Reading Gains Form 1, sections 1 & 2 - beginning of the year for ELD I

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

There are germs in many places. Germs can make you sick. There are germs in bathrooms. There are germs on playgrounds, too. You might touch something with germs on it. Washing your hands kills most germs. You can wash with soap and water.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Mary Ann looked around the national park. She had asked her parents why it was called Death Valley. They just smiled. They told her she would see when they got there. Now, as she felt the August sun on her head, she knew. In the distance she could see shrubs. The air was so dry, she had a hard time breathing. She had read that the valley hardly got any rainfall. Mary Ann could see the tall mountains that surrounded the valley. She could imagine them stopping the rain from getting to the desert sand. Feeling the hot, dry air, Mary Ann understood Death Valley.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Grant could feel the vibrations from the drum. He could hear the cellos and basses playing the melody. There was a gap between the cellos' deep, heavy tones and the bright sound of the violins. He let his viola fill that gap. He watched the conductor as they began the crescendo. Slowly the entire orchestra's volume grew. Grant counted out the stanza. He knew what was coming. When she gave the signal, all motion stopped. There was no noise at all, until the applause began.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Did you know that you are diphyodont? You will develop two sets of teeth during your life: your baby teeth and your adult teeth. Sharks, however, are polyphyodont. They grow many sets of teeth in their lives. Sharks have greater wear and tear on their teeth than humans. On average, shark teeth last only two weeks before they fall out. Entire rows of teeth move forward through the flesh of a shark's mouth. Shark teeth are not attached to their jaws. Some sharks lose over 20,000 teeth during their lives.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Marcus went back to the sink to wash his brushes again. He had lost track of the times he washed them this evening. He was working with so many colors. He couldn't keep track of which paintbrush belonged to which color. He wanted to finally finish the painting he had been working on for days. But the flurry of creativity that had been bolstering him had begun to fade. Now he was feeling a strain in his neck and cramps in his hands. He started to think more and more about how comfortable his bed would feel.

Directions:
Read the passage about the sun. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

The sun is amazing. It is a medium-sized star. It is also known as a yellow dwarf. The sun is at the center of our solar system. All the planets, including Earth, circle around it. The sun provides something we use. It provides heat and light. If it weren't for the sun, nothing would be able to live on Earth. The Earth ____6___ the sun.

    The sun contains gases. It is made up of 75 percent hydrogen and 25 percent helium. These gases can mix together. When they do, it causes a reaction. The reaction creates heat and light. The sun's reaction creates a lot of heat and light. The sun is ____7____.

    We should be glad that Earth is 93 million miles from the sun! A hot day on Earth is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But the center of the sun is 10 million degrees! The sun's surface is cooler. The surface is only about 6,000 degrees. The air around the sun heats up. It can reach millions of degrees. If Earth were closer, it would be too hot. Nothing would be able to live. If it were closer, the sun would ____8____ the Earth.

    The sun is very big. But it looks small. That is because it is so far away. It is a medium-sized star but it is much bigger than Earth. The sun is about 850,000 miles across. A million Earths could fit inside the sun! The sun is ____9____.

    The sun has been around for a long time. It is thought to be over four billion years old. Sunlight ____10____ long ago. Scientists think that it will be around for another 5 billion years. We should be thankful for the sun. It provides light and warmth. For Earth, the sun is our shining star.

Directions:
Read the passage about Stephen. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

It isn't always easy being right. For Stephen, being right almost cost him a friendship. But as it turned out, it saved him a whole lot more.

    It was the last day of classes at the end of the school year. Stephen awoke feeling worried. He thought it might be because he would be starting a summer job the following week. His best friend Troy had arranged it. They would be working at the lumber yard where Troy had worked for the past two summers. Stephen had admitted to being nervous about his first full-time job a couple of days earlier. He was ____11____ .

    “You've got nothing to worry about,” Troy had said. “I'll watch out for you.”

    Despite Troy's encouragement, Stephen couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling. He still felt it that morning as he got ready for school. By the time he sat down with Troy in the cafeteria for lunch, the feeling had grown even stronger. The feeling had become more ____12____ .

    “What's up?” Troy said. He noticed the strange look on Stephen's face. “Is something bothering you?”

    “It's just this funny feeling I have,” Stephen replied.

    “Well, you'd better get over it by Monday. I don't want the guys at work thinking my friend is weird.”

    “You don't have to worry,” Stephen said. “I'm not taking that job.”

    Troy looked at Stephen in disbelief. “You have to be kidding!” he shouted. “After the trouble I went through to get you an interview?” Troy was ____13____ .

    As much as he wanted to please his friend, Stephen knew what he had to do. He had to follow his instincts. When Troy stormed off, Stephen wasn't sure if they'd speak again. Their ____14____ was serious. The answer came the following Monday. Troy called that evening. He told Stephen about a load of lumber that had fallen as he walked by.

    “Man,” Troy said, “If you'd been following me, it would have landed right on top of you. Thank goodness you didn't take the job.” Stephen was ____15____ .

Directions:
Read the passage about pizza. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    Pizza is one of America's favorite foods. This wasn't always true though. It took hundreds of years for pizza to make its way to America. Then it took many years for pizza to become a beloved party dish.

    Although most people believe that pizza originated in Italy, this is not actually the case. Thousands of years ago, Greeks and Egyptians ate something a lot like pizza. It was a flat dough with oil, herbs, and dates on it. It was ____16____ to pizza. In the 18th century, a plain, warm flatbread became popular with the peasants in Italy. Boys walked through the streets carrying and selling these round breads that they called “pizza.” Pizza became ____17____ in Italy. It wasn't until the Spanish brought tomatoes back from Mexico and Peru that tomato sauce was added to the top of the pizzas.

    Pizza was a peasant food until Queen Margherita of Italy took a bite of one of her guard's pizzas. She immediately fell in love with the food. She demanded more. A baker made three different pizzas for the king and queen. One of them had tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil on it. He made this pizza in honor of the Italian flag, which is red, white, and green. The cook ____18____ the pizza. This pizza was the queen's favorite. It became known as the Pizza Margherita. Its popularity spread throughout Italy.

    The first pizzeria opened in Naples in 1830. It was called the Port' Alba. It is still open and serving pizza today! The first pizzeria in North America didn't open until 1905. It was opened by an Italian immigrant named Gennaro Lombardi in New York City. While Italian immigrants knew and enjoyed pizza at Lombardi's Pizzeria, not many other people did. To most people in the United States, pizza was ____19____. During World War II, however, American soldiers discovered pizza while traveling throughout Italy. When they came back in the 1940s, they searched for pizzerias. They helped make pizza popular in America.

    Today, pizza is popular all around the world. It is a dish rich in history, culture, and taste. Pizza restaurants have ____20____ .

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Many countries in the world are still developing. This means they are building their economies. They are trying to better the living conditions for their people. They want to advance their health care and education. In the past fifty years, much progress has been made. Diseases like smallpox have been eliminated. The average life expectancy worldwide has increased. It has gone from 47 years to 65 years. But there is still much to be done. Every year, 11 million children die from hunger. And many people cannot find enough work to support themselves. Experts say that it is important for rich countries like the United States to help developing countries. Countries with strong economies can trade with the rest of the world.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

The cat crouched in the high grass along the edge of the flowerbed. Her furry belly touched the ground. Eyes dilated, the cat intensely watched a patch of clover amidst the grass. Something small was moving there, but it was hidden by the clover leaves. Every muscle in the cat's body was tensed. What was rummaging in the dirt beneath the clover? It could be a juicy, defenseless field mouse, or a dangerous snake from the woodpile. Coiled up like a spring, the cat waited to see.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

It seemed like they had been in the art museum forever. Ethan meandered through rooms of portraits and landscapes, waiting for his parents to finish looking at them. Eventually he got their permission to wait for them in the gift shop. While walking down the stairs, Ethan stopped suddenly at the darkened entrance to an exhibition. Ethan walked slowly into the room to find tiny machines on the floor projecting images of eyeballs on the ceiling and walls. Some of the eyes blinked, some darted, and one wept. Ethan took it all in, and then walked through a doorway into the next dim room.

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Platinum is a rare metal used in jewelry and automobile exhaust systems. Europeans first discovered the grey-white metal. They found it during the 16th century in Central America. The name platinum comes from “platina,” which is Spanish for “little silver.” Today the largest deposits of platinum are in South Africa, Russia, and North America. Platinum is valuable because of its scarcity, and its name has become associated with wealth and status. Credit card companies offer “platinum” cards to their best customers. A music album that sells more than one million copies is called “platinum.”

Directions:
Read the paragraph and complete the statement.

Fishing is a vital source of income for many people around the world. But it is often difficult to ensure that hooks and nets catch only what they are supposed to. Off the coast of South Africa, fishermen often mistakenly pull in sharks with their nets. Every year, nearly eight million sharks are accidentally killed this way. Critics argue that the government and the fishing industry need to adopt stricter guidelines. If they don't, the survival of many species of sharks may be threatened.

Directions:
Read the passage about the human brain. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    The human brain is a remarkable organ. It controls hundreds of activities at the same time. Our body temperature, pulse rate, and blood pressure are controlled by the brain. It orchestrates all of our physical activity. It constantly collects data about the things around us. We use it to think and dream. It controls our emotions and allows us to communicate. In short, the brain functions as the body's control center. The brain ___26___ many functions.

    The human brain can be divided into two main parts, the lower brain and upper brain. One of the main components of the lower brain is the medulla. The medulla controls blood pressure, breathing, and other automatic or semiautomatic functions. Another part of the lower brain is the pons. The pons helps track physical movement. It also helps sleeping to occur and plays a role in taste.

    The pons controls ___27___. Above the pons is the thalamus. The thalamus controls the flow of incoming information to the brain. It takes the incoming signals and directs them to the appropriate part of the brain.

    The cerebellum acts as a bridge between the lower brain and upper brain. The cerebellum provides a ___28___. It, too, is involved in orchestrating the movement of our limbs. Healthy cerebellums allow for smooth and fluid movement. The cerebellum also coordinates mouth and tongue movements when we speak.

    The upper brain is made up primarily of the cerebrum. The cerebrum has nearly the surface area of a standard house door. It is folded over and over to fit in the skull. It is in these folds that some of our most spectacular thinking occurs. It is here that we dream, write poetry, and solve puzzles. The cerebrum houses our ___29___ abilities. The cerebrum is home to our personalities.

    All of these parts of the brain work together to keep us functioning effectively in the world. The more you use your brain, the better it works. So get thinking! Use your brain to keep it ___30___.

Directions:
Read the passage about Jessie. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    Jessie had grown up in a very small town. Her grandparents lived two houses down, and her aunt and uncle lived next door. Her whole family lived in the town, and the people who weren't her family seemed as though they were. Jessie knew there were big cities out there, but she was perfectly happy where she was. Jessie was ___31___ .

    One night at dinner, enjoying chicken pot pie and creamed spinach, Jessie's father told her that he had been offered a new job. Jessie nodded and asked if that was a good thing.

    “It's a very good thing, but it also means we're going to have to move,” her father said.

    Jessie looked over at her mother in alarm. Her mother kept eating calmly, so it was clear that Jessie was the last one to know about this. Jessie was ___32___.

    “So, where are we going?” she asked her dad.

    He looked at her steadily for a moment and then said, “Chicago.”

    Jessie's fork fell out of her hand. “That's so far away!” she said. “And it's a big city!” She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. There was no way she was moving to a big city so far away. Jessie ___33___ .

    “You'll be starting high school next year, so you would have been going to a new school anyway,” her father said.

    “I would have known practically everyone there,” Jessie protested.

    “Don't you think it could be fun to go somewhere where you don't know everyone?” her dad asked her.

    “No!” Jessie responded quickly.

    “Jess, we can go see shows and go shopping and go to nice restaurants,” her mother said.

    “I'm not interested in restaurants,” Jessie replied. She didn't say so, but she was somewhat interested in the shows. Jessie was being ___34___.

    “Jessie, the biggest lesson I want to teach you is to not be afraid to take chances. This is a big change for all of us, but I think it could be really great,” her father said.

    Jessie sighed and nodded, knowing her father was right. She had never really had to take a chance before, living in such a small town, but now was the time, and she would have to be ready. He had ___35___ her.

Directions:
Read the passage about diabetes. Complete the statement with the word for each question number.

    Many Americans have diabetes. Diabetes is a disease. It affects the body's ability to produce or to use a hormone called insulin. Insulin controls how much sugar remains in the blood by allowing the body to use the sugar from food as energy. Diabetes is a medical ____36____. There are two types of diabetes:

    Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes. It is usually diagnosed in children or teenagers. People with Type 1 do not produce insulin. Fewer than ten percent of people with diabetes have Type 1. Most people with diabetes have Type 2. With Type 2, the body either produces a very small amount of insulin or the person is resistant to insulin. With insulin resistance, the cells are unable to use the insulin that is produced. The insulin is not ____37_____.

    Diabetes can be difficult to diagnose. Common symptoms include excessive thirst or hunger, fatigue, weight loss, blurred vision, and irritability. If a doctor suspects that a patient has diabetes, a blood sugar level test is given. This will determine if the person has diabetes and what treatment is appropriate. There are ____38____ to make the diagnosis.

    People with diabetes need to monitor their eating habits closely. They need to make healthy food choices. This may be difficult for people who have not had previous diet restrictions. It will be necessary to balance food and insulin. Avoiding carbohydrates such as bread and rice can make it easier to control blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels should be ____39____ .

    It used to be believed that diabetes was caused by eating too much sugar. Researchers now know that this is not true. The cause is still unknown, but most researchers believe that there are genetic links. There is no cure for diabetes. However, advances in treatment options have made it possible for those with diabetes to lead healthy and normal lives. The treatments are ____40____ .