READING COMPREHENSION FOR 7º

ACTIVITY

Read the texts and answer the questions

A. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. While spending most of his early years at sea, Columbus began to believe that he could find a shortcut to the Indies by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, the King of Portugal refused to finance such a trip, and Columbus was forced to present his idea to the King and Queen of Spain. In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella agreed to pay for his trip. They gave him a crew and three ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. Columbus sailed aboard the Santa Maria.

The trip was long and hard. Many sailors grew restless and wanted to turn around. After two months at sea, land was finally sighted. The ships docked on the island of Hispaniola. Columbus named the native people he saw "Indians", because he believed he had found the shortcut he was looking for. In actuality, Columbus found North America, a brand new continent at that time. Columbus, however, couldn't be convinced. He died with the belief he had found the shortcut to the Indies. Soon, however, other explorers and nations understood the importance of his discoveries. Columbus' discoveries set the stage for the Age of Exploration: one of the most fascinating and exciting times in world history.

1.) Where was Christopher Columbus born?

A. The New World

B. Portugal

C. Spain

D. Italy

2.) Columbus believed he could find a shortcut to the ____________________.

3.) The King of __________________ refused to finance (provide money) for Christopher’s trip.

4.) In the year ____________________, Christopher Columbus set sail.

5.) Which is not True?

A. Columbus was born in Italy

B. Columbus received three ships and a crew from the King and Queen of Spain

C. Columbus found a shortcut to the Indies

D. The journey across the Atlantic took two months

6.) What did Columbus names the native people he saw?

____________________________

7.) Which of the following was NOT one of his ships?

A. Nina

B. Pinta

C. Isabella

D. Santa Maria

8.) Why was Christopher Columbus very important?

A. He believed he found a shortcut to the Indies

B. He first used the word "Indians"

C. He discovered a whole new continent

D. He was one of the bravest explorers of all time

B. BUTTERFLIES

Butterflies are some of the most interesting insects on the planet Earth. There are more than seventeen thousand different kinds of butterflies! Butterflies come in all shapes and sizes. 

Butterflies go through four main stages of life. The first stage is the egg stage followed by the larva stage. As a larva, or caterpillar, the future butterfly eats as much as possible. As it grows, it sheds it outer skin, or exoskeleton. This may happen four or five times. After a few weeks, the caterpillar enters the next stage of its life, the chrysalis stage. In the chrysalis, the caterpillar will liquefy into a soup of living cells. Then, it will reorganize into a butterfly and the metamorphosis is complete. In later parts of the chrysalis stage, you can see the forming butterfly through the chrysalis. 

When the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, it pumps its wings to send blood through them so that it can fly. Most butterflies only live a couple of weeks, just enough time to drink flower nectar and to mate. Some, like the Monarch Butterfly, however, may live many months.

1. Select ALL of the things that a butterfly does.

a. mates

b. drinks nectar from flowers

c. goes through metamorphosis

d. sheds its skin

2. What is the third stage of life for a butterfly?

a. chrysalis

b. larva

c. butterfly

d. egg

3. Which is true?

a.  There is only one kind of butterfly in the world.

b.  There are more than a thousand different kinds of butterflies in the world.

c.  There are about a thousand different kinds of butterflies in the world.

d.  There are less than a thousand different kinds of butterflies in the world.

4. In what stage does the metamorphosis happen?

a. butterfly

b. egg

c. caterpillar

d. chrysalis

5. What is the second stage of life for a butterfly?

a. egg

b. butterfly

c. larva

d. chrysalis

6. Why does the caterpillar shed its skin?

a. To defend itself against predators

b. The butterfly is coming.

c. It is growing

d. It is hungry

7. How many stages of life does a butterfly go through? ________________

8. Which of the following is NOT true?

a. Most butterflies live a short time

b. The butterfly may shed its skin 8 or 9 times

c. Butterflies must wait until blood drains into their wings before flying.

d. Caterpillars turn into a liquid in the chrysalis