When the United States became independent, Congress thought it needed a national bird. In 1782, the American bald eagle became the sign of the new nation. The bald eagle has a distinctive appearance. Its brown body and white head make it easy to recognize. Bald eagles are strong hunters that have sharp claws. A diving bald eagle can fly more than one hundred miles per hour. Perhaps Congress hoped the new nation would have the power of the eagle.

Coral reefs are home to a variety of animals. For instance, more than four thousand kinds of fish, sea stars, crabs, and sharks can be found around reefs. Many people depend on these sea creatures for food. People also depend on reefs to block waves from hitting the land during large storms. If a reef is damaged, it can rebuild over time. However, it can take hundreds of years for a reef to come back to life. Because of this, we should do all that we can to protect our reefs.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun in our solar system. It's best known for the large, bright rings that circle it. Those rings are made of pieces of ice and rock. Saturn also has at least sixty-two moons. The bits of rock in Saturn's rings may have come from its moons. People studying Saturn believe that new moons are still being formed around the planet. In 1997, NASA sent a small spaceship named Cassini to Saturn. NASA hopes that Cassini can help clarify how Saturn's moons have come into being. The pictures that Cassini sends back from Saturn may tell more about what's happening there.What is the meaning of clarify as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.Marian Anderson was a great American singer. People often said that a voice like hers was heard once in a hundred years. That was because her voice was so versatile. She could sing many kinds of music, perfectly hitting all the highest and lowest notes. In 1935, she was invited to perform at the White House. She was the first African American to do so. She was also the first African American member of the New York City Metropolitan Opera. Her successes helped pave the way for other African American performers after her.What is the meaning of versatile as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.Your nose plays an important role in keeping you safe. If food is fragrant, then it is probably good to eat. If food smells bad, however, then it might be spoiled. Bad odors can come from molds and bacteria growing on the food. Many molds and bacteria can make you sick if you eat them. However, not all molds and bacteria give off odors. So make sure you don't eat food if you don't know that it's safe. When in doubt, throw it out!What is the meaning of fragrant as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.A desert is a dry place where very little rain falls. But not all deserts are hot and sandy. Antarctica, the cold land around the South Pole, is also a desert. Although it's covered with ice, Antarctica receives very little rain or snow. It contains no trees or shrubs. The temperature is usually below freezing, even during the summer. For most of Antarctica's history, the land remained uninhabited by people. Today, however, there are stations there where people can stay for a few months of the year. Most of these people arrive in the summer to do research and then leave when winter comes.

What is the meaning of uninhabited as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.The Niagara River drops about 176 feet at the famous Niagara Falls. Below the falls, the river rushes through a deep gorge. For many years, the only way across the rushing river was by boat. People thought no bridge could ever be built between those steep rock walls. But in 1848, a kite contest changed that. A prize was offered to anyone who flew a kite across the river. A boy named Homan Walsh won. His kite string went eight hundred feet from one side to the other. Bridge builders tied a stronger line to that string, and then a rope. And that was the start of a great bridge.

What is the meaning of gorge as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.Many animals hibernate during the winter. But they don't all hibernate in the same way. Chipmunks, for example, store food safely underground at the end of the fall. When winter comes, chipmunks enter a deep sleep. Every few days, they wake up and get food from their underground caches. Then they eat and go back to sleep. Bears, on the other hand, live off their fat during the winter. They usually don't eat or drink until hibernation ends in the spring.

What is the meaning of caches as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.The vulture is a large bird with an unusual diet. Humans generally avoid eating spoiled food. But to a vulture, nothing is better than a large helping of rotting meat. They will gather around a dead animal and eat it with gusto. Scientists aren't sure why, but vultures don't get sick from eating spoiled meat. It may be that something in the vultures' bodies keeps them healthy. Whatever it is, it lets vultures do an important job. They get rid of wormy, rotten stuff that could make people ill.

What is the meaning of gusto as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.The five Great Lakes are so large that they can cause snow to fall. This is called "lake-effect" snow. It happens when cold air moves over these massive lakes. The air picks up heat from the warmer lake water. Then water from the lakes starts to evaporate, rising into the air. This moist air starts to cool as it heads away from the lake. As it cools, it dumps the moisture on the ground. If it is cold enough, that moisture becomes snow.

What is the meaning of massive as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.Popcorn is a wholesome snack because it's a whole grain and low in fat. It's also delicious and fun to make. That big bag of popcorn starts out as a little pile of seeds. Each popcorn seed is covered with a hard shell. Inside that shell is a little water. As the popcorn is heated, the water turns to steam. Finally, the steam cracks the shell and turns the seed inside out. The soft part of the seed puffs up, and the popcorn is ready to eat.

What is the meaning of wholesome as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.In 1798, the Americans were fighting the British. Deborah Samson wanted to help the American army. Only men could join the army, but Samson didn't let that stop her. She put on men's clothing and signed up for the army. For about two years, she kept her secret, pretending to be a man. The deception finally ended when she got sick and was taken to the hospital. Samson was sent home as soon as she was well. After the war, she gave talks about her time in the army. Crowds cheered to see Samson dressed in her army clothes. Today she is remembered as the first American woman in the army.

What is the meaning of deception as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.The Great Wall of China is about 3915 miles long. That's longer than any other wall ever built! It is made from earth and stone. It was built over hundreds of years, and the oldest parts are more than two thousand years old. The rulers of China built the wall to keep adversaries out. The wall may not really have stopped attacks, but it is still standing today. It reminds us of China's long and interesting history. Millions of people visit the wall every year.

What is the meaning of adversaries as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.No other living things talk the way people do. But after babies are born, it takes many months before they can speak. For the first few weeks, they mostly cry. After a few months, though, they'll probably start to jabber. At this point, they are just learning to make sounds and having fun. The babies' throats and mouths are getting used to working. The babies are also hearing what other people are saying. They'll start saying back what they hear. They might make sounds that are almost words. Then one day they'll finally put it all together, and they'll be talking.

What is the meaning of jabber as used in the passage?

Read the passage and then answer the question.Franklin Roosevelt became president of the United States in 1933. It was a time of great troubles. Thirteen million Americans had lost their jobs, and many were running out of money. Americans were worried. Roosevelt quelled people's fears by talking about his plans for America, explaining them so that people felt comfortable. He gave talks, called "fireside chats," on the radio. These chats helped Roosevelt become one of the most popular presidents in history.

What is the meaning of quelled as used in the passage?