Wonders the Science of Silk

 Which statement summarizes the selection?

• A  Scientists have learned a great deal from their study of silkworms and silk.
• B  Spiders are fascinating and interesting arachnids.
• C  Scientists are just beginning to discover the many uses of spider and insect silk.
• D  Silkworm silk is far superior to that made by spiders.

What is the meaning of the word mimic as used in the sentence below? “ ‘If you can mimic it, you can eliminate an awful lot of the problems you have with all the man-made fibers that are currently available

•  break
• stretch
• copy
• sell

Based on paragraph 8, what is the meaning of the word diverse?

• colorful
• different
• similar
• modern

What is the central idea of paragraph 12?

•  It is important for spiders to use sticky silk to catch prey.
• Spiders must use a stronger silk for the outline of their web.
• It is important to have stiff silk to protect spider eggs.
• Spiders are capable of creating a variety of silks for different needs.

What is the main ingredient in silk? 

• protein
• milk
• enzymes
• glue

 According to the selection, why are scientists studying a variety of animal-produced silk?

• to find a way to make silk less sticky
•  to produce a silk without the harsh chemicals in man-made fibers
• to discover a silk strong enough to pull a fish from water
•  It provides a rigid and permanent home for cells.

What is the impact of paragraph 14?

• It allows the reader to imagine what a golden spider looks like.
• It allows the reader to realize how strong spider silk is.
• It informs the reader of the disadvantages of silk made by spiders. 
• It informs the reader of the scientific name of the garden spider.

Which explains the author’s purpose in writing this selection?

•  to inform the reader that silk might make good vests
• to inform the reader about the chemical composition of silk
• to inform the reader that different species of spiders spin silk differently
• to inform the reader about the different types and uses of silk