MHE_Rdg_Wonders_LvRdr_G6_Beyond_U6W3_28.pdf

Expository TextPAIREDREADWhats Bean Happening?ADVENTURE UNDER THE ICEBY MAX OLSENProgram:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80CV_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 3CV_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 37/03/12 12:56 PM7/03/12 12:56 PMSTRATEGIES&SKILLSComprehensionStrategy:SummarizeSkill:Main Idea and Key DetailsVocabulary StrategyContext Clues:ComparisonsVocabularyalternative,corresponded,extract,foliage,hypothesis,protein,resilient,saturatedContent StandardsScienceScience as InquiryPhotography Credit:Norbet Wu/Minden Pictures II/Getty Images*The total word count is based on words in the running text and headings only.Numerals and words in captions,labels,diagrams,charts,and sidebars are not included.Word Count:2,602*AProgram:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80Copyright The McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc.All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means,or stored in a database or retrieval system,without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc.,including,but not limited to,network storage or transmission,or broadcast for distance learning.Send all inquiries to:McGraw-Hill EducationTwo Penn PlazaNew York,New York 10121ISBN:978-0-02-118588-7MHID:0-02-118588-3Printed in the United States.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DOC 15 14 13 12 11 10IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 2IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 27/03/12 12:57 PM7/03/12 12:57 PMPAIREDREADIntroduction .2Chapter 1The Bottom of the Sea .4Chapter 2A New Solution.8Chapter 3Building a Robot.12Conclusion.16Respond to Reading.18Whats Bean Happening?.19Glossary.22Index.23 Focus on Science .24Essential QuestionHow can a scientific investigation be an adventure?ADVENTURE UNDER THE ICEBY MAX OLSENProgram:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 1001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 17/03/12 12:58 PM7/03/12 12:58 PMDr.Stacy Kim is a scientist,but you will not find her in a typical science laboratory;she is more likely to be diving hundreds of feet beneath the polar sea ice.Dr.Kim is a benthic ecologist,which means she studies seabed life,and she does her research at the bottom of the world,in the Antarctic.In such an exciting place,Dr.Kims scientific investigations often turn into adventures.Dr.Kim first went to the Antarctic as a researcher and diver in 1988.She now works at Moss Landing Marine Labs in California and does scientific work in the Antarctic in the southern spring(OctoberNovember).In the course of her work,Dr.Kim has endured freezing temperatures and been battered by storm-force winds,she has worked without sunlight for months on end,and she has discovered new species under the sea and encountered amazing Antarctic wildlife.Imagine her zooming over the polar ice on her snowmobile.Life is certainly an adventure for this scientist!INTRODUCTIONDr.Kim must wear several layers of warm clothing to protect her from the freezing cold of the Antarctic.Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:802Bob Zook001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 2001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 27/03/12 12:58 PM7/03/12 12:58 PMThe Antarctic environment is a challenging place to work.Much of what scientists want to study there is hidden under thick ice and in freezing seawater.The thick ice is both a problem and an advantage:it is a problem because it makes access to the seabed difficult and it is an advantage because it provides a stable platformoceanography without seasickness!When Dr.Kim encountered challenges in reaching the Antarctic seabed,she gathered a team of scientists to help her surmount these problems.The members of her team collaborated and eventually overcame the challenges they faced.What was their solution?They built a robot for the Antarctic!Dr.Kim(second from right)and her research team have gone on many scientific missions together to the Antarctic.Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:803Dr.Stacy Kim001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 3001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 37/03/12 12:58 PM7/03/12 12:58 PMThere is still a great deal that we do not know about life on the seabed,especially in the Antarctic,where freezing water and thick layers of ice make reaching the bottom of the sea very difficult.Dr.Kim and other scientists study the Antarctic seabed because they want to learn about life in this environment.They sometimes discover plants and animals that have never been seen before.As recently as 2010,scientists discovered a new carnivorous sponge on the Antarctic seabed.Dr.Kim is especially interested in seabed ecology.This is the study of how living and nonliving things on the seabed interact.Seabed ecologists look at what underwater animals eat,and they examine how some living things depend on others for survival.The extreme cold of the Antarctic means few living things live above the ice,but under the ice life is rich and complex.CHAPTER 1 THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAA variety of plants and animals live on the Antarctic seabed.Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:804Norbert Wu/Minden Pictures II/Getty Images001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 4001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 47/03/12 12:58 PM7/03/12 12:58 PMDr.Kim works at McMurdo Station,the main United States scientific base in the Antarctic.The sea in this area has been polluted in the past.Until 1981,trash from the station was simply towed out onto the sea ice and left there,mainly because of the difficulty and cost of taking it away.When the ice melted each summer,the trash fell into the sea.Before a new treatment center was built in 2003,the base used to pump raw sewage into the sea.Studying the bottom of the sea near McMurdo Station can show if,and how,the life on the seabed is recovering from this pollution.In such a cold environment,waste degrades very slowly,resulting in years of contamination.Some species can tolerate long exposure to pollution,but other species decline in population and may even disappear.Another area of interest to scientists is the rising temperatures in the Antarctic.These higher temperatures are causing the ice that covers the sea to melt and break into icebergs,so the area of sea covered by ice is shrinking.By studying the seabed,scientists can find out how climate change is affecting seabed life.Giant icebergs break off from the ice shelf in the Antarctic.5Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80Paul Souders/CORBIS001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 5001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 57/03/12 12:58 PM7/03/12 12:58 PMSouth PoleRoss Ice ShelfMcMurdo StationAntarcticaWhat is it like to live and work in the Antarctic?The Antarctic is the coldest,windiest,and driest continent on Earth.For the scientists who live and work at McMurdo Station,daily life can be a real adventure.Temperatures as low as minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit have been recorded at McMurdo Station and,in parts of the Antarctic,winds have reached speeds of 199 miles per hour.Scientists must wear special clothing,such as insulated,double-layered boots to keep their socks from becoming saturated.The scientists also wear full-body,windproof,insulated suits.It takes a lot of energy to keep warm in extreme cold.In the Antarctic,most of the food people eat goes directly to generating heat to keep them from developing hypothermia.This means that they must eat plenty of protein-rich foods,since those provide the most energy.When scientists such as Dr.Kim go on research expeditions,they often stay in specially strengthened tents that are designed to withstand strong winds.The camping equipment needed in an extreme environment is very heavy,so scientists usually travel by snowmobile.It is important that they check the weather report before venturing out because serious storms can arrive very quickly in the Antarctic.McMurdo Station is located on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.6Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 6001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 67/03/12 12:58 PM7/03/12 12:58 PMThe unusual seasons in the Antarctic also present challenges.All through winter,the sun does not rise.This means that the scientists spend four months of the year in darkness,so they must learn to live and work without sunlight.In summer,the sun does not set for nearly four months,so the scientists have to train themselves to sleep when it is light outside.Along with the challenges,there are many rewards to be gained from working in the Antarctic.When scientists leave the base on research missions,they get to explore an incredible environment.They enjoy amazing views of ice-covered mountains and encounters with fascinating wildlife,such as seals and penguins.They might even see Antarcticas only native insect and largest purely terrestrial animalthe 0.2-inch flightless midge!The first expedition to reach the South Pole,in the center of Antarctica,was led by Norwegian Roald Amundsen.He reached the South Pole on December 14,1911.Amundsens team had none of the modern clothing used by scientists in the Antarctic today.Instead of snowmobiles and helicopters,they traveled on sleds towed by teams of dogs.Only five weeks later,a British expedition,led by Robert Scott,also arrived at the South Pole,hoping to be the first there.They were too late.The Race to the South PoleAmundsens sled dogs rest at base camp before the expedition to the South Pole,1911.Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:807(bkgd)Eye Wire/Getty Images,Classic Image/Alamy001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 7001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 77/03/12 12:59 PM7/03/12 12:59 PMWhen Dr.Kim began her research,taking photographs of the seabed could mean several days work and a lot of expense.To photograph the seabed,researchers had to dive in the freezing water underneath the ice.But first they had to reach the water!This meant cutting a hole in the ice 3 feet across at every location they wanted to take photographs.Small holes(about 6 inches across)can be made in under an hour by two people using a hand-operated drill.In contrast,a 3-foot hole takes much more time and organization and many more people.Holes can form naturally,but these are uncommon and are not guaranteed to occur in convenient places.CHAPTER 2A NEW SOLUTIONSpecial machinery is needed to drill large holes in the ice.Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:808Maria Stenzel/National Geographic/Getty Images001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 8001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 87/03/12 12:59 PM7/03/12 12:59 PMThere are three ways to make a hole in the ice big enough for a diver:drilling,blasting,and melting.Drilling can be completed in just a few hours,but it requires a tractor,a large drill unit,and an electricity generator.Each of these pieces of equipment also requires a specialist to operate it.Moreover,drilling can be done only in places accessible by tractor from McMurdo Station.Blasting a hole in the ice with explosives can take less than a day,but it requires an explosives expert and a special helicopter flight to transport the explosives to the site.Blasting also leaves broken and cracked ice around the hole,which can be hazardous for researchers.Before divers can use the hole,they have to wait for the damaged ice around the hole to freeze and then they have to tidy up the edges with a chainsaw.Melting can take up to three days and involves transporting a generator to the site.The melting equipment needs to be refueled every three hours,so scientists have to keep waking up to refuel it during the night.Researchers also have to set up a full field camp where they can shelter in case the weather gets bad.A helicopter delivers melting equipment to researchers at a field camp.9Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80Dr.Stacy Kim001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 9001_009_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 97/03/12 12:59 PM7/03/12 12:59 PMOnce the hole has been created,the divers can enter the water.Even when everything goes smoothly,however,divers can submerge for only a short time,and it is unsafe for them to dive to more than 130 feet below the surface.When divers descend to depths greater than this,they cannot come up to the surface immediately.If they do,they risk developing a serious condition known as decompression sickness,or“the bends.”After researchers make a hole in the ice,sometimes Weddell seals take it over.This means divers cannot use the hole anymore.Weddell seals,which are found around the coast of Antarctica,can reach 11.5 feet long and weigh 1,360 pounds.They can dive up to 2,300 feet under the surface of the ocean and stay under for up to 80 minutes.Weddell seals need holes in the ice to get to the surface to breathe.A ready-made hole is a bonus for a seal.Usually,they need to create and maintain holes themselves.Weddell SealsWeddell seals occupy holes in the ice,making it difficult for divers to enter or exit the water.10Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:8010(bkgd)Eye Wire/Getty Images,Minden Pictures/SuperStock010_018_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 10010_018_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 107/03/12 1:00 PM7/03/12 1:00 PMWhen Dr.Kim saw how difficult seabed research was in the Antarctic,she decided that there had to be an easier way.Instead of trying to think of simpler ways to make holes in the ice for divers,however,Dr.Kim came up with an alternative method for photographing the seabed.It is too dangerous in the Antarctic for submersibles piloted by people to be used under the ice,and pre-programmed submersibles cannot change their programming to follow up new finds.Dr.Kim realized that the answer to her research challenges was a robot.She needed a robot that could fit through a 6-inch hole in the ice,swim around under the sea,and take photos of the seabed.The problem was that there were no robots like this in the world.So Dr.Kim gathered a team of scientists to help her build a special robot.The team decided to call the robot SCINI(pronounced“skinny”),short for Submersible Capable of under Ice Navigation and Imaging.The SCINI robot cruises over the seabed in McMurdo Sound.11Program:CR 14Component:LRG6 U6 W3 BPDFVendor:Learning MediaLevel:80Henry Kaiser010_018_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 11010_018_CR14_LR_G6_U6W3L80_B_118588.indd 117/03/12 1:00 PM7/03/12 1:00 PMThe SCINI researchers all had different skills.The team included an oceanographer,a software designer,and a robotics expert.Even Dr.Kims husband,an engineer and diver,was involved in the project.The team began working on the design of the robot at the Moss Landing Marine Labs in California in the middle of 2007.They had to work quickly so that SCINI would be ready to go to the Antarctic the next summe