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© Evan-Moor Corp. • EMC 3454 • Daily Reading Comprehension 125

WEEK 20

DAY 1Cause and Effect

READ THE PASSAGE   Look for causes and effects that explain how and why a koala lives the way it does.

Calm KoalasTucked into the branches of a eucalyptus (yoo-kuh-LIP-tuss) tree in Australia, a koala

is forced to live a lazy life. Its diet consists almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves.

Eucalyptus leaves contain a lot of moisture. Therefore, a koala doesn’t need to leave its

tree to find water. But the leaves don’t provide much nutrition. As a result, a koala has little

energy and must nap between 16 and 20 hours a day.

When a koala is not sleeping, it is eating. An adult koala will chew about 1,000 leaves

a day! The koala has special front teeth that help it nip a thin branch off a eucalyptus tree.

Then it uses its back teeth to strip the leaves from the branch. The animal chews the

leaves into a paste that makes the leaves easier for the koala’s stomach to handle.

Eucalyptus leaves are poisonous to other mammals, so they don’t dare eat them. But

a koala’s stomach can break down the poisons in most kinds of eucalyptus leaves.

Because of this, the leaves are not harmful. However, there is one kind of eucalyptus leaf

that koalas cannot eat. That means a koala must smell each leaf before eating it. The

animal’s strong sense of smell can detect the odor of the poison in dangerous leaves.

SKILL PRACTICE   Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

 1.  Why does a koala smell each leaf  before eating it?A to check if it has enough water in itB to check if it is safe to eatC to check if other koalas have tried to eat itD to check if the leaf is poisonous to other

animals

2.  According to the passage, a koala does not need to look for water because  .A water is difficult to findB eucalyptus leaves contain enough waterC koalas do not have the energy to

drink waterD koalas cannot climb down trees

 3.  Which is a cause for koalas leading slow and sleepy lives?A Their food does not give them much

energy.B Their food has too much moisture in it.C They get poisoned from eating eucalyptus

leaves.D They live in eucalyptus trees.

 4.  Koalas chew eucalyptus leaves into a paste because the paste  .A tastes better than the leavesB removes all the poison from the leavesC gives the koala more waterD is easier for their stomachs to handle

STRATEGY PRACTICE   In your own words, tell how a koala spends its time.

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WEEK 20

DAY 2Cause and Effect

READ THE FOLK TALE   Notice the things that happen between Wolf and Fox and why they happen.

The Hungry Wolf and the Clever FoxOne moonlit night, Wolf was lurking in the forest, hoping to find dinner. He hadn’t

eaten all day, so he was grumpy from hunger. His mood changed when he spied Fox

trotting toward her den. Wolf boldly blocked Fox’s path, but he spoke to her in a sweet

voice.

“Fox, you certainly look beautiful tonight,” Wolf said. “Your fur is so glossy.”

When Fox saw Wolf’s tongue droop and his mouth drool, she knew she had to think

fast. Fox pointed to her fur and said, “Why, this old coat is full of ticks and fleas. I’m

embarrassed to be seen in it.” Fox tried to step away, but Wolf growled deeply.

“Don’t move!” he snarled. “I’m hungry, and you look good enough to eat!”

“Mr. Wolf, I’m a skinny old thing,” Fox said, jutting out her chin. You’d be hungry again

before you finished swallowing me. But, I can show you where to get some delicious

cheese. I know where there’s a rich, creamy wheel of it as big as your head.”

Even though his stomach growled terribly, Wolf was tempted by Fox’s description of

this magnificent cheese. He walked by her side until they came to a well. Wolf looked

down and saw a large, round, yellow cheese floating in the water. As he leaned farther

down into the well to gobble up the cheese, he lost his balance and tumbled into the well.

Fox chuckled. With the help of a full moon, she had outfoxed the Wolf.

SKILL PRACTICE   Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

 1.  What was the result of Fox’s trick?A She became friends with Wolf.B She saved herself from being eaten.C She was able to escape into a well.D She had cheese to eat.

2.  What caused Wolf to stop and talk to Fox?A Fox was blocking his path home.B Fox and Wolf were old friends.C Wolf was hungry. D Wolf was looking for some cheese.

3.  What caused Fox to try to trick Wolf?A She could tell that Wolf was hungry.B She liked what Wolf said about her fur.C She could hear Wolf’s stomach growl.D She was embarrassed by her coat.

4.  Why was Fox able to trick Wolf?A Fox was too skinny to eat.B Wolf was angry with Fox.C Fox was scared of Wolf.D Wolf was distracted by his hunger.

STRATEGY PRACTICE   Write a question you had about the story as you were reading.

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WEEK 20

DAY 3Fact and Opinion

READ THE PASSAGE   Notice which details about the Daruma doll are facts and which are opinions.

A Different Kind of DollOn the first day of my piano lessons, Mom did a strange thing. She gave me a

Daruma doll from Japan. Daruma dolls are usually given as gifts to encourage people or

wish them luck. The doll doesn’t have a body like other dolls. Its body is round with a flat

bottom, and it has the face of a strange-looking man.

The doll doesn’t have any moving parts, but its bottom is heavy. This means that if

you push the Daruma doll over, it will pop back up again. It was fun to play with the doll

for a little while.

The doll’s body is very pretty. It is painted red and has the Japanese symbol for “good

luck” written in gold. But the face is weird! Its eyebrows are bushy and shaped like two

black birds. The straight lines under its grim mouth look like a beard, and the eyes are

very large. They look like round moons and are completely white. Mom says that the eyes

are the reason she bought me a Daruma doll. I have to set a goal for myself and paint a

black iris in one of the eyes. When I reach my goal, I can fill in the other eye.

I bet I know what goal Mom wants me to have—to become a good piano player!

SKILL PRACTICE   Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

 1.  Which one states an opinion about the Daruma doll?A Its body is round with a flat bottom.B It always pops back into place.C It was fun to play with.D Daruma dolls are given as gifts.

2.  Which statement is supported by facts in  the passage?A Daruma dolls are only for young children.B Daruma dolls are different from other

dolls.C Daruma dolls have little meaning.D Daruma dolls look like real people.

 3.  Which tells what the author thinks or feels?A “Mom gave me a Daruma doll from

Japan.”B “I bet Mom wants me to become a good

piano player.”C “If you push the Daruma doll over, it will

pop back up again.”D “The eyes are the reason Mom bought me

the doll.”

 4.  Which sentence states a fact?A The doll’s body is very pretty.B The face is weird.C The eyebrows are bushy.D The eyes look like round white moons.

STRATEGY PRACTICE   Write two important facts about a Daruma doll that would help someone understand what it is and how it is used.

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WEEK 20

DAY 4Fact and Opinion

READ THE PASSAGE   Notice the words that tell you how someone feels or thinks.

Wacky or Wise?My dad and I found a great Web site that describes wacky inventions. Some of them

impressed us, but others made us ask, “What was that inventor thinking?”

One of Dad’s favorite inventions was the alarm fork. It’s supposed to help people eat

more slowly. The alarm fork looks like a regular fork except it has two lights on the handle

that work like a traffic signal. When the fork’s green light is lit, you can take a bite of your

food. When the red light flashes, you stop eating and wait. That would drive me crazy!

Another invention was a pair of eyeglasses without earpieces. They looked ridiculous!

To wear them, you first glue a magnet onto each side of your head near your eyes. The

frame for the glasses has two ends with metal pieces that the magnets attract. But I wonder

what happens when you take off your glasses. Will your head stick to the fridge?

There’s also a traveling washing machine that washes clothes while you drive. Dad

and I think the machine is a good idea, but it seems like too much trouble to use. First,

you have to lift your car so you can fasten the machine onto one of the car’s wheels. Then

you add water, soap, and clothes and hit the road. But you can’t drive over 25 miles an

hour, or the machine will break. And you have to stop twice. First, you need to replace the

dirty water with clean water for rinsing. And then you have to empty the rinse water so the

clothes can spin dry. Washing clothes with rocks in a creek seems easier to me!

SKILL PRACTICE   Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

 1.  Which one of these states a fact?A The alarm fork has two lights.B The invention Web site is great.C Having to stop eating is annoying.D The traveling washing machine seems

like too much trouble to use.

2.  Which one is an opinion about the traveling washing machine?A It will break at high speeds.B It spins clothes to dry them.C It needs to be fastened to a car wheel.D It is easier to wash clothes in a creek.

 3.  Which word from the first sentence in the passage states an opinion?A foundB describesC wackyD inventions

 4.  Which sentence states a fact?A “They looked ridiculous!”B “That would drive me crazy!”C “Dad and I think the washing machine

is a good idea.”D “It’s supposed to help people eat slowly.”

STRATEGY PRACTICE   Write a question that you can ask yourself to check whether what you are reading is a fact or an opinion.

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