Producers and Consumers
1 The food chain is made up of two different groups of organisms and animals: producers and consumers. Both are required to make the food chain complete and make sure that all animals and other organisms get the required nutrients they need. Producers 2 Plants are known as producers. They are called producers because they produce their own food. This happens through a process called photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants take the light energy from the sun, the carbon dioxide from the air and the water from the soil. They then process it to make a form of sugar that they use as food. This sugar is called glucose. Consumers 3 Animals are known as consumers. They eat plants and animals for their food instead of producing their own. Every consumer is part of one of three groups: herbivores, omnivores and carnivores. Herbivores are animals that only eat plants. Omnivores are animals that eat both plants and animals. Carnivores are animals that only eat animals. Decomposers 4 There is a third group of organisms known as decomposers. This group is made up of bacteria and fungi. Instead of eating healthy plants or animals or producing their own food, decomposers get their food by eating things like dead plants and animals. When they eat the dead plants and animals they help break them down so their nutrients can be released into the soil. Those nutrients are then sucked up by plants and used in the process of photosynthesis. Food Chain 5 The cycle of producers producing food, consumers eating the food and decomposers breaking things down is called a food chain. If one part of the food chain is disrupted, then lots of animals are affected. It takes all three types of organisms and animals to keep things running smoothly.
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Q1) Instead of "Producers and Consumers" which choice would make a better title for the piece?
Understanding the Food Chain
How Animals Eat
All about Producers and Consumers
Understanding How Animals Eat
Understanding the Food Chain
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Q2) What is the purpose of the piece?
To describe how plants make food
To tell about decomposers
To describe the parts of the food chain
To tell about different animal types
To describe the parts of the food chain
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Q3) Where would you find this passage?
Newspaper
Magazine
Brochure
Textbook
Textbook
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Q4) Which group uses photosynthesis?
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers
Humans
Producers
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Q5) What is the difference between an omnivore and an herbivore?
An omnivore eats plants and animals, a carnivore eats neither.
An omnivore eats plants and animals, a carnivore only eats animals.
An omnivore eats plants and animals, a carnivore makes food.
An omnivore eats and plants and animals, a carnivore only eats plants.
An omnivore eats plants and animals, a carnivore only eats animals.
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Q6) Which animal is most likely an herbivore?
Tiger
Giraffe
Cat
Human
Giraffe
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Q7) What is the purpose of paragraph 5?
To sum up the food chain
To describe how all the parts interact together
To define the word food chain
Both a and b
Both a and b
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Q8) How do decomposers get food?
By breaking down dead plants and animals
By eating healthy plants
By killing animals
By making their own food
By breaking down dead plants and animals
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Q9) Which shape best describes a food chain?
Square
Circle
Rectangle
Rhombus
Circle
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Q10) What role do producers play in the food chain?
They get things rolling by making food.
They eat food that is produced.
They help break down food.
None of the above
They get things rolling by making food.