Directions: Read the selection. Then answer each question.
Living Together
1) Plants and animals need air, food, and water to live. But plants and animals also need each other to live.
2) Plants help animals in many ways. Trees provide shelter and homes for animals. Squirrels find protection and shelter in holes in trees. Birds build nests high in trees to keep their eggs safe.
3) Trees also provide shade on hot days to help animals stay cool. Trees are food sources for different animals all over the world. Fruit trees in rain forests feed birds, monkeys, and other animals. The acorns from oak trees provide food for squirrels and chipmunks.
4) Animals help plants, too. Some animals, such as bats and birds, eat fruits and berries from trees and bushes. The seeds of the fruit pass through the bodies of bats and birds and are dropped into new areas. Then, the seeds take root and grow. In this way, animals help spread trees and plants to many new places.
5) Some animals help the soil stay healthy so that plants can grow. Earthworms move through the soil and mix it up so that it is just right for plants.
6) In addition, animals need oxygen to breathe. Animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants use this carbon dioxide to make food, and plants then give off oxygen.
7) As you can see, plants and animals are vital to each other. In fact, most plants and animals would probably not survive if the other did not exist.