Prairie Dogs and Superman

Prairie Dogs:

Which sentence from the article best expresses the controlling idea?

• Dr. Con Slobodchikoff, a biologist at Northern Arizona University, thinks that at least one animal—the lowly prairie dog—can say a lot. (paragraph 2)

• Prairie dog alarms are distinctive; the sound is halfway between the buzzing of a kazoo and the squawk of a disturbed crow, and it can be heard from three miles away. (paragraph 3)

• The prairie dogs responded to the cutouts in various ways, but not the same way they did to a real predator. (paragraph 7)

• Besides studying alarm calls, he has also documented the little noises, the chitterchattering, they make to each other. (paragraph 11)

Prairie Dogs:

Read these sentences from paragraph 7: "Their reactions to humans depended on past experience. In an area where humans had long hunted them, the prairie dogs dove into their burrows to hide; in places where people left them alone, they didn't react much at all."

What is the best paraphrase of these sentences?

• How prairie dogs reacted to humans was unexpected because they were always friendly toward humans, even if the prairie dogs had been hunted.

• Prairie dogs only reacted to humans in places where people left them alone.

• Prairie dogs' reaction to humans varied. If prairie dogs had been hunted by humans, they hid; if not, they didn't react much.

• The prairie dogs behaved similarly whenever they saw humans, mostly avoiding them when possible.

Prairie Dogs:

Part A: Based on the article, it can be inferred that some people think prairie dogs are —

• useful animals to have around

• not necessarily very smart

• always afraid of people

• related to household dogs

Prairie Dogs:

Part B: Which sentence from the article best supports the answer to Part A?

• Actually, maybe they should have been called prairie watchdogs because they bark to alert the colony when intruders enter their territory. (paragraph 1)

• It's difficult for humans to hear the differences between the calls, though, because they only last about half a second—about as long as it takes to say "Hey!" really fast. (paragraph 3)

• Then Slobodchikoff tried different breeds of dogs, using huskies, retrievers, and even a miniature poodle; again the calls changed based on which type of dog approached them. (paragraph 8)

• After all, prairie dogs are just rodents, like mice and rats, and they often aren't considered to be that intelligent. (paragraph 9)

Prairie Dog:

What is the most likely reason the author wrote this article?

• To inform

• To entertain

• To persuade

• To narrate

Prairie Dog:

Based on the ideas presented throughout the article, what can the reader conclude about Slobodchikoff's study?

• It shows that prairie dogs can only alert other prairie dogs about aerial predators like hawks.

• It reveals that prairie dogs only communicate when they see a predator nearby.

• It shows that prairie dogs use specific sounds to convey detailed information about threats.

• It reveals that prairie dogs' alarm calls are identical for all types of predators.

Prairie Dogs:

Read these sentences from paragraph 11: "But prairie dogs do seem to make the sounds in particular orders: They chitter-chatter, but they don't chatter-chitter. Does the order of the sounds matter? If so, it might mean that their 'language' is even more complicated than we thought?

How does the author's use of language in these sentences contribute to the tone of the selection?

• The formal language makes the tone serious and scientific, highlighting the need for more studies to be done.

• The negative language makes the tone dismissive and doubtful, causing readers to distrust prairie dogs' abilities.

• The confusing language makes the tone difficult to follow and frustrating for the reader.

• The playful language makes the tone curious and light, encouraging readers to think about how prairie dogs communicate.

Prairie Dog:

How does the use of a comparison organizational pattern in paragraphs 5 through 8 help support the topic of the article?

• It shows how prairie dogs respond differently to various threats, helping explain their complex communication.

• It explains why prairie dogs are more afraid of humans than of any other animals by comparing their reactions.

• It explains that prairie dogs only communicate when they see flying predators, not land-based ones.

• It compares prairie dogs to other animals that don't use alarm calls to alert other members of their colony.

Superman:

Brianna needs a more effective controlling idea for her paper. Which of the following should replace sentence 4 to BEST accomplish this goal?

• The two creators decided to keep the name but to make him a hero instead: The Superman.

• Comics were very popular in the 1930s and 1940s.

• The science fiction magazine did not want to continue the storyline, however.

• Siegel and Shuster eventually sold their rights to the superhero they created.

Superman:

What is the MOST effective way to revise sentence 8?

• Even trying to make Superman a comic strip, not a comic book they were turned down again.

• They even tried making Superman a comic strip, not a comic book, but they were turned down again.

• They even tried making Superman not a comic book but a comic strip but they were turned down again.

• Trying to make Superman a comic strip, not a comic book; but they were turned down again.