Question

read the passage. bison or buffalo? bison and buffalo belong to the bovidae, or cattle, family, but they are different species and have distinct characteristics. many people refer to the creatures that once roamed the american west as buffalo; however, these animals are actually american bison, and they are only found in north america. on the other hand, two species of buffalo—the cape buffalo and the water buffalo—are found in africa and asia, respectively. unlike the american bison, which has short horns similar to those of cows, buffalo have broad, sweeping horns. in addition, the american bison has a broad head carried low and a massive hump at the shoulders. in contrast, buffalo dont have shoulder humps and their heads are smaller than the bisons. what is the main, or central, idea of the passage? american bison are often mistakenly called buffalo, but the two creatures are quite different. american bison can be distinguished from buffalo by the size and shape of their horns. buffalo and american bison are both members of the bovidae family.

Explanation:

The passage starts by noting that American bison are mis - named as buffalo by many. Then it details the differences between American bison and true buffalo in terms of habitat, horn shape, and body features like shoulder humps and head size. The overall focus is on the distinction between the two, not just horn differences or family membership.

Answer:

American bison are often mistakenly called buffalo, but the two creatures are quite different.