3

Grade

Reading
Level O

Comprehension

STORIES INCLUDED
Letting the Wind do the Work
May the Best Prankster Win
Pillow Fort Follies
Just Roll with It
Super Bats
… and 5 more!

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Grade 3 Reading Comprehension

Level O Workbook

by K5 Learning

© K5 Learning 2020

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the author. Permission is granted to
reproduce this material to be used with one (1) teacher's students by virtue of the
purchase of this book. In other words, one (1) teacher may make copies of these
worksheets to be used with his/her students. Permission is not given to reproduce the
material for resale.
____________________________________________

Please visit store.k5learning.com for more workbooks from K5 Learning.

 Level O Reader

Table of Contents

Introduction & Tips ............................................................................................................... 1

List of Vocabulary Words .................................................................................................... 3

Stories & Exercises:

Horrible Hiccups.......................................................................................................................... 4

Letting the Wind Do the Work ................................................................................................... 11

May the Best Prankster Win ...................................................................................................... 19

Pillow Fort Follies ...................................................................................................................... 26

The Trouble with Goats ............................................................................................................. 34

What an Un-sight-ly Mess ......................................................................................................... 43

Super Bats ................................................................................................................................ 50

The Mystery Race Car Driver. ................................................................................................... 56

Seeing Double .......................................................................................................................... 64

Just Roll with It .......................................................................................................................... 70

More from K5 Learning ....................................................................................................... 77

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 Level O Reader

Introduction & Tips

Welcome to our series of levelled reading workbooks. Each workbook contains a
number of texts. Each text is followed by exercises designed to reinforce literacy skills
including reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling and writing. The books include
both fiction and non-fiction passages and explore a wide range of topics in social
studies, nature, history, science and more.

Our readers are “leveled” from A to Z based on a number of factors related to text
complexity such as vocabulary, average word size and sentence length, amount of
repetitiveness of words and sentence structures and subject matter complexity.

Early reading levels use short simple words and sentences in big fonts in a highly
repetitive manner. Stories relate to subjects young children are familiar with. Each
successive level introduces greater reading challenge.

About K5 Learning
K5 Learning provides thousands of free worksheets and affordable workbooks for
children in kindergarten to grade 5.

We work with award-winning teachers to create materials in support of independent

learning.

Our aim is to help parents help their kids develop their reading, math and study skills.
Visit us at www.k5learning.com.

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 Level O Reader

Some tips on using our leveled readers

 Review the vocabulary words on the first page of each story with your student.
Ask your child to read these words and talk about what they mean.

 Ask younger students to read the stories out loud and use their finger to point to
words as they read from left to right. Help them as needed.

 Ask younger students to also read the directions of the exercises out loud.
Remind them to use complete sentences when answering.

 Ask older students to look up words they don’t know in a dictionary.

 Point out punctuation; for example, when there is an exclamation mark ask
them to reread the sentence using more enthusiasm.

 Review your student’s work and guide him or her through any answers that are
not correct.

 Discuss the stories, the characters, the topics, the settings, the pictures –
anything about the text to make it more interesting, relevant or fun.

 Monitor your student’s progress and adjust reading levels as needed.

 Keep the reading fun!

Other books in this series

This book is one of a series of levelled reading workbooks. The levelled reading
approach makes it easy for parents to find appropriate materials for their kids.

The books range from Levels A-C (kindergarten) to Levels X-Z (grade 6).

The books can be purchased and downloaded exclusively from the online bookstore at
K5 Learning store.k5learning.com.

Questions & Feedback

If you have any questions or feedback for us, please contact us at customer-
[email protected].

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 Level O Reader

List of Vocabulary Words

The following vocabulary words are introduced in this workbook:

abandoned adorable allergic alphabet appliances

aroma blame bleated competitors constructed

conversation cords creatures cupboards diaphragm

echo echolocation electricity eliminated festival

fortress fraternal generator genes goat

hiccups hobbies idea identical information

ingredient innocently inspiration instructions ladle

lungs mammals measure mosquito newspaper

personal power prank procedure raisins

reliable responsibility responsible safety shampoo

skateboard squeaky superpowers trumpet turbine

twins unicycle windmill wobbly

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 Level O Reader

lungs hiccups diaphragm

cords reliable procedure

Horrible Hiccups

“Hiccup!” Freddy looked up from his math homework and

glanced at his older sister, Jane, who peered over her book
back at him. “Drink a glass of water,” she instructed him.

“I did already.” Freddy s ighed, holding up his empty glass.

“I’ve held my breath, swallowed really hard three times ,
and tried to scare myself. The hiccups still won’t
go away.”

Jane closed her novel and stood up from the

couch. “Come with me,” she ordered.

Freddy followed her dutifully into the kitchen.

“We learned about hiccups in science last year,” Jane said,

reaching into the cupboard and taking down a canister of
sugar. “They happen when your diaphragm contracts too
fast and pulls in air too quickly.”

“My diaphragm?” Freddy plopped down at the kitchen

table just as a new hiccup erupted from his mouth.

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 Level O Reader

“Your diaphragm,” she explained, “is a muscle under your

ribs that helps pull air into your lungs when you breathe.
Sometimes, your brain commands your diaphragm to
contract too quickly. Then, a lot of air gets sucked into the
back of your throat which triggers your vocal cords to snap
closed, causing you to hiccup.” Jane poured sugar onto a
spoon and handed it carefully to Freddy.

“Why would my brain tell my diaphragm to do

that?” Freddy asked.

“Nobody really knows.”

Freddy put the spoon in his mouth and let the sweet sugar
crystals dissolve on his tongue. He handed the spoon back
to Jane and waited. Just as he opened his mouth to speak,
he hiccupped again.

Jane shrugged in defeat. “You could try asking Grandma.”

Freddy dialed his grandmother. After he explained the

problem, his grandma exclaimed, “ I know just the solution!”

Hope filled Freddy’s chest. His grandma had been a doctor

for thirty years. She had to know a cure for hiccups.

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 Level O Reader

“Close your eyes, stick out your tongue and pull on

it,” she said.

Freddy felt all his hope vanish. “My tongue?”

“Just grab the end of it, and give it a gentle

tug,” Grandma urged.

Freddy stuck out his tongue and pulled, but it

did not cure his hiccups.

“OK, try this,” Grandma said. “Stand on one foot

and put a finger on your nose. With your other
hand, slowly make b ig clockwise circles above
your head. Once you have made four circles, start singing
“The Star-Spangled Banner”.”

Freddy, who had been trying to follow the new instructions,

suddenly realized that his grandmother was joking. He
stopped circling his hand and put both his feet back on the
floor. “Grandma, you’re not funny ; this is serious.”

His grandma burst out laughing. “Freddy, don’t worry ;

hiccups are a harmless condition. There is no reliable
procedure to get rid of them, but they will disappear
spontaneously in a few minutes.”

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 Level O Reader

Freddy thanked her and set down his phone. He la y back

on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Frustrated, Freddy
considered what Jane had said about his diaphragm, lungs
and vocal cords. Maybe if he just stayed quiet, breathed
softly and let his diaphragm relax, the hiccups would stop.

He sucked in a deep slow breath, counted to ten and then

slowly let his breath out. He did that again and again.

“Hiccup!”

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 Level O Reader

Horrible Hiccups (exercises)

1. Which of these solutions did Freddy try to use to cure

his hiccups.

Tried by Not Tried

Hiccup Solution
Freddy by Freddy

drinking water

eating a spoonful of sugar

sucking on a lemon

holding his breath

2. Fill in the missing word.

Jane learned about hiccups in her ______________ class.

Freddy ’s grandmother used to be a ________________.

Freddy ’s grandma suggested that he pull his

________________.

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 Level O Reader

3. Jane explains to Freddy how hiccups are caused. Write

1-3 to put these steps in order to show how hiccups
occur.

_______ A lot of air gets sucked into the back of the

throat.

_______ The brain tells the diaphragm to pull down too

quickly.

_______ The vocal cords snap closed.

4. What methods have you or your family tried to get rid

of the hiccups? Make a list.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

Horrible Hiccups (answers)

1. Which of these solutions did Freddy try to use to cure

his hiccups.

2. Fill in the missing word.

Jane learned about hiccups in her science class.

Jane and Freddy’s grandmother used to be a doctor.
Freddy ’s grandma suggested that he pull his tongue.

3. Jane explains to Freddy how hiccups are caused. Write

1-3 to put these steps in order to show how hiccups
occur.

2 A lot of air gets sucked into the back of the

throat.
1 The brain tells the diaphragm to pull down too
quickly.
3 The vocal cords snap closed.

4. Answers will vary.

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 Level O Reader

turbine generator appliances

power windmill electricity

Letting the Wind Do the Work

“Dad, what’s that?” Aaron asked with wide eyes, pointing

out the window of the minivan at the giant truck passing
them on the left. He had never seen a vehicle so long! He
swung his head back and forth, trying to take it all in. I t was
the length of at least eight minivans put together, and, most
interesting of all, it was carrying a giant white blade that
ran the entire length of the truck.

“That’s a wind turbine blade,” his dad

answered.

“What’s a wind turbine?” Aaron asked.

“It’s a machine that uses wind to generate electricity.

You’ve seen them before, but y ou were probably never this
close,” his dad continued. “Do you remember when we
drove through Texas last year on our way to Grandma’s?
We drove by a bunch of tall white poles, ea ch with three
blades that spun around like a propeller on a plane, but a
lot more slowly.”

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 Level O Reader

Aaron remembered the strange sight. “They looked like

giant pinwheels,” he said, thinking of the pinwheel toys his
mom had bought for his birthday party. He and his friends
had blown on them to see who could get the colorful
blades to move the fastest.

“Exactly!” his dad replied. “Those were wind turbines. They

do look like giant pinwheels, and they work a lot like them
too. The blades spin when the wind blows on
them, except unlike pinwheels, the wind turbine
blades are attached to a generator that makes
electricity.”

“Cool,” Aaron said. “So that is one of the

blades?”

“You bet it is.”

“It’s so big up close.” Aaron thought about how thin and

weak the blades looked from a distance. He had never
really considered what they were there for. “Why do we
need wind turbines?”

“Well, we have a lot of machines and buildings that need

power. Think about our house, and all the lights and
appliances that use electricity. All of that power has to be
created somehow.”

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 Level O Reader

Aaron had never given much thought to the fact that the
electricity in his house had to come from somewhere. He
had certainly never thought it could come from the wind .
“Is the wind really that powerful?” he asked.

“It is,” his dad said. “See for yourself,” he said, suddenly
rolling down the windows and encouraging Aaron to stick
his hand out. The wind was now rushing by quite loudly, and
when Aaron reached his hand out, it was immediately
pushed back by the force of the wind.

“Strong, huh? Try moving your hand around a bit.”

Aaron did, first flattening his palm, which

allowed his hand to cut easily through the air,
and then pressing his hand in a stop -like
motion toward the wind, which made it
even harder to resis t.

“You can feel the power, can’t you?

Thousands of years ago, people figured out that they could
use that power to their advantage. They built large
windmills to do things like pump water and grind grain. Now
we use wind energy to create electricity for our homes.
Those turbines are pretty efficient, too. Can you guess how
many houses a single wind turbine can power?”

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 Level O Reader

“Ten?”

His dad turned to smile at him. “Three hundred!”

“Whoa!” Aaron exclaimed. With a gleam in his eye, he said,

“In that case, we should get one for our backyard. Maybe
then Mom won’t get so mad at us when we forget to turn
off the lights .”

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 Level O Reader

Letting the Wind Do the Work (exercises)

1. Multiple Choice.

Which toy do wind turbines most closely resemble ?

a. Hot Wheels
b. Legos
c. pinwheels
d. action figures

What is the correct name for the part of the wind

turbine that Aaron saw on the truck?

a. the blade
b. the propeller
c. the generator
d. none of the above

What do we mainly use wind energy for in the United

States today?

a. pumping water
b. creating electricity
c. grinding grain
d. propelling boats

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 Level O Reader

2. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer. If the story
doesn’t say the answer, circle (X).

Aaron had seen a wind

T F X
turbine before.

Wind energy has been used

for thousands of years , but
T F X
using it for electricity is a more
recent development.

Wind turbines are much

smaller and less powerful than T F X
Aaron expected.

Aaron’s dad taught him about

wind energy by having him
T F X
run as hard as he could
against the wind.

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 Level O Reader

3. What are some of the things in your house that use

electricity? List as many as you can.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

Letting the Wind Do the Work (answers)

1. Multiple Choice.

Which toy do wind turbines most closely resemble ?

c. pinwheels

What is the correct name for the part of the wind

turbine that Aaron saw on the truck?
a. the blade

What do we mainly use wind energy for in the United

States today?
b. creating electricity

2. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer. If the story
doesn’t say the answer, circle (X).

3. What are some of the things in your house that use

electricity? List as many as you can.

Answers will vary.

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 Level O Reader

prank squeaky shampoo

ladle raisins alphabet

May the Best Prankster Win

When Perla found out she would be spending a

few days at her grandparents’ house, she
squealed with excitement. Her grandpa was a
real prankster. For several years, they had been
in an intense prank war.

As soon as she arrived, Perla began plotting her

first prank. The next morning, Grandpa sat down
to eat his breakfast of Raisin Bran and orange juice as usual.
When he went to take a bite, however, he noticed that his
regular spoon had been replaced by a giant ladle! Even
worse, all the raisins had disappe ared from his cereal.

“Who took my raisins?!” Grandpa bellowed. He looked

around and saw Perla hiding a few feet away. Pretending
to be upset, he began to chase her around the house. After
he caught her, he held her upside down over the table as
she giggled. He pried the raisins from her fingers one by one
until her palms were empty and the bowl was full. Then he
sat down and ate his cereal using the big ladle.

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 Level O Reader

Later that night, Perla found her favorite doll wrapped in

toilet paper. It was sitting on he r bed next to a sign that
read, “I want my Mummy.”

The next morning, Grandpa found plastic ants in his

shampoo when he went to wash his hair.

That same day, after dinner, Perla went to

pour a glass of milk and jumped back
in shock when it came out green!
Grandpa stood smiling a few feet
away. He was holding a box of
food coloring in his hand.

Several hours later, Perla woke

up in the middle of the night to
a loud squeal. She looked
around, startled by the noise. Her heart was pounding hard.
After a mome nt, though, she realized what had happ ened.
Grandpa had placed a squea ky dog toy under her pillow.

Perla spent the following day trying to think of the perfect

final prank. She would be leaving the next morning and
needed something good. Finally, she had an idea.

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 Level O Reader

She went to the closet where her old toys were kept and
began digging. She pulled out several dolls and dress -up
clothes before she found what she was looking for. It was a
toy keyboard that sounded out the letters
of the alphabet when you pre ssed on
them. Smiling, she put it under
Grandpa’s pillow.

The next morning at

breakfast, she asked
Grandpa how he had
slept. She smiled
innocently.

Grandpa scowled, pretending to pout. He continued to eat

his Raisin Bran, full of raisins this time, in silence.

Anxious to hear if her prank had worked, Perla turned to her

grandmother. “Grandma, how did he sleep?”

“Oh, you wouldn’t believe it!” Grandma hollered from the

other side of the room. “He woke up at 2:00 am singing the
ABCs!”

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 Level O Reader

May the Best Prankster Win (exercises)

1. Short Answer.

a. What did Perla put in Grandpa’s shampoo?

________________________________________________________

b. What color did Grandpa dye Perla’s milk?

________________________________________________________

c. What did the sign say on Perla’s doll?

________________________________________________________

d. What kind of cereal was Grandpa eating?

________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

2. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer. If the story
does not say the answer, circle (X).

Grandpa wrapped Perla’s doll

T F X
in toilet paper.

Perla cried whenever

Grandpa played a prank on T F X
her.

Perla arrived at her

grandparents’ house on a T F X
Friday.

Grandpa pretended to be
T F X
mad about Perla’s pranks.

3. Multiple Choice.

What was Grandpa doing when he woke up at 2 am?

a. dancing the Macarena

b. singing “The Star-Spangled Banner”
c. reciting the Pledge of Allegiance
d. singing the ABCs

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 Level O Reader

What did Grandpa put under Perla’s pillow?

a. a bowl of cereal.
b. a dog.
c. a squeaky dog toy .
d. a toy keyboard .

What kind of juice did Grandpa drink with his cereal?

a. apple
b. orange
c. cranberry
d. prune

4. If you were going to play a prank on a family member,

what would you do? (Remember that you do not want
anyone to get hurt!)

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

May the Best Prankster Win (answers)

1. Short Answer.

a. plastic ants
b. green
c. “I want my Mummy”
d. Raisin Bran

2. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer. If the story
doesn’t say the answer, circle (X).

3. Multiple choice.

What was Grandpa doing when he woke up at 2 am?

d. singing the ABCs

What did Grandpa put under Perla’s pillow?

c. a squeaky dog toy

What kind of juice did Grandpa drink with his cereal?

b. orange

4. Answers will vary.

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 Level O Reader

fortress newspaper responsibility

blame inspiration constructed

Pillow Fort Follies

“I’m going to make a huge pillow fort,” declared Jonah.

Jonah’s dad glanced up from his newspaper and looked at

the glass of orange juice in Jonah’s hand, the expensive
leather couch and the white carpet in their living room. He
said, “Please put that juice in the kitchen so it doesn’t spill,”
and returned to his reading.

Excited, Jonah placed his juice on the edge of

the table, dragged the armchair so it was across
from the couch, and laid all the pillows flat on
the carpet. He still needed a roof for his fortress
and was struck with an inspiration. He retrieved a
big, purple sheet from the linen closet and
draped it over the couch and chair.

Jonah crawled into his newly constructed fort. Under the

purple sheet, everything looked purplish. He called out,
“Dad, you’re allowed to come into my fort if you can guess
the password.”

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 Level O Reader

Jonah’s Dad, tired of reading the news, was up to the

challenge. He crawled to the fort, said, “Abracadabra” and
entered.

“You’ve got some purple on your

shirt,” Dad said with a grin.

“You’ve got some purple in your

eyes,” Jonah said, giggl ing.

“You’ve got some purple up your

nose,” Dad said, tapping the tip of Jonah’s nose.

Jonah rolled onto his stomach, laughing and kicking his

legs.

“Okay.” Jonah’s dad chuckled. “Settle down. We have to

be careful inside the house.”

However, Jonah was having too much fun to listen and

playfully kicked once more . This time his foot hit the table ,
and he heard something thud onto the carpet.

Jonah slowly crawled out from under the sheet. His throat
tightened when he saw his orange juice all over the carpet.

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 Level O Reader

Jonah cried out, “I t’s not my fault.” He ran

to his room, slammed his door, and sat on
the floor beside his bed, squeezing his
knees to his chest.

A few moments later, Dad entered the

room, sat down and silently looked at
Jonah. After a long period of silence,
Jonah finally said, “Sorry. It was my
fault; I should have put the glass in the
kitchen like you told me.”

“Jonah, we all mess up,” Dad replied. “The important thing

is not to run away when you make a mistake and never try
to blame anyone else. Instead, you must be brave, take
responsibility, and do your best to make things better.”

Jonah nodded, wiping a few tears from his eyes.

“Let’s go obliterate that stain.”

In the living room, Dad showed Jonah how to blot the juice
out of the carpet with a rag and apply a special stain -
removing spray. While the spray soaked in, Dad and Jonah
put the pillows back on the couch, folded up the purple
sheet, and made themselves some hot chocolate.

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 Level O Reader

When their mugs were empty, Jonah and Dad checked the
stain. The stain, though faded, was still visible on the carpet.
Jonah’s throat began to tighten again. Beside him, Dad
clicked his tongue, tilted h is head sideways, and scratched
his stubbly chin. He walked over to the couch, lifted up one
side by the arm, and dragged it over the stain. “Bingo!”
boomed Dad, winking at Jonah, “You know, I’ve always
wanted the couch facing this way.”

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 Level O Reader

Pillow Fort Follies (exercises)

1. Multiple Choice.

How did Jonah spill orange juice ?

a. The glass slipped out of his hand.

b. He tripped while carrying it in from the kitchen.
c. He accidently kicked the table, knocking the glass
onto the floor.

What do Jonah and Dad drink wh ile they wait for the
stain remover to soak in?

a. orange juice
b. milkshakes
c. tea
d. hot chocolate

Why does Dad move the couch?

a. so that they have space to build an epic fort

b. to cover up the orange juice stain
c. to make room for a dance party
d. He wants it to be closer to the TV.

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 Level O Reader

2. True or False.

Jonah and Dad look purple

True False
because of the purple sheet.

Jonah hides in the bathroom

True False
when he is feeling upset.

Jonah throws the orange juice

on the rug because he is angry True False
at his dad.

3. Fill in the blanks.

a. When Jonah saw the mess he had made, his

_______________ tightened.

b. Dad showed Jonah how to blot the spill with a

_______________.

c. When Dad was thinking, he clicked his

_______________, tilted his _______________ sideways,
and scratched his stubbly _______________.

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 Level O Reader

4. Pretend you accidentally dropped a glass on your

kitchen floor, and it broke into a thousand pieces. What
would you do?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

Pillow Fort Follies (answers)

1. Multiple Choice.

c. He accidently kicked the table, knocking the glass

onto the floor.
d. hot chocolate
b. to cover up the orange juice stain

2. True or False.

3. Fill in the blanks.

a. When Jonah saw the mess he had made, his throat

tightened.

b. Dad showed Jonah how to blot the spill with a rag.

c. When Dad was thinking, he clicked his tongue,

tilted his head sideways, and scratched his stubbly
chin.

4. Pretend you accidentally dropped a glass on your

kitchen floor, and it broke into a thousand pieces. What
would you do?
Answers may vary.

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 Level O Reader

goat adorable instructions

idea bleated innocently

The Trouble with Goats

How hard could it be to take care of one little goat? Kelly

thought. Mrs. Smith was going on vacation and needed
someone responsible to take care of her very loved and
very pampered goat, Elmer. Kelly did not know much about
goats, but Elmer was adorable. He was sm all, mostly black
with a grey patch over one eye, and his short legs were
white, so it looked like he was wearing socks.

Kelly just needed to feed him, give him water, and spend
time with him, so he would not get lonely. Kelly was
excited to be trusted w ith this responsibility,
and, as a bonus, Mrs. Smith was going to
pay her twenty-five dollars.

Kelly clutched the instructions

that Mrs. Smith had written for
her as she approached Elmer’s
pen.

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 Level O Reader

Step 1: Get Elmer’s food from the

red bucket by his pen. O nly feed
him one scoop three times a day.

Kelly scooped some fragrant

alfalfa pellets into a bowl. When
Elmer heard her, he began to bleat in
excitement.

“Hi, Elmer! Easy boy,” she greeted him. Elmer got more
excited and leapt into the air, twisting his body from side to
side.

Kelly unlatched the gate and carefully stepped into the

pen. Now for step two. She tried to read the next
instructions but accidentally dropped the paper. She was
bending over to pick it up when something bumped against
her.

“Ouch!” she cried as she lost her balance and landed in the
dirt, spilling pellets all around her. Elmer stood innocently
beside her and seemed to be smiling. “Elmer! You knocked
me over!”

Elmer kicked his back feet in the air playfully. That was
when Kelly noticed something white in Elmer’s mouth. I t was
the instructions.

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 Level O Reader

“Elmer! No!” Kelly tried to pull the paper out of his mouth,
but he had already eaten half of it. She held up a soggy
scrap of paper and read what was left.

Step 2: Don’t ever turn your back to Elmer. He will headbutt

you!

That would have been a good thing to know in advance,

Kelly thought.

Kelly was cleaning up the spilled food when she noticed

that Elmer was strangely quiet. She glanced up and
discovered that the gate was wide open, and
Elmer was gone.

Kelly raced out of the pen and looked up and

down the street. Finally, she spotted him in
the middle of Mrs. Ware’s yard, munching on
her prized flower garden. “No! Not the
petunias!” Kelly yelled.

Elmer looked at her and ran in the opposite direction. He

was speedy for a goat with such short legs. He trotted
directly toward Mr. Johnson’s fancy, red car and ran right
over the top of it, his little hooves clicking and scraping on
the metal hood.

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 Level O Reader

That goat was fast, and he was getting farther and farther
away from his home. Kelly did not know what to do. How
would she get him back to his pen? All she knew was to
feed him three times a day, give him water, and never turn
her back on him.

Then Kelly had an idea. Maybe her cleverest idea ever.

“Elmer!” she called out. Elmer turned to look at her

curiously. Kelly turned her back to him
and waited. She checked behind her
and saw him charging toward her;
Elmer could not resist trying to head -
butt her from behind! Kelly ran as fast
as she could, and Elmer chased her all the
way back to his pen. The second he was
inside, Kelly slammed the gate shut.

Elmer looked at the closed gate, looked at Kelly, bleated

loudly, and then gave her another go at-smile. That goat
was trouble, but he was still adorable.

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 Level O Reader

The Trouble with Goats (exercises)

Section 1: Opposites

For each sentence, circle the word which makes the

sentence fit the story.

a. At first, Kelly thought taking care of a goat would

be very (easy / difficult).

b. Kelly wished that she had read the instructions

(before / after) she started taking care of Elmer.

c. Elmer was (slow / speedy) for a little goat with

short legs.

d. Elmer was (noisy / quiet) when he heard Kelly

getting his food for him.

e. Elmer gave Kelly a goat (smile / frown) after he

headbutted her.

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 Level O Reader

Section 2: Out of Order

The trouble-making goat chomped on the story and

now it is all out of order. Put a number by each event
below to put the story back in order.

_______ Elmer ran on top of the fancy, red car.

_______ Mrs. Smith decided to go on a vacation.

_______ Kelly discovered that the gate was open, and

Elmer was gone.

_______ Elmer headbutted Kelly and knocked her

over.

_______ Kelly put some food into Elmer’s dish .

_______ Elmer ate some of Mrs. Ware’s prized flowers .

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 Level O Reader

Section 3: Context Clues

Circle the answer which means the same as the

underlined word in each sentence.

Mrs. Smith needed someone responsible to take care of

her much loved and much pampered goat.

a. trusted, reliable
b. quick to answer phone calls
c. forgetful
d. having many spoons

Kelly scooped some fragrant alfalfa pellets into the

bowl next to the bucket.

a. causing trouble
b. to be green
c. having a pleasant smell
d. none of the above

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 Level O Reader

When Elmer heard Kelly getting his food, he began to

bleat loudly in excitement.

a. to beat on a drum
b. to dance around
c. to act like a dog
d. to make a goat sound

That goat was trouble, but he was adorable.

a. cute, delightful, charming

b. mean, grouchy, unpleasant
c. looking like a door
d. strange-looking, scary

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 Level O Reader

The Trouble with Goats (answers)

Section 1: Opposites

Section 2: Out of Order

6 Elmer ran on top of the fancy, red car .

1 Mrs. Smith decided to go on a vacation.
4 Kelly discovered that the gate was open, and
Elmer was gone.
3 Elmer headbutted Kelly and knocked her
over.
2 Kelly put some food into Elmer’s dish .
5 Elmer ate some of Mrs. Ware’s prized flowers .

Section 3: Context Clues

a. trusted, reliable
c. having a pleasant smell
d. to make a goat sound
a. cute, delightful, charming

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 Level O Reader

safety ingredient instructions

aroma measure cupboards

What an Un-sight-ly Mess

“Have you seen my glasses, Jodi?” Mom called from the

living room.

Hot, tired and feeling

defeated, I hollered back at
her from the kitchen , “No, Mom!”

Earlier that day, I had been happily humming to myself as I

prepared to bake my first cake. With the recipe for a
pineapple upside -down cake in one hand and kitchen
safety instructions in the other, every thing was looking
promising.

“Now, it’s time to get cracking – cracking my eggs,” I joked

to myself, grabbing the sheet of safety instructions:

1. Read all these safety instructions once through.

“I’ll just read as I go along,” I mumbled.

2. Read through the whole recipe.

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 Level O Reader

No time for that either; I’ll just get started, I thought.

3. Give yourself lots of time to assemble your

ingredients and kitchen tools.

I rushed my way through the cupboards and fridge ,

gathering flour, eggs, butter, milk and pineapple chunks.
Then I assembled my tools, adding
measuring cups, a mixing
bowl, ladles, whisks and a
cake pan to the organized
mess on the counter.

4. Wash your hands.

I gave my hands a quick wash with the dish soap. Now,

where is the towel? I had to take a couple of deep breaths
to calm myself down. How was I ever going to get the cake
done on time when there were so many steps?

5. Use proper measures of each ingredient.

“Which of these cups is for a full cup and which one is for a
half-cup?” I asked Mom as she entered the kitchen.

“Let’s take a look,” she responded, placing her glasses on

the counter beside the mixing bowl. She pointed to each

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 Level O Reader

measuring cup and told me which one was the full cup,
half-cup, and quarter-cup.

As she left, she turned around and reminded me , “You may

want to switch on the oven, though, or you’ll be waiting
even longer for the cake to be done. And don’t forget to
wear the oven mitts later, or you’ll burn your hands.”

She was right; the instructions read:

6. Make sure to switch on the oven before you mix

the ingredients. Place the oven mitts next to the
oven, ready for use when needed.

I measured the ingredients, mixed them in

the bowl and poured the batter over the
pineapple pieces I had placed on the
bottom of the baking pan. I placed the
pan of cake batter into the oven and
slammed shut the oven door.

7. Set a timer to remind yoursel f

when the cake is done.

Once set, I turned around to look at the

mess I had created in the kitchen.

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 Level O Reader

8. Clean up whil e you are waiting for the cake to

bake. You must always keep the kitchen clean.

Rolling up my sleeves, I did the dishes and put away the

ingredients . As I worked, I could smell the sweet aroma of
the baked cake filling the kitchen. Just as I finished cleaning
up, the oven timer went off.

With oven mitts on, and the cake carefully

balanced on a heatproof tray, I made
my way out of the kitc hen. “Ready or
not, here I come!” I proudly entered the
living room where Mom waited in her
favorite armchair.

“Great timing!” she cheered. “Can I do the honors?” I

nodded, and she flipped the cake over to reveal delicious
chunks of pineapple on top of a beautiful, golden sponge
cake. We both howled with laughter at the unexpected
sight she revealed. Wedged between slices of pineapple
were Mom’s glasses.

“I don’t think I’ve had baked glasses before,” Mom said,

licking them off and winking at me.

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 Level O Reader

What an Un-sight-ly Mess (exercises)

1. Fill in the blanks .

a. Jodi had a _________________ in one hand and

_________________ _________________ in the other.

b. Jodi rushed through the cupboards and fridge,

throwing flour, eggs, _________________,
_________________ and _________________ chunks on the
kitchen _________________.

c. Just as Jod i finished, the _________________

_________________ went off. She could smell the
sweet _________________ of the baked cake fill the
kitchen.

2. Multiple Choice .

What is Jodi baking ?

a. a lasagna
b. an upside-down pineapple cake
c. cupcakes
d. a birthday cake

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 Level O Reader

Where does Mom find her glasses?

a. under the armchair cushion

b. on the kitchen counter
c. in the oven
d. on top of the pineapple cake

What ingredients does Jodi take from the cupboards

and fridge for the cake?

a. flour, eggs, butter, milk and a can of pineapple

chunks
b. flour, eggs, tomatoes, cucumber and a can of
tuna
c. milk, butter, jam and a loaf of bread
d. flour, milk, garlic, onion and a ba g of grapes

3. Do instructions help or do they just slow you down?

What do you think?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

What an Un-sight-ly Mess (answers)

1. Fill in the blanks .

a. Jodi had a recipe in one hand and safety

instructions in the other.

b. Jodi rushed through the cupboards and fridge,

throwing flour, eggs, butter, milk and pineapple
chunks on the kitchen counter.

c. Just as Jod i finished, the oven timer went off. She

could smell the sweet aroma of the baked cake fill
the kitchen.

2. Multiple Choice.

b. an upside-down pineapple cake

d. on top of the pineapple cake
a. flour, eggs, butter, mil k and a can of pineapple
chunks

3. Do instructions help or do they just slow you down?

What do you think?

Answers may vary.

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 Level O Reader

mosquito creatures echolocation

echo mammals superpowers

Super Bats

Bats are misunderstood creatures. Some people think bats

are nothing more than flying rats that carry diseases. Others
are afraid of bats because they swoop around at night and
have sharp teeth. Some even think that bats can turn into
vampires.

Bats do not turn into monsters and do not

drink blood. Luckily, a certain superhero
has restored some faith in these furry
creatures. Batman wears a bat costume
because bats have so many superpowers.

Bats are special because they are the only mammal that
can fly. Mammals are warm-blooded animals that have
hair or fur and give birth to live babies, instead of laying
eggs. Bats are the only mammals with wings.

Bats also have incredible vision. The saying , “blind as a

bat,” could not be further from the truth. In fact , during the
day bats can see better than humans.

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 Level O Reader

At night, bats use sounds and

their superpower of
“echolocation” to see in the
dark.

Sounds can bounce off

objects and come back to you,
like when you hear an echo. Bats
can make very loud, very high -
pitched sounds that humans cannot hear. Bats listen
carefully for how that sound bounces back to them. From
the echo, the bat can tell how far away a tree is, or even a
bug.

This is called “echolocation” because the bat uses echoes

to find the location of things. Using echolocation, a bat can
find a tiny mosquito in complete darkness.

Bats often zigzag when they fly. While this behavior may
seem strange, it is extremely useful. Bats fly this way to
catch more insects. The quicker a bat can change
directions, the more bugs it will catch. Zigzagging across
the sky, a bat can eat almost a thousand bugs every hour.
That is a lot of mosquitoes.

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 Level O Reader

You would think those full bellies would weigh down a bat in
flight. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Another bat superpower is their super speed. When flying

straight, some bats can go one hundred miles per hour. At
that speed, a bat would get a speeding ticket on our
highways.

In nature, it is mostly large animals, such as elephants or

whales, that live a long time. Some bats, however, can live
for over 20 years, which is extraordinary for such a small
mammal.

Sadly, not everyone can dress up like a bat and save the
world. However, we can all learn from Batman’s respect for
these furry creatures. They m ight look scary, but they are
one of the superheroes of nature.

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 Level O Reader

Super Bats (exercises)

1. Multiple Choice.

Bats are which kind of animal ?

a. birds
b. reptiles
c. mammals
d. dinosaurs

Bats are the only mammals that can:

a. float
b. fight
c. fly
d. fish

Bats “see” at night using:

a. echolocation
b. special glasses
c. flashlights
d. echovision

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 Level O Reader

2. True (T) of False (F)? Circle the right answer.

Bats can eat one thousand bugs

T F
per hour.

Bats can live for over 20 years . T F

Bats always fly in straight lines like

T F
birds.

Bats are not real; they are just in

T F
comic books and movies.

3. Which bat “superpower” would you like to have? Why?

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

Super Bats (answers)

1. Multiple Choice.

Bats are which kind of animal ?

c. mammals

Bats are the only mammals that can:

c. fly

Bats “see” at night using:

a. echolocation

2. True (T) of False (F)? Circle the right answer.

Bats can eat one thousand bugs

T F
per hour.

Bats can live for over 20 years. T F

Bats always fly in straight lines like

T F
birds.

Bats are not real; they are just in

T F
comic books and movies.

3. Which bat “superpower” would you like to have? Why?

Answers may vary.

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 Level O Reader

elimination competitors conversation

personal information responsible

The Mystery Race Car Driver

Justin begged his parents for a TV in his bedroom so he

could play video games without his annoying little sister
pestering him or his older brother walking in front of the
screen.

His parents, on the other hand, thought a TV in his room was

a bad idea. They were worried he would stay up too late
and not be responsible when playing.

Finally, after months of pleading, Justin’s parents agreed

that he could have his own TV. Justin was ecstatic!
However, along with having
a TV in his room, came a set
of rules. He had to go to bed
by 8:00 pm, he could only
play for one hour a day, and
he should never give out
personal information to
strangers when he played.

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 Level O Reader

With his new TV set up in his room, Justin plugged in his

game console and star ted playing. It was a high-speed
racing game with five online competitors. After the first lap,
the red car ricocheted off the wall and spun out, eliminated
from the race.

“Sorry about your bad

luck,” Justin typed in the
chat box.

As the race continued, Justin expertly navigated the third

turn, preparing to make a move for first place. Just as his
car dipped lower on the track, a blue car propelled higher,
jockeying for position. The two cars collided, bot h
eliminated from the race!

“Sorry!” the driver of the blue car apologized in the chat

box.

“That’s okay,” Justin replied.

“You race really well,” the driver complimented Justin.

“What’s your name?”

Justin began typing his name, then stopped. His parent s

had warned him about sharing personal information with
strangers.

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 Level O Reader

“My name is Ryan,” he lied.

The driver of the blue car

immediately responded,
“How old are you,
Ryan?”

Justin hesitated, knowing that he should

not be giving out his age. He ignored the question, and
they started another race. While they raced, Justin and the
driver of the blue car kept chatting about racing. Then the
blue car driver asked Justin, “What school do you go to?”

Justin was enjoy ing the racing and the chatting, but he
knew he should not answer that question either.

A little while later, the blue car driver typed, “Where do you
live?”

“Sorry, I have to go,” Justin typed, feeling uncomfortable.

He turned off his video game and headed downstairs.

Justin’s mom was turning off th e TV as he entered the room.

She jumped a little when she saw him, then quickly put
something behind a pillow on the couch.

"Did you win your race?” his mom inquired.

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 Level O Reader

“Race?” Justin repeated. “Who said I was racing?”

Mom blushed and seemed nervous as she fidgeted with her

hands. “I assumed you were racing since you love that
game so much.”

Justin’s mom was acting suspiciously, and it seemed like she

was hiding something. Justin walked over to the couch and
moved the pillow. Surprised, he discovered a vid eo game
controller.

“What’s going on, Mom?” he

questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Mom looked embarrassed.

“Okay, you caught me,” she said
sheepishly. “I knew you were racing because I was racing,
too. I wanted to make sure you were being safe and not
giving out personal information, like your name or where
you live.”

“Or how old I am?” Justin asked. It was all starting to make
sense. “Mom, were you driving the blue car?”

“Yes,” she admitted, “and you did an exceptional job of

ending our conversation when I sta rted asking personal
questions.”

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 Level O Reader

“So, I passed the test?" Justin asked, grinning. "You trust me

to have the TV in my room?”

“Absolutely! Now, how about a rematch?” Mom

challenged.

“You’re on!" Justin laughed. "But don't crash into me this

time!”

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 Level O Reader

The Mystery Race Car Driver (exercises)

1. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer .

Justin’s mom was watching a

T F
movie.

Justin talked to other drivers in the

T F
chat box.

Justin’s family has one TV in their

T F
house.

Justin was allowed to play six

T F
hours of video games each day.

2. Fill in the blank with the missing word .

a. Mom hid the video game controller behind a

__________________.

b. Justin’s favorite video game was a

__________________ game.

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 Level O Reader

c. The __________________ car ricocheted off the wall

and spun out.

3. Name four types of personal information the blue car

driver asked Justin.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

The Mystery Race Car Driver (answers)

1. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer .

2. Fill in the blank with the missing word .

a. Mom hid the video game controller behind a

pillow.

b. Justin’s favorite video game was a racing game.

c. The red car ricocheted off the wall and spun out.

3. Name four types of personal information the blue car

driver asked Justin.

his name, age, the school he goes to, and his address

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 Level O Reader

genes festival identical

twins allergic fraternal

Seeing Double

In early August, visitors to Twinsburg will be seeing double.

Every summer, twins from all around the world come to this
tiny city in Ohio. They come to celebrate the Twins Day
Festival.

Twinsburg was founded more than

200 years ago by twin brothers.
The Twins Day Festival started
about 150 years later. I n 1976,
Twinsburg threw a party to honor
the city’s name. They held the
party on National Twins Day, the
first Saturday of August.

Only 40 pairs of twins showed up for the first Twins Day.

Word spread and more and more twins came every year.
Now, about 2,000 sets of twins from all over the world come
to the festival each year. Each pair of twins wears matching
outfits, so it is quite a sight.

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 Level O Reader

Twins Day is one big party. There are lots of rides and
games. There are also arts and crafts, fireworks, food, and
music. There is a twins talent show and a twins parade.

People also love the twin co ntests. They include Best

Matching Outfits, Most Look -Alike, and Least Look-Alike.

You may see more than double at the Twins Day Festival.
Triplets, quadruplets, and other "multiples" enjoy the day ,
too.

There is no age limit for Twins Day, either. Som e twins are
newborns. Others are 100 years old. There are twins at every
age in between. Many twins bring their families and friends,
so not everyone in Twinsburg has
a look-alike.

Twins are not the only people

coming to Twins Day. Scientists
often come to conduct studies.
Some twins are “identical twins”.
Identical twins share the exact
same genes and look exactly
like each other. Other twins are “fraternal”. Fraternal twins
were still born on the same day but do not share the exact
same genes and do not look exactly alike.

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 Level O Reader

Scientists study identical twins to find out whether certain

traits are something you are born with or not. For example,
if two identical twins are both allergic to cats, the allergy
might be something both were born with. However, if only
one twin is allergic, then the allergy is probably something
that developed later. Scientists can make important
discoveries by studying identical twins.

While some serious science goes on in Twinsburg, most of

Twins Day is just for fun.

There is a big group photo taken of all the twins at the end
of the day. Then they say goodbye until the next Twins Day
in Twinsburg.

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 Level O Reader

Seeing Double (exercises)

1. Pick the correct answer.

In which U.S. state is Twinsburg located?

a. California
b. Ohio
c. Arizona
d. Nevada

Who founded the city of Twinsburg?

a. Bill and Bob Smith

b. Britney Spears
c. two brothers
d. Mickey Mouse

During what month is Twins Day celebrated?

a. December
b. March
c. August
d. every month

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 Level O Reader

2. Fill in the blanks.

a. ______________ twins look exactly like each other, while

______________ twins do not look exactly alike but were
still born on the same day.

b. Identical twins have exactly the same

______________.

c. Scientists study ______________ twins to determine

whether or not people are born with certain
______________.

3. Two contests on Twins Day are “Most Look -Alike” and

“Least Look -Alike”. Draw some twins who might win the
Least Look-Alike contest. Do you think they are
identical twins or fraternal twins?

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 Level O Reader

Seeing Double (answers)

1. Pick the correct answer.

In which U.S. state is Twinsburg located?

b. Ohio

Who founded the city of Twinsburg?

c. two brothers

During what month is Twins Day celebrated?

c. August

2. Fill in the blanks.

a. Identical twins look exactly like each other, while

fraternal twins do not look exactly alike but were still
born on the same day.

b. Identical twins have exactly the same genes.

c. Scientists study identical twins to determine

whether or not we were born with certain traits.

3. Two contests on Twins Day are “Most Look -Alike” and

“Least Look -Alike”. Draw some twins who might win the
Least Look-Alike contest. Do you think they are
identical twins or fraternal twins?

Picture of fraternal twins.

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 Level O Reader

hobbies unicycle skateboard

wobbly trumpet abandoned

Just Roll with It

One day, Suzie was reading a book in her front yard when
she heard a scraping sound from the road. A boy on a
black skateboard zoomed past, weaving back and forth. He
jumped up, using his toe to kick the board and flipped it
midair. Then he landed back down on it, right -side up, and
skated away.

Suzie was so impressed, she decided she wanted to learn to

skateboard and do tricks like the boy. She tossed
her book aside and went into the house to as k
her mom for a skateboard.

Her mom laughed, shook her

head, and pointed to Suzie’s pile of
discarded hobbies. In the corner, sat a unicycle, a trumpet,
a pair of knitting needles , and a ball of yarn. These were all
activities Suzie had been excited about and then
abandoned when they were too difficult. Suzie explained to
her mom that this time it would be different , and she
promised to stick with it.

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 Level O Reader

“If that’s true, you can use your savings to buy a skateboard
yourself,” her mom replied.

Suzie took every dollar she had to the store and bought a
bright green skateboard with super hard wheels, which the
salesman told her w ere good for doing tricks.

At home, wearing a matching green

helmet and elbow pads, Suzie stood on
the board. It felt very wobbly, but she
told herself even a bicycle feels
wobbly if you are not moving. Suzie
tried pushing off, but she stumbled. She
tried again, and she stumbled off the board
again. Suzie began to get a little frustrated.

After a few more tries , she got the board moving a little
faster, but then Suzie completely lost her balance and
toppled onto the ground. She skinned he r knees and they
stung badly. Tears welled up in her eyes. She picked up her
skateboard and stomped inside, throwing it next to the
abandoned trumpet and the unicycle.

Suzie’s mom saw her come in and brought over bandages

for her knees. “The boy from down the street made it look so
easy,” muttered Suzie sheepishly.

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 Level O Reader

“He made it look easy because he practices every day,”

her mom replied. “Succeeding at something you ’ve worked
hard at is more satisfy ing than doing something that comes
easily.”

The next day, Suzie found a gift

from her mom next to her
skateboard: a pair of green knee
pads.

Suzie hesitated, then put on all

her safety gear, determined to make a go of it.
However, as soon as she pushed off on the board, she fell.

This time, her knee pads protected her, and Suzie jumped
up and tried again.

She fell again and again, but each time she brushed herself
off and got back on the board. It was difficult, but with
each try, she made it a tiny bit farther before she fell.

Suzie stayed outside all day long practicing until her mom
called her in for dinner.

She called back and asked her mom to come outside to

watch.

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 Level O Reader

Suzie took a deep breath, pushed off several times, gaining

speed, and then picked her foot up. Wobbling a little at
first, Suzie bent her knees and put her arms out for balance.
She rolled right up to her Mom without falling!

Her mom whooped and cheered while Suzie grinned and

felt proud. Just then, the boy on the skateboard zoomed
past, paused to do his kick-flip, and continued on.

Suzie looked at her mom. “It’s OK. I’ll work on that

tomorrow,” she said. Her mom gave her a high -five and
they went inside to celebrate her success.

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 Level O Reader

Just Roll with It (exercises)

1. Multiple Choice .

The boy on the skateboard did a trick called a:

a. heel flip
b. toe flip
c. kick flip
d. hard flip

Who bought the skateboard for Suzie?

a. Her mom bought it.

b. She bought it for herself .
c. Her dad bought it.
d. The boy gave her his skateboard .

What hobbies had Suzie given up on before

skateboarding?

a. violin, crochet, and unicycle

b. trumpet, crochet, and unicycle
c. knitting, violin, and painting
d. trumpet, knitting, and unicycle

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 Level O Reader

2. True or False.

___________ Suzie’s skateboard is yellow .

____________ Suzie’s mom gave her a pair of green

knee pads.

____________ Suzie had to practice all day to be able

to ride her skateboard without fal ling.

3. Fill in the blanks.

Suzie was _______________ a _______________ in her front

yard when the boy on the _______________ went by. Suzie
had to use every _______________ she had to buy a
_______________ skateboard. To protect herself when she
fell, Suzie wore a _______________ and _______________
_______________ when she rode her skateboard.

4. What is something that you would like to learn to do?

How long do you think it will take you to learn?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

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 Level O Reader

Just Roll with It (answers)

1. Multiple Choice .

c. kick flip
b. She bought it for herself.
b. trumpet, knitting, and unicycle

2. True or False.

False Suzie’s skateboard is yellow .

True Suzie’s mom gave her a pair of green

knee pads.

True Suzie had to practice all day to be able

to ride her skateboard without falling.

3. Fill in the blanks.

Suzie was reading a book in her front yard when the

boy on the skateboard went by. Suzie had to use every
dollar she had to buy a green skateboard. To protect
herself when she fell, Suzie wore a helmet and elbow
pads when she rode her skateboard.

4. Answers will vary.

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