1

Reading for beginners and up

Compiled by: Mr. Girart
READING I
THE UNITED STATES
This is a map of the United States. There
are fifty states in this country. The largest
state is Alaska, and the smallest one is
Rhode Island. The capital of the United
States is Washington, D.C. The largest city
in this country is New York City. The population of this city is about eight million, and the
population of the entire country is about one
hundred and seventy million.
Answer these questions:
1. How many states are there in USA?....................................................
2. What is the largest state?..........................................................................
3. What is the smallest one?.........................................................................
4. What is the capital of USA?................................................................
5. What is the largest city in USA?...............................................................
6. What is the population of New York City?..............................................
7. What is the population of USA?................................................................

READING II
AROUND USA
Canada is north of USA, and Mexico is
south, but the Atlantic Ocean is east of USA,
and the Pacific Ocean is west of this country. There are many large rivers and lakes in
USA. The largest river is the Mississippi River. This river is in the central part of the
country. The largest mountains are the
Rocky Mountains. These mountains are in
the western part of USA.
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Answer these questions

1. What country is north of USA?........................................................................................
2. What country is south of USA?.......................................................................................
3. What ocean is east of USA?...........................................................................................
4. What ocean is west of USA?...........................................................................................
5. Are there many or few large rivers and lakes in USA?....................................................
6. What is the largest river in USA?...............................................................................
7. In what part of USA is the Mississippi river?...............................................................
8. And what about the Rocky Mountains?.......................................................................

READING III
THE WHITE HOUSE
Before the War of 1812, people called the house where the President lived the Presidents House. But during the war, the British captured Washington. They burned the Presidents
house and all his furniture. The house and everything in it were black from the smoke. Later, workmen repaired the house and also painted the house
white. People then began to call it the White
House.
Answer these questions:
1. What did people call the house where the President lived before the War of 1812?.......
2. What city did the British captured during the war?.......................................................
3. What did they do to the Presidents House and all his furniture?....................................
4. Was the house black from the smoke?..........................
5. Was everything in it black?...............................
6. Later, what did workmen do to the house?......................................................................
7. What color did they paint it?......................................................................................
8. What did people then begin to call it?......................................................................
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READING IV
HENRY HUDSON

In 1609 Henry Hudson discovered the Hudson River. Later the

Dutch came and settled on Manhattan Island. They bought the
island from the Indians for twenty four dollars. This island is now
New York City. The Dutch called their settlement New Amsterdam. But in 1664 the English captured the island from the Dutch
and changed the name of the island from New Amsterdam to
New York.
Answer to these questions:
1. Who discovered the Hudson River?......................................................
2. Who came and settled on Manhattan Island?........................................
3. From whom did they buy the island?....................................................
4. How much did they pay for it?.............................................................
5. What did the Dutch call their settlement?............................................
6. What is the island today?.....................................................................
7. Who captured the island in 1664?........................................................
8. To what did they change the name of the island?.................................

READING V
CHISTOPHER COLUMBUS
Christopher Columbus was an explorer. He said that the earth
was round. People at that time did not believe him. They laughed
at him. But at last Columbus got enough money for three small
ships. In the year 1492 he began his trip. He was on the ocean for
many, many weeks. His sailors became very much afraid. But at
last they saw land. The land was America.
Answer these questions:
1. Who was Christopher Columbus?....................................................................................

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2. What did he say about the earth?...........................................................................................

3. Did the people at that time believe him?.................................................................................
4. Why did they laugh at him?.....................................................................................................
5. How much money did he get at last?......................................................................................
6. In what year did he begin his trip?..........................................................................................
7. For how long was he on the ocean?.......................................................................................
8. Why did his sailors became afraid?........................................................................................
9. What was the land which the sailors saw?..............................................................................
10.Did Christopher Columbus cross the Atlantic Ocean or the Pacific Ocean?............................

READING VI
THE CAPITOL
This is a picture of the United States capitol of Washington, D.C. the Congress of
the United States meets in this building. There are two houses of Congress: the
House of Representatives and the Senate. The Senate has one hundred members, two from each state in the United States. At first the capital of the United
States was in New York City. Later it was in Philadelphia. Finally, in 1800, the
government moved to Washington, D.C., because Washington at that time was
approximately the center of the United States.
Answer these questions:
1. What is this pictures of?.......................................................................................
2. Where does Congress meet?.................................................................................
3. How many houses of Congress are there?...............................................................
4. What are the names of these houses?....................................................................
5. How many members has the Senate?.....................................................................
6. In what city was the first capital of the United Sates?.............................................
7. In what city was it later?........................................................................................
8. Where did the government finally move in 1800?..................................................
9. Why did the government move to Washington, D.C.?............................................
10.What do the letters D.C. stand for, after the word Washington?..............................

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READING VII
PAUL REVERE
Paul Revere was one of the heroes of the American Revolution. In
April, 1775, at the beginning of the war, the British planned to attack
two small towns, Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere heard about
this and, in the middle of the night, rode through the countryside on
his horse. He told everyone about the British plan. The next day,
when the British arrived, the Americans were ready for them. A battle took place, and the Americans won. This was the first battle of the
American Revolution.
Answer these questions:
1. Who was Paul Revere?.........................................................................................................
2. In April, 1775, what did the British plan to do?......................................................................
3. Who heard about this?..........................................................................................................
4. What did he do in the middle of the night?.............................................................................
5. What did he tell everyone about?...........................................................................................
6. Were the American ready for the British the next day?..........................................................
7. What took place?....................................................................................................................
8. Who won?..............................................................................................................................
9. Was this the first or last battle of the American Revolution?..................................................
READING VIII
THE PARTY
Today there is a party at Navarros garden. Its the final day of the school year
and its Mrs. Navarros birthday. There are many of Mrs. Navarros students in the
garden and they are enjoying the party.
Silvia is wearing a long dress and Patricia is wearing white shorts. They are playing volley ball. The Navarros have a big, brown dog and its jumping for the ball, too.
Some boys are playing baseball. Enrique has a bat in his hands and Jaime is
pitching. There are five others boys playing, too. They are fielding. Everyone is very
happy.
Miss Dvila is at the party, too. She is with a friend from the United States. They
are speaking in English and some of Miss Dvilas students are listening to them.
They cant understand all the words, but they can understand some English now.
Answer the questions:
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1. Whose birthday is it?..............................................................................................................

2. In which month is Mrs. Navarros birthday?.............................................................................
3. Where is the party?.........................................................................................................
4. Are Patricias shorts white?.....................................................................................................
5. What is Silvia wearing?......................................................................................................
6. What color is the Navarros dog?............................................................................................
7. Who is playing voleyball?...................................................................................................
8. Is the Navarros dog big or little?.......................................................................................
9. Where is Miss Dvilas friend from?......................................................................................
10.Can Miss Dvilas students understand some English?...........................................................
READING IX
ENGLISH TODAY
English is a first language in 12 countries. The number of people who speak English is about 350 million.
People around the globe use English as a second language in 33 countries. This gives us about 400 million
of people!
But this is not all. People study English as a foreign
language in 56 countries. And this is for curiosity: the ten most frequent words in English are:
the, of, and, a, to, in, is, you, that, it.
For the record: The ten most studied foreign languages are English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Arabic, German, Chinese, Japanese and Turkish.
Exercise:
Write first, second, or foreign.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

In India, English is a ...................language.

In Brazil, English is a ..................... language.
In New Zealand, English is a ...................... language.
In France, English is a ......................... language.
In my country, English is a .................... language.

READING X
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IS TV GOOD OR BAD?
Today, there is a TV set in nearly every home. People watch
TV every day, and some people watch it from morning until
night. Americans watch TV about 35 hours a week. But is TV
good or bad for you? People have different opinions.
The average TV viewing time in a week for adults is:
Age
18-34
35-54
55+

Men
24 hours
28 hours
39 hours

Woman
29 hours
32 hours
44 hours

Read what some Americans college students say.

If you are agree write a yes, if you are disagree write a no.
a. ............People dont get any exercise. They just sit and watch TV.
b. ............It brings news from around the world into peoples homes.
c. ............People just want entertainment today. They dont want to think.
d. ............Theres a lot of crime and violence on TV today. The programs are terrible.
e. ............Children learn many useful things from programs like Sesame Street. It teaches
them to read.
f.

............It helps me to relax after a long day.

g. ............Programs on the radio are better. They make you think.

h. ............Its all commercials. I hate it.
i.

............People learn about life in other countries.

j.

............People dont read anymore. Its easier to watch TV.

READING XI
VISIT MEXICO!

*Mexico has: Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, La paz, Cancun, Cozumel, Manzanillo...

They all have; fabulous beaches for swimming and sunbathing; international hotels; excellent restaurants for dinner; great discotheques and night clubs for entertainment.

*Mexico has: Puebla, Guanajuato, Quertaro, Morelia, Zacatecas...

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They all have: marvelous colonial atmosphere; extraordinary colonial architecture (cathedrals, mansions, universities, etc.) ; splendid parks and squares; colorful and interesting
markets...

*Mexico has: Palenque, Uxmal, Tajn, Monte Albn, Teotihuacan, Tula, Chichen Itz...
They all have: ancient, mysterious ruins; an atmosphere of history; markets where you
can buy colorful dresses, blouses, figurines, jewelry...

*Mexico has: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey...

They all have: superb hotels and restaurants; fantastic stores where you can buy all types
of goods; extraordinary museums, parks, cathedrals and churches; markets...

MEXICO HAS ALL THIS, AND MORE!

VISIT MEXICO!

READING XII
WHAT? 20 MILLION?
Mexico City is a very interesting and important city. There are many
houses and buildings, and there are a lot of people too (almost 20
million!). In the old parts of the city, there are many churches, parks
and theaters. As in many other modern cities, there is a big airport
and a train station, but there are no ports or bridges because it is not
near to the ocean. Also, there are many hotels and universities. There are many problems
too: there is pollution and crime. But Mexico City is still a very beautiful city.
Exercise:
Write is or are in the blanks.
1. There................five bedrooms in my house.
2. There................two bathrooms, and there......................a big kitchen.
3. There................a TV in the living room.
4. There................a comfortable bed in each room, but there...................mosquitoes, too.
5. There................a table for six, but there...................eight people in my family!
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Exercise:
Write a story about your city.
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READING XIII
TOUCHY TOPICS
In North America when people meet each other for the first time, they talk about things
like family, work, school, or sports. They ask questions like Do you have any brothers or
sisters?, Where do you work?, What school do you go to?, and Do you like sports?
They also ask questions like Where do you come from? and Where do you live? These
are polite questions. They are not personal or private.
But some things are personal or private, and questions about them are not polite. People
dont ask questions about a persons salary. They dont ask how much someone paid for
something. It is OK to ask children how old they are, but it is not polite to ask older people
their age. It is also not polite to ask people questions about politics or religion unless you
know them very well. People dont ask a unmarried people Why are you single?, and
they dont ask a married couple with no children Why dont you have children?
Look at the following questions. Are they polite or not polite when you meet someone for
the first time in North America?
Polite
Not polite
a). What does your wife do?
...................
................
b). Do you believe in God?
...................
................
c). How much money do you earn?
..................
................
d). How many children do you have?
..................
................
e). Why arent you married?
..................
................
f). Do you like baseball?
..................
................
g). How old are you, Mr. Lee?
.................
................
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h). What party are you?

i). How much was your watch?

.................
.................

................
................

READING XIV
THE DATING GAME
Young people have more freedom in North America than in many other countries. They
often start dating around the age of 14, and do not need an older person to go with them.
They go in groups or couples to school events (dances, plays, ball games), parties, restaurants, movies, and sports events.

For most teenagers, dating is just for fun. It does not mean that they want to get married. Young people may have even date several friends at the same time. They usually
choose their own dates. Sometimes, however, someone arranges a date for two people
who do not each other. This is called a blind date.

Either a man or a woman can invite someone on a date. If there are expenses, the man
and woman often go Dutch; this means they share the cost. Sometimes, however, one
person pays for both people.

Is dating the same or different in your country?

Write and S for same and D for different and then discuss your answers.
Young people in my country
......... start dating around 14
................... date for fun, not marriage
.................... often go out in couples
................... sometimes go out on blind dates
................ date several people at the same time
................... sometimes go Dutch

Are there any other differences between dating in North America and in your country?

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READING XV
NATURAL ABILITIES
1. Find the correct information and mark the sentences T (true) F (false).
1. Ostriches are birds.......................................................T

2. Penguins can fly...........................................................T F

3. Bats are a kind of insect. ............................................ T F
4. Bats can see using a type of radar. ...............................T F
5. A racehorse can run at 120 k.m.p.................................T F
6. A cheetah is a member of the cat family. .....................T F
7. Dogs are member of the whale family. ........................T F
8. Whales are marines mammals. .....................................T F
Some animals can do things that people cant do. For example,
most birds, excepts for ostriches and penguins, can fly. There are
also animals which are not birds which can fly, too. They include
many species of insects and bats.
Bats can do something else which people cant do: they can see
in the dark. Their vision is very different from our vision because
they see with sonar (using echoes which reflect like radar).
Some people can run very fast (an Olympic sprinter, for example, can run at about 43 kilometers per hour), but they cant run
like some animals: a racehorse can run at about 80 kilometers per
hour and a cheetah, a very fast, big cat, can run at about 120 kilometers per hour.
Some animals can hear things which we cant hear, because
theirs ears are different from our ears.
Dogs, for example, can hear very high sounds which are inaudible
for us, and whales (enormous mammals which live in the ocean)
can hear very loud sounds which we cant hear.
These are some examples of things some animals can do which
we cant. Can you think of some things we can do which animals
cant?

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2. Find about 20 cognates in the passage.

EXERCISE:
Complete these sentences using the verbs: swim, fly, run, climb trees, lay eggs.
1. Tigers can.........................
2. Fish cant..........................
3. Birds can..........................
4. Snakes cant.....................
5. Butterflies can....................
6. Butterflies cant...................
7. Fish can........................
8. Tigers cant........................
9. Snakes can.......................
10.Birds cant......................

READING XVI
THE PERFECT PERSON
Sarah Jones is 34 years old. She is tall, athletic and average weight.
She is not only physically attractive but has a nice personality too. She is
extroverted and friendly and also very generous. At the moment she
works in a bank as an administrator. She is very intelligent. She can find
the solution to any problem very quickly. She is a good supervisor. She
speaks seven languages including Nahuatl and can type 150 words a
minute. She likes to go to concerts and read books about Latin America.
She doesnt like to smoke cigarettes or go to nightclubs. She does a lot
of sports. She plays volleyball every Saturday afternoon. She is the captain of the team. I am
a very lucky man. Why? Because Sarah Jones is my girlfriend.
Exercise:
1. Match the words with their definitions.
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generous

amount somebody weights

team

friendly, talkative

extroverted

strong, muscular

type

to write with a typewriter

weight

free in giving or sharing

athletic

a group of people

2. Write five questions about Sarah Jones. Then ask a partner.

Example: How old is she?
What does she do?
1. ..........................................................................................................?
2. ..........................................................................................................?
3. ..........................................................................................................?
4. ..........................................................................................................?
5. ..........................................................................................................?

READING XVII
Graham Conolly works as a manager in a hotel in New York. He is 35 years
old. He works from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday in the Royal Hotel. He is short
and kind of heavy. He wears glasses too. He is quiet but very friendly. He
speaks eight languages: Russian, Spanish, English, Japanese, German,
French, Italian, and Dutch. He is a good manager and has many friends. Do
you have a problem in the hotel? Speak to Graham Conolly!
Answer the questions:
1. How old is Graham?..........................................................................
2. What does he do?..............................................................................
3. Whats he like?.................................................................................
4. How many languages does Graham speak? ...................................................................
5. When does he work?.........................................................................
6. Imagine the perfect man or woman. Write about him or her.
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READING XVIII
MANS BEST FRIEND
A. Read.
Grapels are wonderful. They are loyal and friendly. For some people, grapels are the
best company. Grapels also make great guardians for children and they guide people who
cannot see.
Grapels are.................................................
How do you know?................................................................................................
B. Read.
Whats a friend for you? For many people a friend is someone they can spend time with.
Others are more demanding and want their friends to be able to listen to problems and even
suggest a possible solution. But, in any case, the important element seems to be the company.
Friendship is a two-way street, though. Your friends want you to spend time with them, and they,
too, need to be listened to when they are in trouble. So, as you probable know, friendship is an
investment of time and effort and some people dont want to handle that.
Some people have turned their attention to domestic animals, the dog is one the most
popular choices. Dogs can certainly make good friends. First, they are always there if you need
company. Second, they can listen, but they cannot talk back to you. This can be good or bad, but
personally I think I would drop dead if my dog insisted on giving me possible solutions to my
problems. Finally, when dogs are properly trained, they can be of great help to the disabled.
Blind people are a good example. And You? Whats your choice?
C. Read the passage again and answer T (true) F (false).
....... Friends are the same for everybody.
....... Friendship is not always very easy.
....... Dogs cannot be considered as friends.
....... Dogs can be trained to help people.
D. Write some things that dogs can and cannot do for you.
Dogs can......................................................................
Dogs cant.........................................................................
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E. Discuss the questions.

What do you prefer, a human friend or an animal friend?
Why?
What qualities do you look for in a friend?
Which are essential?

READING XIX
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

In 1066, the Normans conquered England. Their language was

French, but the inhabitants of England spoke Anglo-Saxon languages, related to German. For hundreds of years the conquerors
and the conquered spoke different languages, but the written language was the French (or, for legal and political purpose, usually Latin).
Modern English is a combination of Latin, French and Germanic
languages and its existence is attributable to one man specially: the
poet, Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400). Chaucer wrote several books,
but the last, the longest, the most important and most popular of
these was The Canterbury Tales. This book made respectable the
combination of words with classical (Latin and Greek) and Germanic
roots that we now call English.
At first, English was spoken only in England, but then it was taken
to many parts of the world: to Australia, New Zealand, India, South
Africa, Canada, and, naturally, to the United States. Today, English is
the international language of commerce. of science and technology,
and of sport. Frequently, it is used for communication by people from
other countries (a Mexican talking to a Russian, or a Japanese talking to a Brazilian) as a lingua franca.
But still today the effect oh history is evident: spoken English is
more dominated by words with Germanic roots; written English has
more words with Latin roots. Which is easier for Spanish-speaking
students to understand, written English or spoken English?
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Reading for specific information.

Find the following information from the text and answer the questions.
1. Which languages were spoken in England before 1066?.......................................................
2. What was the name of Goeffrey Chaucers most important book?.........................................
3. How old was Chaucer when he died?....................................................................................
4. Name three other countries, apart from England, where English is spoken. ...........................
5. Name some activities in which English is an international language. .....................................
6. Which is easier for YOU to understand, written English or spoken English?...........................
Use of cognates.
Find ten words you can understand because they are similar to Spanish.

READING XX
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION
Means of transportation in Mexico have changed a lot during the past 150 years.
People once rode in horse-drawn carriages, which were elegant but
slow, specially compared to modern-day taxis. As a form of
individual transportation, the horse is very exciting to
ride, compared to the bicycle, but the bicycle is more economical. It was traditional to travel long distances by train; today is
more common to travel by bus. Similarly, traveling in the city has
changed, from the traditional trolley-car to the fast, modern subway (metro). Many
people travel quickly by motorcycle but this is more dangerous than by car. But cars
are more expensive than motorcycles. There are two majors forms of air transport
the airplane and the helicopter. The airplane is more comfortable but its more interesting to travel by helicopter.
Consolidation. WRITE
Write a short composition about the means of transportation in your area.
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READING XXI
MEANS OF COMMUNICATION
People need to communicate with other people. The easiest way, of course, is
to speak to them. But sometimes we need to talk to people that are far
away. Probably the most traditional way of sending a message is by letter
(mailing it by airmail or by regular mail). Letter usually takes some days to arrive. The fastest traditional way to send a message was by telegram. But a telegram is more
expensive than a letter and you can write many more things in a letter.

Some years ago, now there was a new way to send a message: by fax. You can write the
message (it can even include pictures) and you send it from one fax machine
to another. This is the most modern and the most efficient, but also the
most expensive way to send a message. The problem is you have to use a fax
machine and the other person must have a fax machine too. But the most
personal way to send a message is still by telephone. This way is almost as good as speaking
to someone in the same room! All these are for personal communications. But in the twentieth century, there are means of communicating with thousands, or millions of people at the
same time. These are the press (newspapers, magazines, the radio, and television, including
videos). These are called the mass media.

Lets speak!
Give your opinion about:
1. The most important mass medium today.........................................................................
2. The most exciting TV program................................................................................
3. The most popular TV program..................................................................................
4. The most interesting TV program...................................................................................

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Lets write!
Write a paragraph giving your opinion about television.
In my opinion ................................................................................................................
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READING XXII
FAR AND NEAR
There are nine

planets in the solar system. the four

which are nearest to the sun are Mercury, Venus, earth

and mars. Our planet is nearer than Mars to the sun,
but not as near as Mercury and Venus. The five which
are the farthest are Jupiter, Saturn (the two biggest planets), Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. All of them are far from the sun and usually Pluto is the
farthest, but sometimes Neptune is farther from the sun than Pluto. This is because Neptune has a very erratic orbit. Voyager II, a spacecraft from the USA, visited Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune between 1986 and 1989. Voyager II is now far out in space,
much farther than Pluto from the sun.

READING XXIII
Read the text below and discover if the following sentences are true. Mark the sentences
true or false.
1. In 1400, many people bought books
F
2. The Chinese used wood blocks for printing.
F
3. The Koreans used an excellent printing system.
4. Gutenberg was born in German.
5. After 1450, books were cheaper.

T
T
T F
T F
T F

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READING XXIV
THE FIRST COMMUNICATIONS REVOLUTION
In 1400, the majority of people in the world could not read. They did
not have the opportunity because books were some of the most expensive things in the world. The cost of the paper was not the problem; the problem was that a man took months, sometimes years to
make one copy of a book by hand. Then only very rich people could buy them.

In many parts of the world inventors tried to develop a more practical system to reproduce
writing. The first were the Chinese, who used blocks made of wood. There were two problems: the
wood did not reproduce the symbols very clearly, and the Chinese alphabet had thousands of
different ideograms, or signs of words. Then the Koreans tried cooper, but they did not understand the characteristics of the metal.

Many years later, about 1450, the circumstances were more favorable for a German goldsmith.
he knew more about metals than the Koreans and his language was more appropriated than
Chinese it had only 24 letters! He experimented for many years and finally he developed a
successful system. He printed several books and the most famous was the Gutenberg Bible. His
name was Johan Gutenberg and his invention of printing press was one of the most important in
the history of civilization. Books became cheaper and more people started to read the first
revolution in communications.
Find the information from the text and identify the following:
The cause of illiteracy in 1400
............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
Two problems the Chinese had with their printing system.
............................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
The problem the Koreans had with their system
............................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
The advantages Gutenberg had

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............................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................
....................................................................
The name of Gutenbergs most famous book
.......................................................................................................

READING XXV
TALKING ABOUT ACHIEVEMENTS
Mans achievements, in terms of discoveries and inventions,
have changed the world, specially in the 20th century. For many
years now people have traveled by train and subway and have flown
in airplanes and helicopters. Meanwhile, doctors have used chloroform and other anesthetics to alleviate pain and antibiotics to fight
illness. In communications, we have used the telephone for many
years and computers for more than three decades, while in entertainment we have watched
movies for almost a century and television for half of century. And these are only a few o
mans achievements in that time.

READING XXVI
INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Different countries have achieved different things in their history. Some have won
many battles; others have produced many scientist or many famous writers and artists.
Some countries have built beautiful buildings and some have sent people in to space. Some
countries have made a lot of money and some countries have made a lot of friends

READING XXVII
AN INTERNATIONAL MEXICAN AUTHOR
Carlos Fuentes was born in Mexico City on November 11th, 1928, and he has lived in this
country most of his life. However, he has also lived in the United States, in several South American
countries and in France.
He began writing when he was only 11, and he has published more than a dozen novels,
including his first great success La regin ms transparente (Where the Air is Clear, in English) in
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1958. Other well-known novels he has written include La muerte de Artemio Cruz (The Death of
Artemio Cruz) in 1962, and Cambio de piel (A Change of Skin) in 1967.
He is also the only Mexican novelist who has had a book on the New York Times list of
bestsellers (his 1986 novel about an old American in the Mexican Revolution, published in English
under the title The Old Gringo). As well as novels, he has also written books of shorts stories and
many articles on literature and culture.
In addition to his productive career as writer, Carlos Fuentes has served his country as its
Ambassador to France, a and he has taught in several American universities
Among others honors, Carlos Fuentes has received Mexicos national prize for Linguistics and
Literature. He is a very Mexican writer, and he has become a literary ambassador for this country to
the world.
Inferring information.
Read the text and find the following information.
1. How old is Carlos Fuentes?...........................................................................................
2. Has he ever lived in an English-speaking country?........................................................
3. How many novels has he published?.............................................................................
4. What is the English title of his first famous novel?.......................................................
5. How old was he when he published it?........................................................................
6. Which recent novel was a best-seller in the United States?.......................................
7. Apart from novels, what has Fuentes written?.............................................................
8. Apart from writing, what other things has Fuentes done?............................................

READING XXVIII
ALBERT EINSTEIN
EINSTEIN, ALBERT (1879-1955). German physicist. Born in Ulm, now in West
Germany, Einstein was an average student who was only interested in theoretical
physics. He obtained a position in the Swiss patent office and became a Swiss national in
1901. In 1905, he published four exceptionally original scientific papers, including one on the
theory of relativity. These papers were so revolutionary that other scientists did not understand
their importance immediately, and Einstein did not obtain a university position until 1908. In
1915, when he was working at the Kaiser Whilhelm Institute, Berlin (the institution where he
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worked for almost twenty years), he expanded the theory which made him famous (relativity)
and he received the Nobel Prize for Physics six years later. In 1933, Einstein immigrated to the
United States to escape persecution by the Nazis, and he worked for the rest of his life at the
Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. The problem which he investigated, unsuccessfully,
was a unified theory of relativity. Einstein, who became an American citizen in 1940, was a
pacifist and a firm opponent of nuclear arms, which were possible because of his new theories.
The artificial element Einsteinium (Es), discovered in 1952, is named for him. Einstein was one
the twentieth centurys greatest scientist and his name is now a synonym for scientific genius.
Reading for specific information
Answer these questions with information from the text.
1. How old was Einstein when he died?....................................................................................
2. Was Einstein an excellent student? .............................................................................
3. What was his principal interest at school?..............................................................................
4. When did he obtain his first university position?.....................................................................
5. Which theory made Einstein famous?..............................................................................
6. In which year did Einstein receive the Nobel Prize?...............................................................
7. Why did Einstein immigrate to the United States?..................................................................
8. Did Einstein establish a unified theory of relativity?................................................................
9. What was Einsteins attitude to nuclear arms?.......................................................................
10.What is Einsteinium?....................................................................................................

READING XXX
AN EXCITING PROFESSION
If you want to be an English teacher, you will have to go to a Superior Normal
school. When you get there, you will take courses to improve your English, as
well as courses in phonetics, history of the language and teaching methodology. But if you want to be a good English teacher, you will also have to read a
lot in English and you will need to practice speaking English. Naturally, if you
can go to the United States or Canada, you will find many opportunities to
practice your English, but if that is not possible, you can find opportunities in Mexico.

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The two most important things for teaching English are to have a good attitude (being enthusiastic, liking young people, wanting to communicate) and to have a good teaching system, or
methodology. The methodology must be adapted to the students, and it must allow them to
participate in the process of learning.

If you become an English teacher, you will have to work hard, but you will discover that it is
interesting and stimulating because it is exciting to help young people and to expand their horizons. But the most important thing if you become an English teacher or anything else is to
try to be the very best English teacher you can be.

Reading for specific information.

Answer these questions with the information from the passage.
1. What type of school will you have to go if want to be an English teacher?..............................
2. What type of courses will you have to take if you want to be an English teacher?..................
3. What other things will you have to do if you want to be an English teacher?..........................
4. What are the two principal requirements for teaching English?...............................................
5. What is methodology?..........................................................................................................
6. Why is teaching exciting?...................................................................................................

READING XXXI
TALKING ABOUT CINDERELLA
In the famous story of Cinderella, the heroines stepmother and stepsisters made Cinderella
work very hard. They asked her to wash their clothes, make their beds, sweep the floor, cook
their dinners and put wood on the fire. One day, the King invited all the ladies in the house to a
ball in the Palace. Cinderellas stepmother and stepsisters told her not to go to the ball as she
had no nice clothes, so she stayed at home and was very sad.
When Cinderellas fairy godmother appeared, Cinderella asked her to help her. The fairy
godmother told her to bring a pumpkin and some mice from the garden and she turned these
into a coach and horses. Then, she changed Cinderellas rags into a beautiful dress. When
Cinderella left, the fairy godmother told her to be back before midnight. At the ball the prince
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asked Cinderella to dance, but at midnight she ran home, leaving behind her glass slipper.
When the princes messengers came to Cinderellas house with the slipper, she asked them to
let her try on. naturally, the slipper was perfect for Cinderella and, soon afterward, the prince
asked her to marry him.

READING XXXII
A FINAL CONNECTION
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is generally recognized as the greatest
writer in the English language. Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) is generally
recognized as the greatest novelist in the Spanish language. In other ways,
these two great figures did not have much in common.
Shakespeare wrote brilliant poetry and thirty-six great plays, including
such famous works as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth: Cervantes
wrote unsuccessful poetry, not very successful works for the theater eight comedies and
eight one-act plays, the Novelas Ejemplares (1613), the novel La Galatea (1585), and one superb masterpiece: El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (Part I in 1605 and Part II in
1615).
Shakespeare never left England, but he set his plays in ancient Rome, in Renaissance
Italy, in Denmark, in Scotland; Cervantes served his country in Italy and was a prisoner of the
Turks for five years in Algiers, but his great novel is set only in Spain.
Shakespeare became a star in his own life: Queen Elizabeth I commissioned him to
write a play for her (Twelfth Night), and he lived well, if not luxuriously. Cervantes was always
short of money, and when he died he was still poor.
Finally, Shakespeare was English and Cervantes was Spanish, and at the end of the
sixteenth century, England and Spain were competing for supremacy of the oceans. However,
there was one last connection: they both died on precisely the same day April 23rd, 1616.
Reading for specific information.

1. Who was older when he died, Shakespeare or Cervantes? ...................................................

2. What did Shakespeare write, apart from plays?.................................................................
3. How many works for the theater did Cervantes write?..........................................................
4. Where was Cervantes a prisoner?........................................................................................
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5. In which country did Shakespeare die?..................................................................................

6. When did Cervantes publish the first part of Don Quijote?.....................................................
7. Who commissioned Twelfth Night?..................................................................................
8. Were England and Spain allies or enemies at the end of the sixteenth century?....................

READING XXXIII
A GREAT AMERICAN WRITER
Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was the son of a doctor in Illinois and his parents wanted him
to become a doctor, too. Instead he became a reporter for Kansas City newspaper. This was
the start of a life of adventures and independence, and of a brilliant literary career.
He served as a volunteer ambulance driver in the Red Cross during the First World War
and he was wounded on the Italian front. After the war, there was a group of famous American
writers living in Paris, including Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound, and they asked Hemingway to
join them. While in Paris, he wrote several short stories and novels, including The sun also
Rises (1926) and A farewell to Arms (1929). These novels established his international reputation.
In the Spanish Civil War, Hemingway actively supported the Republicans against Franco
and wrote a great novel For Whom the Bells tolls with the war as its theme, in 1940. In the
Second World War he worked as a war correspondent, and after the war, he lived principally in
Cuba. His passion for deep-sea fishing there resulted in his last famous work The Old Man and
the Sea (1952), a story of mans respect for, but conflict with, nature.
Hemingway, the great adventurer, received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954, but he
was already ill and depressed. He died tragically and dramatically, as he had lived, in 1961.
Reading for specific information.
Answer these questions....
1. What did Hemingway parents want him to be?.....................................................................
2. What work did he do in the First World War?...................................................................
3. Who asked him to join them in Paris?..................................................................................
4. When did he write A Farewell to Arms?...................................................................................
5. Who did Hemingway support in the Spanish Civil War?.........................................................
6. Which novel used this war as its theme?................................................................................
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7. What did Hemingway do in the Second World war?...............................................................

8. Where did he live after the war?..........................................................................................
9. What was the theme of this last great work?.......................................................................
10.What did Hemingway win in 1954?.......................................................................................

READING XXXIV
I USED TO BUILD MODEL AIRPLANES
Alex: What are you doing, Sam?
Sam: Im building a model.
Alex: I used to build models when I was your age.
Sam: Did you? What kind?
Alex: Airplanes and dinosaurs.
Amy: I didnt. I used to play with dolls. I had a big dolls house and a doll family.
Alex: I also used to play Cowboys and Indians and imagine I was in America.
Amy: Really? I used to dream of going to England and being a princess!
Sam: Well, when I was young, we didnt use to live in Pittsburgh. We used to live in Ohio.

1. Read these sentences and mark them T (TRUE) or F (FALSE).

A. Alex builds model dinosaurs now.

.............

B. Alex used to build model airplanes.

............

C. The Johnsons live in Pittsburgh.

...........

D. The Johnsons used to live in Ohio.

...........

E. Amy dreams of being a princess now.

...........

F. Amy used to dream of going to England.

...........

2. How my life has changed. Read this paragraph and answer the questions.
Now that I am a teenager, my life is very different. We used to live in a small town and
when I was a child, I used to go to the playground after school, but now I come home and
do my homework. On weekends, I used to sleep late and then play with my friends. Now I
get up early and help my mother and in the afternoon I go to the mall with my friends. I
used to watch cartoons and childrens programs on TV, but now I like to watch movies and

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news programs. I didnt use to listen music, but now I listen to it all the time -specially old
rockn roll from the fifties and sixties.
1. What did Amy use to do after school?
.......................................................................................................
2. What did she use to do on weekends?
.........................................................................................................
3. What did she use to watch on TV?
.............................................................................................................
4. Did she use to listen to rock music?
...........................................................................................................

2. Write a paragraph about things you used to do, but you dont do now.
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................

READING XXXV
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SENSITIVE OR SENSIBLE
Modern life has its advantages. Going to a distant place takes only a few hours thanks
to airports and airplanes. We know what happens in other areas of the world with the help
of radio and television. These two inventions also help you to relax because you can listen
to or see your favorite rock singer or a football game for example. Computers play an important role in education, industry, banking and commerce. Mathematical problems are
now less difficult thanks to calculators. Also, if you want to buy something a pizza, an
emerald ring or a theater ticket all you have to do is use the telephone and give your
credit card number. There are some disadvantages too. Watching a concert on television
is not the same as watching it in the theater, intelligent machines are taking the place of
many workers, and artificial light can never replace natural sunlight. Dont get me wrong,
though. I dont know what I would do without my refrigerator!
A) Many words are similar in English and Spanish.
For example:
color

color

science

ciencia

dictionary

diccionario

*These words are called cognates.

B) Think of 5 cognates, write them down, and then compare them with your classmates.
Spanish
club
.....................................
....................................
.....................................
.....................................
....................................

English
club
..........................................
.........................................
.............................................
............................................
............................................

C) There are more than 30 cognates in the passage. Go back and check your answers with a classmate.
Watchout!!
sensible

= sensato

sensitive

= sensible

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library

= biblioteca

book store = librera

*These words are called false cognates.
D) Use cognates from the passage and make 5 sentences.
For example:
I love rock music.
.............................................................
.............................................................
.............................................................
.............................................................

READING XXXVI
THE CONQUEST OF SPACE

The conquest of space only began in 1957.

Then the world was surprised at the first Russian
Sputnik. Since that time, astronauts (the American
name) and cosmonauts (the Russian one) have
established their Soyuz space stations, and the
Americans astronauts have walked on the moon;
thousands of artificial satellites have been launched; space probes, without people on
board, have orbited, or landed on most of the planets in the solar system, and other
probes have closely examined Halleys Comet.
Some of the most important events in mans conquest of space have been the first man
in space (Yuri Gagarin, 1961); the first close-up pictures of Venus (Mariner 2, 1962); the
first landing on Venus (the Russian Venera 7, 1970); the first man on the moon (Neil
Armstrong, 1969); the first landing on Mars (Viking Y, 1976); and the American space
shuttle (1981).
Voyager II has recently traveled to the farthest planets in the solar system. It visited
Saturn, Venus and, in 1989, Neptune. This was the most successful trip by any probe in
history and we now have fantastic close-up photographs of these planets. Voyager II is
now traveling outside the solar system.
Naturally, not every effort is successful; the Russians have had several fatal accidents
and so have the Americans, including the terrible Challenger space-shuttle accident in
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1986. But man has achieved great things in only three decades. What about the next 50
years?
Reading for specific information.
Identify the following from the text.
1. The Russian word for astronaut....................................................................
2. The name of the American space station. ........................................................
3. The first man in space. .....................................................................................
4. The first probe to land on Venus. ....................................................................
5. The first probe to land on Mars. .......................................................................
6. The probe which has traveled to Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. .......................
7. The accident specified........................................................................................

READING XXXVII
TEOTIHUACAN

TEOTIHUACAN
(The city where men become gods)

Where?
About 20 miles northwest of Mexico City in the state of Mexico.

When?
Founded about 850 B.C., it reached its zenith during the Classical period (Teotihuacan II: 1300 AD and Teotihuacan III: 300-650 AD).

What?
It was the most important cultural center in Mexico during the Classical period. Today it is one
of the most impressive and best preserved archeological sites in America.

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Who?
The political and religious organization was theocratic, with priests having the dominant position in society. The people grew maize, cotton, chills and beans. They made tools of stone and
obsidian, and they traded with other peoples. Their most important deities were Tlaloc, the rain
god, and Quetzalcoatl, the plumed serpent.

Where from?
The origin of the group is uncertain. Some say they were Olmecas from the Gulf of Mexico,
some say they came from the west, and others that they were Nahuas, from the Valley of Mexico.

And today?
The main constructions are the Pyramid of the Sun (75 m. high and 235 m. square at the base,
similar to the Pyramid of Cheops, in Egypt) and the Pyramid of the Moon (46 m. high and 140
m. square at the base), located at the end of the Avenue of the Dead. Other important buildings are the Palace of the Quetzal Butterfly, the Jaguar Temple, the Quetzalcoatl Temple and
the Temple of Agriculture.
Exercise:
Write the questions.
1. ........................................................................................................................?
It means the city where men become gods.
2. ........................................................................................................................?
Its located about 20 miles northwest of Mexico City.
3. ........................................................................................................................?
It was from about 1 AD to about 650 AD.
4. ........................................................................................................................?
The priests.
5. ........................................................................................................................?
Maize, chillies,cotton and obsidian tools.
6. ........................................................................................................................?
They had stone tools and obsidian tools.
7.

.......................................................................................................................?
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Quetzalcoatl and Tlaloc.

8. ........................................................................................................................?
They were from the Valley of Mexico.
9. ........................................................................................................................?
Its 75 m. high and 235 m. square at the base.
10. ........................................................................................................................?
Its located at the end of the Avenue of the Dead.

READING XXXVIII
CAPTAIN COOK, THE IDEAL COMMANDER
James Cook was born

Cooks first voyage as a

time, sailors on long voyages

in Whitby, near Scarborough,

commander was a great suc-

suffered from this terrible

in October 1728, the ninth

cess. His ship, The Endeve-

disease because of vitamin

child of a poor farmer. He

our, left England in August

deficiency. Cook insisted that

became interested in ships

1768 with eleven scientists

everyone drank citrus juices

as a young man and joined

on board, and sailed to Cape

and no one suffered from

the Royal Navy in 1755.

Horn. In Tierra del Fuego,

scurvy anymore.

Cook was a brilliant sailor

they made a complete plant

insisted on strict discipline

and soon he became fa-

collection and then sailed to

and hygiene and on correct

mouss as a cartographer. In

Tahiti.

They explored the

treatment of indigenous in-

Canada

an

coasts of New Zealand and

habitants. Cook made two

eclipse, and his reports on

the east coast of Australia

more long voyages. He be-

this gave him a reputation as

before going on

to New

gan his second voyage, in a

a scientist. In 1768, the Royal

Guinea and Indonesia. The

ship called The resolution, in

Geographic

Endeveour returned to Eng-

1772 and visited the un-

land in June 1771.

known continent of Antarcti-

he

observed

Society

orga-

nized a scientific expedition

to Tahiti. Cook was a naviga-

Cooks expedition made

significant

scientific

He

also

ca. The ship crossed the

tor, a geographer, a cartog-

many

rapher and a scientist, so he

discoveries.

im-

1773 and then went on to

was the ideal commander for

portant was the fact that

New Zealand, before explor-

the expedition.

Cook found a solution to the

ing the South Pacific, includ-

problem of scurvy. At that

ing the Fiji Islands and New

Equally

Antarctic Circle in January

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Caledonia.

They

then

found Hawaii (which Cook

Cook was the greatest

crossed the ocean to Cape

called the Sandwich Islands).

explorer of the 18th century.

Horn and returned to Eng-

After exploring the coast of

He was the first explorer to

land via the Cape of God

Alaska. Cook went back to

use scientific methods; he

Hope.

Hawaii to repair his ship. He

made important dietary dis-

Captain Cook began his

did not complete his third

coveries and his expeditions

third long voyage, again in

voyage because he was as-

were the most complete of all

The Resolution, in 1776. The

sassinated in Hawaii on Feb-

the ocean sailors

main goal was to explore

ruary 14th, 1779.

Alaska, but on the way they

Answer these questions:
1. Did Cook come from a rich family?..................................................................................
2. How many older brothers and sisters did he have?........................................................
3. What dietary innovation did Cook introduce?..................................................................
4. How did Cook treat the indigenous inhabitants?...............................................................
5. How long was Cooks first voyage as a commander?.............................................................
6. When did Cook visit Antarctica?......................................................................................
7. Where did Cook die?.......................................................................................................
8. How old was he when he died?..............................................................................................

2.- Find the past tense form of these verbs from the text:
REGULAR

IRREGULAR

join

have

sail

be (sing.)

return

(plural.)

suffer

make

visit

drink

observe

go

organize

become

explore

find

insist

begin

cross

leave
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3.- Complete this paragraph with these prepositions.

of

from

to

after

near

including

on

in

by

Captain James Cook came.......................Whitby,........................Scaborough, and was a brilliant sailor. he sailed................all parts of the world, ........................Antarctica, Australia and
Alaska.
Because of vitamin deficiency, sailors............................the 18th century suffered from a disease called scurvy. Cook solved this problem...............................giving his men citrus juices
to drink. On his third long voyage, Cook explored Alaska; .......................completing his explorations there, he returned to Hawaii. He died there..............................St. Valentines Day 1779,
the greatest .............................all the great sailors in the 18th century.

4.- Complete the following: PAST TENSE FORM

1. Cook............................a brilliant captain.
2. His expeditions...........................very long. (be)
3. He................................America! (discover)
4. .........................he..........................the Antarctic Circle? (cross) Yes, he..................
5 ...........................he..........................to England after his third voyages? (return) No, he didnt.

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READING XXXIX
KILLING MACHINES
In a newspaper survey to find the most terrifying word in the English language, the winner
was...SHARKS!

1. KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD.

Whats your opinion? Mark these sentences T (TRUE) or F (FALSE) in the following sentences:

...........1. It is dangerous to go to the beaches because sharks are waiting there to eat people.
...........2. In the history of evolution, sharks are older than dinosaurs.
...........3. A shark can use as many as 2,000 teeth in one year.
...........4. The great white shark is the biggest.
...........5. Sharks use their stomachs for digestion.
...........6. Sharks can smell very well, but they cant see.
...........7. Some sharks are small enough to carry in your pocket.

AN EVOLUTIONARY SUCCESS STORY

Sharks are some of the most successful animals in the world. These fish are older than the

dinosaurs (more than 400 million years old) and they dominate the oceans today. There are
350 different kinds of sharks.
B

SHARKS OF ALL SIZES

The biggest is the whale shark, which is between 11 and 18 meters long and which weighs

as much as 15 tons, and the smallest is the Pacific dwarf shark, which is only six inches (15
cm) long.
C

SHARK ATTACK?
People are terrified of sharks, but more people die of bee stings each year in USA than from

sharks! There are only about 30 fatal shark attacks on people every year in the whole world!

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JAWS
The most terrible shark is the great white shark, the shark from the film Jaws. It is not the

biggest it is usually about five meters long but it is certainly the fiercest. It will attack anything in the ocean, including boats, but it does not usually attack people.
E

THE SENSITIVE SHARK

A shark has an excellent sense of smell, a very good sense of hearing (it can differentiate

between the movement of healthy and injured fish) and a quite good eyesight. It also has the
ability to sense the electrical field which all the animals create around them. Sharks are more
sensitive to this field than any other animal.

SHARKS TEETH

Unlike humans, sharks can replace teeth over and over again. In the years a shark may use
20,000 teeth! And sharks teeth are sharp enough to shave with! Some sharks have 10 rows of
teeth, which move forward like the steps on an sculptor when new teeth are needed.
A SHARKS STOMACH!

Sharks use their stomach to hold food, not to digest it. Examples of strange things in a
sharks stomach: a sack of coal; alarm clocks; three raincoats; half a crocodile. Do sharks eat
sharks? Dr. S. Springier once caught a large tiger shark with a bull shark in its stomach, with a
black-tip shark inside the bull sharks stomach and a dog-fish shark inside the black-tip sharks
stomach!
2. SCANNING
Find the information and rewrite the FALSE statements in Ex.1 to make them TRUE.
(Four of the statements have something false in them.)
.........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................

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3. Use information from the text and complete these questions and answers.
1. ...........................................................is the Pacific dwarf shark?

Only six inches.

2. .....................................rows of teeth can a shark have?

..............................................

3. .....................................do sharks attack human beings?

.............................................

4. ...................................does a whale shark weighs?

..............................................

5. ..................................are a shark teeth?

Sharp enough to shave with!

READING XL
THE DOG IN THE MANGER
One warm day a dog was looking for a comfortable place to sleep. He looked in the barn
and saw some hay in a cows manger.
The dog knew that the hay was the cows supper; but he jumped into the manger, lay
down on the hay, and was soon asleep.
Sometime later the cow, tired and hungry, came back from the field where she had to
work all day. She was thinking of the good supper she was going to find in the manger;
but when she saw the dog lying on the hay, she didnt know what to do.
Wake up, the cow said to the dog. I worked all day, and Im very hungry. Let me eat
my supper.
The dog got angry because the cow woke him up. He stood up in the manger and said
to the cow, Get out of here and leave me alone. I dont care if this is your hay. Im going
to sleep here.
The cow said, You cant eat my hay, and you dont want me to eat it. Why dont you let
others have what you cant use? Youre very selfish.

READING XLI
THE GOOSE THAT LAID THE GOLDEN EGG
Once there was a farmer who lived with his wife on a farm in the country. They had to
work hard every day because they were very poor. Often there wasnt any food in the
house to eat.

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The farmer and his wife had a cow and a goose. The cow gave milk, and the goose laid
eggs. Every day the farmer went to the barn to the eggs that the goose laid. Sometimes
there were no eggs in the barn, so the farmer and his wife had to go to bed hungry.
One night when the farmer went to get the egg, he was very happy to find a goose egg
of pure gold in the barn.
The farmer took the egg, hurried to the house, and showed it to his wife, saying, Look.
Our goose laid a golden egg. Were going to be rich.
Let me see, said the farmers wife. She put her hand on the egg and felt it. Its gold
pure gold, she said. Now were never going to be hungry again.
The next day the farmer found another beautiful golden egg in the barn. And the next
day and the next the goose laid a golden egg, and the farmer and his wife got very rich.
Now they didnt have to work, and there was always food in the house to eat.
As the farmer got rich, he began to think more and more of having all the golden eggs at
once. One day he said to his wife, Lets kill the goose that lays golden eggs, and then we
can have all the eggs at once. I want to be very rich.
All right, answered his wife. Go get the goose.
The farmer brought the goose in the house and put her on the table. Then, while his wife
helped him, he killed the goose. He cut her open with a knife and foundnothing!
They killed the goose that laid the golden egg.

READING XLII
THE RABBIT AND THE TURTLE
A rabbit was always laughing at a turtle because he couldnt run very fast. The turtle
never got mad at the rabbit when the rabbit laughed at him. One day the rabbit said to the
turtle, All the animals here know that you can run very fast, so lets run a race.
All the other animals began to laugh at the turtle because they knew that he was very
slow, and they thought he was afraid to run a race with the rabbit.
Then the turtle began to get angry. Im tired of every one saying that Im slow, he said,
and if the rabbit wants to run a race, Im ready.
You can start here, said the fox, and run as far as that big tree over there in the next
field. Were going to be there to meet the one who finishes the race first.
O.K., said the turtle. Lets start the race.
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The rabbit started to run very fast, and soon he was so far from the turtle that he
couldnt see him.
Im going to stop for a few minutes and wait until the turtle gets here, said the rabbit.
So he sat down on the grass under a big tree. After a while he began to get sleepy; so he
lay down on the grass, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.
Sometime later, the turtle, going very slowly, passed by the tree and saw the rabbit
asleep under the big tree in the field, and he heard the fox telling the other animals that
the turtle won the race.
The rabbit ran to the tree, but of course he got there too late. The fox said to him, You
lost the race and the turtle won it.

READING XLIII
THE FOX AND THE STORK
One day a fox met his friend, the stork. After they talked for a few minutes, the fox
asked the stork if she could come to his house on Sunday.
Certainly, replied the stork. I can get there before twelve oclock.
Good, said the fox. Im going to invite you to have dinner with me.
On Sunday morning the stork went to the foxs house. When she got there, the fox was
setting the table.
Come in, said the fox, and sit down. Dinner is almost ready. Were going to eat in a
few minutes.
The fox put some flowers in a vase and set the vase in the table. Then he put two shallow plates on the table; and beside each plate he put a knife, a fork, and a spoon.
Now, said the fox, put your chair close to the table. Its time to eat, and dinner is
ready. Im going to bring the soup from the kitchen.
The fox went into the kitchen and came back with the soup. He put some soup in each
plate and began to eat.
The stork couldnt drink the soup from the shallow plate with her long bill, so she was
hungry all afternoon.
When the stork said good-bye to the fox, the fox said, You didnt eat very much. Im
sorry that you didnt like the soup.
Thats all right, answered the stork. It doesnt matter. It was a very interesting day,
and I want you to come to my house next Sunday afternoon and have dinner with me.
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The next Sunday the fox got to the storks house at twelve oclock. When the stork
opened the door, she said, Come in and sit down at the table. Dinner is ready.
Then she set two tall, narrow glasses on the table, put some soup in each glass, and set
one of the glasses in front of the fox.
The stork put her long bill in the tall glass and drank and drank, but the fox couldnt put
his big mouth in the narrow glass, so he was hungry all afternoon.
When the fox said good-bye, the stork said, I see that you ate very little soup. Do you
want to heard that Im sorry?

READING XLIV
ROMEO AND JULIET
Once upon a time there were two important families in Verona, Italy. They were the
Montangue and the Capulets, terrible enemy to each other. Romeo was one of the Montangue and Juliet was a Capulet.
One evening Romeo went to a dance and met Juliet there.
He looked at her and she looked at him. They fell in love immediately. When they knew
their names and discovered they were enemies they got very unhappy. But love was
stronger and Romeo asked Juliet to marry him in secret. He sent a message to her asking
to go to the church in the afternoon. He told her to bring two rings. There, Friar Lawrence
married them. But after the marriage, Romeo had a fight with Juliets cousin and killed
him. The prince of Verona ordered him to leave the city. Romeo visited Juliet in the evening and she cried asking him not to leave her. But then, she told him to go to Mantua, because it was dangerous for him to stay in Verona. So, he had to leave.
Juliets parents did not know anything about this and wanted her daughter to marry a
very rich and important man. She did not want to tell them that she was already married;
because they were going to get very angry with her. So, they prepared everything for the
marriage.
She did not know what to do, and the next day, she went to the church and asked Friar
Lawrence to help her. He gave a special potion, which he told her to drink the next evening. After she drank it she fell asleep.
The next morning, Juliets parents thought she was dead and after her funeral they put
her in the tomb of the Capulets family with a lot of crying. But Juliet was only sleeping.
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In the meantime, Balthasar, one of Romeos servants, went to Mantua and told Romeo
about Juliets death. Belthasar asked him not to go back to Verona, but Romeo decided to
go.
So, he went to the Capulets tomb and saw Juliet. He did not know about the magic potion she had drunk to sleep. He kissed Juliet and told her many words of love. Then he
drank some poison to die beside her. the poison killed him.
When Juliet woke up and saw Romeo beside her she said, Oh, my love is dead!. She
took Romeos knife and killed herself.

When both families knew about their common misfortune they were very unhappy. Romeos father and Juliets father cried together for their childrens death and promised to be
friends in the future.

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