All About Koalas

1.       Reread pages 2-5. What is the central idea of this chapter?

a.       Koalas are nocturnal marsupials that mostly live alone.

b.       Marsupials and koalas are mammals that don’t get along with others.

c.        Koalas makes scratches on trees to mark their territory.

d.       Baby koalas are called “joeys” and sleep in their mother’s pouches until they are a year old.

• a

• b

• c

• d

2.       Which two details from the text best support the central idea?

a.       But Koalas are not bears. They are actually marsupials.

b.       Koalas look like teddy bears with their large, round heads and their fluffy ears.

c.        Koalas are not very friendly. They live alone, and they try to keep away from one another.

d.       Koalas sleep in trees for 18-22 hours every day.

• a

• b

• c

• d

3.       What adaptation do koalas have that enable them to eat eucalyptus?

a.       Adult koalas only eat the leaves of eucalyptus trees.

b.       Koalas drink very little water. They get most of the moisture they need from eucalyptus leaves.

c.        When the joey is born, it is as small as a jellybean.

d.       Eucalyptus is poisonous to many animals, but the koala has a bacteria in its stomach that break down the toxic oils in the leaves.

• a

• b

• c

• d

4.       What does the photograph on page 11 add to the text?

a.       It shows a koala clinging to a tree trunk so its body heat can be absorbed and it can cool down.

b.       It shows many damaged trees, which means that the koalas have lost part of their home.

c.        The illustration shows the scent gland on a male koala that allows it to keep other koalas away from its habitat.

d.       It shows a koala using its muscular hands and feet to cling to a tree branch.

• a

• b

• c

• d

    What is a joey? What text features could you use to find this information?

7.       What is the author’s purpose in writing “All About Koalas”?

a.       The author wrote to inform the reader about how koalas survive in the wild and what dangers they may face.

b.       The author wrote to compare koalas to actual bears.

c.       The author wrote to persuade the reader to take action to protect koalas’ habitats.

d.       The author wrote to describe koala’s body parts and their purposes.

• a

• b

• c

• d