Year-Long Summer

1 In the high branches of an oak tree in a beautiful little nest lived Robin. Squirrel and Robin were great friends and spent their summer together.

2 Soon the days grew shorter and the air grew colder. Squirrel knew this meant she needed to start preparing for the cold winter. She worked hard adding more foliage to her nest. She spent days gathering nuts and seeds. Squirrel couldn't wait for hibernation, since she loved sleeping in her cozy hollow all winter and relaxing after the busy bustle of autumn.

3 Robin, on the other hand, could not stand the idea of hibernating. Even so, she worked alongside Squirrel, padding her nest and storing food.

4 "I wish summer would last all year," cried Robin.

5 "Why?" replied Squirrel. "Winter is a wonderful season."

6 "I dread winter," complained Robin. "It is freezing, and all the animals are asleep. I don't have anyone to keep me company."

7 "Why don't you sleep like the rest of us?" asked Squirrel.

8 "I can't sleep," replied Robin, "because once the light of morning reaches my nest, I wake up."

9 "You should winter in the hollow this year," replied Squirrel. "The light never reaches me."

10 So, Squirrel helped Robin move into the hollow. Soon autumn turned to winter and, just like winters in the past, Squirrel quickly feel asleep. The first night was restful for Robin, but in the morning she could sense the rising sun. Even though the hollow was dark, she awoke at dawn as usual.

11 "This will never do," she said to herself.

12 She thought about waking up Squirrel, but Squirrel looked so happy sleeping snugly in her corner of the hollow. Robin tried to go back to sleep, but sleep would not come. She wanted to sing her morning song, but she didn't want to wake up Squirrel. She started pacing around the hollow, trying desperately to think of a way to sleep.

13 Squirrel was not slumbering as soundly as usual. She loved her long nap, but she could hear Robin pacing to and fro and humming her morning song. Squirrel became annoyed.

14 "What are you doing?" asked Squirrel.

15 "Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake up?" asked Robin. "I just can't stay asleep. When the morning comes, I must get up. I don't think I can stay in the hollow all winter."

16 Squirrel and Robin tried to think of a solution. At first Robin considered going back to her nest, but all her leaves and twigs were in the hollow and snow blanketed the ground outside. Rebuilding it would be tedious, frigid chore. Then Squirrel suggested that Robin feast on some of the nuts and seeds they had stored in the hollow. "Eating a lot always makes me tired," Squirrel said with a yawn.

17 Robin tried to stuff herself with delicious food stores, but she could only eat a little bit at a time. "It's useless!" Robin cried. "I want to live where it is never winter!"

18 "That's it!" exclaimed Squirrel, "Your wings are strong. You can fly to where it's warm."

19 "But you are my friend. I can't leave you!" Robin gasped.

20 "I'll be sleeping all winter - you should fly south where it is warm, and in the spring, you can fly back here. I'll be awake by the time you get back, and we can have all summer together."

21 Robin considered Squirrel's idea, and thoughts of warmth filler her like rays from the sun. If she went south for winter, she could have summer year round, while Squirrel could hibernate in peace. "This is a wonderful idea," she said. "I will leave at once."

Andy wrote this paper about running in a challenging race. Read Andy's paper and look for revisions he needs to make. Then answer the questions that follow.

The Big Race

(1) My older brother Alex is on his middle school cross-country team. (2) I'm trying to earn a position on our neighborhood soccer team. (3) We live in a small neighborhood that includes only about 30 houses. (4)Alex challenged me to train for a run in a race with him to help build my endurance. (5) It was a 5K race, which is 3.1 miles. (6) I wasn't sure I would ever be able to run that far. (7) But I really look up to my older brother, so I agreed.

(8) "You're" almost there! (9) You can do this, Andy!" Alex said as he jogged a few paces in front of me. (10) We were training for the race, just as we had been doing for months. (11) On this day, I was working on finishing three miles without stopping. (12) I gathered all the energy I had left and finally crossed the finish line. (13) I gave him a weak smile and learned over with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath.

(14) At this point, the race was just a week away, and I was beginning to feel nervous. (15) I wasn't sure I was ready. (16) We had been running all around our neighborhood and had slowly build it up to more and more miles each day. (17) Today, had been our first attempt at three miles. (18) I'd made it, but would I be able to do it on race day? (19) I really don't know.

(20) That week flew by, and the next thing I knew, it was the morning of the race. (21) I woke up early and ate a big breakfast with my brother. (22) My dad drove us to the race site, and we got in line to register. (23) My stomach was beginning to twist up in knots.

(24) Before long, all the runners were lined up, and all the runners were waiting for the signal to start. (25) Suddenly, I felt Alex's hand on my shoulder. (26) "Andy, I know you can do this!" he said." (27) "I'll be right there with you the whole time!"

(28) His words of encouragement felt like a jolt of energy. (29) "Go!" the announcer called, and we were off. (30) After about 20 minutes of running on level ground, we reached our first hill, but Alex was right there to motivate me. (31) "Keep going, Andy!" he said. (32) "After this, it's downhill the rest of the way."

(33) About 20 minutes later, I finished the race. (34) My brother was by my side. (35) We looked at each other and smiled broadly. (36) Then we quickly high-fived. (37) We had finished a 5K! (38) And now I knew I was finally ready to try out for the soccer team!

Fostering Positive Experiences

1 For many people, nothing compares to owning a pet. Animals give friendship and assistance to humans. They can even provide therapy. However, there is another way than ownership to care for animals. Serving as a foster family for an animal brings many benefits of pet ownership in a shorter time. It may be challenging, but the joys and educational value of fostering can be worth the effort.

2 Fostering offers the chance to meet, train, and play with animals. The time frame can last weeks or months. The focus is on quality time. Fostering lets us find out what animals like or dislike. How do they play? Which kind of treats do they want? Foster families have fun answering these questions. The animals can learn tricks. They can also learn good pet behaviors. The foster family learns about the animal’s qualities.

3 Another good thing is that these future pets spend less time in animal shelters. Sometimes these places do not have the space or funds to make animals comfortable. Studies show that fostering helps pets to feel less stressed. A welcoming home for a few days can make a big difference for these furry friends. Fostering helps animals put their best paw forward when meeting adoptive families.

4 Pets can be expensive. Bills for food, grooming, and veterinarian visits add up. Fostering a pet is a cheaper way to do one’s part to help animals. That is because some of the costs are paid or discounted by animal rescue organizations.

5 Some people may not want to take care of an animal for only a short time. Others may not be ready to let go of the bond they have made with their foster animal when it is adopted. These are reasonable concerns. Still, these challenges can be part of learning about how to help animals find happy homes and better lives.

6 Fostering animals is a way of volunteering. It plays a part in improving how we treat animals. Rescue groups and shelters rely on foster families to help the animals in their care. These organizations give support to those caring for the pets. The animals are paired with families that will be a good fit. Foster opportunities are available in cities and towns all across Texas. When fostering works, more animals find happy homes. Another result is that fewer people go to irresponsible pet breeders and sellers to find a pet.

7 Fostering a dog or cat may not be for everyone. One thing is for certain, though. It can be good for pets and people. It includes some work but also a lot of fun. For future pet owners, fostering an animal can help with choosing the best pet for them. Caring for these fuzzy friends for a short time can have long-lasting benefits for the animals. It is also good for the people who take care of them and for the community as a whole.