Fast, but Not for Long: teacher key

Cheetahs, grade 6 edition, written for 6th grade. A cheetah runs very fast over short distances. Read about its body, its markings and its calls, and where cheetahs live.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. How fast can cheetahs run over short distances?
   • About 20 to 30 miles per hour
   • About 60 to 70 miles per hour (answer)
   • About 200 miles per hour
2. What does a cheetah's long tail help it do?
   • Steer and balance (answer)
   • Purr
   • See farther
3. What is the cheetah's most common call?
   • A roar
   • A stutter
   • A chirp (answer)
4. Why might a cheetah's large nostrils matter during a run?
   • They let it take in more air (answer)
   • They help it purr
   • They help it hide
5. What does the word subspecies mean here?
   • A type of grass
   • A kind of cheetah (answer)
   • A cheetah call

Words

• spine: backbone
• stride: one long step
• nostrils: nose holes
• mantle: long fur
• chirp: a short call
• subspecies: cheetah type