Text Leveling System

Skunks

RDQ:	928	Max Word/Sent	26	Total Words	2416		Diff Words	787
Lex	730	Ave Word/.Sent	12	Hi Freq occurs	1582	65.5%	Hi freq	303	38.5%
AR	3.5	Long Sentences	6.2	Low Freq occurs	105	4.3%	Low freq	86	10.9%

World of Difference
Bright eyes and a
furry coat make
the striped skunk
a handsome
creature.
SPRAYING STINKY PERFUME HAS
MADE SKUNKS FAMOUS. It's what they
do to protect themselves from danger. But
skunks don't spray often; in fact, some never
do. They're normally quiet-living animals
that try to avoid trouble.
A member of the weasel family, skunks
have shiny, thick coats-usually black with
white markings. A layer of short, wavy fur
helps keep them warm, and a layer of long,
straight hair helps keep them dry.
Four main kinds of skunks live in North
America. Striped skunks usually have
stripes-though some have none at all.]]
The little spotted
skunk often builds
nests of grass or hay.
Spotted skunks are spotted, but they also
have broken stripes down their backs. As
you might guess, hog-nosed skunks have
hoglike noses for poking into the dirt. And
hooded skunks have long white hair that
spreads out-like a hood-across their
head and neck.
The smallest skunks are the spotted, but]]
even the biggest-striped
and hog-nosed skunks-are
only the size of pet cats.
Most skunks have long tails,
especially the hooded, which
have tails that are longer than
their bodies.
Strong, curved claws on a
skunk's front feet make great
digging tools. But spotted
skunks put their claws to a
special use. They can climb
 trees to escape danger and
 find food.
Most skunks tend to stay
out of the water, but they can
swim if they have to.
SURPRISING
SKUNKS
Skunks often surprise
people. Here are just a
few of the things they do: a Before eating a fuzzy
caterpillar, a skunk
may push it around to
remove the hair.
A skunk might roll up
a strip of lawn and dig
for insects in the soil
beneath.
Skunks sometimes treat
a car like any other
enemy: they spray it.
Striped skunks can swim
for more than seven
hours at a time.]]
Where in the World
A gap in an old
tree trunk can
make a cozy
home for any
skunk.
SKUNKS AREN'T FUSSY. They adopt
dens near mountaintops and dens at sea
level. They settle into deserts, rocky slopes,
and shady woods. Wherever skunks live,
they stay close to cover, such as tall grass
and drainage ditches.
During the summer, skunks mostly use
dens above ground. They choose ones that
protect them from bad weather and from
enemies, such as coyotes and owls. Hollow
trees, hay piles, and barns are some of the
spots they use.
Where there are cold winters, skunks
often move into underground burrows.]]
They dig their own or use
holes dug by other animals. The
skunks line these burrows with
grass and leaves and make sure
there are two to five hidden
"doorways." Then they can come
and go safely.
Sometimes skunks share their
burrows with up to 24 others.
These roommates might include
different kinds of animals, such
The hooded skunk lives in
regions that have warm
weather most of the year.]]
as raccoons and rabbits.
Sharing dens is more common
during bitter weather when it
helps keep the animals warm.
Skunks sleep through much of
the winter, waking only now
and then.
Striped skunks live in
Canada and the United States,
while spotted skunks also live
in Mexico and Central
America. Hooded and hognosed
skunks find homes in
the southern United States,
Mexico, and Central America.
The hognosed live in South
America as well.
SKUNK UNDER
A BUNK
Shelter in towns and
campsites often attracts
skunks. They walk through
underground pipes, crawl
beneath buildings, and settle
into sheds. Some wriggle
right under cots used by
sleeping campers.
Where there are people,
there's also food. Skunks
steal corn from gardens and
garbage from dumps. They
even lick tossed-out food
cans. One skunk got its head
stuck and clattered blindly
down the road before someone
yanked the can off.]]
Word Full of Food
A Canada goose
tries to keep
this skunk from
having eggs for
supper.
ON SUNNY DAYS, SKUNKS RARELY
EAT. They do most of their hunting in
the dark of night. Still, hunger can drive
skunks-especially the spotted kind-to
look for food almost any time.
Skunks usually hunt close to home.
Their short legs and flat feet aren't built
for traveling far. They usually just toddle
along, but they can run for short stretches.
Top speed for a striped skunk is about
16 kilometres ( 10 miles) an hour. Spotted
skunks can run faster.
Insects such as beetles, grasshoppers,
and crickets make up many meals for a]]
Dinner for two!
These little skunks
are sniffing out a
meal of insects.
skunk. It pounces on some and digs others
right out of the ground. Sometimes it
slashes a wasp nest with its sharp claws,
then catches the insects as they charge out.
Stinging wasps don't usually harm the
skunk. It kills them by rolling them between 
its thick-skinned front paws.
Skunks, particularly spotted skunks, also]]
eat other kinds of food. They hunt for bird eggs, worms, snails, clams, frogs, mice, lizards, and young rabbits. And they eat salads of fresh grass, leaves, fruit, and nuts when they're in season.
A skunk can hear better than it can see, but its sense of smell works best of all. The striped skunk can sniff out insects even when they're underground. As it waddles about, it stops often to smell for food. It also sneezes a lot, which helps clear its nose and make smelling easier.
Alien Skunks
Skunks that move in where they don't belong can cause trouble. On one island where no skunks had ever lived pet skunks escaped from their owners. Living in the wild, they gobbled up many of the eggs that quails lay in ground nests. They ate plenty of mouselike voles that barn owls feed on.
When the skunks had families, the trouble got worse. The aliens made it harder for quails, barn owls, and other wildlife to survive.]]
World of Words
H-i-s-s-s.
Gr-r-ow-l. An
angry skunk
makes angry
noises.
SKUNKS NOT ONLY TELL, THEY
SHOW. They squeal if they're hurt, and
hiss if they're mad. Sometimes, they grunt,
growl, or snarl, especially when they're
young kits. But if danger threatens, skunks
let their bodies do most of the talking without
making a sound.
To start with, a skunk's black-and-white
color is a warning to other animals. It's like
a flag that means, "Watch out!" An enemy,
such as a wolf or a cat, might respect that
warning and decide not to attack. But if it
moves closer, the skunk starts talking in several other ways.]]
Looking its enemy in the
eye, the skunk tries to make
itself look much bigger-and
scarier-than it really is. It
arches its back and holds up its
tail. And the long hairs on the
tail stand right on end.
If that doesn't make the
intruder leave, the skunk might
shuffle backward, then waddle
stiffly forward. It might hiss and
Tail raised and hair
fluffed, a skunk seems
larger than life.]]
click its teeth, and stamp its
front feet on the ground.
Some skunks, especially the
spotted skunks, might do a
handstand, which makes them
look much taller and more
frightening. Then they walk
on their front feet with their
tails held high in the air.
Spotted skunks can often walk
this way for several metres
(many feet).
The final warning is a
serious threat. A skunk points
its back end at the enemy,
which means, "Go-or else
I'll shoot!"
No TIME,
No WARNING
In an emergency, skunks
might not have time to
give any warnings. One
night, a skunk discovered a
sleeping bag at a campsite.
It stopped to rest, curling up
on the bag-and waking the
person sleeping inside.
The shocked camper
grabbed the skunk and threw
it into the air. It landed on all
four feet, unhurt. But it was
so startled that it fired out a
stream of smelly oil. The
camper didn't have time to
escape from his sleeping bag.]]
Smelly World
Faced with an
enemy that won't
leave, a skunk
might have to
make a stink.
SKUNKS HATE THE SMELL OF SKUNK
OIL. They try not to get any of it on themselves-
or on other skunks. If there's a
chance the wind could blow the oil their
way, they might decide not to spray at all.
A pair of small glands produces the
stinky, white or yellowish oil. When the
skunk fires, it squeezes muscles that force
the oil through two nipples at its back end.
It can fire with one nipple or the other, or
use them both at the same time. And it can
shoot the oil as a fine spray or as a stream
of rain-sized drops.
Skunks don't fire blindly. Most of them]]
curve their bodies around so that
their eyes and their back ends
both focus on the target. Spotted
skunks can spray while doing a
handstand and arching their
backs. That way it's easier for
them to fire at the faces of taller
enemies.
Most skunks can strike their
targets from up to 5 metres
( 16 feet) away. Their aim is more
A skunk shoots from the
rear. Its spraying gear is at
its back end .]]
accurate for distances that are
under 3 metres (10 feet).
Each jet of spray contains
less than 3 millilitres (about
half a teaspoon) of oil. A skunk
can usually fire up to eight
shots, then its glands need a
couple of days to build up a full
supply again.
The smell of skunk oil is
enough to make animals-and
people-feel sick. What's
worse, the oil can sting the skin
and eyes. There's no lasting
damage, but most animals learn
to leave skunks well alone.
SMELLING THE
FIRE ALARM
Skunk smells can save
lives. Many large
underground mines depend
on strong odors to warn
miners of danger such as
fire. It's hard to warn them
with sound. The machines
they use are very noisy.
Mines mix chemicals
that make a smell like
skunk oil. In emergencies,
they drop some into the
air-conditioning system.
The smell travels through
the mine in a flash. And the
miners stop what they're
doing and rush to safety.]]
New World
As a spotted kit
grows its first
coat, furry white
dots appear on
its face.
KITS COULDN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT
THEIR MOTHER. Yet she gets no help
from their father. In fact, he never even sees
the kits.
Before they are born, a mother skunk
finds a safe place for them to live-usually
in an underground burrow. One hog-nosed
skunk made a nest for her kits on a pile of
grass inside an old mine.
Skunk families often arrive in May and
come in different sizes. Striped skunks
usually give birth to five to seven kits at
once, while hog-nosed skunks give birth to
one to four. Some skunks have just one]]
Two striped kits
check out a log not
far from their burrow.
family a year, but striped and spotted
skunks may have two.
Kits are helpless at birth. They can't
hear much, and their eyes are shut. Many
weigh only as much as 10 marshmallows.
Their tiny, wrinkled bodies barely have any
fur, though a black-and-white pattern
already shows on their pinkish skin.]]
If they have to move, their
mother uses her teeth to pick
the kits up by the loose skin
on the backs of their necks.
Mostly, they just snuggle close
to her to keep warm and safe.
The milk mom provides helps
them grow bigger and stronger.
By the time they're two to
four weeks old, the kits are
wearing furry coats, and they
can open their eyes. At six
weeks, they're scrambling
around their burrow, playing.
The kits are ready to head out
of their den to explore a much
bigger world.
First Time Out
It was getting dark when
five striped skunk kits
squirmed out of a hollow
tree. They were off on their
very first walk! Tails held
high, they followed their
mother through the
woods-one after the other.
When she stopped and
sniffed, they stopped and
sniffed. When she dug up
beetles, they dug up beetles.
By the time they circled
back home, the kits were
all tired out. The sun was
rising, and it was soon time
to sleep.]]
Small World
Awake and ready
for action, these
young skunks
peek out of
their den.
LITTLE SKUNKS MAKE MIDNIGHT
MEALS FOR BIG OWLS. Bobcats and dogs
sometimes attack them, too. That's why a
mother skunk doesn't let her kits wander
around alone. She keeps them close and
tries to sense any danger.
As the kits grow, their mother also keeps
busy getting enough food for them. They
stop feeding on her milk when they're about
two months old. But they're not picky
eaters. They gobble up whatever food their
mother can find for them.
Bit by bit, they learn how to get their
own meals. They hunt as a family, copying]]
what their mother does. The
kits learn to graze on grass and
nibble berries. They practice
digging up worms and pouncing
on insects and mice.
When they head to a stream
to drink, the kits watch their
mother catch small fish with her
paws. The first time they try it,
they usually just splash around.
But that can be fun. Kits splash
"Hmm, might be something
down there to eat," this kit
seems to be thinking.]]
one another in play. Sometimes
they also pretend to
fight-even stamping their
feet as if they were warning an
enemy to go away.
When it's time for the
family to move on, the mother
skunk might whistle softly.
That's her way of saying, "Line
up, everyone. 
Before the summer ends,
the kits are usually as big as
their mother. They have
learned to feed and protect
themselves. In the fall, they
head off to live on their
own-for up to 10 years.
SPOTTING
SPOTTED SKUNKS
Read the signs and you'll
know if spotted skunks
are around. They drop their
stools, called scats, almost
everywhere. They also
spread a musky odor about.
As they squeeze through
den openings and holes in
buildings, they often leave
hairs behind. And in snow
and mud, they make tracks
that show the long claws
on their front feet. When
skunks walk slowly, they
place their back feet in the
prints just made by their
front feet.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Little support

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Oral/Natural

Captions

Inserts/Side bars

Headings

Features

Topic

Nature

*Animals

Habitat

Low Frequency Words

accurate	alien	aliens	arches	arching
burrow	campsites	chemicals	conditioning	coyotes
curling	curve	curved	distances	drainage
emergency	escaped	frightening	furry	glands
gobbled	grunt	handsome	handstand	helpless
hoglike	hognosed	hollow	hooded	hunger
intruder	kilometres	level	markings	marshmallows
metres	millilitres	mountaintops	mouselike	musky
nipple	nipples	nosed	odors	openings
particularly	perfume	pounces	pouncing	produces
provides	regions	respect	roommates	salads
scarier	scats	scrambling	season	shuffle
skinned	slashes	southern	squirmed	stamping
startled	stiffly	survive	teaspoon	threat
threatens	unhurt	voles	waddles	waking
wander	warn	warnings	wasp	wasps
wavy	weasel	wildlife	wriggle	wrinkled
yanked