4. Monkey Business

Monkey Business

by: Shirley Granahan

What do you do if you drop something? You pick it up. What if you could not pick it up yourself? Who would give you a helping hand? Sometimes a monkey can help!

Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes a "helping hand"?

• to give help or assistance

• an extra third hand

• a robot that works for people

Multiple Choice

What animal does the text say would give a helping hand?

• a dog

• a monkey

• a bird

Helping Hands

Some people are not able to move their arms or legs. Some monkeys can learn to help. They can pick up things. They can open doors. They can turn lights on and off. They can even feed a person! A tiny capuchin monkey makes a good helper. It can sit up on a person’s shoulder. It can get into very small places. So it easily performs many jobs for people who need help.

Multiple Choice

Based on the heading, what is the main idea of the text?

• how people should help others

• how having hands is helpful

• how helpful monkeys are

Multiple Select

What are things a monkey can learn how to do? (check all that apply)

• pick things up

• open doors

• turn lights on and off

Multiple Choice

What kind of monkey makes a good helper?

• chimpanzee

• orangutan

• capuchin

Growing up with Humans

How does a monkey learn to help people? First, it must get used to living with people. So when a monkey is two months old, it moves into a home with a human foster family. At first, a baby monkey can drink only from a bottle.

Multiple Choice

At first, a baby monkey can only drink from what?

• a waterfall

• the monkey's mom

• a bottle

Multiple Choice

How old are monkeys when they move into a foster home?

• 1 day

• 2 months

• 6 months

Multiple Choice

Why do the monkeys in the text grow up with humans rather than their own kind?

• they like humans more than monkeys

• they cannot be raised by monkeys

• they need to get used to people before helping them

Later, the baby monkey gets teeth. It begins to eat monkey food. It also gets snacks like grapes and oranges. A growing monkey loves to play. It likes to go places with the family. It likes to be hugged!

Multiple Choice

What does the monkey like, according to the text?

• to be alone

• to be hugged

• to sleep all day

Multiple Choice

What kind of snacks can monkeys eat?

• crackers and chips

• grapes and oranges

• chocolate

Multiple Choice

What does the monkey get later?

• its own home

• its own shoes

• its teeth

Monkey School

The monkey lives with its foster family for about four years. Then it’s time for school! People teach the monkeys to follow orders. Some monkeys learn fast. Others may need more time. The teachers work patiently with each animal. The monkeys work hard at school. They also have time to monkey around and have fun! 

Multiple Choice

Who teaches the monkeys to follow orders?

• baby monkeys

• humans

• gorillas

Multiple Choice

About how long does the monkey stay with its foster family?

• 1 year

• 4 years

• its whole life

Multiple Choice

Based on the heading, what is the main idea of the text?

• how humans teach them to follow orders

• how the monkey goes to a college

• how the monkey learns English

Monkey School

Monkeys can learn to bring things to people. The teacher points a special light stick. A dot of red light shines on something. The monkey must get the thing and bring it back. If the monkey does a good job, the teacher will reward it with a yummy treat! Soon the monkey learns to spot the dot every time. The furry helper brings the object back—even without getting a treat! 

Multiple Choice

What helps the monkey learn how to fetch objects quickly?

• the teacher teaches them 24/7

• the teacher rewards them with treats

• the teacher acts like a monkey

Multiple Choice

How did people teach monkeys to get something specific?

• the monkey learned object names

• people used a red light to shine on the item

• teachers put food on the item they wanted

Off to Work

Now the teacher takes the monkey to its new home. The monkey and its owner learn to work together. The monkey does many things to make life easier for the person. The person feeds and cares for the furry friend. The person has confidence that the monkey will always be there to help. The monkey has someone to hug for many years. 

Multiple Choice

What does the monkey do for the teacher?

• makes life easier for the person

• the monkey cleans the person

• the monkey does the persons homework

Multiple Choice

What does the person do for the monkey?

• massages the monkey

• feeds and cares for him

• gives him money

An Important Digit

Most animals don’t have thumbs. Monkeys do! Thumbs help monkeys do many tasks. A monkey can even open a bottle.

Multiple Choice

Why is having a thumb important?

• it helps the monkey do more

• it is just different

• so they have 10 fingers

Multiple Choice

What is a special feature of the monkey?

• it has a tail

• it has hair

• it has a thumb

Monkeys, Big and Small

Capuchin monkeys are very small. Some other monkeys are big. Mandrills are the biggest monkeys of all. They are not used for helping people.

Multiple Choice

How does the image support the main idea of the text?

• it shows the monkeys sizes

• it shows the best monkeys

• it shows the extinct monkeys

Multiple Choice

What is the biggest monkey of all?

• Capuchin

• Mandrills

• Orangutan

Multiple Choice

True or False: Capuchin monkeys are very big.

• true

• false

Task a Monkey Can Do

• comb someone’s hair

• put a straw in a drink

• put a CD in a player

• dial 911 on the phone

Multiple Choice

Based on the heading, what is the main idea of the text?

• things monkey need to learn

• actions monkeys can do

• things people can't do

Multiple Choice

True or False: Monkeys can comb someone's hair.

• true

• false

Poll

Did you know monkeys can do these tasks?

• yes

• no

• I knew they were smart

Multiple Choice

What is the author's purpose?

• entertain

• inform

• persuade