Reading

Comprehension
Worksheets
(Grade 7-10)
Reading Comprehension
Worksheets for Grade 7

Selection Title

1 Dark Chocolates
2 Sneezing
3 Dust
4 Pain
5 Diving
6 The Brain
7 Air Currents
8 Ecosystems
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
DARK CHOCOLATES

Dark chocolate finds its way into the best ice creams, biscuits and cakes.
Although eating chocolate usually comes with a warning that it is fattening, it is also
believed by some to have magical and medicinal effects. In fact, cacao trees are
sometimes called Theobroma cacao which means “food of the gods.”
Dark chocolate has been found out to be helpful in small quantities. One of its
benefits is that it has some of the most important minerals and vitamins that people
need. It has antioxidants that help protect the heart. Another important benefit is that the
fat content of chocolate does not raise the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream. A
third benefit is that it helps address respiratory problems. Also, it has been found out to
help ease coughs and respiratory concerns. Finally, chocolate
increases serotonin levels in the brain. This is what gives us a feeling of well-being.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. What does Theobroma cacao mean?
2. Why are chocolates sometimes called Theobroma cacao?
3. What are the benefits of eating dark chocolate?
4. What benefit do antioxidants have?
5. What gives us a feeling of well-being when we eat chocolates?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

SNEEZING

Sneezing happens when our body is trying to remove an irritation found inside
the nose. A special name for this process is sternutation.
How does a sneeze happen? When your nose is tickled, the sneeze center in our
brain receives a message. Soon, the other parts of the body that work together to create
a sneeze such as the abdominal muscles, chest muscles, the diaphragm, the muscles
of the vocal cords, the back of the throat, and the eyelids receive this message. An
explosion as fast as 161 kilometers per hour sends the irritant speeding out of your
nose. Examples of irritants in the air are dust, pepper, or allergens such as pollen.
Some experience having a photic reflex and sneeze as soon as they are under the
bright sun. Now, if it ever happens that a sneeze of yours gets stuck, look towards a
bright light to unstick your stuck sneeze.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. What process involves the removal of an irritation found inside the nose?
2. When does sneezing happen?
3. What will happen when your nose is tickled?
4. What are the parts of the body that work together to create a sneeze?
5. What do some people experience as soon as they are under the bright sun?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

DUST

No matter how often we sweep the floor of our homes, we are still able to gather
together a considerable amount of dust. Dust is all around us. It gathers on
bookshelves, on furniture - old or new. These particles rest on any still object –
undisturbed until touched or wiped clean.
Dust, which was first believed to be made of dead skin, has been found to be a
mix of different things. Some of the common ingredients of dust particles include animal
fur, dead insects, food, fiber from clothes, beddings, soil and other chemicals. Although
most of household dust comes from the outside through doors, windows and shoes,
other dust particles come from within. Scientists have discovered that the mix of dust
from each household actually depends on four things: the climate, the age of the house,
the number of persons who live in it and their individual cooking, cleaning and smoking
habits.
Making our homes free of dust may not be possible but lessening the amount of
dust that we keep in our homes will help avoid possible allergies and allow us to breathe
well.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. What particle was first believed to be made of dead skin?
2. What are some ingredients of dust particles?
3. Where does most of the household dust come from?
4. What factors do the dust from each household depend on?
5. What benefit does lessening the amount of dust that we keep in our homes give us?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

PAIN

How do we sense pain? The human body has nociceptors to receive an electrical
impulse that is sent to part of the brain that recognizes pain. Memories of these
sensations are formed to help us avoid painful objects and experiences and prevent us
from repeating past mistakes that may have hurt us in some way. But pain is more
complex. It is not only a physical experience but an emotional and psychological one as
well. When all of these come together, it is called suffering.
The mind is not alone in recognizing pain. The nervous system is also able to
store such information. Even when a person loses a finger or a limb, the pain that was
once felt may become a chronic one – one that keeps recurring. The best way to avoid
this is to prevent painful memories from forming. The use of anesthesia prevents the
mind from creating these memories. Drugs that prevent pain such as analgesics help
lessen the pain sensed.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. What is pain?
2. What does the human body have that receives electrical impulse sent to the part of
the brain that recognizes pain?
3. What will happen if physical, emotional, and psychological experiences come
together?
4. What should a person who loses a finger do to avoid pain from recurring?
5. What is the use of anesthesia?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

DIVING

Humans do not have the capacity to breathe underwater unaided by external

devices. A diver who wants to stay underwater for more than a few minutes must
breathe air on a special mixture of gases. He can wear diving suits and have air
pumped to him from above or he can carry tanks of air on his back and breathe through
a hose and a mouthpiece.
Early divers discovered that it is not enough to supply air to breathe comfortably
underwater. The diver’s body is under great pressure in deep water because water
weighs 800 times as much as air. Tons of water push against the diver deep in the sea.
When this happens, his blood takes in some of the gases he breathes.
When the diver rises to the surface, the water pressure becomes less. If he rises
too quickly, the gases in his blood form bubbles that make breathing difficult. He suffers
from bends, causing him to double up in pain.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. What is the title of the selection?
2. According to the selection, do humans have the capacity to breathe underwater?
3. What should be done if a diver wants to stay underwater for more than a few
minutes?
4. Aside from having air pumped from above, what else can help a diver breathe
underwater?
5. What did the early divers discover?
6. According to the selection, why is the diver’s body under great pressure in deep
water?
7. What will happen if tons of water push against the diver deep in the sea?
8. What will happen when the diver rises to the surface?
9. What will happen if the diver rises too quickly?
10. What will happen if the diver suffers from bends?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

THE BRAIN

The brain is the center of the nervous system. It interprets stimuli and tells the
body how to react.
The brain has three major parts. The part that controls balance, coordination and
muscle movement is called the cerebellum. It makes sure that the muscles work well
together. For example, a gymnast is able to balance on a beam because of the
cerebellum.
The medulla is a long stem that connects the brain to the spinal cord. It tells
one’s body to do things without thinking about them. Digesting food or breathing even
while asleep are examples of these involuntary actions.
On the other hand, there are actions that one decides to do. It is the largest part
of the brain—the cerebrum—that is responsible for these voluntary movements. Without
it, one will not be able to kick a ball or dance at all.
The brain might seem small but it is so powerful as it controls one’s entire body.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. According to the text, what is the center of the nervous system?
2. What are the functions of the brain?
3. What are the three major parts of the brain?
4. What is the function of the cerebellum?
5. What part of the brain connects the brain to the spinal cord?
6. What is the function of medulla?
7. What is the largest part of the brain?
8. What is the function of the cerebrum?
9. What will happen if there is no cerebrum?
10. What makes the brain powerful?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

AIR CURRENTS

Wind is the natural movement of the air from one place to another. It affects the
climate of a place. There are three major air streams that greatly affect our climate.
From November to February, mornings are colder because of the northeast
monsoon wind. It blows from Siberia which is a very frigid place. It brings along
temperature and rain that make us shiver.
The wind from June to October is warm and humid. During this time, the western
section of our country experiences strong rains brought about by the southwest
monsoon wind blowing from Australia.
From March to early May, trade winds coming from the east or northeast reach
the Philippines. It brings rain to the eastern part of our country. Trade winds are warm
and moist and bring hot temperatures with little rain.
Isn’t it amazing that each one of these air streams brings some amount of rain to
the Philippines?

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. What is the title of the selection read?
2. What is considered as the natural movement of the air from one place to another?
3. How many major air streams greatly affect our climate?
4. What are the major air streams that greatly affect the Philippine climate?
5. What causes mornings to be colder from November to February?
6. According to the selection, when is the wind warm and humid?
7. Where do trade winds come from?
8. What air stream comes from Australia?
9. 9What air stream comes from Siberia?
10. What air stream brings hot temperatures with little rain in the Philippines?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

ECOSYSTEMS

Ecosystems consist of living and non-living organisms in an area. These include

plants, animals, microbes, and elements like soil, water, and air. The living organisms
depend on both living and non-living aspects of an ecosystem.
An ecosystem can be as small as a puddle or as big as an ocean. It is a very
delicate balance, with these life forms sustaining one another. Disruptions to an
ecosystem may prove disastrous to all its organisms.
When a new plant or animal is suddenly placed in an ecosystem, it will surely
compete with the original inhabitants for resources. This stranger may even push out
the natural organisms, causing them to be extinct. The organisms that depended on the
extinct organisms will definitely be affected.
The balance in ecosystems have been unsettled by natural disasters such as
fires, floods, storms, and volcanic eruptions. However, in recent years and ironically, in
the name of progress, human activity has affected many ecosystems around the world.

Source: Phil-IRI Manual 2018

Questions:
1. Ecosystem consists of what organisms?
2. What aspect of the ecosystem do living organisms depend on?
3. What are the four organisms mentioned in the selection?
4. What will happen when a new plant or animal is suddenly placed in an ecosystem?
5. What will happen to the original inhabitants of an ecosystem when a new plant or
animal is suddenly placed in it?
6. What will happen to the organisms that depended on the extinct organisms?
7. What are the elements mentioned in the selection?
8. What natural disasters are mentioned in the selection?
9. According to the selection, the ecosystem can be as small as a _____.
10. According to the selection, the ecosystem can be as big as an ______.
Reading Comprehension
Worksheets for Grade 8

Selection Title

1 Changing the Ecosystem

2 Who was Confucius
3 Neil Armstrong
4 Climate Change
How Smoking Affects the Heart and Blood
5 Vessels
6 Harnessing the Power of Nature
7 Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones: A World
of Difference
8 Sarah Plants a Seed
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

CHANGING THE ECOSYSTEM

A food chain is part of a bigger system called a food web. That web links the living
things in an ecosystem. The herbivores in that system depend on the plants. If the plants
are removed, the herbivores cannot survive. Then the carnivores, the animals that eat other
animals, lose their food, too. Remove just one kind of plant from an environment and you
disrupt the food web. Plow up the land and you destroy the whole system. The problem was
there were more and more people and less and less natural habitats. The timeline shows
how the population of Chicago people changed.
1880 Population of the city is 503,185; farms continue to expand
1890 Population of the city is 1,099,850
1900 Population is 1,698,676
1910 Factories expand in the city; population is 2,185,283
1920 City population has grown to 2,701,705
1930 City population is 3,376,438
By 1900, Illinois and other Midwestern states were becoming known as the nation’s
breadbasket. This was because millions of acres of land had been turned from prairie into
farms. Those farms could grow corn and wheat and other grains. Those grains were used to
make bread and other food for people. This was not progress for everyone.
That agricultural progress benefited many people. The farmers and businesses that
processed the grains prospered. Chicago became a transportation center. It became an
industrial center, too. More and more homes, businesses, and roads were built. But many of
the animals and plants that were native to this area were destroyed. So was the natural
system called the prairie.
Today, people are trying to restore the prairie, but it’s a great challenge. Suburban
housing is expanding. Pollution is increasing. What’s next? People need to decide which is
more important. Should we keep building roads and homes or should we fix the housing we
have and leave land free of construction so that what’s left of the natural habitat can
survive?

Source: https://teacher.depaul.edu/Reading_NONFICTION_Grades8-10.html

Questions:
1. What is the food chain?
2. What will happen when the prairie plants start to die or be replaced with houses and
roads?
3. What is food web?
4. What will happen if herbivores of plants are removed?
5. What are carnivores?
6. What will happen if we remove just one kind of plant from an environment?
7. What is the total population of Chicago in 1900?
8. Why were Illinois and other Midwestern states known as the nation’s breadbasket in
1900?
9. In what year did the total population of Chicago reach more than 3 million?
10. What happened to the farmers and businesses that processed the grains?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

WHO WAS CONFUCIUS?

Believed to have been born in 551 B.C. in present day Qufu, Shandong Province,
China, not much is known of Confucius’ early life, and the things that are claimed to be
“known” are contradictory. But whether he was born royal or born poor, one fact about
Confucius remains undisputed: his lifetime coincided with a time of ideological crisis in
China.
China had been ruled by the Chou Empire for 500 years, but it became
threatened by civil unrest, which in turn threatened the values of the traditional Chinese
culture. Confucius saw this as an opportunity to reinforce declining societal values like
compassion and tradition. He promoted the love of others, in particular, the Golden
Rule, which in modern society is known as “Do unto others as you would have others do
unto you.”
Confucius was also a proponent of self-discipline, which was the foundation for
his political beliefs. He saw humility and compassion as the fundamental required
characteristics of a leader, and believed that leadership should always be by example.
Regarding right education, Confucius focused on Six Arts: archery, calligraphy,
computation, music, chariot-driving, and ritual. He believed that the purpose of an
educator was to teach people to live with integrity. In his own work as a teacher,
Confucius worked to revive the Chinese societal values of benevolence, propriety, and
ritual.
Confucius is believed to have written, edited, and/or revised several books which
still influence people today, not just in China but throughout the western world, including
Book of Odes, Book of Documents, and Spring and Autumn Annals. The book outlining
his philosophical and political beliefs, Lunyu, however, was not written by him, but most
likely compiled by his disciples and was published posthumously as one of the “Four
Books” of Confucianism published under the title Sishu in 1190. At the time of his death,
however, Confucius did not believe that he had succeeded in impacting Chinese
culture, but by the time of the Han Dynasty in the second century B.C., his ideas had
become the state ideology. Today he is one of the best known teachers in Chinese
history.
Source: https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/readingcomp/grade8/10.html

Questions:
1. How many years did the Chou Empire rule China?
2. What is the foundation of Confucius’ political beliefs?
3. What Golden Rule did Confucius promote?
4. What societal values did Confucius work to revive?
5. When was Confucius believed to have been born?
6. In what book was the philosophical and political beliefs of Confucius written?
7. What does Confucius believe about the purpose of an educator?
8. What are the Six Arts that Confucius has focused on with regards to right education?
9. When did the disciples of Confucius publish the “Four Books” of Confucianism?
10. What is the state ideology of the Han Dynasty in the second century B.C.?
Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
NEIL ARMSTRONG

Astronaut Neil Armstrong developed a fascination with flight at an early age and
earned his student pilot's license when he was 16. In 1947, Armstrong began his studies in
aeronautical engineering at Purdue University on a U.S. Navy scholarship.
A few years later, Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA). In his personal life, Armstrong started to settle down. He married Janet Shearon on
January 28, 1956. They had three children two sons and one daughter. That same year,
Armstrong joined the astronaut program, and he served as the command pilot for his first
mission, Gemini VIII. He and fellow astronaut David Scott were launched into the earth's
orbit on March 16, 1966.
Armstrong faced an even bigger challenge in 1969. Along with Michael Collins and
Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, he was part of NASA's first manned mission to the moon. Serving
as the mission's commander, Armstrong piloted the Lunar Module to the moon's surface. At
10:56 PM, Armstrong exited the Lunar Module. He said, "That's one small step for man, one
giant leap for mankind," as he made his famous first step on the moon. For about two and a
half hours, Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples and conducted experiments. They also
took photographs, including their own footprints.
Returning on July 24, 1969, the Apollo 11 craft came down in the Pacific Ocean west
of Hawaii. The three Apollo 11 astronauts were given a warm welcome home. Armstrong
received numerous awards for his efforts, including the Medal of Freedom and the
Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Armstrong remained with NASA, serving as deputy associate administrator for
aeronautics until 1971. After leaving NASA, he joined the faculty of the University of
Cincinnati as a professor of aerospace engineering. Staying active in his field, he served as
the chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., from 1982 to 1992. In 2005 his
authorized biography came out. First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong was written by
James R. Hansen. Even in his final years, Armstrong remained committed to space
exploration. Armstrong underwent a heart bypass operation in August 2012. A few weeks
later, on August 25, 2012, at the age of 82, Neil Armstrong died of complications resulting
from cardiovascular procedures in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Source: https://englishlinx.com/reading/eighth-grade-reading/

Questions:
1. How old was Neil Armstrong when he earned his student pilot’s license?
2. In what year did Neil Armstrong begin his studies in aeronautical engineering?
3. When did Neil Armstong marry his wife Janet Shearon?
4. When did Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronaut David Scott launch into the earth's
orbit?
5. In what year did Armstrong take part in NASA's first manned mission to the moon?
6. Who was with Armstrong when he took part in NASA's first manned mission to the
moon?
7. What are some of the numerous awards that Neil Armstrong received?
8. Who wrote the authorized biography of Neil Armstrong?
9. When did Apollo 11 come back to Earth?
10. What is the cause of Armstrong’s death on August 25, 2012?

Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate is sometimes mistaken for weather. But climate is different from weather
because it is measured over a long period of time, whereas weather can change from
day to day, or from year to year. The climate of an area includes seasonal temperature
and rainfall averages, and wind patterns. Different places have different climates. A
desert, for example, is referred to as an arid climate because there are few waterfalls,
such as rain or snow, during the year. Other types of climate include tropical climates,
which are hot and humid, and temperate climates, which have warm summers and
colder winters.

Climate change is the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns
in a place. Climate change could refer to a particular location or the planet as a whole.
Climate change may cause weather patterns to be less predictable. These unexpected
weather patterns can make it difficult to maintain and grow crops in regions that rely on
farming because expected temperature and rainfall levels can no longer be relied on.
Climate change has also been connected with other damaging weather events such as
more frequent and more intense hurricanes, floods, downpours, and winter storms.

In polar regions, the warming global temperatures associated with climate change have
meant ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate from season to
season. This contributes to sea levels rising in different regions of the planet. Together
with expanding ocean waters due to rising temperatures, the resulting rise in sea level
has begun to damage coastlines as a result of increased flooding and erosion.

The cause of current climate change is largely human activity, like burning fossil fuels,
like natural gas, oil, and coal. Burning these materials releases what are called
greenhouse gases into Earth’s atmosphere. There, these gases trap heat from the sun’s
rays inside the atmosphere causing Earth’s average temperature to rise. This rise in the
planet's temperature is called global warming. The warming of the planet impacts local
and regional climates. Throughout Earth's history, climate has continually changed.
When occurring naturally, this is a slow process that has taken place over hundreds and
thousands of years. The human influenced climate change that is happening now is
occurring at a much faster rate.
Source: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/climate-change/

Questions:
1. What is the difference between climate and weather?
2. Why is a desert referred to as an arid climate?
3. What is climate change?
4. What are the effects of climate change?
5. Who is considered as the cause of current climate change?
Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

How Smoking Affects the Heart and Blood Vessels

Cigarette smoking causes about 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States each
year. It's the main preventable cause of death and illness in the United States.
Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, including the heart, blood
vessels, lungs, eyes, mouth, reproductive organs, bones, bladder, and digestive organs.
The chemicals you inhale when you smoke cause damage to your heart and
blood vessels that makes you more likely to develop atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup
in the arteries.
Any amount of smoking, even occasional smoking, can cause this damage to the
heart and blood vessels. Smoking poses an even greater risk for some people,
especially for women who use birth control pills and people with diabetes.
If you have other heart disease risk factors such as unhealthy blood cholesterol
levels, high blood pressure, and being overweight or obese, smoking raises your risk of
heart disease even more.
Smoking also increases your risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD is
when plaque builds up in the arteries that carry blood to your head, organs, arms, and
legs. People who have PAD have an increased risk for coronary heart disease, heart
attack, and stroke.
Secondhand smoke is the smoke breathed out when someone smokes or the
smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar, pipe, or other tobacco
product. It can damage the heart and blood vessels of people who don’t smoke in the
same ways that smoking causes damage to people who do.
Article Source: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart/smoking

Questions:
1. What is the main preventable cause of death and illness in the United States?
2. What organs of the body will be affected by cigarette smoking?
3. What is secondhand smoke?
4. What is the effect of smoking to a person who has a high blood pressure?
5. What will happen if a smoker doesn’t stop smoking?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
HARNESSING THE POWER OF NATURE

Since antibiotics were discovered in 1928, the medical community has been
using them as the treatment of choice against bacterial infections. They have become
so ubiquitous, in fact, that modern medicine now faces the possibility of them becoming
ineffective as bacteria evolve into antibiotic‐resistant strains. This might suggest that the
use of living creatures to fight human disease is a bad idea; nature does sometimes
tend to have a will of its own despite human desires and best intentions. But perhaps
the key is not to abandon nature in our pursuit of scientific control, but to work in
cooperation with it. To this end, scientists are attempting to solve the antibiotic‐
resistance problem by looking to the past. Before antibiotics, doctors treated bacterial
infections with specialized viruses called phages, which kill disease‐causing bacteria.
Doctors stopped using phages largely because of the scientific limitations of the
time period. Like imaginary creatures in a modern video game, any one particular phage
attacks only one particular strain of bacteria; the challenge, and the thrill of battle, is to
match up the right opponents. With hundreds of different strains of individual viruses, it
was impossible, in the early 20th century, to determine which strain of phage to use
quickly enough to help the patient. Another limitation was that phage has to be grown in
cultures of the same harmful bacteria it is intended to fight, meaning that the phage
needs to be separated from the bacteria before being introduced into the patient. Early
techniques for doing this filtered out the bacteria, but not toxins left behind in the culture
by the bacteria, which could kill the patient.
Today, though, advanced techniques have been developed that allow scientists
to identify and purify phages more efficiently, reducing the problems and risks that
caused treatment with phage to fall out of favor. And a study in the late 1980s
suggested that phages were actually more effective than several different antibiotics in
fighting disease in animals.
Source: https://www.englishworksheetsland.com/grade8/10litnon.html

Questions:

1. When were the antibiotics discovered?

2. What is the use of antibiotics?
3. What did the scientists do to solve the antibiotic‐resistance problem?
4. Before antibiotics, what did the doctors use to treat bacterial infections?
5. Why did the doctors stop using phages?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones: A World of Difference
By RV staff writer JCH

Have you ever been watching when a TV weatherperson points to a large, white spiral
of storm clouds spinning over the Earth on their video screen? If so, then you’ve gotten
a small look at what the most powerful storm in the world looks like: a tropical cyclone.

Tropical cyclones start as tropical storms that form in warm ocean waters near the
Earth’s equator. The Earth’s equator is an invisible line that wraps around the center of
the Earth. It divides the Earth into two halves: the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
The warm air and water at the equator rise into the atmosphere, cool off, and then sink
back down. As this cycle repeats itself over and over again, the storm begins to grow
and the winds around the storm begin to move faster. Once wind speeds reach 74 miles
per hour, the tropical storm becomes a tropical cyclone.

Depending on where a tropical cyclone is in the world, it is called either a hurricane, a

typhoon, or a cyclone. If a tropical cyclone moves over the northwestern Pacific Ocean,
it is called a typhoon; if that storm was to move over the northeastern Pacific or the
Atlantic Ocean, it is called a hurricane; and if that storm moves over the South Pacific or
the Indian Ocean, it is called a cyclone.

The center of a tropical cyclone is called the “eye.” The rest of the storm moves in a
circle around the eye at incredibly high speeds. Most of the strong winds do not reach
the eye of the storm, so the eye is the calmest part of the storm.

Tropical cyclones are put into categories based on their strength. A storm that is rated
as a Category 1 is the weakest; it is still dangerous, but the winds are not as high. A
Category 5 tropical cyclone is the strongest; this type of storm can cause heavy damage
to buildings and can cause heavy flooding.

The strongest tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere ever recorded was a
Category 5 hurricane named Hurricane Patricia in 1979. This hurricane had winds that
reached 215 miles per hour. It produced flooding rain in Mexico, Central America, and
Texas. The strongest tropical cyclone was Typhoon Tip, also in 1979. Its winds reached
260 miles per hour, and caused damage in the Philippines, Japan, and other areas of
the Pacific.

While tropical cyclone winds can be incredibly strong and destructive, the winds are not
the only reason that these storms are the strongest on the planet. They can also cause
heavy rains, a rise in sea levels, heavy flooding, and tornadoes. All of these factors can
be life-threatening to those in the path of the storm.
Once these storms come onto land, they no longer have the warm ocean water they
need to grow larger. This means that they begin to grow weaker once they no longer
spin over the water. This, however, doesn’t stop them from causing a lot of damage
before they go away. They still may produce strong rain and tornadoes.

If you live in an area that experiences tropical cyclones or if you ever encounter a
tropical cyclone, it’s extremely important to know how to prepare and how to keep
yourself safe. First, if you live in an area that has a hurricane warning, pay attention to
evacuation notices. If your governor or local authorities ask you to evacuate, you and
your family should seek shelter with a loved one or at a designated storm shelter. If
there’s no evacuation notice before a tropical cyclone, you and your family should make
a plan to stay safe while the storm is in your area.

Tropical cyclones are an amazing natural phenomenon. It’s important to respect how
powerful and destructive they are.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/hurricanes-typhoons-and-cyclones-a-world-of-difference/

Questions:
1. Where do tropical storms form?
2. When does a tropical storm become a tropical cyclone?
3. How do we call a tropical cyclone that moves over the northwestern Pacific Ocean?
4. How do we call a storm that moves over the northeastern Pacific or the Atlantic
Ocean?
5. What do we call a storm that moves over the South Pacific or the Indian Ocean?
6. How are tropical cyclones categorized?
7. What is the strongest tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere ever recorded in
1979?
8. What will happen if storms come to land?
9. What does it mean if a tropical cyclone is categorized as Category 5?
10. What should be done if you live in an area that experiences tropical cyclones or if
you ever encounter a tropical cyclone?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Sarah Plants a Seed

At breakfast, Sarah saw that her mother was wearing overalls. That meant that she
was planning to work in the garden.
“What are you planting today?” asked Sarah.
“Today I will plant radishes and carrots,” answered Sarah’s mother. “Would you like
to help?”
Sarah was happy. She wanted to learn more about how her mother made
vegetables grow.
In the garden, Sarah’s mother used a stick to make a line in the soil. “This is called a
furrow,” she said. “It’s a small ditch to hold the seeds.”
Sarah used the stick to draw a line near her mother’s furrow. She watched her
mother open a packet of carrot seeds.
“Now I will plant the seeds in a long row in the furrow,” Sarah’s mother said. She
carefully placed the tiny seeds in a neat line.
“Can I help?” asked Sarah.
“Carrot seeds are very small,” said Sarah’s mother. “Planting radish seeds is
easier.”
She opened a packet of radish seeds and handed it to Sarah. Sarah picked up a
radish seed between her thumb and index finger. It looked like a small tan pebble.
Sarah dropped her seed in the furrow. She picked up another and placed it into the
dirt. Her furrow suddenly seemed very long because the seeds were so small.
Sarah’s mother began to hum. Sarah liked the song. She joined in, and the music
made planting seeds more fun.
When the seeds were gone, Sarah watched her mother gently smooth the dirt over
the furrow to cover the seeds. Sarah did the same to her seeds and patted the soil in place.
“Now it’s time to water the seeds so they can spout,” said Sarah’s mother. She used
a watering can to soak the ground.
“The water lets the seeds know it’s time to grow. The seed will send up a green stem
where we can see it. It will also send down white roots underground to drink more water,”
Sarah’s mother said.
“When will they be ready to eat?” asked Sarah.
“In about a month,” said Sarah’s mother. “The small white root will grow nice and fat.
The orange roots will be the carrots we eat. The red roots will be the radishes.”
Sarah was very happy about her seeds. “I can’t wait to eat our vegetables!”

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/sarah-plants-a-seed/

Questions:

1. What was the story all about?

2. Who are the characters in the story?
3. When did the story happen?
4. Where did the story take place?
5. What did Sarah feel about planting?

Reading Comprehension
Worksheets for Grade 9

Selection Title
1 John Steinbeck
2 Eleanor Roosevelt on Fear
3 Laughter as a Weapon
4 Adderall Abuse
5 Amur Tigers: Big Cats in Crisis
6 Project Mercury: The First
Americans in Space
7 Here’s the Spin on Tornadoes
8 The Extermination of the American
Bison
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
JOHN STEINBECK

John Steinbeck was born into a family of modest means in 1902. His father
worked various jobs to take care of his family. His mother was a former schoolteacher.
Steinbeck had three sisters, and enjoyed a happy childhood. Though shy, he was very
smart, and he became attached to California’s Salinas Valley at a young age. Steinbeck
decided at the age of 14 that he would become a writer, and spent a lot of his time
writing poems and stories.
To please his parents, Steinbeck enrolled at Stanford University. Unsuited to
college life, he came and went for six years before finally abandoning college for good
in 1925. After a short stint in New York City trying to be a freelance writer, he moved
back to California and earned a living working as a manual laborer. Steinbeck was the
author of 31 books, including some of the best known novels in American Literature: Of
Mice and Men (1937), Grapes of Wrath (1939) and East of Eden (1952). Though he had
been publishing since 1929, he first found success with Tortilla Flat (1935), a humorous
novel about paisano life in the Monterey region of his native California. All of his books
revolved around social issues, and Steinbeck believed it was a writer’s job to “dredge up
to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement.”
Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 for The Grapes of Wrath. Twenty-two
years later, he received the Nobel Prize for Literature: "for his realistic and imaginative
writings, combining sympathetic humour and keen social perception."
Steinbeck was married three times, and his first wife provided him with financial
support while he concentrated on his writing. They divorced in 1942. His second
marriage lasted from 1943 until 1948, and produced two sons. Steinbeck married his
third wife in 1950 and they remained married until Steinbeck died of heart disease in
1968.
Source: https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/readingcomp/grade9/64.html

Questions:
1. In what year was John Steinbeck born?
2. What did Steinbeck do to please his parents?
3. How many sisters does Steinbeck have?
4. What age did Steinbeck decide to become a writer?
5. How many times did Steinbeck marry?
6. When did Steinbeck win a Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath?
7. Why did Steinbeck receive a Nobel Prize for Literature?
8. How long was Steinbeck’s second marriage last?
9. When did Steinbeck die?
10. What was the cause of Steinbeck’s death?
Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ON FEAR

Eleanor Roosevelt is remembered as the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Known for her political activism, she was an outspoken first lady who made frequent
public appearances. During World War II, Eleanor supported the rights of black
Americans to serve in a visible way in the military, and she supported civil rights
generally. When her husband died in the final months of World War II, she was
appointed as his successor to be a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly.
Eleanor helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by
the General Assembly on December 10, 1948, an act which she considered her
greatest achievement.
What was behind her amazing successes? In Eleanor’s own words, it was fear,
and her determination to overcome it: “Fear is the most devastating emotion on earth. I
fought it and conquered it by helping people who were worse off than I was. I believe
that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps
doing them until he gets a record of successful experiences behind him.”
Eleanor grew up believing herself to be an “ugly duckling.” She was ashamed of
her clothes, her shyness, and her looks. She began to come out of her shell in 1910.
when Franklin was a member of the New York State Senate. As Eleanor describes it:
“He and eighteen other Assemblymen were waging a war against Tammany Hall. These
Assemblymen spent much of their time holding conferences in our home in Albany both
day and night. So I visited the wives of these men. I was shocked to find that many of
them were spending their days and nights in lonely hotel rooms. They knew no one in
Albany except their husbands. I found that by trying to cheer them up and by trying to
give them courage, I developed my own courage and self-confidence.”
Source: https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/readingcomp/grade9/6.html

Questions:
1. Who is the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt?
2. What was behind Eleanor Roosevelt’s success?
3. How did Eleanor Roosevelt describe fear?
4. How did Eleanor Roosevelt overcome her fear?
5. When was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the General
Assembly?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
LAUGHTER AS A WEAPON

Satire is a style of writing in which the writer makes fun of a subject and causes
the reader to feel amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation towards it. It usually
brings to light some aspect of an individual, a type of person, a social class, an
institution, a country, or even all of humanity that is hidden, unnoticed, or too unpleasant
to face, or which is so ubiquitous that no one even notices how wrong or unpleasant it
is. Unlike straight comedy, whose sole purpose is to entertain, satire is a form of social
criticism that takes a moral stand against a subject and uses laughter as a weapon
against it. Satire typically exaggerates, no unlike a caricature. Although intended to
make people laugh, the aim of satire is to change people’s mind about that subject; to
bring readers around to the point of view of the author.
Satire is not always well received, especially as satire has historically been a way
of challenging authority. It is also not always effective. After all, Hitler was the target of
much satire, and satire alone was unable to stop him.
Satire is a very old art form. It can be traced through history, from Aristophanes
and Horace in Ancient Greece, to Chaucer in England in the 14th century, to Rabelais in
France in the 16th century, to Defoe and Swift in England in the 18th century, Twain,
Dickens, and Gogol in the 19th century, and George Orwell in the 20th century.
Source: https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/readingcomp/grade9/54.html

Questions:
1. What is satire?
2. What makes satire different from straight comedy?
3. What is the aim of satire?
4. Why is satire not always well received?
5. Why is satire considered to be a very old art form?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
ADDERALL ABUSE

Adderall is a drug originally developed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Though it has only been around since 1996,
prescriptions for it have tripled in the past twenty years, largely because it has become
a popular drug for college students who use it as a study aid, because it keeps them
awake and alert longer than they might be otherwise. Though most college students
who use Adderall consider if fairly harmless, it is in fact a DEA Schedule II substance,
which means it has a “high potential for abuse,” can “lead to severe psychological or
physical dependence” and is considered “dangerous.” High Times, a publication that
has advocated for the legalization of cannabis since 1974, calls Adderall, “America’s
Favorite Amphetamine.”
Adderall abuse is disturbingly widespread. According to a 2012 study published
in the Journal of American College Health, 2/3 of college students have been offered
Adderall and other prescription stimulants by the time they reach their senior year.
Though many obtain the drug from friends, some go as far as faking the symptoms of
ADHD in order to be prescribed the drug by a doctor, a tactic that is more likely to be
taken by long-term, habitual users.
Between 2005 and 2010, emergency room visits related to non-medical use of
ADHD tripled, from 5,212 to 15,585 visits. A common issue was students who had taken
Adderall in combination with other drugs or with alcohol. Adderall is a stimulant,
meaning it keeps you awake, and many students have reported using Adderall as a way
to prolong their ability “to party.” According to a report by Indiana doctor Ron Holmes,
drinking alcohol while on Adderall “can lead to psychological issues such as
paranoia, anxiety, and severe depression. Physically, it can cause nausea, vomiting,
weight loss, heart palpitations, and headaches.” Those who mix Adderall and alcohol
over a long period of time can expect “convulsions, arrhythmias, fevers, malnutrition,
tremors, and muscle twitching.” Even occasional use of Adderall with alcohol can cause
heart problems.
Source: https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/readingcomp/grade9/2.html

Questions:
1. Why is an adderall drug developed?
2. Why do college students use adderall drugs as a study aid?
3. According to a report by Indiana doctor Ron Holmes, what will happen to a person
who will be drinking alcohol while on adderall?
4. What are the physical effects of using adderall?
5. What are the psychological effects of using adderall?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Amur Tigers: Big Cats in Crisis

Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, are interesting animals. They are the
biggest cats in the world. A full-grown Amur tiger can weigh over 600 pounds. Unlike lions
that live in groups, tigers are solitary animals, meaning they live alone. Tigers also have
very good eyesight and hearing. Its eyesight is six times better than a human’s.
Amur tigers live in the forests located in the Russian Far East and northeastern
China. They have a thick yellow fur coat with black stripes. Their stripes are like human
fingerprints. Every tiger has a different and unique stripe pattern. Tigers use their striped
coat to camouflage, or hide, themselves from the animals they hunt. Their thick fur and a
thick layer of fat keep them warm during the long, cold winters in the forest. The fur and fat
layer are adaptations, or changes, that help them survive in the wild.
Powerful and quiet hunters, Amur tigers usually hunt at night. Animals that are active
at night are called nocturnal animals. Sometimes these tigers travel hundreds of miles
looking for prey to eat. They hunt deer and wild boar that live in the forest. They also hunt
smaller types of bears. A hungry Amur tiger can eat more than 50 pounds in one night.
Today, Amur tigers are an endangered species. Endangered species are animals
that are in danger of disappearing forever. Snow leopards, chimpanzees, and blue whales
are also endangered species. Amur tigers almost disappeared forever at the beginning of
the 20th century. They were hunted until only 40 tigers remained in the wild. Countries like
Russia then began to protect these big cats. They made it illegal to hunt them, and they
tried to protect their forest habitat. After these changes, the number of Amur tigers living in
the wild increased. Scientists believe there are about 540 Amur tigers living in the wild
today.
These big cats are still in crisis. People continue to illegally hunt Amur tigers. Illegal
hunting is called poaching. Amur tigers are also still in danger because the forests they live
in are being destroyed. Illegal logging and new roads destroy their forest homes. It makes it
hard for the tigers to find prey to eat. It also makes it difficult for the tigers to roam for long
distances. Many organizations and people are trying to save these tigers in the wild.
Organizations that work to save animals and the environment are called conservation
organizations. They are trying to stop poaching. They are also trying to protect the tiger’s
forest.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/amur-tigers-big-cats-in-crisis/

Questions:
1. What cats are considered as the biggest cats in the world?
2. How many pounds can a full-grown Amur tiger weigh?
3. What makes the tigers different from the lions?
4. Where do the Amur tigers live?
5. What are the physical characteristics of Amur tigers?
6. When do the Amur tigers usually hunt?
7. What are nocturnal animals?
8. 8What are endangered species?
9. What other animals mentioned in the passage are considered endangered?
10. Why are Amur tigers still in danger?

Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

Project Mercury: The First Americans in Space

Project Mercury was an important part of the “Space Race.” The Space Race
was a space exploration competition between the United States and the former Soviet
Union. The competition began in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the first-ever
satellite into space. The satellite was named Sputnik 1. One year later, the United
States launched its first satellite into space. The U.S. satellite was named Explorer 1.
The United States and the Soviet Union also wanted to send humans into space.
The Soviet Union was the first country to reach this goal. In 1961, they successfully
launched the first human into outer space. The astronaut’s name was Yuri Gagarin. His
spaceflight was called Vostok 1. He flew around the earth one time.
The United States remained committed to its human spaceflight goal. Seven
American astronauts were chosen for Project Mercury. These astronauts were known
as the Mercury Seven. Only military test pilots were allowed to be astronauts. There
were no female military test pilots at that time, so all of the Mercury Seven astronauts
were men.
The Mercury Seven astronauts trained very hard for their space missions. They
practiced how it would feel to be launched into space by powerful rockets. They
practiced weightlessness. They also practiced how it would feel to be inside the small
space capsule. Mercury space capsules had room for just one astronaut. The capsule
was too small for the astronaut to move around. He had to stay in his seat the whole
spaceflight.
The United States government conducted many test flights to make sure the
astronauts would be safe. They even sent a monkey and two chimpanzees into space
on some of the test flights. The monkey’s name was Sam. The chimpanzees’ names
were Ham and Enos. All of the animals returned from space safely.
American astronaut Alan Shepard made the first Mercury spaceflight on May 5,
1961. He named his Mercury space capsule Freedom 7. The first spaceflight was a
suborbital flight. This means the space capsule did not go high enough to enter Earth’s
orbit. The first spaceflight was also very short. It only lasted 15 minutes, but it was a
major step for American space exploration.
On February 20, 1962, Mercury Seven astronaut John Glenn became the first
American to orbit the Earth. He orbited the Earth three times aboard the Mercury space
capsule Friendship 7. Astronaut Gordon Cooper made the final Project Mercury
spaceflight in 1963. He orbited the Earth 22 times in his space capsule named Faith 7.
Scientists learned many important lessons about spaceflight during Project
Mercury. They gained knowledge about the effects of space on the human body. They
learned how to modify the Redstone and Atlas rockets that carried the capsules into
space. They also developed improvements to space capsule design. All of this scientific
knowledge would be used to launch America’s second human spaceflight program –
Project Gemini.
Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/project-mercury-the-first-americans-in-space/

Questions:

1. What is Project Mercury?

2. What is the Space Race?
3. What country was the first one to reach the goal of sending humans into space?
4. Who was considered as the first man in space?
5. How many American astronauts were chosen for Project Mercury?
6. How many female American Astronauts take part in Project Mercury?
7. What animals were sent by the United States government to conduct many test
flights to make sure the astronauts would be safe?
8. Who made the first Mercury spaceflight on May 5, 1961?
9. Who was the first American to orbit the Earth?
10. What important lessons about spaceflight did the Scientists learn during Project
Mercury?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Here’s the Spin on Tornadoes
RV Staff Writer J.C.H.

Over the years, movies and books have used tornadoes to sweep their characters off to
magical lands, to destroy entire cities, or to defeat a superhero’s dangerous super villain. All
of these tornadoes have one thing in common: they are incredibly powerful.

Tornadoes are large, destructive columns of spinning air that stretch from a thunderstorm to
the ground. They can have wind speeds over 300 miles per hour (mph), grow over a mile
wide, and travel over 50 miles before dissolving. Tornadoes are incredibly dangerous and
should be avoided at all costs.

Tornadoes, also known as twisters, need a few ingredients in order to form. They require
warm, moist winds in the lower atmosphere; cold, dry winds in the upper atmosphere; and a
thunderstorm’s updraft, or an upward current of air. A tornado forms when the warm, moist
winds meet the cold, dry winds. This causes the warm and cold air to spin around each
other in an invisible horizontal tube. The updraft then tilts the horizontal spinning winds
vertically, causing the winds to spin more violently and form a funnel cloud. Once this funnel
cloud grows longer and touches the Earth’s surface, it becomes a tornado.

Scientists can’t go inside tornadoes which means that they are extremely hard to research.
As a result, we know surprisingly little about them. In order to tell how powerful a tornado is,
scientists look at how much destruction it causes. Scientists then rank the tornado on the
Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale), which ranges from EF0 to EF5. For example, a tornado
that only damages trees but doesn’t significantly damage buildings would be rated EF0 with
wind speeds between 65 and 85 mph. A tornado that blows away buildings and rips up
sidewalks, on the other hand, would be rated EF5 with wind speeds over 200 mph.

The most powerful tornado in United States history occurred near Oklahoma City in 1999. It
had wind speeds over 310 mph, the highest wind speed ever recorded on Earth. A tornado
with wind speeds that high can not only pick up and throw automobiles, it can also knock
over trains and tear up roadways. As a comparison, a Category 5 hurricane has wind
speeds that exceed 156 mph.

Luckily for anyone living in an area that experiences the occasional tornado, they usually
only last one to 10 minutes. More powerful tornadoes can last over an hour in the right
conditions, but they are very rare.

If you find yourself experiencing a tornado, find a safe place inside, like an interior hall,
basement, or closet. Stay away from windows and heavy objects that could fall on you, and
lay on your stomach with your hands protecting the back of your head. Having a tornado
emergency plan is extremely important as tornadoes can appear very quickly. Make sure to
listen to the radio or television to stay updated on severe weather patterns in your area.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/heres-the-spin-on-tornadoes/
Questions:
1. What are tornadoes?
2. Why are tornadoes dangerous?
3. What are the ingredients in order to form tornadoes?
4. When does a tornado form?
5. What do the scientists do in order to tell how powerful a tornado is?
6. When and where did the most powerful tornado in United States history occur?
7. What should you do if you find yourself experiencing a tornado?
8. Why is having a tornado emergency plan important?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
The Extermination of the American Bison
By William Temple Hornaday

Of all the deadly methods of buffalo slaughter, the still-hunt was the deadliest. Of all
the methods that were unsportsmanlike, unfair, ignoble, and utterly reprehensible, this was
in every respect the lowest and the worst. Despite nearly every element of the buoyant
excitement and spice of danger that accompanied genuine buffalo hunting on horseback,
the still-hunt was more butchery of the tamest and yet most cruel kind. About it there was
none of the true excitement of the chase; but there was plenty of greedy eagerness to
“down” as many “heads” as possible every day, just as there is in every slaughter-house
where the killers are paid so much per head. Judging from all accounts, it was about as
exciting and dangerous work as it would be to go out now and shoot cattle on the Texas or
Montana ranges. The probabilities are, however, that shooting Texas cattle would be the
most dangerous; for, instead of running from a man on foot, as the buffalo used to do, range
cattle usually charge down upon him, from motives of curiosity, perhaps, and not
infrequently place his life in considerable jeopardy.

The buffalo owes his extermination very largely to his own unparalleled stupidity; for
nothing else could by any possibility have enabled the still-hunters to accomplish what they
did in such an incredibly short time. So long as the chase on horseback was the order of the
day, it ordinarily required the united efforts of from fifteen to twenty-five hunters to kill a
thousand buffalo in a single season; but a single still-hunter, with a long-range breech-
loader, who know how to make a “sneak” and get “a stand on a bunch,” often succeeded in
killing from one to three thousand in one season by his own unaided efforts. Capt. Jack
Brydges, of Kansas, who was one of the first to begin the final slaughter of the southern
herd, killed, by contract, one thousand one hundred and forty-two buffaloes in six weeks.

So long as the buffalo remained in large herds their numbers gave each individual a
feeling of dependence upon his fellows and of general security from harm, even in the
presence of strange phenomena which he could not understand. When he heard a loud
report and saw a little cloud of white smoke rising from a gully, a clump of sage-brush, or
the top of a ridge, 200 yards away, he wondered what it meant, and held himself in
readiness to follow his leader in case she should run away. But when the leader of the herd,
usually the oldest cow, fell bleeding upon the ground, and no other buffalo promptly
assumed the leadership of the herd, instead of acting independently and fleeing from the
alarm, he merely did as he saw the others do, and waited his turn to be shot. Latterly,
however, when the herds were totally broken up, when the few survivors were scattered in
every direction, and it became a case of every buffalo for himself, they became wild and
wary, ever ready to start off at the slightest alarm, and run indefinitely. Had they shown the
same wariness seventeen years ago that the survivors have manifested during the last
three or four years, there would now be a hundred thousand heads alive instead of only
about three hundred in a wild and unprotected state.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/the-extermination-of-the-american-bison/

Questions:
1. Of all the deadly methods of buffalo slaughter, what method is considered as the
deadliest?
2. Why is still-hunt considered the deadliest?
3. Why is it that shooting Texas cattle would be the most dangerous?
4. How many buffaloes did Capt. Jack Brydges, of Kansas, killed in six weeks?
5. When the leader of the herd, usually the oldest cow, fell bleeding upon the ground, and
no other buffalo promptly assumed the leadership of the herd, what would he do?
Reading Worksheets
for Grade 10

Selection Title
1 First American Woman in Space: Sally Ride
2 Famous Paintings of Leonardo da Vinci
3 Blue Whales: Saving the Giants of the Ocean
4 Bats in Peril
5 Wilma Rudolph, Olympic Star
6 Machines Like Us
7 The Olympics
8 Dr. Dian Fossey: Renowned Primatologist
and Conservationist
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
First American Woman in Space: Sally Ride
By RV Staff Writer A.A.

Sally Ride was the first woman astronaut from the U.S. to go into space. She flew two
missions on the space shuttle. One was in August 1983, and the other was in October
1984. Both times she flew as a member of the crew of the space shuttle Challenger.

Sally Ride was born in 1951 in Los Angeles, California. She was interested in science,
but she was also an excellent tennis player. She studied physics at Stanford University,
where she earned her doctorate degree.

While Dr. Ride was at Stanford, she answered an ad in the student newspaper for
students interested in the space program. She was accepted into the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) program in 1978 to become an
astronaut.

During her space missions, she was the first woman to operate a robotic arm, and she
also retrieved a satellite using the robotic arm. She spent a total of 343 hours in space,
which is over 14 days.

Dr. Ride was getting ready for another mission in 1986 when the Challenger space
shuttle exploded. She was appointed to a group that studied what had gone wrong with
the shuttle. She later became part of a group at NASA that made plans for future space
missions.

In 1987 Dr. Ride retired from NASA and began working and teaching at Stanford. In
2003 she was part of the investigation into the next shuttle accident, this time on the
space shuttle Columbia.

Dr. Sally Ride died in 2012. Although she was famous as the first American woman in
space, she said she always thought of herself just one way: as an astronaut. She
inspired many people, both male and female.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/first-american-woman-in-space-sally-ride/

Questions:
1. Who was the first woman astronaut from the U.S. to go into space?
2. Where did Dr. Ride earn her doctorate degree?
3. How many times did Dr. Ride fly as a member of the crew of the space shuttle
Challenger?
4. When did the Challenger space shuttle explode?
5. When did Dr. Ride die?
Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Famous Paintings of Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most well-known figures of the Italian

Renaissance. In fact, adept as a painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, engineer, and
draftsman, da Vinci epitomizes the “Renaissance man.” His artistic work was informed
by his scientific studies and keen observations of nature. Though best known as a
painter, we have only a few dozen paintings that can be attributed to him. His best-
known works include the “The Last Supper” and the “Mona Lisa.”

“The Last Supper” was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan, in
1495, to grace the back wall of a monastery dining hall. da Vinci worked for three years
on the painting, which shows the moment when Jesus tells the Twelve Apostles that
one of them will soon betray him. Because da Vinci used tempera and oil on dried
plaster, instead of the conventional fresco on plaster, the painting has deteriorated
considerably over time. It was further damaged by improper attempts at restoration.
Modern conversation techniques, however, have allowed the painting to be stabilized.

Eight years later, da Vinci began his best-known painting, the “Mona Lisa,” done
in da Vinci’s sfumato technique, in which subtle gradations, rather than strict borders,
infuse paintings with a softer, smoky aura. It depicts a young woman of uncertain
identity, with a slight smile that has captivated viewers for centuries. Accounts from an
early biographer, however, suggest that the subject of the “Mona Lisa'' is Lisa del
Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine silk merchant, a theory that is supported by
the painting’s original name — “La Gioconda.” For da Vinci, the painting remained a
work in progress, and if the painting was commissioned, the commissioner never
received it, as it remained in da Vinci’s possession. Today it can be seen in the Louvre
Museum in Paris, where it is protected behind bulletproof glass and revered as a
national treasure.

Source: https://www.easyteacherworksheets.com/pages/pdf/languagearts/readingcomp/grade10/16.html

Questions:
1. Who is Leonardo da Vinci?
2. Why did Ludovico Sforza commission “The Last Supper?”
3. How long did it take da Vinci to finish “The Last Supper?”
4. Why has da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” painting deteriorated considerably over time?
5. What was depicted in da Vinci's “Mona Lisa?"
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Blue Whales: Saving the Giants of the Ocean

Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth. They are also the largest animals known
to have ever existed. This means that they are bigger than the dinosaurs that lived
millions of years ago. Blue whales weigh as much as 33 elephants (200 tons) and can
be up to 100 feet long. A baby blue whale is called a calf. A blue whale calf drinks over
100 gallons of milk every day.

Blue whales can live as long as humans. They can live to be 80 to 90 years old.

Blue whales eat mostly small shrimplike creatures called krill. Because blue whales are
so big they need to eat lots of krill. They eat about four tons of krill a day. That is like
eating 32,000 hamburgers a day. Blue whales spend their summers in polar waters
eating large amounts of krill. Then they migrate thousands of miles to tropical and
subtropical waters to spend the winter.

Blue whales live alone or in pairs. They are not like other types of whales that live in
groups known as pods. Blue whales make a variety of sounds underwater. Scientists
believe they make these sounds to communicate with each other. They also believe
some of these sounds act like sonar. The sounds help the whales map their ocean
environment. Some of the sounds they make can be heard for hundreds of miles
underwater.

The biggest threat to blue whales is humans. Blue whales are hunted for their whale oil.
Blue whales almost became extinct during the early part of the 20th century. This
means they would have disappeared from the Earth forever. In 1966, the International
Whaling Commission banned blue whale hunting. But some countries ignore this ban
and continue to hunt blue whales.
Blue whales also face other threats from humans in their ocean environment. Ships
sometimes strike whales and injure them. Ships also produce ocean noise that makes it
hard for whales to communicate. Ocean pollution and fishing are other dangers facing
blue whales. They sometimes become tangled and trapped in fishing nets.

Blue whales are an endangered species. Endangered species are animals that are in
danger of disappearing forever. Only 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales remain in the
world’s oceans. It is important to protect blue whales because they play a key role in the
ocean’s food chain.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/blue-whales-saving-the-giants-of-the-ocean/

Questions:
1. What are the largest animals on Earth?
2. What is a baby blue whale called?
3. A blue whale calf drinks over how many gallons of milk every day?
4. How long can blue whales live?
5. What do blue whales mostly eat?
6. Where do blue whales spend their summers?
7. Why do blue whales make a variety of sounds underwater?
8. Why are blue whales hunted by humans?
9. Why are blue whales considered endangered species?
10. Why is it important to protect blue whales?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Bats in Peril

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. They play a very important role in
ecosystems around the world. They help eliminate pests for farmers. They also help
ensure that rainforests stay healthy. Bats face many threats though. This means
ecosystems across the globe are threatened too.

There are more than 1,000 species of bats. The majority of bats are insectivores. This
means that insects make up most of their diet. There are also bats that are nectar-
eaters and fruit-eaters. A small number of bat species are blood-eaters. The common
vampire bat is a blood-eater.

Nectar-eating bats and fruit-eating bats play a critical role in desert and tropical
ecosystems. They are considered a “keystone species.” This means they help ensure a
rich diversity of plant life and food for other animals. Nectar-eating bats help pollinate
plants in these environments. Fruit-eating bats help spread seeds in their rainforest
environment. They also help restore rainforests that have been chopped down by
spreading seeds over large areas. Bats are sometimes called the “farmers of the
tropics.”

Bats that are insectivores help farmers around the world with pest control. They eat
insects that can damage agricultural crops. One pest that bats like to eat is called the
corn earworm moth. This type of moth causes an estimated $1 billion a year in crop
damage.

Bats can eat large amounts of insects during their nightly feeding period. For example,
the famous bat colony that lives in Austin, Texas eats between 10,000 and 20,000
pounds of insects each night. The Austin colony is composed of 1.5 million Mexican
free-tailed bats. The colony roosts under the Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown
Austin during the summer months. It is the largest urban bat colony in North America.
Many tourists come to watch the bats leave their roost in the evening.

Habitat loss is the biggest threat facing bats worldwide. Bats in North America are also
in peril due to white-nose syndrome. This disease attacks bats while they are
hibernating during the winter. It is caused by a white fungus that infects a bat’s muzzle,
ears, and wings. White-nose syndrome is a deadly wildlife disease. Millions of bats in
North America have died from the disease since it was first identified in 2006.

Wind turbines are a growing threat to bats as well. The spinning blades are dangerous
for bats. Scientists also believe that the air pressure produced near wind turbines can
damage the lungs of bats. Conservationists are studying whether sound can be used to
deter bats from flying near wind turbines. Many bats have extremely sensitive hearing.
Broadcasting high-frequency sounds might help keep them away from wind farms.
Large numbers of bat species are at risk of disappearing forever. Scientists believe that
almost 80 species of bats are endangered or critically endangered. They also believe
that over 900 species of bats are at risk of becoming endangered. Conservation
organizations are working hard to save bats around the world. Although some people
fear bats, they are an important part of the natural world. Protecting bats helps protect
the environment.
Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/bats-in-peril/

Questions:
1. According to the passage, what are the only mammals that can truly fly?
2. What are the important roles that the bats play?
3. What critical roles do nectar-eating bats and fruit-eating bats play in desert and
tropical ecosystems?
4. Why are nectar-eating bats and fruit-eating bats considered a “keystone species?”
5. Why are bats sometimes called the “farmers of the tropics?”
6. What is the largest urban bat colony in North America?
7. The Austin colony is composed of how many Mexican free-tailed bats?
8. What is the biggest threat that bats are facing worldwide?
9. What is white-nose syndrome?
10. Why are wind turbines dangerous for bats?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Wilma Rudolph, Olympic Star

Wilma Rudolph was born in Tennessee in 1940. She was the twentieth of twenty-
two children in a poor but loving African American family. Because she was born two
months early, the doctor doubted she would live. She survived but was ill with a variety
of sicknesses throughout her childhood. After recovering from scarlet fever and
pneumonia, at age four she contracted polio, a virus that at the time killed thousands of
people every year. The polio caused Wilma to lose the use of her left leg, and doctors
doubted she would ever be able to walk again without the help of metal leg braces.
Wilma proved them wrong. She grew strong enough to discard the leg braces
and kept on moving. She grew to be five feet, eleven inches tall, decided to pursue
basketball, and became the team’s star. In one game, she set a record of forty-nine
points. Her coach gave her the nickname “Skeeter” because she buzzed around like a
mosquito, constantly asking questions and begging to be put in the game.
When she was in the eighth grade, Wilma was asked to join the high school track
team where she developed her running skills. She did not immediately impress people,
however; at one track meet she lost every race. The next year, Ed Temple, the track
coach at Tennessee State University, saw her run and thought she had talent. He
invited her to his summer camp for track athletes, and the next fall, she attended daily
practices at the college while still in high school.
After all this hard work, Wilma made the 1956 Olympic team at age sixteen. She
did not place in the 200-meter dash event, but she earned a bronze medal as part of the
400-meter relay team.
The following year, Wilma had a baby and many people thought she would never
participate in track again, yet she went on to attend Tennessee State University and
joined the track team there. With intense training, she secured a place on the 1960
Olympic team. Along with three of her college teammates, she headed to Rome, Italy,
for the competition.
At the 1960 Olympics, Wilma easily won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes.
Her team was trailing in the 400-meter relay when Wilma’s turn came, but she pulled
ahead of the leaders and ended up in first place. She became the first American woman
to win three gold medals in track and field at one Olympics. This performance earned
her a new nickname: “the fastest woman in the world.”
At that time, Olympic stars made little money from endorsements the way they do
now, so Wilma found a job teaching at her own former elementary school. She later
worked in sports and eventually started an organization to train young athletes. “I tell
them that the most important aspect is to be yourself and have confidence in yourself,”
she said. “I remind them that triumph can’t be had without the struggle.” Cheerful and
modest, Wilma was surrounded by fans wherever she went.
Perhaps her early struggles gave Wilma her competitive spirit, or maybe being
confined in childhood gave her the urge to keep moving. “I don’t know why I run so fast,”
she once said, adding, “I just run.” In fact, she ran her way into the history books and
inspired generations of young athletes along the way.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/wilma-rudolph-olympic-star/

Questions:
1. What was the article about?
2. What challenges did Wilma Rudolph encounter?
3. Why did Wilma Rudolph earn a new nickname: “the fastest woman in the world?”
4. What important lesson can we learn from Wilma Rudolph?
 Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________
Machines Like Us
By Staff Writer

Robots-machines capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically-

have gone from a science fiction concept to a part of everyday life. These machines
show up everywhere from children’s toys to exploration vehicles on Mars. Robots are
important in many fields, including the manufacturing, automotive, and medical
industries.

Most robots do not look particularly similar to humans, but they do share several
qualities with people. Essential characteristics of a robot include the ability to sense its
surroundings, the ability to move, and some kind of intelligence. Because these qualities
are similar to human characteristics, understanding the human body helps engineers
develop robots. Engineers research the human body and try to build robots that imitate
the way a body functions.

In fact, robots have many aspects similar to the human body. To start, a person may
sense the surrounding world using eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin that responds to
touch. A robot may have sensors that respond to light, sounds, pressure, and chemicals
in the air or on surfaces. Next, a human has a brain that responds to this sense
information and controls reactions. A robot has a control system and programs
designed to respond to similar information. Finally, the human brain gives commands to
the muscles via the nervous system, causing movement. A robot’s computer “brain”
decides on appropriate reactions for the robot “body.” The control system gives
commands to its moving parts through a computer program, causing movement.

The principles used in robotics are also useful for understanding the human body. The
human body can be viewed as a functioning, controlled system, similar to a robot.
Scientists who use this concept in their work are participating in biological engineering.

Biological engineering, or bioengineering, applies scientific principles to living systems.

For example, a biological engineer might design machines that produce food, build a
system to improve water quality, or work on medical equipment. All of these advances
can help people, but some biological engineers are working more directly to benefit the
human body. The advances in medicine are especially impressive. Some surgeons are
already using robots to help perform delicate surgeries. The surgeon may manipulate a
control system across the room, while the robot performs the actual surgery. The robot
can have much smaller “hands” that can control miniature tools. This allows for more
precise procedures that cause less damage to the body.

Biological engineering has many more benefits to medical research. For example, an
artificial body part can help replace limbs, organs, or skin lost due to an accident or
disease. However, making the artificial part function in a natural way is complicated. It
may require integrating human and robotic senses, control systems, and moving parts.
One group of researchers is developing artificial skin that can detect pressure. This skin
could be used on people who have lost feeling in parts of their body. It could also allow
people with artificial limbs to feel what the limb is touching by sending an electric pulse
to the brain cells that recognize touch. Finally, the technology may also be used on
robots to help them function better. It’s an advance that helps people and robots both by
taking advantage of the similarities in each.

Biological engineering is a relatively new branch of science. It is growing and changing

quickly, providing many career opportunities. The field combines elements of computer
science, chemistry, biology, and other branches of engineering. This makes it ideal for
young people with a strong interest in science and computers. People who choose to
study bioengineering can find work in many fields, from health care to environmental
protection. In many cases, biological engineers will work with robots. These robots may
or may not look anything like human beings, but on some level, they will function a lot
like us.
Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/machines-like-us/

Questions:
1. What are the essential characteristics of robots?
2. What characteristics do robots have that are similar to the human body?
3. Why is it complicated to make the artificial part function in a natural way?
4. What are the benefits of Biological engineering to medical research?
5. What are the uses of the artificial skin developed by a group of researchers?

Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

 The Olympics

People all over the world watch the Olympic Games on TV, cheer on their nations’
athletes, and get into the spirit of friendly international competition. Yet how many
people know how these games came about and why they were created? Why is there
an Olympic torch? What does the flag with the colored rings represent? Looking back in
time, a few millennia can answer those questions.

The first Olympic Games in recorded history took place in 776 BC on the ancient plains
of Olympia in southern Greece. Athletes competed in running, long jump, shot put,
javelin, boxing, and equestrian events. These ancient games coincided with a religious
festival and were dedicated to the Olympian gods. They continued for almost twelve
centuries until Emperor Theodosius banned them in AD 393 due to their pagan nature.
Though linked to the cult of Zeus, in reality, the aim of the games was more secular.
The intent was to show off the physical strength of the youth and to encourage good
relations among the city-states of Greece.

The Olympics as we know them today have a similar purpose. Their intent is to
showcase the strength and talents of the world’s best athletes while bringing the
countries of the world together.

That unity is the reason for the five interlocking rings on the Olympic flag. They
represent the continents of North and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and
Australia coming together.

It was about 1500 years after the last Olympics that the ancient games were revived.
Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a Frenchman dedicated to the promotion of physical
education, was inspired to create a modern Olympic Games after he visited the ancient
Olympic site. Coubertin eventually won the support of an athletic organization in Paris.
They gave him their approval to form an International Olympic Committee. It remains
the governing body of today’s Olympic Games.

The first modern Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Since then,
they have grown in size. What started in Athens with 43 events, 280 athletes, and 13
countries returned to Athens in 2004 with nearly 11,000 athletes representing 201
countries.

Each Olympics since 1896 has been numbered, even when no actual games took
place. The games were canceled three times due to global conflicts. They were not held
in 1916 during World War I or in 1940 or 1944 during World War II.

Even the opening and closing ceremonies have grown in size and scope. The first
opening ceremony was in 1908 at the London Olympics. Host cities have been trying to
outdo each other ever since.

Interestingly, the Olympic torch was lit for the first time at the opening ceremony of the
1936 games in Germany. The ancient Greeks had a ritual fire for their games, but the
idea of lighting a torch in Olympia and relaying it to the sight of the games actually
belongs to Carl Diem. He was the chief organizer of the Berlin games. Hitler was
skeptical of holding the games at first but became convinced that connecting the Third
Reich to the grandeur of ancient Olympia was a good idea.

Because of the massive devastation of World War II, the torch was not lit again until the
1948 games in London. Although the tradition was created in Nazi Germany, a recent
enemy, Britain embraced the idea of lighting a torch in Greece, relaying it to the games,
and this time hailing it as a “relay of peace.” Symbolically, the first torchbearer in Greece
laid down his weapons and removed his army uniform before grasping the blazing torch.

The games have continued uninterrupted since 1948. A minor change did take place in
1994 when the timing of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games was changed so that
they would not be held in the same year. They are now held separately, alternating
every two years.

The revival of this ancient tradition has become one of the world’s premier sporting
events. It has served as a way to honor remarkable athleticism and to bring many
nations together in the pursuit of something positive. The Olympic torch will most likely
continue to be lit for some time to come.

Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/the-olympics/

Questions:
1. When and where did the first Olympic Games in recorded history take place?
2. What were the events competed by the athletes during the first Olympic Games?
3. What are the main purposes of the Olympics?
4. What are represented by the five interlocking rings on the Olympic flag?
5. Who is Baron Pierre de Coubertin?
6. What is the governing body of today’s Olympic Games?
7. When and where did the first modern Olympic Games take place?
8. Who is Carl Diem?
9. Why was the torch not lit again until the 1948 games in London?
10. Why was the timing of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games changed in 1994?

Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

Dr. Dian Fossey: Renowned Primatologist and Conservationist
Dr. Dian Fossey, founder of the Karisoke Research Center in the Virunga Mountains of
Rwanda, initiated groundbreaking studies of mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
She was considered one of the world’s foremost primatologists and animal
conservationists. Along with primatologists Jane Goodall and Birutė Galdikas, she was
known as one of Leakey’s Angels, chosen by anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey to study
and observe great apes in the wild. Jane Goodall studied chimpanzees, and Birutė
Galdikas studied orangutans. Dr. Fossey focused on the critically endangered and often
misunderstood mountain gorilla.

Dian was born on January 16, 1932 in San Francisco, California. An excellent student,
Dian had a strong emotional connection with animals from an early age. Although she
pursued some pre-veterinary coursework in college, she ultimately graduated with a
degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State College. After graduation, she
moved to Kentucky and worked in occupational therapy at a children’s hospital. Her
interest in animals never waned though. She longed to travel and learn about wildlife in
other places around the globe. After seeing photos from a friend’s trip to Africa, Dian
decided that she wanted to visit there herself to learn more about the native wildlife.

In 1963, she spent her life savings, in addition to a bank loan, financing her first trip to
Africa. She traveled throughout Africa over a seven-week period visiting Kenya,
Zimbabwe (formerly known as Rhodesia), Tanzania (formerly known as Tanganyika),
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire). While there, she
visited Olduvai Gorge. This was the important archaeological site of Louis and Mary
Leakey. Dr. Louis Leakey spoke with Dian about the fieldwork that Jane Goodall was
conducting in Africa and impressed on her the critical nature of long-term animal
studies.

After visiting with Dr. Leakey, Dian accompanied wildlife photographers into the Virunga
Mountains, a mountain range of extinct volcanoes that border the Democratic Republic
of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Upon observing the shy mountain gorillas for the
first time in the wild, Dian resolved to return in the future to learn more about the great
apes.

In 1966, Dr. Leakey was able to secure funding for Dian to return to Africa and begin a
long-term study of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains. Dian began her fieldwork
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, regularly recording the behavior of the gorillas
as well as their social structure. She observed that mountain gorillas live in small groups
led by a silverback, an adult male gorilla identified by the silver fur on his back. The
small groups also include other younger male gorillas, female gorillas, and baby gorillas.
In order to gain their trust, Dian imitated their behaviors such as scratching. This
process is called habituation.

In 1967, Dian was forced to leave her research post due to political conflict in the
Congo. She relocated to the mountains in neighboring Rwanda and established the
Karisoke Research Center. She continued her research among the mountain gorillas
and in 1970 appeared on the cover of National Geographic magazine. The coverage
resulted in worldwide attention for the gorillas, dispelling myths about their aggressive
behavior and bringing focus to the threats they faced in the wild.

Several years later, she earned her Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Cambridge.
Now known as Dr. Dian Fossey, the educational credential helped her secure additional
funding for her field research.

Dian worked tirelessly to protect the gorillas from illegal hunters. Although usually not
the direct target of poachers, mountain gorillas were often injured by the traps set for
other animals.

Habitat loss was another issue facing the gorillas. As the human population grew in the
surrounding area, parts of the forest were being converted for agricultural use. The
methods Dian used to combat these threats angered and upset many of the local
people.

During her time at the Karisoke Research Center, she had formed an especially close
bond with a gorilla she named Digit. In 1977, Digit was killed by poachers, deepening
Dian’s concern about the long-term survival of mountain gorillas. She moved back to the
United States several years later to complete a book manuscript based on her work at
the research center. Gorillas in the Mist was published in 1983.

Dian returned to Rwanda in 1985. On December 27th of that year, her body was found
in her cabin. The murder of Dian Fossey remains unsolved to this day. She was buried
at the Karisoke Research Center, next to her gorilla friend Digit.

Her legacy is carried on through the conservation efforts of the Dian Fossey Gorilla
Fund International, originally named the Digit Fund. Mountain gorillas remain a critically
endangered species. Although their numbers have slowly been increasing, scientists
estimate that there are only 880 mountain gorillas remaining in the wild.
Source: https://www.readingvine.com/passages/dr-dian-fossey-renowned-primatologist-and-conservationist/

Questions:
1. Who is Dr. Dian Fossey?
2. When and where was Dr. Fossey born?
3. What critically endangered primate did Dr. Fossey focus on?
4. What were the issues facing the gorillas?
5. What was the name of Dr. Fossey’s gorilla friend?
6. What was the title of Dr. Fossey’s book published in 1983?
7. As estimated by the scientists, how many mountain gorillas remain in the wild?
8. Why did Dr. Fossey imitate the behaviors of the gorillas?
9. Why was Dr. Fossey forced to leave her research in 1967?
10. When did Dr. Fossey die?