Austin's Secret Salamander

What is a synonym of the word provides in paragraph 10?

• cleans

• gives

• moves

• wastes

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

How is the information in paragraphs 4 and 5 organized?

• cause and effect

• chronological

• compare and contrast

• description

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.3.5

What is the best summary of the section titled "Texas's Special Salamander"?

• Aquifers keep water deep underground. The Austin Blink Salamander swims in an aquifer.

• The Austin Blind Salamander only lives in the Edwards Aquifer in Texas. It has special features that help it live there.

• The Austin Blind Salamander has red gills. It is a small creature that can be different colors.

• There is an important aquifer beneath the spring in Barton Springs, Texas. Different types of salamanders live there.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

What is the most likely reason the author uses a simile to compare the aquifer to a honeycomb in paragraph 7?

• To explain how deep aquifers are

• To describe the sizes of different aquifers

• To describe how aquifers look

• To explain what aquifers are made from

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.5

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

People rarely see the Austin Blind Salamander, most likely because-

• the salamanders can blend into see the water

• the salamanders are too small to see

• the salamanders like to hide

• the salamanders usually remain underwater

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

Read these sentences from Paragraph 11.

As a keystone species, Austin Blind Salamanders are important because they are predators that hunt other animals. If the salamanders left the aquifer, there would be a lot more of their prey animals in the environment and the quality of the water would change. This could make the water unsafe to drink.

What is the best paraphrase of these sentences?

• Austin Blind Salamanders are necessary because they hunt prey. Without them in the aquifer, there would be too many other animals and the water would be undrinkable.

• Austin Blind Salamanders are the only animals that live in the aquifer. They keep the water safe for humans to drink.

• Without the Austin Blind Salamanders in the aquifer, more animals would hunt there. They would crowd the aquifer and make the water undrinkable.

• Austin Blind Salamanders are hunted in the aquifer. They need to be protected from predators because they help clean the water.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2