Week 4 - Reading Comprehension - 2nd grade - Free Printable

Here’s the completed worksheet with answers based on the passage “Penguins,” along with explanations for each answer.

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1. How are penguins different than other birds?

✔ Answer: Penguins have wings, but they cannot fly. Instead, they spend most of their time gliding and soaring underwater.

📌 Evidence (underlined in passage):
> *“They have wings, but they can not fly. Instead, they spend most of their time gliding and soaring underwater!”*

💡 Explanation: Most birds use wings to fly, but penguins evolved to use their wings as flippers for swimming — making them unique among birds.

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2. What do penguins eat?

✔ Answer: Penguins eat fish, shrimp, and krill.

📌 Evidence (underlined in passage):
> *“Penguins find their food in the water too: fish, shrimp, and krill.”*

💡 Explanation: The passage clearly lists the three types of food penguins hunt in the ocean. These are small marine animals that make up their diet.

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3. What is a group of penguins called?

✔ Answer: A colony.

📌 Evidence (underlined in passage):
> *“A group of penguins that lives together is called a colony.”*

💡 Explanation: This is a direct definition from the text. Many animals have special names for groups (like “flock” for birds or “herd” for deer), and for penguins, it’s “colony.”

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4. Would you like to have a penguin for a pet? Why or why not?

✔ Sample Answer (Opinion-based):
No, I would not want a penguin for a pet because they need to live near salt water and swim a lot. They also need to be with other penguins in a colony, so they wouldn’t be happy alone in a house. Plus, they have special needs like removing salt from their bodies, which I couldn’t provide at home.

💡 Explanation: While this is an opinion question, a strong answer uses facts from the passage to support your reasoning — such as their need for salt water, social groups (colonies), and natural habitat. Penguins are wild animals not suited for domestic life.

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5. Make an inference. What do you think predator means?

✔ Answer: A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals.

📌 Clue words/phrases from passage (circle these):
> *“Penguins need to watch out for several predators. Some animals that eat penguins are leopard seals, sea lions, and orcas (killer whales).”*

💡 Explanation: Even if you don’t know the word “predator,” you can infer its meaning by reading the context. The sentence says penguins must “watch out” for them, and then lists animals that “eat penguins.” So, a predator is something that preys on or hunts other animals.

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✔ Final Tip for Students: Always underline evidence directly from the text when answering questions — this shows you’re using the passage to support your answers, which is what the instructions ask for!

Let me know if you’d like this turned into a printable answer key! 🐧