Whales and Fish: Creatures in the deep

What protects a fish from freezing in very cold water?

• A layer of blubber

• An anti-freeze substance in the fish’s blood

• A layer of slimy material coating the fish’s skin

• Fish normally stay in warm water to prevent freezing.

What does the word ‘propel’ mean in this passage?

• To keep horizontal

• To move or push forward

• To stabilize or hold upright

• To keep the air pressure constant

The main idea of this passage is:……………………………

• How whales swim

• How fish and whales use oxygen

• How whales and fish are different and similar

• Why whales can stay underwater longer than fish

A fish will die if it is removed from water because …………………..………..

• the air pressure will burst the fish’s lungs.

• the fish’s internal organs will be crushed by air pressure.

• the anti-freeze in the fish’s blood will quit working.

• a fish’s gills cannot remove oxygen from the air.

Some characteristics of mammals are that they………..………………………

• are warm-blooded and have lungs.

• can swim very quickly.

• have scales and lay eggs.

• can adjust their body temperature to match the water temperature.

According to the passage, which is correct about whales?

• Whales have fins and tail.

• Whales are warm-blooded.

• Whales flap their tail up and down.

• All are correct.

According to the passage, which animal can adjust the body temperature to match the surrounding water?

• Fish

• Whales

• Mammals

• Warm-blooded

According to the passage, the similarity between whales and fish is ……………….

• they both are mammals.

• they both have fins and tails.

• they both are warm-blooded.

• they both live in sea water and fresh water.

What helps whales retain their body heat?

• Blubber under their skin

• A slimy material on their skin

• Temperature of surrounding water

• An anti-freeze substance in their blood

According to the passage, which is correct about whales and fish?

1. Fish are cold-blooded while whales are warm-blooded but both of them have backbones.

2. Fish prevent themselves from freezing by using fat under their skin while whales have anti-freeze substance to protect them in cold water.

3. Cold-blooded can change their body temperature to match surrounding water while warm-blooded can maintain a constant warm body temperature.

4. Whales have to go to the surface of water to breathe while fish can breathe under water.

• 1, 2 and 3

• 1, 3 and 4

• 1, 2 and 4

• 2, 3 and 4