What is the main idea of the passage?

Some Namib beetles collect fog droplets and guide them toward the mouth through body surface and posture. (The passage explains collection, joining droplets, gravity-guided flow, and variation among species.)

Why does the beetle raise the back of its body?

The position helps collected water roll toward its mouth. (The second paragraph links the beetle's posture with gravity directing joined droplets.)

What does “drifts” mean in the opening paragraph?

moves slowly through the air (The fog travels inland from the ocean, and “drifts” describes that gentle air movement.)

When does the beetle climb the dune?

before sunrise (The first paragraph places the climb before sunrise, when coastal fog may be present.)

The Beetle That Drinks Fog: Level 2 Reading Comprehension Questions

The Namib Desert receives little rain, but fog sometimes drifts inland from the Atlantic Ocean. Some darkling beetles use that brief moisture. Before sunrise, a beetle climbs a dune and raises the back of its body toward the moving fog.

Tiny droplets collect on the beetle's surface. As they join, they become heavy enough to roll down channels toward its mouth. The beetle's posture uses gravity to guide the water. It does not create fog or pull a full drink directly from dry air.

Different Namib beetle species have different bodies and behaviors, so one famous description should not be applied to all of them. Researchers have studied how surface texture, waxy regions, shape, and stance affect collection. Engineers have also explored fog-catching materials inspired by these features.

The beetle's drink depends on a chain of conditions: fog must arrive, droplets must gather, and the body must direct them. In a dry place, a small moving cloud can become a usable source of water.

Comprehension questions