www.scholastic.com/sn3

Name _______________________________________ Date ____________________________

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Refer to this week’s cover story, “Otters on the Job,” to respond to the questions below. Reread the article to find details that support your answers. Remember to write in complete sentences.

Close-Reading Questions

1. �Why do you think the author titled the article “Otters on the Job”?

2.� ��What event does the word brink refer to in the subhead “Back From the Brink”?

3. What does sea otter expert James Estes say that supports the definition of otters as a keystone species?

4. According to the article, what effect do sea urchins have on kelp forests?

5. What are the two roles that kelp plays in this particular ecosystem? Cite text evidence.

To be used with the April 17, 2017, issue

Edition 3

R E S E T Q U I Z A N S W E R S

Name: ___________________________________________

www.scholastic.com/sn3

To be used with the April 17, 2017, issue

Edition 3

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What’s the Main Idea?Use the graphic organizer below to write the main idea and key details for “Otters on the Job.”

Identify the Main IdeaCommon Core RI.3.1

KEY DETAIL

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Name _______________________________ Date _________________________

Be a Quiz Whiz!For each question below, fill in the circle next to the correct answer.

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To be used with the April 17, 2017, issue

www.scholastic.com/sn3 R E S E T Q U I Z A N S W E R S

Edition 3

1. Another good title for “Otters on the Job” would be ___. A “The Problem With Otters”B “Helpful Otters on the Rise” C “An Effort to Save Otters”D “What We Can Learn From Otters”

2. Which of the following details explains why otters are a keystone species?A “. . . fewer than 2,000 were left.”B “. . . when there are too many sea

urchins, it can cause big problems . . .”C “Kelp forests are also important . . .”D “. . . keeping the population of sea

urchins under control . . .”

3. Which nonfiction text feature is NOT found in this article? A map C subheadingsB sidebar D bolded words

4. The author included information about sea otters from the 1700s to ___.A prove how sea otters help the

environment B illustrate how fun and playful sea otters areC describe how people began to help the

sea otters D explain how sea otters were almost wiped

out

5. Which is NOT a reason that kelp is important?A It is a food source.B It provides shelter.C It absorbs carbon dioxide.D It is used as fuel for cars.

6. Which of these lines from “Debate It” is an argument for banning plastic bags? A “. . . plastic bags can also be recycled.”B “You can reuse them for packing a

lunch . . .” C “. . . plastic bags don't rot away quickly.” D “Plastic shopping bags are useful.”

7. In the article “Sneaky Spider,” the Harry Potter books are mentioned because ___.A the spider is a character in the books B the spider looks like something from

the booksC the author of the books gave the spider

its scientific nameD the author of the books is writing a

story about the spider

8. Which word is closest in meaning to species as it is used in the article? A different C typeB example D individual

9. According to the graph in “Numbers in the News,” about how much taller is the tallest coast redwood than the Statue of Liberty?A about 125 ft taller C about 75 ft tallerB about 50 ft taller D about 100 ft taller

10. “Species Spotlight” gives details about all of the following EXCEPT ___. A where these keystone species liveB how these keystone species help their

habitatsC organizations that help protect these

keystone speciesD which species are called keystone species

R E S E T Q U I Z A N S W E R S

Name: ___________________________________________

www.scholastic.com/sn3

To be used with the April 17, 2017, issue

Edition 3

Thank You, Trees!On Arbor Day, we plant trees to celebrate these amazing plants and recognize their

importance in our lives. Without trees, people and wildlife couldn’t survive. Study the diagram below to learn some of the purposes serve. Answer the questions that follow.

1. What do leaves do that helps make the air we breathe better? release carbon dioxide C suck in carbon dioxide B suck in oxygen D take in sunlight

2. Which part of a tree helps keep our water clean? the trunk C the leaves B the branches D the roots

3. What are two ways a tree trunk might be used? _____________________________________

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4. In your opinion, which part of a tree is the most useful to people? Why?_______________

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Reading a DiagramCommon Core RI.3.7

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LEAVES: Leaves use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make food for the tree. This process is called photosynthesis. When the tiny openings on leaves suck carbon dioxide from the air, they help clean the air we breathe. The leaves also make and release oxygen during photosynthesis. We breathe that oxygen.

BRANCHES: Branches grow fruits and nuts that are a food source for many living things. They also provide shelter and a resting place for birds and other animals.

TRUNK: People use the wood from tree trunks to build many things, like houses or furniture. Wood is also used to make paper. The sap from certain tree trunks can be made into pancake syrup or even rubber!

ROOTS: The roots of trees absorb water and help hold soil in place. Roots also function as a type of water filter that help keep our water supplies free from pollution. So

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