Adelina’s Whales By Richard Sobol
Vocabulary
Giving off a pleasant color Making a low rolling sound 1. What is rumbling? Giving off a pleasant color Making a low rolling sound
b. Making a low rolling sound.
2. What is a lagoon? a. Beach covered with sand dunes b. Body of shallow water
b. Body of shallow water
What does massive mean? enormous majestic
A. enormous
Some fish live in tropical waters. What does tropical mean? warm calm
a. warm
Birds flew over the bluff. What does bluff mean? forest cliff
b. cliff
Have you ever met the new biologist? Scientist who studies living things. Scientist who studies rocks.
a. Scientist who studies living things.
7. Where is Laguna San Ignacio? Near a large city in Oregon b. On the coast of Baja California
b. On the coast of Baja California
Comprehension Questions
To have their babies To play with Adelina Why did scientists say that the mother whales travel to Laguna San Ignacio? To have their babies To play with Adelina
a. To have their babies. a. To have their babies.
9. Adelina had a good understanding of nature. What detail shows this? a. She was awakened by the sound of whales exhaling. b. She could tell time by the way the light reflected on the water.
b. She could tell time by the way the light reflected on the water.
Which event happened FIRST? Adelina ran to see a mother whale and her newborn calf. b. Adelina’s grandfather had his first visit with a friendly whale.
b. Adelina’s grandfather had his first visit with a friendly whale.
Which sentence is only an opinion about feelings? “[Adelina’s] little village does not have any movie theaters or traffic lights...” b. “Maybe [the whales] told each other it was safe to visit [Laguna San Ignacio].”
b. “Maybe [the whales] told each other it was safe to visit [Laguna San Ignacio].”
12. Which sentence is a MAIN IDEA from the story? Many people visited to Laguna San Ignacio to see the whales. b. Scientists visited Laguna San Ignacio to study the gray whales.
a. Many people visited to Laguna San Ignacio to see the whales.
13. The generalization that says there is a lot to learn about whales is supported by details. Which detail supports it best? Adelina asked many questions about whales. b. Adelina believed the whales came to visit her every year.
a. Adelina asked many questions about whales.
14. Why do you think the author wrote this story? To describe a special place that gray whales migrate to every winter. To convince people that whales should be saved.
a. To describe a special place that gray whales migrate to every winter.
15. Which statement is a generalization based on the selection? a. Gray whales never like being around people. b. Children face many choices for their future.
b. Children face many choices for their future.
16. Which statement is a fact from the story? a. “. . .The whale’s wide, flat tail is called a fluke. . .” b. “. . .Adelina knows how lucky she is to live in Laguna San Ignacio.
a. “. . .The whale’s wide, flat tail is called a fluke. . .”
Why do the whales leave Alaska and Russia? The water is too polluted. The water is too cold.
b. The water is too cold.
18. How did you know that the whales were important to Adelina? She stated that she wanted to live on the coast forever. She said that no matter what she did when she grew up, she would always keep whales in her life.
b. She said that no matter what she did when she grew up, she would always keep whales in her life.
19. Why did Adelina say that Laguna San Ignacio “is the place where two worlds join together?” She knew her village was the only place where whales and humans came to visit each other. b. Laguna San Ignacio was a coastal village and Alaska has lots of coastal villages too.
a. She knew her village was the only place where whales and humans came to visit each other.
20. How were the people who live in Laguna San Ignacio like the tourists that came to visit the village? They hunted the whales for whale meat. They enjoyed watching the whales in the lagoon.
b. They enjoyed watching the whales in the lagoon.