LEVEL 1 PART 2 (31-90)

Article #31        Flowers

I go to the movies almost every week. 

There are hundreds of different types of flowers. 

Most people like roses. 

Roses grow on bushes, and they smell beautiful. 

You have to be careful that you don't prick your finger on a rose thorn. 

Roses come in many colours. 

There are red, pink, yellow and white roses. 

In the spring, tulips are in bloom. 

In Ottawa, there are many tulips. 

Some people go there just to see all the tulips in the spring. 

Forget-me-nots are also spring flowers. 

They are tiny and blue. 

Lilies of the valley look like white bells. 

Many of the trees have blossoms on them in the springtime. 

The apple and cherry trees look particularly beautiful when they are in blossom. 

We have a blossom festival in my town. 

My neighbors like to plant geraniums, petunias and marigolds in the summer. 

Some people plant sunflowers. 

Sunflowers grow very tall. 

Sometimes a girl will get an orchid for her date. 

They have bright yellow petals. 

All of those flowers grow best in the sunshine. 

If your garden is shady, you have to plant different things. 

Hostas grow well in a shady garden. 

Chrysanthemums are fall flowers. 

Chrysanthemums come in many colours also. 

There are purple, yellow and white chrysanthemums. 

Flowers are good to give as gifts. 

Women like to receive a dozen roses on Valentine's Day. 

Carnations also make a nice gift. 

They have a very sweet smell. 

Many people give away lilies for Easter. 

Poinsettias are very festive at Christmas time. 

If someone goes to a dance, they often give their partner a flower to wear. 

If you go to a wedding, you will probably see a lot of flowers there. 

Flowers help to make places beautiful.

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Article #32        The Shopping Mall

There are many different stores in the shopping mall. 

There are ladies' wear stores. 

They sell dresses, blouses, and many kinds of clothes for women. 

In the men’s wear stores there are suits, ties, shirts and slacks. 

There are also clothing stores that appeal just to teenagers. 

Some clothing stores only sell childrens' clothes. 

There is even a store that just sells bathing suits and cover-ups for the beach or pool. 

There are lingerie stores that sell ladies' underwear and nightwear. 

There are hardware stores that sell tools. 

There are shoe stores. 

You buy shoes and boots in a shoe store. 

There are bookstores. 

You can buy a book on almost any topic at the bookstore. 

There are stores that sell compact discs. 

Those stores also have tapes and videos. 

There are sports stores that sell special shoes and clothes for sports. 

They also sell sports equipment, and t-shirts and hats with the logo of your favorite

teams. 

There are gift stores that sell all kinds of things that someone might want for their house. 

There are kitchen stores where you can buy utensils and pots and pans. 

Those kinds of stores also sell aprons and napkins, and anything you might need for

your kitchen. 

There is a movie theatre at the mall. 

There is a jewellery store that has a lot of gold and silver jewellery. 

There is a hairdresser in the mall. 

Sometimes, I go in there to get my hair cut. 

There are fast food places in the mall. 

You can get a quick lunch like a hamburger or some french fries. 

There are also fancier restaurants in the mall. 

You can sit down for a nice meal. 

There is a furniture store in the mall. 

You could buy a new sofa or bed at the furniture store. 

There are bulk food stores. 

At a bulk food store, all the foods are in bins. 

You take as much as you want and pay for it at the counter. 

There is even a telephone store and an electronics store at the mall. 

My brother's favorite store is the toy store. 

He could spend hours in there. 

There are also department stores at the mall. 

Department stores sell all kinds of things. 

They sell perfume, clothes, shoes, kitchen utensils, or just about anything you might

need. 

You can get almost anything you want at the shopping mall.

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Article #33        Travel

It is fun to take a trip to a faraway place. 

My brother just went to Italy and France. 

He got on a plane at Toronto Airport. 

He took a flight to France. 

He stayed there for a couple of days. 

He visited the Eiffel Tower. 

He was in Paris. 

He said that he enjoyed the food in France. 

He then traveled to Italy. 

He saw many towns and villages in Italy. 

He went to Rome and visited many of the tourist attractions. 

In Venice, he saw the canals. 

He tried to speak Italian, but he is not too good at it. 

He said that the people were very helpful. 

They tried to understand him. 

He bought souvenirs for us when he was in Italy. 

He ate Italian food. 

He said that pizza in Italy is quite different from the pizza we eat here in Canada. 

He saw many streets that were made of cobblestones. 

He saw many old buildings. 

A lot of people in Italy travel around on scooters. 

He stayed at a very nice hotel in Italy. 

He was sorry when it was time to come home. 

My brother likes to travel. 

He likes to fly in airplanes. 

The airlines lost his luggage once. 

He was not too pleased about that. 

Next year, he would like to travel to England.

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Article #34        The Farm

My uncle is a farmer. 

He lives on a farm. 

He has many different types of animals. 

In the barn, there are horses and cows. 

The cows swish the flies away from themselves with their tails. 

It sounds very loud if a cow says "moo" when you are standing there.  

The cows eat the grass from my uncle's field. 

He gets milk from the cows. 

I put a saddle on one of the horses and went for a ride. 

There are pigs in the pigpen. 

He has goats. 

He says that the goats will eat just about anything. 

He has a chicken coop with chickens in it. 

The chickens lay eggs. 

Have you ever seen baby chicks? 

They are very cute. 

My uncle collects the eggs every morning. 

There is a rooster too. 

The rooster crows when the sun comes up. 

My uncle also has a goose. 

The goose makes a honking noise. 

I don't think that the goose likes me. 

It nips me when I go near it. 

Many cats live in my uncle's barn. 

They are stray cats, but he lets them stay there because they keep the mice away. 

My uncle feeds the cats. 

My uncle says that he would like to get some sheep for his farm. 

You can get wool from sheep. 

There are a lot of animals on my uncle's farm.

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Article #35        Transportation (1)

Every family that I know has at least one car. 

Some families have two, or even three cars. 

Most people get their licence to drive when they are sixteen. 

In my house, we just have one car. 

If my father takes the car to work, my mother will take the bus. 

I ride in a school bus to school. 

My sister works in another town. 

She gets on the train to go to work. 

The train station is not far from my house. 

The train tracks run right by my house. 

My grandfather from Ireland came to visit us. 

He came over by boat. 

He had to cross the ocean. 

We went to Florida last year. 

We flew on a plane. 

The plane flew right through the clouds. 

My friend's brother drives a motorcycle. 

He wears a helmet. 

I rode on his motorcycle once. 

I had to sit on the back and hold on tight. 

I ride my bicycle when the weather is nice. 

I also have a scooter that I use to travel around. 

I took a helicopter ride once. 

The helicopter's propellers were going around when I got on. 

It went straight up in the air. 

I enjoyed the ride. 

I would like to learn how to fly a plane or a helicopter. 

I like flying through the air.

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Article #36        Holidays

In Canada, we have many different days that we celebrate. 

On the first day of January, there is New Year's Day. 

That is when we ring in the new year, and say goodbye to the old year. 

In February, there is Valentine's day. 

That is the day when you tell your girlfriend or boyfriend that you love them. 

You can buy them flowers or candy, or take them out to dinner. 

In March, there is Saint Patrick's Day. 

Everyone pretends that they are Irish on Saint Patrick's day. 

They all wear green. 

Easter comes in the spring. 

Easter is a religious holiday. 

Some people celebrate by going to church. 

Some people think that the Easter bunny comes and leaves chocolate eggs for them. 

In May, there is Victoria Day. 

We celebrate this day in honour of England's Queen Victoria. 

There are fireworks on Victoria Day. 

July the first is Canada Day. 

In September, there is Labour Day. 

This is the day that we honour the working man or woman. 

In October, there is Thanksgiving. 

We give thanks for all the things that we are fortunate enough to have. 

We usually have a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day. 

On the last day of October, there is Halloween. 

The children dress up in costumes, and go from door to door collecting candies. 

Remembrance day is in November. 

People wear red poppies, and they remember all the people that died for their country. 

Christmas comes in December. 

Christmas is also a religious holiday, but many children believe that Santa Claus arrives

on Christmas Eve in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. 

They believe that Santa Claus fills up their stockings with toys and goodies. 

He gets in and out of people's houses through their chimneys. 

We don't get off work or school for all of these days, but many of them are holidays from

work and school.

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Article #37        Diseases

Some diseases are very deadly, and some are not so serious. 

Most people catch a cold sometimes. 

A cold makes you cough and sneeze. 

Colds can be passed on from person to person. 

Some people get the flu. 

With the flu, you get chills and a fever. 

A fever is a high temperature. 

If you have the flu, you will feel very bad. 

You have to stay home in bed. 

There are diseases that children get. 

The mumps makes you have lumps in your neck. 

Chicken pox and measles leave you with red itchy dots on your skin. 

Older people sometimes get arthritis. 

Their bones get stiff and sore. 

There are people who get heart disease. 

In many cases, a healthy lifestyle can prevent heart disease. 

Cancer can attack different parts of the body. 

Many smokers get lung cancer. 

Some diseases are treated with pills or medicine. 

Other diseases need to be treated in the hospital. 

Sometimes doctors need to give you tests to find out what kind of disease you have. 

The doctor might have to do a blood test or an x-ray to find out what is wrong with you. 

Most diseases can be cured by a doctor.

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Article #38        Jobs

There are many different jobs that you can choose from. 

You can be a doctor or a nurse. 

You could work in a hospital or doctor's office. 

You might be a firefighter and put out fires. 

A policeman enforces the law. 

An actor plays roles on stage or in the movies. 

You could drive a taxi or be the pilot of an airplane. 

What kinds of things do you like to do? 

You might want to be a sales clerk in a store. 

Maybe you are good at a sport. 

You could be a baseball player or a hockey player. 

Being a dentist is a good job. 

A dentist fixes teeth. 

If you are good at arguing, you might want to be a lawyer. 

Do you like to fix people's hair? 

You could be a hairdresser or a barber. 

If you are good with your hands, you might want to be a carpenter or a mechanic. 

If you like to travel, you could be a stewardess or a travel agent. 

You could be a teacher or a photographer. 

Are you artistic or creative? 

You might want to be an artist or a writer. 

You could work on construction and build houses. 

You could look after animals and be a veterinarian. 

If you like to cook, you could be a cook or a chef. 

There are so many places to work, and so many jobs to do. 

Maybe you could fix computers or work in a library. 

You could wash windows or be the captain of a ship. 

There is no limit to what you can be.

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Article #39        My Body

On the top of my head, I have hair. 

Below my hair is my face. 

I have two eyes. 

I have eyebrows and eyelashes. 

Below my eyes, I have a nose. 

My mouth is below my nose. 

I have lips. 

If I open my lips, you will see my teeth and my tongue. 

Below my mouth is my chin. 

On the sides of my head, I have two ears. 

My cheeks are on either side of my nose. 

My neck holds up my head. 

My neck attaches my head to my chest. 

On either side of my chest are my shoulders. 

My arms hang down from my shoulders. 

I have wrists on my arms. 

My hands are attached to my wrists. 

My fingers are part of my hands. 

I have ten fingers and ten fingernails. 

My back is at the back of me. 

Further down, there is my waist. 

If I wear a belt, I put it on my waist. 

My hips are below my waist. 

My legs come down from my hips. 

My legs are made up of my thighs, my knees and my calves. 

My knees can bend. 

My ankles are below my legs. 

My feet are attached to my ankles. 

My toes are part of my feet. 

I have ten toes and ten toenails. 

I am me from the top of my head to the tip of my toes.

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Article #40        Clothing

I change my clothes a lot. 

If I am going somewhere fancy, I wear a dress. 

I wear stockings on my legs, and I wear a pair of nice shoes. 

If I am going to play sports, I wear a sweatshirt and jeans. 

If I am going to the beach, I wear a bathing suit or a bikini. 

My brother wears swimming trunks to the beach. 

At work, I wear a skirt and a blouse. 

Underneath my clothes, I wear underwear. 

A lady wears a bra and panties as underwear. 

A man wears boxer or jockey shorts as underwear. 

Today, I am wearing a blouse and a pair of jeans over my underwear. 

I have socks and shoes on my feet. 

In the summer, I often wear sandals on my feet. 

In the summer, the tops that I wear are usually sleeveless. 

I usually wear shorts in the summer. 

Sometimes, I wear a sweater or a jacket if the weather is cool. 

I wear a cap or a hat on my head. 

I wear a belt to hold up my jeans or my slacks. 

Women sometimes wear a dress or a skirt. 

Men wear a pair of slacks and a shirt. 

Some men wear a suit and a shirt and tie. 

If it is very cold outside, I wear a winter coat. 

If it is cold, I like to wear gloves or mittens on my hands. 

Sometimes, I wrap a scarf around my neck to keep warm. 

I wear a toque on my head in cold weather. 

I wear boots on my feet in the winter. 

If it is raining, I wear a raincoat. 

The way that I dress depends a lot on the weather.

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Article #41        Colors

Red is a vibrant color. 

Roses are sometimes red. 

Blood is red. 

White is the color of snow. 

Clouds are very often white. 

Blue is the color of the sky and the ocean. 

Black isn't really a color at all. 

Tar is black. 

A crow is black. 

Green is the color of grass. 

It is also the color of leaves on the trees in the summer. 

Brown is the color of dirt. 

Many people have brown hair. 

Yellow is a bright color. 

Most people use yellow when they draw a picture of the sun. 

Orange is an easy color to remember, that is because an orange is orange. 

Pink is the color that we dress baby girls in. 

We dress baby boys in blue. 

Purple is the color of some violets. 

The Canadian flag is red and white. 

What color is your flag?

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Article #42        Wild Animals

Some animals are wild. 

They don't live in homes or cages. 

They live in jungles or on plains. 

The lion is the king of the beasts. 

He is very mighty. 

He roars loudly. 

The giraffe has a long neck. 

He eats leaves from the tallest trees. 

The elephant is very large. 

He has a trunk and two tusks. 

A tiger has stripes. 

Some bears are black, and some are brown. 

There are even white bears called polar bears. 

A kangaroo lives in Australia. 

That is the only place that you would find a kangaroo, except in a zoo. 

It might be frightening to run into a wolf or a fox. 

Monkeys run and play in the trees. 

In Canada, we don't see lions, tigers, giraffes or monkeys running wild. 

There are squirrels in my back yard. 

Sometimes, I see a raccoon or a chipmunk. 

In northern Ontario, you might see a moose or a bear. 

I have seen a deer in the forest. 

There are many wild animals. 

You can see wild animals if you go to the zoo.

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Article #43        Months

There are twelve months in the year. 

January is the first month of the year. 

It is usually cold in January. 

February is the second month of the year. 

It is still winter when February comes. 

They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. 

That means that it is still usually cold, and sometimes stormy when March begins. 

By the time that March ends, the weather is starting to get a little better. 

April is the rainy month. 

April showers bring May flowers. 

Many of the spring flowers bloom in May. 

The weather can be quite mild in May. 

June is usually a nice warm month. 

Many people get married in June. 

July can be hot. 

People have vacations in July. 

It is a month to do summer things. 

It is still summer in August, but the summer is winding down. 

August is the time to have last minute vacations. 

In September, we go back to school. The autumn winds begin to blow. 

October really feels like autumn. 

October is Halloween time. 

November is when we really start to feel the chill. 

December is the Christmas month. 

Most people do a lot of Christmas shopping in December. 

They spend quite a bit of time getting ready for Christmas. 

All of the months are different. Which month were you born in?

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Article #44        Days of the Week

There are seven days of the week. 

Sunday is a day of rest for some people, but many people still have to work. 

Quite a few people go to church on a Sunday. 

On Monday morning, we go back to school after the weekend. 

Many people say that they don't like Monday because it is the beginning of the work

week. 

Tuesday is a school day and a working day. 

I don't think that there is anything special about a Tuesday. 

Wednesday is the middle of the work week. 

On Thursday, many of the stores and malls stay open later. 

It gives you a chance to run some errands on a Thursday night. 

On Friday, you feel like the work week is nearly over. 

Some people say, "thank goodness it is Friday." 

They look forward to the weekend. 

On Saturday, many people can sleep in late. 

People get errands done on Saturday. 

You see a lot of people in the grocery store on a Saturday. 

Most children look forward to Saturday so that they can play with their friends. 

Then, Sunday comes again. 

The weeks turn into months, and the months turn into years. 

Time goes by quite quickly.

There are seven days of the week. 

Sunday is a day of rest for some people, but many people still have to work. 

Quite a few people go to church on a Sunday. 

On Monday morning, we go back to school after the weekend. 

Many people say that they don't like Monday because it is the beginning of the work

week. 

Tuesday is a school day and a working day. 

I don't think that there is anything special about a Tuesday. 

Wednesday is the middle of the work week. 

On Thursday, many of the stores and malls stay open later. 

It gives you a chance to run some errands on a Thursday night. 

On Friday, you feel like the work week is nearly over. 

Some people say, "thank goodness it is Friday." 

They look forward to the weekend. 

On Saturday, many people can sleep in late. 

People get errands done on Saturday. 

You see a lot of people in the grocery store on a Saturday. 

Most children look forward to Saturday so that they can play with their friends. 

Then, Sunday comes again. 

The weeks turn into months, and the months turn into years. 

Time goes by quite quickly.

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Article #45        Describing Things

Some things are different shapes. 

They can be described by their shape. 

A circle is round. 

A compact disc is a circle. 

A square has four equal sides. 

A rectangle is similar, but two of the sides are longer. 

A triangle has only three sides. 

Have you ever seen anyone play a triangle in an orchestra? 

The word "triangle" can stand for an instrument or a shape. 

An oval is rounded, but it is not round. 

An egg is an oval shape. 

The floor is flat. 

If something is smooth, it has no bumps or lumps 

Silk is smooth. 

Some things are rough. 

Sandpaper is rough. 

If something is dull, it is not sharp or pointed. 

A dull knife will not cut bread because the blade is not sharp. 

If something is pointed, it has a sharp end. 

A sharp pencil has a pointed end. 

A pencil that has been used a lot, and hasn't been sharpened has a dull end. 

Some things are soft. 

A teddy bear is soft. 

It feels good to touch. 

Some things are hard. 

A rock is hard. 

Soft can also represent a noise level. 

If you have a soft voice, it is not very loud. 

If someone tells you to speak softly, they want you to speak quietly. 

"Loud" is the word used to describe noises that hurt your ears. 

A big truck will make a loud noise. 

Sometimes your mother will tell you that your music is too loud.

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Article #46        Fruit

Some fruit grows on trees. 

Apples grow on trees. 

You can get red, yellow or green apples. 

Some apples are green until they ripen; then they turn red. 

Peaches grow on trees. 

Peaches have a fuzzy skin. 

Cherries grow on trees. 

You can climb a ladder and pick cherries from the tree. 

Cherries and peaches have pits inside them. 

The pits are not edible. 

Pears also grow on trees. 

Lemons grow on trees. 

They are very sour. 

Have you ever picked strawberries? 

Strawberries do not grow on trees. 

You have to bend down to pick strawberries. 

Have you ever tried strawberry shortcake? It is very good. 

Grapes grow on vines. 

People use grapes to make wine. 

There are many types of berries. 

There are blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and cranberries, just to name a few. 

Some fruits are more exotic. 

There are mangos and papayas. They don't grow in Canada. 

Bananas and oranges don't grow in a Canadian climate either, but we are able to buy

them here. 

Some fruits have to be peeled, and some can be eaten as they are. 

It is always a good idea to wash fruit before you eat it. 

The farmers spray the crops with pesticides to kill bugs, so it is good to wash that off.

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Article #47        Bugs

Many people are afraid of bugs. 

Some bugs do bad things like eating crops or clothes. 

Some bugs, such as termites, even eat wood. 

Other bugs can be good. Spiders catch flies. 

Flies are not good because they carry germs. 

Insects get caught in the web that the spider builds. 

Ants get into homes and eat food. 

Bees are good because honey comes from bees. 

It is not good if you get stung by a bee. 

A caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Butterflies can be very beautiful. 

You can find grasshoppers outside on a sunny day. Grasshoppers hop through the grass. 

Crickets make a noise by rubbing their legs together. 

Dragonflies usually live near water. They have large, colourful wings. 

Ladybugs are red with little black dots. 

There are many types of beetles. 

Nobody wants to have cockroaches in their house. 

Centipedes have many legs. 

Fleas get onto your pets and bite them. They make your dog or cat itchy. 

Mosquitoes can make you itchy when they bite you. 

Have you ever had a mosquito bite?

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Article #48        The Kitchen

The kitchen is where we make and eat our meals. 

There is a stove in the kitchen. 

Inside the stove there is an oven where you bake things. 

You can put a cake into the oven to bake. 

On top of the stove are burners. The burners get hot. 

You put pots or pans on the burners. 

The refrigerator is where we store the food that needs to be kept cold. 

We keep milk, eggs, cheese and vegetables in the refrigerator. 

At the top of the refrigerator is the freezer. 

The freezer keeps things frozen. 

We have frozen vegetables, ice cream and ice cubes in the freezer. 

We have a toaster in the kitchen. You put the bread in the toaster, and it turns into toast. 

We have an electric kettle. 

We boil water to make tea in the kettle. 

There is a double sink in the kitchen. That is where we wash the dishes. 

We turn on the hot tap, and put some dish detergent into the sink to wash the dishes. 

Sometimes we put the dishes into the dishwasher, and the dishwasher washes the

dishes. 

There are other things in the kitchen. 

There are utensils like knives, forks and spoons. 

There are tea towels and dish clothes. 

There are oven mitts and pot holders to take hot things out of the oven. 

There are pots to cook and boil things in. 

There are pans to fry things. 

We have dishes that we eat from. 

We have plates for our dinner, and bowls that we can put our soup in. 

We drink from cups, or coffee mugs, or glasses. 

We keep our juice in a pitcher or a jug. 

There is a timer that you can set when you are cooking. The timer buzzes when the food

is ready. 

We also have a microwave oven in the kitchen. 

If we are in a hurry, we cook our food in the microwave.

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Article #49        Vegetables

Vegetables are very good for you. 

They say that you should have three servings of vegetables every day. 

I like green peas. 

Peas come in pods. 

I also like snow peas. 

You eat the pods on the snow peas. 

I like corn when it is on the cob. 

Carrots are good to eat raw. 

Beans are good for you. 

There are many different types of beans. 

There are string beans, kidney beans, baked beans and lots of other types of beans. 

Some people don't like green vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. 

I like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. 

You can make a salad and put lots of different vegetables into the salad. 

In my salads, I like lettuce, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, radishes, cauliflower and spring

onions. 

I try to have a salad with dressing on it every day. 

My dad likes root vegetables like beets and parsnips. 

My brother will only eat potatoes. 

He likes his potatoes baked. 

My mother likes to buy her vegetables at the market. 

She says they are fresher there. 

My mother buys a lot of onions. 

She puts onions in almost all the meals that she cooks. 

Some children won't eat their vegetables. 

I didn't like some vegetables at first, but I have become used to them. 

I like having vegetables with my meals.

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Article #50        Pets

There are many different animals that you can have for pets. 

The most common pets are cats and dogs. 

I think the second most common pets are birds and fish. 

You can hug a cat or a dog. 

You can play with a cat or a dog, but it is difficult to play with a bird or a fish. 

Some birds are very smart, and they can be taught to do things. 

Parrots are very clever. 

Some of them even talk. 

Birds usually stay in birdcages. 

Fish have to stay in the water in a tank or a fishbowl. 

Some people have gerbils or guinea pigs as pets. 

There are even people who have ferrets as pets. 

I have a friend who has a lizard for a pet. 

She has to buy live crickets for her lizard to eat. 

Another friend of mine has a pet snake. 

I don't think I would like to have a pet snake. 

There are different types of dogs. 

Some dogs are very big, 

and some are small. 

A Labrador retriever is a big dog. 

A poodle is usually a small dog, although there are some large poodles. 

Some dogs are noisy, and they bark a lot. 

Other dogs are quiet and obedient. 

I once had a dog. 

It was a cocker spaniel. 

I used to take it for walks. 

There are different types of cats too. 

My favorite type of cat is a Siamese cat. 

Siamese cats have blue eyes. 

My mother had a Persian cat. 

It was very furry. 

My mother said that it used to shed fur all over the house. 

Pets are a lot of fun, but they are a lot of work too. 

To be a good pet owner, you have to be very responsible.

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Article #51        Parties

Parties can be a lot of fun. 

People get invited to parties. 

You can have a party because it is a special occasion, or just because you want to have a

party. 

Sometimes, people wear paper hats at parties. 

These are called party hats. 

Some people decorate with streamers and balloons. 

At some parties, there is a cake. 

Sometimes, there are just snacks and drinks. 

At some parties, people play games. 

There are also parties where people just stand around and talk. 

People wear different things to parties. 

You can go to some parties in casual clothes. 

At other parties, you need to be dressed up in good clothes. 

There are other parties where you are supposed to wear a costume. 

There are many different kinds of parties. 

There are Christmas parties, birthday parties, going away parties, and parties for no

reason at all. 

I have been to parties for people who are retiring, or for people who have just had a new

baby. 

There are hundreds of reasons for having a party. 

At some parties, you take a gift. 

If it is a birthday party, then you take a gift and a birthday card to the person who is

having the birthday. 

Sometimes, people will ask you to bring food or drinks to the party. 

All parties are different. 

It is nice to be invited to parties.

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Article #52        Grocery Shopping

What do you see when you go to the grocery store? 

The aisles are filled with food. 

There are also refrigerators and freezers filled with food. 

There are sometimes things in bins in the middle of the aisles. 

There are different departments in the grocery store. 

There is the bakery. 

In the bakery, there are sweet things such as cakes, pies, cookies and tarts. 

There are also things that you would eat with your dinner like bread and buns. 

There are other things in the bakery department like bagels and biscuits. 

The baker works in the bakery. 

There is the canned goods section. 

This is where you might find sauces and soups. 

Vegetables and fruits also come in cans. 

There is the section for dairy products. 

Here you would find milk and cream. 

The dairy section would also have cheese and butter. 

Yogurt is also found in the dairy section. 

In the meat department, there is beef and pork. 

Poultry is also found in the meat department. 

Poultry is chicken, duck and goose. 

There are also cold cuts in the meat department. 

Cold cuts are the meats that are sliced up for sandwiches. 

Some examples of cold cuts are ham and baloney. 

The butcher works in the meat department. 

The produce department is full of fruits and vegetables. 

Clerks spray water on the fruit and vegetables to keep them fresh. 

There is a section in the grocery store for personal hygiene. 

This is where you would find shampoo and toothpaste. 

Soap and skin products would also be in this section. 

There is even a section for your pets. 

You can buy cat food and dog food. 

Grocery Shopping

There are toys for cats and dogs.

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Article #53        Differences

Are you tall or short? 

Are you big or small? 

People come in many different shapes and sizes. 

Some people wear size small clothes. 

Other people wear size medium clothes. 

There are people who wear large size clothes. 

Some people even wear extra large clothes. 

Some people are thin. 

Some people are fat. 

Some people are in between. 

There are people with short hair. 

Other people have long hair. 

Some people have no hair at all. 

No two people are exactly alike. 

Some people have long legs. 

I have short legs. 

I don't walk as fast as a person with long legs. 

I am not a tall person. 

In fact, I am quite short. 

My feet are a size seven. 

My mother has size five feet. 

My father has size twelve feet. 

We are all different sizes. 

It is not a bad thing. 

It is a good thing that we are all unique.

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Article #54        The Restaurant

When you go to a restaurant you might see a sign that says, "Please wait to be seated." 

A host or hostess will ask you how many people are in your party. 

Then they will want to know if you want to sit in the smoking or non-smoking section. 

The host or hostess will take you to your seat. 

You might sit at a table or at a booth. 

The host or hostess will give you a menu to look at. 

Sometimes, there are different menus for different meals. 

There can be a breakfast menu, a lunch menu and a dinner menu. 

Sometimes, there is also a wine list and a dessert menu. 

The food and the prices of the food are listed on the menu. 

On your table, there will be cutlery. 

Cutlery is the knives, forks and spoons. 

There will also be a napkin. 

You are supposed to put your napkin on your lap when you eat. 

Your waiter or waitress will take your order. 

You might want an appetizer before your meal. 

Some people want a salad or soup before their meal. 

After your meal, you might have a dessert, or tea, or coffee. 

When it is time to go, you will pay your bill and leave a tip for the waiter or waitress.

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Article #55        Traffic

Traffic moves along on the streets and highways. 

There are rules that drivers must follow to make the traffic flow smoothly. 

You must wear a seatbelt. 

The seatbelt helps to keep you safe. 

You must stop at all stop signs. 

You must also stop at a red light. 

A green light means go, and a yellow light means to be careful. 

If you see a sign that says school crossing, you have to be careful because you are near

a school, and children might be crossing the street. 

Some places are crosswalks. 

Those are places where people cross the street. 

People who are walking have the right of way. 

If you hear a siren behind you, you must pull over. 

An emergency vehicle like a police car or an ambulance might need to get somewhere

fast. 

When a school bus puts on its flashing signals, you have to stop. 

You can't go past the school bus because children may be crossing the street from the

bus. 

You should always obey the speed limit. 

It is not good to drive too fast. 

People should never drink and drive. 

Driving is a serious business. 

You have to obey all the rules to be a good driver.

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Article #56        Music (1)

If you were in an orchestra, what would you play? 

Would you play a tuba, a trumpet or a saxophone? 

Perhaps you would prefer a stringed instrument like a violin or a cello. 

Maybe you would enjoy percussion more. 

You could play the kettle drum. 

There are instruments that have keyboards. 

A piano and an organ have keyboards. 

There are instruments that have strings on them. 

A guitar, banjo and mandolin have strings on them. 

There are instruments that you blow into. 

A flute, a French horn and a harmonica are all instruments that you blow into. 

There are instruments that you hit with a stick. 

A drum and a cymbal are two things that you would hit with a stick. 

If you are in an orchestra, you have to watch the conductor. 

He will lead you through the piece of music. 

You might just want to be in a band for fun. 

You could join a rock band or a dance band. 

Some people learn to read music. 

Music notes are written on a staff. 

Each note represents a sound. 

There are whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes. 

Each one of these is held for a different number of beats. 

It is good to learn about music. 

You have to learn your scales, and learn about sharps and flats. 

If you want to learn how to play an instrument, it is best to take music lessons.

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Article #57        Who, What, Where and Why?

These are important words. 

They are all words that begin questions. 

"Who" is about a person. 

Who is the girl with the blue dress on? 

Who stole my watch? 

Who will come with me to the game? 

Who is driving us to the party? 

"What" is about a thing. 

What is that big thing on the sidewalk? 

What should I do when I get to your house? 

What kind of clothes should I wear to the party? 

What shall I buy you for your birthday? 

"Where" is about a place. 

Where are you going for your vacation? 

Where did I leave my glasses? 

Where did my brother go? 

Where on earth is Timmins? 

"Why" is the word that asks for an explanation. 

Why did you take the last piece of pie?  

Why is the world round? 

Why should I give you any money? 

Why did the chicken cross the street? 

They say that you should answer all of these questions if you are writing a story. 

You have to give the who, what, where and why to write a good story.

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Article #58        Which Direction?

Which direction should I go in? 

Should I go up? 

If I go up, I will head toward the sky. 

I can go up the stairs. 

Should I go down? 

I can go down the stairs to the basement. 

I can climb down into a hole. 

Should I go left or right? 

I am right-handed, so I know which way right is. 

Should I go backwards? 

I would be going away from the things that I am facing now if I went backwards. 

If I went backwards from the thing that I am facing, I would go away from it. 

If I went backwards from the thing that I am facing, I would go away from it. 

Should I go forward? 

I will just go straight ahead if I go forward. 

If I am facing something and I go forward, then I will go toward the thing that I am facing. 

Maybe I should go sideways, but which side, left or right? 

It sounds very complicated, but it is not. 

Directions are very easy to follow if you just stop and think about them. 

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Article #59        The Office

Some people work in an office. 

There are special tools that people in an office need to do their work. 

There is a computer in the office. 

There is a telephone. 

Most of the time, the secretary answers the telephone. 

The secretary sits at a desk. 

The secretary has pens and pencils on the desk. 

The secretary writes on a note pad. 

Some other things that you would find in an office would include the following: a stapler

to staple pages together, a photocopier to copy pages, a pencil sharpener to sharpen

pencils, a water cooler where the employees could get a drink of water, a hole punch to

make holes in sheets of paper, and liquid paper which is used to blank out errors on a

page. 

Some offices have many employees in them. 

All of the employees have their own desks. 

Other offices just have one person at a desk. 

In some offices, there is a secretary or a receptionist, and then there is the boss in

another room. 

There are often many important papers in an office. 

Important papers can be called documents. 

You might have to sign a document or fill out a form in an office. 

Some offices have bookshelves filled with books. 

The books are filled with information that the people in the office need. 

You will have to visit an office sometime. 

Maybe it will be a doctor's office or a lawyer's office. 

There are many different types of offices.

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Article #60        Money

I keep my money in the bank. 

I have saved up my money. 

I saved all my pennies in a jar. 

A penny is only worth one cent. 

I have nickels. 

A nickel is worth five cents. 

A dime is worth ten cents. 

A quarter is worth twenty-five cents. 

A quarter is a quarter of a dollar. 

Four quarters make up a dollar. 

A dollar is worth one hundred cents. 

I saved up all of my dollars. 

Our dollars used to be paper, but now they are coins. 

We call our dollars loonies. 

It is a funny name. 

We also have two dollar coins. 

We call those toonies. 

We have five dollar bills and ten dollar bills. 

If you are lucky you will have twenty dollar bills, fifty dollar bills and even hundred dollar

bills. 

Our bills in Canada are different colours. That makes them easy to recognize if you go

somewhere to spend them. 

It is wise to save your money. 

If you save enough, you could have hundreds or thousands of dollars.

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Article #61        Manners

It is good to be polite. 

People like you more when you are polite. 

Always say please and thank you. 

If you ask for some milk, you should say, "Please, may I have a glass of milk?" 

When someone gives you the milk, you should respond with "Thank you." 

It is not difficult to be polite. 

You should not push or shove people. 

You should cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. 

You should address people properly. 

If you are trying to get someone's attention, you would say, "excuse me." 

You wouldn't say, "hey you." 

There are table manners. 

That is where you eat properly and politely at the dinner table. 

You don't shove food into your mouth. 

You don't reach over other people's plates. 

You don't talk with your mouth full. 

All of these things are common sense. 

Being polite is mostly thinking about how you would like to be treated. 

You wouldn't want people to be impolite to you. 

It is not polite to point at people. 

It is not polite to burp out loud. 

It is not polite to use someone else's things without asking first. 

Being polite just comes naturally if you have been brought up in a home where everyone

was polite.

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Article #62        The Two Sexes

There are two sexes or genders. 

There is the male gender, and there is the female gender. 

Males and females are different, both physically and mentally. 

Humans are both male and female, and animals are both male and female. 

If you have a dog, it is either a girl dog or a boy dog. 

Boys grow up to be men. 

Men grow hair on their faces. 

Men are usually more muscular than women. 

Men dress differently then women. 

Men are males. 

Males are masculine. 

Girls grow up to be women. 

Only women can have babies. 

Women are females. 

Females are feminine. 

Another word for women is ladies. 

It is good that we have males and females. 

Your father is a male. 

Your grandfather, brother and uncle are males. 

Your mother is a female. 

Your grandmother, sister and aunt are females.

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Article #63        Me

I am special. 

Nobody in the world is exactly like I am. 

They might have the same colour hair and eyes that I do, but they are not exactly like me. 

I am the only person in the world who thinks my thoughts. 

No two people in the world are exactly alike. 

It is good to be your own person. 

It is good to be creative and be natural. 

People have to follow the laws and the rules. 

People should always be kind to others. 

I try to follow all the rules. 

I am kind to others. 

I am a lot like many other people, yet I am different. 

I am like my friend Jane, but she has red hair and I have dark hair. 

She has a loud voice, and I have a soft voice. 

She likes to eat vegetables, and I do not. 

Jane and I are the same height. 

We both like movies, and we are both afraid of spiders. 

We wear the same size shoes, and we both have the same favorite colour. 

We are best friends, but sometimes we disagree about things. 

We are alike in many ways, and different in many ways. 

If we were all exactly the same, the world would be a very boring place. 

I am myself, and I am glad that I am special. 

You are special too. 

Use your own special talents, and take the time to meet other people. 

The world is made up of a lot of different people; that's what makes life exciting.

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Article #64        My Cat

I got my cat when she was just a tiny kitten. 

I named her Puff because her fur is soft and fluffy. 

She has white fur, but her tail, paws and ears are black. 

She has a little pink nose and yellow eyes. 

She says "meow" whenever she wants a bowl of milk. 

I feed her cat food and treats. 

She washes her face with her paw when she is finished eating. 

My whole family loves her, and we can tell that she loves us. 

She loves to curl up in our laps. 

She purrs whenever we pet her. 

She is very playful. 

We sometimes roll up a piece of paper and throw it to her. 

She loves to chase the paper and hit it with her paws. 

She also chases bugs. 

Last night she chased a spider, but she was afraid to touch it. 

At night she curls up in my bed with me. 

She likes to be warm. 

I have given her a blanket of her own, but when I put her on it her tail twitches. 

Her tail twitches whenever she is upset or angry. 

I know that she doesn't want to be on her blanket. 

She wants to be in my bed. 

I let her into my bed, and she falls asleep purring loudly.

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Article #65        Music (2)

My family is very musical. 

My father plays the guitar. 

He plays in a band. 

The band plays country music. 

My mother is a singer in the band. 

She also plays the piano. 

I took the flute in music class at school. 

I play the flute in the school band. 

I also sing in the school choir.  

I have a low voice. 

My sister has a high voice. 

She is a soprano. 

At home I like to practice the drums, but my mother says that it is too loud. 

Sometimes I play so loudly that I break a drumstick. 

I practice whenever she goes out. 

I would like to be in a rock band. 

Some of my friends and I are thinking of starting our own rock band. 

My sister is a very good piano player. 

She has won many awards at music festivals. 

She likes to play classical music, but sometimes I get her to play rock music with me. 

She is also a very good singer. 

I like to sing with her. 

We sing in harmony. 

I listen to music all the time on the radio. 

I know a lot of songs. 

I can sing along with most of the songs that come on the radio. 

I memorize the lyrics of the songs. 

My sister and I sometimes get together and sing our favorite songs. 

Maybe someday we will start our own rock band, and I will be the drummer. 

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Article #66        Spring

It rains a lot in the spring. 

The trees are full of buds, and the flowers are starting to bloom. 

My favorite spring flowers are tulips and daffodils. 

The birds come back from the south. 

I can always tell that spring is here when I see my first robin of the season. 

The robins pull worms from the wet ground. 

When it isn't raining, my friends and I go outside and toss a ball around. 

We look forward to the summer, but we are glad to get outside after the long winter. 

The air smells so fresh in the spring. 

My mother always tells me not to track mud into the house. 

It's very muddy in our yard in the springtime. 

I wipe my muddy feet before I go into the house. 

There are a lot of puddles in my yard. 

I sometimes splash in the puddles, and I get wet and cold, so I have to go into the house. 

I like it when the snow has melted, the rain has stopped, and the sun comes out. 

On sunny days I always get together with my friends. 

On those days we either ride our bikes or play ball. 

My parents like to go for walks on spring evenings. 

They also like to clean up the yard in the spring. 

Everyone seems to be outside. 

The springtime brings people out of their houses.

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Article #67        The Birthday Party

Yesterday I went to a birthday party. 

My friend Jane had her tenth birthday. 

Her house was decorated with balloons and streamers. 

Her mother had baked a big birthday cake. 

The cake had "Happy tenth birthday Jane" written on it. 

There were ten candles on the cake. 

Jane blew out the candles and made a wish. 

I wonder what she wished for. 

Your wish won't come true if you tell anyone what it was. 

We sang "Happy birthday to you." 

At the party we played some games. 

I won one of games so I got a prize. 

We also swam in Jane's swimming pool. 

Jane opened her gifts. 

Her gifts were wrapped in bright paper and bows. 

She got lots of nice gifts. 

She got some compact discs, some clothes and some computer games. 

Jane thanked everyone. 

We ate a lot of food at Jane's party. 

We had hot dogs. 

I put mustard and ketchup on my hot dog. 

Then we ate cake and ice cream. 

We had pop to drink. 

I think I had too much cake and ice cream. 

I was very full by the time the party was over. 

We thanked Jane and her mother before we all went home. 

It was a very good party. 

Everyone had a good time. 

I hope Jane had a happy tenth birthday.

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Article #68        My Classroom

My classroom is a large room. 

It is full of brightly coloured pictures. 

My teacher hangs pictures up all over the walls. 

There are blackboards at the front of the room. 

My teacher always has writing all over the blackboards. 

Sometimes the chalk squeaks when she writes on the blackboard. 

We cover our ears when that happens. 

Our classroom is full of desks. 

There are a lot of students in our class. 

Our desks are full of books, notebooks and pens. 

I try to keep my desk neat, but I have a lot of things in there. 

My ruler and pencils are always falling out of my desk. 

At the back of the room is a bookcase full of books. 

We can sign those books out and take them home to read. 

I have read a lot of the books. 

I like mysteries and biographies, so I have taken many of those home. 

There are also tables at the back of the room. 

That is where we do our artwork. 

We spread out big sheets of paper, and we use paints or crayons to make pictures. 

Sometimes we cut things out of magazines with scissors and we glue pictures to the

paper. 

I like art class. 

After school, my friends and I often erase the blackboards for the teacher. 

Then we take the erasers outside and clap them together to get the chalk dust out of

them. 

My friends and I walk home together and talk about what we did in school and what we're

going to do after supper.

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Article #69        Vacation

My family and I went on vacation to Lake Huron. 

The water is beautiful and blue there, and the sand is nice and white. 

The week that we were there was very hot. 

The sun was hot, but the water was still very cold. 

I went swimming and tried to catch little fish in my hands. 

I was careful not to get sunburned. 

We stayed at a hotel that had a pool and a game room. 

I played pinball and video games sometimes. 

I liked to swim in the hotel pool, but I liked the beach better. 

I would lie on a big beach towel and get warm; then I would jump in the water and cool

off. 

Sometimes I would just lie on the sand and watch the waves roll up on the shore. 

I found some seashells, and I saw a crab walking on the sand. 

At first I was a bit lonely because I didn't know anyone there. 

It wasn't long before I met some other kids my age. 

We built sandcastles together and swam in the lake. 

The other kids were from different towns, so we told each other stories about our

schools and friends. 

We found that we had a lot in common even though we were from different places. 

Our families got together and went to restaurants together. 

We played volleyball on the beach, and we sat around a campfire at night and sang

songs. 

At the campfire we would roast marshmallows on a stick. 

I always burn my marshmallows. 

That is okay. 

I like them that way. 

Mostly we just swam in the lake until we were very tired. 

I was sorry when our vacation was over. 

I had a good time at Lake Huron. 

I met some very good friends there. 

We still write to each other. 

Maybe we'll see each other next summer.

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Article #70        My House (1)

I live in a two-storey house. 

The bottom of the house is painted white. 

The upper part of the house is made of red brick. 

The chimney is also made of red brick. 

If you go through the front door and turn right you'll see the living room. 

The living room is very large and comfortable. 

There are easy chairs, a coffee table and a sofa in there. 

I like to sit in there and relax. 

Next to the living room is the dining room. 

There are a dining table and chairs in there. 

We use this room whenever we have visitors over for dinner. 

Beside the dining room is the kitchen. 

The kitchen has a stove and a refrigerator in it 

There is also a kitchen table with some benches at it. 

Most of the time we eat in the kitchen. 

Upstairs there are three bedrooms. 

My parents' bedroom is very big. 

They have a large queen sized bed in there, and there are two closets for their clothes. 

My room is smaller. 

My room is painted pink, and I have ruffled curtains on the windows. 

From my bedroom window you can see the front yard. 

There is a pine tree in the front yard. 

My brother's bedroom is painted blue. 

He has blinds on the windows. 

He has a bunk bed in his room. 

If he has a friend stay over, one of them can sleep on the top bunk, and the other one can

sleep on the bottom bunk. 

He can see the back yard from his bedroom window. 

There are rose bushes and a picnic table in the back yard. 

There is also a white fence that has gate in it. 

In the basement there is a recreation room. 

This is where we watch television and have friends over to visit. 

The laundry room is also in the basement. 

There are a washing machine and a dryer in there. 

Beside our house is a garage. 

We keep the car in the garage whenever the weather is bad. 

Our house is just the right size for our family. 

Friends are always welcome at our house.

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Article #71        My Family

My grandparents are coming to visit us from Calgary, Alberta. 

My father is very happy because they are his parents, and he is glad that he will see them. 

We don't see them very often because Calgary is a long way from Toronto. 

My grandparents have two sons: my father and my Uncle Bill. 

Uncle Bill is married to my Aunt Susan. 

They have a daughter who is my cousin. 

My cousin is a lot older than I, so we do not have a lot in common. 

They also have a son who is the same age as me. 

He is my favorite cousin because we both like the same television shows and the same

games. 

I have two brothers and one sister. 

My brothers are both younger than I. 

They are twins, so they have the same birthday. 

My sister is one year older than I. 

People say that my sister and I look alike. 

We both have blonde hair and blue eyes. 

My mother's parents live near us. 

They are the grandmother and grandfather who visit us often. 

My mother does not have any brothers or sisters. 

She is an only child. 

I like it when all my family is together. 

I don't have a lot of cousins like some people do, but I have fun with my relatives. 

My uncle will often take my cousin and me to the movies. 

I like to take my grandparents for walks so that they can see my school, and they can

meet my friends. 

My parents talk to my brothers, my sister and I a lot. 

We are a very close-knit family. 

People who have close families are very lucky.

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Article #72        Winter

Once the fall is over and the snowflakes start to fall I get very excited. 

I can hardly wait for the ground to be covered with a blanket of white snow. 

I put on my mittens, my scarf, my hat, coat and winter boots, and I run out into the fluffy

snow. 

I have to be careful not to slip on the ice. 

It can get very icy and cold in the winter. 

The first thing that I do is to build a snowman. 

I sometimes build a snow fort too. 

My friends and I like to have a good snowball fight. 

We laugh a lot, and our cheeks and noses get very red. 

When we get too cold, we go into the house and have a cup of hot chocolate. 

My father fills the backyard with water that freezes and turns into an ice rink. 

When the ice is hard enough, my friends and I get our skates and we go out on the ice to

play hockey. 

All of my friends own hockey sticks. 

I am usually the goalie, and I have to keep the puck from going into the net. 

My sister and her friends don't really like to play hockey. 

They would rather just skate around on the ice. 

I took skating lessons, so I don't usually fall down. 

My little brother is just learning to skate, so he falls down a lot. 

My father has to shovel the snow off the paths and the driveway in the winter. 

I help him. 

Shovelling snow is hard work. 

When my Dad and I finish shovelling the driveway, we go into the house and warm our

hands and feet in front of the fireplace. 

There is probably nothing more beautiful than fresh fallen snow on the trees. 

In the morning, when the sun shines on the snow, it glistens. 

I like to leave my footprints in the snow. 

Winter can be very beautiful and exciting.

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Article #73        Autumn

Some people call autumn the "fall." 

You can call it either one. 

Autumn is the time when the leaves change colour. 

They change from green to beautiful shades of gold, orange and red. 

It looks like an artist has come along and painted all the trees. 

The air starts to get a little cooler in the autumn. 

We begin to wear jackets or sweaters. 

We go back to school in the autumn. 

The teacher sometimes gets us to make leaf collections. 

We collect different types of leaves and make a display of them. 

Autumn is the time when old friends get back together and talk about what they did on

their summer vacations. 

Halloween comes in the autumn. 

We dress up in costumes. 

Some of them are scary, and some of them are funny. 

We go from door to door and say "Trick or treat" and people give us candies. 

We wear masks on our faces, and we have a lot of fun. 

The autumn winds start to blow. 

The wind blows the leaves right off the trees until the trees have bare branches. 

My friends and I like to have a lot of fun outside before the winter leaves us shivering. 

We play football and soccer at school. 

After school, we ride our bikes through piles of dry leaves. 

The leaves go flying through the air as we drive through them. 

My parents rake the leaves up and put them in big pile. 

I like to jump in the big piles of leaves, but then my parents just have to rake them up

again. 

The skies get a little cloudier in the autumn, and we know that soon there will be snow,

so we enjoy the brisk autumn weather while we can

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Article #74        Summer

Yahoo! School is over! 

We are free for the summer. 

My friends and I run out on the last day of school into the bright summer sun. 

We sing a song about "no more pencils, no more books." 

We can hardly wait to do all the summer things that we like to do. 

We go swimming, we play baseball, we ride our bikes and we go to the beach. 

We go on vacations, or some of us go to summer camp. 

It is just nice to run barefoot through the grass or lie on your back and look up at the

clouds. 

Summer days are lazy days. 

We don't have to do school work. 

We listen to the buzzing of the bees. 

We watch the birds as they fly from tree to tree. 

We go down to the pond and toss rocks into the water. 

We eat ice cream, and we have barbecues. 

Some of my friend's parents have boats, so we go for rides in their boats. 

Some of my friends go to their cottages. 

They have cottages on lakes. 

Some of my friends even have summer jobs. 

My best friend works at the supermarket. 

My father pays me to do jobs for him. 

I cut the grass, take out the garbage and wash the car. 

I like to be outside in the sunshine. 

On Sundays, my mother will pack a picnic lunch, and we go down to the park. 

Sometimes we play baseball. 

There is also a tennis court at the park. 

I am a very good tennis player. 

My sister just likes to swing on the swings and slide down the slide. 

We eat our sandwiches and watch out for the ants that always seem to be at picnics. 

After we have our lunch, my sister and I run off to play with the other children. 

My Dad has a nap, and my Mother reads her book. 

My skin gets brown from the sun in the summer. 

Summer is my favorite season. 

I like the sounds, smells and feelings that come with the summer sun. 

Summer is a lot of fun. 

I wish summer could go on forever.

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Article #75        The Doctor

I didn't feel very well last week. 

I had a sore throat and a fever. 

My mother took me to see the doctor. 

When we got there, the nurse took my name and said that the doctor would be with me

soon. 

The doctor was a very nice man in a white jacket. 

I had seen the doctor before when I had my tonsils out at the hospital. 

The doctor took a light and looked in my ears. 

He put a stick on my tongue, and he shone his light into my mouth. 

He looked at my throat. 

He said that my throat was a bit swollen and red. 

He felt my neck and said that my glands were swollen. 

He took my temperature and said that it was quite high. 

He listened to my heart, and he made me cough. 

He asked me some questions. 

He said that he might have to do some tests. 

He sent me to get some blood taken out of my arm. 

I was scared, but it didn't really hurt. 

The doctor gave me some pills and told me to take one in the morning and one at night. 

He told me to drink a lot of fluids. 

He told me to get plenty of sleep. 

I did exactly what the doctor told me to do. 

It wasn't very long before I was feeling well again. 

I think that I might like to be a doctor when I grow up. 

I would like to make people feel better.

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Article #76        The Dentist

My friend's father is a dentist. 

He has an office near my house. 

I went to see him on Thursday. 

His nurse told me to sit in a very big chair. 

She tied a bib under my chin. 

The dentist came in. 

He examined my teeth with some shiny silver tools. 

He looked at my front teeth and my back teeth. 

He told me that the back teeth were called molars. 

He told me to "open wide." 

He had a little mirror that he used to look at my teeth. 

He said that I had good strong teeth. 

He told me that I didn't have any cavities. 

I told him that I didn't eat a lot of candies and that I always brushed my teeth after every

meal. 

He said that was very good. 

He asked me if I flossed my teeth, and I said, "Yes, I use dental floss every day." 

He told me that my teeth were healthy because I took very good care of them. 

He left and told me to keep up the good work. 

The dental hygienist came in, and she said that she would clean my teeth for me. 

She scraped my teeth with a sharp tool, and then she put some polish on my teeth and

began to clean them. 

When she was done, she told me to spit into a bowl, and then I rinsed my mouth out with

water. 

I looked into a mirror and saw that my teeth were very shiny and white. 

If I take care of my teeth, I'll have them forever. 

I would like to keep my teeth healthy and white. 

I like to smile.

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Article #77        The School Play

We are putting on a play at school. 

Some of the students are actors in the play. 

Some people are building the sets. 

Some people will sew costumes, and some people will be makeup artists. 

The teacher is the director of the play. 

The play will be held on a big stage in the gymnasium. 

The curtains will open, the lights will go on, and the play will begin. 

It will be very exciting. 

All of our families will come to see the play. 

They will clap when the play is over. 

My friend is very good at cutting wood and building things. 

He is helping to build the set. 

My other friend, Michael, is an artist, so he is painting the set so that it looks like a forest. 

My friend Marie likes to put makeup on people, so she is a makeup artist. 

She will put makeup on me so that I will look like an old woman. 

Some of the mothers helped to sew the costumes. 

The play is called "Hansel and Gretel." 

I will play the part of the witch. 

The boy who plays Hansel has to wear shorts and a shirt. 

I wear a witch's hat and a black dress. 

I also carry a broom. 

Some of the people in my class will be dressed like trees and flowers. 

This is a musical play, and the trees and flowers will sing to Hansel and Gretel as they

walk through the forest. 

I can hardly wait for opening night. 

I want my family and friends to see me acting on stage. 

I hope that they like the play. 

We have all learned our lines and worked very hard at making this play a success.

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Article #78        Emotions

Do you ever think about your emotions? 

What kinds of things make you sad? 

I get sad when I get a bad mark in school, or when someone that I like moves away. 

I sometimes see sad movies that make me cry. 

I don't like to be sad. 

I don't like to have a frown on my face. 

I like to be happy. 

I am happy most of the time. 

Parties make me happy. 

Being with my friends makes me happy. 

Lots of things make me happy. 

If someone tells me a joke, I laugh. 

I enjoy laughing. 

Funny movies make me laugh. 

I think that people look the best when they smile. 

What kinds of things make you mad? 

I get mad when my brother breaks one of my toys. 

I try not to show it when I get mad. 

My parents get mad at me if I come home late. 

I don't think anger is a good emotion. 

It is best to stay calm and talk things over. 

Emotions come from inside you, but they show on your face. 

People can tell when you are mad, or sad or happy. 

I prefer to look happy. 

Sometimes I even smile when I am feeling sad, and the smile makes me feel a little better.

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Article #79        My First Job

I just got a job at the grocery store. 

This is my first job. 

I will receive a pay cheque every two weeks. 

I wear a uniform. 

The uniform has the name of the grocery store on it. 

I have many jobs at the grocery store. 

I have to collect all the carts from the parking lot and bring them back into the store. 

I have to put all the produce out for the people to see. 

I will be putting out the vegetables. 

There are carrots, lettuce, cabbages, cucumbers and beans to put out this morning. 

I also have to put the fruit out on the stands so that it looks nice. 

The oranges roll away when I put them out, so I have to be careful. 

I put out the apples, bananas and grapes. 

I stack boxes up so that people can buy cereal and cookies. 

I have to be careful, or the boxes will fall. 

There are cans of things which also need to be placed on the shelves.

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Article #80        The Lie

Yesterday I told a lie. 

I don't feel very good about it. 

I was bouncing a ball in the kitchen, and the ball bounced up and broke a cup. 

It was one of my mother's best cups, so I was afraid that she would be mad. 

I put the broken cup back on the table, and I didn't tell anyone that I had broken it. 

That night, my mother asked who had broken the cup. 

My brother said, "not me." 

My sister said, "I didn't do it." 

I said, "I didn't break the cup," but I was lying. 

My mother said that we would all be punished, if someone didn't tell the truth and say

who broke the cup. 

I still did not tell her that I had broken it. 

She gave us one more chance, and said that she wasn't mad about the cup; she just

wanted us to be honest. 

I still didn't say anything. 

My brother, sister and I all got sent to our rooms. 

We had to stay in our rooms all morning. 

My brother said that it wasn't fair. 

I felt very bad because my brother and sister were being punished because of me. 

I went to my mother and told her that I had broken the cup. 

She said that she was not upset about the broken cup. 

She knew that it was an accident. 

She was disappointed in me because I hadn't come forward and told the truth. 

She said that she wouldn't have punished me if I had been honest with her. 

I told my brother and sister that I was sorry. 

I felt bad because they were punished because I was dishonest. 

I told my mother that I was sorry that I had lied to her. 

I told her that I had learned a lesson. 

Honesty is the best policy. 

It is better to tell the truth. 

It is not a good feeling when people don't trust you. 

I have learned that lying just hurts people. 

Sometimes it is hard to be honest, but it is the best way to be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Article #81  Hobbies

A lot of people have hobbies. 

Hobbies are interesting things that people like to do in their spare time. 

My father has a hobby. 

He has a model railroad set that he put together. 

A tiny electric train runs through make-believe villages and travels through tunnels and

over mountains. 

My father also enjoys sailing. 

He has a real sailboat that he takes us out on. 

He is teaching me how to sail. 

I like to collect things. 

I collect comic books, stamps and coins. 

I trade comic books with some of my friends, and sometimes I buy comic books at stores. 

Some of the very old comic books are worth a lot of money. 

I have stamps from all over the world. 

Whenever any of my friends get a letter from a faraway place, they save the stamps for

me. 

I have stamps from England, Japan, Australia and even Russia. 

I use a magnifying glass to look at the stamps, and I keep them in a special album. 

I don't have too many coins yet, but I have a very old dime from Canada, and I have a

coin with a hole in it from Africa. 

My mother used to collect dolls when she was a little girl. 

The dolls wore costumes from different countries. 

My friend John's hobby is painting. 

He does oil painting. 

He has even sold some of his paintings. 

He is a good artist. 

My friend Linda sews. 

She has made clothes for herself and some of her friends. 

Maybe Linda will be a fashion designer when she gets older. 

Sometimes people's hobbies lead them into their careers.

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Article #82        Christmas

In December, Christmas comes. 

We get a holiday from school, and our parents get a few days off from work. 

Our family gets ready for Christmas by decorating the house. 

We decorate inside and out. 

On the outside of the house we put up lights that twinkle and glow. 

We have a wooden Santa Claus and reindeer set that my father puts up on the roof. 

Inside, we put up a Christmas tree. 

Some years we have a real tree. 

Real pine trees smell nice, but you have to be careful that they don't dry out and start a

fire. 

This year we have an artificial tree. 

We hang tinsel and ornaments on the tree. 

We also hang strands of lights on the tree and put a star at the top. 

Everyone thinks that the tree is beautiful when we turn on the lights. 

We place gifts under the tree. 

There is a gift for me under the tree. 

It is wrapped in red paper, and it has a big green bow on it. 

Red and green are the Christmas colours. 

On Christmas Eve, my brother and sister and I will hang our stockings near the fireplace. 

Santa Claus comes down the chimney and fills our stockings full of toys and goodies. 

On Christmas morning, it is exciting to see what Santa has left for you. 

My mother will make a big turkey dinner for us on Christmas day. 

We will have lots of vegetables and good tasting foods to go with the turkey. 

We will have dessert too. 

Some of my family like Christmas pudding, but I will just have ice cream. 

Last year some carolers came to the door. 

It was snowing outside. 

They stood in the snow and sang Christmas carols to us. 

My father gave them some money, and my mother gave them some hot chocolate to

warm them up. 

They had lovely voices, and they sang some of my favorite carols. 

We also collect food, gifts and money for some of the people in town who cannot afford

to have Christmas. 

My family is collecting things for a poor family who live near here. 

We had fun deciding which toys to buy for the children in that family. 

It is a good feeling to share with people who do not have as much as you do. 

My parents have always taught us that Christmas is a time for giving, not receiving. 

I think they're right.

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Article #83        Garden

The garden is very interesting. 

I sometimes go outside and I watch all the things that go on in the garden. 

It smells wonderful in the flower garden. 

There are red, white, pink and yellow roses that have a sweet smell. 

I watch the bees as they take pollen from the roses. 

There are tiny bugs that live on the rose bushes. 

My mother tries to get rid of the little bugs, but it is difficult to get rid of them. 

She is glad to see the red ladybugs, who eat the little bugs. 

The birds like the sunflowers. 

They like to eat sunflower seeds. 

There is a birdbath in the garden. 

The blackbirds and swallows go in there to take a drink or have a bath. 

I sometimes see a robin or a bluejay in there too. 

In the dirt there are little holes where the ants go in and out. 

The ants are hard workers. 

I watch them as they work together as a team to bring food to their nests. 

There are snails in the garden too. 

They carry their homes on their backs. 

They move slowly and leave a silvery trail as they go. 

They eat the leaves from my mother's plants. 

My mother also has vegetables growing in her garden. 

She grows green peas. 

We like to pick those and eat the peas raw, right out of their pods. 

She grows lettuce and tomatoes too. 

We have so many tomatoes that we always give some to our neighbours. 

My mother sends us outside to pick lettuce and tomatoes whenever we have a salad. 

My favorite vegetables are carrots. 

Their tops grow above the earth, but the carrots are below the dirt. 

When you pick them, you have to pull the carrots out from under the soil. 

Weeds also grow in the garden. 

After a good rainfall, it seems that the weeds just spring up. 

I pull the weeds out by their roots so that they won't grow back. 

Weeds choke the good plants, so we don't want them in our garden. 

Gardening is a good hobby. 

You get fresh air, sunshine and exercise. 

You even get beautiful, colourful flowers and nice fresh food.

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Article #84        The Pet Store

On Saturday, my parents took us to the pet store. 

They had everything that you would need if you had a pet. 

They had dog food, collars and leashes for dogs. 

They had treats to give your dog, and brushes to brush your dog. 

For cats, they had food, toys, and litter boxes. 

For birds, they had seed and cages. 

There was a section for fish. 

They had fish in big tanks and little bowls. 

In the big tanks, there were colourful fish swimming around. 

The girl who worked there said that they were tropical fish. 

There were goldfish in the smaller fishbowls. 

I saw the girl get a goldfish out with a little net. 

She sold it to a boy who said he had another goldfish at home. 

There was a very large cage with a parrot in it. 

I walked up to the cage, and the parrot said "hello." 

I was surprised that the parrot could talk. 

It could say a few things. 

It said, "I love you," "pretty bird," and "bye-bye." 

I told my mother that I would like a parrot, but she said that parrots need a lot of care and

attention. 

At the back of the store there were some puppies. 

They seemed glad to see me. 

I stuck my hand into the cage, and one of them licked my hand. 

They were very lively. 

They were running around and chasing their own tails. 

In the next cage there were two kittens. 

One of them was playing with a toy, and the other one was asleep. 

The kittens were very small. 

The one that was sleeping was curled up into a ball. 

I couldn't even see her face. 

I didn't want to leave the pet store. 

I was wishing that I could take all of the animals home with me.

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Article #85        My First Day of School

I remember my first day of school. 

I was excited, but I was afraid. 

I held my mother's hand as we walked to the school. 

When we got near the school, I wouldn't let her hold my hand anymore. 

I didn't want to look like a baby. 

We got to the school. 

The school looked very big and frightening. 

There were children outside on the playground. 

They all looked very big. 

I looked at them, and some of them looked at me. 

I felt very small. 

My mother and I went into the school and found the kindergarten room. 

There were children in there. 

Most of them were the same size as me. 

My mother spoke to the kindergarten teacher. 

The teacher was very nice. 

She said my name, and she introduced me to some of the other children. 

I already knew some of the children because they lived near me. 

I began to play with some of the things that were in the classroom. 

There were toy trucks, colouring books, and even a doll house. 

I soon forgot to be scared, and I began to play with the other children. 

I didn't even notice that my mother had left the room. 

In school we sang songs, played some games and listened as the teacher read us a story. 

I had a lot of fun on my first day of school. 

I even drew a picture of my teacher. 

I took the picture home, and my mother put it on the refrigerator. 

I like school. 

It is a good place to meet new friends and learn all about the world.

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Article #86        Transportation (2)

People move from place to place. 

There are lots of ways that you can move around from one place to another. 

Sometimes you can just move your feet and walk. 

Walking is good for you. 

Some places are too far to walk to. 

You might have to ride a bicycle or ride on a skateboard. 

Some places are too far away to ride your bicycle to. 

You might have to drive in a car, or a van, or even a truck. 

My father has a car. 

My uncle has a van. 

I have never been in a big truck. 

Trucks are usually used to carry big loads from one city to another. 

I would like to be a truck driver. 

I would travel all over and sit high up in the cab. 

I have been in a taxi cab. 

Once, my mother and I took a taxi to the hospital. 

There was a special meter in the taxi. 

When we finished our taxi ride, the driver looked at the meter to find out how much

money we owed him. 

I once rode a horse. 

I sat in the saddle and held on tight to the reins. 

The horse ran very fast. 

It was a bumpy ride, and I was afraid that I would fall off the horse. 

Not too many people around here use horses for transportation. 

They used to use horses for transportation in the old days. 

If you want to travel very far away, you have to go on a train, a plane, or a boat. 

If you are in a hurry, it is best to take a plane. 

Planes fly through the air very fast. 

Trains go along the tracks. 

Sometimes I can hear the train whistle from my house. 

Boats take a long time to cross the ocean. 

Great big boats that cross the oceans are called ships. 

If you like to take it easy and look out at the water, then ships are a good way to travel. 

They say that the world is a lot smaller now because of transportation. 

People can travel to all parts of the world quickly and easily. 

The world is not really smaller, but it has become easy to get to faraway places.

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Article #87        Television

Do you watch television? 

My mother says that I watch too much television. 

I watch cartoons on Saturday mornings. 

Cartoons make me laugh. 

My brother and I each have our favorite cartoons. 

We have trouble deciding which cartoons we will watch. 

On Saturday afternoons we like to watch sports. 

My brother really likes to watch baseball, but usually my mother tells us to go out and

play on a Saturday afternoon. 

On week nights we have our own favorite shows. 

I like shows about outer space and monsters. 

My brother likes comedies. 

He likes to laugh. 

My mother likes shows about real life situations. 

She likes to watch the news. 

She says that the news is important. 

She watches the news and weather to find out what is going on in the world. 

Sometimes she watches real life shows about doctors or policemen. 

My father doesn't watch television. 

He says that he would rather read a good book or the newspaper. 

My dad gets all his news from the newspaper. 

My favorite thing is to sit in front of the television with a bag of popcorn and a bottle of

pop. 

I sit there and change the channels with the remote control. 

I change channels and watch a few different shows at once. 

My mother won't let me watch too much television. 

She doesn't want me to get lazy. 

Television is good if you don't spend too much time watching it. 

You can learn a lot from television if you watch the educational channels. 

I learned about dinosaurs and rainforests last week just from watching television.

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Article #88        My Country

I live in Canada. 

It is a very large country that is made up of ten provinces and three territories. 

Most of the provinces and territories are quite unique. 

For example, in Saskatchewan the land is flat, and it is not surrounded by water. 

They grow wheat in Saskatchewan. 

British Columbia has mountains. 

I have never been to British Columbia, but I hear that it is very beautiful. 

Nova Scotia is on the Atlantic Ocean, so there are many fishermen out there. 

The people in the provinces are even different from each other. 

In Quebec, many of the people speak French. 

In the Maritime Provinces, the people like to play their own kind of music. 

They play fiddles and accordions, and many of them dance very well. 

Nunavut is in the north, so life is quite different there. 

The people who live in the new territory of Nunavut are very close to wildlife. 

They do a lot of hunting and fishing. 

It can get very cold up in the Arctic where Nunavut is. 

I live in Ontario. 

Even within Ontario life can be quite different. 

The capital of Ontario is Toronto. 

Toronto is a very busy city with lots of apartments, offices and shops. 

Toronto is an exciting place, and it has a lot to offer. 

There are theatres and restaurants to suit every taste. 

The culture in Toronto is very diverse. 

If you drive a few miles north of Toronto, you will find places that are tranquil and

peaceful. 

Many people leave Toronto on the weekends and drive to their cottages where they find

rest and relaxation. 

Canada is made up of many different cultures. 

People of many different ethnic backgrounds live in harmony in Canada. 

That is why I like Canada. 

In Canada we celebrate our differences.

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Article #89        Food

What kinds of food do you like to eat? 

I am lucky, because in Canada there are many foods to choose from. 

I like to eat hot dogs, hamburgers, and steak. 

These are all meat products. 

I also like cheese, ice cream and yogurt. 

These are all dairy products. 

I like vegetables. 

My favorite vegetables are broccoli, cabbage, carrots and peas. 

I eat a lot of fruit. 

I eat whichever fruit is in season. 

In strawberry season, I eat a lot of strawberries. 

In peach season, I eat many peaches. 

Sometimes, my mother will make a peach pie. 

Many different crops grow in Canada. 

We have many orchards and farms. 

Fresh fruit and vegetables are plentiful in Canada. 

Meat and fish are also plentiful here. 

In Canada, we have a lot of different foods to choose from. 

In my city, there are a lot of Italian restaurants. 

My favorite food at the Italian restaurant is pizza. 

My parents would rather have spaghetti or lasagne. 

There are Greek restaurants, Mexican restaurants and Chinese restaurants; in fact, there

are restaurants from most cultures. 

I can go around from restaurant to restaurant and pretend that I am traveling the world

and trying all the different foods from around the world. 

Sometimes I eat things that aren't good for me. 

I eat potato chips and candies. 

These foods aren't part of a nutritious diet, but they are fun to eat.

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Article #90        The Zoo

My class took a trip to the Toronto Zoo. 

I had a wonderful time there. 

My favorite animals were the lions. 

They look very powerful and strong. 

They say that the lion is the king of the forest, and I think that title suits him. 

The monkeys were funny. 

They were looking at us just as much as we looked at them. 

They were swinging from branches and doing tricks to impress us. 

There was a baby monkey that was clinging to its mother's back. It was very cute. 

The tigers were pacing back and forth. 

They seemed restless. 

The stripes on a tiger are very beautiful. 

We watched the tall giraffes as they nibbled leaves off the tallest trees. 

We spoke to a colourful parrot that spoke back to us. 

We saw exotic animals that we had never seen before. 

Some of them were very strange. 

There were different types of bears there. 

There were black bears. 

I saw a black bear once when I was camping up north. 

We saw polar bears. 

Polar bears are white. 

They like the cold. 

We even saw panda bears. 

One of my friends bought a toy panda bear from the gift shop because she thought that

the pandas were so cute. 

We saw slithery snakes. 

Some of the snakes had very bright skins. 

Most of the girls were afraid of the snakes. 

The zoo keeper was looking after the snakes, and one of them hissed at him. 

He has to be very careful when he works with the snakes. 

The last thing that we saw at the zoo was the elephant. 

He was enormous. 

He looked at us; then he raised his trunk and made a loud sound. 

It made us jump.