• Practice for every day of the school year • Help students prepare for standardized testing

 2. Based on the passage, which one
could be a result of an ice storm?
A 
Lights do not work.
B 
The temperature goes up.
C 
Birds make a lot of noises.
D 
Highways are easy to drive on.
 3. Which one is a result of hours
of freezing rain?
A 
More and more snow falls.
B 
Roads get flooded.
C 
Ice covers everything.
D 
Flowers grow taller.
 4. What can cause the snow to melt 
as it falls?
A 
The sun shines on the snow.
B 
The temperature is below freezing.
C 
The snow passes through a layer
of warm air.
D 
The air close to the ground is cold.
STRATEGY PRACTICE
Make an X beside the paragraph that tells about the effects 
of ice storms. 
Cause and Effect
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Name: 
© Evan-Moor Corp. • EMC 3453 • Daily Reading Comprehension 
127
WEEK 20
READ THE PASSAGE
Which statements about ostriches can be proved true?
Big and Bold
An ostrich is not an ordinary bird. It is the largest and heaviest bird. It has 
beautiful long feathers, but it cannot fly. Because of its size, an ostrich is built for 
running. It can take giant steps. It can sprint like a runner, too. Even the bird’s 
wings help it run. If an ostrich needs to dash away, it spreads its wings. The wings 
keep the ostrich balanced. The wings also help an ostrich make sharp turns to 
confuse its enemy. It is a remarkable bird!
The most dangerous parts of an ostrich are its toes. The ostrich is the only bird 
with two toes on each foot. The longer of the toes ends in a four-inch claw. These 
claws can tear into an animal’s hide. And the ostrich’s strong legs can give a 
powerful kick.
Although an ostrich eats mostly plants, it will also eat whatever it can find. It 
will eat insects and small animals such as lizards. Pebbles and dirt are part of its 
diet, too. An ostrich does not have teeth. Swallowing small stones and dirt helps 
an ostrich to grind up the food. That makes the food easier to digest.
The ostrich is a very strange bird indeed!