Bones On the Go!- Cold Read

Bones On the Go!

Let’s get down to the bare bones: You need your skeleton. The skeletal system, or framework of bones, doesn’t just hold you up. It gives your body its shape, protects your organs, and works with your muscles to help you move.

At birth, you had more than 300 bones, which fused together as you grew. By the time your body is finished growing, you’ll have about 206 bones. Researchers at Wright State University School of Medicine in Ohio have discovered that kids who exercise have stronger bones as adults.

Your body has plate-like bones that cannot move, such as those that make up the cranium. The cranium protects your brain.

The stirrup bone, also called the stapes, is in the ear. It is the smallest bone in human body.

Your body is made up of many movable bones, such as the humerus, which is located in the upper arm.

Your ribs provide a protective casting for important organs, such as your heart and lungs.

The spine is made up of 33 bones called the vertebrae.

The thighbone is called the femur. It’s the longest and strongest bone in your body.

How else can you bone up? Make sure your body gets enough calcium. That bone-building mineral is found in foods and drinks such as yogurt, leafy greens, and milk.

ReadWorks.org

1.    If you wanted more information about this passage, which reference source material would be most helpful?

A Medical Monthly

B Technology Today

C The New York Times

D Information Almanac

2.    The author begins the passage saying, “Let’s get down to the bare bones.” Which figurative language best expresses the meaning?

F  the skeleton is made up of bones

G  a person’s skeleton is basic to the structure of his/ her body

H  the skeleton lacks details such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments

J  all of the above

3.    To say “the ribs provide a protective casing, means the ribs-

A protect the heart, lungs, and other organs

B can easily be broken

C are not bones

D cannot be entered

     4. Which of the following functions does the skeleton do?

F   give the body its shape

G   protect the organs inside

H  tell the nerves when to feel pain

J  combine with muscles to enable movement

5.    A figurative meaning of “bone up” means to study something. According to the article, the literal meaning of “bone up” is to-

A make your backbone longer

B become taller by lengthening your thighbone

C increase the number of bones you have

D strengthen the bones in your body

6.    Why do you think hands and feet have so many bones, while legs and arms have fewer?

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