Question

some people find the hairy tarantula to be super
creepy. some of these hairy spiders are as small as your
fingernail. others are as large as a dinner plate when the
legs are all spread out.
but tarantulas in north america and south america
won’t hurt you. they are not aggressive towards humans.
they will not bite you unless they are provoked. even if
they do bite you, the tarantula’s venom is weaker than the
sting of a typical bumble bee.
the tarantula’s fangs are for attacking prey. smaller
arantulas eat insects such as beetles and grasshoppers.
larger tarantulas prey on animals such as lizards, frogs, and
ads.
tarantulas are burrowers who live in the ground. they
move slowly. they are nocturnal hunters who come out at
ght to catch their prey.
many people keep tarantulas as pets. if not eaten by
predator, a tarantula will live for many years. one in
fivity was known to live for thirty years!
the hairy tarantula

1. in paragraph 1, the author compares big tarantulas to —

a. a fingernail
b. a hairy spider
c. a dinner plate
d. a spider’s legs

1. the best clue to the word nocturnal is —

a. hunters
b. catch their prey
c. move slowly
d. come out at night

1. which is the best summary of the article?

a. tarantulas are hairy spiders of various sizes that are mostly
harmless. they use their fangs to prey on insects or small
animals at night. some people keep tarantulas as pets.
b. tarantulas are burrowers who live underground. they are
nocturnal and come out at night. they eat beetles,
grasshoppers, lizards, frogs and toads.
c. tarantulas are super creepy hairy spiders. some are the size
of a fingernail. some are big as dinner plates. some people
keep tarantulas as pets.

1. why do you think people find the tarantula to be super creepy?

Explanation:

1. Answer-Explanation Format

In paragraph 1, the author compares big tarantulas to a fingernail. The text says "Some of these hairy spiders are as small as your fingernail. Others are as large as a dinner plate when the legs are all spread out." So the comparison is made to a fingernail.

The word "nocturnal" means active at night. In the text, it says "Tarantulas are burrowers who live in the ground. They are nocturnal hunters who come out at night to catch their prey." So the clue is "come out at night".

The article talks about tarantulas being burrowers (living in the ground), being nocturnal (coming out at night to hunt), their diet (insects, lizards, frogs etc.), their size (from as small as a fingernail to as large as a dinner plate with legs spread), and that some people keep them as pets. Option A only mentions they are hairy spiders of various sizes which is too narrow. Option B focuses on them being burrowers and what they eat but misses other aspects. Option C is incorrect as they are not super creepy (the text says they won't hurt you unless provoked). Option D gives a more comprehensive summary covering their characteristics, diet, and that some are kept as pets.

Answer:

A. a fingernail

2. Answer-Explanation Format