A free interactive reading comprehension for Year 5 KS2 pupils about the deep ocean floor. Read the passage, then answer questions, match vocabulary, practise grammar and write creatively.
No login required. Works on any device. Perfect for home learning and classroom use.
Read the passage carefully. You may look back at it at any time.
1Beneath the waves of every ocean lies a hidden world that very few people will ever see. The deep seabed, sometimes called the abyss, begins at depths where sunlight can no longer reach, plunging the ocean into permanent darkness. Despite these harsh conditions, scientists have discovered that the deep seabed is far from empty. It is home to a surprising variety of creatures that have adapted in extraordinary ways to survive crushing pressure, freezing temperatures and a complete absence of light.
2One of the strangest features of the deep seabed is the hydrothermal vent. These are cracks in the ocean floor where extremely hot, mineral-rich water escapes from deep beneath the Earth's crust, sometimes reaching temperatures of over 350 degrees Celsius. Remarkably, thriving communities of life cluster around these vents, including tube worms, crabs and ghostly white shrimp. Unlike almost every other living thing on Earth, these creatures do not rely on sunlight for energy. Instead, they depend on bacteria that convert chemicals from the vent water into food, a process called chemosynthesis.
3The deep sea is also home to some truly unusual creatures. The anglerfish, for example, uses a glowing lure that dangles from its head to attract prey in the pitch-black water. The giant squid, which can grow longer than a bus, was so rarely seen that scientists did not capture footage of one alive in its natural habitat until 2012. Many deep sea fish have enormous eyes to detect the faintest traces of light, while others have abandoned eyesight altogether and rely instead on sensing vibrations in the water around them.
4Exploring the deep seabed presents enormous challenges for scientists. The pressure at great depths can crush an unprotected submarine instantly, so researchers use specially designed vehicles called submersibles, built with incredibly thick walls to withstand the immense forces involved. Some submersibles carry human pilots, while others are remotely operated from a ship on the surface above. Even with this advanced technology, exploring the deepest parts of the ocean remains slow, difficult and extremely expensive.
5Perhaps the most astonishing fact about the deep ocean is simply how little of it humans have explored. Scientists estimate that more than eighty per cent of the ocean floor has never been mapped in detail, which means we actually know more about the surface of the Moon than we do about our own seabed. Every expedition to the deep ocean tends to uncover new species and surprising discoveries, suggesting that countless secrets are still waiting to be found in the darkest depths of our planet.
Statement A: Hydrothermal vents can reach temperatures of over 350 degrees Celsius.
Statement B: Scientists have already mapped most of the ocean floor in detail.
Match each word from the passage to its correct meaning. Click a word, then click its definition.