Cause & Effect — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Bears eat a lot of food in the fall. When winter comes, food is hard to find, so bears sleep in their dens for many months. Why do bears eat so much in the fall?
A) They are bored in the fall
B) Food is harder to find in winter
C) Fall food tastes the best
D) Other animals tell them to
Bears eat a lot in fall because winter food is scarce, so eating extra stores energy for their long sleep.
2. Sunflowers turn to face the sun as it moves across the sky. The sunlight gives the plant energy to grow tall and make seeds. Why do sunflowers turn toward the sun?
A) To hide from the wind
B) To scare away bugs
C) To get more sunlight for energy
D) To see other flowers better
The passage says sunlight gives the plant energy, so turning to the sun helps the sunflower grow.
3. Our town built a new crosswalk near the school. Since then, fewer cars speed down our street, and kids can cross safely. What caused the drop in speeding cars?
A) A new school started up
B) The new crosswalk was built
C) The cars ran out of gas
D) Kids began to walk faster
The crosswalk is the change the town made, and the effect was that cars slowed down near the school.
4. Bees visit flowers to drink nectar. As they drink, pollen sticks to their legs. When they fly to the next flower, the pollen drops off and helps new flowers grow. What causes new flowers to grow?
A) Bees carrying pollen between flowers
B) Wind knocking petals down
C) Rain washing the leaves
D) Ants digging near roots
Bees move pollen from flower to flower, and that moving pollen is the cause of new flowers growing.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. Trees lose their leaves in fall because the days get shorter and colder.
Shorter, cooler days are the cause, and trees dropping their leaves to rest is the natural effect.
2. Frogs lay eggs in water, so baby tadpoles can swim and breathe.
Water is the cause that lets tadpoles survive, since they need water to swim and breathe through gills.
3. Our town added bike lanes, so more people ride bikes to work.
New bike lanes are the cause, and more people riding bikes to work is the community effect.
4. Birds build nests in spring, so their eggs stay safe and warm.
Nests are the cause of protection, and safe, warm eggs are the effect that helps baby birds grow.
5. Heavy rain fills the river, so farmers get water for their crops.
Heavy rain is the cause that fills rivers, and water for crops is the helpful effect for farmers.