Non-fiction: Monkey Business Monkey Business Going Bananas A group of monkeys runs wild in India's capital. Monkeys are making mischief in New Delhi. That is the capital of India, a country in Asia. Monkeys have always lived freely in India. The number of rhesus monkeys in New Delhi is growing. Thousands of rhesus monkeys live there. The monkeys are causing many problems. They take baths in public fountains. They bite people who will not give them food. The animals also steal food from people. Why are so many monkeys running wild in the city? The animals have lost much of their forest habitat. A habitat is a place in nature where a plant or an animal lives. People have cut down trees to make room for homes and shopping centers. Monkey Fun Facts Monkeys travel together to find food. A group of monkeys is called a troop. Patricio Robles Gil/Sierra Madre/Getty Images Don't be fooled by a smiling monkey. When monkeys show their teeth, it is a sign of anger. David A. Northcott/Corbis 1 Article: Copyright 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used by permission.
Non-fiction: Monkey Business Monkeys can make friends with other troop members by grooming them. They use their fingers to comb and clean each other's fur. Cyrill Ruso/JH Editorial/Getty Images 2 Article: Copyright 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved. Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used by permission.
Questions: Monkey Business Name: Date: 1. According to the passage, why do monkeys travel in groups? A Monkeys travel in groups to groom each other. B Monkeys travel in groups to take baths together. C Monkeys travel in groups to find new homes. D Monkeys travel in groups to look for food. 2. What problem and solution are described in this text? A The problem is monkeys running wild in New Delhi and the solution is to stop destroying their habitat. B The problem is monkeys biting people and the solution is to give medicine to the people with monkey bites. C The problem is monkeys who are very dirty and the solution is the monkeys combing and cleaning each other s fur. D The problem is monkeys are everywhere in India and the solution is to send them all to New Delhi. 3. The passage implies that A the plan that the mayor of New Delhi has to control the monkeys will definitely work B the monkeys in New Delhi will soon go live somewhere else where they can be wild and free C the monkey problem in New Delhi may get worse if more trees are cut down D the monkeys in New Delhi should be allowed to do whatever they like 4. Read the following sentence: Monkeys are making mischief in New Delhi. In this sentence the word mischief means A food B trouble C joy D noise 5. What would be another good title for this passage? A Monkeys in India B Monkeys Taking Baths C Monkeys Gone Wild D Monkeys Lose Their Homes 1
Questions: Monkey Business 6. Name two problems caused by the increase of rhesus monkeys in New Delhi. 7. What suggestions might you have for living peacefully with the monkeys? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. monkeys have lost their homes in the forest, they are running wild in New Delhi. A Although B So C Then D Since 9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. A large number of rhesus monkeys are causing problems by bothering people in New Delhi, India. Who? a large number of rhesus monkeys (are doing) What? How? Where? 2
Questions: Monkey Business 10. Read the vocabulary word and definition below and complete questions 10a, 10b, and 11. Vocabulary Word: groom (groom): to clean and care for; a man about to get married. 10a. Read the sentences below and underline the word groom. 1. It is important to groom yourself every day by combing your hair and brushing your teeth. 2. Cats are known for grooming themselves by licking their fur to clean it. 3. The hiking trails are groomed every day so that hikers will be able to enjoy them. 4. Our dogs need to be groomed every month because they have very thick fur that gets tangled and dirty easily. 5. We saw the monkeys grooming each other at the zoo almost as if they were humans. 10b. After which activity would you most likely have to groom yourself? 11. If you don t take shower or brush your teeth for a week, would that be a good way of grooming yourself? Why or why not? 3
Teacher Guide & Answers: Monkey Business Teacher Guide & Answers Passage Reading Level: Lexile 670 Featured Text Structure: Problem/Solution the writer poses a problem and suggests possible solutions Passage Summary: This passage describes the increase of rhesus monkeys in New Delhi, India. The monkeys are causing many problems by stealing food, biting people and generally creating a public nuisance. 1. According to the passage, why do monkeys travel in groups? A Monkeys travel in groups to groom each other. B Monkeys travel in groups to take baths together. C Monkeys travel in groups to find new homes. D Monkeys travel in groups to look for food. 2. What problem and solution are described in this text? A The problem is monkeys running wild in New Delhi and the solution is to stop destroying their habitat. B The problem is monkeys biting people and the solution is to give medicine to the people with monkey bites. C The problem is monkeys who are very dirty and the solution is the monkeys combing and cleaning each other s fur. D The problem is monkeys are everywhere in India and the solution is to send them all to New Delhi. 3. The passage implies that A the plan that the mayor of New Delhi has to control the monkeys will definitely work B the monkeys in New Delhi will soon go live somewhere else where they can be wild and free C the monkey problem in New Delhi may get worse if more trees are cut down D the monkeys in New Delhi should be allowed to do whatever they like 4. Read the following sentence: Monkeys are making mischief in New Delhi. In this sentence the word mischief means A food B trouble C joy D noise 5. What would be another good title for this passage? A Monkeys in India B Monkeys Taking Baths C Monkeys Gone Wild D Monkeys Lose Their Homes 1
Teacher Guide & Answers: Monkey Business 6. Name two problems caused by the increase of rhesus monkeys in New Delhi. Suggested answer: The monkeys in New Delhi take baths in public fountains, and the monkeys bite people who do not give them food. [see paragraph #3] 7. What suggestions might you have for living peacefully with the monkeys? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. Suggested answer: To live peacefully with the monkeys, it might be good to find a way to feed the monkeys since the monkeys are stealing food and biting people for food. People should also figure out where the monkeys could live. [see paragraphs #2 & #5] 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. monkeys have lost their homes in the forest, they are running wild in New Delhi. A Although B So C Then D Since 9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. A large number of rhesus monkeys are causing problems by bothering people in New Delhi, India. Who? a large number of rhesus monkeys (are doing) What? are causing problems How? by bothering people Where? in New Delhi, India 10. ReadWorks recommends that you teach this vocabulary word to the whole class out loud using the four steps listed below. Vocabulary Word: groom Step 1: Introduce the word a. Teacher writes the word on the board and divides it into syllables: (groom) b. Teacher says: This word is groom. What is the word? [All students reply together out loud: groom. ] Step 2: Provide a child-friendly definition a. Teacher says: To groom is to clean and care for. b. Teacher says: In the text, the monkeys groom each other, meaning they clean and care for each other s fur. In this text, groom is used as a verb meaning to clean and care for. As a noun, groom means a man about to get married. But in this text, groom means to clean and care for. c. Teacher says: What is the word? [All students reply together out loud: groom. ] 2
Teacher Guide & Answers: Monkey Business Step 3: Practice the word Teacher provides examples and additional opportunities to repeat the word. Read the first sentence out loud to your students. Begin reading it again and when you come to the vocabulary word prompt students to say the vocabulary word out loud. Then, finish reading the sentence out loud to your students. 10a. 1. It is important to groom yourself every day by combing your hair and brushing your teeth. 2. Cats are known for grooming themselves by licking their fur to clean it. 3. The hiking trails are groomed every day so that hikers will be able to enjoy them. 4. Our dogs need to be groomed every month because they have very thick fur that gets tangled and dirty easily. 5. We saw the monkeys grooming each other at the zoo almost as if they were humans. Step 4: Check for student understanding This step can be completed as a whole class activity or as an independent practice. 10b. After which activity would you most likely have to groom yourself? 11. If you don t take shower or brush your teeth for a week, would that be a good way of grooming yourself? Why or why not? Suggested answer: No because you wouldn t be properly washing yourself which would not be good grooming practice. Suggested Additional Vocabulary: mischief 3