Around One Cactus-Using Context Clues

Read these sentences from page 512.

"You may think that this place is lifeless and dull, but it's not. In fact, the more you learn about the desert the more amazing it becomes."

What is the meaning of the word dull?

• amazing or exciting

• having no living creatures in it

• boring or not interesting

• dry

Read these 2 lines from your story.

"Beside the cactus tall and grand,

A haven for creatures in a waterless land."

What is the meaning of the word haven?

• a dangerous place

• something tall

• a desert plant

• a home or safe place

Select the word that helps the reader

understand the meaning of groom?

"A den of foxes starts to stir.

They clean and groom their light brown fur."

• clean

• den

• stir

• fur

The "Fantastic Fact" on page 524 says, "Kangaroo rats are so good at converting the dry seeds they eat into water that they need no other water source."

What does converting mean?

• eating

• changing

• drinking

• hiding

Read this fact about scorpions.

"Although some species of scorpions have more than 12 eyes, they have very poor eyesight. They rely on their sense of touch to find prey. They often walk around with claws spread apart until they bump into a tasty spider or insect."

What does the word rely mean?

• to touch

• forget about

• search for

• depend or count on

The author kept repeating

the following line:

"Beside the cactus tall and grand."

What does the word grand tell you about the cactus? Choose TWO.

• The cactus is very important, and the animals need it.

• The cactus is not that important at all.

• The cactus is large and amazing.

• The cactus is a plant that lives in the desert.