Automotive Perfection
"Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing,"
said English engineer Frederick Henry Royce. It was this attitude
that caused him to design one of the most respected automobiles of
all time.
Frederick Henry Royce was born in England in 1863. His family
struggled financially, and so Royce began working at a young age.
He had several jobs throughout his teens. He delivered telegrams,
worked as a railroad apprentice, and had a job making tools. When
he was about 21, he opened his own business making doorbells.
Royce was a hard worker and a perfectionist. He tried to ensure the
highest quality in everything he made, and his sales and product line grew.
Around 1902, Royce bought a car. At that time, cars were not very reliable, and Royce's car was no
exception. He spent time working on the car, trying to improve it.
Not long after, Royce decided to build his own car. As he worked, he made sure that each part of the
car was as good as he could make it. Then he made a second and a third automobile prototype. He tested
and adjusted his work, and before long he had designed a car that started more reliably, ran more quietly
and smoothly, and did not break down as often as other cars.
During the time Royce was working on his cars, a wealthy man named Charles Rolls started a company
to sell cars. Rolls had a great interest in cars, and like Royce, he valued quality. He wanted to sell the best
cars in the world and started out offering foreign cars, but he also hoped to discover or design a quality
English car. When he drove a car built by Royce in 1904, he was very impressed. He knew he had found
the person who could help him.
Rolls and Royce became partners and began making and selling Rolls-Royce cars. Rolls-Royce cars
soon became known all over the world for the excellence insisted upon by their original designer.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Most cars were not very reliable in 1902.
___ b. Royce wanted to build a better car.
___ c. Rolls and Royce designed and sold quality cars together.
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2. Why did Royce start working at a young age?
___ a. He wanted to open a business.
___ b. His family struggled financially.
___ c. He wanted to improve his car.
3. What does line mean in this story?
___ a. to cover the inside of something
___ b. a group of similar products from a company
___ c. a quote, or something someone said
4. How did Royce create a quality car?
___ a. He opened a company with a friend.
___ b. He began working at a young age.
___ c. He made each car part the best he could.
5. What skills and characteristics did Royce have that made it possible for him to design such a successful
car?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
valued
ensure
adjusted
insisted
reliable
strongly demanded
thought highly of
dependable
make certain
made small changes
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Frederick Royce's car was not very ______________. So he decided to ______________ his
own car. Charles Rolls wanted to ______________ that he sold the best cars in the world.
Rolls was ______________ with the quality of Royce's car. Both men ______________
quality cars, and they became partners.
reliable, design, ensure, impressed, valued, insisted, exception
8. How were Charles Rolls and Frederick Royce alike?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for the following facts: Royce was a hard worker who wanted a car that was
reliable. He was a perfectionist and made every part the best it could be. He cared about quality and built
an excellent car.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Level 5.6 Stories
The Birth of Television
Today it is hard to imagine life without television. You can turn on the
television anytime day or night and have a number of program choices.
But watching television hasn't always been an option. In fact, life without
television was a reality not so long ago.
The idea of television has been around since the 1800s. After the
inventions of the telegraph and the telephone, many people thought
transmitting pictures would be possible at some point. But many years
passed before television became a reality, and many more went by before
it became common.
During the 1920s and '30s, a number of people experimented with
television. Among these television pioneers was Philo Farnsworth, who
started thinking through his ideas for television as a teenager. By the end
of 1927, when he was just 21 years old, Philo had transformed his ideas into the first working model of
fully electronic television.
As the equipment needed for television developed, people experimented with television programs,
often at radio stations. These early shows didn't have much of an audience, though. Most people had still
never laid eyes on a television, much less owned one.
By the late 1930s, many people had heard about television or seen a demonstration of it. In 1939,
television sets were a highlight at the World's Fair in New York. Large crowds gathered to see them. A set
with a transparent case allowed people to see that television was not a trick. Fairgoers could even view
themselves on television.
Even after the publicity television received at the World's Fair, it still did not take off. Television sets
remained too expensive for many people, and there weren't all that many programs to watch anyway. Plus,
people were more concerned with the coming of World War II than they were with the novelty of
television. During the war, most networks stopped broadcasting altogether. Factories made war supplies,
not televisions, and people continued to get news and entertainment from radio.
After the war ended in 1945, television's time had come. The television audience grew rapidly, as did
the selection of stations and programs. A new era had begun.
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Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Television developed slowly over many years.
___ b. Television is very common today.
___ c. Philo Farnsworth figured out how to build a television.
2. When was the first working model of an electronic television made?
___ a. 1800s
___ b. 1927
___ c. 1939
3. What does take off mean in this story?
___ a. to leave
___ b. a copy or imitation
___ c. to grow rapidly
4. How did most people get news and entertainment before 1945?
___ a. radio
___ b. television
___ c. telephone
5. Why did it take so many years for the television to become common in American homes?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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6. Match each word with its synonym.
novelty
transparent
view
option
publicity
choice
attention
newness
watch
clear
7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
The 1939 ______________ was held in New York. The television got a lot of
______________ at this event. Many people got to ______________ a working television.
One television set had a ______________ case so people could see the set's insides. After
______________ ended in 1945, television sales grew rapidly.
World's Fair, publicity, view, transparent, World War II, option, highlight
8. How did world events affect the development of the television?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. The development of television took many years. Write the major events and their dates to show the
development of the television.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Level 5.6 Stories
Colossal Computer
Our world is full of computers. You can find them all over the
place—in homes and schools, in offices and stores. Many
computers are small and portable. Their owners can carry them
back and forth to work or bring them on buses or planes. Adults and
children alike use computers every day for many purposes. None of
these things were true of the machine often recognized as the first
successful electronic computer.
This early computer had a big name. It was called the Electronic
Numerical Integrator and Computer—ENIAC for short. The name
was fitting, because ENIAC was huge! Its dozens of panels made a
U shape about 80 feet long inside a large room, and it weighed about 30 tons!
Engineers designed and built this computer at the University of Pennsylvania. The United States
government sponsored the project during World War II. The military needed firing tables to aid in
accurately hitting targets with bombs and missiles, but it took people a long time to make the tables. Using
a calculator, it could take a person 12 hours or more to figure out the course of just one bomb. It was clear
that a machine that could calculate trajectories in a tiny fraction of that time would be very helpful.
As it turned out, by the time builders announced that they had finished ENIAC in February of 1946, the
war was over. In spite of being too late to serve the war effort, ENIAC did work well. It could correctly
add 5,000 numbers in a second. It could multiply over 300 numbers just as quickly. Thus there were plenty
of problems for it to solve. In fact, ENIAC performed calculations until the fall of 1955.
By modern standards, ENIAC was slow and difficult to use. Even so, ENIAC solved complicated
problems much faster than any person or thing ever had before. As limited as ENIAC seems now, it was
amazing in its time. It was also an important step in the evolution of computers.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. The first computer was made to help the U.S. military in World War II.
___ b. The first computer was a lot bigger than modern computers.
___ c. The first computer led to the better computers that are in use today.
2. Why wasn't ENIAC used in the war effort during World War II?
___ a. It didn't work like engineers hoped it would.
___ b. The war ended before it was finished.
___ c. Better computers became available.
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3. What does course mean in this story?
___ a. a class or area of study
___ b. the path something moves along
___ c. a part of a meal
4. Why was ENIAC built?
___ a. to calculate bomb trajectories in World War II
___ b. to figure out the course of just one bomb
___ c. to help students at the University of Pennsylvania
5. How was ENIAC like modern computers?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
portable
sponsored
accurately
fraction
recognized
supported
named
exactly
part
movable
7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
ENIAC is often ______________ as the first successful electronic computer. It was designed
and built by ______________ during World War II. ENIAC could ______________ bomb
trajectories faster than people could. ENIAC never tracked the course of a bomb in the war,
but it was an important step in the ______________ of computers. It may seem limited by
today's ______________, but it was amazing in its time.
recognized, engineers, calculate, evolution, standards, colossal, accurately
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8. Why does ENIAC seem limited now?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for the following facts: Modern computers are faster than ENIAC. Modern
computers are smaller than ENIAC. Modern computers are easier to use than ENIAC.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Level 5.6 Stories
Conditions Count
Stories and films about alligators sometimes focus on the animals'
status as fearsome predators. Images of alligators suddenly snapping their
powerful jaws around their prey and dragging it under the water might give
the impression that alligators are always searching for a meal. Actually,
alligators eat less often than you might think. Like some other aspects of
their lives, their feeding habits depend a lot on the weather.
Alligators are fussy about when they will take a meal. They are most
likely to feed when the water temperature is between about 73 and 90
degrees Fahrenheit. Even when temperatures are in this range, alligators
really need only about one meal a week. When temperatures fall much
below 73 degrees, they don't eat at all. Alligators eat only when the
temperature is right because they are reptiles. A reptile's body temperature
changes with the weather. So, when alligators are too hot, their first concern is to find a cool place in the
water. When they get too cool, their first concern is to warm themselves in the sun. A long cold spell won't
cause alligators to starve, though. They store energy in their tails as fat. Adults can survive off that fat for
more than a year if necessary.
The weather has another interesting effect on alligators. The temperature in the nest while eggs are
incubating determines the gender of the hatchlings. Generally, eggs developing below about 86 degrees
produce female babies. Eggs incubated in nests above about 90 degrees produce male babies. Nest
temperatures in between typically result in a mix of genders.
Alligators live in and around lakes, ponds, swamps, and rivers in the southeastern United States. In this
region, temperatures are warm most of the year and the winters are mild. During a winter cold snap,
alligators submerge their bodies in the water. They leave only their nostrils poking out above the surface.
Sometimes ice forms in the water. As long as their nostrils have a little space to breathe, though, the
alligators will be all right until the ice melts. Their body temperatures can safely fall as low as about 40
degrees.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Alligators are reptiles, so temperatures affect their lives and activities.
___ b. Alligators need to eat only about one meal a week.
___ c. Temperature during incubation determines an alligator's gender.
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2. Why can alligators go so long without eating?
___ a. Their first concern is to take care of their body temperature.
___ b. When they do eat, the meals are large.
___ c. Fat stored in their tails provides energy.
3. What does incubating mean in this story?
___ a. developing
___ b. hatching
___ c. being laid
4. What would likely happen if 90-degree weather lasted all year?
___ a. Most of the baby alligators would be male.
___ b. Alligators would need to eat often.
___ c. Alligators would warm themselves in the sun.
5. Why is it important for alligators to live near water?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
region
habits
fearsome
determines
typically
behaviors
usually
scary
area
decides
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Alligators are ______________, so the temperature of their bodies changes with the weather.
Alligators live in a ______________ of the United States that is warm most of the year. They
also live around lakes, ponds, and ______________. When alligators get too hot or cold, they
can ______________ themselves in water. Then only their ______________ show above the
water's surface.
reptiles, region, swamps, submerge, nostrils, habits, temperature
8. How can alligators change their body temperatures?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write three facts from the story that support this statement: Temperatures greatly affect the lives and
activities of alligators.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Level 5.6 Stories
The Four‐Minute Mile
What things do you consider impossible? Do you think things
are impossible just because no one has done them before?
Throughout history, people have viewed many things as
impossible—until individuals who had faith in themselves proved
the doubters wrong. Roger Bannister was one of these believers.
For a long time, many people thought it was physically
impossible for anyone to run a mile in under four minutes. Runners
had worked hard and tried to run that distance as fast as they could.
Still, the times recorded for one-mile runs had always exceeded
four minutes. Before Roger Bannister, the closest anyone ever came
to breaking the four-minute mile barrier was Gunder Haegg. In 1945, he won a mile race with a time of 4
minutes and 1.4 seconds.
Roger Bannister, a runner and medical student from Harrow, England, believed that he could do
something nobody had ever done before. He made it his goal to break the four-minute-mile barrier. He
stuck to his training regimen—and he imagined himself succeeding.
Gunder Haegg became convinced that Bannister could break the record too. At one point, Haegg wrote,
"I think Bannister is the man to beat four minutes. He uses his brains as much as his legs. I've always
thought that the four-minute mile was more of a psychological problem than a test of physical endurance."
On May 6, 1954, at age 25, Roger Bannister became the first person known to run a mile in less than
four minutes. He completed a mile in 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds on the Iffley Road track in Oxford.
Word of Roger Bannister's run spread quickly around the world. Soon more people believed they could
run sub-four-minute miles too. It took only weeks before someone else had also accomplished this feat.
Within a few years, hundreds had done it.
Roger Bannister demonstrated, as many others have, that there's truth in the saying, "If you think you
can, or if you think you can't, you're absolutely right."
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Once Roger had broken the four-minute-mile barrier, other people did too.
___ b. Most people thought the four-minute mile was impossible.
___ c. Roger was the fastest runner in the world.
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2. How many people had run a mile in less than four minutes before 1954?
___ a. 1
___ b. 0
___ c. 37
3. What does endurance mean in this story?
___ a. a mental challenge
___ b. the ability to keep going
___ c. a long distance
4. Why did so many people run sub-four-minute miles after Roger did?
___ a. They wanted to beat Roger.
___ b. People were in better physical condition.
___ c. They believed it was possible.
5. What made Roger Bannister successful?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
feat
throughout
physically
individuals
medical
human beings
health-related
in every part
related to how a body works
challenging act
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Roger Bannister made it his goal to break the four-minute ______________. Gunder Haegg
became ______________ that Bannister could break the record. Haegg believed the fourminute mile was not just a test of ______________. He thought it was also a
______________ problem. When Roger broke the barrier, and he proved Haegg was right and
the ______________ were wrong.
barrier, convinced, endurance, psychological, doubters, regimen, throughout
8. Was breaking the four-minute mile more of a physical or a psychological test? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write two facts from the story that support this statement: "If you think you can, or if you think you
can't, you're absolutely right."
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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The Frisbee
Have you ever noticed that a Frisbee looks like a plate or a pan?
Actually, many early "Frisbees" were pans—pie pans! The Frisbie Baking
Company in Connecticut sold pies. The tin pans in which they sold the pies
had the words "Frisbie's Pies" stamped on them. Sometime in the early
1900s, students at New England colleges began throwing the pans to each
other. As they played catch, they would yell "Frisbie!" to announce that
they were tossing the pans.
In the late 1940s, Walter Frederick Morrison and Warren Franscioni
made a round, flat plastic toy for playing catch. This flying disc, and others
like it, often had names related to space and UFOs. None of these labels
would be the name under which flying discs would become widely known,
though. In 1957, the Wham-O manufacturing company released the Pluto
Platter. The Pluto Platter was a version of a flying disc they bought from Morrison. Not long after, WhamO changed the disc's name to Frisbee and trademarked that term.
Frisbees became very popular. Hundreds of millions of them have been sold. Many people simply
throw Frisbees or flying discs to each other. Other people also participate in different flying disc contests
and games. One game, Ultimate, is played on a field, like soccer or football. The players pass the Frisbee
or disc to each other until one of them catches it in the end zone and scores a point. Another game is like
golf. The player throws a Frisbee or disc from a tee to a hole and adds the number of throws to get the
score. There are also freestyle contests for throwing and catching routines. Judges score the teams based
on their skills and creativity with Frisbees or discs. In addition, there are contests for dogs! In some form
or another, millions of people around the world (and their dogs) enjoy playing with Frisbees or flying
discs every day.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. The first Frisbees were pie pans.
___ b. Many sports and contests use Frisbees.
___ c. The Frisbee has an interesting history.
2. Which disc game is played on a field, like soccer?
___ a. golf
___ b. Ultimate
___ c. Freestyle
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3. What does related mean in this story?
___ a. explained or told about
___ b. sharing the same parents
___ c. having to do with
4. Who invented the game of Frisbee?
___ a. Walter Frederick Morrison and Warren Franscioni
___ b. students at New England colleges
___ c. Frisbie Baking Company in Connecticut
5. What are some ways people play with Frisbees?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
released
participate
announce
labels
routines
join in
made available
brand names
declare
demonstrations of skill
7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
The Frisbie Baking Company made pies.
Students played with the Frisbie pie plates.
Morrison and Franscioni made flat plastic toys.
Wham-O released the Pluto Platter.
Wham-O trademarked the term "Frisbee."
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8. How were the Wham-O discs different from the pans the students threw around?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Frisbees are very popular. Write three facts from the story that show this statement is true.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Level 5.6 Stories
Henry Ford
In the early 1900s, only wealthy people could afford to purchase a car.
The fact that each car was built one at a time until it was finished
contributed to the high cost. Henry Ford wanted to make cars more people
could afford. To reach this goal, he worked to make building cars as
efficient as possible.
Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. In 1908, the
company began making the Model T. Instead of building each Model T
individually, Ford mass-produced the cars on a moving assembly line.
Conveyor belts brought the cars to workers, who added parts to each car as
it passed. Each worker had a single job that was repeated for each car. For
example, one person would put a muffler on each car. Farther down the
line, another person would tighten the bolts on each muffler. The car
would continue along the assembly line until it was finished. Many cars were on the assembly line at one
time, all at different stages of completion.
Making cars on an assembly line had several benefits. Because it took less time to build a car,
employees could make more cars in the same amount of time. Because it cost less to make a car, Ford
could lower the price of a new car. And because the average American family could afford to buy a car,
Ford sold more cars.
The success of Ford's moving assembly line led to additional developments at Ford Motor Company. In
1914, Ford raised his workers' wages, paying them double what most industry workers received. Now
Ford's employees could afford to buy cars themselves. Ford also shortened the workday from nine hours to
eight hours, and in time, he shortened the workweek from six days to five days. Obviously, raising pay
and reducing work time helped Ford's employees. These changes also benefited the company. Productivity
went up, and the number of employees who quit their jobs went down.
Many companies followed Ford's example, implementing their own moving assembly lines and
improving their workers' wages and schedules. In this way, Henry Ford transformed manufacturing in the
20th century.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Ford started the Ford Motor Company.
___ b. Ford raised his workers' wages.
___ c. Ford's assembly line changed manufacturing.
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2. How did Ford get workers to stay at the Ford Motor Company?
___ a. Ford let his workers pay less for cars.
___ b. Ford gave his workers more money and shorter workdays.
___ c. Ford invented the assembly line.
3. What does stages mean in this story?
___ a. raised platforms
___ b. steps in a process
___ c. arranges or carries out
4. Why did more people buy cars after Ford developed the assembly line?
___ a. because more people were employed
___ b. because the cars cost less money
___ c. because the assembly line made better cars
5. List several ways that Henry Ford changed the manufacturing business.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
afford
average
bolts
founded
additional
metal fasteners
started
have enough money for
common or ordinary
more
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Henry Ford wanted to make the job of building cars more ______________. He did this by
implementing a moving ______________. Cars would move along ______________ to
workers who added mufflers, bolts, and other parts to the cars. In this way, Ford's employees
______________ cars quickly and cheaply. Because the cars cost less to build, more people
could ______________ to buy them.
efficient, assembly line, conveyor belts, mass-produced, afford, schedules, transformed
8. How did Henry Ford change the lives of his employees?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Henry Ford was a leader in American industry. Write at least two facts from the story that show why he
is considered a leader.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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More Than a Traditional Meal
Can you resist a platter of steaming corn on the cob? Whether
it's boiled, roasted, or grilled, it is a favorite in many parts of the
world. In fact, you might eat corn more often than you think. Sodas,
fruit drinks, and breads are just a few of the things that may contain
corn. Corn isn't just something people eat, either. Many animals eat
it too. It is even used to make a number of other things, including
fuel for cars and trucks, some medicines, and various paper
products.
No one knows for sure when corn first appeared on our planet,
but it originated in the Americas. Fossilized corn pollen discovered
in Mexico leads scientists to believe that a wild form of corn was growing there tens of thousands of years
ago. People have been cultivating corn for at least a few thousand years. After settlers landed at Plymouth
Rock in 1620, the American Indians taught them how to grow this useful plant. It quickly became an
important food for the settlers.
An average cornstalk stands about eight feet tall. Large leaves and several ears of corn extend from its
sides, and a tassel grows on the top. When an ear of corn begins growing, it is full of potential kernels.
Each of these potential kernels sends up a delicate thread. The threads are the corn silk you see sticking
out of the end of the husk. The tassel on the top of the plant is made up of pollen-producing flowers. In
mid-summer, the wind blows the pollen from those flowers, and some of the pollen falls on the sticky silk
threads hanging from the young ears. A kernel of corn can develop only if pollen lands on its silk thread.
Each silk thread that is pollinated develops a single kernel of corn. The kernels that develop are what
many people think of as corn. An ear of corn usually has an even number of rows of kernels. Each kernel
is also a fertile seed that farmers can plant to grow more corn.
Farmers grow corn in many countries. This versatile plant ranks among the most important crops in the
world, along with wheat, rice, and soybeans.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Corn is an important crop that is used in many ways.
___ b. Corn kernels grow from pollinated corn silk.
___ c. Corn probably first grew in North America.
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2. Why do scientists believe wild corn originated in the Americas?
___ a. Corn was an important food for settlers.
___ b. American Indians taught the settlers to grow corn.
___ c. Scientists found fossilized corn pollen in Mexico.
3. What does extend mean in this story?
___ a. to branch out from something
___ b. to get larger or start growing
___ c. to make something last longer
4. What could happen if all corn tassels were destroyed?
___ a. The corn plants would grow fewer ears.
___ b. Farmers would be unable to plant more corn.
___ c. The ears would not have any potential kernels.
5. Why is corn one of the most important crops in the world?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
kernels
potential
average
develop
originated
seeds
possible
form
typical
began
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7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
Kernels develop into fertile seeds.
Each potential kernel sends out a delicate silk thread.
The pollen sticks to the silk threads.
Wind blows pollen past the silk threads.
The wind blows through the corn tassels.
8. How does the tassel help new corn plants grow?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for the following facts: Corn is used in many foods we eat. Farmers grow
corn in many countries. Corn is used to make medicines and fuels.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Northern Lights
The moon and the stars are not the only lights in the night sky.
On many clear nights, people in the northernmost parts of the world
can see the northern lights. These mysterious lights may look like
red, green, and blue patches. They can also appear as swirls,
curtains, or streamers. The Latin name for this phenomenon is
aurora borealis, which means "northern dawn."
People used to tell stories to explain these strange lights.
Norwegian folklore described the lights as dancers in the sky. A
tale told in Siberia said that the fish god kept a flame burning in the
heavens in order to help people who were fishing at night.
According to one Finnish legend, foxes caused the beautiful lights when their tails brushed up snow into
the sky.
Scientists say the northern lights begin at the sun. Particles emitted from the sun rush out into space at
great speed, and some of them travel toward Earth. When the particles arrive, they hit the atmosphere, a
blanket of air that surrounds the planet and consists mostly of oxygen and nitrogen. When the sun particles
collide with these gases, the oxygen and nitrogen start to glow—and that glow is called the northern lights.
The lights appear in northern regions because the North Pole attracts the particles. Earth is like a big
magnet, and its pull is strongest at the North and South Poles. Consequently, the southern part of the world
experiences a light show too. Those lights are called the southern lights, or aurora australis.
Not many people can see the southern lights because they appear over the ocean off the coast of
Antarctica, where few people live. As a result, people didn't know much about the southern lights for a
long time. However, in 1968, a plane flew the same distance from the North Pole as another plane flew
from the South Pole. Pictures taken from the two planes showed that the auroras appear at both poles at
the same time. In fact, the northern lights are near mirror images of the southern lights.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. People have created many stories to explain the mysterious auroras.
___ b. Lights in the sky near Antarctica are near mirror images of the northern lights.
___ c. Particles from the sun hit the atmosphere, causing light shows near the North and South Poles.
2. Where do the northern lights begin?
___ a. at the sun
___ b. in Antarctica
___ c. at the North Pole
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3. What does folklore mean in this story?
___ a. stories and beliefs of a group
___ b. something strange or mysterious
___ c. proven explanations
4. What causes the lights in the southern part of the world?
___ a. particles drawn by the magnetic pull of the South Pole
___ b. planes that fly over the ocean off the coast of Antarctica
___ c. particles drawn by the magnetic pull of the North Pole
5. What might happen to the auroras if Earth's magnetic pull changed?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
nitrogen
legend
emitted
consists
mysterious
a colorless, odorless gas
an old story
is made of
hard to explain
given off
7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
Earth's magnetic poles attract the particles.
The gases glow.
The sun emits particles into space.
Some particles travel toward Earth.
The particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere.
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8. Why do the lights seem to move in the sky?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for the following facts: Finnish people said foxes caused the lights.
Norwegians said the lights were sky dancers. People in Siberia said the lights were a fish god's flame.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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The Race From Coast to Coast
How far do you think you could run? Could you run 1 mile? Could you
run as far as 10 or 100 miles? How about 1,000 miles? In the 1920s, a
footrace from Los Angeles to New York took place. The distance of the
race exceeded 3,400 miles, and the reward for the winning runner was
$25,000.
Twenty-year-old Andy Payne read about the long-distance race and
decided to compete in it. Andy, a member of a Cherokee tribe, had grown
up on a farm in Oklahoma. He had participated in track in high school, but
the transcontinental race would be unlike any running he had done before.
It would be much more a test of endurance and fortitude than a test of
speed.
The great race began in Los Angeles on March 4, 1928, and Andy was
one of about 200 runners. Each day for several weeks, the runners ran to a set location. When each runner
arrived, race officials recorded the time it had taken him to get there and added it to his overall time. The
runner who reached New York with the shortest total running time would win.
A number of things made the race very challenging. Runners had to deal with difficult terrain,
including some steep hills. They endured the hot sun, strong winds, cold weather, and rain. Injuries and
illnesses also caused problems, and many of the runners withdrew as the days wore on. Andy did not quit,
though, even when he became sick with tonsillitis. Instead, he tried to keep a steady pace, wanting to stay
in contention for the prize without wearing himself out.
After 84 days of racing through 13 states, Andy Payne was the first of 55 runners to cross the finish
line in New York. Following his win, Andy used some of his prize money to pay off the mortgage on his
parents' farm.
Andy had become a hero in Oklahoma. In 1934, he won another race—an election. The people of his
state elected him clerk of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. People liked Andy so much that they re-elected
him several times.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Andy Payne won a challenging transcontinental race.
___ b. Andy Payne was elected to office because he was a hero.
___ c. The transcontinental race tested Andy Payne's endurance.
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2. Why did many of the runners withdraw?
___ a. They knew Andy was going to win.
___ b. The race was too difficult for them.
___ c. They became sick with tonsillitis.
3. What does set mean in this story?
___ a. already decided
___ b. a collection
___ c. put down
4. How many runners withdrew from the race?
___ a. about 55
___ b. about 145
___ c. about 200
5. Give at least two reasons why Andy won the race.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
participated
pace
terrain
withdrew
tonsillitis
illness of the throat
rate
an area of land
stopped taking part
took part
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
In the 1920s, Andy Payne ______________ in a transcontinental race. The race crossed
difficult ______________. Many runners ______________ when they became sick or injured,
but Andy kept going. He kept a steady ______________ and was the first one to cross the
finish line. Andy was a hero in Oklahoma, and people elected him ______________ of the
state's Supreme Court.
participated, terrain, withdrew, pace, clerk, endured, mortgage
8. Why did people consider Andy a hero?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. The long-distance footrace is a test of endurance. Write three facts about the race that show it was
challenging.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Running Down a Dream
Billy Mills made history at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
He became the first Olympic athlete from the United States to win a
gold medal in a long-distance race. Billy had believed he could win,
but to most people, the race's exciting finish was a surprise.
Billy was born in an impoverished part of South Dakota, on the
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. His mother died when he was
young. Afterward, Billy's father told him that pursuing his dreams
could heal his pain. Unfortunately, more pain came to Billy first.
His father died a few years later, and Billy went to boarding school.
In high school, Billy excelled at distance running and broke several records. Then he attended college
on a track scholarship and helped his track team win two national titles. Yet Billy was still hurting. For a
while, he wanted to give up on running and even on himself. He found that he had a dream to pursue,
though. His aspiration was to win a gold medal in the 10,000-meter race at the Olympics. In 1964, Billy
made the United States Olympic track team, but as an unknown athlete, he wasn't favored to win a medal.
Reporters didn't bother to interview him before the 10,000-meter race. A shoe company that was giving
free running shoes to star runners initially refused to give Billy a pair because he wasn't expected to place.
Still, Billy held on to his dream and believed he could win.
With about a lap to go in the race, Billy was in the lead. Then two other runners in a row pushed past
him. Billy stumbled and fell behind, but he didn't give up. Instead, he amazed the crowd by regaining the
lead and winning in record time.
Billy's belief in himself and the lessons he learned from his father and from his Lakota heritage had
helped him to realize his dream. The Lakota nation honored him as a warrior, bestowing on him a Lakota
name and a special golden ring.
Later, Billy became a motivational speaker, often talking to young American Indians about realizing
their dreams and being proud of their heritage. The movie Running Brave is about Billy's life and his
victory in Tokyo.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Billy Mills was on many different track teams during his life.
___ b. A movie was made about the life of Billy Mills and his victory in Tokyo.
___ c. Billy Mills realized his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.
2. What did the Lakota nation bestow on Billy?
___ a. a movie about his life
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___ b. a special golden ring
___ c. a new pair of shoes
3. What does place mean in this story?
___ a. to remember something
___ b. to put something down
___ c. to finish in a top spot
4. Why was the race's exciting finish a surprise to most people?
___ a. because Billy wasn't expected to place in the Olympics
___ b. because Billy helped his college team win two titles
___ c. because Billy had broken several records in high school
5. How do you know Billy was not thought of as a star before the Olympics in 1964?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
heritage
unfortunately
initially
excelled
titles
at first
did very well
championships
sadly
tradition from one's ancestors
7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
Billy won an Olympic gold medal.
Billy's team won two national titles.
The Lakota nation bestowed a Lakota name on Billy.
Billy's father died.
Billy became a motivational speaker.
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8. Why might Billy Mills make a good motivational speaker?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write three facts from the story that support this statement: Billy Mills believed in himself and did not
give up easily.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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The Sweet Beet
Have you ever read ingredient lists on food packaging? Sugar is
an ingredient that appears on a wide variety of packages. You
probably expect to see it on frosting and fruit drink labels. Sugar's
presence on a number of other labels might surprise you, though.
For example, ketchup, mayonnaise, crackers, and peanut butter
often contain sugar. Where does this favorite sweetener come from?
You may have heard of sugar cane. Sugar cane is a tropical plant
that grows in tall stalks. For hundreds of years, sugar cane was the
main source of sugar, and it remains an important source. In the late
1700s, though, a German chemist discovered how to extract sugar
from another plant—the sugar beet. As time passed, more and more of the sugar produced in the world
came from sugar beet plants.
Unlike sugar cane, sugar beets grow well in both warm and cold climates. For example, sugar beets
thrive in both California and North Dakota, U.S. states with quite different weather conditions. Farmers
plant sugar beets in the early spring. The plant starts out as a seed smaller than a grain of rice. A green
stem and leaves grow above ground, while a white root grows below ground. The white root is the part of
the plant called the beet. When it matures, it can weigh up to five pounds!
About 20 to 30 weeks after planting, the farmers harvest the sugar beets. First, a machine called a
topper cuts the leaves off the plants. Next, a sugar beet lifter yanks the roots out of the ground and dumps
them into a truck. The sugar beets are then transported to a factory and processed into sugar. After the
sugar is extracted, the by-products that remain are used to make other things, including feed for livestock,
medicines, and cosmetics! But these products aren't the only useful things that come from the sugar beet
plant. Remember the plant leaves? They are fed to livestock or left on the ground to enrich the soil.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Sugar beets grow well in both warm and cold climates.
___ b. In the 1700s, a chemist discovered how to extract sugar from sugar beets.
___ c. The sugar beet is a source of sugar and many other useful by-products.
2. In what kind of climate does sugar cane grow?
___ a. cold
___ b. tropical
___ c. dry
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3. What does enrich mean in this story?
___ a. make something taste sweeter
___ b. improve something
___ c. make someone wealthier
4. Why might a farmer grow sugar beets rather than sugar cane?
___ a. Sugar can be extracted from the sugar beet at a factory.
___ b. Sugar beets can grow in both warm and cold climates.
___ c. Sugar beets can be harvested in 20 to 30 weeks.
5. List three reasons why the sugar beet is a useful crop.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
yanks
produced
livestock
matures
transported
made
moved
animals
develops
pulls
7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
The roots are yanked from the ground.
Sugar beets are processed into products.
A machine cuts the leaves off the plants.
Leaves, stems, and roots grow.
Small seeds are planted in the ground.
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8. How are sugar beets different from sugar cane?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for the following facts: The leaves of the sugar beet are used to enrich the
soil. The root of the sugar beet is used to produce sugar. The by-products of the sugar beet are fed to
livestock.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Berlin Wall
Imagine that you spent the day with your friend. That night, you
said goodbye and both went home. When you woke up the next
morning, a barbed-wire fence separated your homes. Within days, a
concrete wall began to go up along the same path as the fence. This
barrier would prevent you from visiting your friend for the next 28
years.
Such separations actually happened in Germany when East
Germany began to build the Berlin Wall in 1961. At the time,
Germany was divided into two countries, and Berlin was a divided
city. East Berlin was the capital of the communist country of East
Germany. West Berlin was part of the democratic country of West Germany, despite its physical location
within East Germany.
Over the previous years, many East German citizens had left their country in search of freedom in the
West. East Germany didn't want to lose its workforce and had taken steps to prevent its citizens from
leaving across the long border it shared with West Germany.
Yet moving between East and West Berlin was still relatively easy. Consequently, many East Germans
left East Germany via West Berlin. To stop the exodus, East Germany closed this last exit route with the
Berlin Wall.
The Berlin Wall was about 100 miles long, and it completely surrounded West Berlin. Starting on
August 13, 1961, when the first barbed-wire fences went up, East Germans were seldom permitted to enter
West Berlin. Even people who had jobs in West Berlin could no longer cross the border. Armed guards
and dogs patrolled the wall, and people who tried to breach the border risked being shot or arrested. Even
so, many East Germans attempted escapes. A number of people died in these attempts.
In 1989, hundreds of thousands of protesters finally forced the end of communist rule in East Germany.
On November 9, the government opened the wall. People could pass freely from East to West, many for
the first time in their lives. Joyous celebrations carried on in the streets, and citizens from both sides began
tearing down the wall. Today, residents of the united Berlin move about the city as they please. Some
remnants of the wall exist, though, reminding people of a difficult time.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. The Berlin Wall split a city in a divided country for many years.
___ b. The Berlin Wall was destroyed by the citizens of Germany.
___ c. Remnants of the Berlin Wall still serve as reminders.
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2. What did the Berlin Wall surround?
___ a. East Berlin
___ b. West Berlin
___ c. East Germany
3. What does border mean in this story?
___ a. a line that separates one country from another
___ b. a piece of ground with plants or flowers
___ c. the decorative edge or side of something
4. Why did citizens from both East and West Berlin help destroy the wall?
___ a. Many workers were needed in order to tear down the wall.
___ b. Protesters forced people from both sides to help.
___ c. Citizens from both sides were unhappy with the separation.
5. Why did people celebrate when the wall fell?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
via
remnants
rule
patrolled
physical
actual
through
pieces
guarded
control
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
East and West Germany were under the ______________ of different governments. To keep
from losing its ______________ to the West, East Germany built the Berlin Wall. The Berlin
Wall created ______________ between citizens on either side. Eventually, ______________
forced the Berlin Wall to come down. But even today, some ______________ remind people
of this difficult time.
rule, workforce, separations, protesters, remnants, exodus, despite
8. Why was the tearing down of the Berlin Wall important?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for these facts: The Berlin Wall separated East Germans from family or
friends in the West. It kept some East Germans from their jobs. Some East Germans were shot or arrested
trying to cross the border.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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The Earth's Moon
When you look up at the night sky, what do you see? If it is a
clear night, you will probably see the moon.
Although the moon appears to shine, it doesn't actually produce
light. The glow you see when you look at the moon is really a
reflection of the light of the sun.
The moon also seems to change shape. Sometimes it looks
round, other times it looks like a half circle, and still other times it
looks like a sliver. However, the moon actually remains the same
shape. It is only the position of the moon in relation to Earth and the
sun that changes. The moon appears round, or full, when Earth is between the sun and the moon, and we
cannot see the moon at all when it is new, or between Earth and the sun.
The moon is a natural satellite of our planet, which means that the moon orbits Earth. It takes the moon
about a month to complete this journey. In fact, many ancient civilizations based their calendars on the
revolution of the moon.
The average distance between Earth and the moon is about 240,000 miles. The moon has almost no
atmosphere, and its surface is dusty and rocky. Because there is less gravity on the moon, people and
objects weigh only about one-sixth of what they weigh on Earth.
Since ancient times, the moon has fascinated people. People have made up stories about the man in the
moon, they have dreamed about traveling to the moon, and they have wondered what the moon is like.
On July 20, 1969, after over four days aboard a spacecraft, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin
became the first human beings to set foot on the moon. From all over the world, people watched this
important event on television. Because there is no wind or rain on the moon, the astronauts' footprints will
likely remain there for thousands of years.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Astronauts walked on the moon for the first time in 1969.
___ b. The moon is a natural satellite of Earth and has interested people for centuries.
___ c. The moon doesn't actually produce light; it reflects the sun's light.
2. Why do people weigh much less on the moon than on Earth?
___ a. because the moon has no atmosphere
___ b. because the moon orbits Earth
___ c. because the moon has very little gravity
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3. What does position mean in this story?
___ a. a viewpoint
___ b. a job
___ c. a location
4. Why can't we see the moon when it is between the sun and Earth?
___ a. The moon is too far away at this point.
___ b. The moon reflects light toward the sun.
___ c. Earth's shadow completely covers the moon.
5. How is the moon different from Earth?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
reflection
sliver
produce
natural
gravity
not made by people
image bounced off a surface
a small, thin piece
to make or create
a force that pulls things
7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
The moon is Earth's ______________. The moon ______________ Earth about once every
month. As the moon moves, its position changes in ______________ to the sun and Earth. As
a result, the ______________ that people see changes shape. Sometimes the moon looks like
a ______________, and sometimes it is round.
satellite, orbits, relation, reflection, sliver, atmosphere, natural
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8. Why does the moon seem to change shape and sometimes disappear?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write three facts from the story that support this statement: People have always been interested in the
moon.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Hammurabi's Laws
What would the world be like if there weren't any laws?
Thousands of years ago, cities, states, and countries didn't exist.
People lived in small groups. There weren't laws that were written
down and followed by everyone. But as more and more people
lived closer and closer together, city-states formed, and along with
them the need for laws. The city of Babylon was one of these early
civilizations. It was also where one of the earliest known sets of
laws was written.
Archeologists found these laws in 1901 among some ancient
ruins. The 282 laws were carved in stone about 4,000 years ago,
under the reign of Hammurabi. He had the inscribed stone displayed in the city so that all citizens could
see the laws. Many scholars believe it may have been the first public posting of a body of laws. Some of
the laws may seem harsh today, but modern legal systems share many of the same principles.
Hammurabi's code of laws covered debts, property rights, and punishment for crimes. It included laws
to stop people from bringing false charges against others. It provided some protections for women too.
The law often called for punishment that matched the crime. People who caused another's death were
sentenced to die. People who damaged another's property had to pay for the damage. One law stated that a
doctor would lose his hands if his patient died during surgery. The laws required that people pay their
debts. The code also helped those who could not pay their rent after a bad year of farming.
Studying Hammurabi's laws can teach us about the culture and values of ancient Babylon. It is also
interesting to see the similarities and differences between that ancient code and the laws we live by today.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Ancient people did not have organized countries or laws.
___ b. Hammurabi's code was one of the first sets of written laws.
___ c. Hammurabi's code called for punishment for crime.
2. What happened to people who damaged another's property?
___ a. They had to pay for the damage.
___ b. They were sentenced to die.
___ c. They would lose their hands.
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3. What does body mean in this story?
___ a. a collection
___ b. a corpse
___ c. the main part of something
4. Why might people in city-states need laws?
___ a. People living close together have a greater chance of conflict.
___ b. People in city-states commit the worst crimes.
___ c. People in city-states live closer to their rulers.
5. How is life different now compared to how it was before Hammurabi lived?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
charges
displayed
inscribed
scholars
ruins
carved
accusations
learners
shown
remains
7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Long before there were cities and countries, written laws didn't ______________. The citystate of Babylon, one of the earliest ______________, had the first known set of written laws.
The laws were carved into a stone, which was ______________ in the city for people to see.
In 1901, ______________ found the inscribed stone, and scholars began to study it. This code
taught scholars much about the principles and ______________ of ancient Bablyon.
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debts, ruins, exist, civilizations, displayed, archeologists, culture
8. How did the development of laws help people who lived in city-states?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Many legal systems are based on some of the same principles as Hammurabi's laws. Write three of
Hammurabi's laws that are like modern laws today.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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The Hindenburg
Can you imagine an aircraft the size of three football fields? The
German-built Hindenburg was a rigid airship that was almost that
long. Its massive frame, made of mostly aluminum and copper,
measured over 803 feet long and 135 feet in diameter. Sixteen
gasbags held the more than seven million cubic feet of flammable
hydrogen gas needed to lift the ship into the air.
The designer wanted to fill the Hindenburg with helium, not
hydrogen. Helium is much safer because it is not flammable. At the
time, only the United States made helium. But due to political
problems, the Germans could not buy helium from the United
States. So hydrogen filled the Hindenburg's gasbags instead.
The Germans knew using hydrogen could cause the Hindenburg to come to a fiery end. So they took
care to prevent such a disaster. A special gel lined the gasbags to reduce the risk of leaks. And the crew
checked the gasbags often for leaks. The crew even wore spark-resistant boots when walking in the
padded catwalks. Even the passengers had to follow a number of rules in order to make the Hindenburg
safe. They had to give up their lighters and matches and smoke only in a fireproof smoking room. A
lighter in the middle of the smoking room provided passengers with the only way to light their cigarettes.
All of these precautions, however, could not save the Hindenburg.
On May 3, 1937, the Hindenburg left Germany on its way to America. While on board, the passengers
traveled in style. They ate in a fancy dining room and looked out over the ocean from the observation
deck. Just after 7:00 p.m. on May 6, it was finally time to land. Suddenly, while hundreds of people
watched, the Hindenburg burst into flames, killing about 35 of the nearly 100 people on board and one
person on the ground. In less than a minute, the Hindenburg burned completely. After the Hindenburg
disaster, travel by rigid airship came to an end.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. People took great care to make the Hindenburg safe, but its last flight ended in disaster.
___ b. The Hindenburg was a German-made rigid aircraft that was the size of three football fields.
___ c. The Hindenburg disaster marked the end of travel by rigid airship.
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2. What was in the Hindenburg's gasbags?
___ a. hydrogen
___ b. helium
___ c. aluminum
3. What does frame mean in this story?
___ a. accuse or blame
___ b. doorway
___ c. inside structure
4. Why were the catwalks padded?
___ a. to prevent a spark from starting a fire
___ b. to add beauty to the Hindenburg
___ c. to make it easier to walk on them
5. What may have contributed to the Hindenburg disaster?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
risk
massive
fiery
provided
designer
danger
burning
huge
supplied
planner
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
The ______________ of the Hindenburg wanted to use a safe gas. Instead, the Hindenburg's
gasbags were filled with ______________. The gas they used was very ______________.
Because of this unsafe gas, the Hindenburg came to a ______________ end. Many of the
people ______________ died, and travel by rigid airship ended.
designer, hydrogen, flammable, fiery, on board, helium, political
8. Why were so many people watching the Hindenburg land?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write three facts from the story that support this statement: People took many precautions to make the
Hindenburg safe.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Marie Curie
In 1894, in Paris, an amazing woman and man met for the first time.
The woman's name was Marie Sklodowska, and the man's name was Pierre
Curie. They got married the next year, beginning a partnership that made
them both famous.
Marie and Pierre Curie were scientists. Marie became interested in
radiation, a new area of study. She studied and measured radiation coming
from an element called uranium. Pierre joined her in her studies.
Soon they discovered two new elements called radium and polonium,
which both naturally give off radiation. They introduced the term
radioactive to describe substances that give off radiation.
The Curies spent years removing a tiny amount of radium from another
substance. This difficult work made them known all over the world. Yet they did not patent their work
because they thought that, as scientists, they should share it to help others.
In 1903, the Curies won a Nobel Prize for their work on radioactivity. The Nobel Prize is an award for
the most important achievements in one of several areas, including physics and chemistry. Marie Curie
was the first woman ever to receive this highly respected award.
Sadly, Pierre died in an accident in 1906, but Marie carried on their work with radium. Her efforts
earned her another great honor. In 1911, she won a second Nobel Prize, becoming the first person to
receive two Nobel Prizes.
Marie died in 1934 from a disease caused by radiation. She had worked closely with radioactive
elements for a long time without taking the precautions that became standard later. Indeed, many years
passed between the discovery of radioactivity and the world truly understanding the dangers it could
present and how to minimize those dangers.
Marie Curie was a remarkable scientist who made great contributions to her field. She also gave the
world another great scientist in the form of her daughter Irene. Irene and her husband won the Nobel Prize
in Chemistry in 1935.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Marie Curie was a great scientist who made many contributions to her field.
___ b. After Marie and Pierre Curie met in 1894 in Paris, they soon married and began to work together.
___ c. The Curies did not patent their work because they wanted it to be available to everyone.
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2. What did Marie and Pierre Curie discover?
___ a. They discovered the fields of physics and chemistry.
___ b. They discovered polonium and radium.
___ c. They discovered radioactivity in uranium.
3. What does patent mean in this story?
___ a. to be protected from something harmful
___ b. to be authentic or real
___ c. to gain the legal right to make something
4. Why didn't Marie take precautions when working with radiation?
___ a. She didn't want to follow the standard safety measures.
___ b. She didn't fully understand the dangers of working with radiation.
___ c. She wanted to win another Nobel Prize for her work.
5. How did Marie help scientists who came after her?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its definition.
partnership
substance
minimize
field
contributions
people working together
aid given to a purpose
a liquid, solid, or gas
to make less of a problem
an area of study
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Marie and Pierre Curie were scientists who formed a strong ______________. They worked
together to measure radiation coming from an ______________ called uranium. They also
discovered two new elements that ______________ give off radiation. They did not
______________ their work, so others could use their information. Marie won the Nobel
Prize twice for her great ______________ to science.
partnership, element, naturally, patent, contributions, standard, radioactivity
8. What may have happened if the Curies had patented their work?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write two facts from the story that support this statement: Marie Curie was a remarkable scientist.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Meteorite!
One night, while Robert and Wanda Donahue of Connecticut
were watching TV, a six-pound rock crashed through their roof into
their living room. The rock had come from outer space.
So what was the rock that invaded the Donahue home? It was a
meteorite. A meteorite is a rock from space that travels all the way
to Earth. One characteristic of most meteorites, which can help
scientists identify them, is that they contain far more metal than
Earth rocks do.
When most meteorites land, no one even notices. Many of these
meteorites are tiny specks of dust that did not burn up when traveling through Earth's atmosphere. Yet
other meteorites are larger and do attract attention. For example, in 1954, a meteorite weighing several
pounds struck a woman in Alabama as she lay sleeping. The meteorite burst through her roof, hit her hip,
and left a large bruise.
Some meteorites are so large that they can cause more serious damage. Thousands of years ago, a
meteorite struck Earth near what is now Winslow, Arizona. Scientists think this meteorite weighed
hundreds of millions of pounds. The impact left a crater about 4,100 feet wide and nearly 600 feet deep. In
1908, a major explosion leveled whole forests in Siberia. Many scientists believed that a large meteorite
caused that event.
Scientists say that it is possible for an enormous meteorite to collide with Earth again. We probably do
not have to worry about it too much, though. Scientists have estimated that meteorites about a mile wide
or larger strike Earth only once or twice every million years. So meteorites large enough to cause
catastrophic damage are very rare. Besides, scientists have studied what we could do if a large meteorite
was headed for Earth. If they could discover its path early enough, they might be able to alter its course
away from Earth.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Meteorites are rocks from space that travel to Earth, sometimes causing damage.
___ b. Large meteorites can cause catastrophic damage like the impact crater in Arizona.
___ c. Scientists may be able to alter a meteorite's path away from Earth.
2. Why don't people notice most meteorites?
___ a. Meteorites are very rare.
___ b. Most meteorites are just specks of dust.
___ c. Scientists alter the meteorites' course away from Earth.
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3. What does atmosphere mean in this story?
___ a. surroundings in an environment
___ b. air around a planet, moon, or star
___ c. a mood, quality, or feature of something
4. What happens as a meteorite travels through Earth's atmosphere?
___ a. Much of it burns up.
___ b. It bursts through roofs.
___ c. Scientists alter its course.
5. Why don't we need to worry much about a meteorite harming us?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its antonym.
invaded
rare
attention
alter
crater
disinterest
keep
hill
protected
common
7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
In the past, meteorites have ______________ Earth's atmosphere. Some of the meteorites are
so small they attract no ______________. Occasionally, a meteorite has been so large that its
______________ has caused great damage. A huge meteorite struck Earth in Arizona, and its
impact left a very deep ______________. Luckily, massive impacts are very
______________.
invaded, attention, impact, crater, rare, alter, characteristic
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8. Astronomers are scientists who study the sun, the planets, and other objects in the sky. Why is it
important that astronomers study the sky?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for these facts: Scientists can usually tell if a rock is from space. They
estimate that huge meteorites strike Earth only once or twice every million years. They may be able to
alter a meteorite's course.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Mount Vesuvius Erupts
Pompeii and Herculaneum were once cities near Mount
Vesuvius, a volcano in what is now Italy. The people living in those
cities in the first century probably didn't fear the mountain, though.
They didn't know that it might erupt. Indeed, the volcano had lain
dormant for hundreds of years. The area sometimes had
earthquakes. Yet at that time, people were not aware that there was
a connection between earthquakes and eruptions. So it came as a
terrible surprise when on August 24, 79 C.E., Mount Vesuvius
showed its true nature.
August 24 began like any other day. By early afternoon, though,
a huge black cloud had started coming out of Mount Vesuvius. As pumice and ash began to rain down on
Pompeii, some people decided to desert the city. Others remained, taking cover inside homes and
buildings. The heavy downpour caused many of these structures to collapse, and a number of people
became buried beneath ten or more feet of pumice and ash.
Herculaneum, though closer to Mount Vesuvius, did not suffer much from the first stage of the
eruption. The direction of the wind had pushed the clouds of ash away from Herculaneum. Yet the city's
good fortune did not continue. The next stage of the eruption brought about the end of Herculaneum and
Pompeii.
Early on August 25, streams of hot lava poured down the mountain at about 70 miles an hour.
Poisonous gases quickly filled the air. The people still alive in the area died almost instantly. By the time
the volcano settled down again, thousands of people had lost their lives. Volcanic debris now entombed
them along with Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Over time, people in the surrounding areas forgot about the buried cities. Then, in the mid-1700s,
excavations began to uncover the city of Pompeii. The debris that had so suddenly and completely covered
it had preserved it well. The things found there have taught scientists a lot about life in Pompeii and about
the disastrous eruption in 79 C.E.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. A dormant volcano erupted, burying two cities for many centuries.
___ b. Scientists have uncovered the remains of the city of Pompeii.
___ c. People in the surrounding areas forgot about the two buried cities.
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2. Why did some people leave Pompeii on the morning of August 24?
___ a. ash and pumice rained down
___ b. hot lava poured down
___ c. poisonous gas filled the air
3. What does nature mean in this story?
___ a. the climate or weather
___ b. someone or something's basic characteristic
___ c. the environment or wilderness
4. Why did many people stay in Herculaneum on August 24?
___ a. They wanted to see what would happen.
___ b. They did not understand the danger.
___ c. They had no way to get out of the city.
5. Why did more people die in the second stage of the eruption than in the first?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
fortune
stage
structures
debris
desert
step
leave
luck
buildings
rubble
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
In 79 C.E., Mount Vesuvius showed its true ______________. It wasn't just a mountain; it
was a volcano that had been ______________ for hundreds of years. But now it was about to
______________. Over two days, the volcano sent a ______________ of ash, pumice, and
lava. The volcanic debris entombed the cities and, by doing so, it also ______________ them.
nature, dormant, erupt, downpour, preserved, fortune, desert
8. Why were many people in Pompeii and Herculaneum unable to escape the eruption?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Many things happen in a volcanic eruption that are dangerous to human life. Write three events in an
eruption that can kill people.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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The Star‐Spangled Banner
"O say can you see," begins the song "The Star-Spangled
Banner." This song is the national anthem of the United States of
America. Yet it didn't start out as the country's national anthem. It
wasn't always called "The Star-Spangled Banner," either.
During the War of 1812, British forces took Dr. William Beanes
as a prisoner and held him on a ship in Chesapeake Bay. On
September 7, 1814, Francis Scott Key, a Maryland lawyer, boarded
the ship to request Beanes' release. The British agreed to allow
Beanes to go. However, they required the men to remain with the
fleet until the British carried out their mission to attack Fort
McHenry. The British did not want Key and Beanes to inform the Americans of their plan. So Key and
Beanes had to watch the attack on Fort McHenry from the bay. As the hours wore on, they could only
hope that the Americans would prevail. When the sun began to come up in the morning, they could see
that the American flag still flew over Fort McHenry. In his happiness, Key wrote a poem about the
experience on a letter he had with him.
Key's brother-in-law had the poem printed, noting that it could be sung to the tune of the English song
"To Anacreon in Heaven." The title of the poem was "Defence of Fort McHenry." Soon afterward, the
new song appeared in many newspapers, and its name changed. In 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner"
became the national anthem of the United States of America—nearly 117 years after it was written and
155 years after the United States became a country.
Not everyone was happy that "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national anthem. Some people
thought it glorified war. Others thought it was too hard to sing. Nevertheless, you can hear "The StarSpangled Banner" sung or played at many sporting events around the United States. The people listening
usually stand quietly and remove their hats. Often performances include only the first verse of "The StarSpangled Banner," but the song actually has four verses.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. A poem about a battle became the U.S. national anthem 155 years after the country was formed.
___ b. "The Star-Spangled Banner" was written during the War of 1812.
___ c. Performances of the U.S. national anthem often include only the first verse, not all four.
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2. Why did Francis Scott Key write "The Star-Spangled Banner"?
___ a. He wanted to write the national anthem for the United States of America.
___ b. He was happy to see the American flag still flying after the battle.
___ c. He wanted to write a poem that could be sung to a popular tune.
3. What does boarded mean in this story?
___ a. covered with wood
___ b. took care of and fed
___ c. went onto a ship
4. How did Key and Beanes probably feel on the British ship?
___ a. happy to have a safe place to stay
___ b. worried about the American soldiers
___ c. hopeful that the British would win the battle
5. What do U.S. citizens usually do when "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
inform
glorified
forces
mission
nevertheless
task
troops
but
praised
tell
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7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
Key and Beanes watched the attack on Fort McHenry.
Key wrote a poem on a letter.
Dr. William Beanes was taken as a British prisoner.
The American flag was still flying after the battle.
"The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national anthem.
8. Why was "The Star-Spangled Banner" a good name for the national anthem of the United States of
America?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. The United States' national anthem has an interesting history. Write three interesting facts about its
origin.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Stonehenge
Ruins of a huge stone monument stand on Salisbury Plain in
southern England. Some of the stones are about 18 feet tall and
weigh over 20 tons. Many were likely brought to the site from over
200 miles away. The stones form broken rings in an area
surrounded by a large circular ditch. Known as Stonehenge, this
monument has existed for thousands of years—since long before
machines could have helped create it. Who built it—and how and
why?
Over the years, many people have tried to explain Stonehenge.
Some people wondered if it was the work of the Romans. Others
thought the Druids, a group of ancient priests, built it. Some even imagined that the legendary magician
Merlin had placed the stones. Scientists have studied Stonehenge. Many theorized that several groups of
people contributed to the structure at different times, starting about 5,000 years ago. People have made
drawings of how Stonehenge may have looked at different stages in history. At one time, many more
stones stood at the site. Together with the stones still there, they likely formed completed rings around two
stone arcs.
Moving the large stones from their natural homes into their places at Stonehenge would have been
difficult. Scientists have pondered how the builders were able to do so without modern tools. The builders
may have rolled the huge stones over a series of logs. They may have used large sleds or rafts, and perhaps
they used animals. To test these possibilities, people have tried to move similar blocks of stone in several
different ways.
Chances are that Stonehenge was an important place for the people who worked on and used it. But
what did they use it for? Some people have guessed that it was a place where the injured or ill went for
healing. Others have said it was a shrine to the dead. The entrance to Stonehenge aligns with the path of
the sun on the longest and shortest days of the year. It's possible that the site served as a type of calendar,
helping people to keep track of the seasons. Imagine trying to hang that calendar on your wall!
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Stonehenge is made of stones that weigh over 20 tons.
___ b. Many unanswered questions remain about the huge ruins of Stonehenge.
___ c. People may have used sleds, rafts, or animals to build Stonehenge.
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2. What may have been used to move the huge stones?
___ a. ditches
___ b. logs
___ c. machines
3. What does theorized mean in this story?
___ a. did not believe
___ b. gave an explanation
___ c. heard someone say
4. Why was it probably difficult to build Stonehenge?
___ a. because the huge stones came from 200 miles away
___ b. because the entrance aligns with the path of the sun
___ c. because the site changed at different stages in history
5. Explain why it probably took a long time to build Stonehenge.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
stages
ditch
pondered
rings
legendary
hole
periods
thought
circles
famous
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7. Fill in the blanks with words from the list below.
Some people have thought Stonehenge was built by a ______________ magician. Scientists
believe it was built over time at different ______________ in history. They think that
different groups of people ______________ to the building of Stonehenge. Nobody is sure
what Stonehenge was used for, but there are several ______________. It may have been a
calendar, because its entrance ______________ with the sun's path.
contributed, legendary, stages, possibilities, aligns, rings, monument
8. Why might different groups of people have kept contributing to the building of Stonehenge?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write a summary statement for the following facts: We do not know who built Stonehenge. We do not
know how Stonehenge was built. We do not know why Stonehenge was built.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Successful Failure
Commander Jim Lovell intended to walk on the moon. He and
fellow astronauts Jack Swigert and Fred Haise launched into space
on April 11, 1970 on Apollo 13. If the mission succeeded, Lovell
and Haise would walk on the moon—something only four people
had done before.
At first, the Apollo 13 mission seemed on track to succeed.
About two days into the flight, one of the team members at mission
control in Houston told the flight crew how good everything
looked. "We're bored to tears down here," he said. Several hours
later, though, the plan—and what would make Apollo 13
successful—changed.
The spacecraft was most of the way to the moon when an oxygen tank exploded. The blast blew a
whole panel off the outside of the ship and led to more trouble. One oxygen tank was gone, a second one
began emptying, and fuel cells were failing. For even a chance at survival, the astronauts had to move
from the command module to the lunar lander, where life-support systems were still intact. The goal had
switched from landing on the moon to returning safely to Earth. It would be risky and maybe impossible to
fire up the main engine and turn the spacecraft around. The Apollo team decided that the ship should
continue around the moon. Gravity and bursts of fuel from the lunar lander's engines would push the ship
back to Earth.
Over almost four days, the astronauts worked through a number of problems. Debris from the
explosion had made navigation difficult. The need to save power and water meant that they had to put up
with cold and dehydration too. Then, on top of everything else, Fred Haise became ill.
As the spacecraft neared Earth's atmosphere, the astronauts returned to the command module and
separated it from the rest of the ship. The command module splashed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after
noon on April 17, 1970, nearly 143 hours after the launch. Apollo 13 had failed to accomplish its stated
goal. The ingenuity and teamwork of the Apollo team, though, had brought all three of its flight crew
members home safely. For this reason, Apollo 13 has sometimes been called "the successful failure."
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. The Apollo 13 mission failed, but people still consider it a success.
___ b. The Apollo 13 astronauts had to move from the command module to the lunar lander.
___ c. The mission of Apollo 13 was to have two men walk on the moon.
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2. What was the Apollo 13 mission's first problem?
___ a. The ship ran low on fuel.
___ b. Navigation became difficult.
___ c. An oxygen tank exploded.
3. What does panel mean in this story?
___ a. a flat piece of material
___ b. a group of experts
___ c. a control switch
4. Which of these things was the result of fuel cells failing?
___ a. The astronauts had to put up with cold and dehydration.
___ b. A panel blew off the outside of the ship.
___ c. A second oxygen tank began emptying.
5. Why was Apollo 13 a "successful failure"?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
intended
launched
ingenuity
intact
bursts
sent
meant
explosions
creativity
whole
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7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
The astronauts moved to the lunar lander.
Fred Haise became ill.
The astronauts moved to the command module.
Fuel cells on the spacecraft started to fail.
The team decided to let the ship continue around the moon.
8. How would going around the moon increase chances of survival?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write three facts from the story that support this statement: The Apollo 13 team used ingenuity when
solving problems.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Titanic Survivor
Jack Thayer was 17 years old when he boarded the Titanic in
April 1912. The Titanic was about to depart from Southampton,
England, for New York City on its maiden voyage. It was the
largest passenger ship of the day, and many people were confident
that it was unsinkable. They would soon learn that they were
wrong.
One chilly night a few days into the journey, the Titanic hit an
iceberg. At the time, Jack was preparing for bed. He felt a small
bump and noticed the ship sway a bit. Not sure what was
happening, Jack and his parents went out to the ship's deck. Jack's
father saw some ice in the water, and Jack noticed that the vessel was beginning to tilt to one side.
The Thayer family returned to their cabin, put on warmer clothes and life jackets, and then went back
out to the deck. Soon the crew of the Titanic began gathering women and children to put them into
lifeboats. Jack and his parents got separated in the crowd.
Jack continued walking on the deck with a man he'd met that evening named Milton. They wanted to
abandon the sinking ship, but there weren't enough lifeboats on board for all of the passengers. As the
Titanic sank, Milton and then Jack climbed over the rail and jumped into the sea.
Just after Jack resurfaced in the frigid water, one of the giant smokestacks broke from the ship and
landed nearby. As Jack looked back, he also saw the ship itself fractured into two pieces. Rough water
pushed him around and under again, but he soon emerged, this time next to a capsized lifeboat.
Jack reached out his hand, and a man pulled him out of the water. Along with about 25 other people,
Jack balanced on the bottom of the overturned boat for a few hours until another ship finally rescued them.
When Jack was safely aboard the rescue ship, he was reunited with his mother. Sadly, the majority of
the Titanic's passengers did not survive the disaster. Jack's father and his friend Milton were among the
approximately 1,500 people who died. Jack later wrote The Sinking of the S.S. Titanic, which described his
experience of the tragedy.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage from New York to England.
___ b. Jack Thayer survived tragic events during the Titanic's first and last voyage.
___ c. Approximately 1,500 people died when the Titanic sank.
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2. What happened while Jack was preparing for bed?
___ a. He was separated from his parents.
___ b. He felt a small bump.
___ c. He saw some ice in the water.
3. What does resurfaced mean in this story?
___ a. came back to the top
___ b. moved backward
___ c. brought back together again
4. How did Jack's mother probably survive?
___ a. She jumped into the water and swam to the rescue ship.
___ b. She got on a lifeboat and then on the rescue ship.
___ c. She was one of the 25 people on the lifeboat with Jack.
5. What are some reasons so many people died when the Titanic sank?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Match each word with its synonym.
tilt
vessel
confident
depart
approximately
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about
leave
certain
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Level 5.6 Stories
7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
A man pulled Jack onto the lifeboat.
A rescue ship found the lifeboat.
Jack and his family got separated.
Jack jumped into the water.
Jack was reunited with his mother.
8. Why were people confident that the Titanic was unsinkable?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Jack did many things that helped him survive. Write three things he did that helped save his life.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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Young Teddy Roosevelt
Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, was one of
the country's most vibrant leaders. He was a hunter, a cowboy, a soldier,
and an active politician. Today people remember him when they see his
face on Mount Rushmore. He even has a toy named after him—the teddy
bear. But though he became known for his physical energy, his childhood
was marked by physical struggles.
From the time he was a baby, he battled asthma and a number of other
physical problems. His parents spent many nights sitting up with him as he
struggled to breathe. Sometimes his father would put Teddy in the family
carriage and drive through the streets in the hope that the night air would
help him.
Teddy didn't let his physical limitations stop him from exploring the
world. He loved to spend time outdoors. He was especially interested in the natural world and liked to
collect nature samples. These samples became part of a museum he started in his bedroom, which he
called the Roosevelt Museum of Natural History. He also recorded his observations of many insects in a
notebook. He entitled this book Natural History on Insects.
Because of his ailments, Teddy knew he would have to work hard to become strong. So, as he grew
older, he began an exercise program to build up his strength. His father set up a small gym in their home
where Teddy would lift weights and do stretches to develop his muscles. Teddy also took boxing lessons,
learned to wrestle, and went hiking.
At times, poor health did force Teddy to rest and stay indoors. His bouts with illness weren't all bad,
though. Another activity that he really enjoyed was reading. Reading so many books strengthened his
mind, and he could read while resting his body. Books became a permanent part of Teddy's life. When he
grew up, he even wrote several of them. In a way, the afflictions Teddy faced as a child helped make him
into a strong and smart adult.
Quiz Questions
1. What is the main idea of this story?
___ a. Teddy Roosevelt's physical limitations as a child helped him grow into a strong and smart person.
___ b. Teddy Roosevelt enjoyed reading, exploring, and recording his observations in a notebook.
___ c. As a child, Teddy Roosevelt struggled with asthma and a number of physical problems.
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2. Why did Teddy begin an exercise program?
___ a. He wanted to run for President.
___ b. He wanted to build up his strength.
___ c. He liked to lift weights and do stretches.
3. What does ailments mean in this story?
___ a. exercises
___ b. illnesses
___ c. battles
4. Why is it surprising that Teddy was known for his physical energy?
___ a. He rode around in a carriage.
___ b. He did a lot of reading.
___ c. He was often sick.
5. How did Teddy's afflictions help him?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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6. Match each word with its definition.
battled
energy
afflictions
weights
permanent
hardships
the power to work
heavy objects
long-lasting
fought
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7. Move the sentences into the correct order.
Teddy's face was carved into Mount Rushmore.
Teddy was elected President of the United States.
Teddy began an exercise program to build his strength.
Teddy started to have trouble with asthma.
Teddy's father drove him around town in a carriage.
8. What were some of Teddy's interests as a child?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9. Write three facts from the story that support this statement: Teddy Roosevelt was able to overcome his
physical limitations.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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