Humpback Whales

Which sentence from the selection supports the ideas that humpbacks work in groups and form lifelong relationships with other whales?

• Humpback whales are known for feeding alone or in pairs.

• When they spot a school of herring, the humpbacks dive into the depths and close in on the fish from below.

• Whales are known to use bubbles and loud calls when they try to chase away other whales.

• Over the years, the research group has seen that humpbacks often live and hunt together for years.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

Which sentence from the selection shows why scientists at first thought the whales were fighting each other for food?

• Most of the time, they plow through the ocean with their huge mouths open, scooping up thousands of tiny shrimplike creatures called krill.

• Suddenly, all of the whales explode out of the water at once, right in the middle of the bubble-circle.

• Whales are known to use bubbles and loud calls when they try to chase away other whales.

• A single whale swims below the fish, carefully releasing air from its blowhole to create a wall of bubbles.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Why do scientists think that herring are afraid of light-colored objects?

• They live in the dark depths of the ocean, not near the lighter surface of the water.

• They swim away from the white side of the flipper model, not the dark side.

• They will not swim through the bubbles that the whales create.

• They behave differently in lighter tanks than they do in dark ones.

How do herring react to the bubbles the whales blow?

• They very quickly swim toward them.

• They avoid swimming through them.

• They begin swimming next to them.

• They generally ignore them.

According to paragraph 7, what do sonar devices use to find things under the water?

• sound

• touch

• cameras

• temperature

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

Which paragraph has evidence to support the claim, “The whales were working together”?

• paragraph 4

• paragraph 5

• paragraph 9

• paragraph 14

Read this sentence from the selection. “Most of the time, they plow through the ocean with their huge mouths open, scooping up thousands of tiny shrimplike creatures called krill.” What does the phrase “plow through” tell about the whales?

• They are splitting things in half.

• They are swimming awkwardly.

• They are moving forcefully.

• They are making bubbles.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RL.5.4