Reasons Behind the Point
RI.2.8
Read the text, then answer the questions.
How a Camel Survives
A camel can cross a desert that would kill most animals. Almost every part of it helps. Its hump is not full of water. It is full of fat. The camel uses the fat for energy when there is no food, which is why the hump sags on a hungry camel. A camel has two rows of long eyelashes and can close its nostrils. Both keep sand out during a storm. Its feet are wide and flat. They spread the camel's weight so it does not sink into soft sand. A thirsty camel can drink a hundred litres in ten minutes.
- 1. The author says a camel's feet are wide and flat. What reason is given?
How a Polar Bear Stays Warm
A polar bear lives where the sea freezes. It has three ways of keeping its heat in. Under its skin is a layer of fat up to eleven centimetres thick. Fat is a poor conductor, so heat does not pass through it easily. Above that is dense underfur, packed tight so cold water cannot reach the skin. On top are long guard hairs. Each one is hollow and clear, not white. They look white because they scatter the light, the way snow does. A polar bear is so well insulated that it can overheat if it runs too far.
- 1. The author says fat keeps the bear warm. What reason is given?
LessonPrint · RI.2.8 · Set 10 · free to copy for classroom use