What is the passage mainly about?

River otters are playful animals whose play also builds hunting skill (The passage describes the otter's playful nature and how that play and its body fit it for survival.)

According to the text, what keeps an otter's skin dry and warm?

Thick fur that traps a layer of air (The text says the fur "traps a layer of air that keeps the skin dry and warm.")

Why is the otters' play more than just fun?

It helps young otters build strength and skill for hunting (The text says the play "has a purpose" and builds "strength and skill... to hunt.")

In this passage, "prey" most nearly means

the animals an otter hunts for food (Otters hunt fish and frogs "faster than their prey can flee," so prey means the hunted animals.)

Otters at Play: Level 2 Reading Comprehension Questions

River otters seem to treat life as a game. Along quiet rivers and lakes, they slide down muddy or snowy banks again and again, one after another, as if for the pure fun of it. But this play has a purpose. Through it, young otters build the strength and skill they will need to hunt.

An otter's body is made for water. Its fur is thick and traps a layer of air that keeps the skin dry and warm, even in cold rivers. Webbed feet and a strong tail push it through the water with ease. Otters hunt fish, frogs, and other small animals, diving and turning faster than their prey can flee.

They live in family groups and seem to enjoy each other's company. To watch an otter is to see an animal that is very good at staying alive and, at the same time, appears to be having a wonderful time.

Comprehension questions