Read The Article "A Continent of Ice" Before Answering Numbers 1 Through 10

UNIT 1
WEEK 3
Read the article “A Continent of Ice” before answering

Numbers 1 through 10.
A Continent of Ice
Imagine a place with bone-chilling temperatures and blinding
blizzards. You try to perceive your surroundings, but you only see
ice. The nearest city is thousands of miles away. At the coast, ice
shelves extend over parts of the ocean. You might be able to see huge
icebergs as you look toward the horizon. The place is Antarctica, a
frozen continent surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean.
Antarctica is located at the southern end of the globe. Daytime
there lasts for six months. It is followed by six months of night. The
continent is in the coldest zone on Earth. About 98 percent of it is
covered with ice. Rocks and minerals lie under tons of ice. For
example, the ice at the South Pole—Earth’s most southern point—is
nearly two miles deep.
The environment is extreme. Logic tells you that life could not
exist in Antarctica. However, a surprising variety of plants, animals,
and sea life make this frozen continent their home.
Plant life can grow in the two percent of Antarctica that is
ice-free. The continent has only two kinds of flowering plants, a type
of grass and an herb which grow on the west coast. Both plants can
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
live at temperatures that would freeze other plants. Plants called

lichens and mosses can also survive along these coastal areas. Algae
and microscopic plants called diatoms live in the ocean. Diatoms are
made up of only one cell. They are an important source of food for
ocean animals.
The ocean around Antarctica is teeming with life. Tiny sea
creatures called krill form the basis of the Antarctic food chain. Krill
feed on ocean plant life. In turn, seabirds, squids, and even whales
feed on krill. Baleen and blue whales migrate to the Antarctic Ocean
each summer to eat krill.
GO ON ➜
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3 Grade 6 23
UNIT 1
WEEK 3
A number of seals live on the Antarctic coast. The southern

elephant seal depends on squid for food. Other seals, like Weddell
seals, live in holes or cracks in the ice. The seals crawl out of the
holes to dive in the ocean in search of food. All Antarctic seals have
thick layers of blubber to protect them from the cold water.
Antarctica is also home to many species of birds. Examples
include albatrosses, cormorants, and gulls. These birds fly each
year to the islands surrounding the Antarctic continent. The islands
are important to the birds’ life cycles. They are where the birds go
to breed.
Perhaps the most famous of the Antarctic birds is the penguin.
The Emperor penguin is the largest species, growing up to four feet
tall. These penguins begin their breeding cycle in winter. After a
female penguin lays one egg, her mate takes over, balancing the egg
on his feet. The females go back to the ocean for up to two months
to feed. The males keep the eggs warm and safe. When the females
return, they care for the newly-hatched chicks.
Penguins,
seals, whales,
lichens—all have
adapted to life in
Antarctica. They
survive in the

most extreme
place on Earth.
But even though
it is extreme,
Antarctica is far
from desolate.
GO ON ➜
24 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3
Name: Date:
Now answer Numbers 1 through 10. Base your answers on

“A Continent of Ice.”
1 Read the follow excerpt from the article.

Imagine a place with bone-chilling temperatures
and blinding blizzards. You try to perceive your
surroundings, but you only see ice.
What does perceive mean in the excerpt above?
a ignore
b observe
c touch
d welcome
2 Read this sentence from the article.

The continent is in the coldest zone on Earth.
The origin of the word zone is the Greek root zon-,

meaning “belt.” This suggests that a climate zone is
f a land mass that has its own climate.
g a mass of air that changes the climate.
h an area of ice in the middle of a cold climate.

i a band around Earth with one type of climate.
3 Which detail tells you that the environment of Antarctica

is extreme?
a Plants grow in areas that are ice-free.
b Antarctica has a surprising variety of life.
c Antarctica is almost entirely covered in ice.
d Lichens and mosses survive in coastal areas.
GO ON ➜
Name: Date:
4 Read this sentence from the article.

Logic tells you that life could not exist in Antarctica.
The origin of the word logic is the Greek root log-,

meaning “word.” Which word most likely comes from the
same Greek root?
f lodging
g logger
h logo
i melody
5 Which paragraph would the following detail best support?
Antarctica is the only continent located entirely within a

polar circle.
a paragraph 1, page 23
b paragraph 2, page 23
c paragraph 3, page 23
d paragraph 4, page 23
6 Read this excerpt from the article.

Algae and microscopic plants called diatoms live in the
ocean. Diatoms are made up of only one cell.
The word microscopic comes from two Greek roots micro-
and scop-. Scope- means “to see.” What is the most likely
meaning of micro-?
f invisible
g large
h small
i transparent
GO ON ➜
26 Grade 6 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3
Name: Date:
7 Which detail would best support the main idea of the first
paragraph on page 24?
a Ninety percent of the world’s ice is in Antarctica.
b Adelie penguins live farther south than most penguins.
c The temperature in Antarctica can be as low as −60°C.
d Crabeater seals are another variety that swim off
the coast.
8 Why do Antarctic seals have thick layers of blubber?

f to dive for squid to eat
g to survive the extreme cold
h to live in holes or cracks in the ice
i to protect them from the harsh winds
9 Which paragraph would the following detail best support?
The snow petrel, another Antarctic bird, moves north as

winter sets in.
a paragraph 3, page 23 c paragraph 1, page 24
b paragraph 4, page 23 d paragraph 2, page 24
10 Read this excerpt from the article.

These birds fly each year to the islands surrounding the
Antarctic continent. The islands are important to the
birds’ life cycles.
The origin of cycle is the Greek root cycl-, meaning “circle.”
What type of cycle is being described in this excerpt?
f islands that form a circle h processes that repeat
g patterns in which birds fly i circles arranged in a pattern
GO ON ➜

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UNIT 1

Read the article “A Continent of Ice” before answering

live at temperatures that would freeze other plants. Plants called

A number of seals live on the Antarctic coast. The southern

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Now answer Numbers 1 through 10. Base your answers on

1 Read the follow excerpt from the article.

2 Read this sentence from the article.

The origin of the word zone is the Greek root zon-,

h an area of ice in the middle of a cold climate.

3 Which detail tells you that the environment of Antarctica

4 Read this sentence from the article.

The origin of the word logic is the Greek root log-,

5 Which paragraph would the following detail best support?

Antarctica is the only continent located entirely within a

6 Read this excerpt from the article.

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

8 Why do Antarctic seals have thick layers of blubber?

9 Which paragraph would the following detail best support?

The snow petrel, another Antarctic bird, moves north as

10 Read this excerpt from the article.

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