TABE Test Reading Comprehension

TABE Test Reading ComprehensionTABE TEST: READING Read the passage. Then answer questions 1 through 7. Whale Watching Across the blue, rolling waves, a dark hump rises from the sea. It slides out of sight as an enormous tail lifts and falls. As it does, another hump rises beside it and begins the same dance. Several people cheer from the pontoon boat. Some raise their cameras, while others lift binoculars to get a closer view. These whale watchers are getting what they hoped for—a view of gray whales migrating south. For thousands of years, whales have fascinated humans. However, until recent times, the average person did not have the chance to see these amazing creatures up close. The first opportunity arose in San Diego, California. There, in 1950, the Cabrillo National Monument was declared a public place to watch whales. Soon after, the first whale watching boats sailed from San Diego harbors. For $1, people could ride out into the ocean in hopes of seeing whales close-up. The whale-watching boats became very popular. Soon similar boat trips were available from other seaports. Today millions of people around the world go whalewatching every year. Interestingly, some whales are just as curious about humans as humans are about them. They may swim near a boat for hours, watching the passengers. Of course, this is a very exciting experience for those on board! “I was looking through the side of a glass-bottomed whale boat,” says one whale watcher. “Suddenly, a blue whale was right next to me! Its eye looked straight at me as it swam by. Its body seemed to keep going and going. It was the most amazing experience of my life!” At up to 100 feet long, it is no wonder that the blue whale’s body kept going. The blue whale is the largest mammal ever on Earth. Its body is the size of a passenger jet. Its tongue can weigh as much as an elephant. Depending on where a person whale watches, different types of whales may be seen. From the West Coast, people may see gray whales, blue whales, minke whales, fin whales, or killer whales. East Coast whales include humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes. On both coasts, dolphins are a common sight. They enjoy eating the same shrimp-like krill as whales. Whale watchers also may catch sight of sea lions, seals, seabirds, and fish. Whale watching gives people a unique chance to see whales in their natural surroundings. For most, it is an experience they will never forget.