Unit 01 A True Renaissance Man

What is one of the most famous paintings in the world? If you guessed the Mona Lisa,
you’re right! It was painted by Leonardo da Vinci. However, he was not only a painter but also an
inventor and scientist.
Leonardo was born in 1452 in Vinci, Italy. When he was 14 years old, he began to learn
from one of the most successful artists of his day, and he soon became a skilled painter.
Leonardo’s painting of The Last Supper and drawing of the Vitruvian Man are still famous because
they look so real.
Leonardo wasn’t just an artist; he was a talented inventor as well. During his life, he had
many ideas for new inventions. One thing that fascinated Leonardo was flying. In his notebooks,
he wrote down ideas for building flying machines, including a helicopter. He also wrote down
plans for making a parachute and shoes that could walk on water. Most of his ideas were quite
extraordinary!
Another of Leonardo’s great abilities was studying science. He did it by observing
nature very carefully and taking notes. He was interested in studying many different things, like
the stars, water, the human body, and more. He even researched how fossils formed! Surprisingly,
Leonardo actually wrote some of his notes backwards because he didn’t want anyone to steal his
ideas. You can only read them with a mirror!
Leonardo da Vinci was a true “Renaissance man.” This term refers to a person who is
able to do many things well. However, Leonardo da Vinci didn’t just do things well; he did them
magnificently. Therefore, he is remembered as one of the greatest geniuses of all time!
Unit 02 The Great One

The bat cracks. The ball soars into the stands. The crowd goes wild. It’s Game 6 of the
1971 World Series, and Roberto Clemente just hit a home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates. It’s easy
to see why this baseball legend is known as “The Great One.”
Roberto Clemente’s childhood was focused on work, family, and baseball. He was the
youngest of seven children, and his family was poor. Clemente worked to earn money, but he
always found time for his favorite sport—baseball. He made it all the way to the Major League
because of his talent and effort.
As one of the first professional Hispanic baseball players, Clemente had a successful
career from the 1950s to the 1970s. During that time, he won the National League Most Valuable
Player Award and was an All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates 12 times. He even made his 3,000th
major league hit in 1972. With his amazing talent, he helped his team win the World Series twice.
Off the field, Clemente supported others whenever he could. He sponsored baseball
clinics and provided baseball equipment and basic supplies to poor neighborhoods. Besides
helping his neighbors, he even volunteered overseas. In 1972, he took a flight to Nicaragua to
give aid packages to the victims of a severe earthquake. Unfortunately, the plane crashed because
of mechanical problems, killing everyone on board.
Even after his death, Clemente continues to be an inspiration to people around the
world. In his honor, the Roberto Clemente Award is presented each year to a player who
contributes to his community as well as his team.
Unit 03 Help the Cocoa Farmers!

Most people enjoy eating chocolate, but have you ever thought about where it comes
from? Chocolate is made from cocoa beans. These beans are mostly grown on small farms. Cocoa
farmers work hard to provide big companies with the beans they need to make chocolate.
Unfortunately, many cocoa farmers are not paid fairly. They cannot choose the price of
their beans. Instead, the big companies make this decision. These companies generally care more
about their profits than the well-being of their farmers. So the farmers are unable to earn enough
money. Consequently, their children cannot go to school and must work on their parents’ cocoa
farms.
What's more, since the price of cocoa beans is so low, farmers must grow more of them.
Cocoa trees grow best in forests. But farmers cut down the forests to expand their farmland and
plant more cocoa trees. Their trees are unhealthy because of this. So the farmers use pesticides
and fertilizers to make them grow better. Unfortunately, water and soil are polluted by these
chemicals.
Many people were worried about farmers of cocoa and other crops. So they got together
and started the fair trade movement. Its goal is to make sure that farmers get paid enough for
their crops to continue farming and supporting their families. Due to this movement, many
farmers and their communities now lead better lives. Fair trade also allows them to grow their
crops without harming the environment.
There are still many companies that pay unfair prices, but you can help change this.
Chocolate and other products made with fair trade ingredients are marked with a special label
that says “fair trade.” Look for it the next time you go shopping. If everyone buys fair trade
products, companies will get the message!
Unit 04 30 Hour Famine

“Grrrr!”
My stomach is growling. My friends and I are too weak to play. There are a bunch of
students lying on the gym floor because they have no energy to move.
“Food,” they murmur weakly. “Give us food.”
I don’t know how much longer I can go without food. I look around me. Some students
look tired and some are holding their stomachs. Everyone looks hungry.
The clock says noon, and I wonder what other people around the world are eating for
lunch. I can’t stop thinking about sandwiches, soup and other delicious, sweet-smelling food.
There are even images of hamburgers and fries dancing in my head. I slowly lie down. Maybe if I
sleep, I will not be hungry.
Suddenly, I hear a whistle!
“OK, students! Time for lunch!” says Mr. Johnson, our principal.
I look at the clock, and it is 1:30. Slowly, everyone around me comes alive as they stand
up. We have been participating in the 30 Hour Famine and have not eaten for over a day! The 30
Hour Famine is a program in which students around the world take part in raising money for
starving children. I am proud that our school is helping other less fortunate children.
Slowly, everyone gets up. We are all smiling weakly. However, it is a bittersweet
moment. Although we can all go home and eat a big lunch, there are still millions of hungry
children in the world.
Unit 05 Cinderellas Around the World

Everybody knows the fairy tale of Cinderella. However, did you know that many cultures
have similar Cinderella stories?
One of the oldest Cinderella stories is from ancient Egypt and is about a servant girl
named Rhodopis. She was from Greece and looked different, so the other servants teased her.
One day, Rhodopis was forced to stay home and wash clothes while everybody else was at a
party at the Pharaoh’s palace. Suddenly, an eagle came, took her sandal, and dropped it in front
of the Pharaoh. He thought it had come from the gods, so he decided to marry its owner. All the
women in Egypt tried the sandal on, but it only fit Rhodopis. She married the Pharaoh and lived
happily ever after as queen of Egypt.
Similar stories also appear in China. One is about a girl named Ye Xian. She was more
beautiful than her stepsister, so her stepmother treated her badly. She even killed Ye Xian’s only
friend, a fish with golden eyes. Now all Ye Xian had were the fish’s magic bones. One day, her
stepmother and stepsister went to a spring festival without her. The magic bones helped Ye Xian
go as well by making her a beautiful dress and tiny golden slippers. But at the festival, she lost
one of the slippers. Later, the king found it and succeeded in finding her with it. When he saw
the beautiful Ye Xian, he fell in love and married her.
There are many more Cinderella stories. Almost all of them are about a kind girl who is
treated badly but lives happily ever after in the end. Do you know any other Cinderella stories?
Unit 06 The Dragon Boat Festival

On the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, the Dragon Boat Festival is held
in China. One of China’s biggest holidays, the Dragon Boat Festival is a time for driving away evil
spirits so people can live healthy and peaceful lives.
The story behind this festival involves an official named Qu Yuan. Qu was a minister in
the state of Chu. When he opposed the king’s decision to become allies with the state of Qin, he
was sent out of Chu. Later, when Qin captured the Chu capital, Qu fell into despair and drowned
himself in the Miluo River. The local people got into their boats and raced to try to save him.
When Qu’s body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river, hoping that
the fish would eat them instead of Qu’s body.
Today, Qu Yuan’s story is remembered in two ways at the Dragon Boat Festival. First,
there are dragon boat races in which teams row dragon-shaped boats and try to reach the finish
line first. One of the team members beats a drum to help the others row together at the same
time. Also, delicious rice dumplings called “zong zi” are prepared using sticky rice. Each region in
China has its own special type of zong zi, but they are most commonly shaped like a pyramid or
a triangle.
The lively and colorful Dragon Boat Festival is a favorite of the Chinese and of visitors to
their country. It also serves as a link between the past and the present of their great culture.
Unit 07 Frank Lloyd Wright

There are many types of buildings: office buildings, museums, hotels, and houses.
Buildings are often designed only to be functional, so sometimes they are not pleasing to the
eye. However, the buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect,
are
functional, beautiful, and quite unique.
Unlike other architects, Wright wanted to make buildings that were a natural part of their
surroundings. He called this new idea “organic architecture.” He was inspired by the environment,
so he came up with ways to use it in his designs or even the buildings themselves! For instance,
he used lots of natural colors and wide, open spaces.
Wright built lots of homes in this style, like the Winslow House near Chicago. Its earth-
toned brick walls and low, wide roof blend well with the flat land. Wright’s Fallingwater house is
another example of organic architecture. It is built on a piece of solid rock over a waterfall. There
are huge glass windows that look down on the falling water. Its appearance is both natural and
beautiful.
Additionally, Wright included nature in other buildings than houses, like the Guggenheim
Museum in New York City. Its roof has many pieces of glass that let in lots of light. It looks like a
spider web. The museum also has one long ramp winding down instead of separate floors. That
makes it look kind of like a spiral shell. Now, it is considered one of the most interesting
examples of modern architecture.
Frank Lloyd Wright is regarded as America’s greatest architect. His unique vision of
combining functionality with naturalness continues to influence architecture to this day.
Unit 08 The Phantom of the Opera

A long time ago in Paris, there lived a young woman named Christine who dreamed of
becoming an opera singer. She lived with her father, who told her stories about an angel of
music. When her father got sick, he told her that he would send the angel of music to care for
her.
After her father died, Christine joined the Paris Opera House ballet choir. There she heard
a voice that sounded as beautiful as an angel. The voice began to teach her how to sing.
Christine thought this was the angel of music, but it was the voice of the Phantom of the Opera.
The Phantom lived alone in the sewers beneath the Paris Opera House. Although he sang
beautifully, he always wore a mask because his face was disfigured.
When Christine became a famous opera singer, many people came to admire her,
including a certain handsome young man named Raoul. He was Christine’s childhood boyfriend,
and soon he and Christine fell in love. When the Phantom learned of this, he became very
jealous. He kidnapped them and threatened to kill Raoul.
Christine was very afraid. She promised the Phantom that she would marry him if he let
Raoul go. When the Phantom agreed, she took off his mask and kissed him. No one had ever
kissed the Phantom before because of his face. Suddenly, he became very upset since he realized
that Christine was sacrificing herself and that he had treated her and Raoul terribly. He cried out
in pain and then disappeared forever, leaving them free to love each other.
Unit 09 Earth Hour

Would you switch off all your lights if someone asked you to? That’s what many people
do every year during Earth Hour. Earth Hour is an event where people unite to help save the
earth. They do this by turning off any unnecessary lights and electrical devices.
The first Earth Hour happened in 2007. Concerns about global warming were growing,
so two million people participated in a demonstration in Sydney, Australia. By turning off their
lights for an hour, they saved the city 10% of its hourly electricity. Other cities took the
opportunity to join in 2008, and even more joined in 2009. That year, Earth Hour was officially
set from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of March. By 2014, over 7,000 cities in 162
countries on all seven continents were participating.
During Earth Hour, many people turn off the lights in their homes and businesses. People
then do many activities that do not need electricity, like having campfires or parties lit by candles.
Many governments also support Earth Hour by turning off the lights on famous monuments.
Among these are the Colosseum in Rome, Buckingham Palace in London, the Burj Khalifa in
Dubai, the Empire State Building in New York City, and the Sydney Opera House.
Earth Hour only lasts for one hour, but it teaches us lessons that we can use to protect
the earth all year round. For example, it helps people understand global warming and think about
how to stop it. This March, why don’t you participate in Earth Hour and put these lessons into
practice?
Unit 10 Waste Usefully

Every year, people throw away millions of tons of garbage. Where does all this garbage
go? It usually goes into landfills or is burned, which is harmful to the environment. But we can
help if we remember the 3Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Reducing means using fewer resources in our daily lives. Instead of taking a car when
going to a nearby place, try walking or cycling. You can also avoid buying things with lots of
packaging and save water by turning the sink faucet all the way off. Reducing can be hard
sometimes, but it is truly worth doing because it saves the environment.
Another way to help the environment is to reuse things. For example, we can use
washable cups and cloth napkins instead of paper products. We can use rechargeable batteries,
too. Unlike regular batteries, they can be reused many times before they need to be thrown away.
Reusing can also mean giving away or donating something you don’t use or like anymore. That
way, it can be used once more by someone else who needs it.
Finally, recycling makes old materials into new products. Instead of burying or burning
garbage, you can help make it into something useful. All you need to do is sort waste material by
type and put them into the proper recycling bins. It is an easy thing everyone can do!
Waste management is important. If we reduce, reuse, and recycle the products we use
every day, we will create less trash. This is the best way to protect the environment. Please, play
your part!
Unit 11 The Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Do you know the most beautiful avenue or street in the world? The French believe it is
the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, a very old and beautiful street,
attracts people for various reasons.
First, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a tourist attraction. Every year, millions of
people from around the world visit this avenue because of its grand old buildings, palaces, and
theaters. Also, at the end of the street is the Arc de Triomphe, a very famous arch built for the
purpose of remembering the soldiers who fought in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic
Wars.
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is also very famous for its shopping and dining. It is
home to many famous brands, so customers can find fashionable clothes, cosmetics, perfumes,
and more. In between shopping trips, they can visit fancy restaurants and try delicious,
wonderfully cooked food.
Finally, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is used for special occasions such as parades on
important holidays and sporting events. For example, the final stage of the Tour de France
finishes on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. This is one of the few times the avenue is without
traffic, and
people line the streets to cheer the cyclists.
As you can see, this very old and famous street in Paris has many charms that attract a
lot of people. If you ever go to Paris, don’t forget to visit the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
Unit 12 The Cave of Crystals

The van drove down the mine’s narrow, winding passage. The trip took much too long.
We finally got to the cave’s entrance. We wore gloves, boots, helmets, and headlights. In
addition, we needed special gear to keep our bodies cool: vests with ice packs and masks that
cooled the air we breathed in.
At last, we entered the Cave of Crystals. It was first discovered accidentally by miners in
Mexico. It has over 170 of the largest crystals in the world. The tallest one is more than 11 meters
high and weighs over 55 tons! The huge crystals looked like something from an alien planet.
Everything in the cave was beautiful. Unfortunately, I started to feel overheated after a
while. This was because of the heat that came from the magma below the cave. Over thousands
of years, it helped change the cave’s minerals and water into its magnificent crystals.
The time inside the cave was too short! After 20 minutes, it was time to leave. Visitors
can only stay about 20 minutes because of the extreme heat. However, most people in the world
have never seen these amazing crystals at all, so I am one of the luckiest people alive. I removed
my heavy gear outside and took a long drink. Cold water never tasted that good.
As we drove away, I thought about the giant crystals sparkling in the light. Walking
among them was like a dream. I have traveled to many caves in my life, but this one was
definitely the most fantastic one I have ever seen.
Unit 13 A History of Pizza

Almost everybody loves pizza. It is a very simple yet delicious type of food, and now it is
famous all over the world. But where is pizza from originally?
Most people think pizza is from Italy, but this is not true. It is even older than ancient
Rome. In fact, the ancient Greeks made the first kind of pizza. They baked flat, round bread with
other ingredients on top. Sometimes, only olive oil and spices were put on top of the bread. At
other times, herbs and fruit were used as toppings. Can you imagine an orange or apple pizza?
Today’s pizza is very different from those first pizzas. Modern pizza was invented by an
Italian baker named Raffaele Esposito. He was from Naples, Italy. He put cheese and tomato
sauce on top of flat, round bread, which he baked in a brick oven. Later, he added different types
of
toppings like garlic, meat, and tomatoes. Modern pizza was born!
Nowadays, you can enjoy pizza almost anywhere in the world with many different kinds
of toppings. That is because Italian immigrants made pizza popular in the U.S. after World War II.
Their pizza was fast and cheap, something everyone could eat. From the U.S., pizza spread
everywhere else, and now it is really an international food. Thank goodness for that baker from
Naples, Raffaele Esposito.
Unit 14 The History of the Bicycle

Modern bicycles are amazing machines. Some even cost as much as a car! Today’s
bicycles are very different from the first bicycles, though. They have improved greatly since their
beginning.
The first two-wheeled bicycle, the hobbyhorse, was invented in 1818 by Karl Drais. It
could change directions easily. However, it had no pedals, so Drais had to push the ground with
his feet to make it go forward. Then in 1839, a Scottish blacksmith named Kirkpatrick Macmillan
added foot pedals to supply power to the back wheel. This is considered to be the first modern
bicycle because the rider didn’t have to touch the ground to power it.
The bicycle became popular after a French carriage maker named Pierre Michaux
improved it in 1863. He made the pedals directly power the front wheel, which required it to be
quite large. However, its iron frame and tires made it very painful to ride, so it was nicknamed the
“boneshaker.” In the 1870s, the high-wheel bicycle was developed. It had an even larger front
wheel, a smaller rear wheel, and a lighter frame, making it fast but dangerous.
In the 1880s, bicycles became safer and more comfortable. In 1885, John Kemp Starley
invented the Rover. It was much safer thanks to its handlebar grips and smaller, equally sized
wheels. In 1888, John Boyd Dunlop used a garden hose filled with air as a tire. This made riding
the bicycle more pleasant. By the early 20th century, people were using bicycles for both
transportation and recreation.
Bicycles remain popular today. And thanks to all these developments, riding a bicycle is
now both comfortable and fun.
Unit 15 A Happy Accident

If you enjoy the sweet taste of Popsicles, you probably eat them on hot summer days.
Who would have guessed that this cool invention was made entirely by accident? That’s right,
eleven-year-old Frank Epperson was just lucky when he made the first Popsicle.
On a cold night in 1905, Epperson was making himself a soda drink. He did it by
combining powdered soda mix and water. But after mixing them together, he accidentally left the
cup outside. The next morning, the mixture was frozen with Epperson’s wooden stirring stick
inside. That stick became the perfect handle for the icy treat.
Epperson called his creation “Epperson Icicles,” or “Epsicles.” He knew that others would
love them as much as he did. That summer, he made a lot of Epsicles, stored them in an icebox,
and sold them to his friends and neighbors.
When he was older, Epperson wanted to introduce Epsicles to more people. First, he
served them at a large party. Then in 1923, he started selling them at a park in California for five
cents each. Soon after, the name “Popsicle” started being used thanks to his children, who liked
to
call them “Pop’s ’sicles.” In 1925, Epperson partnered with a company that helped him sell his
invention nationwide.
The Popsicle has continued to change over time. Now we can eat all kinds of frozen
desserts using sticks as handles. With all these flavors and shapes, this classic treat is sure to stick
around for a long time.
Unit 16 Winter

Demeter was the goddess of grain. She went around the world and touched all the
earth’s seeds. Soon, they grew into fruit, vegetables, and grains. It was always summer on the
earth.
Demeter had a daughter named Persephone. Everyone loved Persephone because she
was kind and had a wonderful smile. One day, Persephone went up a hill to pick flowers. She
didn’t know that Hades, the king of the underworld, was watching her. Suddenly, the earth
opened up, and Hades pulled Persephone into his chariot. He kidnapped her and took her to the
underworld to make her his queen.
That evening, Demeter waited and waited for Persephone. When Persephone didn’t come
home, Demeter went to find her. Eventually, she met Helios, the god of the sun, who told her that
Hades had kidnapped Persephone. Demeter was so sad and angry that she didn’t allow anything
to grow. Soon all of humankind was starving, but Demeter refused to help.
Zeus, the king of the gods, was worried because people blamed him. As king, he
ordered Hades to return Persephone. However, there was one problem. While Persephone was in
the underworld, she ate some fruit seeds. That meant that she belonged to Hades. To save her,
Zeus made a plan. For nine months of the year, Persephone would live with her mother. But since
she had eaten three seeds, she would stay with Hades for the other three months.
During those three months, Demeter is sad and doesn’t allow anything to grow. That is
why we have winter.
Unit 17 Thunder and Lightning

Have you ever seen a thunderstorm? What can you observe during it? A bright flash
lights the dark sky. Just a few seconds later, you hear a thunder clap. Actually, lightning and
thunder always go together, even if you do not see the lightning flash. But why do they travel
together?
Lightning causes thunder. When lightning comes down from the sky, the air becomes
very hot, five times hotter than the sun. The sudden change in temperature causes the air to
suddenly change size as well. It expands but cools down right away and becomes small again.
This change in size is what causes loud sound waves of thunder!
Although thunder and lightning actually happen at the same time, we see the lightning
first because light travels faster than sound. Light travels extremely fast at about 300,000,000
meters per second. So when lightning strikes, we see light immediately. However, sound travels at
about 340 meters per second. Therefore, it takes a while for us to hear thunder.
From the time gap between lightning and thunder, we can find out how far away the
thunderstorm is. After you see the lightning, count how many seconds it takes for you to hear the
thunder. Then, divide that number by three because it takes about three seconds for sound to
travel a kilometer. So if you count 15 seconds, the thunderstorm is around five kilometers away
from where you are.
Unit 18 Thor

The god Thor was a hero long before he appeared in comic books. Hundreds of years
ago, Norse myths told of him as the god of thunder and the sky. The Norse believed that thunder
was the sound of Thor fighting with giants and that lightning burst from his mighty hammer.
Thor was also known for his heroic character. According to myths, he was powerful and
brave, and he had a strong will to protect the world from danger. Although he was normally
friendly, he had a hot temper, so he was always the quickest to attack.
With his deadly weapons, Thor was unstoppable against his enemies, the frost giants. He
rode a chariot pulled by two enormous goats. He also wore iron gloves and a belt that doubled
his strength. However, his most powerful weapon was his magical hammer, which would return to
him like a boomerang after being thrown. It also had the power to revive the dead.
This hammer played a central role in many of the tales surrounding Thor. In one story,
Thor discovered that the king of the giants had stolen his hammer. The king only agreed to
return it if Thor brought him the goddess of love to be his bride. When the goddess refused,
Thor dressed up as a bride instead. Once the hammer was placed on Thor’s lap as an act of
blessing, he revealed himself and destroyed the giants.
With his many exciting adventures, it is no surprise that Thor is still well known today. He
is even honored in our calendar since “Thursday” comes from “Thor’s Day.” As a protector of the
people, Thor was greatly admired and will surely be remembered for years to come.
Unit 19 The Tour de France

Imagine riding a bicycle almost every day for 23 days, about 3,500 kilometers total.
Welcome to the Tour de France, the world’s most famous bicycle race. It is probably the hardest
sporting event in the world. It is like running a marathon several times a week for three weeks.
The race circles France and often goes through other countries as well. For example, it
sometimes enters Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and the Netherlands.
In the past, it has even been in Ireland and Great Britain. Some parts of the race pass through
very steep, high mountains, including the Alps.
The Tour de France is different from other races. Other races finish quickly, but the Tour
de France is a stage race that lasts for 23 days. There are 21 stages in this race. A stage is a
section, or part, of the race, and the riders finish one stage every day. Because the race is so
difficult, they have two rest days as well. That is why the Tour de France is 23 days long.
Every day there is a winner of that day’s stage. If a rider is wearing a yellow jersey, it
means that he is the overall race leader. After the race is finished, each rider’s time is recorded
for all the stages. The rider with the shortest total time is the winner of the Tour de France.
Unit 20 Basketball Journals

Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A., December 13, 1891

Our Canadian PE teacher, James Naismith, made us play a new game today. He said he invented
an indoor sport because it was too cold to go outside. It is unlike any other sport I know. Each
game has two halves of 15 minutes each. To play, you pass a soccer ball to your teammates with
your hands, but you can’t kick or run with the ball. Then, to score a point, you throw the ball into
one of two peach baskets. Mr. Naismith hung them 10 feet above the gym floor. Every time
someone scores a basket, someone has to climb up on a ladder and get the ball. This makes
“basketball” very slow.

Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.A., December 8, 2014

Today, Mr. Powell, the gym teacher, had us play basketball instead of soccer since it was raining. I
had never played basketball before, so I had to learn how. First, I learned that each game has four
10-minute quarters. To play, you bounce a basketball up and down while you run. That is called
“dribbling.” You can also use your hands to pass it to your teammates, but you can’t kick it at all.
To score two points, you throw the basketball through one of the 10-foot-high metal hoops with
a net. As soon as someone scores, the other team grabs the ball, and everyone runs to the other
side of the court. Basketball is a really fast game!