Fleas

The primary purpose of the passage is to...

• educate the reader about the physical characteristics of fleas

• compare fleas to other members of the animal kingdom

• relate the problems that can result from a flea infestation

• explain why a flea infestation is hard to get rid of

The author’s tone in the passage is best described as

• concerned

• passionate

• informative

• opinionated

According to the passage, fleas are resistant to sprays and chemicals because they

• have waterproof sclerites

• are excellent jumpers

• reproduce very rapidly

• can stick to fur like Velcro

Fleas are difficult to squish because they have

• sclerites

• tough spines

• resilin in their joints

According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

• Fleas extend their little spines if threatened.

• Fleas have the ability to jump higher than humans.

• Humans can jump higher if they consume foods containing resilin.

• The resilin found in fleas is used to make rubber bands.

According to the passage, fleas are able to jump...

• with a high rate of acceleration

• up and down and from side to side

• because the blood they eat contains resilin

Based on information in the passage, the reader can understand that...

• fleas will die without access to blood

• fleas survive at a higher rate in outdoor habitats

• fleas will die after they produce 2,000 eggs

• newly hatched fleas are the size of a grain of salt

The author mentions the Washington Monument in order to...

• estimate the extreme distance that a flea is able to jump

• illustrate a comparison made between fleas and humans

• clarify a point made regarding fleas and acceleration

• demonstrate the superiority of fleas over humans

It can be inferred that fleas will emerge from eggs as adults...

• when they outgrow the cocoon

• after a period of 3 weeks

• when they sense there is access to blood

• if there is too much carbon dioxide in the cocoon

Using the information in the passage as a guide, it can be concluded that...

• humans do not possess the physical characteristics of the flea because they have no use for them

• humans do not pay much attention to fleas because they do not pose a serious threat

• fleas have many physical advantages, although these are outweighed by their many disadvantages

• fleas are designed in such a way as to give them unique physical advantages in life