Name: _____________________________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________________
Grade 4 Unit 4 Reading Comprehension Practice
Use this table to score questions 1-3 after you have completed the reading
comprehension practice exercise.
Question
Number
Code
Standard
1
RI.4.2.
Determine the main idea of a text.
2
RI.4.1.
Refer to details and examples in a text when
explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
RI.4.8.
Explain how an author uses reasons and
evidence to support particular points in a text.
Explain ideas in a scientific text based on
specific information in the text.
3
RI.4.3.
4
RI.4.3.
Explain ideas in a scientific text based on
specific information in the text.
W.4.2.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine
a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly.
1
Student Mastery
√= Answered
correctly
X= Answered
incorrectly
Total points on
question 4:
_________/ 4 points
Animals of the Tropical Rainforest
Used with permission by ReadWorks.org
Read the passage. Then answer questions 1-3 in the space provided.
1
Where can you find more animal species than anywhere else in the world? It’s not a
zoo or the circus. It’s a very special type of ecosystem called a rainforest.
2
Most rainforests can be found in tropical climates in the Southern Hemisphere. A
“hemisphere” is a half of the earth, so the Northern Hemisphere is the northern half
and the Southern Hemisphere is the southern half of Earth. They are divided by a
line called the equator. The Northern Hemisphere starts just above the equator and
ends at the Arctic Circle. The Southern Hemisphere starts just below the equator
and ends at the South Pole in Antarctica.
3
The two most common climates in the Southern Hemisphere, temperate and
tropical, both have lots of precipitation, or rain. The difference is that temperate
climates have warm summers and cold winters, while tropical climates are warm all
year long.
4
Because there’s lots of rain and the temperature stays at about 75‐85 degrees
Fahrenheit year round, rainforests in tropical climates have great conditions for
many animal species. Rainforest animals don't have to worry about freezing during
the winter or finding shade in the summer. Plus, because it rains almost every day,
animals rarely have to search for water. This makes tropical rainforests a suitable
home for many species, from massive gorillas to tiny ants.
5
In addition to their tropical climates, another reason why rainforests are home to so
many different types of animals is because they are some of the oldest ecosystems
on earth. Scientists think that some rainforests have been around since dinosaurs
roamed the earth at least 100million years ago.
6
One of the rainforests in the world is the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Jaguars,
toucans, parrots, gorillas, and tarantulas all call it home. Yet this is only a small
sample of rainforest animals. Many other rare and often endangered animals can be
found in rainforests. In fact, there are so many different types of animals in tropical
rainforests that we haven’t been able to name all the species yet.
2
7
Rainforests are also home to some animals you might want to avoid, like flying
snakes and spiders that eat birds. Other rainforest animals, like the coral snake and
the poison arrow frog, produce natural poison that protects them from harm. Get
too close, and they could easily harm you with poison. Many of these species only
live in tropical rainforests.
8
Some species have had to adapt to their surroundings in the rainforest in order to
survive. For example, toucans and parrots both have very large, strong beaks. These
powerful beaks make it easy for them to crack open the tough shells of nuts that
grow on many rainforest trees. Birds with small beaks, like robins and sparrows
living in the Northern Hemisphere, probably would not be able survive in the
rainforest without being able to crack open hard nuts.
9
Another way animals adapt to life in the rainforest is by camouflaging themselves to
hide from predators. An insect called the "walking stick" lives in the palm tree, and it
blends in so well with it that it’s practically unnoticeable unless it moves. When
some butterflies close their wings, they look like leaves, which hides them from
predators.
10
As people cut down trees and destroy natural habitats, many species in the
rainforest are becoming extinct. Other threats to species of the rainforest include
illegally trading monkeys to sell them as pets and killing jaguars for their highly
valued skins. Pollution from mining has killed many types of fish as well.
11
Because of the unique tropical climate in rainforests of the Southern Hemisphere,
the animals within these ecosystems most likely cannot survive elsewhere if their
habitats are destroyed. It’s crucial to take care of our planet, especially the
rainforests, so that these animals can continue to thrive.
3
_________1. What is the main idea of paragraph 6?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Amazon rainforest is in Brazil.
Mostly endangered animals live in rainforests.
Many of the species in the rainforest do not have a name.
Many different species live in the rainforests, including known animals and more
rare and endangered animals.
_________2. Tropical rainforests have great conditions for many animal species. What
evidence from the text supports this conclusion?
A. “Rainforest animals don't have to worry about freezing during the winter or finding
shade in the summer.”
B. “The difference is that temperate climates have warm summers and cold winters,
while tropical climates are warm all year long. “
C. “The two most common climates in the Southern Hemisphere, temperate and
tropical, both have lots of precipitation.”
D. “[The Northern and Southern Hemispheres] are divided by a line called the
equator.”
_________3. Based on the text, how are the toucan and the “walking stick” similar?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They both have large, strong beaks to crack the shells of nuts in the rainforest.
They both live in areas that experience winters with freezing temperatures.
They both camouflage themselves, masking themselves from predators.
They both have adapted to living in the tropical rainforest.
4
Answer question 4 in the space provided below.
4. Why do more animal species live in tropical rainforests than anywhere else in the
world? What recent changes are threatening these species? Use details from the
passage to support your response.
In your response, be sure to:
 Explain why more animal species live in tropical rainforests than anywhere else
in the world
 Explain what recent changes are threatening these species
 Use details from the passage to support your response
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6
ANSWER KEY
_________1. What is the main idea of paragraph 6?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Amazon rainforest is in Brazil.
Mostly endangered animals live in rainforests.
Many of the species in the rainforest do not have a name.
Many different species live in the rainforests, including known animals and more rare and
endangered animals.
EXPLANATION: This question requires students to identify the main idea of paragraph 6. Students should
reread paragraph 6 before answering this question. Students might choose A if they assume that the main idea of a
paragraph is always in the first sentence. Take this opportunity to reinforce that this is not always the case. Choices
B and C both include facts presented in the paragraph, but only choice D offers a true summary of all of the
important details presented in the passage.
_________2. Tropical rainforests have great conditions for many animal species. What evidence from the text
supports this conclusion?
A. “Rainforest animals don't have to worry about freezing during the winter or finding shade in the
summer.”
B. “The difference is that temperate climates have warm summers and cold winters, while tropical climates
are warm all year long. “
C. “The two most common climates in the Southern Hemisphere, temperate and tropical, both have lots of
precipitation.”
D. “[The Northern and Southern Hemispheres] are divided by a line called the equator.”
EXPLANATION: This question requires students to identify evidence that best supports the conclusion that
tropical rainforests have great conditions for many animal species. Paragraphs 2-4 present lots of technical,
scientific information about the southern hemisphere and tropical climates. The great amount of information in
these paragraphs could confuse students and cause them to struggle with this question. Choice A is most directly
linked to the question, as it offers a specific example of why a tropical climate supports animal species.
_________3. Based on the text, how are the toucan and the “walking stick” similar?
A.
B.
C.
D.
They both have large, strong beaks to crack the shells of nuts in the rainforest.
They both live in areas that experience winters with freezing temperatures.
They both camouflage themselves, masking themselves from predators.
They both have adapted to living in the tropical rainforest.
EXPLANATION: This question requires students to identify a similarity between the toucan and the “walking
stick” based on information presented in the text. Students might struggle with this question if they didn’t
realize that the toucan and the “walking stick” are referred to in two separate paragraphs. Students needed to
examine paragraphs 8 and 9 carefully before drawing a conclusion. Point out to students that the topic sentence of
paragraph 8 provides a hint to the answer that is supported with details in both paragraphs.
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4. Why do more animal species live in tropical rainforests than anywhere else in the world? What
recent changes are threatening these species? Use details from the passage to support your response.
In your response, be sure to:



Explain why more animal species live in tropical rainforests than anywhere else in the world
Explain what recent changes are threatening these species
Use details from the passage to support your response
Answers will vary. Use the enclosed rubric as a guideline for scoring.
Example of a 4-level answer:
More animal species live in tropical rainforests than anywhere else in the world because tropical
rainforests have great conditions for animals. The temperature in rainforests stays around 75-85
degrees Fahrenheit all year, so animals do not have to deal with extreme cold or heat. It rains almost
every day in the rainforests, so “animals rarely have to search for water.” Rainforests are also very old,
so many different types of animals developed in them.
Recently, animals in the rainforest are being threatened by people cutting down trees and
destroying their natural habitats. Monkeys are threatened by people trying to trade and sell them and
jaguars are threatened by people who want their skin. Finally, pollution and mining are killing fish.
The rainforest is a great environment for animals to survive, but recent changes are threatening
the animals’ lives.
Suggestions for class review:
This question has two parts and requires students to go back to two different parts of the text to find
textual details. The first part requires students to identify relevant details in paragraphs 4 and 5, and
the second part requires students to identify relevant details in paragraph 10. Make sure students
review these paragraphs carefully and annotate for supporting details. When reviewing this question,
be sure to reinforce the importance of pre-writing. Model an outline or graphic organizer that might
help students answer this question successfully.
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