Unit 1 Popcorn Snow
People eat popcorn when they go to the movies. P
Popcorn is made mainly in a microwave. P
Sometimes it is made in a pan. P
However, in my world, we don't need to make popcorn. P
Have you ever seen popcorn snow? P
Well, welcome to my fantasy world! P
Each winter we have popcorn snow here. P
Whenever it popcorns, we just go out and gather popcorn into our baskets. P
Last winter, I gathered six baskets of popcorn. P
My brother raked while I put it into a big sack. P
My dog, Boomer, ate so much popcorn that he gained about 2 kg! P
We ate the gatherings the whole winter. P
Popcorn snow is fantastic! White popcorn blossoms fall from the sky. P
On popcorn snow days, you can smell the tasty butter in the air. P
Pick up one kernel and eat it. You will taste the salt. P
It is not safe to drive on popcorn snow days so all car owners cease driving. P
Roads are buttery and slippery. P
Children and adults walk gingerly through the streets. P
They try not to slip or fall. P
They try not to mess up too much of the corn. P
Children also make popcorn-men. P
We also have pop-ball fights. P
No one gets hurt from the pop-ball fights because the popcorn balls are soft and fluffy. P
Nobody knows for sure how popcorn snow is made. P
Scientists have researched this phenomenon for decades. P
They can't find an answer. P
Some people believe that somebody in the clouds makes lots of popcorn in the winter. P
They make way too much for themselves, so the clouds get heavy and popcorn snow falls on us. P
We are happy with popcorn snow and look forward to it every winter! P
Unit 2 Popcorn Pops
In researching the answer to your question, I was lucky to find the Encyclopedia Popcornica at www.popcorn.org. P
Let me tell you about why popcorn pops as well as other things about it. P
I promise you that it will be interesting. P
First, some Native Americans believed that spirits lived inside the corn. P
The spirits were quiet and happy to live there. P
However, they grew angry when their houses were heated. P
The hotter their homes became, the angrier they got. P
They shook until the heat was too much. P
Finally, they would pop out of their homes and fly into the air. P
That's the Native American tale. P
On the other hand, a popcorn seed is called a kernel. P
Each kernel of popcorn has a small drop of water inside of it. P
As the kernel heats up, the water becomes steam. P
The steam expands and gets bigger. P
The steam inside the kernel is released and pushes against the wall of the kernel. P
Finally, this pressure makes a popping sound as the kernel pops out. P
There is some truth to this. P
But in reality, I'm not really sure what makes popcorn pop-spirits or water in the kernel. P
Either one sounds interesting to a listening ear though. P
What do you think, Elena? P
Thank you for joining Popcorn.org. P
You can learn more about popcorn at Popcorn.org. P
If you have any questions about popcorn, don't hesitate to post the questions on my board or send me an e-mail. P
Unit 3 My Friend, Old Angus
Old Angus lived in a house next to me when I was young. P
He bent over his cane as he walked. P
Some children were afraid of him. They thought he was a wizard. P
Some children knocked on his door and ran away. P
Old Angus opened the door every time and shook his fist at them. P
Sometimes he acted grumpy, but he really wasn't. P
I knew he wasn't grumpy. Rather, I found him quite interesting. P
Maybe it was because I knew him better than the other kids did. P
And although he was 70 and I was 10, he was my very good friend. P
He had white hair and a wrinkled face that made him look stubborn. P
Whenever my family said hello to him, he waved his hand and smiled. P
He never looked ugly or grumpy. Old Angus loved to tell stories. P
His eyes sparkled when he did. He was a reservoir of stories. P
He grew up on a farm in Scotland and left to fight in a war. P
After the war, he traveled a lot. P
Wherever he went, he told stories about the heroes of the war and the numerous animals he saw. P
Telling stories brought out the youth in Old Angus. P
Then his weak, old voice became strong. P
At those times, he sounded young again. P
This brought out his youthful days in my imagination-a young, tall, strong, and energetic Angus. P
He had children, but they did not live with him. P
He never told me he missed them. P
Nevertheless, tears ran down his cheeks when his thoughts lingered on his children. P
Nowadays, people don't know much about their neighbors. P
I have many interesting stories to tell to the neighborhood kids, but who wants to listen? P
I learned a lot about life and the world from Old Angus. P
I was happy to know him as a friend. I miss Old Angus. P
Unit 4 How to Be a Good Friend
If you want to make new friends, you need to be a good friend to others. P
Here are some ideas for you: P
1.Be a Good Listener - Listen to other people when they are speaking to you. P
Show interest by saying, "Yes," "Sure," or "Okay. " Be ready to answer their questions. P
Also, be ready to ask questions about their interests. P
2. Join In - Watch popular television shows to learn about current interests. P
You can find good topics and join in conversations. P
It would be nice to join in games and activities, too. P
3. Learn to Encourage Others - Make positive comments about others. P
At a sporting event say, "That's a good shot!" or "Well done!" when someone scores. P
Or, you can say, "Good drawing!" when someone draws something well. P
Such words and comments can make people feel good. P
It will also make them think you are a kind person. P
4. Be More Active - If your team is short a player, fill in by joining the game. P
You can also be the referee. P
You can also participate in group homework or lend things to others. P
5. It's Okay to Say " No" - You don't have to always say "Yes" to everyone. P
Feel free to say " No" sometimes. P
If someone says "No" to you, you have to understand that they have the right to make that decision. P
This means that you also have the right to do the same when you don't want to do something. P
6. Share Your Feelings - When you find a good book or movie, recommend it to your friends. P
It is a good chance to say what you think about it. P
You can also listen to what your friends think about it. P
It's good for meaningful conversations. P
The more you share, the richer your friendships can become. P
Unit 5 The Haunted House
I have a secret that I haven't told anyone. P
I am going to tell you now, but you have to promise me that you'll keep it a secret. P
When I was young, I lived in a small town in Alabama. P
For quite some time, there was a rumor about a house where nobody lived. P
People in the town were afraid of it because, for some strange reason, at night it was lit. P
They believed it was a ghost's trick and called the house a "haunted house." P
Creepy sounds came from the house. P
No one went into the house, and no one looked at it for fear of bad luck. P
One day, I found a small kitten in the bushes. P
It was cold and trembling and definitely hungry. P
I brought it home. P
My parents didn't like it because they didn't consider it productive; P
it couldn't give milk, plough, guard the house, lay eggs, or even catch a mouse. P
I had no choice but to give it up. P
Crying, I went out to put the kitten back into the bushes. P
On my way, I saw an old house. No one lived there. P
I thought it would be a good place for the kitten to stay. P
Every night, I visited the kitten. I hung a light on the ceiling and fed it. P
Whenever I gave it milk, it purred. P
One year later, people in the town organized a search team to find out what was happening in the "haunted house." P
Brave men volunteered to join the team. P
Surprised by the news, I did not want my secret to be unveiled. P
I moved my cat to a new place. P
When the search team arrived at the house, they found nothing. P
From that night, there was never a sound from the "haunted house" again, P
and there was no light glowing through its windows. P
Unit 6 Ghost Movies
For thousands of years, the subject of ghosts has fascinated people all over the world. P
It is commonly believed that ghosts are spirits of people who have died. P
It is also believed that ghosts remain where they lived when they were alive. P
Such various ideas of ghosts are described in movies. P
In movies, ghosts are often depicted as humans. P
Some movies show them as fog-like creatures. P
Others show that mysterious noises are actually ghosts. P
However, ghosts in movies are sometimes described differently based on people's cultures. P
In some western cultures, some people believe ghosts are spirits that cannot die. P
They also believe that ghosts refuse to leave Earth because they have work to finish. P
In the American movie Ghost, a man is killed and becomes a ghost. P
In order to let his wife know the danger around her, he does not leave Earth. P
When the danger is gone, he leaves Earth. P
On the other hand, in some eastern cultures, some people believe in reincarnation. P
Reincarnation is the belief that when you die, you return to Earth as something else. P
The Chinese movie A Terra-Cotta Warrior is a good example of this. P
It is a love story between a man who never dies and a woman who lives several lives. P
The ideas about ghosts in different cultures are reflected in movies. P
As the cultures have changed over time, stories about ghosts have changed, too. P
Some stories blend together as cultures come together. P
One thing is for certain, the subject of ghosts will continue to interest people all over the world. P
That's because people are attracted to the unusual occurrences that appear around ghosts. P
Unit 7 How Amazing
A tour guide drove us to a large, grassy, flat plain in eastern Africa. P
While driving, we saw small grey animals in the distance. P
As we approached them, we realized that they weren't small at all. P
In fact, they were elephants, about 3 meters tall-the size of two men standing head to toe. P
These elephants had big ears, each about one meter wide. P
We were told that they use them as fans to keep themselves cool. P
We needed ears that big as it felt that hot near the equator. P
The elephants came to a river. P
Their trunks really amazed us! At almost 2 meters long, the elephants used them in two ways: P
to suck water to drink and to squirt water on their bodies. P
This is how they drink and shower. P
Then, the elephants were about to leave. P
They rolled in the mud at the edge of the river before going. P
I wondered why they did this just after showering. P
We were told that the mud keeps insects away. P
It also helps to protect their skin from the burning sun. P
After, we stopped for lunch with the elephants. P
The bigger elephants used their trunks to gather leaves from the taller trees. P
Others ate grass from the plains. P
The elephants spent much of the day eating because they have such big bodies. P
Besides their long trunks, the elephants had big, white ivory tusks. P
We heard that they use their tusks and trunks to protect themselves from enemies. P
Baby elephants were among the herds. They walked between the adults. P
One baby elephant stumbled over its own trunk. We laughed. P
It was really fun to watch them! P
At the end of the tour, we traveled back to the city and kept thinking about how amazing and wonderful these animals were. P
Unit 8 Spiders
Spiders are interesting creatures. P
There are more than 37,000 species in the world. P
Some are as big as a dinner plate and some are as small as a pinhead. P
Some are fuzzy and others are smooth. P
Their bodies have two main parts: the head and the abdomen. P
The abdomen is plump. All spiders have eight legs but no ears. P
However, they have tiny sensitive hairs on their legs that detect the weakest sound vibrations. P
They use these hairs to find their way around. P
Most spiders have eight eyes but some have fewer. P
They come in many different colors. Spiders live in many different places. P
They live in water, gardens, houses, and on the ground. P
They live in different weather conditions as well. P
They live in hot, cold, or dry habitats. P
Most spiders live for only one year. P
Some, like tarantulas, can live much longer. P
They mostly eat insects but not always. P
Spiders can hold more than 170 times their own body weight. P
This is like Spiderman carrying 170 people! P
The Goliath bird-eater tarantula in South America can pull birds out of their nests and eats them. P
Some spiders can jump 50 times their body size. P
Others even can walk upside down on smooth surfaces because the tiny sticky hairs on their legs make them stick when walking. P
Spiders spin seven kinds of silk. Spider silk is as strong as steel. P
Some spiders make webs using their silk. P
They use webs as traps to catch insects for food. P
Some spiders are poisonous. P
When they catch an insect and bite it, the poison quickly makes the insect helpless. P
Black widows are very poisonous, so you need to watch out for them. P
These characteristics are what make spiders so amazing and interesting. P
Unit 9 An Adventure with Super Dude
"Randy, rise and shine!" P
"I am going to skip breakfast," said Randy. P
Then, he pulled the blanket over his head. P
Last night he went to bed angry. P
Mom refused to buy him the new action figure, NEW Super Dude. P
It was a new version of Super Dude. P
Super Dude was a mightier character than any other hero. P
NEW Super Dude was bigger and fancier than Super Dude, though. P
He had a stronger weapon as well. P
"Hey, I'm not your mom. Check the toy box under your bed," a voice said. P
Randy got up and crawled under his bed. P
He opened the toy box. There were many dusty toys. P
"Here I am. I'm the old Super Dude action figure. P
Do you remember me? I'm your friend. You loved me a lot. P
Since I broke my arm, you don't play with me anymore. P
That's okay. I just wanted to say good-bye before I leave. P
Your mom will throw me away tomorrow. P
Surprised, Randy picked up the action figure. P
"I remember you, Super Dude!" P
He looked more handsome than NEW Super Dude but sadder. P
Randy felt sorry about the broken arm. P
"I'm really okay. I just had a very long, sound sleep. P
Now I'm getting ready to go to a roomier place. P
You want NEW Super Dude, don't you? Every kid does. P
"No! I like you more than NEW Super Dude. P
I am very happy with you now. P
I guess I can fix your arm," said Randy. P
He taped Super Dude's arm. P
"Thank you! I feel better. P
I have to say good-bye anyway," said Super Dude. P
"I will tell my mom that I don't want NEW Super Dude anymore. P
I'll play with you. Super Dude smiled, "Okay. P
Then, I'll take you with me when I go on the next space trip against the aliens. P
"That's cool!" said Randy. P
His fantastic space adventure with Super Dude continued in his dream. P
Unit 10 Barbie
Barbie is the world's best-selling doll ever. P
The first Barbie came out in 1959. P
It was made by Ruth Handler who named the doll after her own daughter. P
Mattel Inc., a toy manufacturer, made this doll as popular as it is today. P
Back then, though, Barbie was quite different. P
The first Barbie doll wore only a swimsuit. P
It was black and white like a zebra. P
Barbie had a ponytail with curly bangs. P
Her hair was either blond or brown. P
Later, it became quite colorful. P
Her wardrobe also changed enormously. P
Barbie dolls became so popular that many people began collecting them. P
In 1980, an international collection was released. P
The dolls were dressed in traditional clothes from the countries they represented. P
Various other collections have been released through the years. P
The highest-selling Barbie in history, Totally Hair Barbie, was released in 1992. P
It featured extra-long hair that reached from her head to her toes. P
It is still one of the most popular Barbie dolls. P
Some Barbie dolls are very rare. P
The rare ones are very expensive, especially the ones that have not been removed from their cases. P
Those that are treated with good care may one day become valuable collector's items. P
Unit 11 Why Native Americans Are Called Indians
Almost everyone knows that Christopher Columbus discovered the so-called "New World. P
This "New World" included North and South America and the Caribbean Islands. P
The people living in these regions at the time were mistakenly called "Indians. P
Here's why. In 1492, Columbus made his famous sea voyage to find valuable goods for the Queen of Spain. P
In reality, he was trying to find a new sea route to India. P
After sailing for many days and nights, he found land between Europe and India. P
When he went ashore, the natives greeted him. P
Columbus thought he landed in India, so he called the natives, Indians. P
The land he found was later named America. P
The natives that greeted him were not Indians. P
They were Native Americans. Columbus had made a mistake. P
The mistake has not been corrected to this day. P
Many people still call all Native Americans, Indians. P
Some Native Americans even call themselves Indians. P
To avoid offending anyone, you should ask a Native American if he or she minds being called an Indian. P
Perhaps just avoid the use of the word when speaking to them. P
The original people of America were from hundreds of different tribes. P
Many of these tribes did not speak the same language or share similar cultures. P
Perhaps that is why many Native Americans today like to be called by the name of their tribes. P
For example, they say, "We are the Lakota people. P
Some call us the Sioux. It is important to call native people by the right name. P
How would you feel if people called you by the wrong name? P
Unit 12 Totem Poles
A totem pole is a piece of artwork that tells a story. P
The native people of North America, who live near the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, make totem poles. P
Totem poles are carved from large trees, mostly red cedar trees. P
Eagles, ravens, wolves, bears, beavers, whales, and salmon are carved into the poles. P
Some of the totem poles are short and some are tall. P
The tallest ones are more than 40 meters in height. P
Each pole tells a story about a family or a legend of the native people. P
Totem poles help native families remember stories. P
Parents tell the stories to their children. P
The children learn them like poems. P
They learn these stories before they are able to write them down. P
Making one of these totem poles is a big job. P
The artist must first lay the tree down and then begin to remove the bark. P
Next, the artist draws animals onto the tree before beginning to carve it by hand. P
Finally, the totem pole is painted. P
After this, many people help in the raising of the pole so that it can stand upright. P
They push and pull until it gets into a standing position. P
When this is finished, they have a ceremony to celebrate. P
No one is quite sure when the first totem pole was made. P
Because they are made of wood, they decay over time, so it is difficult to prove when they were made. P
However, the oral history of northwestern Native Americans states that totem poles have existed in those cultures for a very long time. P
Unit 13 The Discovery
John lived with his parents in a simple house at the end of River Street. P
His dad worked really hard to put food on the table. P
His mom was too sick to work. John wondered how he could help his parents. P
He started selling newspapers and mowing the neighbors' lawns, but nothing he did was ever enough. P
One day, John heard about a man who discovered new species of plants. P
The man became very famous and many companies offered him good jobs. P
John thought, "If I found new species of insects, I could become like him! P
I could help my parents make things better at home!" P
John always wanted to become a biologist, so bug hunting was what he was good at. P
Every day after school, John went to the park to search for new insects. P
Weeks and months went by. Still John found nothing. P
He thought about giving up when, suddenly, something moved under the blade of grass he was staring at. P
During his investigation, John found the weirdest looking creature ever. P
It looked like a tiny turtle, but it wasn't. P
This creature had three wings, five eyes, six legs, and it was purple and green. P
John ran home shouting, "I found it! I found it!" Nobody knew what it was. P
But whatever it was, it made John very happy. P
He decided to call it "Bugjohn." P
A nearby university gave him a job researching new bugs. P
John received just enough money to help his family. P
This brought him comfort, knowing that he was a contributor to his household. P
His dad was able to relax a little, and his mom was able to get better treatment. P
After that, the family became very happy. P
Unit 14 Accidental Success
Success may seem simple at times. P
However, it is not reached without some effort. P
One Man's Mistake Is Another Man's Inspiration P
They are used to post messages on walls, books, and fridges, among other things. P
We also use them to flag pages in books. P
If you haven't guessed it yet, we are talking about Post-it Notes. P
Spencer Silver worked at 3M Laboratories. P
In 1968, he made a new glue paste. P
It was weaker than anything 3M made at the time. P
When this glue was stuck to an object, it did not hold. It easily came apart. P
Spencer was disappointed because he was not able to find any use for this new glue. P
The glue sat there for four years. Arthur Fry was another 3M scientist. P
He was a choir member at his church. P
He used strips of paper as markers for his pages in his hymnal, but they kept falling out. P
He remembered Spencer's glue and coated his markers with it. P
The markers were held in place, and didn't rip. P
The Post-it Note was born. Today, it's one of the most popular office products. P
A Boy Can Be an Inventor. Frank Epperson was only eleven years old. P
One day, he mixed a drink of soda water, powder, and water. P
That was a popular drink in 1905. P
For some reason, he did not drink all of it. P
He left it out on the back porch overnight. P
The drink froze with the stirring stick in it. P
Eighteen years later, Frank remembered the incident and began selling frozen sodas on a stick. P
He called it an "Ep-sicle." There were seven fruit flavors that people loved. P
Ep-sicles became extremely popular. He then changed the name to "Popsicle." P
In 1925, Epperson sold his brand name Popsicle to another company. P
Today, the Popsicle family has more than 30 delicious variations. P
Popsicles remain popular with kids and adults today. P
Unit 15 An Invitation from Treasure Land
"I have a red ticket to Treasure Land. P
I am invited!" Bella held the ticket tightly! P
Treasure Land was a theme park. P
The park had been under construction for five years. P
There was going to be a grand opening celebration. P
They announced that five red entrance tickets were hidden in five books at the Central Children's Library. P
Whoever got one of the tickets could enter Treasure Land on the opening day. P
No one else, except the five, could get special tickets for that day. P
The library was busy as always. P
Some greedy kids made a mess everywhere trying to find the tickets. P
Bella was 10 and loved reading. P
Her family was so poor that she couldn't afford books. P
As a result, she went to the library every day to read. P
She read about 100 books a month on average. P
She had never been to a theme park before. P
She always envied those who had. P
Her knowledge about theme parks was from reading. P
She read about sweet-smelling cotton candy, frightening roller coasters, peaceful merry-go-rounds, playful clowns, and happy families. P
Bella did not expect to be invited at all. P
Surprisingly, she found one of the red tickets in the thick encyclopedia she was using. P
The words were written in gold. They shone like jewels. P
The ticket read, "Congratulations! You're invited to Treasure Land on the opening day. P
You are one of five. You will have incredible fun and will never forget this fantastic experience!" P
She read those words several times. P
She asked the librarian if the ticket was real. P
The librarian smiled, "Bella, yesterday we found a fake ticket. P
It looked real, but it turned out to be fake. P
This is the last of the real ones. You are very lucky!" P
On the opening day, Bella put on her best pants and shiny shoes. P
As she got to the gate, trumpets were played and many people came to see the five special guests. P
Bella closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and made her first step onto the red carpet. P
Unit 16 Disneyland Opens on Mars
Mars Disneyland Extending Opening Hours Tuesday, September 6, 2000 P
Mars Disneyland said that it is considering extending its opening hours because of the long lines. P
"The lines were really long during the rehearsals," said spokesman Henry Watson on Monday. P
"We don't want to make our visitors feel bored. P
We are thinking of opening for longer hours and adding more shows. P
We are hoping to give our visitors a better experience." P
Mars to Launch Stamps to Mark Disneyland Opening Saturday, September 10, 2020 P
The postal authority on Mars will launch a series of stamps with Disney characters on Monday, the day Mars Disneyland opens. P
Pictures of Mickey Mouse in a magician's outfit, Dumbo with a feather in his trunk, Pluto with his dog bowl, P
and Simba and Nala from The Lion King will all be on the stamps. P
There will also be a Mars Disneyland envelope with the image of Buzz from Toy Story. P
All stamps and envelopes will be available in the Mars Disneyland gift shop by the end of the month. P
On-line purchases will be available from October. P
Mickey Mouse Arrives on Mars Monday, September 12, 2020 P
"Now, I declare Mars Disneyland officially open!" said Disney's Chief Executive. P
Mickey Mouse and his Disney friends have already arrived at their newest home on Mars. P
At this time, children and Disney characters from Earth are on stage singing "It's a Small World" in multiple languages. P
During its first year, more than 5 million visitors are expected to come through these doors. P
It seems as if Mars is under the spell of "Disney Magic." P
The government hopes that Mars Disneyland will create more jobs, a necessary booster to the economy. P