Mountains and Oceans
Mount Everest
Illustration by Lynn M. Hanousek
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It sits in the
Himalayan mountain range. It is located north of India on the border between
Nepal and Tibet. Everest is over 5 miles above sea level. That is about 110 city
blocks. The mountain is named after a man named Sir George Everest. He was
a British surveyor general who lived in India in the 1800s.
For over one hundred years, people tried again and again to climb the
towering mountain. They always failed. Mount Everest has high winds and
freezing temperatures. The air is thin and there is a risk of avalanches. In 1953,
two men were able to reach the top of Mount Everest for the first time. It took
them over two months.
Jim Whittaker was the first American to reach the top of Mount Everest.
He reached the summit in 1963. Since then several thousand people have been
able to reach the top. Do you think you could do it?
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Name: ____________________________
Date:______________________
1. Which mountain range does Mount Everest sit in?
a.
b.
c.
d.
the Appalachian mountain range
the Rocky mountain range
the Himalayan mountain range
the Andes mountain range
2. What country was Sir George Everest from?
a.
b.
c.
d.
India
Nepal
United States if America
England
3. According to the passage, what does towering mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Scary
Huge
Cold
Windy
4. How would you best describe the first two men to reach the top of Mt. Everest?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Insane
Brave
Weak
Kind
5. Based on the passage, it is likely that
a.
b.
c.
d.
the weather is very nice on Mount Everest
it is easy to climb Mount Everest
it is hard to breathe on Mount Everest
many people have successfully climbed Mount Everest
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6. When did the first successful climb to the summit of Mount Everest happen?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
7. Based on the passage, why did so many people fail to climb Mount Everest?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best
completes the sentence.
People tried again and again to climb the towering mountain, _______ they
always failed.
a. despite
b. before
c. but
d. so
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
In 1953, two people succeeded in climbing to the top of Mount Everest.
Who? two people
What? ________________________________________________________
Where? _______________________________________________________
When? ________________________________________________________
10. Vocabulary Word: towering: very tall.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Teacher Guide and Answers
Passage Reading Level: Lexile 580
Featured Text Structure: Descriptive – the writer explains, defines or illustrates
a concept or topic
Passage Summary: This passage describes Mount Everest, including its
characteristics and the people who have tried to climb it.
1. Which mountain range does Mount Everest sit in?
a.
b.
c.
d.
the Appalachian mountain range
the Rocky mountain range
the Himalayan mountain range
the Andes mountain range
2. What country was Sir George Everest from?
a.
b.
c.
d.
India
Nepal
United States if America
England
3. According to the passage, what does towering mean?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Scary
Huge
Cold
Windy
4. How would you best describe the first two men to reach the top of Mt. Everest?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Insane
Brave
Weak
Nice
5. Based on the passage, it is likely that
a. the weather is very nice on Mount Everest
b. it is easy to climb Mount Everest
c. it is hard to breathe on Mount Everest
d. many people have successfully climbed Mount Everest
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© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
6. When did the first successful climb to the summit of Mount Everest happen?
Suggested answer: The first successful to the summit of Mount Everest
happened in 1953.
7. Based on the passage, why did so many people fail to climb Mount Everest?
Suggested answer: Many people failed to climb Mount Everest most
likely because the weather was difficult and because there is not a lot of
oxygen, making it challenging for people who are not in shape.
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best
completes the sentence.
People tried again and again to climb the towering mountain, _______ they
always failed.
a. despite
b. before
c. but
d. so
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
In 1953, two people succeeded in climbing to the top of Mount Everest.
Who? two people
What? succeeded in climbing
Where? to the top of Mount Everest
When? in 1953
10. Vocabulary Word: towering: very tall.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.
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© 2012 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.