2. COMPREHENSION
Oceans
Oceans are large bodies of water that cover more than seventy percent of Earth's surface. While there are many seas, lakes, and rivers in the world, there are only five oceans.
The Pacific is the largest ocean. It covers about one-third of Earth. It is so big that all of the land on Earth could fit into it! The Atlantic Ocean is also large. It is perhaps the busiest ocean for trade. Many ships filled with goods sail across it between Europe and the Americas.
The Indian Ocean is much smaller than the Pacific and Atlantic. It has mostly calm waters except when storms called
typhoons appear. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of them all. It sits at the top of the world. It is very cold. Ice covers this ocean for much of the year. In the summer, the ice melts and breaks up into pieces that float on the water. They are called floes.
The Southern Ocean is a new ocean. It was named by scientists in the year 2000. It is made up of parts of other oceans. The Southern Ocean surrounds the continent of Antarctica. Like the Arctic Ocean, it is very cold and has ice.
The oceans of the world provide us with food and water. We get around by crossing them. Many people live along their coasts. Without the oceans, life on Earth would not exist. But we still have many things to learn about oceans. The bottom of the ocean floor is largely unexplored. Perhaps one day in the future we will know everything about the oceans of the world.
Directions
Choose the item that best answers the question about the selection you just read. Click the circle next to the answer.
How much of Earth's surface is covered by the Pacific Ocean?