Two Ways to Survive: the Gorilla and the Sloth: Grade 6 Reading Comprehension

Warm and rainy places are hard to live in, yet both the gorilla and the sloth manage it. They solve the same problem in different ways.

The gorilla lives in tropical rainforests in central Africa. It is up to 1.8 meters tall when standing. It has long, strong arms, which help it climb and walk on its knuckles. It is a herbivore and eats leaves, stems and fruit.

The sloth, meanwhile, lives in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is about 60 centimeters long. It has long, hooked claws, which let it hang from branches for hours without tiring. It is a herbivore and eats leaves, buds and fruit.

Both animals show that there is more than one way to survive in a warm and rainy place.

Questions

Compare and contrast What do the two animals have in common?
Both live in places that are warm and rainy. Both have long, strong arms. Both live in the same country. Both are exactly the same size.
Compare and contrast Which detail is true of the gorilla but not the sloth?
It has long, hooked claws. It is about 60 centimeters long. It eats leaves. It has long, strong arms.
Details How does the sloth use long, hooked claws?
They let it hang from branches for hours without tiring. They feel for clams on the dark sea floor. It keeps water inside its body in dry places. It lets it go a long time without drinking.
Compare and contrast Which animal is larger?
They are the same size. The passage does not give their sizes. the sloth the gorilla
Main idea Which sentence best states the main idea?
Weather changes every season. Two animals survive the same kind of place in different ways. Animals cannot live in hard places. The gorilla is the best animal in the world.
Text structure How is this passage organized?
It lists events in the order they happened. It gives steps to follow. It describes one animal, then the other, then sums up what they share. It tells a made-up story with characters.

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