Unit2 - Test - 5th Grade

Crocodiles: The Cousins of Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago. But some animals that were cousins to the dinosaurs are still around today. These dinosaur cousins are the crocodiles.

In 2009, scientists found the fossils of some very old crocodiles. These ancient crocodiles lived 100 million years ago. They were not exactly the same as crocodiles today. But they were close.

The fossils showed scientists that there were different kinds of ancient crocodiles. Crocodiles the size of dogs ate plants and grubs. Others were twenty feet long and had three rows of teeth. These toothy crocodiles even ate dinosaurs!

Today’s crocodiles live in many different parts of the world. It does not take much effort to picture them among those long-gone dinosaurs. Unlike dinosaurs, though, these creatures are still around.

Multiple Choice

Which detail best supports the idea that crocodiles are cousins of dinosaurs?

• Some crocodiles are alive today.

• Some crocodiles lived when dinosaurs lived.

• Some crocodiles had three rows of teeth.

• Some crocodiles were studied by scientists.

Multiple Choice

The word Ancient means _________.

• very tough

• very old

• very angry

• very large

Multiple Choice

What was the same about the types of ancient crocodiles described in the passage?

• They all had three rows of teeth.

• They all were the same size.

• They all were related to today’s crocodiles.

• They all ate dinosaurs.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an OPINION?

• Some ancient crocodiles became fossils like dinosaurs.

• Crocodiles have survived longer than dinosaurs.

• Ancient crocodiles were scarier than dinosaurs.

• Ancient crocodiles were not exactly the same as today’s crocodiles.

Multiple Choice

How old were the crocodile fossils that scientists found?

• 20 years old

• 2,009 years old

• 65 million years old

• 100 million years old