Activity of text interpretation, aimed at students in the fifth year of elementary school, about an exchange of favors. Did you know that ants and plants exchange favors? Let's understand this curious subject better? So, read the text carefully! Then answer the proposed interpretive questions!
You can download this text comprehension activity in an editable Word template ready to print to PDF and also the answer activity.
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Read:
Kindness generates kindness. Have you ever heard that expression? Because it concerns one of our best attitudes. And, in fact, when we are kind, we tend to get kindness back. But this is between us humans. In nature, there is also an exchange of favors that benefit the parties involved, but it is good to say: these exchanges are natural and not intentional.
Let's look at the exchange of favors that takes place between the ants and a small tree known as stump, which is typical of Mexico, Bolivia and, which in Brazil, can be found in the North, Northeast, Midwest and Southeast regions. This plant develops modified structures called domaceae, which are at the base of its leaves and serve as a home for the ants. There, these insects benefit from sheltering from the sun and rain. The relationship between the plant and the ants is so intense that the plant is classified as myrmecophyte, a word of Greek origin that means “ant and plant”.
Oh yeah, do you want to know what the plant gets out of it? Protection! With ants living in their domestics, when other insects and small herbivorous animals - that is, that feed on vegetables – begin to eat the plant, the ants take action: they unite and quickly form a small army that attacks the intruders. Ants tend to be very aggressive in defending the shelter, and then the small animals either give up and run away, or they end up dead.
This association between the ant and the plant is known as mutualism and it also occurs among other beings. It is a relationship where both sides benefit.
From all of this, we can conclude that kindness, even when it is unintentional, is beneficial!
Henry Augusto Mews. “Ciência Hoje das Crianças” magazine. Edition 218.
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Question 1 - Reread this segment of the text:
“[…] are natural exchanges, not intentional.”
What exchanges does the author of the text refer to?
A:
Question 2 - In “The relationship between the plant and the ants is so intense, that the vegetable is classified as myrmecophyte […]", the highlighted fact is:
( ) the cause of the above.
( ) the purpose of the above.
( ) the consequence of the above.
Question 3 - In the excerpt “[…] that feed on vegetables […]”, the author refers:
( ) to ants.
( ) to other insects.
( ) to herbivorous animals.
Question 4 – In the fragment “[…] unite and, quickly, form a small army that attacks the intruders.”, the underlined term indicates:
( ) place.
( ) mode.
( ) time.
Question 5 - In the passage “Ants are usually good aggressive in the defense of the shelter […]”, the underlined word was used for:
( ) intensify.
( ) characterize.
( ) complementary.
Question 6 – Watch:
"It is a relationship in which both sides benefit."
In this part of the text, the author:
( ) exposes a definition.
( ) makes a recommendation.
( ) presents a conclusion.
Question 7 – Identify the passage in which the author addresses the reader directly:
( ) “This plant develops modified structures called domaceae […]”
( ) "There, these insects benefit from being sheltered from the sun and rain."
( ) "Oh yes, do you want to know what the plant gains from this?"
Per Denyse Lage Fonseca
Graduated in Languages and specialist in distance education.
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