oscar Rat and Shrimpy Shark from enslaving the inhabitants of Lazy Woods Park. He risks his life in a series of events that lead to a final battle between good and evil.What is a protagonist?

a. the main character of a storyb. an animal that lives undergroundc. someone whose first and last names start with the same letterd. someone with bad body odor

2. I just can’t beat Paula when we play chess! Every time I make a move that should lead me to victory, she makes a better move that thwarts my plan. If you thwart a robbery, you __________.

a. commit a crimeb. stop a crime from happeningc. imagine a theft

d. give warts to a thief

3. Don’t feel stupid. Yes, you thought this worthless replica was a valuable work of art. But it even fooled a lot of experts. It certainly looked like the real thing!A replica is __________.

a. a dishonest actb. something uglyc. anything that has no valued. a copy

4. Your poster is very good. The drawing really lets people know what our club is all about. I do think that you could enhance it by adding some more color. That will tend to grab everyone’s attention.When you enhance something, you __________.

a. draw itb. throw it outc. ruin itd. make it better

Mark Twain:”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade

winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

5. The signal from the cable is too strong for our television. We’ll have to use a filter to attenuate it.When you attenuate something, you _______________.

a. watch it carefullyb. take good care of itc. make it be lessd. get past it

6. “If you knew the gravity of the situation, you wouldn’t be laughing,” Mr. Farmer said quietly. He didn’t have to say more to get everyone’s attention.

What does “gravity” mean in this context?

a. a force that draws different objects toward each otherb. seriousnessc. humord. enjoyable, or comfortable

7. Her cardinal rule is this: Be kind to others! She believes that everything else in life will fall properly into place if one follows that rule. What does “cardinal” mean in this context.

a. main, or most importantb. red

c. like a birdd. not worth remembering

8. The owner of the restaurant wouldn’t allow Samantha to walk through the door. “I’m sorry,” she said, “but you started a food fight the last time you were here. You may not have ingress to my restaurant!”

What does “ingress” mean in this selection?

a kind of bird that lives by the seab. any food that can be thrown

c. a good price for a meald. the right to enter

“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” Abraham Lincoln

Point of View The Presidential Campaign

I am an American. Perhaps that makes me a little biased, but I believe that the American presidency is the most important job in

the world. It’s a job that goes up for grabs every four years. The candidate who wins in November of 2000 will take office the

following January and be the first new U.S. president of the twenty- first century.

The election campaign is a long one. Some say it begins right after the election and goes on for the next four years. That’s probably an exaggeration, but it does last a long time. Those who

have their eyes on the job have to start gathering support and building campaign organizations early.

Some believe that the campaign for president should be shorter. I disagree. A long campaign is an endurance contest. It gives the candidates a chance to show their strengths and forces them to betray their weaknesses. The extended scrutiny makes it much less likely that the voters will accidentally choose an unqualified candidate to be their leader.

Personally, I enjoy the contest. It’s a marathon that produces a winner who may have a profound effect on all our lives. You can have your playoffs and your championships; the debates, primaries, conventions, and November election are the sporting events that really matter!  Read the following statements. Based on the author’s essay, decide what his opinion would probably be. Write “agree” after the statement if he would most likely agree with the statement. Write “disagree” if he would most likely disagree. 1. America has lost its importance in the world. _________2. The U.S. presidential election should be limited to six months. __________3. Political debates are always boring. ___________4. Longer campaigns produce more qualified winners. ___________5. Politics is more important than sports. ___________6. Sometimes it takes time to realize that an attractive candidate would be a poor choice. ___________

7. The president of the United States must be able to handle a difficult and important job. ___________8. Politics can be entertaining. ___________

Author’s Purpose

What is author’s purpose?________________________________________

Give an example of each purpose:Describe:___________________________________________________Entertain:___________________________________________________Inform:_____________________________________________________Persuade:___________________________________________________

Jim was unable to get to sleep. When he went to bed he cried. Tomorrow is his birthday party and it is going to be ruined. How can we go sledding with no snow? The next morning, when Jim got out of bed and ran to the window, he shouted with glee, "The snow has fallen and we can go sledding!" Jim was happy because now he can have his birthday sledding party.

What is the author’s purpose? a. Describe b. Entertain c. Inform d. Persuade

Everyone should have a pet. Pets are very loving and affectionate. They help children learn responsibility. Pets give you unconditional love. Having a pet is a wonderful experience.

What is the author’s purpose? a. Describe b. Entertain c. Inform d. Persuade

There are three lights on a traffic light. The top light is red and that means stop. The middle light is yellow and that means caution. The bottom light is green and that means go.

What is the author’s purpose? a. Describe b. Entertain c. Inform d. Persuade

Vocabulary- Prefixes/Suffixes

Write what each of these suffixes and prefixes mean AND write a word that contains each suffix/prefix.

1. Pre-:

2. Bi-:

3. Sub-:

4. Post-:

5. –ian/-or:

6. Re-:

7. –less:

8. Uni-:

9. Un-:

10.hemi-/semi-:

11..-ance and –ence:

12.–able:

In the word “unknowledgeable”, 13.What is the prefix:

14.What is the suffix:

15.What is the root/base word:

Vocabulary- Plot Structure1. Who is the antagonist in Cinderella?

______________________________________

2. What is a theme from Cinderella? ________________________________________

3. Who tells the story when it’s written in first person? _________________________

4. Who tells the story when it’s written in third person? _________________________

5. What is the difference between direct and indirect characterization?

Direct characterization:_____________________________________________________

Indirect characterization:____________________________________________________

6. Is Cinderella a static or dynamic character? ________________________________

7. What is the main conflict in Cinderella? ____________________________________

8. What is it called when the sequence of events stops and returns to a prior time? ____________________________________

Vocabulary- Synonyms and Antonyms

1. Brainstorm at least 5 synonyms for “good” ________________________________________________________________________

2. Brainstorm at least 5 antonyms for “good” ________________________________________________________________________

3. A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. Give me two sets of homophones. ________________________________________________________________________

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Analogies1. HEART:PUMP::

A) lungs:collapse

B) stomach:digest

C) appendix:burst

D) intestine:twist

E) teeth:ache

2. STANZA:POEM::

A) paragraph:essay

B) story:building

C) mural:painting

D) program:recital

E) rhyme:prose

3. YAWN:BORDOM::

A) dream:sleep

B) anger:madness

C) smile:amusement

D) face:expression

E) impatience:rebellion

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References 1. If I needed to know how to spell a word, I would use this

book:______________________

2. When using a dictionary, the __________________________ help you locate your word.

3. If I need a synonym for the word “thrilling”, I would use this book:___________________

4. If I was doing research on Walt Disney, this type of reference book would be the best to use: ___________________________________

5. If I was researching candidates for the Presidential election, this type of reference would give me the most CURRENT information:

________________________________________________________

6. What word would be on the page in the dictionary that had the guide words “acrobat: assemble”

A) astronautB) assembly

C) aphids

D) abnormal

7. If I needed a map of Loudoun County, I would use this reference book:

________________________________________________________

8. If I need to know the population of Orlando, Florida, I would look in this reference book:

________________________________________________________

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Sequence of EventsDirections:Read the story below. Then place the number (starting with 1) on the lines below to correctly order the events as they happened in the story.

Once there was a genie named Janie. Janie was a normal genie that gives you three wishes. One day Janie went to give this little boy named John three wishes. Now John was an unhappy little boy. So when Janie gave him three wishes John's first wish was for a lion. The lion was very big and crushed all of John's toys. John was so unhappy.

John's little sister was loud, so John's second wish was that his sister would be gone. One rainy day John was bored. He asked his mom if she could play with him but his mom said she had to wash the dishes. John then asked his dad but his dad was reading the newspaper. John was really really unhappy. The lion crushed all his toys so he couldn't play with them. John wished he had his sister back and the lion went away. He told Janie what he wanted. John learned the lesson "be careful what you wish for." Janie is a genie that gives three wishes but also teaches kids a lesson.

PLACE THE EVENTS IN THE CORRECT SEQUENCE BY USING THE NUMBERS 1-6:

________ John wished his sister would be gone.

________ The lion crushed all of John's toys.

_________ John was granted three wishes by Janine.

_________ John's Mom told him he had to do the dishes.

_________ John wished for a Lion.

_________ John wished his sister came back.

Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

*Sometimes, when you're reading, you need t o make inferences or draw conclusions. This means that the information is never clearly stated.

*On any reading test, you'll probably see questions that ask you to infer, make an inference, or draw a conclusion. These all mean the same thing.

*You have to find clues in the passage and use your own background knowledge in order to answer the question.

Read the following paragraph. Prairie dogs are not really dogs; they’re rodents. However, like canines, prairie dogs communicate by barking. Many of the sounds they make alert their colony of danger. For example, prairie dogs have one call for coyotes and another for hawks. When a coyote is sighted, other prairie dogs pop up from their burrows to keep track of where it goes. If a hawk is seen, they dive into their burrows. Prairie dogs make other sounds when humans are near. Most surprisingly, prairie dogs have distinct calls for different kinds of real dogs. Place an X in the matching boxFact Inference

Prairie dogs are actually rodents Hawks are bigger threats than coyotes Prairie dogs make barking sounds Prairie dogs have special calls for people.

From this paragraph you can conclude that a. Prairie dogs live alone b. Prairie dogs are easily caught c. Prairie dogs are smart d. Prairie dogs eat plants

From this paragraph you can conclude that a. People research prairie dogs

b. Prairie dogs are endangered c. Prairie dogs make good guard dogs d. Prairie dogs are adorable

Making Predictions

*You are constantly predicting in your head, the next word, the next sentence, the next paragraph, the next chapter.

*The more you are actively thinking about what comes next, the more you will get from the text.

*You predict before you start reading, while you are reading and after you have finished reading.

*Use pictures, graphs, key words, headings and titles to help you predict.

Jodi was a very good student and always studied hard for tests.  She had a big Math test coming up and she was worried about it.  She'd reviewed all of her notes and had spent hours going over sample  problems.

How will Jodi do on the test?________________________________How do you know?________________________________________

Dan has always been pretty independent. He has always been willing to do things for himself.  His mom has gone to visit his aunt for the

weekend, and Dan and his dad are home alone.  Dan has a baseball game tomorrow, but his only uniform is dirty.

What will Dan do?________________________________________How do you know?________________________________________

Compare and Contrast

*To COMPARE is to find out how two things are ALIKE.

*To CONTRAST is to find out how two things are DIFFERENT.

*When you read for information, look for signal words that show when the author is using a compare and contrast pattern.

*You should be familiar with the signal words in the chart below.

Comparing Words Contrasting WordsAlsoAs compared (to) withBothCommonFurtherIn additionIn the same wayLikewiseSame asSimilar toSimilarlyToo

AlthoughAs opposed toButContrastConverselyDifferenceDifferent fromHoweverIn spite ofInstead ofOn the other handOpposite ofRatherUnlikeWhile

Read this passage about transportation in New York.  Complete the chart comparing trade and towns in New York before the canal was built to trade and towns after the canal was built.

 

     Transportation in New York improved during the 1800s.  The Erie Canal was one improvement in transportation.  Work on the Erie Canal began in 1817.  The canal was completed 8 years later.  13,000 boats traveled on the canal in the first year.  The canal was a big success.  While the trip between Buffalo and New York took 20 days before the canal was finished, that same trip took only 8 days on the canal. 

     Goods shipped over land cost $100 a ton before the canal was built.  The same amount of goods could be shipped on the canal for only $10.  This led to increased trade along the route of the canal.  Lumber and wheat could be shipped east and, in turn, products from the east could be shipped to settlers in the western part of New York.

    The increase in trade led to the growth of cities along the canal route.  In 1825 when the canal opened, Buffalo had a population of about 2,400 people.  That population grew to 10,000 in just 6 years.  Rochester had a population of only 331 in 1815, but by 1827 the population had grown to 8,000. Compare and contrast New York before the canal to New York after the canal was built..

How alike? How different?                                                                       

“A winning effort begins with preparation.” Joe Gibbs

Cause and EffectA cause is something that makes something else happen. Out of two events, it is the event that happens first. To determine the cause, ask the question "Why Did it Happen?"

An effect is what happens as a result of the cause. Of two related events, it’s the one that happens second or last.  To determine the effect, ask the question "What Happened?"

CAUSE EFFECT The boy kicked the ball. The ball rolled. Tommy teased the cat. The cat ________ at him.

Sally ________ hard for a test. Sally earned an A on her test. Joe became really tired. Joe went to _____ early.

Cause: You did this review packet.

Effect: You will _____________ your SOL!

“All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney

*Let’s Practice all of these important reading skills in few reading passages!*

*Read the passages on the next few pages and answer the questions that follow. Remember to go back to the story to

look for clues to help you find the answers!*

Another Peter Panby Claudette J. YoungFloating around our oceans is a small menace that can return itself to its infancy.Turritopsis nutricula (Turri-top-sis nu-trick-u-la) isa hydrozoan jellyfish and the only known jellyfish that can deliberately

go back to its polyp stage repeatedly. This ability also makes it a potential menace worldwide.

Turritopsis nutricula begins life as a polyp(a tiny seed of life) that attaches itself to a piece of coral or rock. It grows there until it reaches maturity when it grows delicate but deadly tentacles.

These clear-bodied examples of floating poison are the only known immortal animal on the planet. During adulthood an unknown event triggers a regeneration response in the jellyfish. Unlike other animals, like salamanders that regenerate a specific part of their bodies,Turritopsis nutricula returns itself to its polyp stage of development, reattaches to a piece of coral, etc. and starts life again. Generations of their offspring remain to grow, too. Unless killed by a predator, they keep living their lives over and over. Experts believe this repeat performance can happen indefinitely.

Researchers know that the mechanism for the rejuvenation process is genetic, but the ultimate trigger for that process still stumps the experts. The increasing numbers of the jellyfish species alarm the world’s fishing industry. Researchers and environmentalists are as alarmed as fisherman.

These jellies have few predators, which have dwindling numbers. The neuro-toxin carried in their tentacles works on most fish. These ordinary Caribbean jellyfish now live in ocean waters from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean and also tolerate fresh water.

Experts and fisherman fear that the world’s oceans might become this jelly’s Never Never Land. A population explosion could reduce the ocean’s fish population to dangerously low numbers. Only time and research will provide the end to this tale.

SuperTeacherWorksheetswww.superteacherworksheets.com

Another Peter Pan by Claudette J. Young

1. What is unusual about the turritopsis nutricula jellyfish?

a. They are able to make lots of polyps.b. They are able to kill coral be attaching themselves to it.c. When they grow old, they are able to turn themselves back into baby polyps.d. They are impossible to kill.

2. Which sentence accurately describes the population of the turritopsis nutricula.

a. It is shrinking quickly.b. It is confined to the waters of the Caribbean.c. It is shrinking in saltwater habitats, but expanding in freshwater habitats.d. It is growing rapidly and expanding into new areas.

3. Which statement accurately describes the turritopsis nutricula.

a. The turritopsis nutricula becomes poisonous after it grows tentacles.b. The turritopsis nutricula is poisonous as a polyp and kills fish that eat it.c. The turritopsis nutricula have a neuro-toxin that works on

all fish.d. The turritopsis nutricula is endangered because it is being poisoned by fish.

4. Why are fishermen concerned about the turritopsis nutricula jellyfish?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Why did the author title this article, “Another Peter Pan”?___________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

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Immune Troops! Move In!by Shauna HuttonYour body has a very special system that protects you from illness and disease. It’s called the immune system and it knows when there is something inside your body that should not be there.

All the cells in your body have a way to tell the immune system, “I belong here. I’m not going to do any harm.” And so the immune system leaves those cells alone. Think about the cells in your body wearing name tags that say “self”. Anything with a “self” name tag is a good guy. But things like bacteria, viruses, and parasites wear name tags that say “nonself”. When the immune system sees a “nonself” name tag, it jumps into action and attacks those foreign invaders. Any foreign substance in your body that makes the immune system attack it, is called an antigen. These antigen invaders can be pollen from the air, a virus, or certain types of bacteria.

There are many different kinds of immune cells helping to keep you from getting sick. They can be grouped into phagocytes (pronounced fag-uh-sahyt) and lymphocytes (pronounced lim-fuh-sahyt).

Phagocytes are a type of white blood cell, and one of their jobs is to gobble up and digest antigens. They are always swimming around in your blood stream, always on the lookout for antigens. And when they see one, GULP!

Lymphocytes are also white blood cells and the main types are B cells, T helper cells, and T killer cells. Many antigens can be very sneaky (like viruses) and can hide from phagocytes, so it’s the job of the lymphocytes to find them and get rid of them. Viruses will kill healthy cells in the body. White blood cells, like the one pictured above, attack the harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites that enter your body.

B cells secrete (produce) substances, called antibodies, which stick to the antigen. When that happens, it alerts the T helper cells to come over and either:

1. help the B cells destroy the antigen, or2. call the phagocytes or T killer cells to move in for the killT killer cells are really good at finding and killing cells that have

been infected by a virus.

Once a B cell or T cell attacks an antigen, they create cells to “remember” it. Those “memory cells” hang out in your blood and if they see that same antigen again, they quickly recognize it so your immune system can act faster at killing it.

The “B” in B cells stands for bone marrow, which is where B cells, and all immune cells originate from. The “T” in T cells stands for thymus. Young T cells start out in bone marrow, but they travel to the thymus to continue growing into mature T cells. The thymus is an immune organ located in the middle of your chest, near your heart. Its job is to produce mature T cells.

You have your own little army of cells inside you, always fighting to keep you healthy. And you can be a part of that army too! By getting plenty of sleep at night and eating nutritious foods, you’ll help keep your immune system strong and ready to fight. Go immune troops! Go!Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

1. What does your immune system do?

a. makes you sick b. keep your brain sharpc. protect you from illness d. make energy for your

body

2. Define the word antigen. Give 3 examples of antigens.__________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. According to this article, your immune system works much like...

a. the ocean b. an armyc. an engine in a car

d. a computer

4. Where are white blood cells made?

a. in your bonesb. in your thymusc. in your brain d. in your heart

5. B and T cells are both...a. phagocytes b. bacteriac. antigens d. lymphocytes

Master of the Grassesby Guy BellerantiWhat would you do if you saw a guinea pig that weighed 75, 100 or even 150 pounds? Of course, guinea pigs don’t grow nearly that big, but if you saw a capybara, you might mistakenly think it was a giant guinea pig.

The capybara, which lives in South and Central America, is the world's largest species of rodent. It has a barrel-shaped body, a short head with small ears, and it can grow to be over four feet long.

The name "capybara" means "master of the grasses". You see, capybaras are vegetation eaters, and grasses are the main food in their diets. Capybaras have two pairs of large incisor teeth to bite off grasses, tree bark, and other vegetation. Most animals have teeth that stop growing, but rodents like the capybara have a different kind of teeth. Their incisors keep growing longer and longer throughout their entire life. They need to file their teeth down on hard plants like trees bark to keep them from growing too long.

Capybaras are social animals and live in large groups. A mother capybara gives birth to up to six babies at a time, though the average number of babies is four.

Capybaras can run, jump in long leaps and swim. In fact, they spend lots of time in the water, and even have webbed feet to help them swim. The water keeps capybaras cool during the hot day, and it provides aquatic plant food. They also use the water for protection. They can submerge below the surface to hide from predators such as jaguars, anacondas, and ocelots. A capybara's eyes, ears and nostrils are near the top of their head. This helps them

breathe and keep watch for predators while swimming underwater. Still, they have to be alert at all times because many of its enemies are good hunters in water. When danger is near, capybaras can dive deep to the bottom of a riverbed and hold their breath for five minutes before returning to the surface for air.

About the AuthorGuy Belleranti works as a docent at Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona. The information in this article comes from his experiences working with animals and teaching others.

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Master of the Grassesby Guy Belleranti

1. Why is the capybara called “master of the grasses”?a. Its body blends in with the grass so enemies cannot find it.b. It eats more grass than any other animal in the world.c. Grass make up the main part of the capybara's diet.d. It can dive underwater and hold its breath for up to five

minutes.

2. How are a capybara's incisor teeth different from a human's incisor teeth?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Name three predators of the capybara.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. How much does an adult capybara weigh?a. 25 - 50 poundsb. 75 - 150 poundsc. 150 - 200 pounds d. over 200 pounds

5. What is the author's purpose for writing this article?a. to teach readers about the largest mammal in South Americab. to teach readers about the largest rodent on Earthc. to teach readers about different South American animals

d. to persuade readers to help save endangered capybarasSuper Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com