L a G r a n E n c i c l o p e d i a I l u s t r a d a d e l P r o y e c t o S a l ó n H o g a r
Chapter 3: Blood Suckers!
Read the passage. Then answer questions about the passage below.
Proyecto Salón Hogar
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Slap! Swat! How do those annoying mosquitoes find you? Is it your wonderful personality or is it something else which attracts them? And why are you so rarely able to swat them before they fly off to another feast?
There are about 3,500 species of mosquitoes in the world. Not all of them are in your back yard, although sometimes it seems that the summer evening air is filled with them.
There are about 200 species of mosquitoes in the United States –– about 80 species have been identified in Florida, which is an ideal breeding area. The word “mosquito” means “little fly” in Portuguese. Mosquitoes are members of the scientific order Diptera, the “True Flies.” Like other “True Flies,” they have wings.
But they are different from some True Flies; their wings have scales. These tiny scales help eliminate the effects of friction. This helps the mosquitoes skim quickly and efficiently through the air, making them almost impossible to swat.
The familiar high–pitched, annoying buzz of the mosquito comes from the sound of its wings beating 600 times per second!
If you want to control the spread of these pesky insects, it is important to know how they live and breed. As you will see, much of their life is spent in water, so getting rid of standing water plays a large role in controlling mosquitoes. There are four stages in the lifetime of a mosquito: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Mosquito eggs need water to hatch.
Different species of mosquitoes prefer different places to lay their eggs. Some prefer to lay their eggs in standing water, such as water in old tires or buckets. Others like to lay their eggs in areas with a lot of organic material, like leaves and grass, so they lay their eggs in marshes and swamps. Some prefer fresh water; some like saltwater.
Mosquito larvae are called “wigglers” because they move with jerking movements of their bodies. They spend most of their time under the surface of the water, feeding on leaves and grass. They must have air to stay alive, so they wiggle to the surface. The larvae shed their skin four times as they grow and progress to the third stage, which is the pupa. Mosquito pupae also need air to stay alive. They continue to feed on grasses and leaves under the surface of the water, but they must come up for air. After several days in the pupa stage, the pupae mature into adult mosquitoes. Adult mosquitoes emerge after several days of growth. Some mosquitoes reach maturity in as few as 5 days, but most require 10–14 days before they reach maturity. Variations in maturity time is due to differences in species and differences in the temperature of the environment. Adult mosquitoes mate within a few days of their emergence as adults. They eat fruit, nectar, and any other sources of sugar they can find. Female mosquitoes need blood in order for their eggs to develop. After the female has her meal of blood, she rests for two or three days before she lays her eggs. The cycle of eating and laying eggs continues for one or two weeks, which is the lifetime of a mosquito. Now you know that it is the female mosquitoes which bite you. But how do they find you –– their meal of blood? Mosquitoes seek out warmth and movement –– both properties of human beings and other animals. They also seek carbon dioxide, which is exhaled by humans and other animals. So while it is not exactly your wonderful personality which attracts them, the social activities of conversation and laughter –– which involve movement and the exhalation of carbon dioxide –– are what attract these annoying little insects!
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Questions
1) Why do mosquitoes’ wings have scales?
__ A. The scales reduce the effects of friction. __ B. The scales make the mosquitoes fly more efficiently. __ C. The scales help the mosquitoes
float in water.
__ D. Both A and B are correct. __ E. Both A and C are correct.
2) Why do mosquitoes bite you? __ A. They need blood to live. __ B. Their eggs need blood to develop. __ C. They need blood to become mature. __ D. Both A and C are correct. __ E. Both B and C are correct.
3) Where do mosquitoes lay their eggs? __ A. In standing water. __ B. In moist soil. __ C. In fresh water. __ D. In salt water. __ F. Both C and D are correct. __ E. All of the above are correct.
4) At what point are mosquitoes called wigglers? __ A. When they are larvae __ B. When they are pupae __ C. When they are adults __ D. When they lay eggs __ E. Both A and B are correct
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| 5) How do mosquitoes find you? __ A. They are attracted to carbon dioxide. __ B. They are attracted to movement. __ C. They are attracted to warmth. __ D. Both A and C are correct. __ E. All of the above are correct.
6) Which mosquitoes actually suck your blood? __ A. males __ B. females __ C. pupa __ D. larvae __ E. all of the above
7) How long is the life of a mosquito? __ A. one week __ B. two weeks __ C. one month __ D. two month
8) What does the mosquito eat before maturing? __ A. trash __ B. leaves __ C. carbon dioxide __ D. none of the above
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9) How many times does the larvae shed its skin? __ A. three times __ B. two times __ C. four times __ D. none of the above
Vocabulary
1) If something is annoying it is… __ A. quick. __ B. evasive. __ C. bothersome. __ D. careless. __ E. impenetrable.
2) What is the best synonym for ideal? __ A. sweet __ B. nice __ C. perfect __ D. identical __ E. interesting
3) If you eliminate something, you… __ A. make it smaller. __ B. get rid of it. __ C. add to it. __ D. design it. __ E. Both A and B are correct.
4) What are organic materials? __ A. Natural materials __ B. Man–made materials __ C. Factory–made products __ D. Both B and C are correct __ E. None of the above
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Literature The Story
How many pages should a story have? What is a story usually about?
A story is a brief fictional narrative written in prose that can range widely in length from one page to sixty pages (250 to 15,000 words). The most important elements in a short story are the plot, which is the sequence of events in the story, and characterization, which is the development of the characters in the story. Stories also have a beginning, middle, and end.
The Narrator and Point of View Who is speaking in the story? The narrator is the person who tells the story.
To identify him or her we have to ask ourselves, "Who is telling the story?"
The narrator of a story may use different points of view, that is, he or she may focus on one or more characters and may even express the thoughts and feelings of those characters as if he or she could see them or see inside their minds.
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There are four basic points of view:
• First person: The narrator is one of the characters in the story and he or she is somehow involved in the plot. The pronoun I is used to express this point of view. Example: I am the loneliest boy in the world.
• Second person: The narrator talks to the reader as if he or she were a character. The narrator may talk to another person using the pronoun you. Example: You are the loneliest boy in the world.
• Third person, limited: The narrator talks about what he or she sees or hears. The narrator is an observer. This type of narration uses the pronouns he, she, it, or they. Example: He is the loneliest boy in the world.
• Third person, omniscient: The narrator has unlimited knowledge about the characters. He or she comments about the characters' actions, feelings, and thoughts. Example: He thought he was the loneliest boy in the world.
Classify the sentences according to their point of view.
_____________ 1. They were saddened by the news.
_____________ 2. I am glad this crazy summer is over!
_____________ 3. You are brilliant!
_____________ 4. She opened the window.
_____________ 5. My brother is a pest!
_____________ 6. I really like Vermont.
_____________ 7. You are lucky to have such a great mom.
_____________ 8. She was dealing with her divorce the best that she could.
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Vocabulary: Synonyms
Look! Isn't it beautiful? What do the words beautiful and gorgeous have in common?
Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. Example: beautiful/gorgeous
A. Match the synonyms.
__ 2. answer b. make __ 3. angry c. farewell __ 4. goodbye d. separation __ 5. sad e. affection __ 6. delicious f. reply __ 7. divorce g. mad __ 8. create h. unhappy
B. Replace the word in parentheses with a synonym. 1. Paul was (angry) with his mother. ____________ 2. Jerry (grabbed) a dish out of the box. ____________ 3. She was (excited) to see her grandchildren. ____________ 4. He keeps his mouth (shut). ____________ 5. Their father is (gazing) at a red bowl. ____________
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Antonyms
Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Example: pretty/ugly
A. Match the antonyms. __ 1. inside a. happy __ 2. peace b. destruction __ 3. remember c. outside __ 4. enemy d. war __ 5. construction e. forget __ 6. sad f. friend
B. Rewrite each sentence replacing the underlined word with an antonym. 1. Grandpa Ralph is visiting the family in their new home. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Mom has been hired to work at a small school in Missouri. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Dad gets home from work late every night. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. He is happy his Uncle is coming to visit. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. He jumps up quickly and leaves the room. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. The crowd swarms around them in the large gift shop. __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. The family was very unhappy with all the changes. __________________________________________________________________________________________
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Grammar: Possessive Nouns
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