HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 3-Lesson 4It was cold on the mountain. A ferocious wind whipped through the air and
stung Tyrell’s face, but he didn’t let that bother him. This was his fi rst search-
and-rescue mission, and he was proud to be there.
Tyrell’s father, Mr. Wilson, was the head of the search-and-rescue team. The
team’s job was simple: to fi nd two hikers who had gone missing in the woods.
“This cold weather is brutal,” Mr. Wilson said to the group. “So it’s
important that we fi nd these hikers before it gets dark.”
Tyrell had grown up around these woods and felt comfortable walking
around them. But he knew they could seem scary and hostile to a person who
was lost. Tyrell hoped the hikers were staying calm. It was important not to
give in to any frantic or worried feelings—that would only make the situation
even more perilous than it already was.
Tyrell zipped up his bright orange coat and shivered. His boots crunched
over the icy ground, and he clung tightly to his radio.
The sun was sinking lower in the sky. If they didn’t fi nd the hikers soon, the
team would have to quit for the night. “But that could spell disaster for the
hikers,” Tyrell thought. “The darkness and cold would surely put their lives in
jeopardy.” Tyrell trembled at this thought and pushed himself onward.
Up ahead, Tyrell saw the team’s search-and-rescue dog, Ritzy. Ritzy was
sniffi ng over the trails and hunting for signs of the missing hikers.
Soon Mr. Wilson used his radio to contact the other teams. “Any news?”
Mr. Wilson asked. His eyes were full of worry.
The response from every team was the same: “No sign of them.”
Everyone was concerned. But suddenly, Tyrell spotted a wisp of campfi re
smoke rising in the distance. “Look over there!” he shouted. At the same time,
Ritzy gave a knowing howl. The team ran quickly up the hill, past frozen trees
and patches of ice. “We must look like an invasion force, with all of us dressed
in our matching orange coats,” Tyrell thought, laughing to himself. They found
the missing hikers huddled in front of a fi re. And they were safe at last!
COMPREHENSION Which words help you understand the danger
the hikers face? How do Tyrell and his search-and-rescue team work
together to fi nd the hikers?
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On an island in New York Harbor stands a magnifi cent sculpture. This statue
is in the shape of a woman standing tall and proud, like a queen or a princess.
This regal woman holds a burning torch high in the air. Her offi cial name is
“Liberty Enlightening the World,” but most people know her as the Statue of
Liberty. Where did she come from? This majestic symbol of freedom was a gift
from one country to another, given over 120 years ago.
The Statue of Liberty was actually a birthday present. The United States was
planning to celebrate its hundredth birthday. In 1876, it would be one hundred
years since the United States had become a country. As the birthday came closer,
the country of France decided that it would like to give the United States a gift.
The French people planned to create a statue of the mythical Roman goddess of
liberty. This gift would prove to be an incredibly long and diffi cult project.
A sculptor named Auguste Bartholdi was put in charge of building the statue.
Then the people of France raised money to pay for it. In 1875, the French
people began to build the massive statue. One of the men who worked on it
was Gustave Eiffel. He would go on to build the Eiffel Tower, a legendary Paris
landmark known around the world. The plan was to have the statue fi nished in
time for the anniversary in 1876, but that was not how it happened.
First, they built a gigantic framework of steel supports. The framework
was planned to hold up the sculpture yet let it move slightly in the wind. Next,
copper sheets were placed on the framework and hammered into shape.
Each copper sheet was only as thick as two pennies. Although it may seem
miraculous to us today, all this work was done by hand, without machines.
Finally, in July 1884, the completed statue was taken apart and packed into
214 wooden crates. The statue was then shipped to New York. Workers in New
York put it back together on the island in New York Harbor. Putting it back
together took four months. When it was done, the statue stood over three
hundred feet high!
Today, Lady Liberty is recognized around the world as a symbol of the
power of friendship and the phenomenal strength of the human spirit.
COMPREHENSION Which words help you understand how amazing the
Statue of Liberty is? Why do you think it took so long to make the Statue
of Liberty?
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