Paired Selection

Use “The Cholla Cactus” to answer the following question.

What are the most likely reasons the author includes paragraphs 1

and 2 of the article “The Cholla Cactus”?

Select TWO correct answers.

• To connect the reader to the topic

• To argue for the protection of a species

• To explain how a cactus grows in the desert

• To provide a mental picture of the subject

• To show how animals survive in harsh climates

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

What is the main idea of the section titled “A Prickly Feast”?

• F. People sometimes roast the buds of certain types of cholla cactus.

• G. The cholla cactus attracts bees because of its pollen.

• H. People and animals eat parts of the cholla cactus.

• J. The fruit of the cholla cactus is quite juicy.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

19. According to the article, rainwater is stored in the cholla cactus’s —

• A. spines

• B. roots

• C. flowers

• D. stems

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

20. The author included the information in paragraph 1 to help the reader —

• F. visualize a hot desert region

• G. learn about people who live in extreme conditions

• H. understand the kinds of plants that live in sandy soil

• J. identify the ways in which animals survive in the desert

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Which sentences from paragraphs 4 through 6 show that the cholla

cactus is difficult to harvest?

Select the TWO correct answers.

• A. The desert bighorn sheep, for example, has learned to get

  water from the cholla cactus.

• B. The animal

  uses its large curled horns and its hooves to tear off pieces of

  a cholla and remove the spines.

• C. Bees enjoy the pollen of its colorful blooms.

• D. They roll the buds on a

  hard surface to remove the spines and then roast them slowly

  on an open fire.

• E. Cholla buds

  contain protein, calcium, and fiber—all of which are important

  to good health.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

21. What do the subheadings in the article help the reader understand?

• A. There are many different types of cholla.

• B. The author is knowledgeable about desert animals.

• C. The cholla can be used for different purposes.

• D. Many animals live in severe environments.

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.K.5

2. Use “The Cholla Cactus” to answer the following question.

Read the question carefully. Then record your answer in the box

provided.

Based on paragraph 7 of the article “The Cholla Cactus,” why does

the wood rat use the cholla cactus to build its nest? Support your

answer with evidence from the article.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

Use “Cactus Wren” (pp. 16–17) to answer questions 22–27. Then fill in

the answers on your answer document.

22. Why does the cactus wren “like thorns in all directions”?

• F. They offer cool shade from the desert heat.

• G. They help keep intruders away.

• H. They are a source of food for the young hatchlings.

• J. They prevent the baby birds from moving around in the nest.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

23. In lines 1 through 13, the poet contrasts the wren’s behavior with that of other

desert animals to show that the wren —

• A. feels comfortable in the heat of the desert

• B. worries about the needs of other animals

• C. makes noises that are more pleasant to listen to

• D. copies the actions of other animals

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.4.5

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.4

24. Look at the dictionary entry for the word entrance.

entrance \ı

en-tr n(t)s\ noun

1. permission to come into a

place 2. the act of coming in

3. the location or point for

coming in 4. the first appearance

of an actor in a scene

24. Look at the dictionary entry for the word entrance.

Which definition best fits the way entrance is used in line 25

• F. Definition 1

• G. Definition 2

• H. Definition 3

• J. Definition 4

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

CCSS.RL.6.4