Human Microbiome: The Role of Microbes in Human Health

Word Matcher: Every word has other words that have similar meanings or even the exact same meaning (these are called synonyms!). Draw a line from each similar word or synonym to the vocabulary word that it matches!

What is the human microbiome?

• all of the communities of microbes in and on the human body

• a drug that destroys helpful bacteria along with harmful bacteria

• a species of bacteria that helps protect humans against asthma

• a group of people in developed countries who are infected with Helicobacter pylori

To organize this text, the author divides it into sections with subheadings. What contrast does the author make in the section with the subheading "Look, Ma, No Cavities!"?

• The author contrasts the harmful effects of Helicobacter pylori with the positive role it may play in human health.

• The author contrasts the number of bacteria on our skin with the number of bacteria in our colon.

• The author contrasts harmful species of Streptococcus with a species of Streptococcus that can be helpful.

• The author contrasts the effects of Bacteroides inside the colon with the effects of Bacteroides outside the colon.

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Some species of bacteria benefit humans. What information in the text supports this statement?

• S. mutansis a bacterium that causes cavities, and S. pneumonia is a bacterium that causes pneumonia.

• Fungi evolved the ability to produce anti-bacterial chemicals as they competed with bacteria over millions of years.

• The bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes causes strep throat and rheumatic heart disease.

• Species of bacteria belonging to the genus Bacteroides help the human body digest food.

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Bacteria that are helpful in one place may be harmful in another. What information in the text supports this statement?

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What is the main idea of this text?

• Microbes first appeared over 3.5 billion years ago and have coevolved with humans over the past six million years.

• Studies suggest that rapidly increasing antibiotic use in the United States has reduced the diversity of our microbiomes.

• Bacteroides are the most numerous bacteria in the human body and help it digest food.

• The human body is an ecosystem made up of microbes that play a variety of roles in human health.

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Based on the information provided in the text, what does the word 'diverse' probably mean?

• having a lot of variety

• being harmful to others

• being helpful to others

• moving from one place to another

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What is a species of bacteria that causes disease?

What is a species of bacteria in your body that helps protect you? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

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Describe the different roles that bacteria play in human health. Support your answer with evidence from the text.

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CCSS.RI.8.2

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