Cold Text Reading Passages

Some wonderful websites to visit for more cold text include:

Reading Rockets at http://www.readingrockets.org/audience/parents/

K12 Reader at http://www.k12reader.com/2nd-grade-reading-comprehension-worksheets/

Soft Schools at http://www.softschools.com/language_arts/reading_comprehension/

TLS Books at http://tlsbooks.com/secondgradeworksheets.htm

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore is located in South Dakota. It's a

giant sculpture of American presidents carved in the side of

a mountain. The sculpture was created by Gutzon Borglum.

The carving began in 1927 and ended in 1941. The

sculpture represents 150 years of history. The four

presidents represented in the sculpture are George

Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and

Abraham Lincoln.

Directions: Answer each question with a complete sentence.

1. Where is Mount Rushmore located?

________________________________________________________

2. Who carved the sculpture?

________________________________________________________

3. What year did the sculpting begin?

________________________________________________________

4. What year did the sculpting end?

________________________________________________________

5. How many years did it take Borglum to sculpt Mount Rushmore?

(Hint: You will need to use your Math skills.)

________________________________________________________

6. Name the 4 presidents in the sculpture?

________________________________________________________

Super Teacher Worksheets - http://www.superteacherworksheets.com

ANSWER KEY

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Directions: Answer each question with a complete sentence.

1. Where is Mount Rushmore located?

_Mount Rushmore is located in South Dakota._______________

2. Who created the sculpture?

_Gutzon Borglum created the sculpture.____________________

3. What year did the sculpting begin?

_Sculpting began in the year 1927._________________________

4. What year did the sculpting end?

_Sculpting ended in the year 1941._________________________

5. How many years did it take Borglum to sculpt Mount Rushmore?

(Hint: You will need to use your Math skills.)

_It took him 14 years.______________

6. Name the 4 presidents in the sculpture?

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt

and Abraham Lincoln are the 4 presidents in the sculpture.

Super Teacher Worksheets - http://www.superteacherworksheets.com

Reading Comprehension

Winter

Winter is one of the four seasons of the year. Winter has the

shortest days and the lowest temperatures. The winter months in

North America are November, December, and January, and February.

It is colder in places that are more northern than others.

Winter temperatures are caused by the tilt of the Earth towards the

sun. When Earth is tilted away from the sun, it is colder. The tilting

of the Earth as it spins causes the seasons to change.

Some activities that people and animals enjoy in the winter are

not done during any other time of the year. Animals, like birds and

butterflies fly, or migrate, to warmer temperatures. Some birds do

not fly, like the cardinal or the European robin. Some animals sleep,

or hibernate, during the winter. Bears, gophers, snakes, and bats

hibernate. Some animals do not sleep or go away, but save food

during the fall. Squirrels, and raccoons are two animals that store

food for the winter.

People enjoy special winter sports. When it snows in some

places, people can ski, sled, or build things from snow like a

snowman or a snow castle. On ice, people can skate, or cut a hole in

the ice and fish!

Winter can be a fun time of year. When you are prepared for

the weather, by wearing warm clothing, winter can be more fun than

ever!

Winter

1. How many seasons are there in a year?

__________________________________________________

2. What are the winter months in North America?

__________________________________________________

2. Which season is the shortest season of the year?

__________________________________________________

3. What causes the seasons to change?

__________________________________________________

4. What causes the Earth to be colder in winter?

__________________________________________________

5. What does hibernate mean? List two animals that hibernate.

__________________________________________________

6. What does migrate mean? List two animals that migrate.

__________________________________________________

7. What is an activity that people enjoy in the winter.

__________________________________________________

8. What does a squirrel do to prepare for the winter?

__________________________________________________

9. What is a good way to be ready for people to be ready for winter?

__________________________________________________

10. Write a paragraph describing what you like to do in the winter.

__________________________________________________

Reading Comprehension

PSP

Almost every boy and girl has heard of a PSP. Do you

know what PSP stands for? PSP are the initials for the

PlayStation Portable, which is a smaller and lighter

version of a PlayStation. These video games are made by

the electronic company, Sony. The PSP is not as powerful

as a PlayStation 2, also called a PS2, but it is more

powerful than the PlayStation. The PSP also has speakers

and a screen built right in, and does not have to be

plugged into anything to use it. That’s where the word

“portable” comes in - because it can be taken anywhere.

The PSP is fun for kids because it can play

PlayStation games, and also can play DVDs and CDs. It is

also different from the PlayStation and PlayStation 2

because it can be connected to other players, without

wires. The PSP is a fun game, if you like to have a

portable video game that has lots of features!

1. What do the letters PSP stand for?

_________________________________________________

2. What is the name of the company that makes the PSP?

_________________________________________________

3. How many kinds of PlayStations does Sony make, and what are they?

_________________________________________________

4. How is the PSP different from the PlayStation and PlayStation2?

_________________________________________________

5. What makes the PSP portable?

_________________________________________________

6. List three things you can do with the PSP.

_________________________________________________

7. Which is the most powerful: Playstation, Playstation 2, or PSP?

_________________________________________________

8. Why might a PSP be a nice gift for a friend who likes video games?

_________________________________________________

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

Biography

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Suess was born on March 2, 1904. He is an American

cartoonist and writer. His real name was Theodore Seuss

Geisel. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Dr Seuss liked to draw and write, even as a child. The

first book that Dr. Seuss wrote was titled, And To Think That I

Saw It On Mulberry Street. He wrote that book while on an

ocean voyage, returning from a trip to Europe. The rhythm of

the ship’s engine gave him the feeling for the poetry rhythm in

the story!

Dr. Seuss is not a real doctor. He added the “Dr.” to his

name to honor his dad, who wanted Theodore to finish his

doctoral degree, which he did not. Dr. Seuss has also used

other names, or “pen names,” to write books. These names

include Theophrastus Seuss, Theo L. Seig (which is his real

name spelled backwards), and Rosetta Stone.

Dr. Seuss wrote more than 60 books, including some

which have been made into movies, such as The Cat in the Hat,

Horton Hears a Who, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Dr. Seuss wrote lots of books for children, even though he

and his wife never had children of their own. He died at age

87, in San Diego, California.

Dr. Seuss Biography

After you've read the Dr. Seuss biography, answer these questions in

complete sentences.

1. When and where was Dr. Seuss born?

_________________________________________________

2. Where was Dr. Seuss when he wrote his first book?

_________________________________________________

3. Name three Dr. Seuss books that have been made into movies.

_________________________________________________

4. What other names did Theodore Geisel use to write books?

_________________________________________________

5. What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book and why?

_________________________________________________

________________________________________________

1. When and where was Dr. Seuss born?

Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield,

Massachusetts.

2. Where was Dr. Seuss when he wrote his first book?

Dr. Seuss wrote his first book while he was on an

ocean voyage, returning from Europe.

3. Name three Dr. Seuss books that have been made into movies.

Three Dr. Seuss books that have been made into movies are:

The Cat in the Hat, Horton Hears a Who, and How the Grinch

Stole Christmas.

4. What other names did Theodore Geisel use to write books?

B esides Dr. Seuss, T heodore Geisel wrote also books under the

names Theophrastus Seuss, Theo L. Seig, and Rosetta Stone.

5. What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book and why?

Answers will vary.

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

Name: ________________ Reading Comprehension: Compare and Contrast

Two Great Vacation Ideas

The Beach

Going to the beach is a lot of fun. At the ocean, you can see colorful fish and

different kinds of birds. If the weather is warm enough, you can even go for a swim.

Most beaches have lots of space to run, play, build sand castles, fly kites, and have a

picnic. When you run on the sand, be careful that a jellyfish doesn’t sting you!

The Mountains

Visiting the mountains is very exciting. You can see beautiful, tall trees and

many different kinds of green plants. If you watch carefully and quietly, you might

even see a deer, a squirrel, and or a snake. If you feel strong, you might go for a

long hike on a trail or even climb to a mountaintop. There is plenty of space to play

Frisbee, eat lunch outdoors, or play hide-and-go-seek. At night, you can build a

bonfire. Be careful of the mosquitoes!

1. According to these two paragraphs, how are the mountains and the

beach the same?

a. Both places are great for flying kites.

b. Both places are great for swimming.

c. Both places are great for hiking.

d. Both places are great for eating outdoors.

2. According to these two paragraphs, how are the mountains and the

beach different?

a. There is plenty of room to play at both places.

b. The beach has different animals than the mountains.

c. The beach is hot and the mountains are very cold.

d. The beach is a safer place to visit than the mountains.

3. According to the first paragraph, why should you be careful if you run on

a sandy beach?

_____________________________________________________________

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

Two Great Vacation Ideas - ANSWERS

The Beach

Going to the beach is a lot of fun. At the ocean, you can see colorful fish and

different kinds of birds. If the weather is warm enough, you can even go for a swim.

Most beaches have lots of space to run, play, build sand castles, fly kites, and have a

picnic. When you run on the sand, be careful that a jellyfish doesn’t sting you!

The Mountains

Visiting the mountains is very exciting. You can see beautiful, tall trees and

many different kinds of green plants. If you watch carefully and quietly, you might

even see a deer, a squirrel, and or a snake. If you feel strong, you might go for a

long hike on a trail or even climb to a mountaintop. There is plenty of space to play

Frisbee, eat lunch outdoors, or play hide-and-go-seek. At night, you can build a

bonfire. Be careful of the mosquitoes!

1. According to these two paragraphs, how are the mountains and the

beach the same?

a. Both places are great for flying kites.

b. Both places are great for swimming.

c. Both places are great for hiking.

d. Both places are great for eating outdoors.

2. According to these two paragraphs, how are the mountains and the

beach different?

a. There is plenty of room to play at both places.

b. The beach has different animals than the mountains.

c. The beach is hot and the mountains are very cold.

d. The beach is a safer place to visit than the mountains.

3. According to the first paragraph, why should you be careful if you run on

a sandy beach?

You might get stung by a jellyfish.