Reading Passages: Grade 4
Passage
Type
Description
“A Brighter Light”
Informational: Literary Nonfiction
The invention of the modern light bulb through the efforts of Swan and Edison.
“Apricot Banana Shakes”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
Recipe for shakes.
“Art’s Paper Route”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Art adjusts to his job as a paperboy.
“An Interview with Bernie Mazor”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
Interview with the technology coordinator of a hospital.
“Biking”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
A group of three kids go on a bike ride.
“Birth of an Island”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
The crew of a ship witnesses the birth of a volcanic island.
“Blowing Giant Bubbles!”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
Diego and Andrea share their recipe for making bubbles.
“Bob’s Arizona Tours”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
A flyer with descriptions of the different things the tour provides.
“Canoeing”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
Information about canoeing.
“Carrie’s Clarinet ”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Carrie is excited to begin playing the clarinet during her very first music lesson.
“Cats Can Recycle”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Yuri learns about recycling.
“Champion Rider”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Ana finds courage as she rides Buster the horse.
“Dried Fruit Leather”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
How to make fruit leather.
“Eldorado”
Literary: Poetry
A knight spends his life looking for the mythical city of Eldorado. Poe, Edgar Allan. “Eldorado.” Project Gutenberg. Last updated Sept. 2005. http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8893/pg8893.html
“Exploring the Grand Canyon”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
The first exploration of the Grand Canyon.
“First Flight”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Jacob is getting ready for his first ride on an airplane!
“Hot Air Balloons”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
All about hot air balloons.
“How Do You “Howdy Do”?”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
The many ways we say hello!
“How Plants Help Us Breathe”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
How the carbon/oxygen cycle works.
“How the Painted Desert Came to Be”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
How the painted desert got colored.
“How to Live in Death Valley”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
What is it like for animals in Death Valley.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
Passage
Type
Description
“Jeff Rand, Nature Camp Counselor”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Jeff Rand tells why Nature Camp is so important.
“Kathy’s Secret Hiding Place”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Kathy is looking for a quiet place to read a book without her brother Jordan.
“Lovely Llamas”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
All about the valuable llama.
“Martin and His Dad”
Informational: Literary Nonfiction
A father teaches his son about the metric system while working on his car.
“Middleton Library Summer Readers Application Form”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
An application to join the Summer Reading program.
“Miguel’s Game”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Batter learns to focus on the ball.
“Movie Reviews”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
3 different movie reviews of a gorilla movie. 2 positive, 1 negative.
“My Cats”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
All about house cats.
“Nancy’s Sweater”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Girl fears that borrowed sweater has been lost.
“New Dome Tent Set-Up Instructions”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
Instructions for setting up a tent.
“One Good Look”
Literary: Poetry
Girl finds real Gila Monster to match science book picture.
“Oysterville Crate Race”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Rita is excited about the upcoming crate race, she finds a poster telling all about the event.
“Piglet and Ya-ya”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
Katarina learns that her grandmother really loves her.
“Play It Safe in the Sun!”
Informational: Argument
Summer Sense products being solicited.
“Rejected”
Literary: Poetry
Frog silently rejects human who tries to croak along with it.
“Sounds of Skiing”
Literary: Poetry
Boy and father ski Lake Tahoe.
“The Fox and the Crow”
Literary: Fiction/Drama
A fox takes something away from a crow.
“The Frankfurter Sandwich”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
History of the hot dog.
“The Lever”
Informational: Instructive/Exp
An explanation of how levers work.
“Young Abraham Lincoln”
Informational: Literary Nonfiction
Life of Abe Lincoln, determination to overcome lack of schooling.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
A Brighter Light Read the text. Use the words in the box to help you understand it.
consolidate — put together filament — the part of a light bulb that glows white-hot — very hot patent — makes you the owner of your invention carbon — a hard material that looks like black rock create — make increase — make more inventor — person who makes something for the first time provide — give to
Today, almost every home in America has electric lights. In the 1870s, things were very different. Lamps that used gas or oil lit homes. Often the lamps started fires. At this time, Joseph Swan was an inventor in England. Thomas Edison was an American inventor. The two men wanted to use electricity for light. Both wanted to be the first to create a working light bulb. The problem was how to make a bulb glow. In a light bulb, electricity flows through a thin strip called a filament. The filament glows white-hot and creates light. Edison and Swan tried many different materials. They tried many materials from iron to paper. They even tried different kinds of hair! Sometimes the material did not light at all. Sometimes it caught fire. At almost the same time, Swan and Edison tried using carbon. This worked very well. The bulb worked for several hours. Swan got his patent for the light bulb in 1878. Edison got his patent about a year later. The first light bulb lasted only about 150 hours. Within four years, Edison made a bulb that lasted 1,200 hours. Today, a light bulb glows for about 2,000 hours. Thomas Edison was the first person to bring electricity into people’s homes. Edison designed the first electric power plant. The Pearl Street Power Station was in New York City. In 1882, it provided 203 people with power. That number increased very quickly. By 1900, 10,000 people had electricity in their homes. By 1910, the number was already up to 10,000,000. Edison and Swan thought each was stealing ideas from the other. Later, Edison and Swan agreed to work together. Together, they started an electric power company. Today this company is called Consolidated Edison.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
Apricot Banana Shakes
Art’s Paper Route Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
supervisor — boss; person in charge carrier — holder; container complaint — report of something being wrong wondrous — new and amazing savings account — a place where money is saved in a bank circulation manager — gives newspapers to the people that deliver them lack — not having
Art waited out on the cold, dark corner for the circulation manager to bring his bundle of newspapers. This was the fifth morning of his new paper route job, and the lack of sleep was catching up with him. Art let out a huge yawn as he spied the delivery truck two blocks up the road. “This is what I want to do,” he reminded himself, moving his arms a little to wake up and to keep warm. Art had told his father he wanted this paper route so that he could earn some money for a new skateboard. Art’s father agreed that it was time for Art to learn about work. At the time, Art wasn’t thinking about the hard work part; he was too busy dreaming about the skateboard and finding
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
wondrous places to go skating after school. Art’s father also insisted that half of the money go into a savings account Art had opened for himself. Now on this cold morning, Art wondered if it was worth it. His shoulders were sore from carrying the canvas newspaper bag. He was tired and he knew his afternoons would be spent doing homework, not skateboarding. He had even quit watching one of his favorite television programs so that he could go to bed earlier. Mr. Neff, the circulation manager in Art’s neighborhood, pulled up in the small newspaper van. Glancing at Art, he reached behind his seat and threw out a bundle of the morning newspapers. Mr. Neff didn’t look happy. He never looked happy. Art figured he didn’t like getting up early either. “Art,” Mr. Neff growled, “you have to get the papers out faster. I’m getting complaints.” Art looked up but said nothing. Art waited most mornings past the agreed-upon time for the papers, and yet here was his supervisor yelling at him. Mr. Neff drove off. Art unsnapped the plastic band that bound the newspapers and began shoving the stack into his canvas carrier. He wanted to quit right now. He thought of dropping the papers, heading home, and getting another 45 minutes of sleep and never delivering newspapers again. Art knew that couldn’t happen, though. He had made too much of a big deal about getting this job. Art needed to stick this out for a while. He knew his dad had bad days at work, and he never heard his dad talking about quitting. “No,” Art thought, “quitting is not the answer. I have an important job to do.”
An Interview with Bernie Mazor Read the text. Use the words in the box to help you understand it.
laptop — a computer you can carry network — a way to connect computers to one another prescribe — order medicine assignment — work interview — when one person asks another person questions normal — regular allergic — will get sick from frequently — often
How do computers help the nurses do their work? We have nurses who visit sick people in their homes. If the nurse brings a laptop computer with her, she can make notes of everything she does. She can write, “I saw a patient who needed a shot,” or “I saw a patient who needed medicine and a bath” and that information can be saved to the network at the doctor’s office. That way the nurses don’t have to do a lot of paperwork at home.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
Do the nurses bring their computers home at night? Nurses frequently take their computers home at night. At home they connect to the office network where they can get ready for their assignments the next day. It might say, “You need to see Mr. Green at 10:00 a.m. and Mrs. Jones at noon.” The nurses do not have to come into the office as often. How else can computers help nurses caring for ill people? A doctor might prescribe medicine for a patient. The nurse can use his computer to find out what other medicines that person is taking, and the computer will tell him if it’s safe to take those medicines together. The computer can tell him if someone is allergic to a medicine, and then the doctor can prescribe something different. The nurses can also use their computers to talk to each other if they have questions about their patients. What do you do as head of information technology? I make sure all the computers are working and are in good order. If the nurses have normal problems with the computers, I help fix them. I find ways to make them work. That’s the fun part of my job.
Biking Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
plywood — large, flat pieces of wood exclaim — say in an excited way gesture — describe something with body movement jersey — shirt mart — store concern — worry gear — connects to the wheel of the bicycle and controls how fast the wheel turns miserable — having a very bad time pouch — large pocket rotten — no longer good to eat
The three friends kept bicycling up the long hill. Graciela, Bill, and Marty were on a five-day, youth-club bicycle trip. All three had been looking forward to it and had trained for the trip by bicycling a few miles every day during the weeks leading up to the trip. Although it was only the second day of the trip, the friends were not enjoying themselves. Marty was not an experienced cyclist, and Bill and Graciela were too busy worrying about their friend to enjoy themselves. It all seemed more like hard work than the good time they had expected. “Are you in your lowest gear?” Bill yelled back to Marty, who was falling farther and farther behind. There was a long pause. Bill and Graciela could hear Marty struggling with the gears. “I’m trying,” Marty yelled back weakly.
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Bill and Graciela pulled over to the side of the road to wait. Graciela pulled her plastic water bottle from the cage on her bike frame and took a long drink. “I’m worried about Marty. He’s miserable,” she said. “I know. We have got to help him with his bike. Let’s wait until the van catches up with us. Let’s try to take his mind off of biking,” agreed Bill. They looked back and saw Marty walking his bike up to where they were waiting. He was panting and his face was bright red under his black helmet. Graciela and Bill looked at each other. “Don’t ask him if he’s all right,” Bill whispered. “It will make him feel like he might not be up to this trip.” Graciela nodded. As Marty caught up to his friends’ rest stop, he let his bike drop into the weeds at the side of the road, too tired to set it down carefully. “Hey, Mart, you have any trail mix left? I could use some,” asked Graciela. “Yeah, I do,” gasped Marty, and he reached into the pouch in his cycling jersey. “Marty, remember the time we biked out to the pear orchards and set up those little jumps? It looked like it does around here,” Bill gestured to the orchards at the side of the road. “Remember how the plywood ramp split in half and I fell on those rotten pears?” Graciela laughed and Marty smiled as they both remembered the accident. Bill pointed down the hill and exclaimed, “Hey, there’s the van!” Graciela flashed Bill a concerned look as the van pulled up. “Hey, Dave, could you look at Marty’s gear shifter? He’s having trouble getting into low gear.” Dave, one of the trip leaders, shouted out, “Sure! You guys want any water or fruit?” All three laughed as they crowded to the back of the van where the food was located. “Yeah, as long as it’s not pears.” They knew the afternoon and the rest of the trip would not be so bad after all.
Birth of an Island Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
created — made lava — melted rock that comes to Earth’s surface erupt — when lava comes up through a volcano source — where something comes from rotten — no longer fresh; bad smelling vessel — ship
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
Islands aren’t born very often. Sometimes, islands are created when a volcano erupts below the surface of the ocean. The lava cools and builds the volcano up. When the volcano gets tall enough, it pokes through the surface of the ocean. In the Atlantic Ocean, both Iceland and the Canary Islands were formed this way. Some islands, like Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean, are still being formed! In 1963, a crew on a fishing boat was present when one island was being born. Early one morning, the boat was sailing near the coast of Iceland. The crew awoke to what smelled like rotten eggs. No one knew what the source of the smell was. Suddenly, the boat began rocking back and forth. The sea began to boil like a pot of dark stew. Smoke started to rise out of the water. An underwater volcano was erupting right in front of their eyes! The captain and his crew moved the vessel and watched from a distance. The volcano spit rock and lava into the air. It looked like the sky was raining rocks. The volcano erupted for days. Finally the fires burned themselves out. The top of the volcano was sticking up out of the ocean. When the lava on top of the volcano cooled, a new island sat where only water had been before. Scientists were very excited because they had never seen a brand-new island. The scientists named the new island Surtsey after the Icelandic god of fire. It was the perfect name for such a fiery island. But the new island did not look much like other islands. It was only a pile of bare rock. There were no plants or animals on it. Scientists wondered how life would come to an empty island. They set up camp and watched and waited. Finally, after many months, a single plant began growing on the rocks. Scientists found that birds would often land on the island and drop plant material that had been trapped in their feathers and claws. Sometimes, the birds would drop seeds and a plant would begin to grow. Today, there are a lot of birds and plants living on Surtsey. Humans are not allowed to go there except for a few scientists. The island is protected so it can be studied. Surtsey is the perfect place to learn how plants and animals spread to new places around the earth.
Blowing Giant Bubbles! Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
created — to make flakes — a small, thin piece of something gently — not hard or strong layer — to stack recipe — a list that tells how to make something
Good friends Diego and Andrea rode their bikes to the park. That day there was a gentle breeze blowing and that made it a perfect day for making giant bubbles. At home, they had made a new bubble-blower using an old shirt. They had also created some giant-bubble soap using a special recipe. Now Diego and Andrea could make much bigger bubbles than were possible with the tiny
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
bubble-wands stores sell. Andrea had heard that the world-record bubble was over 100 feet long. She hoped that they could make an even bigger bubble. Making giant bubbles was going to be fun! What You Need:
Scissors
An old blanket
Sugar
Soap flakes or soap powder
A large jar with a lid
A painter’s tray or other large, deep pan
Steps for making the bubble-blower and special soap: 1. Use the scissors to cut a ring of cloth out of the old blanket. This ring will be your bubble “wand.” A ring about three feet across is best. 2. Pour four cups of warm tap water into your jar. 3. Stir in four tablespoons of soap flakes (one tablespoon for each cup of water). 4. While the water is still warm, stir in four tablespoons of sugar. 5. Put the lid on the jar and let the bubble soap sit for three days before using it. Steps for making giant bubbles: 1. Take your giant bubble-blower and soap to an open area on a day when a light breeze is blowing. 2. Pour the bubble soap into your painting tray or deep pan. 3. Dunk your cloth bubble-blower ring into the bubble soap until it is soaked. Pull the wet bubble-blower out of the tray or pan. 4. You and a friend can then gently pull the cloth ring open. The bubble soap will stay in a thin layer across the ring. 5. Turn the circle into the breeze and watch the bubbles fly!
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
Bob’s Arizona Tours
Canoeing Canoeing is a fun sport. Whether you live near a river, a pond or lake, or even the ocean, canoeing can be enjoyed most of the year. You can canoe by yourself, but it is safer and often more enjoyable to canoe with a friend. It takes more knowledge than strength to canoe. There are some simple steps to learn to paddle a canoe. Knowing the correct paddle strokes can save you a lot of energy. The following pictures show you some simple paddle strokes.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
Carrie’s Clarinet Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
dedication — focus clarinet — a kind of instrument that works when you blow into it beginners — people who are just starting to do something opportunity — a good chance warmly — nicely adults — grown people gently — softly mouthpiece — the part of an instrument someone blows into to make sound intently — carefully confident — sure
Beginning: Carrie dreams of being in the school band.
Carrie had dreamed of being in the school band for a long time. She loved marching band music and had always enjoyed watching her older sister, who was already in the band, marching in parades and sporting events. Now her dream was finally coming true! Carrie couldn’t quite believe that she was getting her chance at last. She knew that being in the school band took a lot of work and dedication, but she also knew that she could handle it. Carrie had chosen the clarinet as her instrument, and her mother thought that it would be a good idea to get Carrie a few lessons before school started. That way, Carrie could at least learn to read music and get started on the basics of clarinet playing. The high school offered music lessons for beginners, so Carrie’s mom signed her up. Carrie was quite excited about this opportunity.
Middle: Carrie has her first music lesson.
When the time came for her first lesson, Carrie made sure that her new clarinet was in its case and ready to go. She was nervous. She really wanted to do a good job and make her sister proud of her. Carrie’s mother took her to the music building at the high school for the lesson. Mrs. Williams, the teacher, was waiting for them and greeted Carrie and her mother warmly. The adults chatted for a minute, and then Carrie’s mom said that she would return in one hour. Carrie and Mrs. Williams went into the practice room next to the office and sat down behind a large, black music stand. Carrie’s heart was pounding as she gently removed her clarinet from its case. First, Mrs. Williams showed her how to put all the pieces together. Then, she went over all the basics, like how to hold the instrument and how to blow into the mouthpiece. Carrie listened intently to every word. When Mrs. Williams gave a nod, Carrie picked up her new clarinet and tried to play a few notes.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
A loud squeak came from the instrument and Carrie was soon out of breath. Mrs. Williams said that was normal for beginners, but with practice, Carrie would get better. They continued to work together until the lesson was over, and Carrie agreed to practice every day. Carrie’s mom arrived all too soon. Carrie thanked Mrs. Williams, and told her that she would see her next week. Carrie was very glad that she had started lessons, and was feeling much more confident about her chances of getting into the school band!
End:
Cats Can Recycle Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
recycle — use again; use more than once; make new again environment — the natural world around you eventually — sooner or later; will happen one day process — way of doing something bin/container — an object (such as a box or a can) that can hold something cabinet — cupboard react — to change the way you behave because of something that happens wasteful — making lots of waste
When Yuri got home from school, he hung his coat on the hook on the back of the door and walked into the kitchen to feed Simba. It was one of his jobs to feed the cat when he got home from school. He looked down at Simba’s food bowl and saw that it was empty. He heard a meow behind him and turned around to find the cat looking up at him with sad eyes. Simba was a great actor. Yuri got out the step stool and climbed up to get a can of cat food from the cabinet. He opened the can and spooned the food into Simba’s bowl. The cat turned up his nose at the food and walked away. Yuri knew the cat would eat it eventually; this was just a game he liked to play. Yuri rinsed the can and then opened the cabinet under the sink to throw the empty can into the recycling bin. He noticed a huge plastic bin under the sink. It was full of dry cat food. What would Simba think about this? “Hey, Mom,” Yuri called. “What’s this huge bin for?” “We’re going to try cutting down on the number of cans we use,” his mom said as she walked into the kitchen. “From now on, we’re going to buy as many things in bulk as we can. That refillable container of cat food is just the beginning.” “What does ‘bulk’ mean?” Yuri asked.
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“It means buying a lot of one thing at a time so there isn’t so much packaging. Think about how many cans we use just to feed Simba.” “But we recycle our cans, don’t we?” Yuri asked. “Why should we worry about how much we use if we recycle it all? We already save all our cans and bottles.” “That’s true,” said his mom, “but it’s still wasteful to use small packages for everything. Not everything can be recycled easily. Cans are expensive for the recycling company to process. The first step in helping the environment is not to use so much stuff in the first place. When we empty that container under the sink, we can refill it at the pet store. That way, there are no cans to recycle, and no paper bags to throw away.” Yuri thought that what his mom said made sense, but he wasn’t sure how Simba would react to the new food. He looked under the sink again at the plastic container. He knew the cat would probably make a fuss at first. But maybe Simba would eat the food when he thought no one was watching. After all, cats have to do their part, too.
Champion Rider Read the text. Use the words in the box to help you understand it.
Nervously — To do something in a nervous or worried way Pacing back and forth — Walk between two spots, usually a sign that the person is worried or thinking hard Heartbroken — Very, very sad Whickered — A happy noise horses make Bridle — Something a horse wears on its head so the rider can control it Arena — An area where horses are ridden Perfectly — To do something without mistakes Bond — Friendship Have the courage — Be brave
Almost every Saturday for the last six months, Ana had been going to the Sunset Riding Stable in the neighboring town for riding lessons. This Saturday was no different. There was one small difference though, and that was why Ana was nervously pacing back and forth in her bedroom. Her stomach was in knots, and her mother was running late. “Today of all days,” she groaned. Ana had been preparing for this day ever since she began her riding lessons. The school horse she rode was named Buster, and Ana had loved him from the first minute she saw him. They worked together, learning from each other, and both of them tried hard to make sure that they got the most out of each lesson. Buster was a small, brown horse, with a white streak down the center of his face. He must have thought that Ana was special, because he was always on his best behavior with her. He was very eager to please Ana, and she knew that he would be heartbroken if she did not show up today.
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STAR Custom—Reading Passages: Grade 4
“Mom,” called Ana from her room, “I’m not sure that I can go through with this. Maybe I had better just stay home.” Ana’s mother finally came upstairs and sat on the edge of Ana’s bed. “Honey, you’re going to do just fine. You and Buster are a great team. Now let’s get going, or we really will be late!” When Ana and her mother arrived at Sunset Riding Stable, Ana quickly headed for Buster’s stall. “Hi, boy,” she greeted him. “Did you think I wasn’t coming?” Buster whickered softly, as if to say that he knew she wouldn’t let him down. Ana brushed his shiny coat, braided his mane and tail, and gave him a carrot. Then, she carefully put the saddle and bridle on him and climbed aboard. She and Buster were both excited, and he tossed his head as they walked into the riding arena. Ana’s teacher was standing with a man Ana had never seen before. The other students were trotting along the fence of the riding arena, and Ana took her place among them. Soon, the man standing with the riding teacher began calling out commands. “Walk your horses!” “Trot your horses!” Ana and the other students followed the instructions until finally the man called them into the center of the arena. Ana and Buster knew that they had done everything perfectly! She was very proud of the little brown horse and patted his neck lovingly. Suddenly, Ana’s riding teacher and the strange man were standing in front of Ana and her horse with a large blue ribbon. “In honor of being the best student in the class, we would like to present you with this ribbon,” the man called out. Ana was so surprised that she almost lost her balance as she reached down for the ribbon. Buster settled beneath her and pricked his ears forward, looking every bit the champion that he was. All of their hard work had paid off! Ana chuckled to think that she almost hadn’t made it to the stable today, and knew that it was her bond with Buster that had given her the courage to try.
Dried Fruit Leather Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
foil — metal paper combine — mix prune — dried plum variety — many kinds drain — pour off equipment — tools liquid — can be poured (e.g. water) recipe — directions for cooking
Turner didn’t believe his friend when Cole said he was going to eat leather for lunch. Of course, Turner had never heard of fruit leather. He tried some of Cole’s treat that day, and now he makes leather and eats it all the time. He uses the same recipe as Cole too. Dried Fruit Leather To help us grow strong, we need to eat a variety of healthy foods. We should eat several helpings of fruit each day. The following recipe is a delicious way to add fruit to your snacks!
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Food You Will Need:
1/2 pound of dried apples, pears, peaches, apricots, or mixed fruit
1 1/2 cups water
Equipment You Will Need:
a medium-size pan
15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan
nonstick cooking spray
plastic wrap
foil
blender
Preparing the Fruit: 1. In the pan, combine the dried fruit and the water. 2. Because the stove will become hot, ask an adult to help you bring the water to a boil. 3. Lower the heat and cover the pan. 4. Cook the fruit until it is very tender: 15 min. for apples and 30 min. for other fruits. 5. Drain off any liquid. 6. Cool the mixture. 7. If you are using prunes, remove the pits. 8. Blend the fruit in a blender. Baking the Fruit: 1. Line the baking pan with foil. 2. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking oil. 3. Spread the fruit in a thin, even layer over the foil. 4. Heat oven to 300 degrees, and bake the fruit for 25 minutes. 5. Without opening the door, turn off the oven. 6. Let the fruit dry in the oven for eight hours or overnight. Enjoying the Fruit: 1. Lift the foil and fruit leather out of the baking pan. 2. Remove the fruit leather from the foil. 3. Roll up the fruit leather from one of the short sides.
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4. Wrap the roll in plastic wrap. 5. You can store the fruit roll in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or in the freezer up to 6 months. 6. To eat the fruit leather, unroll it and tear off pieces. Makes one 10-inch roll.
Eldorado 1 Gaily bedight A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado. 2 But he grew old, This knight so bold, And o’er his heart a shadow Fell as he found No spot of ground That looked like Eldorado. 3 And, as his strength Failed him at length, He met a pilgrim shadow: “Shadow,” said he, “Where can it be, This land of Eldorado?” 4 “Over the mountains Of the Moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride,” The shade replied, “If you seek for Eldorado!” —Poe, Edgar Allan. Eldorado. Project Gutenberg. Last updated Sept. 2005.
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Exploring the Grand Canyon Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it. pueblos — Native American homes in the Southwest made from clay and stone Hopi — Native American people of Arizona Zuni — Native American people of New Mexico conquer — using force to take control over a place
Hundreds of years ago, most people did not know about the Grand Canyon. Today, nearly everyone knows about it. Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to learn about the Grand Canyon, but they found it by accident when they were exploring the land near it. One of these explorers was Coronado, who was born in 1510 and went to Mexico in 1535. He had heard stories about the Seven Cities of Cíbola. These cities were supposed to be full of gold. He wanted to find the cities and conquer them for Spain. In 1542, Coronado headed north from Mexico to find the cities. He took 300 soldiers and some native guides with him as he crossed part of what is now called Arizona. From there he went on to Cíbola, which is part of New Mexico today. He found the pueblos of the Zuni people, but there was no gold. Coronado told one of his captains, Garcia López de Cárdenas, to go west and look for the cities. The captain took Hopi guides with him who told him about a river. After marching for twenty days, they did not find any gold, but they found the river at the bottom of an amazing canyon. Cárdenas stood at the top of the South Rim of the canyon with twelve other men. They were the first Europeans to see the huge canyon. It went for miles in both directions. The walls of the canyon went straight down. They were very steep, and the stone was in many beautiful colors, even blue and red. Almost a mile below, Cárdenas and his men could see the Colorado River. Some of the men tried to get down to the river, but they could only get part way down before they gave up. One of the men took notes about what they saw and later he gave them to Coronado. The notes said that the men made a guess about the distance across the canyon. Years later, it was discovered that their guess was about right! Cárdenas and his men were disappointed they had not found the cities of gold. Today people know they found something much better, the Grand Canyon. Since those early days, part of the Grand Canyon in Arizona has become a national park. Every year, millions of people from all around the world come to see and explore this natural wonder of the world.
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First Flight Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
security checkpoint— the area in a place like an airport where security checks happen to make sure people do not have things they shouldn’t conveyor— a machine that moves things like bags so people can load or move them cockpit— the place on the airplane where the pilot sits runway— a long strip of ground where airplanes take off and land agent— a person who does a service for someone else, like help with travel plans limit— the number that is highest or lowest allowed
Jacob had never been outside of his home state, North Carolina. But today, he and his parents were on their way to the airport. They were going to visit Jacob’s grandparents in Michigan. Jacob was both excited and a little afraid. He had seen airplanes on television, and had even seen them flying far overhead. However, he had never been on a plane before. The thought of flying made him nervous. Jacob’s mom talked all the way to the airport about the plane trips she had taken as a young girl. She made it sound like a lot of fun, and Jacob was always up for an adventure. When they finally arrived at the airport, Jacob was feeling less afraid and was looking forward to getting a closer look at one of the big jet airplanes. First, however, they needed to wait in line to give their tickets to the agent at the counter. The agent told Jacob’s dad about the bag limit and then asked Jacob’s dad how many bags he would be checking on the plane. After his dad answered, the agent put tickets on the bags that were being checked and placed them on a large conveyor belt. Jacob’s dad explained that the bags were going to be loaded into the plane and would arrive in Michigan at the same time as the family arrived. The agent then took the tickets and told Jacob and his family to have a nice flight. As they walked down the long hallway to the security checkpoint, Jacob got his first look at one of the huge airplanes. It was backing away from the building in preparation for the long drive down the runway. Jacob was very surprised to see the pilot waving at him from the cockpit! Jacob smiled and waved back, then turned away from the window. He was beginning to feel much better about flying in an airplane, knowing that a friendly pilot would be at the controls!
Hot Air Balloons Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
fun activity — something people enjoy doing helium — a gas that is lighter than air, usually used to fill balloons propane — a gas that burns easily gondola— the part of a hot air balloon that carries the people
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On sunny weekend mornings, when there is a gentle wind and the sky is clear, you can see hot air balloons dotting the sky in many areas of this country. Hot air ballooning is becoming a popular sport as well as a fun activity for those who would like to see the world from a different point of view. How exactly does a hot air balloon work? It has to do with being lighter than air. You’ve probably seen small balloons at the circus or at a party that rise into the air. Those balloons will float away into the sky if you let go of them. Those balloons are filled with a gas called helium. Helium is lighter than air. However, helium is too rare and expensive to use in large balloons. Hot air is an easier and less expensive way to lift a large balloon into the sky. Like helium, hot air is lighter than the cool air outside the balloon. If you trap enough hot air in a balloon, the balloon will lift into the sky.
How Do You “Howdy Do”? Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
culture— the way of life of a group or of groups of people symbolic— a thing or action that shows an idea without using words tradition— stories or actions that groups of people share and do for a long time affection— a feeling of liking and caring for someone or something formal— to follow special rules ranks— a special level a person earns when they are in the Army or Navy or Marines or Air Force visor— something that covers and protects your eyes helmet— a hard hat that is worn to protect your head military— a part of the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines
When two people meet, their greetings to each other often involve more than the words they say. Not only are there a lot of ways to say hello, there are a lot of ways to show hello. The hand motions or other body movements that people make when they meet are as important as saying the right words. However, these body movements are not the same for everybody. In America, people usually greet each other with a handshake to show respect for the other person. Athletes from opposite teams shake hands before a game to show respect for each other. Business people shake hands for the same reason. However, most Americans don’t shake hands when they
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meet people they already know well. When American friends meet each other, they might only wave, slap palms, or maybe just nod their heads. They could say “hello” without making any special motions at all. Military people use a special greeting called a salute. When two people of different ranks greet for the first time each day, they raise their right hands to touch their own foreheads. This custom may have come from the days when knights wore helmets with visors that covered their eyes. A knight had to lift the visor off of his eyes so people could see who he was. In New Zealand, many people touch their foreheads and noses when they meet. It’s symbolic of “breathing the same breath.” This is an old tradition that comes from the Maori, who were the first people to live in New Zealand. Even today, many people in New Zealand greet each other in this way. Kissing is sometimes used as a way to greet someone. In some countries, important people used to wear special rings. It was the custom for visitors to kiss these rings when they came for a meeting. In France, when people meet they still sometimes kiss each other on the cheek as a sign of affection or respect. Traditional Japanese culture is very formal. The usual greeting is a bow. Some people bow to each other every time they meet. Even family members sometimes bow to each other. People decide how low to bow based on how important or respected the other person is. When two people who have the same importance or job meet, they each bow as low as the other person. Today, new ways of greeting are created all the time. People can say or show hello any way they choose. They can do this with a quick “hi,” a handshake, or even a simple smile. The important thing is that the people they are greeting understand them.
How Plants Help Us Breathe Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
cycle — something that happens over and over process — the way something happens cells — the smallest parts that make up living things minerals — food for plants, found in the ground produce — make
Do you have a favorite plant? So many plants are beautiful, but you might not know that they are also very helpful. Plants help humans and other animals in a way that nothing else can. In fact, without plants, we wouldn’t be able to breathe! Plants make something called “oxygen.” Oxygen is a gas that humans and other animals need to live. We breathe in oxygen and then use the oxygen in our bodies. For example, oxygen keeps our cells alive, keeps our hearts pumping, and keeps our muscles working.
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After oxygen is used up, our bodies make something called “carbon dioxide,” which we breathe out. This process happens in our lungs every time a breath is taken. When you breathe out carbon dioxide, it does not go to waste. Carbon dioxide is used by plants just like humans and other animals use oxygen. Plants breathe in carbon dioxide through tiny holes in their leaves. They use the carbon dioxide, water, sunlight, and a few minerals to once again produce oxygen. So the cycle continues with plants helping animals and animals helping plants.
How the Painted Desert Came to Be Read the text. Use the word in the box below to help you understand it.
dye — a color change that will stay a long time
Painted Lizard loved color. His hair was bright red and his eyes were forest green. His robes were gold and blue. His home had all the colors of the rainbow. In fact, everything he owned was colorful. Painted Lizard had something else. He had an amazing gift of being able to paint anything. He could paint a white cloud pink or a dark sky blue. If a plant started to fade, he could paint it bright green again. Painted Lizard lived in the desert. Each morning Painted Lizard took a walk in the desert. He took his paintbrush with him to paint everything he saw. In just one day, Painted Lizard painted a horse blue, a cow pink, and a tree as red as the sun. When the sun started to set, he painted a beautiful sunset in the sky. There was one problem with Painted Lizard’s painting. The colors in his paint only lasted a short while. Every night, the colors went away. All the bright colors that he painted in the desert changed back to brown. One day, Painted Lizard went to visit his friend, Rumbling Cloud, who also lived in the brown desert. Rumbling Cloud and his three daughters, Nizhoni, Whipple, and Lacey, loved bright colors. Their robes, clothes, and blankets were dyed with all the colors of the rainbow. The colors did not fade. Rumbling Cloud and his daughters wished the brown desert would stay as colorful as their clothes. Excitement grew when Painted Lizard arrived at Rumbling Cloud’s home. Rumbling Cloud and his daughters wanted to see bright colors in the desert. All day Painted Lizard painted the desert with color. That evening, they sat outside, enjoying the pink and orange sky. They stayed up late to take in every bit of color because they knew the colors would be gone the next day. As the daylight began to fade, Rumbling Cloud’s joy began to fade also. Rumbling Cloud said he wished the colors would stay forever.
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Painted Lizard saw how sad Rumbling Cloud was. He asked Nizhoni, Whipple, and Lacey, “What can I do to make Rumbling Cloud happy again?” “Make the colors stay,” the daughters cried out. How could Painted Lizard do this? Painted Lizard wondered why the bright colors faded. He asked the daughters if they knew why. The girls looked at the bright colors in their clothes. The daughters told Painted Lizard why they did not fade. Then the daughters and Painted Lizard came up with a plan. That night, while everyone slept, Painted Lizard set out his paints. He mixed them with the dyes the daughters used for their clothes. Then he took his paintbrush in his hand, walked into the desert, and painted all night long. He painted the plants bright green with colorful flowers. He painted the sand pink, yellow, and blue. The rocks were painted bright red and orange. Finally, Painted Lizard took all the different colors and painted everything he saw and then he walked home. The next morning the daughters woke up. They went outside to do their chores. The desert was painted with bright colors everywhere. Quickly, the girls ran to tell their father. All day long they enjoyed the colors. That night Rumbling Cloud grew sad because he knew that Painted Lizard would not be there to paint the bright colors again. The next day, the colors would be gone. However, the next morning when Rumbling Cloud awoke, the desert was still painted. The girls told him how Painted Lizard had mixed his paints with dye. To this day, no matter how many nights pass, the colors in the desert do not fade. This land is now called the Painted Desert. Tales of Painted Lizard are still told around campfires at night. Visitors can see the three points above this colorful desert. Nizhoni, Whipple, and Lacey Points are named after the daughters who told Painted Lizard about the dye.
How to Live in Death Valley Read the text. Use the words below to help you understand it.
rodent — a small animal that has sharp front teeth used for chewing (like mice or squirrels) moisture — when something wet like water makes things damp abilities — having the skills to do something comfortably — finding comfort in something gills — the part of a fish that helps them get what they need in water
People use technology to live comfortably in hot climates. People use freezers to make ice cubes for cold drinks. They use air conditioning to stay cool. If they still can’t stand the heat, they use cars to drive to a cooler place. One of the hottest places on Earth is Death Valley. The animals in Death Valley don’t use technology to stay cool. But some of them have special abilities that help them live there. The kangaroo rat is one animal that lives in Death Valley. It has big hind legs like a kangaroo, but it is really a rodent. During the day in Death Valley, it gets hotter than 100 degrees. The kangaroo rat rests
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all day in a hole in the ground. It plugs the hole with grass to keep out the heat. The inside of the hole stays cool from moisture in the ground. The kangaroo rat comes out at night when the temperature is cooler. This little rat is also very good at saving water. It gets all the water it needs from the foods it eats. Some kangaroo rats never take a drink of water in their entire lives! The sun makes the desert sand very hot. Animals, like snakes, get too hot if they lie on the hot sand too long. One snake, called the sidewinder, can solve this problem. When it travels, the sidewinder bends its body so that only two spots are touching the hot sand at one time. A lot of water in the desert is too salty for most animals to drink. Actually, all water has some salt in it. As the desert heat dries up pools of water, the salt is left behind. The remaining water in these pools can be three times saltier than the ocean. One kind of fish, the desert pupfish, can live in these salty pools because it can drink the saltwater. It gets rid of the salt through its gills. Animals use their special abilities to live in Death Valley. People use technology to live in Death Valley. We use our imaginations to invent new tools. These tools keep us cool. Which way do you think works best?
Jeff Rand, Nature Camp Counselor Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it. interview — a meeting to learn about a person’s job or skills survive — to stay alive naturally — when something happens as it is supposed to pollute — to spoil or add waste identify — to know and label the name of something environment — the world animals and people live in
In this interview, fourth-grader Simon Whalen interviews Jeff Rand. Jeff works at a summer camp in northern California and teaches campers about the natural world. SIMON: Why do you teach at a summer camp instead of at a school? JEFF: When I was in college, I knew I wanted to teach, but I did not want to be in a classroom eight hours a day. Summer camp is the perfect place to teach students about nature because there you are surrounded by the natural world. SIMON: What do you try to teach the children who come to camp? JEFF: We try to show how all forms of life on planet Earth depend on other forms of life. Humans, plants, and animals all need each other to survive. If a plant that rabbits eat stops growing in an area, then the rabbits must go somewhere else to find food. Then the animals that hunt rabbits have to move too. So when one thing changes in the natural world, other things have to change also.
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SIMON: How do these changes happen? JEFF: Sometimes changes occur naturally, like during a snowstorm, or rock slide, or earthquake. But most often, people change the natural world. We build on the land and sometimes pollute the air and water. These actions have an effect on the plants and animals. SIMON: What do kids do when they come to camp? JEFF: A lot of things. They do experiments on the water in the stream. They identify trees, plants, and tracks. They watch animals that are only active at night. They might even plant some trees here. They also hear stories from other teachers who have done some amazing things for the environment. Mostly, being in an open place with trees and wildlife all around reminds the students that it is still a big, natural world out there and we need to know how to take care of it.
Kathy’s Secret Hiding Place Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
nook — a hidden place
Kathy usually enjoyed playing with her little brother, Jordan. Sometimes though, she wanted some time alone. Jordan was four, and Kathy had the hardest time keeping him out of her things! She didn’t mind sharing with him. She just wished she had a place to go that was all hers. She had read a story once about a girl her age who had a secret hiding place. Kathy thought that a secret hiding place would solve her problem. The next day after school, Kathy hurried home to explore her house to find a secret hiding place of her own. She even thought about looking around outside. Her secret hiding place had to be somewhere Jordan would never, ever find! She looked all over, both inside and out. Finally, Kathy noticed a big, old oak tree in the backyard. “Hmm,” thought Kathy. “I never really noticed that tree before.” Its limbs were large and hugging the ground. This could be just the place! Kathy quickly ran over to the tree and began to climb. Part of the way up the tree, Kathy found a nook that was the perfect spot for sitting, reading, or just being away from Jordan. Kathy loved her little brother, but she was glad that she had a place to go when she wanted to be alone. Her secret hiding place was very special. Kathy knew that there would be times when she would have to help with Jordan. But she also knew there were times when she could just be alone, lost in thought, in her secret hiding place.
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Lovely Llamas Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
variety — having different types or kinds ability — a natural or learned skill loyal — a faithful friend valuable — of great use or service
Llamas are becoming very popular in North America. Not long ago, people in America saw llamas only in zoos. Today, they can be seen in a variety of places. On drives between cities, travelers may pass a farm where some of these big wooly animals, which have necks like giraffes and tails like sheep, are grazing. Llamas are popular because of their wool. They come from high mountains in South America called the Andes. These mountains are very cold for most of the year. Llamas grow long wooly coats to keep warm in this cold weather. This wool is great for making sweaters. Some people think it’s even better than sheep’s wool. Llamas are also popular animals to use on backpacking trips. They are very strong and surefooted. They can carry heavy camping gear, which makes a hike more enjoyable for campers. Nature photographers often use llamas to carry their extra cameras. Llamas can easily climb over loose rocks and travel on difficult trails where horses and mules cannot go. Their small feet also do less damage to trails than the hooves of larger animals. In addition, llamas are popular with sheep ranchers. Sheep ranchers know that raising a few llamas with a flock of sheep is valuable. If a young llama is raised around sheep, it may think of the flock as its family. A llama will always try to protect its family. Llamas have sharp hooves that they use to kick at coyotes or stray dogs that bother the sheep. Coyotes and dogs soon learn to leave sheep alone if they are being protected by a llama. Besides their wool, ability to carry heavy loads, and use as a guard animal, there is one more reason why llamas are becoming so popular: They are as friendly and loyal as dogs. Llamas are more than pets; they are companions. No wonder so many people have started raising them.
Martin and His Dad Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
classic — one of the best of its kind chrome — a shiny metal wrench — a tool used to turn or twist (usually bolts) measurement — finding out how big or small something is system — a way of doing things
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Martin was tired of watching television. He turned off the TV and walked out to the garage to see what his father was doing. His dad spent a lot of time working on his car. It was a 1967 Corvette, a classic sports car. It was red, had lots of chrome on it, and seated only two people. Martin loved to go for rides with his dad when the car was running. Today, the car wasn’t running. Martin opened the door to the garage. He could see his dad’s legs sticking out from under the car. “Hi, Dad,” he said. A voice came from somewhere under the car. “Hey, Martin.” “Can I help?” Martin asked. “You can get me a nine-sixteenths wrench,” his dad said. “Do you know which one that is?” “Sure,” Martin said. He had watched his dad work on his car for a long time now and knew which wrench his dad was talking about. He went over to the tool cabinet and pulled open the drawer. Inside, several shiny wrenches were lined up from biggest to smallest. But when he picked one up to look for the number on it, he was confused. “Hey Dad,” Martin asked. “What does ‘17 mm’ mean?” “Those are millimeters. You must be looking at a metric wrench,” Dad explained. “Try the next drawer down.” Martin got the correct wrench out of the second drawer and handed it to his dad under the car. He sat down on a stool and thought for a minute. “So, what is metric?” he asked. “And why won’t it work for your car?” Dad slid himself out from under the car and stood up. “It’s a different measuring system people use,” he said. “They measure nuts and bolts in millimeters instead of inches. My car was made in the United States. Most cars made in America use inches, or standard measure. Most other countries decided to use metric measurement. Your mom’s car was made in Germany so the metric tools will work on it.” “So, that wrench was seventeen millimeter size,” Martin said. “Yes, Martin,” replied Dad. “Can you tell how that measuring system works?” “It looks like the wrenches get larger as the numbers get bigger. So, a seventeen millimeter wrench is five millimeters bigger than the twelve millimeter wrench.” “That’s right. Each wrench gets a little bigger with each millimeter.” “That makes more sense to me than those fractions on the standard wrenches,” Martin said. “Wouldn’t it be easier if everybody used the same system of measurement?” “Yes, I guess it would be, Martin. Then I would have had to buy only one set of wrenches.”
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Middleton Library Summer Readers Application Form Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
application — a form that asks for permission to do something certify — to agree that something is correct initial — to write the letters that start your first and last name signature — the way you sign your name
Middleton Library Summer Readers Application Form To join the Middleton Library Summer Readers program, fill out the application below and return it to the library. The Summer Readers Tracking Sheet below is for you to keep track of the books you have read. When you check out a book, write the name of it and the author on the sheet and have the librarian initial it. When you have finished reading the book, have a parent initial the sheet also. At the end of the summer, prizes will be given to the students who have read the most books. Name: ___________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ____________________________________________________ School: __________________________________________________________ Grade: ________ Do you have a library card? _____ yes _____ no If you do not already have a library card, talk to your librarian to get one. How many hours a day do you read? _____ less than 1 hour _____ about 1 hour _____ more than 1 hour
Summer Reading Hours Tracking Sheet Book Title
Book Author
Librarian’s Initials
Parent’s Initials
I certify that I have read all of the books listed above: Signature: ____________________________________________________________
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Miguel’s Game Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
contact — touch; hit distracted — not able to pay attention impatient — having trouble waiting
Miguel stood at home plate trying to remember the batting tips his coach had given him. This season Miguel became distracted by little things at his baseball games, like parents cheering and team chatter. Earlier in the game, he was distracted by looking at the pitcher’s face and not at the ball. By the time he realized he was supposed to swing the bat, the ball was in the catcher’s glove. “All right, Miguel, where’s the ball coming from?” Miguel heard his coach, Ed, ask in a calm voice. Miguel looked at the pitcher. Miguel was thinking too much about what was going on around him. He was even thinking about how he was going to feel after the game, and the game wasn’t even over. It was only the fifth inning, and Miguel had struck out once again. Ed just smiled and asked Miguel if he was watching the ball and having any fun watching it. “That’s a funny thing to ask,” thought Miguel. Now he was at the plate again. It was the bottom of the seventh inning, with one out and teammates on second and third. His team was behind by two runs. Miguel wondered about that business of “having fun watching the ball.” The pitcher sailed the ball past him for a strike. “Are you having fun watching the ball?” came Ed’s voice from the bench. The next pitch, Miguel watched the ball “for fun.” He saw the ball come out of the pitcher’s hand and was shocked at how much time he had to swing the bat. The ball sailed over the plate for strike two. Miguel turned and smiled at Ed. “Good, good,” Ed said. “Now, what are you going to do?” Miguel turned, held the bat high, and waited for the next pitch. Something was different about the pitch this time, so Miguel did not swing. The pitch was called a ball. Some of Miguel’s teammates were getting impatient, but Miguel made a discovery. He wasn’t thinking of anything but the ball. The next pitch left the pitcher’s hand like the first two. The ball looked like it was in slow motion. Miguel watched the ball and saw the moment his bat made contact with the ball. The baseball shot through an open space between the shortstop and second baseman. Miguel’s teammates, who were on second and third base, crossed home plate to score. Miguel’s team won in extra innings that day. More importantly, Miguel learned that it was fun to watch the ball!
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Movie Reviews Read the text below. Use the words in the box to help you understand it.
doomed— with no hope of escape gorilla— a large animal like an ape or monkey outrun— to run faster than someone chasing them review— writing what you think of a movie sidekick— a best friend and helper, like Robin for Batman
The Daily Times Newspaper Movie Guide Return to the Jungle is the story of an old gorilla named Moe who escapes from a city zoo to return to his home in the jungle. Along the way, he makes an unlikely friend in a good-natured cheetah named Skip. Together, Moe and Skip try to outrun the zookeepers, who want to bring them back to the zoo. Will they make it home, or are Moe and Skip doomed to a life in the city? Rick Ribbon’s Movie Review Return to the Jungle is one of the best movies of the year. The story is both funny and smart. The main character, Moe, is clever and likeable. His sidekick, Skip, is a hoot! The adventures are surprising at every turn. Most of all, the ending of Return to the Jungle makes the movie well worth the price of the ticket. This is a film for the whole family. Joe Logan’s Movie Review Even though Return to the Jungle has some funny moments, it is not a movie worth seeing. The action is so fast-paced that I could hardly figure out what was going on. Moe’s friend, Skip, tries a little too hard to be funny. Instead, most of his jokes fall flat. Although the ending is touching, Return to the Jungle misses the mark.
My Cats Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
effort — hard work generation — all of the animals born and living at the same time pests — animals that cause problems for people survive — to live
I live with two three-year old cats I have had since they were kittens. They eat well and get plenty of exercise chasing each other about the house. They enjoy the comfort of someone’s warm lap when they want to rest. The way I see it, they are a pair of happy, healthy house cats. Even though my cats are tame, they still have wild instincts. I live in a forest, and the cats spend much of their time outside. I feed them and they get exercise, so I wouldn’t expect them to hunt for other animals. However, every day these two cats bring home some new creature they have hunted. On my
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doorstep I find mice, moles, snakes, and birds. They don’t eat these animals; they just bring them home. Why do these tame cats, raised by humans since they were kittens, make the effort to hunt all these animals? Like larger cats, such as lions and leopards, house cats are born with several special skills. They see better in dim light than people do. Cats have organs in their mouth that give them an amazing sense of smell. They climb trees, dart and run quickly, and leap long distances. Cats also have a very good sense of balance and can walk along the tops of narrow fences or along narrow ledges. If cats fall, they almost always adjust their bodies to land on their feet. Born with such skills, cats have a natural need to use them. This natural sense is called instinct. These instincts were developed more than 5,000 years ago, before small cats were tamed. They have been passed down in house cats from generation to generation. While not necessary to survive any more, these instincts are kept alive in the way cats play with each other or with toys. In fact, when a cat brings a creature home and drops it on your doorstep or at your feet, it shows that your cat likes you. The cat is bringing you a present! People often keep cats to kill pests like mice and rats. When a cat begins doing away with too much wildlife, however, a cat owner can put a tiny bell on the cat’s collar. The bell warns other animals that the cat is nearby. Do you think my cats need to wear little bells?
Nancy’s Sweater Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
unthinkable — something you can’t imagine confusion — not making sense exclaimed — said excitedly impression — will be remembered for loan — let borrow outfit — clothes
Sofia sat sadly on the edge of her bed. Where had she put the sweater? It wasn’t in her closet and it wasn’t in the laundry basket. She had even checked under her bed, but it was nowhere to be found. “Nancy is never going to speak to me again!” wailed Sofia. She had borrowed Nancy’s favorite sweater to wear to the party. Sofia had really been looking forward to the party, and when Nancy offered to loan her the sweater, Sofia was thrilled! The sweater was pale blue with dark blue threads woven into a lovely pattern. It matched her new skirt perfectly. Sofia knew that the outfit would make her stand out in the crowd. At the party, Sofia had made quite an impression. Everyone commented on how nice she looked, and she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face all night. She owed much of her happiness to her friend
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Nancy, and now Sofia had done the unthinkable! She looked around her room one last time, then trudged slowly into the living room to call her friend. As Sofia reached for the phone, the doorbell rang. Sofia looked out the front window and there stood Nancy, wearing the lovely blue sweater! Sofia blinked in confusion and let her friend in. “I just wanted to stop by to see if you could come to the park with me,” Nancy greeted her. “Why do you have such a funny look on your face?” “The sweater!” Sofia gasped. “You’re wearing the sweater!” “Yes,” answered Nancy slowly. “After you brought it back to me the other day, I put it right into my closet. But today seemed like just the day to wear it to the park.” Sofia hugged her friend tightly, laughing. “Have I got a funny story for you!” she exclaimed as she shut the door behind them.
New Dome Tent Set-Up Instructions
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One Good Look Napping under a rock, the Gila monster Woke and opened one eye When a curious girl Went passing by. Lucinda was looking for a lizard Like one in her book, All she wanted Was one good look. Catching sight of the lizard With pink and black scales, Lucinda kept a good distance And studied its tail. This curious tail So short and so stout Stores a fat reserve In case food should run out. Her curiosity settled, With one good look She had found the lizard From her science book. Although the book’s pictures Were glossy and nice, Lucinda decided the lizard Was better in real life.
Oysterville Crate Race Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
crate — a large wood box competed — to take part in a contest contestant — someone who is a part of the race determined — set on an idea pier — a platform that leads into the water
Rita was excited when she noticed the sign in a store window. One of her favorite events was the Oysterville Crate Race. She loved trying to keep her balance while she competed, and everyone had so much fun when an unlucky contestant fell into the water. Rita was determined to win this year!
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OYSTERVILLE CRATE RACE When: Saturday, August 15 WHO CAN ENTER? Boys and girls! Group 1: Under 3 years old Group 2: 3–5 years Group 3: 6–9 years Group 4: 10–13 years RULES: For the race, 50 wooden crates are tied together between two piers. The crates float on top of the water, and racers try to balance themselves and run across the crates as fast as possible. If you make it across the crates, you must turn around and come back across the crates again. The object is to cross as many times as possible without falling off. One girl crossed over 2,300 crates. That means she crossed the 50 crates 46 times! WHAT YOU NEED: You will need sneakers, a swim suit, a life jacket and good balance to race over as many crates as possible before you fall into the water. PRIZES: First place in each age group wins $25. Runners-up in each age group will get crab dinners. Can you walk on water? Well, maybe you can by stepping on a row of wooden crates. The Oysterville Crate Race is a crazy way to take a swim and a great way to have some fun. There are many other races across crates in the water, but the Oysterville Crate Race is the world’s first crate race!
Piglet and Ya-ya Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
spices — something that usually gives flavor to food but smells very strong Greek — a person who could have come from Greece, or could have family that came from Greece differently — when something is being done different old-fashioned — clothes or actions that aren’t really seen or done anymore, but once were very popular
When Katarina was a little girl, her grandmother came to stay with her and her parents. The movers brought in old trunks and boxes that smelled like strange spices and mothballs. Soon the whole house began to smell like her grandmother’s things. Katarina did not like it, and she was a little afraid of her grandmother at first. Her grandmother was called Ya-ya, and she was always very serious. She sometimes seemed angry because Katarina did not understand what she said.
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But Ya-ya always cooked wonderful things. Every time Ya-ya called “Gourounimu! Come here!” Katarina went running for the kitchen singing the strange word, “GO – RO – NEE – MOO!” She was happy because it meant Ya-ya was going to give her a sweet snack or let her lick the spoons and beaters. Even then, Ya-ya did not smile very much, but Katarina could see in her eyes that Ya-ya was happy, and that made Katarina very happy, too. Katarina was not so happy when her father told her that gourounimu was a Greek word that meant “piglet.” “It does not mean that she thinks you are a piglet,” her father said. “It is just her way of showing that she loves you. She is an old Greek lady, and she does things a little differently sometimes.” “But she calls me piglet!” Katarina said. “I do not like it! Does she know my name?” “Oh, she knows your name, Katarina, and she loves you very much.” Katarina was not so sure about that, but she still went running when Ya-ya called. One day when Ya-ya called her, Katarina burst into the kitchen with her usual excitement, but there was no food at all. She was surprised to see Ya-ya sitting at the table looking through old pictures. “Gourounimu, come sit here,” Ya-ya said. Katarina walked to the table slowly and climbed up on the chair. She did not understand what Ya-ya wanted. She thought that she might be in trouble. “Look at this, Gourounimu. It is a present for you.” Ya-ya handed her an old, yellowed photograph of a little girl. It was black-and-white, not color, and the little girl in the picture was wearing very old-fashioned clothes. “Look at the back,” Ya-ya said. Katarina turned the picture over. Written in pencil on the back, there were some strange, curly letters she could not read and the number 9. “That says, ‘Katarina, age 9,’” Ya-ya said. “That is a picture of me.” Katarina was surprised. “This is a picture of you?” Ya-ya smiled. “Many years ago, I was a little girl, too. You did not know that?” Katarina shook her head. “I did not know we had the same name. I thought your name was Ya-ya!” Ya-ya threw back her head and laughed. Katarina had never seen anyone laugh so hard. “Gourounimu, ya-ya is ‘my mother’s mother’ in Greek.” “Oh,” Katarina said, “Ya-ya means ‘grandmother!’ I understand!” “Yes,” Ya-ya said. “You call me Ya-ya, and I call you Gourounimu, but we are both really Katarina.” She held both Katarina’s hands. “You do not understand me, but we are family, with the same name, and I love you very much.” Katarina understood everything. She held the picture to her heart. “Thank you, Ya-ya. This picture is better than sweets.”
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Play It Safe in the Sun!
Rejected The frog goes silent when I try to join His croaking call for play. He quietly hides in his grassy home Until I’ve gone away.
Sounds of Skiing Swish, swish, The boy’s skis slide over freshly fallen snow. Huff, huff, His dad skis hard to keep up with him. Crack, crack, Tired tree branches bend down and break Whoosh, whoosh, The boy cuts the snow softly high above Lake Tahoe.
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The Fox and the Crow Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
weakness — a fault
A fox was walking in the forest when he saw a crow high up in a tree. The crow was eating cheese. The fox suddenly became very hungry. He wanted the cheese, but he knew that he couldn’t climb the tree to get it. He thought and thought about what he could do to get the cheese. Just then a grasshopper came by. She could see what the fox was up to. “You know,” said the grasshopper, “crows are very smart. You will have to find out the crow’s weakness if you want to trick her.” The grasshopper laughed and hopped away. This gave the fox an idea. He remembered what his mother had taught him about crows. She always said crows were full of pride. So, the fox came up with a plan. “Crows are such beautiful creatures,” said the fox. “Crows have such a perfect shape and such smooth feathers. Too bad crows don’t have beautiful voices to match their beautiful shapes. If they did, they would truly be the most beautiful birds in the world.” The crow heard what the fox said. She wanted to prove that her voice was as beautiful as her shape. She puffed up her chest and cawed in her loudest voice. Of course the cheese fell to the ground when she opened her mouth. The fox picked up the cheese and ran away.
The Frankfurter Sandwich Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
competition — a contest preferred — liked better than something else sauerkraut — a hot dog topping made out of cabbage creation — something that is made cartoonist — someone who draws cartoons
What is one of the most popular snack foods in America? What snack food is popular at sports events, carnivals, or your backyard barbecue? Hot dogs! Every hour nearly two million hot dogs are made in the United States. On average, every person in the United States eats about 1.2 hot dogs every week. There aren’t many foods that were invented in America, but the hot dog is one of them. Hot dogs are like a sausage that was eaten in Germany. When did the sausage come to America? In the 1880s, a man named Charles Feltman moved to America from Frankfurt, Germany. To earn money, Feltman sold cold pies from a food cart in Coney Island, New York. But Feltman had competition. He didn’t sell many pies because people preferred to eat in the hotels and restaurants. There, they could sit down to eat hot food. Feltman’s friends suggested that he sell hot foods because people might like something warm to eat, even if they were too busy to sit.
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How did the sausage get on a bun? Feltman decided to sell something that people ate in his old hometown. It was called the “frankfurter.” He made one important change, though. People in Germany usually ate frankfurters from a plate with a fork. Feltman put the sausage on a bun, covered it with mustard, and served sauerkraut with it. He called it the “frankfurter sandwich.” People loved Feltman’s new creation, and his frankfurter sandwich became very popular. Feltman’s business grew quickly. Soon, he was able to open his own restaurant. Where did the name “hot dog” come from? At first Feltman’s invention was known by many names. People called the frankfurter sandwiches “franks,” “red-hots,” or “wieners.” One day in 1916, a cartoonist named Tad Dorgan was at a baseball game. He heard the frankfurter sellers yelling, “Get your red-hot dachshund sausages!” This gave Dorgan an idea for a new cartoon. Dachshunds are long skinny dogs with short legs. They look kind of like a sausage. Dorgan drew a cartoon of a dachshund inside a bun, as if it were a sausage with mustard on it. Dorgan didn’t know how to spell the name of the dog, so when he drew the frankfurter seller, he had him yell, “Get your hot dogs!” The name stuck, and now lots of people know Charles Feltman’s frankfurter sandwich as the “hot dog.”
The Lever Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
teeter-totter — playground toy as seen in the pictures; also called a see-saw or teeterboard
The lever is one of the simplest tools that humans use. It is really nothing more than a stick balanced on a single point called a fulcrum. The teeter-totters you see in playgrounds are examples of the lever. By using a lever, even a small child can lift a very heavy object. The secret to lifting a heavy object is to be a long way from the fulcrum. Then you don’t have to push down so hard on the lever. Take a look at the drawing below.
In the first picture, the fulcrum is exactly at the middle of the lever. Four children weighing 50 pounds each would be needed to lift a 200-pound weight on the other end of the lever. In other words, it takes
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200 pounds of weight pushing down to lift 200 pounds. Imagine you and a friend on a teeter-totter. If you and your friend both weigh 50 pounds, you can teeter-totter easily. But look at what happens in the second picture. If the lever is moved so that it is longer on one side of the fulcrum than it is on the other side, only 100 pounds of weight is needed to lift a 200-pound weight. On the teeter-totter, if you moved closer to the fulcrum, your friend could lift you more easily because you are on the short side of the teeter-totter. Look at the remaining pictures. You can see that the longer the lever is on one side of the fulcrum, the less force is needed to lift an object on the other side. With a lever long enough, you could lift an elephant!
Young Abraham Lincoln Read the text. Use the words in the box below to help you understand it.
accomplishment— something you did that you can feel very proud of contributions— changes that make things a lot better determination— to never give up, even when your task is really hard educate— to teach a student or yourself something efforts— hard work rural— countryside, not the city
Abraham Lincoln was one of the finest presidents of our country. He made many important contributions to our nation. Some people call him our greatest president ever. Becoming such a great man was not easy for Lincoln, however. Born in rural Kentucky, Abe Lincoln grew up in a log cabin. As a child, he enjoyed reading, but had to spend most of his time helping his family with chores. There was hardly even time for Lincoln to go to school. Because his family moved a lot, he only had about one year of formal schooling. Some of the schools that he attended didn’t even have books. Abe’s family was poor, and they did not own many books, either. Lincoln did not let the hard times stop him from reading, though. By the time he became president, newspapers printed stories about his efforts to educate himself. The stories said he walked several miles just to borrow a book from his neighbor. Because he did not have time to read during the day, he read at night. While other kids were sleeping, Abe would lie next to the fireplace and read. That might be a tall tale, but no matter where he read, he was probably tired. Young Abe Lincoln must have known that his nights spent reading would someday be rewarded. The determination Abraham Lincoln showed as a boy stayed with him all his life. Lincoln grew up to be one of the greatest leaders of our country. This would have been difficult even for a person with a very good education. It was an amazing accomplishment for a person who taught himself.
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