The Explorer - Session 10 - Reading Comprehension suggested answers

In "The Explorer", during a reading comprehension session, the suggested answers reveal key moments of interaction between the characters and the rainforest environment. Fred panics upon waking to find Max missing, fearing a jaguar attack, but Max, oblivious to the jungle's perils, finds humour in the situation. Fred's excitement is sparked by Max's claim of an animal sighting, driven by both curiosity and the prospect of food. The narrative takes a sombre turn with the discovery of a deceased adult sloth, prompting protective instincts in Lila as she shields a baby sloth from Max's clumsy advances. Lila's nomadic life, dictated by her parents' work, had precluded the possibility of having a pet. She names the baby sloth 'Abacaxi', meaning pineapple, as a tribute to the fruit that led to their poignant encounter.

Summary of Abacaxi: In this extract, Fred's fear of a jaguar attack is alleviated when Max reappears, having thoughtlessly wandered off. Their encounter with a dead sloth and its surviving offspring leads to a tender moment, with Lila naming the baby sloth Abacaxi, symbolising the unexpected and life-affirming connections made in the wild.