Building Reading Practice

Excerpt from The Book: "Prickly Personality"

Some people say the saguaro is a plant with a personality. This cactus has arm like branches that seem to be making a friendly greeting. But nothing could be further from the truth. If the saguaro could talk, it would probably say, "Go away!"Why is the saguaro so unwelcoming? Water is rare in the desert. The saguaro must hold on to every drop it can get. Visitors are likely competitors for this precious resource. So, the saguaro is a loner. It rarely grows within 30 feet of another saguaro. To take in enough water to live, the saguaro has roots that cover a large area. Two saguaros that live close together become competitors. It may be hard for both of them to get enough water.Using its roots, the saguaro brings water into its huge stem. Here the cactus can store hundreds of gallons of water. Many desert animals would steal this treasure if they could. To keep these thieves away, the saguaro's skin is covered in sharp spines.In order to survive, the saguaro needs a prickly personality. An especially successful saguaro may live to the age of 200. A cactus this old may be taller than a five story building!