Non-fiction: Wild Things
Wild Things
Scientists discover hundreds of plants and animals in Asia.
Talk about hide-and-seek! Scientists in Asia recently discovered more than
350 plant and animal species. The species were found in the Himalayas (himuh-LAY-uhss). Those are mountains in southern Asia.
Leigh Haeger
One of the species has researchers hopping for joy. It is a “flying” frog. The
bright green animal was found in India. It uses its long, webbed feet to
glide, or float, through the air.
Another discovery is the leaf deer. It is the world’s smallest deer. It’s only
about 25 to 30 inches tall. Researchers found the animal in the nearby
country of Myanmar.
The scientists made the discoveries from 1998 to 2008. Besides India and
Myanmar, they looked in regions of three other countries. A region is an
area. Those countries are Bhutan, China, and Nepal.
The researchers uncovered flowers and a snake. They also found a monkey.
It is the first new type of monkey to be discovered in more than 100 years.
Experts are excited about the discoveries, but they are also worried. The
species’ habitat, or home, is in trouble. Loggers are cutting down trees in
the Himalayas. To protect the mountains, nature groups are asking countries
to guard the land from people trying to destroy it.
In the meantime, scientists are continuing to search the Himalayas for more
plants and animals. “There will be close to 3,000 to 5,000 species that
[could] be discovered ... over the next five years,” says wildlife expert Bittu
Sahgal.
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Non-fiction: Wild Things
Spot the Species
Here’s a look at some of the plants and animals that caught scientists’
attention while they were studying the Himalayas.
Meet Bambi’s mini-me! The leaf deer is less than 3
feet tall. At about 25 pounds, the deer weighs as
much as a medium-sized dog.
WWF/Nepal
Talk about flower power! The blue diamond
impatiens (im-PAY-shehnz) changes color
depending on the weather. When temperatures rise,
this blue flower turns purple.
WWF/Nepal
Don’t let its name fool you. The orange-spotted
snakehead is actually a fish. The colorful creature
lives in ponds and swamps.
WWF/Nepal
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© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright © 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.
Questions: Wild Things
Name:
____ Date: __________________
1. What is special about the monkey that was discovered in the Himalayas?
A
B
C
D
It
It
It
It
can float through the air.
changes color depending on the weather.
is less than 3 feet tall and weighs 25 pounds.
is the first new type of monkey to be found in over 100 years.
2. Which of the following does the author describe last in the passage?
A
B
C
D
The
The
The
The
author
author
author
author
describes
describes
describes
describes
where the new species were found.
three different new species that were found.
the dangers to the new species’ habitats.
the plans to keep searching for more new species.
3. It can be inferred from the passage that
A
B
C
D
it is extremely cold in the Himalayas because they are mountains
there are probably species in the Himalayas that scientists will not find
the world’s smallest deer is an excellent mountain climber
the blue diamond impatiens only changes color when the weather in the
Himalayas gets colder
4. Read the following sentence: “Researchers found the animal in the nearby country of
Myanmar.”
In this sentence researchers means
A
B
C
D
doctors
scientists
loggers
mountains
5. This passage is mostly about
A
B
C
D
the discovery of new species in the Himalayas
the orange-spotted snakehead and its life in the Himalayas
what it is like to go hiking in the Himalayas
how experts plan to search the Himalayas for more species
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Questions: Wild Things
6. What was recently discovered in the Himalayas?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why could the search for new species in the Himalayas be described as a race against
time?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes
the sentence.
Loggers are cutting down trees in the Himalayas ______ many species are losing their
habitat.
A although
B but
C because
D so
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
Scientists found more than 350 new plant and animal species in the Himalayas and
other regions in Asia.
Who? Scientists
(did) What? ____________________________________________________________
Where? ________________________________________________________________
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Questions: Wild Things
10. Read the vocabulary word and definition below and complete questions 10a, 10b,
and 11.
Vocabulary Word: glide (glide): to move in a smooth way.
10a. Read the sentences below and underline the word glide.
The students loved seeing the paper airplanes that they made in science class
glide through the air.
1.
2.
It must be fun for ice skaters to glide across the ice.
3.
Once it stops snowing, I can’t wait to glide down the hill on my sled.
4.
The skydiver opened his parachute and glided safely to the ground.
5.
The sailboat glides across the lake in the gentle breeze.
10b. Which shoe may be used to glide?
11. Does an elephant glide through the woods? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Teacher Guide & Answers: Wild Things
Teacher Guide & Answers
Passage Reading Level: Lexile 630
Featured Text Structure: Descriptive – the writer explains, defines or illustrates a concept or topic
Passage Summary: This passage describes the recent discovery by scientists of hundreds of new plants
and animals in the Himalayas. Scientists are continuing to search for more species, but are concerned
because many of these species are losing their habitat in the forest to loggers who are cutting down the
trees.
1. What is special about the monkey that was discovered in the Himalayas?
A
B
C
D
It can float through the air.
It changes color depending on the weather.
It is less than 3 feet tall and weighs 25 pounds.
It is the first new type of monkey to be found in over 100 years.
2. Which of the following does the author describe last in the passage?
A
B
C
D
The author describes where the new species were found.
The author describes three different new species that were found.
The author describes the dangers to the new species’ habitats.
The author describes the plans to keep searching for more new species.
3. It can be inferred from the passage that
A
B
C
D
it is extremely cold in the Himalayas because they are mountains
there are probably species in the Himalayas that scientists will not find
the world’s smallest deer is an excellent mountain climber
the blue diamond impatiens only changes color when the weather in the Himalayas gets colder
4. Read the following sentence: “Researchers found the animal in the nearby country of Myanmar.”
In this sentence researchers means
A
B
C
D
doctors
scientists
loggers
mountains
5. This passage is mostly about
A
B
C
D
the discovery of new species in the Himalayas
the orange-spotted snakehead and its life in the Himalayas
what it is like to go hiking in the Himalayas
how experts plan to search the Himalayas for more species
6. What was recently discovered in the Himalayas?
Suggested answer: Scientists recently discovered more than 350 new plant and animal species in the
Himalayas [paragraph #1]
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Teacher Guide & Answers: Wild Things
7. Why could the search for new species in the Himalayas be described as a race against time?
Suggested answer: The search could be described as a race against time because as the experts search,
loggers are cutting down trees where the species live. If too many trees are cut down, some species may
become extinct before they are discovered. [paragraphs #6, 7]
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Loggers are cutting down trees in the Himalayas ______ many species are losing their habitat.
A
B
C
D
although
but
because
so
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
Scientists found more than 350 new plant and animal species in the Himalayas and other regions in Asia.
Who? Scientists
(did) What? found more than 350 new plant and animal species
Where? in the Himalayas and other regions in Asia
10. ReadWorks recommends that you teach this vocabulary word to the whole class out loud using the
four steps listed below.
Vocabulary Word: glide
Step 1: Introduce the word
a. Teacher writes the word on the board and divides it into syllables: (glide)
b. Teacher says: “This word is glide. What is the word?” [All students reply together out loud:
“glide.”]
Step 2: Provide a child-friendly definition
a. Teacher says: “Glide means to move in a smooth way.”
b. Teacher says: “In the passage, a flying frog is said to “glide through the air”. This means it is
moving in a smooth way through the air, looking like it is flying. Glide means to move in a smooth
way.”
c. Teacher says: “What is the word?” [All students reply together out loud: “glide.”]
Step 3: Practice the word
Teacher provides examples and additional opportunities to repeat the word. Read the 1st sentence out loud
to your students. Begin reading it again and when you come to the vocabulary word prompt students to
say the vocabulary word out loud. Then, finish reading the sentence out loud to your students.
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Teacher Guide & Answers: Wild Things
10a.
1. The students loved seeing the paper airplanes that they made in science class
glide through the air.
2. It must be fun for ice skaters to glide across the ice.
3. Once it stops snowing, I can’t wait to glide down the hill on my sled.
4. The skydiver opened his parachute and glided safely to the ground.
5. The sailboat glides across the lake in the gentle breeze.
Step 4: Check for student understanding
This step can be completed as a whole class activity or as an independent practice.
10b. Which shoe may be used to glide?
11. Does an elephant glide through the woods? Why or why not?
Suggested answer: No, because they are very heavy animals and do not move in a smooth way.
Suggested Additional Vocabulary: regions
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