A Country Road

Very far from the city lived a farmer and his wife. There was a narrow dirt road in front of their house.

On the road, there was a big hole filled with water. The hole was very deep. Drivers on the road didn't know just how deep. When they drove into the hole, they could not drive out.

One day, a man in a new car was driving down the road. He noticed the hole with the water, but he didn't think it was very deep. He drove into the hole, and his car became stuck.

The man saw the farmer on his tractor, working in the field. He waved to the farmer. The farmer drove over to the man in the new car.

The farmer asked if there was problem. And the man said that his car was stuck in the hole and asked for some help. But the farmer said he was very busy.

The man said that he would pay him if he would so the farmer helped the man after agreeing on a price. The farmer towed the car out of the hole with his tractor. Then the man paid him the money.

The man looked at the farmer and said, "I guess you are rich. You must tow cars out of this hole day and night."
"Actually, no," said the farmer.
"Why not?" asked the man.
"The hole is very deep, and a lot of people get stuck and ask for help. But I don't make money day and night. I don't pull cars out at night. At night, I'm busy filling the hole with water," answered the farmer.

The Story of the Teddy Bear

Jenny loves stuffed animals. Her room is filled with them. One day, Jenny's grandmother had a surprise for her. It was a teddy bear. Jenny suddenly curious about teddy bear. She knows about black bears and grizzly bears but she has no idea what kind of bear is teddy bear so she asked her grandmother.

Jenny's grandmother told her that teddy bear has a very special story. She said "Teddy" is the nickname of Theodore Roosevelt, the President of the United States many years ago. Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed the outdoors and nature. One of his hobby was going hunting. One day, he went out to hunt animals with his men but he didn't catch anything. His men thinks that the President has to catch something so they tied a small bear to a tree.

The President was about to give up and go home but one of his men said that he saw a bear. He pointed the small bear tied in the tree. The other man told him to shoot the bear so President Roosevelt aimed his rifle at the bear. The bear looked at the president and the gun.

President Roosevelt looked at the bear and shouted "What am I doing? How can I kill this helpless animal? I can't! I won't kill it!" Then he headed home.

The next day, the story about the president and the bear was in the newspaper which entitled "Theodore Roosevelt and the 'Teddy' Bear."

The owner of the toy store read the article in the newspaper so he and his wife decided to make a stuffed bear, and they named it "Teddy". The teddy bear was born! Everyone wanted one. The "Teddy Bear" became very popular.

Jenny was so happy to hear about the story. Now she knows about the Teddy bear and she loves it more than any other stuffed because she said that President Roosevelt was a kind man. She also said that teddy bears are so special just like her grandmother.

Birthdays Around the World

Children around the world have different kinds of celebrations on their birthday parties. What do they do?

In Argentina, the family and friends will pull the ear of the celebrant according to their ages. If you are ten years old, then they will pull your ear ten times.

In China, the family and friends of the celebrants will eat noodles together and they wish the celebrant a long life. Noodles are long so they mean long life.

In Denmark, the cake of the celebrant is decorated with the Danish flag.

In England, the mother of the celebrant bakes a cake with coins in it. If the celebrant finds a coin in her piece of cake, then she will grow up to be rich.

In India, the birthday celebrant wears a colorful dress. Also, her bestfriend gives out chocolates to the celebrant's friends.

In Israel, at the birthday party, the grown ups lift the celebrant up into the air and put her back down again. (I wonder what happens to chubby kids.)

In Korea, at the birthday party, the mother of the celebrant serves seaweed soup and rice cakes. Then the family and friends all eat together. (Seaweed soup must be eaten by a mom who has just delivered a baby. I think it's the reason why they also serve seaweed soup on birthdays. Rice cake to make you strong so it also means long life.)

In Mexico, at the birthday party, the celebrant wears a blindfold and hit a piñata until it breaks open. (A piñata is a container often made of papier-mâché, pottery, or cloth; it is decorated, and filled with small toys or candy, or both, and then broken as part of a celebration.) Then everybody shares all the candies inside.

In the Philippines, before the birthday party, the celebrant goes to church to pray. Either alone, with friends or family.

In the United States, the celebrant makes a wish and blow out the candles on his/her birthday cake. If the candles blown out once, then the celebrant's wish will come true.

The Story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Once upon a time, on a cold winter day, a queen sat by the window at her castle. She sat and made clothes for her baby. She wanted to have a little girl.
Sometimesshe looked out of the window. Outside, the snow fell, and it was very cold. Suddenly, she pricked her finger with her needle, and three drops of red blood fell from it.

"Red is a beautiful color," she thought. Then, she looked at the dark black wood of the trees outside and at the white snow.
"My little girl will be very beautiful," thought the queen. "She will have skin as white as snow, hair as black as the trees in winter, and cheeks as red as blood."

Soon the queen had her baby, a little daughter. And the little girl had skin as white as snow, hair as black as trees in winter, and cheeks as red as blood.
"Oh, dear little child," said the queen, "you are very beautiful! I will call you Snow White."

She loved the little girl very much. But when Snow White was only two years old, a very sad thing happened. The queen was very ill and she died.
After a few years, Snow White's father, the king, married again. His new queen was beautiful, but she was also nasty and unkind. She thought that she was the most beautiful woman in the country.
"And I will be the most beautiful woman in the country!" she said. Then, she looked at Snow White. She saw that the little girl was very beautiful, and she was jealous. She saw the light in Snow White's eyes and she wanted to kill her.

The new queen had a magic mirror. Everyday she stood in front of it and asked: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?" The mirror always answered: "Of all the women who stand tall, You, Queen, are the most beautiful of all. But listen now, for this is true: Snow White is more beautiful than you."
The queen was very angry. "When I saw Snow White, I am ill!" she said. "She must die. I never want to see her face again."
She gave some money to a huntsman and said to him, "Take Snow White into the forest and kill her. Do this or you will die. Go! Be quick! Bring me back her heart. Then I will know that she is dead."

The huntsman did not want to do it, but he was afraid. So he took Snow White and together they walked far into the forest. He put his hand on his knife three times. But each time Snow White turned and looked at him, and he could not kill her.

At last, the huntsman said, "Listen, Snow White. The queen said that I must kill you. But I can't do it. Run, Snow White! Run far away into the forest. And do not come back to the castle." Then the huntsman killed a deer and took its heart. "I will take this deer's heart to the queen," he thought. "And I will tell her that Snow White is dead."

Snow White was alone and lost. She ran through the forest. She ran all day. Now it was late and she was afraid. The forest was full of strange noises. She knew that there were wild animals there, but they did not come near her.

At last, Snow White came out of the forest. She saw a mountain, and at the foot of the mountain she saw a little house. "I'll go and knock on the door," she thought. "Then perhaps a kind person will help me."

"Hello!" she called. But there was no answer. It was almost dark now, so she opened the door. Inside, the furniture was very small, and there were seven of everything: seven little chairs and little bed. There were seven little cups on the table, and seven plates of food. "Perhaps seven little children live here," thought Snow White. "But where are they?"

Snow White was very hungry, but she didn't want to take someone's dinner. So she ate a little from each plate, and she drank a little from each cup. Then she went upstairs and fell asleep on three of the little beds.

The house belonged to seven dwarfs. Everyday the dwarfs went to the mountain and looked for gold. That night they finished their work and came home. "Someone has eaten from out plates and drunk from our cups," said one.
"Perhaps it was a mouse," laughed the others. "Come on! Let's take off our boots and sit down and eat."
Then the youngest dwarf called from upstairs. "Come quickly, everybody. Come and see. There is a young girl asleep on our beds. She is very beautiful."

All the dwarfs ran upstairs. "Yes, she is very beautiful!" they said. "Shhh! Don't wake her."
So that night they all slept downstairs by the fire. In the morning, Snow White told them her story. "Stay here with us," said the dwarfs. "The queen is a very dangerous woman. You can never go back to your castle now."
"Yes," said the oldest dwarf. "Stay. Please Stay."
"Thank you," said Snow White. "You are all very kind."
So Snow White stayed and lived with the seven dwarfs. She cooked and cleaned and washed for them, and they were kind to her.

Every morning the dwarfs went to the mountain to look for gold. "Be careful, Snow White," they said when they left. "The queen is a very dangerous woman. She must not know that you are here. Don't leave the house and do not open the door to anyone."
"The queen will never find me," said Snow White. "She thinks that I am dead."

The queen didn't speak to her magic mirror for a long time. But one day, she stood in from of it and asked: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?" The mirror answered: "You, Queen, are beautiful it's true. But there is one more beautiful than you. Snow White's not dead. She's living still, In a house in the forest over the hill. And although you are beautiful it's true, Snow White is more beautiful than you."
"What?" said the queen. "She's not dead? I'll kill the huntsman! And I'll kill Snow White too, when I find her."

Then the queen dressed as an old woman. She put some ribbons in a basket and left the castle secretly. "Snow White will not know that it's me," she laughed. She walked quickly through the forest until she came to the little house at the foot of the mountain. "Hello," she called. "Is anyone in?"
Snow White looked out of the window. "What do you want?" she asked.
"Would you like to buy some ribbons, my dear?" said the old woman.
Snow White looked at the ribbons. They were beautiful ribbons, pink and blue and yellow. "She's just a poor old woman," thought Snow White. "She can't hurt me." So she opened the door.
The old woman showed Snow White the ribbons. "Look at this pink ones."
"They're beautiful," said Snow White.
"Here, I'll help you. I'll tie them for you." But the old woman tied the ribbons very tightly and Snow White could not breathe. She fell to the floor. That night, the dwarfs found her there. They saw the new ribbons and quickly untied them.
"What happened?" they asked.
Snow White told them about the old woman. "That was not an old woman," said the dwarfs. "That was the queen."

Back at the castle, the queen stood in front of her magic mirror and asked: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?" But again the mirror answered: "You, Queen, are beautiful it's true. But there is one more beautiful than you. Snow White's not dead. She's living still, In a house in the forest over the hill. And although you are beautiful it's true, Snow White is more beautiful than you."
"What?" said the queen. "Is she still not dead?" Then I'll go to her again.

So the queen dressed as another old woman. This time she put some poisoned combs in her basket. At the dwarfs' house she called "Good morning! I've got some combs for your hair. Is anyone there?"
Snow White looked out of the window. "I'm sorry old woman," she said, "but you can't come into my house."
"Well, you can come to the door and look, can't you?" said the old woman.
Snow White thought for a minute. She wanted to see the combs very much. "Alright," she said, and she went downstairs and opened the door.
The old woman opened her basket and showed Snow White the poisoned combs.
"I like that pink comb," said Snow White.
"Do you?" said the old woman. "Here, my dear, I'll put it in your hair." Then she stuck the poisoned comb into Snow White's head and poor Snow White fell to the floor.

That night, the dwarfs found her. They saw the comb and pulled it from her hair.
"What happened?" they asked.
Snow White told them about the old woman. "That was the queen again!" said the oldest dwarf. "Snow White, you must remember: do not open the door to anyone."

Back at the castle, the queen stood before the magic mirror and asked: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?" But again the mirror answered: "You, Queen, are beautiful it's true. But there is one more beautiful than you. Snow White's not dead. She's living still, In a house in the forest over the hill. And although you are beautiful it's true, Snow White is more beautiful than you."
"Is she still alive?" said the queen. "Then I'll go to her again. I'll give her a poisoned apple."

The queen dressed as a farmer's wife and went to the dwarfs' cottage. But Snow White didn't want to open the door. "I'm sorry, old woman," she called. "You can't come in. The dwarfs said that I must not open the door."
Then the old woman showed her the poisoned apple.
"I'm sorry, old woman," said Snow White. "I haven't got any money."
"You don't have to buy it, dear," said the old woman. "I'll give it to you for nothing."
"Hmm," thought Snow White, "the apple looks very nice."
"Don't be afraid," said the old woman. "It's not poisoned. Look, I'll cut it in two. I'll eat this green half and you can have the beautiful red half. See? There's no danger."
"All right," said Snow White. "Thank you, old woman." And she took the red half and began to eat.
But when the first piece of the poisoned apple was in her mouth, she fell to the floor.
"Ha!" laughed the old woman. "Goodbye for ever, Snow White."

Back at the castle, the queen asked her mirror: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the most beautiful of all?" And now at last the mirror answered: "You are, queen."

That night, the dwarfs returned and found Snow White on the floor. They tried to wake her, but she did not move or open her eyes. "This time she is dead," said the oldest dwarf. "She has gone from us for ever."
For three days and nights dwarfs sat by Snow White. They knew that she was dead, but they didn't want to bury her.
"She looks as if she is only asleep," they said. "We can't bury her in the ground."
So they made a glass box, put Snow White in it, and carried her up the mountain. "She can lie here," said the oldest dwarf. "Then we can come and see her every day."

On the side of the box the dwarfs wrote in gold: HERE LIES SNOW WHITE, THE DAUGHTER OF A KING - and one dwarf always sat with her, day and night.

Time went by, but Snow White's skin was still as white as snow. Her cheeks were still as red as blood and her hair was still as black as trees in winter.

Then one day, a prince came by with some friends. When he saw Snow White, he fell in love with her at once. "I want to take her with me," he said to the dwarf. "I will give you anything!"
"No," said the dwarf. "Snow White belongs to us." But the prince asked again and again. "Can I take her with me, please?"
At last, the dwarf said, "Wait here. I will go and get my brothers."
Then all the dwarfs came and stood in front of the prince.
"I am in love with her," said the prince. "I can't live with her."
"Yes," said the oldest dwarf. "You love Snow White. I can see it in your face. And we must give her to you. You are a prince and she is a princess, the daughter of a king. We are only poor dwarfs."
"Take all my gold," said the prince.
"No," said the old dwarf. "We don't want anything. We will give her to you because you love her."

The dwarfs began to carry the glass box down the mountain. But they tripped near a tree and the box fell. At that moment, the piece of apple fell out of Snow White's mouth. She opened her eyes and saw the prince. When she saw him, she fell in love with him at once.
"Here, you see your husband," said the prince. "Will you be my wife?"
"Yes," she said.
So Snow White said goodbye to her friends the dwarfs, and went away with the prince.

In December they were married and there was a big party. Lots of important people came, and one of these important people was the jealous queen.
When she saw Snow White, she couldn't believe her eyes.
"What is this?" she said. "Is Snow White still alive?" She was very angry. When she saw Snow White and the prince, she was jealous. She ran out of the castle and no one saw her again.
Snow White loved the prince, and he loved her. In time, they had seven children, and they all lived happily ever after.

Note: The story is taken from the book Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of Oxford University Press (www.oup.com/elt). It's much better if you can get your own book because of the beautiful and colorful pictures. Cd is also included in the book. What I do for my students is to let them listen to the story everyday before taking the lesson. And after a month, it's amazing that most of them can memorize most of the content of the book. Some can even memorize everything.

It's Not Easy Being A Kid

Peter is in the first grade. He has one thing to say: IT'S NOT EASY BEING A KID! Being a kid might look like fun, but sometimes it's not.

Yesterday, he was playing outside with his friend. He was having a really good time. Then suddenly, his mother said, "Peter, it's time to second inside now. It's getting dark." He said when you're an adult, no one can tell you what to do or when to do it.

He said, when you're a kid, you have to get up early in the morning and go to school. At school, you have to study math, English, science, and history. After school, you have to do your homework. But when you're an adult, you don't have to go to school and you never have homework.

He also said that when you're a kid, there are many things you can't watch. Last Saturday there was a scary movie on TV. It looked really exciting but his father didn't let him watch. His father said, "You're too young for this movie, Peter." He said, when you're an adult, you can watch anything you want.

Peter said, when you're a kid, the older kids sometimes pick on you. He said, when he was walking home from school on Monday, Tom and Steve bothered him. Steve took his schoolbag and put it in a tree. It made him very mad. But he said when you're an adult, no one can pick on you.

Peter also said that when you're a kid, you can't go anywhere by yourself. Last Friday, he wanted to buy a birthday gift for his friend John. But he dad to wait for his mom to return home. When he want to go somewhere, he has to ride a bike or ask his mom for a ride. But when you're an adult, he said, you can drive a car wherever you want.

He said, when you're a kid, you have to go to bed early. On school nights, his mom makes him go to bed at 9:00.

It's not easy being a kid but Peter is still lucky for having a dad and mom who love him, which is really great!

The Story of the Gingerbread Man

An old woman lives in a village.
She lives with her old husband.
They don't have any children.

One day, the old woman is in the kitchen.
She's making something.
She's making a gingerbread man.
The gingerbread man has a head.
He has arms and legs.
He has two eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
The gingerbread man is ready to put in the oven.
The old woman is very happy.

"You're a little boy," she says to the gingerbread man.
"My little boy!" she says.
"In you go!" says the old woman.
And she put the gingerbread man in the oven.

But soon the old woman hears a little voice.
It's coming from the oven.
"Open the door!" says the voice. "I want to come out!"
The old woman opens the oven door.
And the gingerbread man jumps out.
"Oh!" says the old woman.
"Stop!" says the old woman.
"Come here!" she says.
But the gingerbread man doesn't stop.
He runs across the kitchen and out of the door.
The old man sees him.
"Stop!" shout the old man and the old woman.
"Come here!" they say running to the gingerbread man.

But the gingerbread man doesn't stop.
He runs faster and he shouts:
"Run, run! You can run. Yes, you can. But you can't catch me.I'm the gingerbread man!"

The little gingerbread man runs and runs.
Soon, he sees a cow.
"Stop!" says the cow."Come here! I want to eat you." it says.

But the gingerbread man doesn't stop.
He runs faster.
And now the cow runs after him.
"I can run away from an old woman," says the gingerbread man. "I can run away from an old man. So I can run away from a cow!"

They all run after him.
And the gingerbread man shouts:
"Run, run! You can run. Yes, you can. But you can't catch me.I'm the gingerbread man!"

The little gingerbread man runs and runs.
Soon, he sees a horse.
"Stop!" says the horse."Come here! I want to eat you." it says.

But the gingerbread man doesn't stop.
He runs faster.
And now the horse runs after him.
"I can run away from an old woman," says the gingerbread man. "I can run away from an old man and a cow. So I can run away from a horse. Yes, I can! You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man!"

The gingerbread man runs and runs.
"They can't catch me!" he says.
"Nobody can catch me."

Just then he sees a fox.
"Stop!" says the fox. "Come here!"

But the gingerbread man doesn't stop.
He runs faster.
And now the fox runs after him.
"I can run away from an old woman," says the gingerbread man. "I can run away from an old man. I can run away from a cow and a horse. So I can run away from a fox!"

They all run after him.
And the gingerbread man shouts:
"Run, run! You can run. Yes, you can. But you can't catch me.I'm the gingerbread man!"

"Stop!" says the fox.
"I don't want to eat you. I want to talk to you. I want to be friends with you!"
But the gingerbread man doesn't stop. He runs faster. And now the fox runs faster too.

The gingerbread man runs and runs. Soon he sees a river.
"Oh no!" he cries. "A river! I can't swim!"

"Listen," says the fox. "I can help you. I can swimacross and you can sit on my tail."
So the gingerbread man sits on the fox's tail.
And the fox begins to swim.

But soon the fox says, "Listen! You are too big for my tail. Sit on my back."
So the gingerbread man sits on the fox's back.

But soon the fox says, "Listen! You're too big for my back. Sit on my nose."
So the gingerbread man sits on the fox's nose.

The fox swims across the river and jumps out.
The fox throws the gingerbread man up.
Up! Up! Up!

Then he opens his mouth and...
cathes him!

"Help!" he says. "My legs! My legs!"
"Help!" he says. "My armss! My arms!"

Then the fox eats the gingerbread man's head.
Now the gingerbread man doesn't say anything.

And that is the end.
Yes, that is the end of the gingerbread man.

Note: The story is taken from the book Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of Oxford University Press (www.oup.com/elt). Some sentences have been changed because some of the situations need pictures. So, it's much better if you can get your own book because of the beautiful and colorful pictures. Cd is also included in the book. What I do for my students is to let them listen to the story everyday before taking the lesson. And after a month, it's amazing that most of them can memorize most of the content of the book. Some can even memorize everything.

The Story Of The Ugly Duckling

It is summer. A duck sits on her eggs. She sits and she waits. She waits and waits.

At last the eggs open.
"At last!" says the duck.
"My little ducklings!"

But one egg does not open.
"Mm,' says her friend. "That egg is strange. Leave it!" they say.

"Leave my egg?" says Mother Duck.
"No. I can't leave it."
She sits down again and she waits.

At last the egg opens.
"Oh!" says Mother Duck to her friend.
"You're right. He is strange. What an ugly duckling!"

But the ugly duckling can swim.
He can swim very well.
And Mother Duck is happy.

"Come on, ducklings!" she says.
"Let's go to the farm! I want all my friends to see you."
They swam and arrived in the farm.
"Hello, everyone," she calls.
"Look at my little ducklings!"
Her friends gathered around.
"Very nice. Very nice" say her friends.
"But that duckling is very big. He's ugly!"
"He's strange," they say. "He's an ugly duckling."
And one of the ducks pecks him.

Every day the farm girl comes.
Every day she kicks him.
"Go away, you ugly duckling!" she says.

So one day, the ugly duckling runs away.
He runs away from the farm.
"Go! Yes, go!" say his brothers and sisters.
"You're strange! You're ugly!" they say.

It's colder now. The ugly duckling is bigger.
One day, two geese see him.
"Mm, you're strange!" they say.
"You're very ugly," they say.
"But you're interesting. Do you want to fly with us?" they say.

But suddenly there is a bang. Bang! Bang!
And the geese are dead.
There are some men. Men with guns and dogs.
The ugly duckling is afraid.
A big dog comes.
He sees the ugly duckling.
And he looks at him.
Then the dog swims away.

"I am ugly," says the ugly duckling.
"So he doesn't want to eat me." she says to herself.

The ugly duckling runs away.
He comes to an old hut and he goes in.
In the hut, there is a woman, a cat, and a hen.
The woman is old and she can't see.
"What's this?" she says.
"A duck? Ah! You can give me some eggs." the woman says.
"Come on," says the cat. "Where are your eggs?" it says.
"I haven't got any," says the ugly duckling.
"Then go!" says the hen.

The ugly duckling goes away.
It is winter now.
And it is very cold.

One evening the ugly duckling sees something wonderful and strange.
Three swans! Three big, beautiful swans.
"Oh," he cries. "What beautiful birds! Big, beautiful and free."
He calls to them. "Who are you? Take me with you."
But they do not hear him because they are flying above.

It is winter now.
It is cold.
There is ice on the water.
So the ugly duckling can't swim.
He was stuck in the water.

A man sees him.
He breaks the ice with his shoe.
"Poor bird!" he says. "Come home with me."
And he went home with the ugly duckling.

The children saw the ugly duckling and they want to play with him.
"Come here!" they say.
But the ugly duckling runs away.
He falls into the milk.
The children laugh.
"Come here!" they say.
Then he falls into the butter.
"Oh dear! What a mess!"
Then he falls into the flour.
"Get out!" cries the man's wife. "Get out of my house!"

The ugly duckling runs.
Suddenly he starts to fly.
The door is open.
He flies up into the sky.
He can fly!
He can fly!
"I can fly!" says the ugly duckling.

And now the sun comes out.
It is spring.
Then he sees a garden.
A garden with a river.
"What a beautiful garden!" he says.
And he flies down.
He sees something swimming in the river.
He sees the swans.
He sees the three swans.
"Oh! They are beautiful!" he says. "I must speak to them," he says.
But he is afraid.

He looks down at the water and he sees his face.
He is not an ugly duckling anymore.
He is a beautiful swan too.

It's true! It's true!
He's not a duckling.
He's not a duck.
He's a swan.
He's a swan, too!

Some children run down to the river.
"Look, Mother!" they say. "A new swan!"
"Look! Oh, look! Look at the new swan!" they say.
"Yes," says the children's mother. "Isn't he beautiful!"

Note: The story is taken from the book Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of Oxford University Press (www.oup.com/elt). There are some sentences that I've been changed. It's much better if you can get your own book because of the beautiful and colorful pictures. Cd is also included in the book. What I do for my students is to let them listen to the story everyday before taking the lesson. And after a month, it's amazing that most of them can memorize most of the content of the book. Some can even memorize everything.

North Pole Facts

The North Pole is the noethernmost point on earth. It is extremely cold, with temperatures below freezing (32 degree Fahrenheit or 0 degree Celcius Centigrade) for most of the year. But surprisingly, it doesn't snow much there. Mostly, the snow on the ground is blown around by the strong winds, which makes it look as if snow is falling. From the middle of March to almost the end of September, the sun can be seen in the sky for twenty-four hours of the day. For this reason, the area around the North Pole is sometimes called the "Land of the Midnight Sun".

Source: Mastery Reading 1

Counting Rings of a Tree

Counting Rings of a Tree

If you walk through the woods, you may see trees that have been cut down. If you look at the stump of these trees, you will see many rings. They start out very small in the center of the tree and grow larger and larger as they get to the outer edge of the tree. You should count the rings. Each year a tree grows a new ring. So, if the tree has twenty rings, it is twenty years old. Next time you see the stump of a tree that has just been cut down, try to tell how old the tree was.

Source: Star reading 3