Kangaroo Mice: Desert Adaptations Quiz

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. What is the main idea of the passage about kangaroo mice?

• Kangaroo mice are dangerous animals.

• Kangaroo mice have special adaptations that help them survive in the desert.

• Kangaroo mice live in forests.

• Kangaroo mice eat only insects.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. Which of the following is a key detail from the passage that supports the main idea?

• Kangaroo mice have long tails.

• Kangaroo mice can jump very high.

• Kangaroo mice get most of their water from seeds and plants.

• Kangaroo mice are found in cold places.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. What do kangaroo mice eat to survive in the desert?

• Fish

• Seeds and plants

• Large animals

• Tree bark

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the kangaroo mouse’s large back legs and its ability to survive in the desert?

• The large back legs help the mouse run away from predators.

• The large back legs help the mouse dig deep holes.

• The large back legs help the mouse jump long distances to move quickly and escape danger.

• The large back legs help the mouse swim in water.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. Which event happens first in the daily life of a kangaroo mouse, according to the passage?

• The mouse comes out at night to look for food.

• The mouse stores seeds in its burrow.

• The mouse sleeps during the hot day.

• The mouse drinks water from a pond.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. Why do kangaroo mice stay in their burrows during the day?

• To find more food

• To avoid the heat and stay safe from predators

• To play with other mice

• To look for water

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. How does the kangaroo mouse’s ability to get water from seeds help it survive in the desert?

• It allows the mouse to live far from rivers and ponds.

• It helps the mouse find more seeds.

• It makes the mouse run faster.

• It helps the mouse dig deeper burrows.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. Which of the following best explains the cause and effect relationship between the desert environment and the kangaroo mouse’s nocturnal behavior?

• The desert is cold at night, so the mouse sleeps outside.

• The desert is hot during the day, so the mouse is active at night to stay cool.

• The desert has many trees, so the mouse climbs at night.

• The desert is wet at night, so the mouse swims.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. If a kangaroo mouse could not store seeds in its burrow, what might happen to it during the day?

• It would have plenty of food.

• It might go hungry because it cannot find food while hiding from the heat.

• It would sleep more.

• It would drink more water.

**Passage:** Kangaroo mice are small rodents that live in the deserts of North America. These tiny animals have many special adaptations that help them survive in the hot, dry desert. One of their most important adaptations is their ability to get almost all the water they need from the seeds and plants they eat. Because water is very hard to find in the desert, this helps them stay alive even when there is no rain. Kangaroo mice have long back legs that allow them to jump great distances. This helps them move quickly across the hot sand and escape from predators. They also have long tails that help them balance when they jump. During the day, when the desert is very hot, kangaroo mice stay in cool burrows underground. They come out at night, when it is cooler, to look for food. This behavior is called being nocturnal. Kangaroo mice store seeds in their burrows so they have food during the day when it is too hot to go outside. By staying underground during the hottest part of the day, they avoid the heat and many predators. All of these adaptations help kangaroo mice live successfully in the harsh desert environment. Imagine a scientist wants to study how kangaroo mice survive in the desert. Which sequence of steps should the scientist follow to understand their adaptations?

• Watch the mice during the day, then at night, and record how they find food and water.

• Only watch the mice during the day.

• Only look at the seeds in the desert.

• Watch the mice swim in ponds.