Classifying | H-1
ReadingPlus
Taylor Associates
®
COMPREHENSION SKILLS PRACTICE
Classifying
means arranging similar things in groups. A telephone
book, for instance, may include yellow pages in which business firms are classified
according to the type of service they provide. This makes it easy to find a plumber,
dentist, or party planner when you need one.
Classifying can be helpful to you in remembering reading material that contains many
facts. An article about life in the desert, for example, may mention many different
types of animals, birds, and plants. If you classify the types under the headings, it
will make remembering easier. Look at the example below.
Animals
foxes
frogs
lizards
Plants
cacti
trees
bushes
Birds
hawks
owls
roadrunners
Notice that the things are listed alphabetically in the above example.
Think about two different places on Earth. In one place, the people take care of their
environment. In the other place, people have no respect for their surroundings. You
could classify the reasons for these differences in the two places, as in the example
below.
Ways in which the places are different
Place one
1. leaves and grass green and healthy
2. large trees, standing tall
3. many birds and animals
Place two
1. leaves and grass dry and brown
2. trees crumbled into dust
3. no birds and animals
Reasons for Differences
1. water and air polluted
2. trees not replaced
3. wildlife killed by insect spray
Copyright © 2007 Taylor Associates/Communications, Inc.
Classifying | H-1
ReadingPlus
Taylor Associates
®
COMPREHENSION SKILLS PRACTICE
Student Name_______________________________________________________________
1. Study the picture carefully, then classify each of the people under the correct heading.
Working
Not Working
2. Read the following selection, then classify the facts about alligators and crocodiles under the correct
heading.
Crocodiles and alligators belong to the class of
animals called reptiles. Like other reptiles, they
lay eggs and they are cold-blooded.
this fourth tooth fits into a pocket in the upper
jaw. In crocodiles, however, this same tooth fits
into a slit in the side of the upper jaw.
Crocodiles and alligators have long, low bodies,
short legs, and strong tails that help them to swim.
They have long snouts, although the snout of the
alligator is wide and rounded, while that of the
crocodile is narrow and comes to a point.
Alligators and crocodiles eat small animals such
as fish, birds, and small mammals. Sometimes
they attack larger animals. Crocodiles are
somewhat more dangerous to humans than
alligators, since they are more vicious and likely
to attack.
Both animals have extremely sharp teeth, with
the lower fourth tooth extra long. In the alligator,
Similarities (list at least 6)
Copyright © 2007 Taylor Associates/Communications, Inc.
Differences (list at least 3)