Meet the Platypus: Grade 2 Reading Comprehension

The platypus is a mammal. It lives in rivers and streams in eastern Australia. Its home is near fresh water.

The platypus eats insect larvae, shrimp and worms. It dives to the riverbed and scoops up food, storing it in its cheeks.

The platypus has a soft bill that senses tiny electric signals. This lets it find prey underwater with its eyes, ears and nose shut. It is about 50 centimeters long.

The platypus is a mammal that lays eggs, and the young drink milk after they hatch.

Questions

Details Where does the platypus live?
hives in meadows, gardens and forests around the world forests and scrubland across New Zealand cool, misty mountain forests in China rivers and streams in eastern Australia
Details Which of these does the platypus eat?
worms small rodents dry grasses acacia leaves
Cause and effect According to the passage, how does the platypus use a soft bill that senses tiny electric signals?
It lets it find prey underwater with its eyes, ears and nose shut. They help it lose less heat in the cold. They let it peel stems and hold food. It hides it while it escapes from predators.
Main idea What is paragraph 2 mostly about?
what it eats its young why some animals are in danger where the animal sleeps
Inference What word best describes where the platypus lives?
near fresh water deep and salty full of trees freezing cold
Main idea What is this passage mostly about?
the life of the platypus the life of the polar bear the life of the red-eyed tree frog the life of the fennec fox

See all your scores

All passages Next: Favorite Fruit in Room 12

Explore this topic

Topics: The human body · Energy and electricity

How Your Body Works hands-on lessons
Keep It Cool: Ice, Insulation and Staying Comfortable hands-on lessons
Your Senses: How Does Your Body Know? hands-on lessons

Practice math too

Hundreds of math skills by grade, with new questions every time.

Math practice Hands-on lessons