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 Platypus

Platypus

A Short Reader

Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   4.96

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    diver, eighteenth, carnivore, crayfish, british, definitely, beaver, banks, reproduce, cause, simple, otter, although, itself, male, believe

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Platypus
By Sheri Skelton 		  
1     The platypus is an animal that looks like several different animals put together. It has webbed feet and a bill like a duck. It has a tail like a beaver. It has a furry body like an otter. British scientists in the eighteenth century didn't believe the platypus was a real animal. They thought someone had made an animal by sewing parts of different animals together.
 
2     The platypus is a real animal. It lives in eastern Australia. It makes its home along the banks of rivers and lakes. The platypus swims very well. It uses its two front feet to move itself through the water. It uses its two back feet and tail to guide itself through the water.
 
3     The platypus is a good diver, too. It spends much of its time looking for food underwater. When the platypus dives, folds of skin protect its eyes and ears from filling with water. The platypus uses sensors on its bill to find food. The platypus is a carnivore. It eats worms, shrimp, and crayfish. The platypus spends most of its time looking for food after dusk and before dawn.

Paragraphs 4 to 5:
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