Context Clues

There are almost 400 different kinds of sharks. Each kind of shark looks different, has a unique diet, and behaves differently. There are sharks in all four oceans of the world. Somesharks are longer than a school bus, while others are so small they can live in fish tanks. Sharks come in all kinds of colors. Most of the time, their skin color helps them blend in with their surroundings. But, some sharks that live in the deepest part of the ocean actually have parts that glow in the dark. Most sharks live in salt water, but some can live in fresh water. All sharks are unique, or have different qualities that make them so special.Sharks are actually a type of fish. There are some similarities as well as differences between sharks and typical fish. Shark skeletons are made of cartilage. Fish skeletons are made of bones. Cartilage is the bendy, tough substance in people’s ears and noses. Like other fish, sharks have gills that help them breathe. Unlike fish, people use lungs to get oxygen from the air. Fish get oxygen from the water using their gills. Water needs to move over the gills so the sharks can get enough oxygen. To keep enough water moving across the gills, most sharks need to be swimming in water that has a very strong current.Sharks have a lot of teeth. Sharks have many rows of teeth, rather than just one row like people. The teeth from the outside row gradually fall out. Then teeth from the next row take their place. Some sharks will lose 30,000 teeth in a lifetime! Each species of shark has different kinds of teeth and they eat various kinds of food. Some sharks eat food as small as plankton. Other sharks eat animals as big as sea turtles. Most sharks do not eat very often. Some sharks will go weeks between meals. Sharks are at the top of the ocean food chain. This position is very important. It keeps all of the other animal populations from growing out of control. This process helps ensure there is a diversity of life in the oceans. Which word in the paragraph helps you understand the meaning of the word unique? kinds different shark looks What do the words some and while suggest about Sharks? sharks are all the same size most sharks are large sharks come in many different sizes most sharks are small What phrase helps you understand the meaning of the word surroundings? helps skin color blends in What is a synonym for the word qualities as it is used in this passage? traits details similarities What does "gradually" mean in the passage? What does "cartilage" mean, according to the passage? What did the word "current" mean in the passage? Which definition most closely resembles how the word "diversity" is used in the passage? Variety; many different kinds Lots of different people Moving quickly to get away Match the word and the definition used for this passage. gradually over time diversity many different kinds current flow of water cartilage soft tissue that forms ears and noses in humans qualities characteristic of an object or an animal surroundings the objects around something unique something different about an object or an animal