A manatee can weigh up to 3,000 pounds. It has been described as a 'ponderous mammal'. Ponderous most likely means 

• heavy and slow moving
• light and fast
• beautiful and graceful
• strange and unpredictable

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D

Manatees enjoy eating water hyacinth and other 'aquatic plants'. Aquatic most likely means

• desert like
• water based
• ice covered
• unnatural

Tags

CCSS.L.1.4B

CCSS.L.2.4B

CCSS.L.K.4B

CCSS.RF.2.3D

CCSS.RF.3.3B

Manatees are friendly and docile by nature. Docile probably means

• well behaved
• aggressive
• mysterious
• unpredictable

Tags

CCSS.L.6.5C

CCSS.L.7.5C

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

Florida authorities must monitor the manatee population because they were once hunted for their skin and meat. Monitor means

• watch closely
• ignore
• avoid

Tags

CCSS.L.2.4E

CCSS.L.3.4D

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

The manatee population has dwindled over the years because of the increase of powerboats in Florida. Dwindled means

• decrease
• increase
• stay the same

Tags

CCSS.L.1.4A

CCSS.L.2.4A

CCSS.L.3.4A

CCSS.L.4.4A

CCSS.L.K.5B

Due to the decreasing population, Manatees are on the verge of extinction. Verge means

• far from
• close to
• in the middle of

Tags

CCSS.L.2.4E

CCSS.L.3.4D

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

Many speeding boaters are unaware that manatees are in the water and blithely continue on their way after hurting one of them. Blithely means

• carelessly
• indifferently
• carefully

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2F

It can be lethal if a manatee is hit with a high speed propeller from a motor boat. Lethal means 

• deadly
• nurturing
• forgiving
• non threatening

Tags

CCSS.L.1.4A

CCSS.L.2.4A

CCSS.L.3.4A

CCSS.L.4.4A

CCSS.L.K.5B

Ninety percent of all adult manatees have been mutilated by the propellers of speeding boats. Mutilated means

• rescued
• damaged
• barely scratched
• healed

Tags

CCSS.L.1.6

CCSS.L.3.6

CCSS.L.4.6

CCSS.RL.1.4

Wildlife wardens think that manatees are not nimble enough to get out of the way of speeding boats. Nimble means 

• slow
• quick
• friendly
• angry

Tags

CCSS.L.1.4A

CCSS.L.2.4A

CCSS.L.3.4A

CCSS.L.4.4A

CCSS.L.K.5B