Magician Under the Sea

What is the author’s purpose of writing this article?

• to explain how octopuses eat, live and play

• to show how dangerous octopuses are

• to describe the physical characteristics of octopuses

• to explain how octopuses protect themselves

Which is a main idea for the Vanishing Tricks section of the article?

• An octopus has many tricks for hiding and getting away from a predator.

• An octopus uses camouflage to protect itself from a predator.

• One kind of octopus uses venom as its defense.

• An octopus can mimic a sea snake to protect itself.

To which section of the article would this detail belong?

Using pigments and special muscles in its skin, the common octopus can almost instantly match the colors, patterns, and even textures of its surroundings. Predators such as sharks, eels, and dolphins swim by without even noticing it.

• Tricks to Defend

• Vanishing Tricks

• Becoming a Sea Snake

• Beware of the Venom!

How are an octopus and a chameleon alike?

• They both like to hide on the ocean floor.

• They can both change the color of their skin.

• They are both invertebrates.

• They both use their arms to kill predators.

What happens to an octopus if it loses one of its eight arms?

• It will grow a new one.

• It will die.

• It is no longer poisonous.

• It can swim faster.