Soil Edhelper Reading Comprehension online exercise for | Live ... - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Soil Edhelper Reading Comprehension online exercise for | Live .... Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
JPG
1000×1291
204.3 KB
Free · Personal Use
Quality Assured by Worksheets Library Team
Reviewed for educational accuracy and age-appropriateness
ID: #1123740
⭐
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Soil Edhelper Reading Comprehension online exercise for | Live ...
▼
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Soil Edhelper Reading Comprehension online exercise for | Live ...
Here is the completed reading comprehension with the correct words filled in, followed by a detailed explanation for each answer:
---
Completed Passage:
The soil where you live might be very different from soil in other places. You might have noticed that soil can
(1) be different colors. Soil can have pieces of different sizes. Soil can feel very soft or very hard.
Soil is made of pieces of rock. If you look closely at a rock, you will see many tiny holes and cracks. When it rains or snows, water fills these holes and cracks. The water freezes and pushes
(2) apart the rock. The rock slowly breaks apart. Over many years, the water causes rock to break into small pieces and form soil.
Soil also has air, water, and matter that
(3) was once alive. When plants and animals die, they decay. The decayed matter is called humus. It becomes
(4) part of the soil. This adds nutrients to the soil. Nutrients are materials plants need to live and grow. Humus gives soil a dark color.
When a rock breaks
(5) apart, its minerals become part of the soil. Some minerals can give the soil a certain color. The mineral iron can give soil a red color.
Clay soil is tightly packed soil with tiny grains. Clay soil feels very smooth. Clay soil has many nutrients and holds water well. Many plants cannot grow in clay soil. The grains
(6) are so close together the plant
(7) roots cannot
(8) spread easily through it.
Sandy soil is loose and easy to dig. It has large grains in it. Most plants do not grow well in sandy soil. Sand does not hold water so plants dry out quickly. Sandy soil has few nutrients that plants need.
Loam is a
(9) mixture of clay, sand, and
(10) humus. Many plants grow well in this soil. Loam holds water and has many nutrients for plants.
The soil you usually see is called topsoil. Topsoil
(11) is the
(12) upper surface of the earth's crust. It is usually no deeper than eight inches from the surface. Plants need healthy topsoil to survive. It may take hundreds of
(13) years for one inch of topsoil to
(14) form.
People can grow plants in ways that use soil wisely. Some plants, such as peas, add nutrients to the soil. Adding dead leaves to soil adds nutrients, too. Farmers can
(15) rotate their
(16) crops. This means not planting the same
(17) crop in the same soil
(18) year after year.
People can plant trees to help stop soil erosion. Erosion is the
(19) movement of soil or rocks by wind or water. Every year, wind and water move tons of soil and rocks. Tree roots help hold soil in
---
1. be — “Soil can *be* different colors” — grammatically correct; “can be” is the modal verb + base form needed here.
2. apart — “pushes *apart* the rock” — water freezing expands and forces rock pieces to separate → “breaks apart” is a common phrase.
3. was — “matter that *was* once alive” — past tense because the matter (plants/animals) is now dead/decomposed.
4. part — “becomes *part* of the soil” — humus integrates into the soil → “part of” is idiomatic.
5. apart — “rock breaks *apart*” — same logic as #2; physical separation.
6. are — “The grains *are* so close together...” — plural subject “grains” needs plural verb “are”.
7. roots — “the plant *roots* cannot...” — roots are what grow through soil; singular “root” would be incorrect here because we’re talking about the root system.
8. spread — “cannot *spread* easily through it” — roots need space to expand or “spread”; fits context of clay being too compact.
9. mixture — “Loam is a *mixture* of clay, sand, and humus” — loam is defined as a blend → “mixture” is the only word that fits.
10. humus — “...and *humus*” — completes the definition of loam: clay + sand + organic matter (humus).
11. is — “Topsoil *is* the...” — linking verb to define topsoil.
12. upper — “the *upper* surface” — topsoil is on the top/upper layer of earth’s crust.
13. years — “hundreds of *years*” — time required to form topsoil is measured in years.
14. form — “to *form*” — soil formation is a slow process → “form” is the correct verb.
15. rotate — “Farmers can *rotate* their crops” — crop rotation is a real agricultural practice.
16. crops — “rotate their *crops*” — plural because farmers rotate multiple types of crops.
17. crop — “not planting the same *crop*...” — singular because it refers to one type of crop being repeated.
18. year — “*year* after year” — fixed phrase meaning repeatedly over time.
19. movement — “Erosion is the *movement* of soil or rocks...” — erosion involves physical displacement → “movement” is the best fit.
---
✔ All answers are selected based on grammar, context, scientific accuracy, and vocabulary usage appropriate for a 4th–6th grade level reading comprehension.
Let me know if you’d like a printable version or quiz questions based on this passage!
---
Completed Passage:
The soil where you live might be very different from soil in other places. You might have noticed that soil can
(1) be different colors. Soil can have pieces of different sizes. Soil can feel very soft or very hard.
Soil is made of pieces of rock. If you look closely at a rock, you will see many tiny holes and cracks. When it rains or snows, water fills these holes and cracks. The water freezes and pushes
(2) apart the rock. The rock slowly breaks apart. Over many years, the water causes rock to break into small pieces and form soil.
Soil also has air, water, and matter that
(3) was once alive. When plants and animals die, they decay. The decayed matter is called humus. It becomes
(4) part of the soil. This adds nutrients to the soil. Nutrients are materials plants need to live and grow. Humus gives soil a dark color.
When a rock breaks
(5) apart, its minerals become part of the soil. Some minerals can give the soil a certain color. The mineral iron can give soil a red color.
Clay soil is tightly packed soil with tiny grains. Clay soil feels very smooth. Clay soil has many nutrients and holds water well. Many plants cannot grow in clay soil. The grains
(6) are so close together the plant
(7) roots cannot
(8) spread easily through it.
Sandy soil is loose and easy to dig. It has large grains in it. Most plants do not grow well in sandy soil. Sand does not hold water so plants dry out quickly. Sandy soil has few nutrients that plants need.
Loam is a
(9) mixture of clay, sand, and
(10) humus. Many plants grow well in this soil. Loam holds water and has many nutrients for plants.
The soil you usually see is called topsoil. Topsoil
(11) is the
(12) upper surface of the earth's crust. It is usually no deeper than eight inches from the surface. Plants need healthy topsoil to survive. It may take hundreds of
(13) years for one inch of topsoil to
(14) form.
People can grow plants in ways that use soil wisely. Some plants, such as peas, add nutrients to the soil. Adding dead leaves to soil adds nutrients, too. Farmers can
(15) rotate their
(16) crops. This means not planting the same
(17) crop in the same soil
(18) year after year.
People can plant trees to help stop soil erosion. Erosion is the
(19) movement of soil or rocks by wind or water. Every year, wind and water move tons of soil and rocks. Tree roots help hold soil in
---
✔ Explanation for Each Answer:
1. be — “Soil can *be* different colors” — grammatically correct; “can be” is the modal verb + base form needed here.
2. apart — “pushes *apart* the rock” — water freezing expands and forces rock pieces to separate → “breaks apart” is a common phrase.
3. was — “matter that *was* once alive” — past tense because the matter (plants/animals) is now dead/decomposed.
4. part — “becomes *part* of the soil” — humus integrates into the soil → “part of” is idiomatic.
5. apart — “rock breaks *apart*” — same logic as #2; physical separation.
6. are — “The grains *are* so close together...” — plural subject “grains” needs plural verb “are”.
7. roots — “the plant *roots* cannot...” — roots are what grow through soil; singular “root” would be incorrect here because we’re talking about the root system.
8. spread — “cannot *spread* easily through it” — roots need space to expand or “spread”; fits context of clay being too compact.
9. mixture — “Loam is a *mixture* of clay, sand, and humus” — loam is defined as a blend → “mixture” is the only word that fits.
10. humus — “...and *humus*” — completes the definition of loam: clay + sand + organic matter (humus).
11. is — “Topsoil *is* the...” — linking verb to define topsoil.
12. upper — “the *upper* surface” — topsoil is on the top/upper layer of earth’s crust.
13. years — “hundreds of *years*” — time required to form topsoil is measured in years.
14. form — “to *form*” — soil formation is a slow process → “form” is the correct verb.
15. rotate — “Farmers can *rotate* their crops” — crop rotation is a real agricultural practice.
16. crops — “rotate their *crops*” — plural because farmers rotate multiple types of crops.
17. crop — “not planting the same *crop*...” — singular because it refers to one type of crop being repeated.
18. year — “*year* after year” — fixed phrase meaning repeatedly over time.
19. movement — “Erosion is the *movement* of soil or rocks...” — erosion involves physical displacement → “movement” is the best fit.
---
✔ All answers are selected based on grammar, context, scientific accuracy, and vocabulary usage appropriate for a 4th–6th grade level reading comprehension.
Let me know if you’d like a printable version or quiz questions based on this passage!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of edhelper reading comprehension worksheet.
