ANIMAL BABIES 2
1. Being a baby or young animal is one long lesson in
a. reading, writing, and arithmetic.
b. how to survive.
c. how to be respectful to other animals.
2. Early in its development, an unborn animal baby is called
a. an embryo.
b. a cell.
c. a tadpole.
3. Some animal babies are called altricial. Altricial babies
a. are born ready to survive on their own.
b. are born with some survival skills.
c. are born naked and helpless.
4. Which of these animals is most likely to have hundreds of babies at a time?
a. Certain kinds of fish
b. Elephants
c. Certain kinds of birds
5. Which of these is NOT a way some animal mothers carry their babies?
a. In their mouths
b. On their backs
c. Dragging them by the tail
6. The instinct some babies have to follow the first thing they see is called
a. gaping.
b. imprinting.
c. learning.
7. When young animals play,
a. they are wasting time.
b. they are developing muscles and skills for survival.
c. they are thinking of the future.
8. How do baby animals prod their parents into helping them?
a. They go to sleep.
b. They get wet.
c. They make noise.
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1
9. How are eggs laid underwater different from eggs laid on land?
a. Underwater eggs have thin shells—sometimes you can see through them.
b. Underwater eggs are always the size of grapes.
c. Underwater eggs cannot be opened.
10. Bird nests vary greatly. Hummingbird nests
a. are made of thorns.
b. are no bigger than a quarter.
c. are made of mud.
11. A mother shrew keeps her babies together by
a. carrying them on her back.
b. barking at them.
c. leading them in a nose-to-tail chain.
12. When baby birds open their brightly colored mouths, it is called
a. pecking.
b. gaping.
c. spraying.
13. At what age can a baby skunk spray enemies?
a. From birth
b. less than a month
c. about six months
14. Most songbirds have a song unique to their species. How do the babies learn it?
a. They are born knowing a little of the song and their parents help.
b. They must be taught every word of the song note for note.
c. They are born knowing the full song.
15. Do young animals ever ‘invent’ things?
a. No.
b. Yes; a young monkey invented raisins.
c. Yes; a young monkey invented a custom in her troop of washing food in saltwater.
16. Why is a baby rattlesnake good at defending itself?
a. Drop for drop, its venom is more deadly than its parents’.
b. Baby rattlesnakes have stronger fangs than adults.
c. Baby rattlesnakes are faster than adults.
17. Why do some baby animals look so different from their parents?
a. Simply to be cute.
b. Because the differences help them survive.
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2
c. Because predators don’t like going after animals that are clearly babies.
18. What does an unborn animal baby need to survive?
a. Food, water, and oxygen
b. Food only
c. An active mind
19. Why do gray whales migrate to warm water to have their babies?
a. Because giving birth is more pleasant in warm water than cold.
b. Because baby whales grow faster in warm water.
c. Because baby whales are afraid of cold water.
20. Which of these animals is mostly likely to never know its mother?
a. A chimpanzee
b. A scorpion
c. A snake
© Wildlife Education, Ltd., www.zoobooks.com
3
ANSWERS TO ANIMAL BABIES 2
1. Being a baby or young animal is one long lesson in
a. reading, writing, and arithmetic.
b. how to survive.
c. how to be respectful to other animals.
2. Early in its development, an unborn animal baby is called
a. an embryo.
b. a cell.
c. a tadpole.
3. Some animal babies are called altricial. Altricial babies
a. are born ready to survive on their own.
b. are born with some survival skills.
c. are born naked and helpless.
4. Which of these animals is most likely to have hundreds of babies at a time?
a. Certain kinds of fish
b. Elephants
c. Certain kinds of birds
5. Which of these is NOT a way some animal mothers carry their babies?
a. In their mouths
b. On their backs
c. Dragging them by the tail
6. The instinct some babies have to follow the first thing they see is called
a. gaping.
b. imprinting.
c. learning.
7. When young animals play,
a. they are wasting time.
b. they are developing muscles and skills for survival.
c. they are thinking of the future.
8. How do baby animals prod their parents into helping them?
a. They go to sleep.
b. They get wet.
c. They make noise.
9. How are eggs laid underwater different from eggs laid on land?
a. Underwater eggs have thin shells—sometimes you can see through them.
© Wildlife Education, Ltd., www.zoobooks.com
4
b. Underwater eggs are always the size of grapes.
c. Underwater eggs cannot be opened.
10. Bird nests vary greatly. Hummingbird nests
a. are made of thorns.
b. are no bigger than a quarter.
c. are made of mud.
11. A mother shrew keeps her babies together by
a. carrying them on her back.
b. barking at them.
c. leading them in a nose-to-tail chain.
12. When baby birds open their brightly colored mouths, it is called
a. pecking.
b. gaping.
c. spraying.
13. At what age can a baby skunk spray enemies?
a. From birth
b. less than a month
c. about six months
14. Most songbirds have a song unique to their species. How do the babies learn it?
a. They are born knowing a little of the song and their parents help.
b. They must be taught every word of the song note for note.
c. They are born knowing the full song.
15. Do young animals ever ‘invent’ things?
a. No.
b. Yes; a young monkey invented raisins.
c. Yes; a young monkey invented a custom in her troop of washing food in saltwater.
16. Why is a baby rattlesnake good at defending itself?
a. Drop for drop, its venom is more deadly than its parents’.
b. Baby rattlesnakes have stronger fangs than adults.
c. Baby rattlesnakes are faster than adults.
17. Why do some baby animals look so different from their parents?
a. Simply to be cute.
b. Because the differences help them survive.
c. Because predators don’t like going after animals that are clearly babies.
18. What does an unborn animal baby need to survive?
© Wildlife Education, Ltd., www.zoobooks.com
5
a. Food, water, and oxygen
b. Food only
c. An active mind
19. Why do gray whales migrate to warm water to have their babies?
a. Because giving birth is more pleasant in warm water than cold.
b. Because baby whales grow faster in warm water.
c. Because baby whales are afraid of cold water.
20. Which of these animals is mostly likely to never know its mother?
a. A chimpanzee
b. A scorpion
c. A snake
© Wildlife Education, Ltd., www.zoobooks.com
6