2 Lesson 1 - Reading

Figure skating is not one of my favorite sports, but my older sister is a huge fan. P

She's been to almost every U.S championship, and she even thought about actually becoming a figure skater when she was younger. P

One of her favorite moves is the triple axel. P

This is when the athlete twirls in the air 3 times and then lands perfectly on ice. P

I can barely walk with my skates on! How could they twirl in the air? P

My sister's favorite skater is Michelle Kwan. P

My sister tells me that Michelle has the most elegant moves on the ice. P

I just want to know how it's possible for her to spin so fast on ice! P

2 Lesson 2 - Conversation

I love Michelle Kwan! I think she's the best skater ever! P

Really? I don't really watch figure skating all that much. P

You have to watch her performance. I have a ticket to Stars on Ice, you want to come? I heard all the medalists come out to perform. P

Yes. I bet it's going to be great! P

Michelle Kwan will be the opener for the show. P

When is the ice show? P

It's scheduled for next weekend. P

Should I bring my camera? P

Sorry, no cameras allowed at this show. P

Aw, okay. That's fine. P

2 Lesson 3 - Reading

My dream is to be a famous zoologist just like my dad. P

I want to study all different types of animal life and help save the endangered species. P

When I grow up, I'm going to travel to Africa and study the natural habitats of wild animals. P

Hopefully, my work will let others know that we can't survive without these animals. P

We need to make sure that these animals are not harmed by our greed for more land and more money. P

If we don't stop destroying our environment, we may never again be able to go on safaris or watch the dolphins dance. P

I'm going to make sure that this doesn't happen in the future. P

In order to be a zoologist, I will need to study harder in school and read more books about the animals and the plants that inhabit our planet. P

2 Lesson 4 - Conversation

Are you ready for career day tomorrow? P

I have been thinking about it a lot, and I really am ready now. P

Well, what do you want to be when you grow up? P

I want to be a zoologist. P

Really? Why is that? P

I think what they do is very important. P

What do they do? P

They study the earth's animals and plants, and teach people how to live responsibly on the planet. P

That seems very important. P

I think so. P

Maybe I should do the same thing. P

Why? P

Well, we are going to need at least two people doing work that important. P

I think you are right. P

2 Lesson 6 - Reading

I like to paint my nails pink. If your nails are too long, they don't look clean. P

At home, I use the nail clippers to trim my nails. But sometimes, I follow my mom to the nail salon. P

That's where grownups get their manicures and pedicures done. P

They get rid of their cuticles and put all sorts of color on their nails. P

My mom's nail artist is called Sharon, too. P

Sometimes, she draws little flowers on my nails to make them look extra special. P

Grownups like to get a French manicure. That's when you paint the tip of your fingernails white. P

But why is it called the French manicure? Is it because the French love the manicure? P

2 Lesson 7 - Conversation

What on earth did you do to your nails? P

I got a manicure, see? P

They're all very red. P

All the girls in school are doing them. P

No wonder, I thought there was something different going on. P

I can't believe you just noticed. P

Sorry, I don't pay much attention to people's nails. P

That's mean. You should pay more attention to me. P

I will. As soon as I finish my project. P

I'd help you, but I don't want to ruin my manicure. P

2 Lesson 8 - Reading

My dream is to be the most fabulous designer in the world. P

I want to tour all parts of the world with the clothes and accessories I design. P

My favorite color is pink. If I were a world famous designer, I would design a lot of my clothes in pink. P

Designing is hard work. It takes a lot of creativity. You have to know what your customers want. P

You have to know what they like. Designing or creating something can be fun. P

I like to spend my time drawing picture of clothes I want to make. P

I hope that someday I will be able to sell my clothes in a boutique. P

Will you buy my clothes one day? P

2 Lesson 9 - Conversation

I can't wait to be a designer! P

What designer? P

A fashion designer. I'll travel all over the world with my collections. P

Really? I didn't know that designers get to travel so much. P

Of course they do, silly! How else would you show off your clothes? P

I'd definitely go to one of your shows, Sharon. You're a natural at it! P

Thanks. But I still have a long way to go. P

Who's your role model? P

My role model is designer named Choco. She's famous fashion designer. P

That's great. It's nice that you have role model. P

2 Lesson 11 - Reading

My dad loves it when I give him a massage on his shoulders. P

I try to follow what those ladies do at the Spa. P

I give my dad a cool lemonade with an umbrella. P

And when he's sitting with his newspapers on his resting chair, I help him relax by giving him the best massage in the world! P

My dad comes home tired from work, so I always try to make him feel more relaxed. P

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. His shoulders are wide, unlike mine. Maybe that's why they hurt all the time. P

My dad says that it's because he reads too much. P

I hope that they won't hurt so much. I want to lend him my shoulders whenever he's tired. P

2 Lesson 12 - Conversation

Let's have a lemonade stand this summer break! P

I can ask my mom to prepare the lemonade for us. P

That'd be great. Your mom makes the best lemonade ever! P

That she does! P

So can you ask your mom tonight if she can help us out? P

Sure, I'll do it tonight. P

Also, do you think we should sell any food? P

No, I don't think we should sell food. P

Why not? P

Food can go bad quickly in this hot weather. P

2 Lesson 13 - Reading

Computers are very important in our world. P

Most grownups say that they can't live without computers. P

My mom is a software engineer and she designs many different programs for kids like me. P

I help her out a lot by giving her suggestions and going over her programs. P

The last software she designed was an interactive learning program for history. P

I studied for most of my history class quizzes by using her program. P

With just one mouse click, I can obtain hundreds of pieces of information about the historical event of my choice! P

It helped me in reviewing the lessons learned in class and preparing for various tests. P

When I grow up, I want to be a software engineer just like my mom. P

2 Lesson 14 - Conversation

Hey! What are you doing? P

Oh hi. I am working on my history homework. P

Really! It looks like you're playing on your computer. P

Yeah, well that's what is neat about it. It's a computer program that lets me learn about any event in history that I'm interested in. P

That's so cool! I'd really like to learn more about the Civil War. P

I'm very interested in the Civil War too. It was a very important event in American history. P

We have been learning about the Civil War in school, but sometimes I would really like to learn more about a part I am really interested in. P

I know what you mean. I wanted to learn more details about the battle at Gettysburg, so I came home and looked it up on this program. P

2 Lesson 16 - Reading

I got into big trouble with my parents yesterday for chatting online for too long. P

My parents say that there was no internet when they were kids. P

They never got to chat over the internet with their friends! Imagine that! No internet? P

I couldn't imagine a world without chatting online. P

My friends and I usually don't speak over the phone. P

Instead, we just go online and type out our conversations through various messaging services. P

My parents set restrictions on my computer use. P

I'm not allowed to go online when they're not home and I can't use the computer past 8 o'clock. P

But they forgot just one thing: I still have text messaging with my cell phone! P

2 Lesson 17 - Conversation

Good morning. I'm glad to see you at school. P

Well I'm happy to see you too. P

You don't understand. I thought you were sick or something. P

Really? Why would you think that? P

You weren't online last night. P

Oh, now I understand. My parents said I was chatting online too much, so I'm on restriction. P

That's a drag. P

It certainly is. But I am not completely offline. P

I still have my phone! P

Thank goodness for text messaging. P

2 Lesson 18 - Reading

I should have just listened to my parents. P

During class, I was caught playing with my cell phone. P

My teacher confiscated my phone and she is not going to return it to me until I write a 300 word essay on why I should not play with a cell phone during class. P

I was only text messaging my friend! P

This is so unfair! But I have no other choice. P

If my parents find out, they're going to ground me for more than a week! P

I wouldn't be able to go outside for days. P

I had to listen to my teacher lecture about how cell phones are disruptive during class time. P

I just don't get it! Why are grownups so upset about kids using technology? P

2 Lesson 19 - Conversation

What are you doing? We don't have any homework tonight. P

You don't, but I sure do. P

What do you mean? P

I have to write a 300 word essay about text messaging friends during class. P

Wow. You are really on a roll. P

And that's not the worst part. P

What could be worse? P

If I don't write the essay my teacher is going to tell my parents. P

Oh no! That would really make them mad. P

Absolutely. I would be driven back to the dark ages. P

Life without technology sounds unbearable. P

You said it! P

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