Reading comprehension Hibernation One of the mysteries in the world of nature is hibernation. By what process, with the coming of autumn, do someanimals go into the deep sleep that sees them through the unfavorable environment of winter? The question hasbaffled mankind for centuries. The little brown bat selects a cave or the hollow of a tree in which to sleep throughout the winter, hanging by its feet. The woodchuck waddles along the dark tunnels of its underground home to find the highest and largest chamber, there to snuggle down and sleep on a bed of dried grasses. The badger holes up in his tunnel below the frost line to go into a deep sleep. Scientists describe hibernation as a state of being that borders between simple sleep and death. Ordinary sleep, the 8 hours you get each night, is a temporary and brief period of relaxation during which on ly some of the body processes slow down. Hibernation, on the other hand, is a kind of sleep in which nearly all the body processes slow down for a long period of time. Hibernation thus enables some animals to survive months during which food is scarce and the weather inhospitable. If these animals had to maintain their body at a normal rate of activity during such periods, they wouldsoon die of starvation. During hibernation, almost all body movement is suspended. The life processes functionat a very slow pace, barely enough to maintain life. The blood temperature lowers as the chemical activity of the animal’s body becomes geared to its available energy. The true hibernators are warm-blooded mammals such as woodchucks and ground squirrels, cold-blooded reptiles, and amphibians such as frogs and toads. The more adaptive animals do not hibernate. They either migrate to another location to obtain food, store food, or “live by their wits.” 9. Which of the following is a characteristic of hibernation as discussed in the third paragraph? A. It involves a brief period of relaxation. B. It is not a kind of sleep. C. It slows down most body processes. D. It is not a normal state of being. 10. Which of the following statements is supported by the second paragraph? A. A majority of mammals hibernate. B. Mammals hibernate in a variety of ways. C. Small mammals are more likely to hibernate than larger animals. D. Most mammals that hibernate do so for the same duration during winter months. 11. Which of the following is the author’s purpose for writing this passage? A. To entertain readers with a story about hibernation B. To inform readers about the purpose of hibernation C. To persuade readers to research more about hibernation D. To describe the effect of hibernation on the environment 12. Which of the following text structures is used in the second paragraph? A. Sequence B. Problem-solution C. Description D. Cause-effect 13. This passage is an example of which of the following writing styles? A Narrative B. Expository C. Persuasive D. Editorial 14. Which of the following is the purpose of the first paragr.

1. Reading comprehension
Hibernation
One of the mysteries in the world of nature is hibernation. By
what process, with the coming of autumn, do someanimals go
into the deep sleep that sees them through the unfavorable
environment of winter? The question hasbaffled mankind for
centuries.
The little brown bat selects a cave or the hollow of a tree in
which to sleep throughout the winter, hanging by its feet. The
woodchuck waddles along the dark tunnels of its underground
home to find the highest and largest chamber, there to snuggle
down and sleep on a bed of dried grasses. The badger holes up
in his tunnel below the frost line to go into a deep sleep.
Scientists describe hibernation as a state of being that borders
between simple sleep and death. Ordinary sleep, the 8 hours you
get each night, is a temporary and brief period of relaxation
during which on ly some of the body processes slow down.
Hibernation, on the other hand, is a kind of sleep in which
nearly all the body processes slow down for a long period of
time.
Hibernation thus enables some animals to survive months during
which food is scarce and the weather inhospitable. If these
animals had to maintain their body at a normal rate of activity
during such periods, they wouldsoon die of starvation. During
hibernation, almost all body movement is suspended. The life
processes functionat a very slow pace, barely enough to
maintain life. The blood temperature lowers as the chemical
activity of the animal’s body becomes geared to its available
energy.
The true hibernators are warm-blooded mammals such as
woodchucks and ground squirrels, cold-blooded reptiles, and
amphibians such as frogs and toads. The more adaptive animals
do not hibernate. They either migrate to another location to
obtain food, store food, or “live by their wits.”
9. Which of the following is a characteristic of hibernation as

2. discussed in the third paragraph?
A. It involves a brief period of relaxation.
B. It is not a kind of sleep.
C. It slows down most body processes.
D. It is not a normal state of being.
10. Which of the following statements is supported by the
second paragraph?
A. A majority of mammals hibernate.
B. Mammals hibernate in a variety of ways.
C. Small mammals are more likely to hibernate than larger
animals.
D. Most mammals that hibernate do so for the same duration
during winter months.
11. Which of the following is the author’s purpose for writing
this passage?
A. To entertain readers with a story about hibernation
B. To inform readers about the purpose of hibernation
C. To persuade readers to research more about hibernation
D. To describe the effect of hibernation on the environment
12. Which of the following text structures is used in the second
paragraph?
A. Sequence
B. Problem-solution
C. Description
D. Cause-effect
13. This passage is an example of which of the following
writing styles?
A Narrative
B. Expository
C. Persuasive
D. Editorial
14. Which of the following is the purpose of the first
paragraph?
A. Identify one of the mysteries of the world.
B. Describe the effect of autumn on hibernation.
C. Provide a definition of hibernation.

3. D. Encourage the reader’s interest in hibernation.
15 . Which of the following sentences from the passage
expresses an opinion?
A. One of the mysteries in the world of nature is hibernation.
B. The life processes function at a very slow pace, barely
enough to maintain life.
C. Scientists describe hibernation as a state of being which
borders between simple sleep and death.
D. If these animals had to maintain their body at a normal rate
of activity during such periods, they would soon die of
starvation.