Table of Contents Suggested Reading List...3 Independence Day...4 One More Chapter?... 5 Parasites...6 What's the Question?... 7 Nellie Bly...8 Rock Hounds...10 Recycling...12 A Bowl of Blueberries...14 Animal Diagram....16 What Is the Problem?...17 Soccer Sign Ups!....18 The Space Race...20 Title, Please!.... 22 Lemonade Stand...24 The Midnight Ride...26 Neighbors Need Neighbors...28 Fact or Opinion?...30 Baking Powder Biscuits...32 Ellie and Polly...34 Leif Erikson...36 Compost Pile...38 How Earthquakes Happen...40 Tornado!....42 Two Basketball Stars...44 Paul Bunyan...46 Ancient Earthquakes...48 Shark!...50 What s the Cause?... 52 The Brain...54 Limericks...56 The Giant Sequoia...58 Periods in History...60 Making Oatmeal...62 Elephants...64 Avalanche!... 66 Idioms...68 Space Probes...69 Mollusks...70 Critical Thinking Skills...72-77 Quicker Clues...72 Predicting Outcomes...73 Letter Sort..................... 74 Lose the Letters...75 Multiple-Meaning Words...76 Applying Analogies...77 Answer Key...78 2 Rainbow Bridge Publishing Reading RB-904056
Independence Day The Fourth of July is an important holiday for the United States. It is Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, the United States declared, or stated, that it was a country. It would no longer be part of England. Independence means to take care of yourself without help from others. That is why July 4 is called Independence Day. Every Fourth of July, people in the United States celebrate the beginning of the nation. There are parades, speeches, and lots of fireworks. People fly U.S. flags to show they are proud of their country. 1. What is the main idea of this story? A. The beginning of the United States is celebrated on the Fourth of July. B. Parades are common on the Fourth of July. C. The Fourth of July is for fireworks. 2. Which of the following best defines the word declare? A. to state or say B. celebrate C. fireworks 3. What are some ways people celebrate Independence Day? 4. Which of the following best defines the word independence? A. to celebrate a holiday B. to state as a fact C. to be free and on your own 4
One More Chapter? Tristan took off his wet boots and sat on the couch. He looked out of the window and smiled at the rounded figure in the yard. Tristan rubbed his hands together and blew on them. Ileana was in the kitchen making hot chocolate. He could hear her stirring the milk in the pan. He looked at the icy patterns on the window. Ileana came in the room and handed Tristan his cup. Hey, nice job out there! she said. That carrot makes a great nose! I hope your dad doesn t mind that we borrowed his scarf. She smiled when Tristan yawned. Shall we read another chapter of your book before bed? Aww, Tristan moaned, do I have to go to bed so soon? Let s read two chapters. Your mom said you had to be in bed by 8:30 because you have school tomorrow, Ileana said. She found the book and began to read aloud. Tristan listened to the story while he drank his hot chocolate. Circle yes or no. 1. Ileana is Tristan s sister. yes no 2. It is winter. yes no 3. There is a person standing in the yard. yes no 4. Tristan has been playing outside. yes no 5. Tristan used the scarf to dress a snowman. yes no 6. Ileana is a babysitter. yes no 7. It is Saturday night. yes no 8. Tristan s parents are gone for the evening. yes no 5
Parasites Some animals get their food by living in or on other things. These animals, called parasites, do not kill the animals they live on, but they may harm or irritate them. A flea will live on a dog, cat, or other animal. The animal it lives on is called the host. The flea gets its food by sucking the host animal s blood. Its bite will make the host itch and feel uncomfortable. Some worms are also parasites. A tapeworm lives inside the body of an animal. It eats the food the host has eaten. The tapeworm can make the host very sick. Plants can be parasites too. Mistletoe and some types of ferns live on trees, taking food and water from them. 1. What is the main idea of this story? A. Parasites live on or in other living things. B. A flea is a parasite. C. Parasites can make their hosts sick. 2. What is a parasite? 3. Where does a tapeworm live? 4. How does a flea get food? _ 5. What kinds of plants can be parasites? 6
What's the Question? Read the answers below. Then, on the line before each answer, write an appropriate question. 1. Question: _ Answer: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White 2. Question: _ Answer: a tent, a sleeping bag, and a cooler full of food 3. Question: _ Answer: lettuce, broccoli, celery, and zucchini 4. Question: _ Answer: He was the first president of the United States. 5. Question: _ Answer: She was a black woman who refused to give up her seat on a bus. This action started the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. 6. Question: _ Answer: It is a continent at the South Pole where penguins live, but no people, except for a few scientists, call it home. 7. Question: _ Answer: Heat milk on the stove. Then, add chocolate syrup and marshmallows. 8. Question: _ Answer: It is an animal with six legs, three body parts, and two antennae. 7
Nellie Bly Nellie Bly was a newspaper reporter. When she read a book by Jules Verne titled Around the World in Eighty Days, she thought of a great newspaper story. She would make her own trip and do it in less than 80 days. In 1889, a trip around the world was much harder than it is today. There were no jet airplanes or automobiles. There were only trains and ships. Also, women didn t travel alone much. They especially didn t travel around the world. However, Nellie Bly was determined to travel around the world, and her boss granted her request. On November 14, 1889, Bly left New York City on a steamship called the Augusta Victoria. She only took one small handbag with her. Her only clothes were the ones she was wearing. On the first night, a terrible storm rocked the ship. Bly was seasick, and she wondered if she had made a wise decision. However, the world was watching, and she couldn t turn back. When Bly reached England, she learned that Jules Verne wanted to meet her. Bly was so excited to meet the famous author that she traveled to France, losing two nights of sleep to stay on schedule. Bly wrote newspaper stories about the foods she ate, the clothes people wore, and the different cultures she encountered. Thousands of people around the world read about Bly s trip in the papers. The newspaper even made a board game out of Bly s trip. A contest was held, too. If someone could guess how long it would take Bly to travel around the world, that person would win a trip to Europe. Bly reached San Francisco with 12 days left. She got on a train that sped across the country in 4 days. On January 25, 1890, she returned home to New York City and thousands of cheering fans. Bly had traveled around the world in 72 days. It was a new world record! 8
Reading Comprehension 1. Choose a good title for this story. A. Breaking World Records! B. Meeting Jules Verne C. Seasick! D. The Race around the World 2. Number the following events in the order that they happened. Bly's boss agreed to let her go on her trip. Bly reached New York City. Bly reached San Francisco. Bly read Around the World in Eighty Days. Bly met author Jules Verne. 3. Which of the following best defines the word schedule? A. a timed plan B. a railroad track C. a flat path D. a list of things to do 4. What did Bly take with her on her trip? 5. Why was traveling around the world difficult for Bly? 9
Rock Hounds One afternoon, Ann discovered a shiny rock on the ground in her backyard. She picked it up and examined it closely, turning it over and over. The rock was black with smooth surfaces and a few sharp edges. Ann took her treasure inside to show her father. Ann s father looked at the stone, and he explained that he once had a rock like this in a collection. It was called obsidian, and it was used by the Native Americans to make arrowheads. Ann was very interested. She asked her father about this rock collection. She wanted a rock collection herself now. I had no idea rocks could be so interesting. There must be many different kinds, she said. Yes, there are. I should have kept up that hobby. I only had a small collection, about 30 rocks, replied Ann s father. It sounds like you enjoyed it, Ann said. Yeah, I was a rock hound back then, he laughed. You were a what? Ann asked. A rock hound. It s a person who collects rocks, her father explained. I suppose it is a rather odd nickname. I don t know if I want to be called a rock hound, but I think I d like to collect rocks as a hobby. It seems interesting. I want to find out where rocks come from and how they are made, Ann said. I know a little about that. Rocks are formed by processes in the earth. Some are results of high temperatures. Others are products of immense pressure in the earth. The sedimentary types are collections of layers of materials, her father explained. I think I ll begin today just looking around the neighborhood, Ann said. I bet that I can find some rocks here. Do you want to come with me, Dad? Absolutely, her dad replied. 10
Reading Comprehension 1. What is the nickname for a rock collector? 2. Number the following events in the order that they happened. Ann showed the rock to her father. Ann learned that rock collectors are sometimes called rock hounds. Ann and her father went to look for rocks. Ann found an interesting rock and picked it up. Ann s father explained how rocks are formed. 3. Where did Ann decide to look for rocks? A. the mountains B. the playground C. her backyard D. the neighborhood 4. Imagine that you are starting a rock collection. List five steps to follow to make a rock collection of your own. 11
Answer Key Page 4, Independence Day 1. A.; 2. A.; 3. with parades, speeches, fireworks, flying flags; 4. C. Page 5, One More Chapter? 1. no 4. yes 7. no 2. yes 5. yes 8. yes 3. no 6. yes Page 6, Parasites 1. A.; 2. It is a plant or animal that lives and feeds in or on other things.; 3. It lives inside the body of an animal.; 4. It sucks its host s blood.; 5. mistletoe and some ferns Page 7, What's the Question? 1. What are the names of three fairy-tale princesses?; 2. What things do you take on a camping trip?; 3. What are four green vegetables?; 4. Who was George Washington?; 5. Who was Rosa Parks?; 6. What is Antarctica?; 7. How do you make hot cocoa?; 8. What is an insect? Page 9, Nellie Bly 1. D.; 2. 2, 5, 4, 1, 3; 3. A.; 4. one small handbag; 5. There were no airplanes or automobiles. Women did not often travel alone. Page 11, Rock Hounds 1. a rock hound; 2. 2, 3, 5,1, 4; 3. D.; 4. Answers will vary. Page 13, Recycling 1. soup can B; jelly jar A; milk jug E; used facial tissue F; newspaper C; cottage cheese container E; envelopes C; junk mail C; soda can B; shampoo bottle E; crushed box D; broken toy F; 2. Garbage dumps won t fill as quickly. We will use fewer new materials. Recycling saves fossil fuels and reduces pollution. Page 15, A Bowl of Blueberries 1. no; They are strange new toys.; 2. striped; Page 15, continued hovered jealously; front legs curled up; 3. rotund; ripe; dusty blue; 4. gently bumping together; 5. The author likes the cat. The cat is allowed to be close to and play with the author s food.; 6. The cat enjoys playing with them. Page 16, Animal Diagram 1. All of the animals have spots.; 2. All of the animals are in the cat family.; 3. 4. Answers will vary. Page 17, What Is the Problem? 1. Marcy and Danielle; 2. Danielle s house or neighborhood; 3. Danielle fell off Marcy s new bike and bent the handlebars; 4. 5. Answers will vary. Page 19, Soccer Sign Ups! 1. B.; 2. C.; 3. D.; 4. A.; 5. A. Page 21, The Space Race 4, 1, 8, 2, 6, 3, 5, 7 Pages 22 23, Title, Please! Answers will vary. Page 25, Lemonade Stand 4, 2, 8, 1, 6, 5, 9,10, 3, 7 Page 27, The Midnight Ride 1. They called themselves minutemen because they would have to be ready to fight at a minute s notice; 2. 4, 2, 3, 6, 1, 5 Page 29, Neighbors Need Neighbors 1. A.; 2. 4. Answers will vary. Possible answers include: 2. She became more friendly and appreciative. 3. observant, kind, thoughtful, heroic; 4. Answers will vary. Possible answers could include: yes. Because they brought her flowers and food. The paper boy fed her dogs for her. 78