Reading

Grade 2

®

Published by Spectrum®an imprint of Carson-Dellosa Publishing LLC

Greensboro, NC

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Spectrum®

An imprint of Carson-Dellosa Publishing LLCP.O. Box 35665-Greensboro, NC 27425 USA

© 2015 Carson-Dellosa Publishing LLC. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or distributed in any form or by any means (mechanically, electronically, recording, etc.) without the prior written consent of Carson-Dellosa Publishing LLC. Spectrum® is an imprint of Carson-Dellosa Publishing LLC.

Printed in the USA • All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-4838-1215-1

01-227147811

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1Spectrum Reading Grade 2 Table of Contents

Dad’s First Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Bridges to Remember . . . . . . . . . .6Moving Out Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Moving In Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Boxes, Books, and More . . . . . . .12No Boxes Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14The Texas Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16San Antonio Today . . . . . . . . . . . .18Paul Bunyan: A New Story . . . . . .20Afternoon Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22What Is an Art Museum? . . . . . . .24Animal Shelter News . . . . . . . . . .26The Case for a Cat . . . . . . . . . . . .28Cats Long Ago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Cats Every Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Comb the Cat, Please! . . . . . . . .34Cat or No Cat? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Choose a Cat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38Mouse in the House . . . . . . . . . . .40A Letter from Kyle . . . . . . . . . . . . .42Kyle Gets Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Mammoth Cave, Kentucky . . . .46Post by Post . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Mixed Up Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50Mountain Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Making Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54To the Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56Zebra News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58Tiger Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60Only Owls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62Remembering the Zoo . . . . . . . .64Waving Good Bye . . . . . . . . . . . .66Games for a Rainy Day . . . . . . . .68Clouds and Rain Today . . . . . . . .70Shopping with Dad . . . . . . . . . . .72Backyard Corn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74Corn: How We Use It . . . . . . . . . .76

Something New for Gina . . . . . . .78Fruit Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80New Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82The Sunflower House . . . . . . . . . .84Great Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86Baseball Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Baseball Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90Those Were the Days . . . . . . . . . .92One City Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94What Is a City? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96Ant and Grasshopper . . . . . . . . .98A Pleasant Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Castles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102Yard Sale Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104Hard at Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Open House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108Making Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110Parts of a Plant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112No Help for Allison . . . . . . . . . . . 114Can Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Trading Favors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Counting Money . . . . . . . . . . . .120Spending Money . . . . . . . . . . . .122You Can Recycle . . . . . . . . . . . .124Pool Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126Hot Wool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128From Sheep to Sweater . . . . . . .130Cotton: From Field to Closet . . .132Baxter’s Shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134Getting Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136Fitness for Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138Snow Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Wilson Bentley (1865–1931) . . . .142Meal Mix-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144Waiting Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146Game Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148Before There Were Lights . . . . . .150Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

Table of Contents

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2Spectrum Reading Grade 2

Read to see why Dad is upset.

1 IthinkDadisnervous.Atbreakfast,healmostpouredmilkintohisorangejuiceinsteadofintohiscerealbowl!Momdoesn’tseemworried.SheknowswhyDadisalittleupset.Todayishisfirstdayatanewjob.

2 Mydadbuildsbridges.Someofthemlookheavyandstrong.Otherslooklight,asiftheyarejusthangingintheair.Dadsaysthelightbridgesarejustasstrongastheheavyones.

3 Dadisanexcellentbridgebuilder,evenathome.Once,wealmostfilledmywholeroomwithbridges.Weusedboxes,blocks,pots,pans,andeventhedog’sdish.Itwasgreat.

4 IknowDadhastonsofgreatbridgeideas,soheshouldn’tbenervous.Iguesshejustwantstopracticemakingonemorebridgebeforehegoestowork.

Dad’s First Day

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3Spectrum Reading Grade 2

1.WhatkindsofbridgesdoesDadbuild?

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2.WhyisDadnervous?

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3.HowdoestheboyknowthatDadisnervous?

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4.WhatkindofbridgedidtheboyandDadmakeathome?

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5.Fromwhosepointofviewisthestorytold?

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6.ThelastlineofthestorysaysthatDadisgoingtomakeonemorebridgeathome.Whatdoesheusetomakeit?

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7.Isthefirstsentenceofthestoryafactoranopinion?

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NAME

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4Spectrum Reading Grade 2

What kinds of bridges are there?

1 Haveyoueversteppedonastonetogetacrossapuddleorstream?Ifyouhave,youwereusingabridge.

2 Bridgesaredifferentsizesandshapes.Somebridgeshavestraight“legs,”orsupports,calledbeams.Otherbridgeshavecurvedsupports,calledarches.Stillothersactuallyhangfromstrongsteelropes,orcables,thatarestrungabovethesurfaceofthe

bridge.Thecablesarethenattachedtothelandoneitherendofthebridge.

3 Mostbridgesgooverwater,butsomebridgesweremadetocarrywater.About2,000yearsago,theRomansbuiltthiskindofbridge.Onesuchbridge,inFrance,hadthreelevels.Waterflowedinthetoplevel,andpeopleandcartstraveledonthetwolowerlevels.

Bridges

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5Spectrum Reading Grade 2

1.Thispassageismostlyabout

_______oldbridges.

_______kindsofbridges.

_______makingbridges.

2.Theauthorwrotethisselectionto

_______makeyoulaugh. _______helpyoulearn.

3.Thinkaboutwhatyoualreadyknowaboutbridges.Whatarebridgesfor?

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4.Thispassagetellsaboutanotheruseforbridges.Whatisit?

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5.Areallbridgesmadebyhumans?Whatmightanaturalbridgebemadeof?

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6.Howarebridgeswitharchesandbeamsdifferent?

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7.The Golden Gate Bridge is the prettiest bridge in the U.S.Isthisafactoranopinion?

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NAME

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6Spectrum Reading Grade 2

Read to find out what is special about these bridges.

1 Somepeopledonotliketodriveacrossbridges.Theylookstraightaheadandtrytoholdtheirbreathuntiltheygettotheotherside.GoodluckifthosepeoplearedrivinginLouisiana.Thereisa24-mile-longbridgethere!Ittakesabouthalfanhourtogetacross.

2 Ifyouliketolookway,waydownwhenyoucrossabridge,youshouldgotoColorado.

Abridgetherestandsmorethanathousandfeetaboveariver.A75-storybuildingcouldfitunderthatbridge!

3 Ifyoudonotliketolookdown,getinthemiddlelaneofabridgeinAustralia.Ithaseightlanesforcars,twotraintracks,abikepath,andasidewalk.

4 Finally,ifyoulikecrowdsandbridges,gotoIndia.Abridgetherecarries100,000carsandtruckseveryday,plusthousandsofwalkers.

Bridges to Remember

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7Spectrum Reading Grade 2

1.Howdoesthetexthelpyouunderstandhowlonga24-mile-longbridgeis?

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2.HowdoesthetexthelpyouunderstandhowhighthebridgeinColoradois?

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3.Ifyoudonotliketolookoverthesideofabridge,whywouldthebridgeinAustraliabeagoodonetocross?

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4.WhyisthebridgeinIndiaabridgetoremember?

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5.Namethreethings,otherthancars,thatcrossbridgesintheselection.

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6.Whatdosomepeopledoiftheyarenervousonabridge?

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NAME

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8Spectrum Reading Grade 2

Read to see how Emily feels about moving.

1 There goes another box,thoughtEmily.All my stuff is in boxes.It’s all getting squashed together.

2 Momstoodonthefrontsteps.“Oh,becarefulwiththatone!”shecried.Themoversnoddedastheywentpast.All my stuff is in boxes,thoughtMom.It might all get broken.

3 Dadcameoutofthegarage.“Wow,thisisaheavy

one!Itmightbreakeverythingelse.”MomandEmilyfrowned.

4 Anhourlater,theboxeswerestillgoingpast.Oneboxhadholesinit.Emilyhadmadetheholessoherstuffedanimalscouldgetsomeair.

5 Finally,theyallwatchedthemoverscloseupthetruck.Ka-thunkwentthebigdoors.DadgaveEmilyalittlehug.“Oneemptyhouseandonefulltruck.That’sagoodday’swork.”

Moving Out Day

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9Spectrum Reading Grade 2

1.WhatdoMomandEmilyworryabout?

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2.CirclethewordthatbesttellshowEmilyfeelsaboutherstuffedanimals.

hopeless caring harsh

3.WhatwordbesttellshowMomfeels?Circleit.

relaxed worried careless

4.HowdoyouthinkDadfeelsaboutmovingday?

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5.WhatcluesinthestoryhelpyouknowhowDadfeels?

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6.HowdoyouthinkEmilywillfeelwhenthemoveiscomplete?Explain.

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7.WhydidEmilyputholesinoneoftheboxes?

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8.Howdoesthepictureonpage8addtoyourunderstandingofthestory?

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NAME

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10Spectrum Reading Grade 2

What does Emily think of her new home?

1 “Emily,wouldyougoturnonthelights,please?”askedMom.“Themoverswillneedtoseewhentheybringourstuffin.”

2 “Sure,Mom.”Emilywashappytocheckoutthenewhouse.SheturnedontwelvelightsandthenwentbacktoMom.

3 “Whydon’tyouhelpmeunpackthisbox?”askedMom.

4 “Sure,Mom,”saidEmily.

5 MomandEmilyliftedoutshapeswrappedinnewspaper.Onewasthecookiejar.Anotherwasamug.Then,Momunwrappedarollofpaper.

6 “Oh,look,Emily!It’sthepictureyoudrewlastsummer!”Emilysawthepictureshehadmadeofherfamily.Theywereallsmiling.ThepicturemadeEmilysmile,evenhereinthenewhouse.

7 Momsmiled,too.“Let’sputitontherefrigerator,”theysaidtogether.Andtheydid.

Moving In Day

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11Spectrum Reading Grade 2

1.WhywasEmilyhappytogoturnonthelights?

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2.HowdidthepicturemakeEmilyfeel?

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3.HowdidEmilyfeelabouthernewhouse?

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4.Write1,2,and3bythesesentencestoshowwhathappenedfirst,next,andlast.

_______Emilyturnedonthelights.

_______MomandEmilyputapictureontherefrigerator.

_______MomandEmilyunpackedabox.

5.Howwouldyoufeelaboutmovingtoanewhome?Why?

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6.DoyouthinkEmily’smomunderstandshowEmilyfeels?Explain.

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

NAME

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12Spectrum Reading Grade 2

How do Emily’s feelings about the new house change?

1 Emilypushedaboxacrossthefloor.Herroomwassoempty!Shedidn’tlikeit.Heroldroomhadbeenpink.Thisonewasjustplainwhite.

2 Emily’smompokedherheadin.“Doyouneedanyhelp?”

3 “No,I’mokay,Mom.I’mgoingtounpackmybooksfirst.”

4 “Thatsoundsgood,”saidMom.“I’lljustmakeupyourbed.Okay?”

5 “Thanks,Mom.”Emilyputthebiggestbooksonthebottomshelf.Sheputthemediumbooksonthemiddleshelf.Sheputthesmallestbooksonthetopshelf.Ittookalongtimebecauseshestoppedtoreadsomeofthemalongtheway.

6 Emilysteppedback.Allofherbookswereinplace.Herquiltwasonherbed.Everythinglookedjustright.

Boxes, Books, and More

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13Spectrum Reading Grade 2

1.Thisstoryismostlyabout

_______Emily’snewroom.

_______howbusyMomis.

_______Emily’stoys.

2.Atthebeginningofthestory,whatdoesEmilythinkabouthernewroom?

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3.WhatdoesEmilythinkofherroomattheendofthestory?

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4.WhathappenedtochangeEmily’sfeelings?

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5.HowdoesEmilyorganizeherbooks?

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6.HowdoesMomhelpEmilywithherroom?

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7.WhatdoyouthinkEmilywilldonextinthestory?Makeacheckmarknexttoyouranswer.

_______Goonabikeride

_______Unpackmorethingsinherroom

_______Callhergrandma

NAME

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