Reading Break_Getting the Facts

NON-FICTION

Getting the Facts TEXT 1

All About Poutine

Poutine is Québec’s most popular fast food. Who invented poutine? What do you need to make the perfect dish? What are some new varieties of poutine?

Where can you find the dish in other parts of the world?

TEXT 2

Video Games: A Short History

Learn about the history of the earliest video games. Discover who creates them, how each game is different, and all about the challenges and dangers of playing video games.

TEXT 3

Roller Coasters: Big Thrills on Small Trains

Explore the tallest, the fastest and the longest roller coasters in the world!

What are the different types of roller coasters? Where are the great rides closer to home?

3 levels of difficulty easy

intermediate

difficult

Michael O’Neill

Getting the Facts All About Poutine TEXT 2 Video Games: A Short History TEXT 3 Roller Coasters: Big Thrills on Small Trains TEXT 1

C R E L L O R S L L I R H T G I B ON SMALLS TRAINS

days!

Ah! Those warm summer ng and It’s a time to go swimmi eat time to camping. It is also a gr You can visit an amusement park. out new rides. eat cotton candy and try e roller coaster.

The best ride of all is th t fun and big This is the ride for grea down, you thrills. You go up, you go wn. You hang on twist, you turn upside do the whole way. for dear life and scream That’s what we call fun! e longest llest, the fastest and th ta e th r ve co dis to on Read both steel rld. You will read about roller coasters in the wo t where Also, you will read abou rs. te as co r lle ro en od and wo ser to home. there are great rides clo

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Roller Coasters

: S R E T S A O The tallest roller coaster The world’s tallest roller coaster is called Kingda Ka. It is located in New Jersey in the United States.

It is 139 metres high. That is the height of a 45-story building!

The train climbs to the highest part of the structure, then it speeds down 129 metres.

It twists as it goes down. WOW! The ride is so fast it only takes 59 seconds from start to finish.

It takes your breath away!

Kingda Ka is the second fastest roller coaster in the world.

It reaches speeds of 206 kilometres an hour.

The structure and the trains are made of steel.

Glossary cotton candy: a treat made from sugar and served on a stick thrill: a feeling of excitement hang on for dear life: to hold on tight climb: to go up take your breath away: to be extremely surprised because something is exciting

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The longest roller coaster The Steel Dragon 2000 is the name of the longest roller coaster on the planet.

It is 2,479 metres long. That is nearly two and a half kilometres!

The Steel Dragon 2000 is in Nagashima, Japan.

This steel-type roller coaster was built in the year 2000, the Year of the Dragon in the Japanese calendar.

You climb to the highest part of the structure— 97 metres. Then you drop 93 metres.

The top speed of this roller coaster is 153 kilometres an hour, and the ride lasts four minutes. That is a very long time for a roller coaster ride!

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The fastest roller coaster Formula Rossa is the fastest roller coaster in the world.

It is located in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The highest part of the structure is 52 metres.

It reaches a top speed of 240 kilometres an hour!

The Formula Rossa travels so fast it reaches its top speed in only 4.9 seconds.

The Formula Rossa covers just over two kilometres.

That is a long ride!

The structure and trains are made of steel.

Glossary steel: strong metal

Roller Coasters

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A wooden roller coaster Before steel structures existed, all roller coasters were built out of wood.

Many people prefer traditional wooden roller coasters. The ride feels different than on steel ones. The wooden structure sways and makes it feel more dangerous.

The largest wooden roller coaster in Canada is Le Monstre.

It is located at the La Ronde amusement park in MontrĂŠal.

Le Monstre is only 40 metres tall, but it is very exciting! It twists and turns and has many climbs and drops.

Its top speed is 96 kilometres an hour.

It is 1,227 metres long. That is over one kilometre!

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Roller Coasters

A special type of roller coaster La Ronde also has a special type of roller coaster.

It is a steel structure called Le Vampire.

It is special because it is inverted. This means that your legs hang off of it, similar to a ski lift.

Le Vampire is 823 metres long and its top speed is 80 kilometres an hour.

During the 73-second ride, riders go upside down five times!

Glossary wooden: made out of wood sway: to move slowly from side to side inverted: upside down

Roller Coasters

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Now you know that there are many types of roller coasters in the world.

There is something for everyone, and you don’t even have to travel far to have a great time! You can have exciting roller coaster rides right here in QuÊbec.

1 What is the name of the roller coaster in Abu Dhabi?

2 What type of roller coaster is Le Monstre?

3 What is the name of the tallest roller coaster in the world?

4 In what year was the Steel Dragon built?

5 Where can you ride an inverted roller coaster?

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Roller Coasters

Comparative and superlative adjectives Adjective

describes a noun

Comparative compares two things that are different

Superlative

compares three or more people or things

good

better

best

fast

faster

fastest

high

higher

highest

long

longer

longest

old

older

oldest

early

earlier

earliest

small

smaller

smallest

tall

taller

tallest

NON-FICTION

Getting the Facts TEXT 1

All About Poutine

Poutine is Québec’s most popular fast food. Who invented poutine? What do you need to make the perfect dish? What are some new varieties of poutine?

Where can you find the dish in other parts of the world?

TEXT 2

Video Games: A Short History

Learn about the history of the earliest video games. Discover who creates them, how each game is different, and all about the challenges and dangers of playing video games.

TEXT 3

Roller Coasters: Big Thrills on Small Trains

Explore the tallest, the fastest and the longest roller coasters in the world!

What are the different types of roller coasters? Where are the great rides closer to home?

3 levels of difficulty easy

intermediate

difficult

Michael O’Neill

Getting the Facts All About Poutine TEXT 2 Video Games: A Short History TEXT 3 Roller Coasters: Big Thrills on Small Trains TEXT 1