Ice Capades in Antarctica
Read the article, "Ice Capades in Antarctica." When you are finished reading,
answer the questions below.
1. In your own words, summarize the article, "Ice Capades in Antarctica."
2. What is the main idea of this article? Explain your thinking.
3. Select the best answer for each of the following questions.
a) Explain the use of the parentheses in the following sentence:
We even had a chance to stand among 100 000 Adelie penguins in a huge colony (also
known as a rookery)...
0 They are used to surround a comment to the reader directly.
0 They are used to surround an idea that disagrees with the idea before it.
0 They are used to surround an explanation of how to pronounce the preceding word.
0They are used to surround an explanation that the author has attached to the
sentence.
b) Explain the use of the dash in the following sentence:
I just wish I could have packed a penguin in my suitcase - but then I remember that
smell!
0 It is used to introduce items in a list.
0 It is used to prepare for a dramatic shift in thought.
0 It is used to make suitcase a compound word.
0 It is used to separate two clauses where a key word is repeated.
c) Explain the use of the hyphen in the following sentence:
And a glaciologist showed us how to take an ice-core sample from a glacier.
0 It is used to separate two complete sentences.
0 It is used to divide a word that continues onto the next line.
0 It is used to keep the reader from confusing the words ice and core.
0 It is used to join two words that work together as an adjective.
a) What is the meaning of the underlined phrase from the article:
The chilly waters of the Southern Ocean are brimming with life both big and small...
0 empty of
0 missing
0 filled with
0 found with
4. "Ice Capades in Antarctica" is a nonfiction article. List three characteristics that
show that this is nonfiction writing. For each characteristic, give an example from
the article to support your answer.
5. The author used two different kinds of print fonts in the article. Explain why the
author used different kinds of fonts.
6. From reading this article, we get to know some things about the author, Rachel
Bakker. Name three important characteristics of Rachel. Describe some- thing
Rachel says, thinks, or does to show that she has each characteristic.
7. Use information from the text and your own ideas to explain why it is important
for students like Rachel and the rest of her group, Students On Ice, to spend time
visiting Antarctica.
8. Why do you think that the author chose to talk about Antarctica from her own
personal perspective? Explain your thinking.