Beats! 4 Primary Readers Book

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Reader’s Book Primary

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Primary

Reader's Book

Nombre

Nombre

Grado Grado

Escuela Escuela

Maestro (a) Maestro (a)

Primary Reader's Book

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Princetown - correo del Maestro editorial coordinator author Content Designers

Óscar Díaz Chávez Sally Marshall Servicios Editoriales (Pablo Guzmán de la Cruz, Martha Berenice Hinojosa Rodríguez)

cover designer

servicios editoriales (Pablo guzMán de la cruz)

Photo on cover

Shutterstock.com

audio recording

Luis Benito Reynoso Góngora correo del Maestro Miembro de la Cámara Nacional de la Industria Editorial Reg. Núm. 2817

isbn: Pendiente Rights Reserved © 2021 Princetown - correo del Maestro, s.a. de c.v.

Av. Reforma No. 7 Int. 403, Cd. Brisa Naucalpan Estado de México, México C.P. 53280 Tels. 53-64-56-70 / 53-64-56-95 correo@correodelmaestro.com www.correodelmaestro.com First published 2021 The presentation and layout of Beats! 4 Primary Reader's Book are property of the publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission of the Publisher.

Impreso en México · Printed in Mexico Distribución gratuita · Prohibida su venta

Presentation Dear student, Welcome to Beats! 4 Primary Reader’s Book, where you will find great stories and interesting facts about the world around you.

The texts included in this book are designed according to your age and interests and are aimed at helping you improve your level of English and your general comprehension of the language in an interesting and enjoyable way. At the same time, you will develop reading strategies such as, using pictures to understand texts, making predictions, inferring, getting the main idea among others; but above all, reading for pleasure. Each reading text included in this book, will encourage you to think, reflect and share what you read, learned and know about the topic.

Every story and fact included in this Reader’s Book, are correlated to the units in your Activity Book, which makes it easier to integrate concepts, knowledge, tasks and fun at learning a new language!

Now, it’s time to start feeling the beat each reading brings.

Enjoy and have fun throughout this school year!

The Author.

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Contents Unit 1 So you want to be a television scriptwriter!

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Familiar and Community Environment Track 40 Correlated with Unit 1

Unit 2 The photograph

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Ludic and Literary Environment Track 41 Correlated with Unit 2

Unit 3 Keep healthy!

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Academic and Educational Environment Track 42 Correlated with Unit 3

Unit 4 Ads! Ads! Ads!

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Familiar and Community Environment Track 43 Correlated with Unit 4

Unit 5 Anne of Green Gables Ludic and Literary Environment Track 44 Correlated with Unit 5

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Beats!

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Unit 6 Do you have a question?

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Academic and Educational Environment Track 45 Correlated with Unit 6

Unit 7 You'll never believe what happened!

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Familiar and Community Environment Track 46 Correlated with Unit 7

Unit 8 Legends from around the world 103 Ludic and Literary Environment Track 47 Correlated with Unit 8

Unit 9

Mexican food and diet 117 Academic and Educational Environment Track 48 Correlated with Unit 9

Unit 10

The End of Year Party 131 Familiar and Community Environment Track 49 Correlated with Unit 10

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Fact 1 40

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So you want to be a television scriptwriter!

Do you love watching television series? Most children do. Are you good at writing? You are? So you want to be a television scriptwriter when you grow up! Well there’s one problem! Writing for a television series means you have to be good at writing dialogs. Here are some tips to help you, so when you grow up, you’ll be ready for that television scriptwriting job!

Glossary

Scriptwriter: (n.) the person who writes a script for a play, film, or radio program.

Correlated with Unit 1

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Why don’t you start by just listening? Listen to how people talk in real life. Wherever you are (on the bus, at school, in the park) listen to people! How do people really talk? Do they always talk in complete sentences? No, they don’t. Do they sometimes finish other people’s sentences for them? Yes they do. Do they sometimes not listen to what the person they are talking to is saying, and just talk over them?

Yes, they do.

That’s what a good dialog has to sound like!

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Here’s the next tip for good dialog writing. Dialogs are for speaking.

When you write a dialog, even a very short one, always read it aloud. When you read things aloud you can hear how they sound.

Sometimes they look good on paper, but when you read them aloud they don’t sound natural.

A good dialog has to sound natural!

Correlated with Unit 1

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Glossary

characters: (pl. n.) people in a novel, play or film.

Time for the next tip on how to write a good dialog. When you write a dialog it isn’t you speaking!

You are writing what the characters in your dialog are saying. What does that mean? It means you have to know the characters. Sit down and think about them before writing. Ask yourself: “How do these characters speak?”

“Do they use certain words often?

“Are they always clear or do they have to clarify what they want to say?

You can’t write a good dialog until you know who your characters are, and how they speak!

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Let’s have a look at the next tip of good dialog writers. Here it is, and it’s to do with characters and human nature!

When people read aloud, they read what is written without stopping. They start at the beginning and they go on to the end. It isn’t like that when people are speaking. They stop!

They think! They change subject when things happen, and they say things that have nothing to do with the original topic. Then they get back to the original topic and continue what they started saying at the beginning of the conversation.

When you write a dialog you are writing how people speak. It has to sound like people speak!

Correlated with Unit 1

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Ordinary people are not mad college professors. They don’t talk in very long and very complicated sentences! Most of the time people speak in short sentences. They have to, because the people they are talking to interrupt them if they don’t! What does this mean for the good dialog writer? It means keep to short, simple sentences when you are writing your dialog. That way it will sound like ordinary people speaking! Of course, if one of the characters in your dialog is a mad college professor, you might have to write in longer and more complicated sentences! But not if your characters are ordinary people!

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I gotta go now!

What about the language in a good dialog? Well, as we said, the characters have to sound real. That means they have to speak language like people do. And they don’t always speak with perfect grammar!

For example, in good English, using good grammar, we say: “I have to go now!” But lots of people say “I gotta go now!” If one of the characters in your dialog is the type of person who says “I gotta go now!” then that’s how a good dialog writer should write it!

Correlated with Unit 1

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Glossary

skateboard: (n.) a short narrow board with two small wheels fixed to the bottom on which a person can ride in a standing or semi-sitting position, moving by pushing one foot against the ground.

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Slang describes words that people commonly use, but which could confuse people who don’t know the slang meaning of the words.

For example, the word “cool” really means “quite cold,” as in “The weather is cool today.” But the slang meaning is “very good” or “good fun,” as in “Wow! That skateboard is really cool!”

Are the characters in your dialog the type of people that talk in slang? They are? Then, as a good dialog writer, you have to write in slang!

I had a bad day at school

Here is another important tip for the good dialog writer. When you read a dialog or hear a dialog, you should know how the characters are feeling. If one of the characters has a problem, the words in the dialog should make that obvious, even if the character doesn’t say “I have a big problem!” When a character says “I had a bad day at school today” or “I don’t want to go back to school tomorrow, or ever again!” it’s obvious that the character has a problem and is feeling sad. The character doesn’t have to say “I’m feeling very unhappy!”

Correlated with Unit 1

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Usually, when you write a dialog, you write which character is speaking before writing what they are saying. That’s the tradition and it’s fine! But really, in a well-written dialog, it should be obvious what the relationship is between Glossary the characters who are speaking. relationship: (n.) the Are they friends? Are they brother way in which two or more people or things and sister? Is a student talking to are connected. his or her teacher? Is a child talking to friends? Is a kid talking to his mom or dad? The way the characters speak, and the words they use, make it obvious. In a well-written dialog names aren’t really necessary.

A good dialog has to show the relationship between the speakers.

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When two or more people are speaking, one is always more important in the dialog than the others. For example, when a child goes home and tells Glossary his dad that the kids at school are bullying: (v.) present paticiple. To harm or bullying him, the child is more intimidate someone. important in the conversation.

Why? Because the child is giving the information. The dad is listening and trying to help the child.

When you write a dialog decide who is the important character in the conversation before you start! That way the dialog will sound more natural.

Correlated with Unit 1

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So now you know how to write a good dialog. Follow these tips and you will soon become a great dialog writer! And who knows?

One day you could be a famous television scriptwriter! Good luck!

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Story 1

The photograph

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Correlated with Unit 2 Unit 2

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Glossary

nearly: (adv.) very close to, almost.

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It was nearly Becky’s birthday. Her Mom and Dad asked her “What do you want for your birthday this year?” Becky thought for a few minutes, and then she said “I want a cell phone, please. Lots of the kids at school have cell phones, and I’d like one, too.” Her Mom laughed. “You’re very young to have a cell phone,” she said. “I’m nearly ten!” said Becky. “Can I have one……please!” “We’ll think about it,” said her Dad, smiling.

Becky woke up early on Saturday morning. It was her birthday. She was ten! She jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. Her Mom and Dad were at the breakfast table. They were waiting for her. “Happy birthday, Becky!” said her Mom, and kissed her. “Happy Birthday, sweetheart,” said her Dad, and handed her a wrapped gift.

“This is for you from both of us.” Becky took the gift and tore the paper off as quickly as she could. It was a cell phone! “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad,” she said.

Correlated with Unit 2

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Glossary

exciting: (adj.) great enthusiasm and eagerness.

Becky was very pleased with her cell phone. She called her grandparents immediately to tell them about her new phone, and to give them her phone number.

Then Becky started to look at all the things she could do with her phone. The very best thing about her new cell phone was that she could take photographs with it.

That was really exciting!

She ran upstairs to get dressed, and then went outside to take a photograph of her dog, Snowy.

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That afternoon it was Becky’s birthday party. All her friends came. She showed them all her new cell phone, and gave everyone her new phone number! Of course she took lots of photographs of the party as well. She took photographs of her friends playing games. She took a photograph of her birthday cake. She took a photograph of her grandparents. She took about twenty photographs that afternoon!

Correlated with Unit 2

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Glossary

ducklings: (pl. n.) babies or young ducks.

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The next day Becky and her Dad took Snowy for a walk in the park.

While Becky’s Dad was throwing a ball for Snowy to run after, Becky went to look at the ducks in the pod. There was a mother duck swimming about with her ducklings. Of course Becky took out her cell phone and took a photograph of them, because they looked very cute. She ran to show her photograph to her Dad and Snowy. They thought it was a very good photograph. Well, Becky’s Dad did. Snowy was more interested in running after his ball!

A week after Becky’s birthday her cousin got married. Becky went to the wedding with her parents. “Don’t forget to bring your cell phone with you,” her Mom said. “You can take some photographs of the wedding. So Becky took her cell phone. She took several photos of her cousin and her new husband. “Don’t forget to send us those photographs,” her aunt said. “I want to have all the photographs you take today!”

Correlated with Unit 2

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Becky wanted to take her new cell phone to school with her every day, but she couldn’t. One of the school rules was ‘No cell phones at school!’

Glossary

worry: (v.) to feel anxious or troubled about a situation or problem.

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But every evening Becky called her school friends, and she and her friends would send photographs to each other! In fact, Becky spent so much time talking to her friends on her phone, and sending them photographs that her Dad got quite worried. “Becky! Don’t you have any homework to do?” Then Becky had to say “Goodbye” to her friends and go and do her homework!

Then one day, the teacher told the children about a new project he wanted them to do. “It’s a project about everyday life in your neighborhood,” he said.

“Find out what public buildings there are near where you live. Find out about what work people do.” Becky put her hand up.

“Yes, Becky?” said Mr Henderson.

“Can we take photographs of people and places for the project?” she asked.

“Of course you can,” said Mr Henderson.

“I think photographs are a great idea!”

Correlated with Unit 2

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Becky was excited about the project.

She took her cell phone around the neighborhood where she lived, and she took lots of photographs. She took a photograph of the street market near her house, and she took a photograph of the police officer on the corner directing traffic. She took a photograph of the man delivering letters. She even took photographs from her bedroom window of people passing by in the street below.

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One evening Becky was looking out of her bedroom window, trying to find something good to take a photograph for her project when she saw two men running out of the house opposite.

They were carrying a computer and a television set. That seemed weird!

Becky lifted up her cell phone, focused the camera onto the two men, and took a photograph for her project. She went and sat down on her bed to check the photograph.

It was a good one!

Glossary

weird: (adj.) very strange.

Correlated with Unit 2

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After school next day Becky was having dinner with her Mom and Dad, when her Mom said “Thieves broke into the Green’s house yesterday and stole their television and Mr. Green’s computer.” The Greens were the people who lived in the house across the street from Becky and her Mom and Dad. “Oh no!” said Becky’s Dad. “Did they steal anything else?” “I don’t think so,” said Becky’s Mom. “And no one saw them!”

Becky suddenly remembered the photograph she had taken from her bedroom window the night before. “I saw them,” she said.

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Becky ran up to her bedroom for her cell phone. She took it downstairs and showed her parents the photograph of the two men running away with a television and a computer. Becky’s parents stared at the photograph on the cell phone in amazement. It was a very good photograph! The men’s faces were very clear.

Glossary

stared: (v.) in the past.

To look.

“You two wait here,” said Becky’s Dad. “I’m going to go and call the police.

Correlated with Unit 2

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Two police offers came to Becky’s house. Becky’s Dad showed them the photograph Becky had taken with her new cell phone. The police officers were impressed. “I recognize these two thieves,” said one of the police officers. “They’ve broken into houses and stolen things before.”

They congratulated Becky on her photograph.

Glossary After that it was easy to catch the two thieves, and Mr and Mrs thieves: (n.) plural form of thief. A Green got their television and their person who steals computer back. or robs something or someone with or “And it was all thanks to you, without violence.

Becky,” said Mr Green. “No!” said Becky. “It was all thanks to my new cell phone!”

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Fact 2

Keep Healthy!

Correlated with Unit 3

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Do you want to keep healthy?

You know that to do that, you need to get some exercise! But do you know why? There are a lot of reasons. First, exercise makes you feel fit, strong and healthy. Your brain releases chemicals called 'endorphins' which make you feel good. You feel happy and relaxed.

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Another reason is that it stops you from getting fat and your muscles get stronger. Your lungs, heart and bones get stronger too. In other words, your body works much better. Also, regular exercise makes you look great and helps you get rid of angry and bad feelings.

It helps you sleep well. And exercising with others can be fun.

Glossary

get rid: (v.) to be free of someone or of a situation.

Correlated with Unit 3

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So get started now! Here are some tips. Don’t use the elevator! Climb the stairs. Play games in recess that make you move. Join in sports lessons and team sports at school. It doesn’t matter if you’re good or not. Walk while you talk with a friend instead of sitting down. Fly a kite! Walk your dog or your friend’s dog.

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Ask the kids in your class what they do. Maybe you could do it together, for example, riding a bike, skateboarding or roller blading.

Sports clubs usually cost a lot of money but perhaps you can find places that aren’t expensive where you can play basketball, go swimming, do karate or play soccer The important thing is to get started now!

Correlated with Unit 3

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We all know the other thing you need to do to keep healthy is to eat the right things. Here’s a picture to show what you need to eat.

In the picture, we see 5 different groups of food. This is what we know as the Healthy Eating Plate. So, as you can see, eating a variety of foods Glossary keeps our meals interesting and flavorful. It’s also the key meal: (n.) plural. to a healthy and balanced diet The occasions when we take a large because each food has a unique amount of food during the day. mix of nutrients.

Fruit and vegetables Bread, other cereals, and potatos

Foods containing fat and foods containing sugar

Milk and dairy products Meat and fish

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Why do we need to eat so much fruit and vegetables? They’re full of things that are good for you. They provide fiber that helps the digestive system. They are delicious raw, cooked, boiled, fried or roasted. Anyway you want them! No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. Eat plenty everyday. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits helps you prevent some health problems and can also help you to watch over your appetite.

Glossary

raw: (adj.) food not cooked.

Correlated with Unit 3

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Dairy is a fun group. The dairy group is important because it provides your body with calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.

It includes milk, cheese, yogurt, and milk-based desserts, such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, and puddings made with milk.

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Meat and fish are an excellent source of protein. We find and need protein to keep our body healthy, especially when we refer to muscles, bones, skins, hair, and virtually every other body part or tissue.

Eating the correct amount of meat and fish helps us produce the enzymes that makes us powerful. At least 10,000 different proteins make you what you are and keep you that way.

Correlated with Unit 3

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When we talk about fat, it is important to remember that it is a necessary part of our diet, but the most important fact is to consider the type of fat that we need. We should regularly choose foods with healthy fats, such as fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils from plants. Also consider limiting foods high in unhealthy fat like eating a lot of red meat, and keep butter for special occasions. Use healthy oils from plants like extra virgin olive, canola, Glossary corn, sunflower, and peanut sunflower: (n.) edible oil in cooking, on salads and seeds that yield an oil with a wide variety vegetables, and at the table. of uses.

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Here comes the hard part. Most of us LOVE candy, cakes, cookies, donuts and other sweet things. We also like junk food containing a lot of fat, like potato chips. Eating healthily doesn’t mean you need to give these up. Just make sure you don’t eat too many!

Correlated with Unit 3

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Glossary

cornmeal: (n.) meal made from corn, especially maize flour or oatmeal.

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Grains are an important food group. They give you energy.

They are good sources of fiber, iron, magnesium, several vitamins and other things your body needs.

Grains include foods made with wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, and barley, etc., such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereal, popcorn, tortillas, and oatmeal.

Last but not less important, our body needs liquid. But what kind of liquids should we limit and which should we drink a lot? Limit juice—because it can have a lot of sugar just like sodas do. Drink but limit yourself to one small glass of juice per Glossary day, and avoid drinks with lots avoid: (v.) to keep of sugar like sodas, fruit drinks, away from; keep clear of. and sports drinks, because they provide a lot of calories but no other nutrients. Also drinking lots of sugary drinks can take us to put on weight and increase the risk of health problems.

Correlated with Unit 3

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But... don’t forget to drink water! Without water, your body would stop working properly.

Why? Your body has a lot of important jobs to do and it needs water to do many of them.

So, do exercise and eat good food and you’ll stay healthy!

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Fact 3

Ads! Ads! Ads!

Correlated with Unit 4

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Glossary

classified: (adj.) organized in categories in a newspaper.

Ads are everywhere! You see them on television, at the movies, in magazines in newspapers and on social media. Classified ads is a type of advertising that allows private individuals, like you and me, to sell and buy things and services.

Do you ever read classified ads?

Where do you see them?

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The first thing to do if you’re writing a classified ad is to try to get the attention of the reader. Your ad is going to appear with many others on a page, or perhaps on a notice board at school or in the supermarket.

Which of these ads is more attractive? Why?

Correlated with Unit 4

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Here’s another example.

Glossary

cute: (adj.) attractive.

What is the ad selling?

Why does the seller want you to come and see them?

Do you think the ad would attract you more if Daniela added a picture, like this?

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Another thing you can do to attract the reader’s attention is to vary the size and the letters. Put important things in bold, and you can use different colors. Which of these two ads is more interesting?

Correlated with Unit 4

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Glossary

provide: (v.) supply someone with something or make available for use.

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Once an ad has the readers’ attention, it needs to include details to continue to interest the reader. Look at this ad. It gives you a lot of information.

Which of these things would you like for YOUR next party?

Here’s another example of why the details in ads are important.

Imagine it’s a hot time of year and you’re on vacation at home.

Inflatable pools are a good way to spend time with your friends. Which of these two pools would be best for you? Why?

Glossary

bargain: (n.) a thing offered for sale at a very low price.

Correlated with Unit 4

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The next important thing a classified ad needs is clear contact details!

Suppose you are looking for guitar classes in your neighborhood and you find these ads. One has a lot of interesting details, but it’s no good if you don’t know how to get in touch!

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These two ads are for amusement parks.

Which one gives the best information?

Fairview Amusement Park.

Come and have fun!

Glossary

grill: (n.) a device on a cooker that produces heat for cooking food.

Correlated with Unit 4

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Here’s another example. This ad gets it all right! What can you do at the Summer Hobby Camp? Would you like to go to this summer camp? Why? Why not?

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Are you interested in dancing? What type of dancing do you like? African? Folk? Moon walk? Tap? Ballet?

Have you ever done street dancing? Look at this ad. Do the classes sound interesting?

Correlated with Unit 4

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Would you like to go to a sports camp? Does this ad catch your attention? Why? Does it give you enough information? Would you like to know more?

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Advertising is about sending a message, and selling something, so we need to be careful.

Sometimes the ad is not truthful.

We need to tell the difference between reality and fantasy. Ask yourself, is the ad making a false claim? What about this one?

Glossary

claim: (v.) ask for something you gained or achieved.

Correlated with Unit 4

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Here’s another example of false advertising. Can you see what’s wrong?

So remember when you are watching TV ads, or reading classified ads: Watch out for the false claims!

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Story 2 44

Anne of Green Gables

by Lucy Maud Montgomery (adapted)

Correlated with Unit 5

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Glossary

buggy (n.) a horsedrawn carriage. curious (adj.) eager to learn or know.

This story begins one afternoon in Avonlea. Mrs. Rachel Lynde looked out her kitchen window. She saw a man with a horse and a buggy going up the road. The man was her neighbor, Matthew Cuthberth.

“Where is Matthew going?” thought Mrs. Lynde, “Why is he going there?”

Mrs. Lynde knew that Matthew had a lot of work to do on his farm and he didn’t have anyone to help him. Matthew lived with his sister Marilla in Green Gables, a large old house not far from Mrs. Lynde’s home.

Mrs. Lynde tried not to feel curious, but she couldn’t. She went to Green Gables to find out where Matthew went.

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Mrs. Lynde found Marilla Cuthbert in her kitchen.

Marilla was a tall, thin woman with gray hair. She wasn’t pretty, but she was very kind.

“Good afternoon, Marilla,” said Mrs. Lynde. “I saw Matthew leave. Where is he going?”

“Hello,” answered Marilla, “he is going to Bright River Station. He’s picking up a little boy from a orphanage in Nova Scotia. He is arriving on the train this afternoon.”

“A boy?” asked Mrs. Lynde surprised, “Why do you want an orphan boy?”

“Matthew needs help on the farm; he is already sixty years old,” Marilla said.

“We heard that Mrs. Spencer is getting a little girl from the orphanage, so we asked her to bring us a boy. Matthew will pick him up at the train station.”

Glossary

orphanage: (n.) an institution for the housing and care of orphans.

Correlated with Unit 5

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Bright River Station was very far from Avonlea.

Matthew went slowly with his buggy and his horse.

When he got to the station, it was very late. He didn’t see a train. Matthew went into the station and there he saw a little girl, about eleven years old, sitting on a bench. She was very Glossary thin with big gray eyes and long red bench: (n.) a long seat hair. She wore an ugly dress and for several people. carried an old bag.

When the girl saw Matthew, she waved. Then, she went to him and said, “I’m the girl from the orphanage, Mrs. Spencer brought me here. Are you Mr. Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables?”

Matthew took the girls hands and thought, “This is a mistake. This is a girl, not a boy!”

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“I know it is a long way to your house, Mrs. Spencer told me,” said the girl, “when I saw that you weren’t at the station, I thought about where I could sleep until you got here tomorrow morning. I am happy that you are here. I love driving and that I’m going to have a home with you.”

“I’m sorry I’m late,” said Matthew. He took the girl’s bag and they walked to the buggy. “I can’t leave her here alone,” Glossary he thought. “We will return to Green mistake: (n.) an error Gables so Marilla can tell her that in action or judgment. there was a mistake.”

Matthew drove back to Green Gables.

The girl talked and talked. Matthew just listened. He didn’t like to talk, but he enjoyed listening to the girl’s conversation.

Correlated with Unit 5

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When Marilla saw the buggy getting close to the house, she went out to greet Matthew.

“Where is the boy?” Marilla asked surprised.

“There was only her at the station,” Matthew said.

“What?” said Marilla. “We clearly asked for a boy.”

“I guess we did,” Matthew said.

“What is wrong with a girl?” the girl asked.

“We needed a boy to help with the farm,” Marilla said.

“A girl can give alfalfa to the cows. She can also help you around the house,” Matthew said.

Glossary

knit (v.) to make (fabric, clothes, etc.) by joining loops of yarn by hand with knitting needles. sew (v.) to join or attach one or more things by stitches.

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“A boy can milk and carry heavy things,” said Marilla. “A girl can only knit, sit, wash and sew.”

The girl started crying and said, “You don’t want me because I am a girl.”

“Don’t cry,” said Marilla, “we can solve this problem. What’s your name?”

“My name is Anne Shirley. Anne with an ‘e’,” the girl said.

“Anne is a very nice name,” Marilla said.

“Come eat something and then you can rest.”

Anne, Marilla and Matthew sat down at the table and ate their dinner. Then, Marilla asked Anne to follow her upstairs to show Anne her room. Marilla went back down stairs and washed the dishes. Matthew sat in his chair. He didn’t say anything.

Correlated with Unit 5

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“She needs to go,” said Marilla. “I can take her to Mrs. Spencer’s house tomorrow and tell her about the mistake.”

“She is a very nice girl,” said Matthew. “I think she is very interesting, and she likes to talk. I am sure she can learn how to do many things. She wants to stay with us. We should let her.”

“We don’t need an orphan girl,” said Marilla, “I’m going to send her back.”

“I’m going to bed now,” said Matthew.

He stood up and left.

Marilla took the plates one by one and use a piece of cloth to dry them. Then, she did the same with the spoons, forks and knives. Then, she put them away. She went to bed too.

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The next morning, Marilla prepared breakfast. They all sat down to eat it. After breakfast, Anne washed the plates and cups. Marilla watched as she worked, but Anne did it very well.

Anne took the plates and cups one by one and rinsed them. Then, she used the sponge and some soapy water to wash each plate and cup. Finally, after all the plates and cups had soap, she rinsed the soap and put them on the drying rack. Later, Marilla took the dry plates and cups and put them away.

Glossary

rinsed: (v.) in the past, to pour water over when washing. soapy: (adj.) that contains soap.

Correlated with Unit 5

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“We are going to White Sands,” said Marilla. “Anne will come with me and we’ll talk to Mrs. Spencer.”

Matthew looked very sad, but he didn’t say anything. He got the horse and buggy ready for Marilla. She drove, and Anne sat next to her.

“It is a long way to White Sands,” Marilla said. “I know you like to talk. I want you to tell me who taught you how to wash the dishes.”

“Oh, Mrs. Thomas did. She is the woman that took me in after my parents died,” Anne said. “She had four children. I helped take care of them. She taught me how to do many things to help around the house, wash the dishes, wash the clothes, sweep, mop and I even know how to knit and sew.”

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“Why were you at the orphanage?” asked Marilla.

“One day, Mr. Thomas died in an accident. Mrs. Thomas and the children went to Mr. Thomas’ parents, they didn’t have space for me,” Anne explained. “Then, Mrs. Hammond, Mrs. Thomas’ friend, took me into her house. She had eight children. I did many different things there every day, sometimes I even brushed their teeth! When Mrs. Hammond moved away, I had to go to the orphanage.”

“Did you go to school?” Marilla asked.

“Not very often. I didn’t have the time to go to school. There were so many children,” said Anne. “I really like reading.”

Marilla felt bad for Anne. She was very young, and her life wasn’t very nice.

Correlated with Unit 5

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When Mrs. Spencer heard about the mistake, she felt sorry. Marilla and Anne were sitting in her living room.

“I have an idea,” Mrs. Spencer said. “My neighbor Mrs. Blewett just had a baby. Maybe Anne can stay with her.”

Marilla didn’t like the idea. She didn’t want Anne to stay with a person that wasn’t going to be nice to her.

“I have to discuss things with my brother first,” Marilla said. “He really wants Anne to stay with us.”

“Can I stay with you at Green Gables then?” asked Anne.

“Maybe,” said Marilla. “You still need to show me everything you know how to do. For now, sit down and be quiet.”

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Later that day, Marilla and Anne returned to Green Gables. When Matthew saw Anne return with Marilla he felt very happy. Marilla told Matthew about Mrs. Blewett.

“Oh no, Mrs. Blewett is not nice,” said Matthew.

“I know,” Marilla said. “I don’t like her. I decided Anne can stay here with us. She knows how to do many things. She can go to school too. I hope she can be happy here.”

Matthew was very happy. “I am sure Anne can be very happy here. We just have to be good to her,” he said.

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The years passed and Anne grew smarter and stronger. Marilla and Matthew really loved her. They wanted the best for her. They let her go to school and she helped at home whenever she could.

Glossary

heart: (n.) an organ in humans and many animals that receives blood from the veins and pumps it through the arteries to other parts of the body.

One day, Matthew fell on the kitchen floor and didn’t wake up.

His heart was too sick and tired.

Anne was very sad. Marilla was sad too.

“Oh Anne,” Marilla said, “I am sorry.

I have to sell Green Gables. I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t worry Marilla. I am a woman now. I can be a teacher here in Avonlea and bring money, so we don’t have to sell Green Gables,” said Anne.

So Anne became a teacher and lived in Green Gables, the place she learned to call home.

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Fact 4 45

Do you have a question?

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Glossary

twinkle: (v.) shine with a gleam that changes constantly from bright to faint (opacity).

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Are you interested in science? Do you like finding out how things work? Do you want to know why things are the way they are? Here are some typical questions young people ask. Do you know the answers? What is a star? Why do stars ‘twinkle’? Why do my fingers go wrinkly in a pool? What is a molecule? Why does water in a lake look blue? Do dogs see color?

How does a periscope work?

Let’s start with the question: Why do my fingers go wrinkly in the pool? The answer is simple. Your skin is covered with a special oil called sebum.

This is on the very top layer of your skin and it makes your skin ‘waterproof’. It keeps the water out. But what happens when you spend a long time in the water? The oil is washed away, and the water can get into the outer layer of skin.

So why do your fingers look all wrinkly? They have too much water in them. The extra water in your fingers makes your skin swell in some places but not others, and that’s what causes the wrinkles.

Glossary

wrinkle: (n.) a slight line or fold in something, especially fabric or the skin.

Wrinkly fingers happen of course any time you have your hands in water for too long, not just in the swimming pool. And as you know, there is no reason to worry, because after a little while your fingers go back to normal.

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What about the question: Do dogs see colors? Yes, dogs see colors, but the colors that they see are fewer and different from the colors you see.

They don’t see the rainbow as violet, blue, blue-green, green, yellow, orange and red. They see it as dark blue, light blue, gray, light yellow, browny-yellow and very dark gray.

In other words, dogs see the world as basically yellow, blue and gray.

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Glossary

sweat: (v.) to perspire, especially freely or profusely.

While we’re on the subject of dogs, why do they have wet noses? The answer is, a wet nose helps them identify different smells in their environment. Remember that a dog has an incredible sense of smell, hundreds of times better than our sense of smell. Wet noses are also one of the ways that dogs can regulate body temperature and cool down. Dogs don’t sweat like we do, they only do it through their noses, their tongues and through the pads of their feet!

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Why does the water in lake (a river, an ocean) look blue? It’s all about the reflection of light. When white light from the sun enters the ocean, it is mostly the blue that gets returned or reflected, and that’s why it looks blue to us. Put in another way, the colors red, orange and yellow are absorbed more strongly by water than blue. This is the same reason that the sky is blue.

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Talking of the sky takes us to our next question, which is: What is a Star? For thousands of years when people looked up into the night sky, they had the same question. Now we know. Stars are balls of hot, explosive gas, mostly hydrogen and helium. They make their own light and heat energy through explosions that burn hydrogen and turn it into helium by a process called nuclear fusion!

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Glossary

beam: (n.) ray of light.

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Have you ever looked up into the night sky and been amazed by the hundreds of ‘twinkling’ stars? In fact stars don’t really twinkle. They just look as if they do from our position on the Earth. What’s the reason? As their light beams down through the layers of our atmosphere, it bounces around, making it look strong one moment and weak the next. It looks like the stars are twinkling.

On to our next question: How does a periscope work?

We all know that a periscope is something we can use to look at things, like when you are in a submarine and want to know what’s on the surface of the water. Or when you’re playing and want to see around the corner. Did you know that in the 1430’s some pilgrims were given periscopes by a man called Johann Gutenberg so they could see objects over the heads of other people at a religious festival?

The periscope is not a new instrument!

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So back to the question. The answer is that a periscope has a long tube with parallel mirrors located at both ends at a 45º degree angle. When you look at something, a ball for example, you see it because light bounces off the ball into your eye. If the ball is around the corner, you can’t see it.

But you CAN see it with a periscope because the mirrors bounce the light into your eye!

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Any time two atoms join together, they make a molecule. All the stuff around you is made up of molecules. You are made up of molecules too! In fact, you are made up of trillions and trillions of different types of molecules.

Molecules are not only made up of different types of atoms but also different ‘ratios’. For example a water molecule has 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.

That is why it is written as H2O. Correlated with Unit 6

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We’ve answered all the questions we started with. But here’s another one. What killed the dinosaurs?

They existed for 165 million years so why did they suddenly disappear?

Scientists have many different theories, but the most popular one is this: a massive asteroid hit the earth at Chicxulub on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico about 65 million years ago.

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Scientists have worked out that the asteroid was very big! About ten kilometers across! They know this by measuring the crater it made. It is 180 km from side to side. An impact like that would have caused a giant cloud of dust. With so much dust in the air plants couldn’t grow. The plant eating dinosaurs had nothing to eat and died. The meat eating ones soon didn’t have any food either because the dinosaurs they ate died!

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You can check out more about the extinction of dinosaurs and about any of the other topics you’ve read about here on the internet or in books. It is always good to ask questions and try to find out the answers. We hope you enjoy the search!

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Story 3

You’ll never believe what happened!

46

By Sean Mac Donald

Correlated with Unit 7

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Glossary

hollow: (n.) a hole or depression in something.

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Juan, Nico and Jessie are great friends. They live on the same street but go to different schools. They usually get together after school. Their favorite place to meet is a little hollow under some trees in the park. One day they were there when Jessie suddenly said. "You’ll never believe what happened today at school."

‘A lady came to talk to us about parrots,’ continued Jessie.

‘And?’ asked Juan.

‘You know, parrots that live in Mexico.

She was telling us about the red-crowned parrot.’

‘The what?’ asked Nico.

‘The red crowned parrot. You know, the one that’s green with a bit of red on its head and a dark blue streak behind its eyes.

They live in north eastern Mexico. Well, she brought a pair of them for us to see.’

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‘Did she let you touch them?’ asked Nico.

‘No, because there wasn’t time. I mean, she took the parrots out of their cage and immediately they started screeching.

They were making a terrible noise and then suddenly one flew up and out through the door. I was sitting right there Glossary so I ran into the corridor just in time to see the parrot fly out into screeching: (v.) to utter or make a harsh, the patio!’ shrill cry or sound.

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‘Did it ever come back?’ asked Nico.

He was interested now.

‘Well, wait to hear the story,’ said Jessie. The lady - her name was Mrs Suarez – and our teacher, Mr Baez, ran out into the patio with me. We saw the parrot was on the roof of the gymnasium. Mrs Suarez was very worried and kept calling to it: ‘Cantor!

Cantor come here! Cantor!’

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‘But the parrot didn’t want to come back. It sat on the roof screeching.

Soon the patio was full of teachers and students. Nobody was doing any work. Finally, Mr Gutierrez the principal said we should all go back to our classrooms, but Mr Baez said we could watch from the windows, so we did.’

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‘We watched as Mrs Suarez took the other parrot, Margarita, in its cage, out into the patio. Then she got some seeds out of her pocket and held them out in her open hand.

Poppy and Davey were screeching noisily and then finally Cantor flew down for some seeds. Soon he was back in the cage with Margarita. It was the best day at school I’ve had for a long time!’

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‘Yeah, it sounds fun,’ said Juan, as he found a more comfortable position on his branch. Now I must tell you about a funny thing that happened at my school this morning.

‘OK, tell us,’ said Jessie.

‘There was an explosion!’

‘An explosion!’ both Nico and Jessie were impressed.

‘Yes, in the science lab!’

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am

B

We were doing an experiment called exploding bags with vinegar and baking soda and coloring and suddenly Isaac and Julio’s bag exploded all over the place! They got covered in stuff! Isaac was Glossary so surprised he knocked into the stuff: (n.) material, articles, or activities of bottles of vegetable dye and indeterminate kind. they fell on the floor and broke.

We all rushed to see what was happening and we got dye on our shoes. Soon the floor was wet and red and green!

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Glossary

pail: (n.) a bucket.

The teacher wasn’t pleased!

She sent us out to get cleaned up.

Then we all had to go back to the lab with pails of water and cloths to clean up the mess. That wasn’t much fun.’

‘Do you know why it happened?’

‘Yes, Isaac and Julio put double quantities of everything in the bag, which made a bigger explosion.’

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‘Nothing much exciting has happened at school recently,’ said Nico, ‘but something scary happened at home last night.

‘Oh. What?’ asked Jessie.

‘Well, you know there was a power cut last night,’ said Nico. Because we didn’t have any electricity, Gina and I couldn’t do our homework or watch television and Mom and Dad couldn’t do anything either. So we lit some candles and sat in the living room and started telling ghost stories.

Correlated with Unit 7

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Glossary

bang: (n.) a loud noise.

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Dad was telling us a story about a haunted house. The family that lived there kept seeing a figure dressed in white. It appeared and disappeared.

They also heard strange noises, and they heard voices, too. Suddenly we heard a bang from upstairs.

And what sounded like footsteps walking above us.

Soco was very scared and I felt a little worried too! When the noises continued Dad said he would take a look. We found the flashlight and Dad began to go up the stairs. Luckily, then the lights came on, because I think even Dad was feeling a little nervous.

‘And what was making the noise?’ asked Juan.

‘The neighbor’s cat got into the house and was knocking things over. That’s all’.

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The children drank their soft drinks and then went to join some other friends in the park. They kicked a ball around for about half an hour and then slowly walked back to their homes. See you tomorrow, guys!’ said Jessie, as she went into her house. ‘Yeah. See you tomorrow, Jessie!’ said the boys, and they continued walking along the road to their homes.

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Story 4

Legends from around the world

47

Adapted by Cecily Van Kleef

Correlated with Unit 8

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The Legend of the Dreamcatcher Native American Legend

Glossary

hoop: (n.) a circular band or ring of metal or wood. spin: (v.) to make or produce a thread or web from the body using a substance that hardens in the air. feathers: (n.) plural.

Light horny structures that cover birds. beads: (n.) plural. A small object of glass, wood, etc. with a hole through it that can be used to put on a string. offerings: (n.) plural.

Something offered in devotion.

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A long time ago, a Lakota leader was sitting on top of a mountain. There, he had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi – the teacher of wisdom – appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke in a language only great leaders could understand.

Iktomi took the leader’s willow hoop and began to spin a web.

The hoop had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it.

As Iktomi spun the web, he also spoked about life cycles.

He explained how we start our lives as infants. Then comes childhood and next adulthood. Finally, we get to the old age where we are taken care of as infants. This is the way the cycle is complete.

“In each time of life,” Iktomi explained, “there are many forces, good and bad.

Good forces take you to the right direction.

Bad forces take you on the wrong direction.

These forces can help or interfere with the harmony of nature.”

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The spider continued to weave his web, from the outside to the center. When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota leader the web and said, “Look, the web is a perfect circle. There is a hole in the center of the circle.

Use the web to help yourself and your people reach your goals and to use your people’s ideas, dreams and visions. The web will catch the good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole.”

The Lakota leader shared his vision with his people. The Sioux now use dreamcatchers for their daily lives. Traditionally, they hand them above their beds or in their homes so that they only experience good dreams and visions.

Glossary

web: a thin silken material spun by spiders and other insects.

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Why the spider has long thin legs A legend from West Africa

(Taken and adapted from:http://africa.mrdonn.org/anansi.html)

Once upon a time, many years ago there was a spider called Anansi. His wife was a good cook, but Anansi loved trying the food cooked by his friends in the village. One day he was walking along when he smelt vegetables cooking at Rabbit’s house. ‘What wonderful vegetables!’ he said. Rabbit said: ‘Stay and eat them with me, but they aren’t ready yet.’

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‘I have a few things to do’ said Anansi. He didn’t want Rabbit to ask him to help with jobs around the house. ‘I’ll spin a web and tie one end to the pot of vegetables and the other to one of my legs. When the vegetables are ready, pull on the web and I’ll come.’ Rabbit agreed and Anansi continued his walk.

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Soon he came to the house of the monkeys. ‘What a delicious smell of beans!’ he said to the monkeys. ‘Come and share them with us,’ said the monkeys. ‘They’ll be ready soon.’ Anansi said: ‘I will spin a web and tie one end to the pot of beans and the other to one of my legs. When the beans are ready, pull on the web and I will come quickly.’

The monkeys thought that was a good idea and Anansi continued his walk.

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When Anansi got to the river at the end of the village, he had a piece of web tied to each of his eight legs. He had visited all his friends on the way!

‘Whose pot of food will be ready first,’ he wondered.

Just then he felt a tug on one

Glossary of his legs. Then on another.

tug: (n.) a hard or sudden pull.

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And then on another. Soon, all of his eight legs were being pulled hard!

Anansi managed to get into the river.

Here the water washed away his webs.

His legs were hurting. ‘’Maybe that was not such a good idea after all,’ he thought, and he went home to bed without anything to eat. And since that day, all spiders have had long thin legs!

Correlated with Unit 8

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Why the Sea is salty A legend from Norway

(Taken and adapted from: www.longlongtimeago.com/once-upon-a-time/folktales/why-the-sea-is-salt)

Many, many years ago, there were two brothers. One brother was rich and the other brother was very poor. When the poor brother found that he had no food for his wife, he went Glossary to his rich brother to ask for selfish: (adj.) when help. He did not want to go you don't care for because he knew his brother other people; when the only concern is was mean and selfish, but one's own personal profit or pleasure. he needed food.

The rich brother didn’t want to help. He threw a cow’s foot at him, shouting ‘Go to Hiysi!’, meaning ‘Go away!’

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Unit 8

Glossary Hiysi was a wood goblin who lived in the dark forest. The goblin: (n.) an ugly that looks poor brother was an honest creature like a dwarf. man, and he thought ‘This meat is not mine. My brother told me to take it to Hiysi.’

So he walked into the forest until he found the goblin.

‘Why are you here?’ asked the goblin.

‘I have a gift for you,’ said the poor brother.

When the goblin saw the meat, he jumped up and took it and ate it.

‘I’ll give you this millstone in return,’ said the goblin.

Correlated with Unit 8

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‘It’s a magical millstone and it will give you anything you want. When you want it to stop, just say ‘Enough!’ said the goblin.

When the poor brother returned home, he tried out the magical millstone. ‘Give us a feast!’ he said. The millstone began to grind and produced the best feast that the poor brother and his wife had ever seen. Then the brother said ‘enough’ and the millstone stopped.

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Soon the rich brother heard that his poor brother was getting rich. He went to see why. His brother told him the whole story.

‘Sell me your millstone!’ he said.

‘No, but I will lend it to you for a day,’ said the kind and generous brother.

The selfish brother put the millstone in his boat and began his journey back home by sea. He saw some fishermen with a large catch Glossary of fish. ‘They will need salt,’ lend: (v.) to allow someone to use he thought. ‘They will pay or take something knowing that it will be me a lot of money.’ returned.

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So he commanded the millstone to make salt. The millstone did, and soon his boat was full. Stop! Stop!’ shouted the man, but the millstone didn’t, because he didn’t say ‘enough!’.

The millstone kept grinding and making the whitest salt. The boat soon sank to the bottom of the ocean, taking the greedy brother with it. And the magic millstone kept grinding. It still does today. And that is why the ocean is salty!

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Fact 5 48

Mexican food and diet

Correlated with Unit 9

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Glossary

survey: (n.) an investigation of the opinions or experience of a group of people, based on a questionnaire.

Fruit and vegetables

What do Mexicans eat? According to a recent survey, here’s the answer. The main part of our diet is made up of grain, mainly corn (maize), but also rice, wheat, oats, etc. This is not surprising, since corn originally comes from Mexico. Nowadays we are third in the world for eating corn. Tamales, enchiladas, sopes and tacos are favorites. How many other Mexican dishes can you think of that use corn?

Dairy and eggs

Meat other

Mexico

Grain

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sugar

One typical dish that uses corn tortillas is tostadas. Making tostadas is a great way to use tortillas that are no longer fresh.

You fry the tortilla until it is crisp then you can put almost anything on top! You can use any combination of refried beans, lettuce, tomato, onion, chicken, pork, seafood, cilantro, cream and cheese. And don’t forget the salsa!

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Glossary

myth: (n.) a traditional and ancient story.

One ancient corn myths says that the early Aztecs didn’t have corn. It lay behind the mountains surrounding the Valley of Mexico and they couldn’t get it. Then one day they sent their priests to the God Quetzalcoatl and asked for his help. Quetzalcoatl became a black ant and with the help of a red ant, crossed the mountains. He returned with a grain of corn in his mouth. After that, the Aztec people cultivated corn and used it in all their religious ceremonies to thank the gods.

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Look how much sugar Mexicans eat!

Most of us love sweet things. One typical Mexican dessert with a lot of sugar in it is flan. The ingredients include sweet condensed milk, vanilla and a lot of sugar to make the caramel. Where does flan come from? It is not originally from Mexico but was first made in the Roman Empire.

Soon the Spanish were addicted and Cortés and his men brought flan to our country.

Mexican flans now also have chocolate, guava, and coconut flavors! Delicious!

Sugar consumption Daily average per person/g Source: Euromonitor

30

89.1 91.5 92.5 93.2 95 95.6 96.7 102.5 102.9 126.4 USA

GERMANY

NETHERLANDS

IRELAND

AUSTRALIA

BELGIUM

UK

MEXICO

FINLAND

CANADA

RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM

Taken from: www.raconteur.net/current-affairs/sugar-rushmexicos-unhealthy-addiction-to-soft-drinks

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What are the typical vegetables used in Mexican cooking? Squash, mushrooms, onion, green beens, broccoli, cabbage, peas, spinach, bell pepper, chili pepper, tomato and cauliflower to name but a few!

Here’s a recipe for vegetable soup.

Glossary

skillet : (n.) a small pot.

> Heat oil in a large skillet. > Chop onions and fry them. > Cut up squash, mushrooms and tomatoes and sweet corn, and add them to the skillet. > Add spices like oregano, coriander and chili. > Pour on chicken broth and cook for 20 -25 minutes. > Serve with strips of fried tortilla and lemon.

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Mexican street food is very special. It is prepared by vendors in the street and at traditional street markets. Street food include tacos, gorditas, tamales, elote and tortas, as well as fruit and vegetables.

How are the "elotes" (corn on the cob) usually prepared in the street? The corn is grilled and then is covered in a mayonnaise and cream sauce. Chili powder and extra cheese is sprinkled on top. What’s your favorite street food?

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Did you know there is a Sweet Corn festival in Jala, Nayarit? Have you ever been there? It takes place every year during the first two weeks of August.

Jala is a region where the largest corncobs in the world are grown. Some are about a meter long!

Many families go to the festival, where there are also stands with regional food, sports competitions, dancing in public places, and fireworks.

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Many people are away from home most of the day, and they get hungry! Look at the table to see what most people eat when they aren’t at home. In the table you can see the American influence on food habits, too. Sandwiches and hot dogs are getting popular!

The table shows that some people don’t eat at all, but prefer to wait until they get home. Can you find the statistic?

Type of food

%

Type of food

%

Tacos

31.7

Juice

2.1

Tortas

18.6

Pizza

2.0

Daily menu

10.4

Burritos

1.7

Fruits

9.8

Yogurt

1.5

Quesadillas, sopes, gorditas, tlayudas.

8.9

Chicken soup

1.6

Junk food

5.7

Salads

1.5

Hamburgers

3.5

3.3

Soda

2.9

Wait till get back home

Sandwiches

2.8

Seafood

1.3

Hot dogs

2.7

Water

1.1

Cookies

2.5

Tamales

1.0

Sweet bread

2.3

Canned soup

0.9

Fired chicken

2.2

Nachos

0.7

Tortilla

0.6

Take-away food

0.6

Taken from: Mitofsky, Mexico. Statistics on junk food and nutrition habits, 2011.

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As the table on page 125 shows, many people eat ‘comida corrida’ when they can’t get home. Comida corrida is a relatively new idea. It started in the times of Porfirio Diaz when workers found themselves in areas of the city far from their homes. They needed to find cheap places to eat. They wanted a hot meal they could eat quickly.

And so ‘comida corrida’ was born.

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On a hot day it’s wonderful to have a fresh fruit juice. Mexico has a large variety of tropical and exotic fruits and you can get an ice cold juice at one of the many street juice bars. Orange, lemon, mango, guava, pineapple and strawberry are just some of the common fruits used. Which is your favorite fruit juice? Which fresh juices would you recommend to a foreign visitor?

Glossary

foreign: (adj.) a person who is not from that region or country.

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Two other popular drinks are hibiscus flower (jamaica), and horchata.

Hibiscus flower drink has vitamin C and minerals. Horchata is also full of vitamins and minerals. Do you know how to make them?

You put dried hibiscus in slowly boiling water for a while until the water turns the correct color. Then cool, add sugar and drink!

For horchata, soak white rice in water and milk. Mix it with cinnamon and sugar, and enjoy!

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What young Mexican people say they eat.

What do Mexican children and adolescents eat?

Have a look at this study. Thousands of young Mexicans were asked about what they ate. What about you? How often do you eat these things?

Are you very different from most other young people in Mexico?

What young Mexican people say they eat Never %

Ocassionally % Often %

Everyday%

Box of ceral

8

26

39

25

Beans

1

6

50

40

Dairy products

1.9

16

34

49

White meat

0.6

30

55

14

Red meat

1.8

30

54

13

Fruit

1.3

19

42

39

Vegetables

3

16

42

35

Candy

6

33

35

27

Soft drinks

4

29

35

32

Fast food

12

42.5

31.9

11

7

36

33

22

1.1

19

36

44

Salty snaks Bread

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We all know that some important foods originated in Mexico, like tomato, avocado, vanilla and chocolate. Let’s take a closer look at chocolate.

The Mayans were the first to discover cocoa around 900 AD. For them it was a great luxury. Later, the Aztecs made a drink called xocolatl (‘bitter water’).

The cacao beans were crushed and ground into a paste, and then mixed with water and spices. For the Aztecs, cocoa beans were very valuable. They had to import the beans from other areas in their Empire, because cocoa does not grow in the Valley of Mexico.

Hernán Cortés tried the chocolate drink in the court of Montezuma in 1519. Soon after that, the Spanish imported cocoa to Europe where it became very popular after they found how delicious it was when they added sugar!

Now chocolate is popular all over the world. In fact Mexican food is popular in many countries and a few years ago UNESCO gave it the honor of calling it an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.’

So, we should really be proud of our country’s food!

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Beats!

Story 5

The End of Year Party

49

By Marianne Winters

Correlated with Unit 10

131

The summer vacations were coming.

Grade 4 was planning a party to celebrate the end of the school year.

Miss Torres asked her students, ‘What type of party do you want?’

The students had different ideas.

‘I want a dancing party,’ said Alicia. ‘with music and a DJ! And with cakes and cookies!’

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Beats!

‘I’d like a party with games and prizes,’ said Gerardo. ‘I’d like a party with a magician,’ said Laura. ‘We want a painting party,’ said Katrina and Jaime.

‘OK’ said Miss Torres. ‘Let’s start planning!

But first, we need to write a letter to your parents. We need their help!

Correlated with Unit 10

133

So Miss Torres and the children wrote a letter. It said: Dear parents, We are having an end-of-year-party on the last Friday of the semester. Could you help us? Could you send ________________ with your child on the day.

Thank you very much!

Grade 4 and Miss Torres.

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Then the children filled in the space in the letter with all the types of food and drink they wanted for the party.

They asked for sandwiches, potato chips, fruit, lemonade, bottles of water, and cookies. They also asked for a big strawberry cake. Alicia said her Mom was a very good cake-maker. She said her Mom would be happy to make a cake. So the letter asking for cake went to Alicia’s mom.

Correlated with Unit 10

135

Glossary

twist: (v.) to turn or bend into a curly shape.

The day before the party, Miss Torres asked: ‘Can you help me decorate the classroom? Here are some rolls of crepe paper. Will you choose a color and twist the crepe paper like this.’

Of course, everyone wanted to help!

When the crepe paper was ready, Miss Torres got out some sticky paper.

‘Can I help you with the sticky tape?’ asked Rodrigo.

‘Of course you can. Thank you,’ said Miss Torres.

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Beats!

It was the day of the party. The classroom was beautifully decorated.

Alicia’s Mom arrived with an enormous strawberry cake.

‘Oh, it’s beautiful!’ said Miss Torres.

‘Do you want me to put it on the table over there?’

‘Yes, please. That’s very kind of you!’

Just then, Mr Evia, the school caretaker, came in with the bean bag game board.

Glossary

caretaker: (n.) a person who looks after you or your things.

‘I have the Burst the Balloon board, too. Where do you want them?’ he asked.

Correlated with Unit 10

137

‘Could you put them there by the window? Thank you,’ said Miss Torres.

‘Children! It’s time to blow up balloons!’

Everyone blew up one balloon and then fixed them on the Burst the Balloon board.’ Now the games were ready.

Glossary

burst: (v.) break open or apart suddenly and violently, especially as a result of an impact or internal pressure.

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Beats!

‘There’s a prize for anyone who gets the bean bag into the hole and for anyone who bursts two or more balloons!’ explained Gerardo.

Glossary

manage: (v.) to be in charge or be the leader of a project, a place or business.

Nobody managed to get the bean bag into the hole, but Max burst three balloons.

He won a beach volleyball!

Soon it was time for Laura’s magic show.

Among her tricks, she put a straw through the closed top of a plastic bottle! She made a spoon bend by just holding it between her fingers. For her last trick she put a coin on a piece of paper and folded the paper various times. When she opened the paper, there was no coin!

Correlated with Unit 10

139

Everyone was very impressed and they couldn’t work out how she did it.

Then it was time to dance.

‘Rodrigo, could you help me with these chairs? We need to move them,’ said Miss Torres.

‘Yes of course’, said Rodrigo. ‘And, do you want me to help with the music?’

‘No thanks, Rodrigo. Alicia is doing the music. She’s being the DJ today.’

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Beats!

For those who didn’t want to dance there was a painting corner and a painting competiton. Miss Torres had put out paints, a bowl full of daises and a pile of paper. The idea was to make flower prints. Miss Torres was the judge.

The finisehd prints were all on the table. Miss Torres looked at them once. Then she looked at them all again. She walked up and down trying to choose the winner.

Correlated with Unit 10

141

Finally she said, ‘Guys, all these prints are so lovely that I can’t decide who the winner is! So here’s a lollipop for each of you! Well done!’ And with that she took out a large bag of lollipops and gave one to each child.

The dancers noticed the lollipops immediately. ‘Don’t worry! There’s a lollipop for you dancers too, because you all dance so well!’

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Suddenly the children starting whispering and giggling. Miss Torres wondered what it was all about. Then Laura, Katrina, Rodrigo and Gerardo left the room. Miss Torres was just about to follow them to see what was going on, when they came back into the room. They were carrying a very large bouquet of flowers!

Glossary

giggle: (v.) laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way.

Correlated with Unit 10

143

‘This is for you Miss Torres,’ said Alicia.

‘Thank you very much for organizing our wonderful party!’

‘Oh, thank you, everyone! And thank you for being wonderful students,’ said Miss Torres, wiping away a tear.

‘And now it’s time to have something to eat. Come on everyone! Who can help me serve the food?’

And afterwards, everyone agreed it was a great end-of-year party!

Bibliography Eating Healthy by: Valerie Bodden (Creative Paperbacks, 2015) Eating Healthy by: Valerie Bodden (Creative Paperbacks, 2015) Charlotte´s Web by: E.B. White, illustrated by: Garth Williams (HarperCollins, 2012) Oh Rats! The Story of Rats and People by: Albert Marrin, illustrated by: C.B Mordan (Puffin Books, 2014) Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales by: Neil Philip, illustrated by Jacqueline Mair (Clarion Books, 2003)

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Estimada alumna, estimado alumno: El Libro de lecturas que tienes en tus manos es el resultado del esfuerzo que realizan el gobierno federal, los gobiernos estatales, las maestras y los maestros para garantizar que todas las niñas, los niños y los adolescentes que cursan la educación básica en nuestro país cuenten con materiales educativos para construir su aprendizaje, y con ello alcanzar una educación de excelencia.

Tu Libro de lecturas promoverá que te desarrolles integralmente, fomentará en ti el amor a la Patria y el respeto a todos los derechos; así reconocerás lo que te rodea, apreciarás tus fortalezas y sabrás lo que tu comunidad, México y el mundo necesitan y lo que puedes hacer por ellos.

En el marco de la Nueva Escuela Mexicana, la equidad y la calidad son premisas de la educación. Este libro forma parte de los materiales educativos que se ofrecen para que, con el trabajo diario de maestras, maestros, autoridades y familias, alcances el máximo logro de aprendizaje y el fortalecimiento de los lazos entre tu escuela y tu comunidad.

Este libro ya es tuyo; es un regalo del pueblo de México para ti. ¡Conócelo, cuídalo y disfrútalo!

Distribución gratuita, prohibida su venta.

Nombre

Grado

Escuela

Maestro (a)

4

Reader’s Book Primary

4

Primary

Reader's Book