Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park by ReadWorks

Photo Credit: Sardaka at en.wikipedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Photograph of Aboriginal painting at Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park is located in northern Australia. It was created in 1975 by the Australian government. As a national park, this area is protected from destructive human activity, such as hunting or mining. The park is home to one of the oldest archaeological sites in the world. That's why it is essential that this land is protected. Aboriginal people have been living in this region for over 40,000 years. As a result, they have left clues about their past cultural practices and beliefs. There are cave paintings and rock carvings from thousands of years ago that depict their lifestyles. As hunter-gatherers, animals were an important food source for the Aboriginal people. One of the artistic styles that is reflected in this Aboriginal art is called 'X-Ray.' An x-ray is a picture that shows the bones and organs inside of the body. What do you think X-Ray art is? It is art that depicts the bones and organs of animals and humans.

Photo Credit :Moongateclimber, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Photograph of rock art at Kakadu National Park

In addition to the rock art at Kakadu National Park, there are many different ecosystems that the Australian government wanted to preserve. There are cliffs and rivers and hills. There are even waterfalls! Not only are the ecosystems diverse, but the animal species inhabiting Kakadu are also diverse. From huge crocodiles to exotic birds, the Kakadu National Park is the perfect destination for people who like to observe unique wildlife.

Would you want to visit Kakadu National Park?

Photo Credit: Thomas Schoch, CC BY-SA 2.5

Photograph of Kakadu National Park

Name: ______Date: ______1. Who has lived in the area of Kakadu National Park for over 40,000 years?

A. Aboriginal people B. Native American people C. Australian people D. Kakadu people

2. What is listed in this text?

A. different places where you could see Aboriginal artwork B. different ecosystems that can be found in Kakadu National Park C. different styles of art used by Aboriginal people D. different animals hunted and eaten by Aboriginal people

3. Read these sentences from the text.

"The park is home to one of the oldest archaeological sites in the world. That's why it is essential that this land is protected. Aboriginal people have been living in this region for over 40,000 years. As a result, they have left clues about their past cultural practices and beliefs."

Based on this evidence, what conclusion can you draw about why the park land is protected?

A. The park land was protected because people did not want to deal with mining it or building things there. B. The park land was protected because it is very expensive and difficult to set up archaeological sites. C. The park land was protected because people want to learn about the ecosystems and animals there. D. The park land was protected because people want to learn about Aboriginal people's lifestyles.

4. Read these sentences from the text.

"...there are many different ecosystems that the Australian government wanted to preserve. There are cliffs and rivers and hills. There are even waterfalls! Not only are the ecosystems diverse, the animal species inhabiting Kakadu are also diverse."

Based on these sentences, what does the word "diverse" mean?

A. dangerous B. similar C. different kinds D. natural

5. What is the main idea of this text?

A. Kakadu National Park has a lot of Aboriginal artwork, including X-ray art, which shows the bones and organs of animals and humans. B. Kakadu National Park is a protected area with diverse ecosystems, wildlife, and clues from Aboriginal people's past. C. Kakadu National Park is protected mostly because of its diverse ecosystems and the animal species that live there. D. Kakadu National Park is an area that is protected from human activities like hunting or mining.