Dogs at Work

Many people have dogs. Dogs are good friends. They love to play and cuddle. Dogs will keep you company and make you feel better. Dogs will keep you safe and protect you from danger. Dogs are smart. They know their names and can learn cool tricks. Dogs are great pets. But did you know, many dogs have important jobs?

Therapy Dogs

Many dogs work to help people feel better. These dogs are called therapy dogs. Many therapy dogs work in hospitals to keep people happy and comfort people who are sick. Dogs make people feel happy and calm, which can help someone feel better when they are ill.

Some therapy dogs work with kids in schools. Kids can read to dogs and practice their skills to become better readers.

Service Dogs

Some dogs have jobs to help people with disabilities. These dogs are called service dogs. Many people who cannot see or hear have service dogs. Service dogs are trained to help their owners in their everyday lives. Service dogs can help people who cannot see by telling them when it is safe to cross the street and leading their owners so they do not trip or run into something.

Other service dogs help people who have illnesses. These service dogs are trained to sense when their owner is going to get sick and warn their owner to take medicine or call for help.

Search-and-Rescue Dogs

Search-and-rescue dogs help find people who are lost or trapped. Dogs have a very good sense of smell – much better than humans. Search-and-rescue dogs use their senses to help locate missing people or people who are trapped in caves or fallen buildings.

Detection Dogs

Some dogs, like search-and-rescue dogs, use their sense of smell to help find people who are lost. Other dogs use their sense of smell to find things that are hidden. These dogs are called detection dogs.

Detection dogs can help police find people who have broken the law and are hiding. Detection dogs can also help find explosives or bombs before they can cause damage.

Dogs are great pets. They are smart, friendly and good companions. Dogs also work hard and help us in many ways. It’s a good thing there are dogs!

According to the text, why can dogs do jobs that people can’t do?

African Elephants

Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa. 

Trunk

Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways. 

An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and grass. Adult elephants eat 300-400 pounds of food a day.

Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean. They also use their trunks as snorkels to help them breathe when they are swimming or in deep water. 

Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.

Tusks

African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.

Ears

Elephants have the largest ears of any animal. Elephants use their ears to hear, stay cool, and show feelings. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.

Wrinkled Skin

Elephants have wrinkled skin. Their skin looks rough and tough but it is very sensitive. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from getting a sunburn and bug bites.

Feet

Everything on an elephant is big, so of course an elephant also has very large feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to protect them and help them walk quietly.

What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!

According to the text, how does an elephant use its trunk?

African Elephants

Elephants are the biggest animals living on land. An adult male elephant can weigh as much as 11,000 pounds and be more than 13 feet tall. The biggest elephants live in Africa. 

Trunk

Elephants have a long trunk. An elephant uses its trunk in many ways. 

An elephant’s trunk is its nose. It uses its trunk to smell and breathe. Elephants also use their trunks like a hand. An elephant can pick up grass and branches with its trunk. It uses its trunk to reach high up and grab food from trees. Elephants are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Elephants eat fruit, leaves and grass. Adult elephants eat 300-400 pounds of food a day.

Elephants suck up water in their trunks and spray it onto themselves to stay clean. They also use their trunks as snorkels to help them breathe when they are swimming or in deep water. 

Elephants use their trunks to make sounds. Elephants roar, rumble and growl. When there is danger, elephants use their trunks to make a loud horn noise to warn others and scare away predators.

Tusks

African elephants have 2 tusks on either side of their trunk. Elephants use their tusks to dig holes and find food and water. They also use their tusks to carry things and even rest their trunks on their tusks. An elephant’s tusks also help it stay safe. Elephants can use their tusks to battle and protect themselves from enemies.

Ears

Elephants have the largest ears of any animal. Elephants use their ears to hear, stay cool, and show feelings. Elephants flap their ears to cool off and keep insects away.

Wrinkled Skin

Elephants have wrinkled skin. Their skin looks rough and tough but it is very sensitive. Elephants cover their skin in mud and dirt to protect themselves from getting a sunburn and bug bites.

Feet

Everything on an elephant is big, so of course an elephant also has very large feet. Elephants have pads on the bottom of their feet to protect them and help them walk quietly.

What has a long trunk, two big tusks, big ears and wrinkled skin? It’s an African elephant!

According to the text, how does an elephant use its tusks?

The Game of Soccer

The History

The game of soccer started a very long time ago in another country, England. They named the sport of soccer “football.” They called this game “football” because the players played the game on and with their feet. In America, we call the sport “soccer.” Although they may call it by different names, many people play the game of soccer all around the world.

The Teams

A soccer game has two teams. Each team has eleven players on the field at a time. One of those players is called the “goalie.” The goalie’s job is to stop the ball from going into the goal. The goalie is the only player that is able to touch the ball with his hands during a soccer game.

The Game

Most soccer games last 90 minutes, and there is only one break in the middle of the game. During a soccer game, each team tries to kick the ball into the opposite team’s goal. Unlike many other sports, soccer games can end in a tie, meaning there might not be a winner or a loser after each game because each team has the same score.

Where did the game of soccer begin?

Text 1:

During the year, the weather has four seasons: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Each season can bring very different weather. When the weather changes, people have to make some changes too.

In the summer, the weather is normally very warm. There are green leaves on the trees and bright colored flowers blooming in gardens. To stay cool, people normally wear lightweight clothes in the summer.

The fall brings a change in the leaves and temperature. Tree leaves begin to turn from green to bright orange, yellow, and red. The temperature will begin to get cooler during the fall. People often put away their summer shorts and start wearing jeans in the fall.

Winter is a time for snow! The very cold temperatures of winter bring the snowflakes. The cold temperature also means that many plants won’t grow and trees are left with no leaves, just bare branches. In the winter many people wear thick winter coats, hats, and gloves to try to keep themselves warm.

In the spring the weather is still warm, but most places get a lot of rain in the spring. All of the rain helps the flowers start to grow. Because of the rain, it’s always smart to have a rain jacket and an umbrella in the spring.

Text 2:

As you are growing up, the four seasons can create a timeline for the year. As a new season starts, there is a new time in the year to look forward to.

Fall means the start of school and school sports! The temperatures start to get cool in the fall, but that’s perfect weather for school events like football and soccer games.

Though winter can bring very cold temperatures, it can also bring snow days! Some places can get a lot of snow, which sometimes means they have to miss some days of school in the winter. This means that instead of going to school, kids get to make snowmen and play outside.

When spring comes along the temperatures get warmer and melt the winter’s snow, but spring also means that school is coming to an end for the year. Teachers are busy trying to plan end of the year activities, and students can’t wait for summer break to begin!

When summer finally arrives, the temperatures are very warm and many kids spend afternoons playing at the pool. Long summer nights are spent catching fire flies in the backyard, or playing flashlight tag.

As the summer comes to end, back to school shopping begins. School supplies are picked out, and kids look forward to starting a new school year.

During which season do the leaves turn from green to orange? 

Text 1:

During the year, the weather has four seasons: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Each season can bring very different weather. When the weather changes, people have to make some changes too.

In the summer, the weather is normally very warm. There are green leaves on the trees and bright colored flowers blooming in gardens. To stay cool, people normally wear lightweight clothes in the summer.

The fall brings a change in the leaves and temperature. Tree leaves begin to turn from green to bright orange, yellow, and red. The temperature will begin to get cooler during the fall. People often put away their summer shorts and start wearing jeans in the fall.

Winter is a time for snow! The very cold temperatures of winter bring the snowflakes. The cold temperature also means that many plants won’t grow and trees are left with no leaves, just bare branches. In the winter many people wear thick winter coats, hats, and gloves to try to keep themselves warm.

In the spring the weather is still warm, but most places get a lot of rain in the spring. All of the rain helps the flowers start to grow. Because of the rain, it’s always smart to have a rain jacket and an umbrella in the spring.

Text 2:

As you are growing up, the four seasons can create a timeline for the year. As a new season starts, there is a new time in the year to look forward to.

Fall means the start of school and school sports! The temperatures start to get cool in the fall, but that’s perfect weather for school events like football and soccer games.

Though winter can bring very cold temperatures, it can also bring snow days! Some places can get a lot of snow, which sometimes means they have to miss some days of school in the winter. This means that instead of going to school, kids get to make snowmen and play outside.

When spring comes along the temperatures get warmer and melt the winter’s snow, but spring also means that school is coming to an end for the year. Teachers are busy trying to plan end of the year activities, and students can’t wait for summer break to begin!

When summer finally arrives, the temperatures are very warm and many kids spend afternoons playing at the pool. Long summer nights are spent catching fire flies in the backyard, or playing flashlight tag.

As the summer comes to end, back to school shopping begins. School supplies are picked out, and kids look forward to starting a new school year.

Text 2 says that which two sports are played in the fall? 

Why did Max wake up early on the morning of the championship game?

What was the final score of the baseball game?

Adapted from "The Pig Brother" by Laura E. Richards (1908)

There was once a child who was untidy. He left his books on the floor, and his muddy shoes on the table; he put his fingers in the jam-pots, and spilled ink on his best pinafore; there was really no end to his untidiness.

One day the Tidy Angel came into his nursery.

“This will never do!” said the Angel. “This is really shocking. You must go out and stay with your brother while I set things to rights here.”

“I have no brother!” said the child.

“Yes, you have!” said the Angel. “You may not know him, but he will know you. Go out in the garden and watch for him, and he will soon come.”

“I don’t know what you mean!” said the child; but he went out into the garden and waited.

Presently a squirrel came along, whisking his tail.

“Are you my brother?” asked the child.

The squirrel looked him over carefully.

“Well, I should hope not!” he said. “My fur is neat and smooth, my nest is handsomely made, and in perfect order, and my young ones are properly brought up. Why do you insult me by asking such a question?”

He whisked off, and the child waited.

Presently a wren came hopping by.

“Are you my brother?” asked the child.

“No indeed!” said the wren. “What impertinence! You will find no tidier person than I in the whole garden. Not a feather is out of place, and my eggs are the wonder of all for smoothness and beauty. Brother, indeed!” He hopped off, ruffling his feathers, and the child waited.

By and by a large Tommy Cat came along.

“Are you my brother?” asked the child.

“Go and look at yourself in the glass,” said the Tommy Cat haughtily, “and you will have your answer. I have been washing myself in the sun all the morning, while it is clear that no water has come near you for a long time. There are no such creatures as you in my family, I am humbly thankful to say.”

He walked on, waving his tail, and the child waited.

Presently a pig came trotting along.

The child did not wish to ask the pig if he were his brother, but the pig did not wait to be asked.

“Hallo, brother!” he grunted.

“I am not your brother!” said the child.

“Oh, yes, you are!” said the pig. “I confess I am not proud of you, but there is no mistaking the members of our family. Come along, and have a good roll in the barnyard! There is some lovely black mud there.”

“I don’t like to roll in mud!” said the child.

“Tell that to the hens!” said the pig brother. “Look at your hands, and your shoes, and your pinafore! Come along, I say! You may have some of the pig-wash for supper, if there is more than I want.”

“I don’t want pig-wash!” said the child; and he began to cry.

Just then the Tidy Angel came out.

“I have set everything to rights,” she said, “and so it must stay. Now, will you go with the Pig Brother, or will you come back with me, and be a tidy child?”

“With you, with you!” cried the child; and he clung to the Angel’s dress.

The Pig Brother grunted.

“Small loss!” he said. “There will be all the more wash for me!” and he trotted on.

Who helped clean the boy's room?

Passage 1

Adapted from Little Cinderella (1858)

It happened that the king's son sent invitations to a ball, which was to last two nights. All the great people of the land were invited, the two sisters among them. This delighted them extremely, and their thoughts were entirely occupied in selecting their most becoming dresses for the important occasion. Poor Cinderella had now more work to do than ever, as it was her business to iron their linen, and starch their ruffles. The sisters talked of nothing but preparations for the ball. The eldest said, “I shall wear my crimson-velvet dress, and point-lace;” and the younger, “I shall put on my usual dress-petticoat, a mantle embroidered with gold flowers, and a tiara of diamonds.“

They sent to engage the services of the most fashionable hairdresser. They also called Cinderella to their aid; for she had very good taste, and she offered, in the most amiable manner, to arrange their heads herself; of which offer they were only too happy to avail themselves. Whilst so occupied, the eldest said, “Cinderella, should you like to go to the ball?”

“Alas!” said she, “you are ridiculing me. I am not likely to go to the ball.”

“You are right,” replied the sister; “people would be amused to see a Cinderella there.”

Passage 2

Adapted from Cinderella by Henry W. Hewet (1855)

It happened that the king's son gave a ball, to which he invited all the nobility; and, as our two young ladies made a great figure in the world, they were included in the list of invitations. So they began to be very busy choosing what head-dress and which gown would be the most becoming. Here was fresh work for poor Cinderella: for it was she, forsooth, who was to starch and get up their ruffles, and iron all their fine linen; and nothing but dress was talked about for days together. "I," said the eldest, "shall put on my red velvet dress, with my point-lace trimmings." "And I," said the younger sister, "shall wear my usual petticoat, but shall set it off with my gold brocaded train and my circlet of diamonds."

They sent for a clever tire-woman to prepare the double rows of quilling for their caps, and they purchased a quantity of fashionably cut patches. They called in Cinderella to take her advice, as she had such good taste, and Cinderella not only advised them well, but offered to dress their hair, which they were pleased to accept. While she was thus busied, the sisters said to her: "And pray, Cinderella, would you like to go to the ball?"

"Nay, you are mocking me," replied the poor girl; "it is not for such as I to go to balls." "True enough," rejoined they; "folks would laugh to see a Cinderella at a court ball."

Who is having the ball?