NAME______________________________________ DATE______________________
WHAT IS A DOLPHIN?
The dolphin is one of the best-loved sea animals. A
dolphin is a mammal. Scientists believe that
dolphins are among the most intelligent animals,
including chimpanzees and dogs. There are thirtytwo different kinds of sea dolphins. Dolphins have
a beakline snout, or nose, and cone-shaped teeth.
All dolphins have a torpedo-shaped body. Their
bodies are shaped to help them move through water
quickly and easily. Most dolphins have a dorsal
fin, which is a special fin on their backs. This
fin, along with their flippers, helps balance the
dolphin when it swims. Their powerful tail fins, or
flukes, propel them through the water. The skin of
the dolphin is smooth and rubbery. There is a layer
of blubber, or fat, under their skin. The blubber
helps the dolphin to keep warm in the water.
Dolphins breathe air into their lungs. The dolphin
breathes through a blowhole, or nostril at the top
of its head. Dolphins must come up to the surface
of the water to breathe about once or twice a
minute. Muscles seal the blowhole while the dolphin
is under water. Dolphins live in groups of 100 to
1000. The dolphins in these groups play and hunt
for food together. Dolphins are able to communicate
by making sounds through air-filled sacs next to
their blowholes. They can also communicate by
slapping their flukes on the surface of the water.
Dolphins have a great sense of hearing, and they
can hear a wide range of sounds. Their ability to
see is also very good. Dolphins have no sense of
smell. These very interesting animals are easily
trained to perform in shows. The bottle-nosed
dolphin is the one that is usually trained for
shows.
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2003abcteach.com
NAME______________________________________ DATE______________________
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:
1.
Which of the following is NOT true?
a.
Dolphins breathe air.
b.
Dolphins live in groups.
c.
Dolphins have a great sense of smell.
d.
The skin of a dolphin is smooth and rubbery.
2.
The dorsal fin of the dolphin helps it to __.
a.
do flips
b.
balance when it swims
c.
breathe easily
d.
eat small fish
3.
Dolphins communicate __.
a.
by slapping their flukes
b.
with their beak-line snouts
c.
using air-filled sacs next to their blowholes
d.
both a and c
4.
How often do dolphins go to the surface of the water
to breathe?
a.
once or twice a month
b.
twice daily
c.
once a day
d.
once or twice a minute
5.
Dolphins are very intelligent, and can be trained to
____.
a.
read many books on ocean life
b.
perform in shows
c.
swim
d.
play the guitar
2
2003abcteach.com
NAME______________________________________ DATE______________________
DOLPHIN CROSSWORD PUZZLE
1
5
2
6
3
4
7
8
9
10
11
Across
2.
The dorsal fin is located on the ___ of dolphins.
5.
Dolphins live in ______.
8.
Dolphins are very ____, and can be trained to perform.
9.
tail fins of the dolphin
11.
a nostril located on the top of the dolphin's head.
Down
1.
The layer of fat that helps to keep dolphins warm in the water.
3.
Dolphins ____ by making sounds and flapping their flukes
4.
The ___ of a dolphin is smooth and rubbery.
6.
Dolphins have no sense of ___.
7.
Dolphins breathe air into their ____ .
10.
another word for the dolphin's nose
3
2003abcteach.com
NAME______________________________________ DATE______________________
ANSWER PAGE
PAGE 2:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
PAGE 3:
ACROSS
2.
5.
8.
9.
11.
c
b
d
d
b
backs
groups
intelligent
flukes
blowhole
DOWN
1.
3.
3.
6.
7.
10.
blubber
communicate
skin
smell
lungs
snout
4
2003abcteach.com