The mountains of Nevada are home to one of the oldest living things on Earth—the bristlecone pine. These rugged trees grow high above the desert floor, where snow, wind, and rocky soil make survival difficult. At first glance, a bristlecone pine might look half-dead, with twisted branches and patches of bare wood. Yet inside those ancient trunks, life continues. Some of these trees began growing more than four thousand years ago, long before the pyramids of Egypt were built.
Bristlecone pines thrive where few other plants can. They live on dry mountain slopes between 9,000 and 11,000 feet in elevation. The thin air and cold temperatures slow their growth. Each year, a tree might add only a fraction of an inch to its trunk. The wood becomes extremely dense and resistant to insects and rot. Even after a branch dies, it can remain on the tree for hundreds of years without breaking apart.
Their needles, grouped in clusters of five, can stay green for forty years or more. The cones are small and covered with sharp bristles that give the tree its name. When strong winds sweep across the ridges, the pines bend but rarely break. Their roots cling to cracks in limestone, drawing just enough water to survive.
Scientists study bristlecone pines to learn about Earth’s past. The tree rings record centuries of changing weather—years of drought, cold, or warmth. By reading those rings, researchers can understand how the climate has shifted over time. The bristlecone pine reminds us that life in the desert may be slow, but it is strong, patient, and enduring.
1. What makes bristlecone pines especially remarkable?
2. Where do bristlecone pines typically live?
3. What mainly slows the growth of these trees?
4. What happens when strong winds sweep across the ridges?
5. Which statement about scientists and bristlecone pines is supported by the passage?
6. What gives the bristlecone pine its name?
7. Select ALL traits or features described in the passage.
8. Evidence in the text (Highlight Task)
Turn on Highlight Mode. Then highlight the sentence that best supports this claim:
“Bristlecone pines can live for thousands of years.”
Tip: Select the sentence and release to highlight. Click a highlight to remove it.