Life on the Ice

Read this sentence from the article.
 ^{The top, the Arctic, is home to the North Pole.}
What does this sentence tell you about the North Pole?

• The North Pole is in the Arctic.
• The North Pole has few houses.
• The North Pole lives in the Arctic. 
• The North Pole is close to the Arctic.

Which is a detail that tells you the Antarctic is very cold?

• People do not live there.
• It is at the bottom of the planet.
• In winter, parts of the ocean freeze over.
• No human saw this continent until two hundred years ago.

Read this sentence from the article.
And when the winds kick up and blow the snow around, it’s hard to know where the sky ends and the land begins.
What does the phrase kick up mean in the sentence above?

• move to the top
• kicking someone
• get stronger
• come from the south

According to the article, some scientists drill through the ice in the North Pole to pull out history. What is the meaning of pull out history?

• pull out ancient history books
• protect the Earth so it will have a long history
• help the ice become more like it was long ago
• collect samples that provide information about the past

Read these sentences from the article.
 At the South Pole, some scientists search for meteorites, rocks from outer space. Meteorites are no more likely to fall there than anywhere else on Earth. But, as one scientist explains, if you want to find something dark, it’s easier to look on a big white sheet.
Why does the author use the phrase a big white sheet?

• A because most meteorites land at the South Pole
• because big white sheets are common at the South Pole
• because scientists use big white sheets to catch meteorites
• because the snow that covers the South Pole is like a big white sheet

The scientist’s team that is described in the story has given how many meteorites to NASA?

• hundreds
• millions
• four
• thousands

Read these sentences from the article.
The Antarctic is a perfect window to the stars, the best on this planet. It is very clear because it’s so cold and dry—and has a night that is six months long.
What does the phrase is a perfect window to the stars mean?

• needs to be kept clean
• is made of window glass
• allows you to see the stars very well
• provides fresh air for people to breathe

Why do people at the Poles wear goggles?

• The wind is too harsh. 
• Their eyes might freeze shut.
• The snow is constantly blowing. 
• They could get temporarily blinded.

Why is it dangerous to get overheated in the extreme cold?

• Sweat can freeze into a layer of ice.
• People may be wearing bulky mittens.
• People build shelters to get out of the wind.
• Doing work in the extreme cold is very difficult

What is the article MOSTLY about?

• really cold places on Earth
• the dangers of getting too cold
• why people should visit the Poles
• why people should not visit the Poles