Reading Passage: The Mighty Monarch Butterfly Migration Question: Text Structure

Question

Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies in North America embark on an incredible journey south, one of the longest insect migrations known. Eastern monarchs fly thousands of miles to Oyamel fir forests in central Mexico, where they cluster together for the winter. Along the way, they stop to rest and feed on nectar.

In the spring, these same butterflies start their journey north, laying eggs on milkweed plants before they die. Subsequent generations continue the migration, eventually reaching the northern United States and Canada. This vital journey ensures their survival, but sadly, monarch populations are declining due to habitat loss. Efforts are underway to help by planting milkweed and protecting their winter homes.

Question:

Which of the following describes the overall text structure of this passage?

A. Compare and Contrast B. Cause and Effect C. Problem and Solution D. Sequence

Answer 1

Hi! I would say, overall, the text shows the SEQUENCE of the monarch migrations and life cycle (to some extent). The passage explains the monarch butterfly’s migration in the order it happens each year: fall migration south, then wintering in Mexico, return north in spring, then new generations continuing the cycle/sequence.

Compare & contrast is when two or more things are shown as being similar or very different. This is not happening in this text.

Cause & effect is shown when one thing leads to another. This can be a bit tricky and seem to overlap some other text structures at times (for example, their migration causes them to survive the winter). However, you have to ask yourself--what is the OVERALL structure (even though there may be small examples of other structures throughout).

Problem and solution is just that--when there is a problem (or series of problems) that gets solved. There is a small example of this in the last two sentences, but it is not the overall text structure for the whole passage.

Let me know if you have any more questions about text structures or if you'd like more info/examples to help you understand fully! :)

Answer 2

Come watch my video to learn more about the following text structures.

Common Informational Text Structures

Text Structure	What It Is
Sequence (or Chronological Order)	Presents events or steps in the order they happen, from beginning to end. Think of it like a timeline or a recipe.
Compare and Contrast	Shows how two or more things are alike (compare) and how they are different (contrast).
Cause and Effect	Explains why something happened (the cause) and what the result was (the effect). There can be multiple causes for one effect or multiple effects from one cause.
Problem and Solution	Identifies a problem and then presents one or more ways to solve it.
Description	Provides details and characteristics about a topic, person, place, or thing. It helps the reader create a mental picture.

If you would like more help with reading comprehension , fiction and non-fictional reading and understanding what you read. Message Michele W. as you reading coach today. I tutor children in grades Pre-K through 8th grade and have over 30 years of teaching experience as a teacher and have tutored over a decade. 765 346-0053 Call me for a free consultation today. or book an instant tutoring session.