Editorial Development: Bonnie Brook Communications

SKILL PRACTICE
Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.
 1. Which best explains why Anish Kapoor made 
Cloud Gate
? 
A 
to confuse people who visit Chicago
B 
to entertain workers in the nearby buildings
C 
to encourage people to see the sky in a new way 
D 
to make a joke about art and sculpture 
 2. Chicagoans call 
Cloud Gate
 “The Bean” because 
of the sculpture’s 
.
A 
shape
B 
location
C 
size
D 
color
 3. What causes people to see themselves bent or 
multiplied when they look at 
Cloud Gate
? 
A 
It has windows that allow people to see
through it.
B 
It has a curved, reflective surface.
C 
It is part of a fun-house display.
D 
People use mirrors to look at it.
 4. Which best explains how art and architecture 
critics feel about 
Cloud Gate
?
A 
annoyed 
B 
respectful 
C 
doubtful
D 
curious
STRATEGY PRACTICE
Think of a book, movie, piece of music, or work of art that you really enjoy. What
makes it special to you?
 
Cause and Effect
3458.indb 108
10/31/12 7:35 AM

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© Evan-Moor Corp. • EMC 3458 • Daily Reading Comprehension 
109
Name: 
WEEK 17
DAY 3
READ THE PASSAGE
While you read the passage, make predictions about the future of bats in
the United States.
Bats Under Threat
Biologists in the United States are sounding an alarm about a deadly disease that has been attacking 
a quiet, intelligent mammal: the bat. The disease, called white-nose syndrome, is an infection caused by a 
fungus that attacks the nose, wings, and other skin areas on the bodies of bats while they are hibernating 
in large groups in their caves. The disease was first discovered in a New York cave in the winter of 2006, 
and it is spreading quickly. Infected caves have been discovered in 19 states and in Canada.
Scientists have discovered that the source is a strain of a cold-loving fungus usually found in polar 
regions. They are not sure how the fungus kills bats. One theory is that the fungus causes discomfort. The 
bats begin to fidget and partially wake up from hibernation. This activity causes them to burn precious 
stored body fat and die of starvation. Experts estimate that over 5.5 million bats across nine species have 
perished because of the disease. Wildlife experts fear that if the infection spreads to more bat populations 
in the Southeast and Midwest, endangered bat species, such as the Indiana bat and Virginia big-eared 
bat, may be in grave danger of extinction.
Why should Americans care about the loss of these creatures? In warm months, bats fly at night, 
eating up to their body weight in insects. They control the populations of insects that bite, eat crops, 
destroy forests, and spread disease. Because of this, the United States government is getting involved. 
Congress has heard testimony from bat experts and is taking seriously their pleas for funding to study the 
disease. The possibility of what one lawmaker called “an ecological and economic disaster” is very real if 
the deadly disease spreads further.