Hercules Beetle

Hercules Beetle

Auto-markingPencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about adding words to a text so that it makes sense.
 
bug
Image source: Wikipedia (Public domain)
 
The following piece of writing has some spaces where words are missing.
 
First, read the whole piece of writing through to get an idea of what it is about. Then fill each space with ONE word so that the whole piece of writing makes sense. You are able to change answers as you go.

When you have filled in all the spaces, re-read the text to check that the whole piece of writing makes sense.

Question 1Change answer

Hercules Beetle
 
The Giant Hercules Beetle of South America can grow up to 15 centimetres in length. The ferocious looking male has two 1 toothed horns projecting from its head 2 for this reason it is sometimes  3 the Rhinoceros Beetle. Naturalists were puzzled 4 the use of these horns, but  5 has been shown that they are 6 weapons.
 
Two male beetles need little excuse to begin fighting. After staring at 7 other they make a head-on attack 8 is followed by the clashing of 9 as each beetle struggles desperately to 10 an invincible grip. Early in the 11 they may back away and then 12 in again until one succeeds in  13 a tight hold on the other's 14. The victor then begins to 15  his unfortunate foe back and forth 16 he has an unbreakable death-like grip. 17, he rears himself upright and resting 18 his hind legs holds his wildly kicking opponent high in mid-air. He then 19 his victim hard on the ground, 20 and again until he lies dead.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online with auto-marking.
Copyright: 

Text source: unknown
Image source: Wikipedia (Public domain)

Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Reading
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
cloze, comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, text features
Description of task: 
Students complete a cloze passage about a type of beetle to create well-formed sentences.
Curriculum Links: 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • use comprehension strategies
  • monitor their reading for accuracy and sense
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Making sense of text: processing system, set 5
Making sense of text: vocabulary knowledge, set 6
within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
1.
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14
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19.
20.		 huge/big/large/long/sharp/strong/enormous/massive
and/so
called/named
over/about/by/at
it
powerful/lethal/good/deadly/dangerous/effective/useful/important
each
which/that
horns
secure/find/get/gain/obtain
battle/struggle/fight/contest
dash/rush/charge/run/jump/go/move
getting/gaining/securing/forming
horns/body
jerk/swing/throw/shake/toss/rock/heave
until
Then/Suddenly/Next/Finally/Eventually
on/upon
thumps/smashes/slams/bangs/bashes
again

Click here for more information on Interpreting Cloze Results

Acknowledgement
Every effort has been made to source the text used.