Dr. Octopus

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

Which sentence is supported by information in this article?

• Octopuses eat large amounts of food.

• Octopuses have many predators.

• Octopuses are curious animals.

• Octopuses are found in oceans all over the world.

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

Paragraph 2 was written to tell -

• what Dr. Mather had to do to become a scientist.

• how different octopuses are found in different places.

• why Dr. Mather enjoys studying octopuses.

• where Dr. Mather was born.

Read the sentences below. Choose TWO phrases that help the reader understand what current means.

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away.

• A scientist

• snorkels off the shores

• island named Bermuda

• to a rock

• sweep her away

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

The reader can tell this passage is a biography because it -

• is about a person who lived a long time ago.

• tells about a famous person.

• gives details about a person's life.

• includes facts and opinions.

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

Which sentence supports the idea that Jennifer Mather is adventurous?

• It jets back into its dark hole.

• She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away.

• She studies octopus behavior.

• A scientist is always searching for new information.

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

Read this dictionary entry.

pass v. 1. to move on 2. to go by 3. to come to an end 4. to hand off to another

Which meaning of pass is used in paragraph 3?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

Which detail best completes the cause and effect?

When _______________________

Then Dr. Mather concluded that octopuses like to play.

• She observed the octopus throwing out shells.

• The octopus landed in her hand.

• She observed the octopus passing, pushing, and pulling blocks.

• The octopus jetted back into its hole.

Dr. Octopus

1. Underwater Work

A scientist snorkels off the shores of an island named Bermuda. She clings to a rock so the current does not sweep her away. She peers into a dark hole and waits. Then it appears: one arm, two arms, three arms and more. It's a tiny octopus! It lands right in her hand and slithers its arms between her fingers. It pokes and prods her and then POOF! It jets back into its dark hole.

2. Traveling and Learning

This is a normal day's work for Dr. Jennifer Mather who is a professor in Canada. She studies octopus behavior. There are no octopuses in Canada so she must travel to find them. She has been to Bermuda, Hawaii, Italy, and France. Jennifer has studied many different octopuses such as the Atlantic pygmy octopus which can fit in your hand and the giant Pacific octopus which can weigh more than 100 pounds! That's as much as a baby hippopotamus!

3. Observing Octopuses

One of the behaviors Dr. Mather has observed makes her think that octopuses play. She brought octopuses back to her laboratory and gave them Lego pieces. After exploring them for a while, the octopuses began to pass a block between their arms, push it away and then pull it closer again. Dr. Mather thinks they were doing it for fun.

Another surprising thing that Dr. Mather discovered was that they can use objects for tools. She observed them coming home to their hole, eating and throwing out the shells, then going out from their home to pick up rocks. They used these to place in front of their entrance to protect them. What else will she discover? A scientist is always searching for new information!

This article could BEST help a student who wants to learn -

• how to become a scientist.

• what a scientist has discovered about octopuses.

• how an octopus is different from other sea animals.

• what animals are found in the waters around Bermuda.