The Grand Canyon
9/15/2022 2:04:25 PM
Do you know?
- The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona, northwest of the city of Flagstaff.
- The Grand Canyon as we know it today started out as a series of smaller canyons 70 million years ago, but the majority of the canyon did not begin to take shape until much more recently.
Let's explore more about the Grand Canyon!
Let's learn some new words before you read the passage:
Listen and complete the passage.
| exposing | extends | prehistoric | specimens |
| existence | wonders | dot |
The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s great natural . It about 277 miles through northern Arizona. The Colorado River begins in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado. It flows for 1,450 miles through the base of the canyon it carved. It eventually empties into the Gulf of California, which is a part of the Pacific Ocean. It took this river billions of years to form the Grand Canyon. Slowly, it wore away the rock, ancient rocks and fossil . Rocks at the base are two billion years old, among the oldest found on Earth.
The Grand Canyon is more than a mile deep in some places. In width, it varies from four to eighteen miles. The top of the canyon is mostly flat. It is covered with a forest of oak, spruce, and pine trees. A few bushes and small pines cling to the walls of the cliffs. Bushes the canyon floor. Many different animals live in the Grand Canyon, including mountain lions, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and bobcats.
The Grand Canyon was the site of two different mountain ranges that rose and were worn away during the long period of its . At times, ancient seas flowed in from the oceans. The rock walls contain remains of plants and animals from both land and sea. For scientists studying Earth’s natural history, the Grand Canyon is a giant laboratory.
Read and answer the following questions.
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s great natural wonders. It extends about 277 miles through northern Arizona. The Colorado River begins in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado. It flows for 1,450 miles through the base of the canyon it carved. It eventually empties into the Gulf of California, which is a part of the Pacific Ocean. It took this river billions of years to form the Grand Canyon. Slowly, it wore away the rock, exposing ancient rocks and fossil specimens. Rocks at the base are two billion years old, among the oldest found on Earth.
The Grand Canyon is more than a mile deep in some places. In width, it varies from four to eighteen miles. The top of the canyon is mostly flat. It is covered with a forest of oak, spruce, and pine trees. A few bushes and small pines cling to the walls of the cliffs. Bushes dot the canyon floor. Many different animals live in the Grand Canyon, including mountain lions, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and bobcats.
The Grand Canyon was the site of two different mountain ranges that rose and were worn away during the long period of its existence. At times, ancient seas flowed in from the oceans. The rock walls contain remains of prehistoric plants and animals from both land and sea. For scientists studying Earth’s natural history, the Grand Canyon is a giant laboratory.
Source: Daily Warm-ups - Nonfiction Reading Grade 6
What is the oldest age of rocks in the Grand Canyon?
- 2 billion years old
- 1,450 years old
- 277 years old
According to the text, the Grand Canyon _____.
- has a maximum width of four miles
- is home to a number of plants and animals
- helps illustrate the importance of natural wonders
What does the word "it" in the first paragraph refer to?
- The Grand Canyon
- The Colorado River
- The Pacific Ocean
What can you infer from the text?
- It is dangerous to visit the Grand Canyon because of its difficult terrain.
- Among the world's great natural wonders, the Grand Canyon has the most spectacular scenery.
- The age-old formation of the Grand Canyon greatly contributes to the study of Earth's natural history.
The writer wrote this text to _____.
- surprise readers with interesting facts about a natural wonder
- impress readers with the age-old formation of a natural wonder
- provide readers with some information about a natural wonder
Build your vocabulary by learning these intensive phrases/idioms
The steps had been _____ by the feet of thousands of pilgrims.
- taken away
- gone away
- worn away
- cut away
A: Would you please stop _____? Are you leaving the company or not?
B: I am still considering!
- biting the bullet
- beating about the bush
- getting out of hand
- hitting the sack
Choose the underlined part that needs correction.
The company is on the rock these days following the disastrous release of their latest product.
- The company
- rock
- following
- latest product
Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word in a bracket. You must use between THREE and FIVE words, including the word given. Do not change the word given.
Police vowed to do everything they could to track down the fugitive. (STONE)
=> Police vowed to to track down the fugitive.