SPIRE Level 5

From Rain to Shine

Ellen Berkett had risen early so that she would have
more time to pick the right clothes to wear. She wanted
to look her best for the cheerleading tryouts, which were
after school that day. It was a bright, crisp fall day, with a
hint of winter in the air. Ellen chose her best sweater and
matching skirt to wear. It was perfect for the cool weather,
and she felt it looked good on her. “I do believe I have a
real chance of getting picked,” she told herself as she left
her room. She was grinning as she walked into the kitchen.
It was going to be a good day.

Ellen was just drinking a glass of milk to quench her
thirst when her brother Kurt entered the kitchen. Ellen
could tell he was in a grouchy mood again. Ellen’s good
day began to go bad. Kurt had been this way since their
father died. It had been a year, but Kurt was still having a
hard time. His grades were slipping badly. He would have

44 From Rain to Shine

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

to repeat fifth grade if he didn’t begin to do better. Ellen’s
mom was at her wits end. She was having a hard time
herself—worrying about all her children (but Kurt most
of all), missing her husband, and working longer shifts to
make ends meet. She was still asleep, and Ellen wanted to
keep it that way. Her mother had worked late last night
and needed her rest. Ellen began to fix breakfast for her
younger brother and sister.

“Don’t sit next to me!” Kurt yelled at Steffie, who was
only six. She began to cry.

“Kurt hates me!” she sobbed. “I didn’t do anything to
him, and he hates me.”

“Kurt, please let Steffie sit next to you this once,”
pleaded Ellen. “All this yelling and crying will wake Mom.
Please stop it.” She couldn’t help feeling angry at Kurt. He
seemed to think only of himself. Ellen, who was thirteen,
was having problems herself dealing with her dad’s death,
but at least she tried to be cheerful most of the time.

From Rain to Shine 45

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Today, though, she was distracted by the cheerleading
tryouts, and Kurt’s bad mood was just too much for her.

She glared at Kurt and spoke sternly. “Kurt, I mean
it! Let her sit next to you or I won’t help you with your
homework after dinner.”

“Do you think I care?” shouted Kurt. “I hate school
anyway! I’m just a dummy, and I’m not going today!” He
bolted from the kitchen.

“The toast is burning!” screamed Steffie. Ellen grabbed
the blackened toast from the toaster. It was too burnt to eat.
As she dropped it into the trash, tears came to her eyes. She
struggled to hold them back, wanting to be brave in front of
Steffie. Ellen wondered why Kurt always made more problems
instead of helping with the problems they already had.

Ellen fixed another piece of toast for Steffie and then
went into Kurt’s room to talk. “Kurt, I didn’t mean to yell
at you, and I’ll help you with your homework. It’s just that

46 From Rain to Shine

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

tryouts for cheerleading are after school, and I am worried
about it.”

“What? That’s great. That’s perfect!” yelped Kurt. “You
told me last week that you would take me shopping after
school today so I could pick out my birthday gift. You lied!
You don’t care about me at all. No one does!” Kurt turned
his back on her and began to cry.

Ellen had forgotten that she had said she would take
Kurt shopping. She was in a bind, but there was no way
Kurt would understand. She would have to skip the tryouts.
Her good-day-turned-bad had just hit rock bottom.

“It’s all right, Kurt,” Ellen sadly whispered to him. “I’ll
take you shopping if you get ready for school. I’ll meet
you outside your classroom after I get Steffie.” Kurt spun
around and hugged Ellen, his face tear-stained but happy.

“Sometimes he can be really sweet,” thought Ellen.
Deep inside, she felt bad about missing the tryouts, but she

From Rain to Shine 47

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

tried to cheer herself up. “Well, there’s always next year,”
she told herself.

Ellen and Steffie met Kurt after school, and the three
of them walked to the shops near their house. Her brother
was in a great mood, and this made Ellen happy. “It’s good
that I did this,” Ellen told herself firmly, trying not to think
about cheerleading.

After shopping, Ellen took Kurt and Steffie to an ice
cream shop for a treat. While they were slurping their
cones, she spotted something. On the wall of the shop was
a poster for the Big Brother program. Ellen carefully read
the poster and found out that the program helped kids
without fathers. It looked perfect for Kurt. She made a note
of the number to call.

When they got home, Ellen told her mother about it.
Mrs. Berkett called that night and signed Kurt up. As it
turned out, the program gave Kurt the help that he needed.

48 From Rain to Shine

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

He had someone to talk to who could help him with his
anger. Soon, Kurt began to do better in school.

Ellen was glad that she had kept her promise to her
brother. She believed what her father used to tell her:
“Behind every cloud, the sun may be trying to shine.”

From Rain to Shine 49

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

during turnstile furnish world jerk
trace feather succeed
wishing afraid eaten wonderful funny
swirl learn worm
occurs touch bedding house interesting

leaving kilter

sniffing snails

Lee made them paddle along the shore to an inlet where
they could swim.
Behind me, a birch branch fell to the ground.
I won’t be going back to school next term.
The girl’s boldness gave others the strength to speak out.
No bird is more splendid looking than the peacock.
Standing with his back against a sturdy tree to brace
himself, the man closed his eyes.
Ervin Sanders will invite Dennis to dinner.
Cedric is perhaps the strongest person in his class.
The film about deadly birds was a real thriller.
If you wash your hands well, you are less likely to pick up
cold germs.

50 Decoding and Sentence Reading C

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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A Great American: A School Essay

My name is Pearl, and I am thirteen years old. I want
to tell you about a man who is a great American. His name
is Jon Birkin, and he is my father. His work takes him
all around the world. He is an expert on money and the
best ways to manage it. He meets with the heads of big
companies, and they always listen to what he has to say.

But when he is at home, he’s just plain Dad to my
brother Jerry and me. Dad loves to cook and surprises us
with strange dishes he has learned to make. He helps us
with our homework (he’s really good at math). And he and
my mom go out to dance one night a week. They call it
their “twirling time.”

When he was little, though, things were not so good.
His family was extremely poor. There were times when
they did not have enough food to eat. My dad had to go to
work when he was really young to help feed his family. His

A Great American 51

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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first job was stocking shelves in a store near his home. He
would come home after school, do his homework, and run
off to the store. Then he would work there until it closed at
around nine or ten at night.

My dad learned early that it paid to be a good worker.
His boss was glad to have him, and this made his mother
and father so proud. They both had jobs, too, but their
pay was not very high. You see, they had come here from
Russia when they were both in their teens. They were
poor and had not had much schooling. This was why they
couldn’t find great jobs. But they were still really glad that
they had come to America. They were grateful to be in a
free country. They felt that they did not need to have a big
house and fine things to be happy.

My grandfather always wished that he had gone further
in school and been better trained for life. He sent my
father and his younger sister to school. He made it clear to
them that it was a privilege to go to school in America. He

52 A Great American

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

wanted his children to have the best. He was very firm that
they should finish high school so that they could get better
jobs than his.

My dad was a quick learner and did well in school. He
respected his teachers, and they respected him. Sometimes
he would have to stay up late after he got home from his
job to finish his schoolwork. He made no excuses that he
had to work to help his family, and he did not let himself
think about quitting. He felt he was lucky to have a good
after-school job and a nice boss.

At the end of high school, my dad was ranked tenth
in his class! He wanted to go to college but felt that he
should wait until he had enough money to pay his way
through. But then a teacher told him about a fund that was
set up to help kids like him, who had high grades but not
much money. Dad told his mother and father about the
fund. They could not believe it. “America!” his father had
exclaimed. “It really is the land of freedom!”

A Great American 53

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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With the help of this fund and a gift from his boss, my
dad went on to college and did well. But he always pays
tribute to the people who had helped him—his mom and
dad, his teachers, and his boss. He always gives money to
help others in need. He has also set up a college fund like
the one that helped him so that other poor young people
can go to college too.

I am proud of my dad. I hope someday to make him
proud of me. By the way, here is a note my dad gave me
after he read this essay.

Dear Pearl,
I have just finished reading your essay. Your wonderful
words made my day. And let me tell you something—I am
already proud of you!
Love, Dad

54 A Great American

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,
nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

working name always never flesh
rest river older
expected longing gently stone bird
stream stand stood
thirsty mend problem little simple

sings leaped

world faith

“Shine on me, sunshine.”
Donna Fargo

“The free bird thinks of another breeze.”
“A free bird leaps on the back of the wind.”
Maya Angelou

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak
and weary.”
Edgar Allan Poe

“I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox.”
William Carlos Williams

Decoding and Sentence Reading D 55

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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“You are old, father William,” the young man said, “and
your hair has become very white.”
Lewis Carroll

“All the world’s a stage.”
William Shakespeare

“Life is real! Life is earnest!”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by
drinking from the cup of bitterness and hate.”
Martin Luther King Jr.

“Let freedom ring from every hill.”
Martin Luther King Jr.

56 Decoding and Sentence Reading D

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Sayings Explained

The Saying: Gert felt like a fish out of water at the
country club.

The Saying Explained: A fish belongs in water and
cannot live outside its watery home. People use the saying
“fish out of water” when they feel out of place. What Gert
is really saying is this: “I have never been to such a fancy
place. I feel that I don’t belong here.”

The Saying: “There’s no place like home!” Kirby said as
he got off the plane.

The Saying Explained: People use this saying when they
have been someplace different and want to go back to the
place where they most feel at home.

The Saying: “This is your first time playing soccer,” said
Ming. “Don’t worry. Practice makes perfect.”

Sayings Explained 57

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Saying Explained: It takes a while to learn to do
something. Don’t feel bad if you do not pick it up the first
time that you try. Doing something again and again will
make you good at it.

The Saying: Curtis wished Val a happy birthday.
“Thanks,” said Val. “My birthday was last week, but better
late than never!”

The Saying Explained: It’s better when something
happens late than not at all. Val is telling Curtis that she is
glad he did not completely forget her birthday.

The Saying: The Fresh Perk Diner doesn’t look like
much on the outside, but don’t judge a book by its cover.

The Saying Explained: You can’t tell what something or
someone is really like on the inside just by looking at the
outside. A cover of a book may be old and ugly, but what’s
inside may be wonderful to read. On the other hand, a book
may have a great cover but not be any fun to read at all. It’s

58 Sayings Explained

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

the same with people and places. A person may look great
but turn out to be mean. And a person who doesn’t look all
that great turns out to be the best person in the world!

The Saying: “Stop telling me what to do,” Ernesto said
to Vern. “You don’t practice what you preach.”

The Saying Explained: If you want people to respect
you, you have to be worthy of respect. You can’t tell people
to act one way and then act another way yourself.

The Saying: Albert sat with his basketball buddies. After
all, birds of a feather flock together.

The Saying Explained: Geese stay with geese. Ducks stay
with ducks. Birds that live in groups tend to stay with others
of their kind. This can also happen with people. A person
tends to spend time with others who have the same interests.

The Saying: “Let’s get going!” Mom said. “The early
bird gets the worm!”

Sayings Explained 59

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Saying Explained: Birds think that worms are good
to eat, so to them, getting a worm means getting a prize.
People use this saying to mean that you have to act quickly
to get what you want.

The Saying: “Sherry says she has learned to dance,” said
Dermott. “Well, seeing is believing!”

The Saying Explained: You can’t always trust someone’s
words. A person may lie or tell tales. But if you can see real
proof, then you can believe it. Dermott will not believe that
Sherry can really dance until he can see her dance.

The Saying: “Will you help me with this math problem?”
Trish asked Luz. “Two heads are better than one.”

The Saying Explained: When you are working on
something tricky, you may find that you need help thinking
it through. Another person can bring a fresh outlook that
helps you with your problem.

60 Sayings Explained

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,
nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Saying: “I’m going to make it onto the team,” said
Kris. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

The Saying Explained: If you want to do something bad
enough, you will find a way to do it.

The Saying: Albert was going to enter the race, but then
he got cold feet.

The Saying Explained: This saying is used when someone
is afraid to do something. In this case, Albert has lost his
nerve and ends up not entering the race.

The Saying: “I think I’ll win first place in the contest,”
Kay said to Mom. “But keep your fingers crossed for me!”

The Saying Explained: Sometimes, you can do your best
work and still hope for a little luck to see you through. (In
the old days, crossing the fingers was supposed to bring
good luck.)

The Saying: “Don’t be so quick to sign up for that club,”
Colleen urged Kirk. “Look before you leap.”

Sayings Explained 61

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Saying Explained: This saying comes from an old
tale called “The Fox and the Goat.” A fox, trapped in a
deep well, tricks a thirsty goat into leaping into the well to
drink the water. The fox jumps on the goat’s back and gets
out of the well, leaving the goat behind. Colleen is telling
Kirk that he would be wise to find out more about the club
before he signs up for it. In other words, you should take
your time and think carefully before you take a big step.

The Saying: Ginny asked Calvin if he liked her haircut.
Calvin began to sputter and beat around the bush.

The Saying Explained: When someone beats around the
bush, that person talks and talks but never says what the
listener is expecting. Clearly, Calvin doesn’t like Ginny’s
haircut, but he is afraid to tell her so.

The Saying: The teacher gave our class plan a clean bill
of health.

62 Sayings Explained

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,
nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Saying Explained: People use this saying when
they are explaining that something is in perfect shape. The
teacher is saying the class plan works fine for her.

The Saying: My dishwasher is on its last legs. I will need
to get another one.

The Saying Explained: People say this when something
is about to break down or quit working for good.

The Saying: “This prize is a feather in your cap,” Dad
said to Brandon.

The Saying Explained: This saying is used when
someone does something that he or she can be proud of. So
Dad is saying that Brandon’s prize will serve him well.

The Saying: Glenn helped Terry learn her lines for the
school play. “Thanks, Glenn,” said Terry. “Call me if you
need help with your homework. After all, one good turn
deserves another.”

Sayings Explained 63

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,

nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Saying Explained: In many old tales, one animal
helps another and gets helped in return. One such tale
tells of a bird that sees an ant fall into a brook. The ant
struggles but cannot reach the bank. The bird drops
something into the brook that the ant can use to float safely
to the bank. Soon after, the ant sees a man about to kill
the bird with a stone. The ant stings the man in the heel
so that the stone goes wide and misses the bird, who flies
safely off. So this saying is used when someone who has
been helped turns around and helps the helper.

64 Sayings Explained

er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable, ea, ou,
nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels
S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

dge lodger dredge edge
wedge judge fudge
badge ridge hedge budge
badger smudge ledge bridge
dodge pledge ledger hodgepodge
dodger
lodge

Review Sight Words

the, has, is, a, his, I, was, to, do, said, what, you, who, into,
of, full, pull, push, put, through, your, walk, talk, want, live,
give, have, one, done, some, come, something,
someone, where, there, were, are, somewhere, love, gone,
both, climb, clothes, they, says, today, goes, does, strange,
danger, listen, wonder, could, would, should, castle,
whistle, although, dough, doughnut, though, again,
against, other, mother, brother, cover, father, another,
friend, been, people, move, prove, shoe, truth, fruit, suit,
bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf, wolves, sign, any, many,
once, heart

dge 65

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

bridge troll gruff every squirrel
disturb earth hamburger
melt birth hurt popper word
circle ending dreamer
creamy fudge budge finish explore

ease helping

wintertime quote

Mom made a fudge cake, and Dad ate every last bite.
The tug could not budge the ship that had run aground on
the sand.
In the winter, the bridge may be covered with ice.
The ink left a smudge on Pedro’s hand.
I made a pledge to myself not to smoke.
Cut a wedge-shaped piece of wood from the end of a board,
sand it smooth, stain it, and you have made a doorstop.
Take turns reading a sentence from the book.
Keep matches where small children cannot reach them.
If you have a cold, stay away from other people.
Madge spent a lot of time with her friend, teaching her
to swim.

66 Decoding and Sentence Reading A

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

A Long Winter Sleep

What do you do when the weather outside is like the
inside of a fridge? People find such a problem easy to
deal with. We stay inside our heated houses and put on
thick clothes when we have to go outside. But what about
animals? What can they do to deal with extreme cold?

In the late fall, animals sense that winter is near. This
is the signal for some of them to leave, heading for hotter
places to spend the winter. You may have seen birds, such
as geese, flying south for the winter. They come back when
spring returns. Other animals stay through the winter and
behave much as they do the rest of the year. They find
enough food to see them through winter. Some who stay,
though, have an interesting way of dealing with winter’s
cold and the lack of food: They go to sleep until spring.

When an animal enters a deep, sleeplike state during
the winter, it is said to hibernate. This deep sleep brings the

A Long Winter Sleep 67

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

animal to the edge of death. Its heart rate drops off greatly.
It is very, very cold to the touch and cannot be awakened.
The only thing that will wake a hibernating animal is the
return of spring, as the ground absorbs more and more
heat. The returning heat rouses the animal bit by bit until
it is completely awake and ready for spring.

Animals that hibernate include bats, some kinds of
birds, chipmunks, ground squirrels, hamsters, hedgehogs,
frogs, toads, snakes, and turtles. These animals prepare
to hibernate by eating huge amounts of food in the fall
to increase their fat layers. The thickened fat layers
provide food during their long winter sleep. When these
hibernators awaken in the spring, they are thinner than
before, but still healthy—and very, very hungry!

Some people believe that animals such as bears and
badgers are also true hibernators. But others do not agree.
They note that the winter sleep of the bear and badger
is not the same as the sleep of true hibernators. In what

68 A Long Winter Sleep

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

way does a badger’s sleep, say, differ from a hedgehog’s?
Both spend the fall bulking up their fat layers, and both
go underground for their winter sleep. But the badger will
wake from time to time in the winter, mainly on less cold
days. It may then leave its underground home and hunt
for something to eat. The hedgehog, though, stays asleep
all winter long. If you found a hibernating hedgehog, you
might think it was dead—and you could not wake it up. But
a hibernating badger is easy to awaken.

So, what do you think? Is the badger a real hibernator?

A Long Winter Sleep 69

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

badger animals really skunk moonlight
since helped slang
loans outside surround gathered proud
dodge spending more
rocked playhouse bring pressure painfully

hedge almost

brighter weapon

This big truck will help dredge the river.
The judge heard the case last week.
Will you help me trim this hedge?
May-Lin had a smudge of ink on her face from her
leaking pen.
This door will not budge. It’s really stuck tightly.
When you go out on the ridge of the mountain, be careful
that you don’t tumble off.
People who commit crimes are called criminals.
Eating healthy foods can help keep you feeling fine.
Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can.
When the cat arched its back, it appeared to be twice its size!

70 Decoding and Sentence Reading B

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

The Badger

Where It Lives

Badgers can be found in many places. You will find them
most often in Britain and in North America. They often
live surprisingly near the center of cities.

Badgers are rarely seen because of their nocturnal habits.
It is extremely rare for a badger to be seen during the
daylight. Badgers come out during the long nights of fall
and winter, one hour after sunset. They come out earlier in
the summer.

If there is any disturbance, unlikely sound, or smell, the
badger may stay underground for the night. Badgers often
fail to come out of their holes on bright, moonlit nights.

Badger holes are easy to distinguish from the dwellings
of foxes and rabbits by their big size and the mass of earth
and stones that lie at the entrance. Near the entrance there

The Badger 71

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

may be scratching posts, where badgers stand on their hind
legs and scratch the trunk of a tree.

Around the mouth of the badger hole and along the paths
leading to it will be fresh plants that have been collected
for bedding. The badger gathers these with its forelegs and
shuffles back, leaving a trail of plants. Badgers are very clean
animals because they change their bedding often.

What It Looks Like
Some badgers have a gray body with black and white

stripes on the head. People might think that the stripes
help it hide from its enemies at night because they look like
beams of moonlight coming through the trees. Yet badgers
seldom come out in moonlight, and when they do, they
stand out like a sore thumb. White objects will stand out if
there is the slightest bit of light in the night.

Other people think that the black and white stripes
are colors that signal danger. Many animals that can be

72 The Badger

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

dangerous have colors like this. The skunk, with its terrible
smell, has a band of white along the head and back and a
bushy white tail. Bees and wasps have colors of black and
yellow. Other animals learn to think of these colors as
unpleasant and will leave them alone.

When the badger becomes frightened, it makes a sound
that could scare the paint off a wall. Then it bristles, the
hair of the body standing on end, so that it looks twice its
size, almost like it was struck by lightning. It looks quite
“shocking.”

What It Eats
Badgers are flesh-eaters, and when you look at a

badger’s skull, you can see an animal that is made to attack
and eat another very big animal. Its teeth are strong, and
there are long ridges around the hinges of the jaws that
keep the teeth from breaking. Yet badgers live on a wide
range of soft food. Earthworms are eaten the most, as are

The Badger 73

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

young rabbits. Mice, voles, moles, frogs, snails, beetles,
hedgehogs, and wasps make up the animal content that
badgers eat. Apples, bulbs, blackberries, and grass are also
eaten. Crops suffer when badgers flatten stalks to get to the
ears of corn. Chicken killing sometimes occurs, but it is not
typical. Badgers have sometimes been found in hen houses
with none of the inhabitants disturbed.

What badgers eat differs with the season and the
weather. On wet nights, badgers will go to fields to feed on
earthworms, and mother badgers with little ones who drink
her milk will eat little else but earthworms.

Badgers have little to fear except from humans, who in
past times trapped them for fun. Today, they are often hit
by cars. They suffer from rabbit clearance, too. People gas
places where rabbits live and, without intending to, also kill
the badgers.

74 The Badger

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

badge bridge word earth stand
bringing
think stick trying poke camp
explain
needed lonely sounded angry when

sunburned lifted himself simple

dropped nibble investigate outside

At night, crickets chirped in the weeds at the edge of
the woods.
Timidly, the mouse crept under the bridge.
In the distance, frogs croaked.
Ernesto was stunned by the words of Robert’s song.
When Dad finally spoke, he no longer sounded angry about
the rusty hedge clippers.
What was to become of the pet turtle when the summer
ended and all the campers went home?
Kim looked as if she might be tempted.
The rabbit huddled behind a dusty cobweb in the shed.
After all the excitement, I was ready for a nap.
Henry heard Bert say, “The judge pinned a gold badge on
my shirt.”

Decoding and Sentence Reading C 75

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Galloping Gertie

Bridges are constructed to take people and goods across
wide stretches of water. They have to meet some rules as
they are being constructed. After that, work is done on
them from time to time to keep them safe. When that
happens, a bridge will close to traffic. As a rule, bridges are
very safe.

When people try to think of a “bad bridge,” a bridge
that failed, they will most likely name Galloping Gertie.

Back in the summer of 1940 in Washington State, a long
bridge was inspected and judged to be ready for use. Like
the Golden Gate Bridge, its roadway was suspended over
the water, connected to thick steel cables. It was supported
by strong steel girders that stood tall in the water, set in
huge blocks of concrete.

But something was odd about this bridge from the
beginning. It did something that bridges are not supposed

76 Galloping Gertie

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

to do—it “galloped.” The roadway on most bridges does
not budge as people drive across. It stays steady. But in a
high wind, the roadway on this bridge would begin to buck
and move in waves.

People began to hear about the funny bridge, which
soon got the nickname Galloping Gertie. They came from
all around to drive on her galloping roadway. They found
it thrilling to be on a bridge that would behave like a
roller coaster.

In the late fall of 1940 about two weeks before
Thanksgiving, a stiff wind came up. Galloping Gertie’s
roadway began to buckle and heave as much as three feet
in the air. Then the bridge began to twist. The roadway
tilted from one side to the other. People got off the bridge
as fast as they could. Then, after everyone was off, they all
watched in shock as the bridge’s roadway split apart and
crashed into the water.

Galloping Gertie 77

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Why did such a thing happen? Experts judged that the
roadway moved around too easily. They said that girders
should have been sunk deeper to further stiffen the bridge
and that the roadway itself should have been constructed
so that wind could pass through it, and so that it was wider,
heavier, and less flexible. As it was, any stiff wind could
make the roadway twist about.

Galloping Gertie is no more. Another, better bridge has
taken its place. This bridge has stiffer, deeper girders, and a
roadway that lets the wind pass through.

78 Galloping Gertie

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

bridge stage cage fudge hungry
rubbing blanket helped lunch three
back believe better cake uncle
while white frosting candles housekeeper
food slice birthday early shook

You can’t judge something until you try it.
“I’m glad to meet you, Mr. Gray,” said Mr. Mendez, as they
shook hands.
“Benny, you stay here with your father,” said Jessie before
she left.
Everyone climbed over the rocks to reach the boat on the
other side.
“I want to go home and sleep in my real bed,” said Cedric.
I’ll bake up a batch of fudge as a Sunday treat.
Upstairs on my bed was a big pile of folded play clothes.
Some of the workers left their sacks at the store.
Please move the burning candle back from the edge of the
counter.

Decoding and Sentence Reading D 79

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Judge the Judge

There once was a judge
who loved to eat fudge,
and on his high bench
left many a smudge.
“Who did this?” shouted the clerk.
“Whoever it is, is an incredible jerk!
The evidence is extremely clear.
We must find the culprit, I fear!
For this may no longer take place.
Smudges on a judge’s bench are a disgrace.
A judge must have no smudges so near.
The entire legal system will suffer—it’s clear!
For a judge with a smudge
is a judge no more!”
With that, the judge opened the door.
The judge had many smudges upon his face.
And with this evidence, I rest my case.

80 Judge the Judge

dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

s = /z/ (nose)

rise expose easy prose
wise advertise easel pansy
hose surprise disgusted wisdom
close please chose peasant
rose close clumsy raisin
nose present pleasant desert
suppose those weasel easier

Review Sight Words

the, has, is, a, his, I, was, to, do, said, what, you, who, into, of,
full, pull, push, put, through, your, walk, talk, want, live, give,
have, one, done, some, come, something, someone, where,
there, were, are, somewhere, love, gone, both, climb, clothes,
they, says, today, goes, does, strange, danger, listen, wonder,
could, would, should, castle, whistle, although, dough,
doughnut, though, again, against, other, mother, brother,
cover, father, another, friend, been, people, move, prove,
shoe, truth, fruit, suit, bruise, cruise, whom, whose, wolf,
wolves, sign, any, many, once, heart

s = /z/ (nose) 81

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

wisdom problem must felt helped
space outside never lifted suppose
tried butterfly budge simply sounded
tighter matter teeth habit nice
storehouse hamster picky those expose

The mouse’s life was never the same after the hamster came.
The day passed very quickly.
Jessie lighted the little stove, heated some water in the pot,
and put in the peas.
When they were done, she added some salt and filled four
dishes with peas.
On top of each dish, she put a pat of butter.
The family and the dog stood watching while she cooked dinner.
Sally took a little more crust and smoothed it on the edge of
the pan with her fingers.
“I see that you are about to have dinner,” said the man with a
smile. “I’ll just stay long enough to ask you something.”
Just be glad that the day is done with no more work to do.
Please stop crying, and I’ll give you a dish of ice cream.

82 Decoding and Sentence Reading A

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

Pearl in a Rush

It was the morning of Pearl’s tenth birthday. She ran
out to the mailbox to see if she had gotten any birthday
greetings from her friends and her family. She found some,
along with a package from her uncle Albert. Pearl rushed
into the house.

“Mom! Dad!” she cried. “I got a package from Uncle Al!
What do you think it is? I’m so excited!”

Pearl’s mother and father came quickly into the kitchen
to find Pearl ripping the package up to see what was inside.

“Take it easy, Pearl,” said her father. “You can’t tell
what’s in there. You might break it by acting clumsy.”

He helped Pearl pull up the box flaps. She reached in
and pulled a camera out of the package. Her eyes gleamed,
and her face was flushed with pride. A camera that
belonged just to her! She could not believe it. Sometimes,
her father had let her use the family camera, but only when

Pearl in a Rush 83

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

he was there to watch what she did. This camera would be
hers alone—to use when and where she wanted.

“Good grief!” exclaimed Pearl’s father. “That’s quite
a present from your uncle Al. He must think you’re old
enough and careful enough to handle a camera that costs so
much. You should feel very proud.”

“I do, I do!” exclaimed Pearl. “Look, there’s a roll of
film here, too. Can we put it in the camera and take some
shots right away, Dad? Please, please, please, please, please?
I can’t wait! I’m going to die if I don’t use this camera
right away!”

“Pearl, calm yourself,” said her mother. She felt that
Pearl tended to rush into things without thinking. She
didn’t want this to be one of those times. “It’s not wise to
try something out before you have found out what to do.”

“Your mother is right,” said her dad. “You need to
understand a lot of things about a camera before you use it.

84 Pearl in a Rush

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

When someone chooses such a great gift for you, you have to
be careful. Your uncle paid a lot for this camera, I can tell.”

Pearl sniffed and rubbed her nose. She was upset. Why
wouldn’t her mother and father let her use the camera right
away? After all, didn’t it belong to her? And wasn’t it her
birthday?

“Let’s put the camera away until we can all take the time
to find out about it,” her father went on. “So get yourself
ready for school. When I get home from work, we’ll look
at it together.”

Pearl rushed off so they couldn’t see her tears. She felt
sad and upset. Why didn’t they understand her the way
Uncle Al did? He felt she was old enough to use it alone
or he wouldn’t have given it to her, right? It wasn’t as if
she was a clumsy person. She could take care of things. She
would prove to them that they had made a mistake. When
she got home from school, she would load the camera with

Pearl in a Rush 85

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

film and take some shots. Her father and mother would see
that she could use the camera just fine, thank you!

The school day couldn’t pass fast enough for Pearl. She
got birthday wishes and some little gifts from classmates,
which was nice. There were birthday cupcakes after lunch,
which was nice, too. But when school ended, Pearl rushed to
the school bus. When it came to her stop, she leaped off and
rushed home. She ran through the kitchen door. Her mother
was already home from work and was talking to a friend.
Pearl could tell that they would be talking for a while.

“Good,” she said to herself. “This gives me the time
I need!” She rushed up to her room. She didn’t bother
reading about loading film into the camera. She had seen
her Uncle Al and her dad load film many times.

“Let’s see,” she said to herself, grabbing the container
of film. “First Uncle Al takes the roll of film out of the
container, pulls the film out a bit from its roll, and puts

86 Pearl in a Rush

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

S. P. I.R.E.® Level 5 © SSI • Do Not Copy

it in the camera. Yes, that’s right. The roll goes in the
camera. Um, which way does it go in? I can’t tell. Maybe
it’s printed on the film, but I can’t see it. I’ll turn on my
desk lamp and pull out the film. If I hold it under the light
bulb, I can see it better!”

Pearl pulled out a long stretch of film and held it close
to the light. She still couldn’t tell which way it should
go into the camera. Just then, she heard her mother’s
footsteps. Pearl quickly stuffed the film back into its roll
and put the roll back into the container. Her mother
tapped lightly and stuck her head into Pearl’s room.

“There you are,” said her mother. “I bet you’re dying
to use your camera. Your father is on his way home from
work. When he gets here, we can all look at the camera
together.”

“Fine with me!” said Pearl. She was thankful that her
mother had not seen her jam the roll of film back into its
container.

Pearl in a Rush 87

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Just then they heard her father walk into the kitchen and
shout, “Bring in your camera, birthday girl! We’ll get you
ready to shoot your first roll of film!”

The three of them sat in the kitchen while Pearl’s father
read aloud about the camera. Pearl clasped her hands and
listened quietly, but her heart was thumping loudly. No one
seemed to hear it but her. Pearl’s dad stopped reading aloud
and scanned the rest of the words. Then he nodded. “Just
like my camera,” he said. He picked up the container of film.

“OK. This is the most important thing!” said her father.
“You must be very careful to load the film without pulling
out too much. If you pull out too much film and light falls
onto it, you’ll expose it before it’s in the camera. Then the
film will not work, and you’ll get nothing when you shoot
the camera.”

Pearl’s heart sank with a thud. She sadly watched her
father put the useless film into the camera.

88 Pearl in a Rush

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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“There, you’re ready. Take a shot, birthday girl,” said
her father with a grin, handing her the camera.

“We can be your first subjects,” said her mother as she
and Pearl’s father stood together, with big, wide smiles on
their faces.

Pearl squirmed. “Um, well, the thing is . . . I think we
have a slight problem,” she said, and sighed. “You see, I . . .
well, I . . . I was really foolish! I already messed up the film
because I was in such a rush. But if you both help me, I can
use the cash from dog-sitting to get more film. Then I’ll do
just what I’m supposed to do. And I’ll be proud to have my
first camera shot be of my wise mother and father!”

Pearl in a Rush 89

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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sturdy heard worst perhaps gentle
suppose nose present chose may
niece rubber banker expose complete
clumsy wisdom prevent dropped played
smooth bamboo about screen kitchen

My brother and his wife just had a little girl. That makes
her my niece.
The clumsy waiter dropped the dishes.
A wise person is full of wisdom.
I will surprise my friend with a birthday present.
All the children were present in the classroom.
Mom put Rose’s painting up on the fridge.
It’s good to rise early in the day.
Those are lovely roses.
Will you pose for the camera?
Please close the door when you leave.

90 Decoding and Sentence Reading B

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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Deserts of the World

A desert is a place where there is ten or less inches of
rainfall or snowfall per year. This makes a desert a very
dry place. It is also very cold or very hot, depending on
the desert.

Some deserts, given the name “cold deserts,” are always
extremely cold. Their summer temperatures range from 10º
to 50ºF in summer and from -50º to 10ºF in winter. Such
deserts, found in and around the North and South Poles,
get almost no snow at all. On much of this chilly desert
land, ice is present all year round. No plant or animal life
can be found here. But on the edges of the ice-packed land,
some insects and plants have found a way to live. Midges,
lice, mites, and ticks live on the outer edges of cold deserts,
along with simple plants such as mosses.

Hot deserts, on the other hand, tend to be more than
75ºF in the shade during the day. And out in the sun, they

Deserts of the World 91

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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may sizzle at daytime temperatures as high as 130ºF. But
temperatures in a “hot” desert may still be cold at night or in
the winter. As with cold deserts, there’s little water for plants
and animals to thrive, yet hot deserts are not at all lifeless.
Many interesting plants and animals have learned to adapt
to the heat and lack of rain. Some plants, like the acacia tree,
solve the problem by sending roots deep into the earth to
reach ground water. Acacia roots may be more than 100 feet
long. Other plants, like cactuses, have little roots that quickly
soak up any water that falls and store it for later use. Cactus
plants also have leaves in the shape of thin spines, which keep
water from being lost to the air. These prickly spines also
keep away desert animals looking for plants to nibble on.

Some desert plants choose to wait for the rain that falls
once in a great while. They may dry up above ground, while
their roots stay alive under the ground, waiting for rain. Or
their seeds will sit in the earth during dry spells, waiting for

92 Deserts of the World

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,
ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,
exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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the rain to make them sprout. As soon as the rainwater is
gone, they become seeds again, waiting for the next rain.

Since a desert doesn’t get much water, many desert
animals don’t drink water at all. Instead, they get all their
water from the foods they eat. Others can go without food
and water for many days. A well-fed camel, for example,
can go without water for more than two weeks. The food
it eats is turned into fat and stored in its hump. During the
time it goes without water, the camel uses the fat that is
stored in its hump as a way to get the water it needs.

Find out more about the plants and animals that live in
the desert. You might read books about the desert. Or you
might choose to look up desert in an encyclopedia, which
will also give you the names of different deserts of the
world. Or you may choose to use a computer to help you
find out more. You can search online for any desert that
you would like to learn more about.

Deserts of the World 93

s = /z/, dge, er, ur, ir, ear, wor, soft g, soft c, ie, igh, oo, ee, ai, oa, consonant-le syllable,

ea, ou, nontwin consonant syllable division, twin-consonant syllable division, suffixes, -ed, ay,

exceptions, so, he, fly, V-e, tch, ck, qu, wa, al, ff, ll, ss, sh, ch, th, wh, ng, nk, short vowels

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