Snakes ESOL Reading Resoruce
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davidSnakes ESOL Reading Resoruce
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davidSNAKES
Snakes belong to the group of animals called reptiles. This group also includes
lizards, turtles and crocodiles. There are over 2900 different species of snakes
such as cobras, pythons and anacondas.
Snakes have a varied diet and are all carnivorous. They eat insects, frogs, rats
and even small animals. Snakes eat their prey whole and swallow them. When
they eat their prey, their mouths have to stretch around their food. Snakes
have fangs to hold their prey so it does not escape. Some snakes inject venom
into their prey which kills them or they wrap themselves around their prey and
squeeze them. They hunt at night and don’t have to eat every day.
Snakes live all over the world except for Antarctica and some islands like New
Zealand. They live mostly in tropical climates. Snakes can live in any
environment and are found on mountains, in the sea and some live in trees. In
fact, many snakes live in the desert. In colder regions, during winter, snakes
will become inactive and rest under rocks or in burrows for the whole winter.
Snakes have some strange behaviours. They flick their forked tongue out
because they smell the air with it. They are cold blooded so must warm up in
the sun, but if they get too hot they must lie in shade to cool down. They can’t
control their own body temperature. They also shed their skin several times a
year. Snakes produce their young by laying eggs.
There only 250 species of snakes that can kill a human with one bite. Snake
venom is injected when a snake bites a person. The venom is poisonous or
toxic and attacks the human nervous system or blood and muscle. The snake
venom can cause heart failure or turns a person’s blood to jelly. Sea snakes
have the deadliest venom. When they bite a fish, it must die quickly or it will
swim too far away.
Snakes are an important reptile in our environment. Their venom is even used
in research to help cure cancer or Parkinson’s disease. They also help destroy
pests like rats. However, many thousands of people die every year from snake
bites.
1.1 Identify the main idea of the text.
Circle the main idea of the text. Circle only one.
a. Zebras
b. Snakes Alive
c. Information about snakes
d. Where snakes live
1b. Why did you choose the above main idea?
a. Title
b. Picture
c. Guess
d. Each paragraph has different information about snakes
e. The last and first words are “Snakes”
1.2 Identify main and supporting detail identified.
Main Idea Supporting Idea
Snake classification
Snake diet
Where snakes live
Snake behaviour
Snake venom
Snake and medicine
Write in the supporting information column the words that match the main
ideas.
Parkinson’s toxic frogs tropical eggs reptiles
1.3 Grammar words.
When they eat their prey, their mouths have to stretch around their food.
They hunt at night and don’t have to eat every day.
They can’t control their own body temperature. They also shed their skin
several times a year.
However, many thousands of people die every year from snake bites.
Write the word in bold next to the right definition
The time it happens -------------------------------------------------
Adds a similar idea -------------------------------------------
Introduce a contrasting idea ---------------------------------
Add extra information -----------------------------
Pronouns: Write down the word the pronoun replaces from the text.
They eat insects, frogs, rats and even small animals. _______________
When they bite a fish, it must die quickly or it will swim too far away. ________
Questions:
