Editing and Mechanics Practice

Gaze (1) up at the colorful lights of a fireworks display streaking across the sky can be an exciting end to a summer evening. Spectators clap and cheer as fiery flowers and waterfalls of sparks (2) light up the night sky. When towns or stadiums entertain outdoor crowds with fireworks displays, they are participating in a tradition that goes back thousands of years. Long before the United States existed, fireworks were already being used by people (3) to celebrate important occasions.

The first fireworks would have been (4) invented in China more than a thousand years ago. A mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and potassium nitrate was packed into paper cylinders or hollowed out bamboo sticks. A wick was added it allowed (5) the fireworks to be ignited safely. Once lit, the fireworks soared (6) into the sky to produce brilliant overhead displays. Because the sulfur gave the mixture a yellow color, these early fireworks were all yellow.

From China, fireworks came to Italy during the Renaissance. Rulers paid for firework displays as part of public celebrations to commemorate (7) their weddings or coronations. The Italians were the ones to begin adding different trace metals to the fireworks to producing (8) various bright colors. Each metal produced a different effect copper (9) salts made fireworks blue, barium salts made them green, and calcium made them orange.

By the 18th century, fireworks could have become common in Europe. (10) From there they came to the United States and were part of the celebrate (11) of America’s independence in 1783. Since then, fireworks have been an American tradition. Many towns and cities put on an annual fireworks show that is eagerly awaited by town residents. Fireworks also add excitement to sporting events and help to end concerts on a dramatic (12) final note. Today, the fireworks accompanying some festivities or sporting events may be seen by television viewers all over the world (13).

Visiting the Ruins

Castles always looked so large in movies, Braden thought, but this one was actually smaller than many of the modern buildings in Braden’s hometown. He stood inside the area that had once been the courtyard while his grandfather consulted (14) the guidebook he held. “Looks like over to the left there were the stables,” his grandfather said, shading his eyes against the piercing summer sun.

Braden followed his grandfather’s lead, glancing up at the stone tower that stood in the center of the old courtyard. Tower (15) above them stood a genuine castle, although only two stories were still standing. It was still possible to see where the third story had been, but the walls had fallen, leaving immense blocks of stone half-covered with grass strewn around the bottom of the tower. (16)

“It says this castle could have been (17) partially destroyed in the English Civil War,” his grandfather said, consulting the book. “So that the Royalists couldn’t use it as a stronghold, I suppose. . . . It’s (18) a pity.”

Braden nodded, wishing that the third story were (19) still intact, and that he could climb to the top and gaze out over the countryside like a knight heading out on a quest (20). Reading about the castles of history and legend had always fascinated him, and he’d been glad (21) when his grandfather suggested to visit (22) the real thing. He hadn’t realized that so many of the castles he’d read about existed only as ruins.

“At least you can see how they constructed it (23),” Braden said. He pointed toward the top remaining floor of the tower house, matching what he saw with the diagrams in the books he’d read. “See those holes? Those held the beams for support (24) the floor of the third story. The beams have rotted away, but you can see exactly where they went.”

When he squinted in the bright sunlight, he thought he could see the castle as it once had been—standing (25) proudly, its banners flying and its courtyard bustling with a busy crowd. If he couldn’t visit the castle that lived in his imagination (26), at least this was the next best thing.