CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: FACT AND OPINION 2nd GRADE UNIT

Reading Passage

The Cutest
Animal Finalists
Weekly Reader asked its readers to
vote for the cutest animal in a recent
contest. The company received nearly
20,000 votes! These are the six
animals that the readers thought were NOAA
Polar bears live near the North
the cutest. Pole.

Polar Bear

Polar bears are animals that live near the North Pole. The ground there
is mostly ice. The fur on polar bears looks white. Polar bears hunt and
eat seals and other ocean animals. Most polar bear cubs stay with
their mothers until they are about 2 years old. The cubs look like cute
teddy bears.

Panda

Pandas are animals that live mainly in China. They live on the ground
in damp, cold forests. Pandas' fur is black and white. They eat leaves
from bamboo1 trees. Experts say that pandas have an extra thumb
near their wrist to hold the bamboo while they eat.

Koala

Koalas are small animals that live in Australia. Koalas live in trees and
sleep during the day. These animals usually have brown fur. They eat

1
bamboo: a tall woody grass with strong hollow stems used for building, furniture, or utensils.
1

Text: Copyright 2004 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.

Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used
by permission. From Weekly Reader 2, Student Edition, 2/27/04.
2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved.
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: FACT AND OPINION 2nd GRADE UNIT

Reading Passage

the leaves of eucalyptus2 (yoo-kuh-LIP-tuhss) trees. Young koalas

often ride on their mothers' backs.

Rabbit

Rabbits are animals found all over the world. They usually live on
grasslands3 in burrows. Burrows are underground tunnels. Some
rabbits have brown fur, long ears, big, dark eyes, and strong hind
legs. Rabbits eat mostly grass and
other vegetables.

Penguin

Penguins are seabirds that live in

the southern part of the world.
Most penguins live near cold ocean
water. Many penguins are black
NOAA
with white bellies. They eat fish and
Dolphins are gray and have long
other ocean animals. Penguins stay beaks.
warm by standing close to one
another.

Dolphin

Dolphins live in most oceans. They swim by moving their tails.

Dolphins are gray and have long beaks. They eat mostly fish. Experts
say that dolphins are some of the smartest animals on Earth.

2
eucalyptus: Australian evergreen trees
3
grasslands: land covered with herbs (as grasses and clover) rather than shrubs and trees.
2

Text: Copyright 2004 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.

Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation. Used
by permission. From Weekly Reader 2, Student Edition, 2/27/04.
2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved.
CONCEPTS OF COMPREHENSION: FACT AND OPINION 2nd GRADE UNIT

Question Sheet

Name: Date: __

The Cutest Animals Finalists Questions

______ 1. These six animals are the cutest animals in the world, is
a. a fact.
b. an opinion.

______ 2. Which of the following is an opinion?

a. Koalas are small animals that live in Australia.
b. Dolphins live in most oceans.
c. The cubs look like cute teddy bears.
d. Penguins are black with white bellies.

______ 3. All of the animals in the article are similar because:

a. They all like to eat fish.
b. None of the animals know how to run.
c. All of the animals like to laugh.
d. All of the animals are thought to be one of the cutest animals in the
world.

______ 4. Readers thought these six animals are the cutest in the world."
These six animals are the cutest in the world. Which of these two
sentences is a fact? Explain.

_____
_____________________________________________________

2010 Urban Education Exchange. All rights reserved