Use “The Cholla Cactus” to answer the following question.

What are the most likely reasons the author includes paragraphs 1

and 2 of the article “The Cholla Cactus”?

Select TWO correct answers.

• To connect the reader to the topic

• To argue for the protection of a species

• To explain how a cactus grows in the desert

• To provide a mental picture of the subject

• To show how animals survive in harsh climates

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What is the main idea of the section titled “A Prickly Feast”?

• F. People sometimes roast the buds of certain types of cholla cactus.

• G. The cholla cactus attracts bees because of its pollen.

• H. People and animals eat parts of the cholla cactus.

• J. The fruit of the cholla cactus is quite juicy.

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19. According to the article, rainwater is stored in the cholla cactus’s —

• A. spines

• B. roots

• C. flowers

• D. stems

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20. The author included the information in paragraph 1 to help the reader —

• F. visualize a hot desert region

• G. learn about people who live in extreme conditions

• H. understand the kinds of plants that live in sandy soil

• J. identify the ways in which animals survive in the desert

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Which sentences from paragraphs 4 through 6 show that the cholla

cactus is difficult to harvest?

Select the TWO correct answers.

• A. The desert bighorn sheep, for example, has learned to get

  water from the cholla cactus.

• B. The animal

  uses its large curled horns and its hooves to tear off pieces of

  a cholla and remove the spines.

• C. Bees enjoy the pollen of its colorful blooms.

• D. They roll the buds on a

  hard surface to remove the spines and then roast them slowly

  on an open fire.

• E. Cholla buds

  contain protein, calcium, and fiber—all of which are important

  to good health.

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21. What do the subheadings in the article help the reader understand?

• A. There are many different types of cholla.

• B. The author is knowledgeable about desert animals.

• C. The cholla can be used for different purposes.

• D. Many animals live in severe environments.

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2. Use “The Cholla Cactus” to answer the following question.

Read the question carefully. Then record your answer in the box

provided.

Based on paragraph 7 of the article “The Cholla Cactus,” why does

the wood rat use the cholla cactus to build its nest? Support your

answer with evidence from the article.

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Use “Cactus Wren” (pp. 16–17) to answer questions 22–27. Then fill in

the answers on your answer document.

22. Why does the cactus wren “like thorns in all directions”?

• F. They offer cool shade from the desert heat.

• G. They help keep intruders away.

• H. They are a source of food for the young hatchlings.

• J. They prevent the baby birds from moving around in the nest.

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23. In lines 1 through 13, the poet contrasts the wren’s behavior with that of other

desert animals to show that the wren —

• A. feels comfortable in the heat of the desert

• B. worries about the needs of other animals

• C. makes noises that are more pleasant to listen to

• D. copies the actions of other animals

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24. Look at the dictionary entry for the word entrance.

entrance \ı

en-tr n(t)s\ noun

1. permission to come into a

place 2. the act of coming in

3. the location or point for

coming in 4. the first appearance

of an actor in a scene

24. Look at the dictionary entry for the word entrance.

Which definition best fits the way entrance is used in line 25

• F. Definition 1

• G. Definition 2

• H. Definition 3

• J. Definition 4

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