Selection: B-56

B-56

Grade level: 2

Word count: 965 words

Author: R. Bender

Synopsis: A clever rat finds a way to hide from an angry cat. He cuts the fur from every rats' tail!

Excerpt: "The cat knows my tail is bare," the rat thought. "All the other rats in this village have fur on their tails. The cat can easily spot me." The rat wondered what he should do. But he was a wise rat. He soon had a plan.

Question: In this selection, which character is the wisest?

1. the rat
2. the cat
3. the cook
4. the cook's wife

Selection: B-30

B-30

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1093 words

Author: Adapted from a story by Michael H. Levitt.

Synopsis: The best leader isn't always the biggest or the strongest.

Excerpt: "So you think Dakota's mask is funny," said someone behind them. Everyone turned. It was Maka, the tall village chief.

"No, Maka," the kids said.

Maka added, "All kinds of animals come together. For this one night, they are all friends."

The kids were silent, listening to Maka. "Tonight is the night that animals will come together. We must be ready to help them pick their king. Our village will come together just as the animals do. We will all work and play together."

Question: Which two of the following statements about Maka are correct?

1. He was not happy when the other children made fun of Dakota.
2. He was a tall man who was the village chief.
3. He agreed that Dakota was too small to make a wolf mask.
4. He told Dakota to catch the wolf and bring it to the village.
5. He forced the wolf to become the leader of the animals.

Selection: B-51

B-51

Grade level: 2

Word count: 573 words

Author: R. Bender

Synopsis: There is an important lesson to be learned in a farmer's fields.

Excerpt: The third kind of plant was flax. The farmer's family did not eat it. So why did he plant it? Flax plants grew tall. In the fall, the farmer would cut them. Then the farmer would use dried flax to make nets.

Why did the farmer need nets? He used them to trap birds. During the winter, the farmer's family did not have much food. The farmer used nets to trap birds so his family could eat.

Question: Why did the farmer plant flax seeds?

1. So he would be able to feed his family in the winter.
2. So the birds would have plenty to eat.
3. Because his farm animals needed food to eat.
4. Because they grew faster than other kinds of seeds.

Selection: HiB-52

HiB-52

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1105 words

Author: Herodotus

Synopsis: Croesus was a powerful king. Solon was a wise man. One day, Croesus asked Solon, "Who is the happiest man?" Solon's answer is not what Croesus thought it would be.

Excerpt: King Croesus had everything that could make him happy. He had lands and houses and servants. He had fine clothes to wear and beautiful things to look at. He could not think of anything that he needed. "I am the happiest man in the world," he decided.

Many years passed. King Croesus was much older and much richer. At that time, another king rose to power in Asia. His name was Cyrus. Cyrus was the head of a great army. He marched through one country after another. He took over many a rich and old kingdom. Croesus, with all his wealth, could not defeat the mighty Cyrus. King Croesus' city was taken. His great palace was burned. His gardens and stables were destroyed. His many fine things were carried away, and he himself was thrown into prison.

Question: Read this excerpt. The change in the Croesus' mood from the first paragraph to the second can best be described as moving from

1. happy to sad.
2. weak to strong.
3. interested to bored.
4. lonely to joyful.

Selection: B-52

B-52

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1249 words

Author: R. Bender

Synopsis: This old story teaches a lesson about listening to good advice.

Excerpt: They boy had never seen the bear look so nice. "Where are you going?" the boy asked.

"Don't go! Don't go!" cried the boy. "If you do you will never come back! You have the most beautiful fur in the world. It is the kind of fur that people want to use as a rug. The people at the wedding will be sure to harm you and take your fur."

"Where are you going?" the boy asked the wolf.

"Don't go!" said the boy again. "Your fur is so thick and warm. Winter is not far off now. The people at the wedding will harm you. They will take your fur."

Next the boy met the fox.

"You look very fine!" said the boy. "Are you going to the farmer's wedding?"

"You poor fellow," said the boy. "Take my advice. Stay at home. The farmer's dogs will tear you to pieces. They will be harming you to get your fur."

Question: In what way are the bear, the fox, and the wolf alike?

1. They all are in danger of being harmed by the people at the wedding.
2. They all change their minds about going to the wedding after talking with the boy.
3. They all got up early to brush their fur before the wedding.
4. They all met the boy for the first time when they went to the wedding.
5. They all decided to ignore the boy's advice and go to the wedding.

Selection: HiB-20

HiB-20

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1134 words

Author: Frank Scott York

Synopsis: Myles meets a mysterious swimmer while on a camping trip with his friends.

Excerpt: "I thought you'd be out there looking for her," he said, smiling. "No luck today?"

Myles stared at him. "I just left her," he said. "She lives in that big house on the other side of the lake."

The old man's smile faded. "No one has lived in the house across the lake in 10 years, not since the day the girl vanished." He shook his head. "I've been standing here watching you swim alone in the lake," he said. "There was no one else in the water but you."

Myles turned and looked out over the water. The sun was high now, and the girl was gone, somewhere in the brightness of the glittering lake.

Question: There are many ghost stories in cultures all over the world. Many ghost stories have strange things that happen in them, and they often take place in a lonely or quiet area with old buildings nearby. This selection can be called a ghost story because it tells about a

1. girl whom only certain people see, a quiet lake, and an old, empty house.
2. deep forest, a popular general store, and a man who tells stories.
3. young man, a busy vacation spot, and a bad accident.
4. camping trip, a bad decision, and three friends who run out of food.

Selection: B-14

B-14

Grade level: 2

Word count: 934 words

Author: Amie Leavitt

Synopsis: Jane Goodall is an expert on chimps and one of nature's greatest friends.

Excerpt: During her trip, Goodall met a man named Louis Leakey. He was a scientist who studied the natural world. He studied fossils, animals, and plants. Leakey was impressed with Goodall's love of nature. So he hired her to work with his group of scientists.

At first, Goodall worked as a secretary. Then Leakey gave her other tasks to do. He could see that she had great potential as a scientist.

Question: Louis Leakey was most impressed with Goodall's

1. love of nature.
2. kindness.
3. sense of humor.
4. ability to work with others.

Selection: B-21

B-21

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1150 words

Author: Amie Leavitt

Synopsis: Sister volcanoes: twice the fun, and twice the danger.

Excerpt: Native American groups said the mountain was a sacred place. They did not climb to the top. They were afraid that doing so might upset their gods.

Question: Native Americans did not climb to the top of Mount Rainier because

1. they thought it might make the gods angry.
2. English settlers were living at the top.
3. they thought the mountain was too small to climb.
4. the mountain constantly erupted with lava.

Selection: B-8

B-8

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1022 words

Author: Elizabeth Holman

Synopsis: Animals form partnerships as if their lives depend on it--because they do.

Excerpt: When the shrimp digs a hole, it must get rid of the extra sand. That means it must go out into the open sea and dump it. And going out into the open sea means danger. That's when the goby fish helps. The fish will stand guard at the hole while the shrimp takes the sand away. The shrimp always keeps a part of its body touching the fish. If the fish sees trouble on the way, it will start to flap its tail. Then it will dart into the hole.

Question: A goby fish will warn a shrimp when danger is near. Which two of the following warnings does the fish provide?

1. The fish moves its tail from side to side.
2. The fish swims quickly into a hole.
3. The fish creates bubbles in the water.
4. The fish swims in circles.
5. The fish sways its head from side to side.

Selection: B-15

B-15

Grade level: 2

Word count: 1069 words

Author: Kate Carter

Synopsis: How to make your school environmentally friendly, one step at a time.

Excerpt: Now that we're outside, let's talk about the best thing you can do to help your school go green. Have a Walk Ride Day each month. That's a day when students, parents, teachers--everyone--agrees to walk, ride a bike, take a bus or subway, or share a ride to school. This is a win for everyone. You get exercise and have fun. Your school's neighborhood gets cleaner air.

Question: How does sharing a ride to school help the environment?

1. You will use only one car, so you save gas and cause less pollution.
2. While you ride to school, you can talk to your friends.
3. Riding in a car is faster than walking or riding a bike, so you will arrive at school earlier.
4. Riding in a car means you can do your homework on the way to school.