A.   Read the article. Then answer the questions.

THREE SISTERS

Millions of local Australians and tourists travel to visit the Three Sisters rock formation each year. The formation is located in Australia’s Blue Mountains located just over 100 kilometers northwest of Sydney. Its breathtaking views and fascinating folklore continue to attract visitors.

The Three Sisters are actually three peaks right next to each other that reach heights of 922, 918 and 906 meters above sea level. The peaks were formed by erosion. This means that over time, wind, rain, and rivers wore down the rock and left the three shapes people see today.

The name “Three Sisters” comes from Aboriginal folklore. The peaks are named after three human sisters—Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo. According to one story, the sisters were very beautiful and had fallen in love with three brothers from another tribe. The sisters were forbidden to marry the brothers, so the brothers decided to take the girls by force. This resulted in a tribal war. In order to protect the girls, a witch doctor turned them into stone. He intended to turn the girls back into humans again after the war ended, but he got killed instead, so the spell was never reversed. The rocks stand today to remind people of the sadness of war.

Another story talks about Meehni, Wimlah, and Gunnedoo’s father using a “magic bone” to turn them into stone. He did so in order to protect the girls from an evil monster. Then he turned himself into a bird to escape as well. When he became a bird, he lost his magic bone and was never able to turn his daughters back into humans again. It is said that the bird continues to search for the magic bone so that someday, the girls can return to their human form.

Visitors can read about these stories as they bushwalk, or hike, around the area. Some visitors walk down The Giant Stairway—a set of 800 stone and steel steps built in 1909—to get a view of the rocks from below. Others ride the historic Scenic Railway built in the 1880s to take in the sights. Any way you experience it, the Three Sisters is an incredible sight for everyone to enjoy.

1.    What is the purpose of this passage?

a. to persuade people to visit a place                b. to decide which story is true

c. to describe a place

2.    Which paragraph scientifically explains how the Three Sisters were formed?

a. Paragraph 2                              b. Paragraph 3                      c. Paragraph 4

3.    What does “spell” mean in paragraph 3?

a. a period of time                                              b. how a word is written

c. words that make something happen

4.    What happens in both of the Aboriginal stories?

a. The girls were turned into stone.                  b. A witch doctor tried to help the girls.

c. There was a war between two tribes.

5.    In paragraph 3, which event from the story happened first?

a. The girls were turned into stone.                  b. A war started between two tribes.

A.   Read the passage. Put the events in order.

COMING TO THE RESCUE

One hot, summer afternoon I looked outside and saw a small, black object on the grass in the backyard. I decided to check it out and discovered that it was a bird. It was obviously injured with one wing sticking straight out. Its eyes were open, and it seemed to be breathing. I quickly ran back inside and started searching online for information on wild animal rescues. I found a website that gave advice on what to do with injured birds. It clearly explained when to leave an injured bird alone and when to call an animal shelter. In the case of an injured wing, it recommended contacting a shelter.

I called the local animal shelter, and the woman who answered the phone advised me to place the bird in a box with a lid and bring the box to them. I asked about giving the bird some water since it had been out in the sun, but she said not to do this—the shelter would take care of the bird’s needs. She also warned me against touching the bird. She said birds can carry diseases, so it’s best to wear gloves when handling them.

She had instructed me to put the bird in a box lined with a small blanket or towel. I had to be extremely careful not to touch its broken wing, and I moved as slowly as I could to keep the bird calm. It made a faint squawking sound as I lowered it into the box.

I placed the box in the car and drove to the shelter. Once there, the shelter volunteers immediately attended to the bird. I felt sad as I parted with my new little friend. I wanted to know what they were going to do with him. One volunteer explained that the vet would check the bird before deciding what treatment could be given. Apparently the shelter takes in injured animals all the time, and sometimes they are able to rehabilitate the animals and release them back into the wild. Other times, unfortunately, the animals don’t make it.

I hoped that my little friend would be okay. The volunteer assured me that the shelter takes great care of their animals—placing them in warm, dimly lit rooms to keep them comfortable. So I said goodbye to my little friend and went home. I never found out what happened to the little bird, but I’d like to imagine that it’s flying free over my backyard again.

EVENTS

a.The author drove the bird to the shelter.                      b. The bird got injured.

c. The bird was examined by a vet.                                d. The author put the bird in a box.

e. The author found an animal rescue website.

Sentence 1        

Sentence 2         

Sentence 3         

Sentence 4         

Sentence 5        

Exercise 6: Unscramble these words then put them into the correct sentences.

1.  There is a Deer in the forest near my house.

2.  A Squirrel lives in a tree and eats nuts.

3.  People think that the.................................. has a cute face.

4.  Our cat just had six ………………………..………. .

5.    A mammal is a warm-blooded animal that feeds milk to its young.

6.  We went to the shelter to adopt a pet ……………………………………

7.  An active........................................ may erupt at any time.

8.  She will become the.................................... of our company.

9.  The water in the................................................ was very cold.

10.  That mountain was formed by a.................................... which isn't active anymore.

11.  That tall.................................... of rocks looks like a building.

12.  I want to study Geology in college.

13.  This................................... was formed over thousands of years by the river that runs through it.

Exercise 4: Combine two sentences by using “which” or “who”

0.      Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish. They are shy and gentle.

……………..... Whale sharks, which are shy and gentle, are the world’s largest fish.………………..

1.      Mr. Thinh used to be a marine biologist. Mr. Thinh is my science teacher.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

2.      He worked for a woman. She used to be an artist.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

3.      This is the laptop. My mother has just bought it.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

4.      Sea otters have heavy fur. Sea otters live in the ocean.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

5.      The police officer has just arrested a man. He robbed the bank.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

6.      The man was rude. He was wearing a red shirt.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

7.      Jellyfish live in the ocean. Jellyfish are sometimes caught by fishermen.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

8.      They called a doctor. He lived nearby.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

9.      Martin is the director of the aquarium. Martin is very interested in marine conservation.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……

10.  The TV got broken. It was my grandfather’s.

…….……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..……………..………….…….…….…….…….…….……