The Circulatory Story: Part Two

Read “The Arching Aorta” on pages 16–17 of The Circulatory Story.

What is compared on these pages?

• the arteries and the aorta

• blood vessels and subway tunnels

• blood flow and a ladder

• parts of the heart and rooms with walls

Read “The Arching Aorta” on pages 16–17 of The Circulatory Story. * Then answer each item.

What does this comparison help the reader understand?

• how blood flows to and through the heart

• the jobs that each part of the heart performs

• the difference between the aorta and other types of arteries

• how blood travels from the heart to the rest of the body

Read this sentence from the passage, then look at the illustration on pages 16 and 17. “The blood traveling through the aorta will eventually branch out to reach the rest of the body, including the lungs, kidneys, stomach, intestines, and legs.”

How does the illustration add detail to this sentence from the passage?

• The illustration includes many parts of the heart and circulatory system

• The illustration includes arrows and labels to show where the blood travels.

• The illustration shows the little green guy driving a train carrying red blood cells.

• The illustration shows the three different layers of a blood vessel.

What is the main idea of the passage on page 16 and 17?

• All blood travels through one artery, the aorta, to reach the rest of the body.

• The aorta is the biggest artery in the body, but all arteries are fairly large.

• Three blood vessels in the aorta carry blood to the upper parts of the body

• . Arteries have layered walls that can stretch as blood moves through them.

Which two details from the passage support the main idea from "Arching Aorta"

• “The blood … will eventually branch out to reach the rest of the body”

• “they can expand as blood passes through them”

• “all blood travels through it before heading off to other places”

• “As you travel through the aorta, you’ll notice that it forms an arch.”

• “These three blood vessels are arteries”