The North Pole is about more than Santa Claus. It is the northernmost place on Earth. There is no real land there, only a fat layer of ice about 4 metres thick. The closest land to the North Pole is actually 700 miles away. During the summer, the sun is always up and shining, there is no darkness. The warmest it ever gets is in July, when the temperature might just get up to freezing level, 0 degrees.

Based on the information given, what conclusion can be drawn about summer at the North Pole?

The North Pole and South Pole are different. The North Pole is a layer of floating ice in the ocean. The South Pole is a land mass located on the continent of Antarctica. It is colder at the South Pole. Polar bears are found in the Arctic Circle, but penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere. This means that polar bears and penguins never actually live together.

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Santa Claus is overweight, but he is always happy. He has white hair, with a white beard and moustache. His red coat has a white collar and white cuffs. His pants are also red with white cuffs. He wears black leather boots and a black leather belt. He also has a red floppy hat shaped like a cone with a fluffy white ball at the end. He is often seen with a very large bag packed to the top with all kinds of toys.

Based on this text, which of the following is most likely TRUE?

Real Christmas trees can catch on fire. Therefore, follow these tips to stay safe over Christmas. Make sure the tree is secure and cannot be knocked over. Keep at least two litres of water in the bucket it is standing in to keep the tree fresh. Use small light bulbs on the Christmas tree, because they won't get as hot. Keep your tree away from fireplaces. Always turn off the lights before going to bed.

To prevent a fire, what should real tree owners do just before going to bed?

The first decorated Christmas tree appeared in the year 1510. In 1846, the British royal family put up a fancy tree in their castle. Since the royal family was so popular, everyone wanted to have a tree like they had. After that, Christmas trees were seen everywhere. The first tree to appear in the White House in America, was in 1853.

When did Christmas trees become the most popular?

Both Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer are huge holiday hits. But, did you know that neither one of them started out as a Christmas song? Jingle Bells was just a fun song about sleigh races in the snow. Christmas was not even mentioned in the lyrics. Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer was a Christmas story and colouring book for a shop! Many years later, it was turned into a song and a cartoon.

What is meant by the underlined word, 'hits' in this passage?

Both Jingle Bells and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer are huge holiday hits. But, did you know that neither one of them started out as a Christmas song? Jingle Bells was just a fun song about sleigh races in the snow. Christmas was not even mentioned in the lyrics. Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer was a Christmas story and colouring book for a shop! Many years later, it was turned into a song and a cartoon.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

Many countries around the world decorate Christmas trees. Families in America and Germany use glass ornaments. Christmas trees in Japan are decorated using origami swans and paper lanterns. In Spain, children hit their trees! They try to knock out the treats that have been tied to the trunk and branches of the tree.

Which of the following decorations are used on Japanese Christmas trees?

Read the following dialogue between a mom and her daughter:

Daughter: Mom, I'm going shopping with my friends at the Stellenbosch Market.

Mother: Beware of pickpockets. There are a lot of people there and I've heard stories of theft!

Daughter: Thank you, mom, I'll be careful.

The mother is worried that...

Most of the world's volcanoes are part of "The Ring of Fire." This is a ring of volcanoes that form a circle around the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of volcanoes make up "The Ring of Fire." These volcanoes formed many underwater mountains at the bottom of the ocean.

What is the main idea of this passage?

I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave!

What is the main idea of this passage?

Do you ever wonder how you taste things? You owe your sense of taste to your taste buds. We have 9,000 taste buds on our tongues! There are also some taste buds on the roof of your mouth and on the back of your throat.

What does the author want you to learn from the passage?

Floods can cause a tremendous amount of damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind. It can take months to clean areas up after a flood.

What is the main idea of this passage?

Soccer is known in some countries as football. It is the most popular sport across the world, with over 200 countries playing it. It is estimated that over 250 million people, both men and women, play soccer. The sport has been part of the Olympic games from 1900 to 1928 and from 1936 to today.

What is the main idea of this passage?

We're Racing, Racing Down the Walk

We're racing, racing down the walk,

Over the pavement and round the block.

We rumble along till the sidewalk ends-

Felicia and I and half our friends.

Our hair flies backwards. It's whish and whirr!

She roars at me and I shout at her

As past the porches and garden gates

We rattle and rock

On our roller skates.

3) What makes the sound of 'whish and whirr?'

We're Racing, Racing Down the Walk

We're racing, racing down the walk,

Over the pavement and round the block.

We rumble along till the sidewalk ends-

Felicia and I and half our friends.

Our hair flies backwards. It's whish and whirr!

She roars at me and I shout at her

As past the porches and garden gates

We rattle and rock

On our roller skates.

1) What makes a rumbling sound in the poem?

Which of the following is an example of a setting in a story:

The ______________ are the people or animals who appear in the story.

The setting of a story is _______________________.

Lucy was furious about her English marks. She kicked her desk and ran out of the classroom.

What does furious mean?

Every student in class had to study the life cycle of an animal. Beth chose one she wanted to learn more about. She often saw it in the pond near her house. She followed one closely from the beginning as an egg, to a tadpole, until its legs developed.

What animal do you think Beth was studying?

Today is a special day for Bob. He is waiting at the bus stop with his dad. He is a little scared. He is meeting his Grade 2 teacher for the first time. He hopes he likes her. He hopes he makes new friends in his class, too.

What day do you think this is for Bob?

How can you tell if Christmas is coming? One of the first signs is seeing all the decorations displayed in the shops. Christmas music is also played everywhere. All of your favourite Christmas television shows will also be on. Everyone starts put up the lights and their tree!

What does the word displayed mean in the passage above?

The weather is getting colder. You're getting thirsty. Will you drink hot chocolate or hot apple cider? They are both delicious and warming. Hot chocolate is made with hot milk, cocoa and sugar. Hot apple cider is made with apple cider and cinnamon sticks. This means it is fat-free.

Based on the paragraph, what is one reason why apple cider is healthier than cocoa?

Cold weather is a problem for our pets. It's best to keep a dog or cat indoors. If your pet spends a lot of time outside, he or she needs to have some kind of shelter. It should be large enough to lie down in, but small enough to hold in heat. The floor should be raised a few centimetres off the ground. Pets in winter also need more food for energy.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

Real trees and fake trees are both used at Christmas time. Is one better than the other? People love the smell and look of a real tree, but the pine needles drop and can make a big mess. With fake trees, people don't have to worry about falling needles or fading colours. An artificial tree can be used for many years. Also, you are saving a small piece of the environment by buying and using a fake tree.

What is one reason given by the author for using a fake tree?

I saw the bird soar in the sky. Another word for soar is ?

My shy dog is afraid of noises. Another word for shy is ?

The farmer planted seeds in the dirt. Another word for dirt is ?

Dan has a fat cat.

The name of the fat cat is Sam.

Sam has a rat. The cat was sad,

Dan gives the cat a pat.

The fat cat sat on a mat.

Who is the cat's owner?

"Please help ____ to the drinks," Mrs Brown told the guests.

The girl _____ grandmother passed away yesterday did not come to school today.

Ken was on his way home when he ____ an accident.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash. Julie and James halted immediately.

The word 'halted' can be replaced by _______.

Tina smiled and waved at many people along the way. This shows that she is _________.

We were so famished that we finished everything on our plates.

The word 'famished' can be replaced with...

Maggie was getting ready to walk to school. She put on her coat and grabbed her backpack. As she was leaving, her mother said, “I love you. See you later!”

What conclusion can you make about Maggie?

Brittany's mom walked into the kitchen wearing her sun hat and a pair of old shoes. “Those vegetable plants are growing by leaps and bounds!” she exclaimed to Brittany, as she took off a dirty glove and wiped a smudge of dirt off her face. Where had Brittany's mom been?

Cassie rolled over in her bed and suddenly realised that it was a Thursday. She looked up at the clock. “9:48!!” she shouted, “Holy cow!!” Cassie jumped out of bed, threw on the first outfit that she saw, brushed her teeth in two seconds, threw her books into her backpack, and then ran out the door. What is Cassie's problem?

My dog Jack is very friendly, and he likes to be around people. Yesterday, our neighbors were having a party and we all went over. We could hear Jack barking loudly from our backyard. After a little while, he became quiet, so we thought he had finally calmed down. But, several minutes later, all of the adults start laughing, and I heard a giant splash at the other end of the pool!

What can we conclude happened at the end of this story?

Mrs. Lance is my favourite teacher, but something is not right today. She is sitting down at her desk all the time, and she asked us to read a story quietly to ourselves. She started blowing her nose and a little while later, I saw that her cheeks were red.

What do you think is wrong with Mrs. Lance?

As I walked in the door, I was amazed at the beautiful colors and smells. I knew it would be hard to decide what I would buy with my R5. The truffles looked delicious, but they were expensive. The jelly beans were not only cheaper, but so colourful! With so much to choose from, I knew I would be here for a long time. Where am I?

Reuben dug frantically through his backpack but he couldn't find it. How many times had his mother told him not to take his iPod to school? He searched his locker again without much hope. He knew he was in trouble.

What conclusion can you come to about Reuben?