Reading Comprehension: Level K

2
Grade
Reading Level K
Comprehension
STORIES INCLUDED
The Snowman Problem
Games Around the World
Sweet Medicine
How Animals Swim
Lola’s Costumes
… and 5 more!
www.k5learning.com
Grade 2 Reading Comprehension
Level K Workbook
by K5 Learning
© K5 Learning 2020
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the author. Permission is granted to
reproduce this material to be used with one (1) teacher's students by virtue of the
purchase of this book. In other words, one (1) teacher may make copies of these
worksheets to be used with his/her students. Permission is not given to reproduce the
material for resale.
____________________________________________
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Level K Reader
Table of Contents
Introduction & Tips ............................................................................................................... 1
List of Vocabulary Words .................................................................................................... 3
Stories & Exercises:
The Snowman Problem............................................................................................................... 4
Games Around the World .......................................................................................................... 11
Lola’s Costumes ....................................................................................................................... 18
Bell and the Telephone ............................................................................................................. 25
The Baseball Team ................................................................................................................... 31
Black Sand................................................................................................................................ 38
The Cup Noodles Museum........................................................................................................ 44
How Animals Swim ................................................................................................................... 50
Sweet Medicine......................................................................................................................... 57
A Friend is a Bounce Away ....................................................................................................... 63
More from K5 Learning ....................................................................................................... 67
www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020

Level K Reader
Introduction & Tips

Welcome to our series of levelled reading workbooks. Each workbook contains a
number of texts. Each text is followed by exercises designed to reinforce literacy skills
including reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling and writing. The books include
both fiction and non-fiction passages and explore a wide range of topics in social
studies, nature, history, science and more.
Our readers are “leveled” from A to Z based on a number of factors related to text
complexity such as vocabulary, average word size and sentence length, amount of
repetitiveness of words and sentence structures and subject matter complexity.
Early reading levels use short simple words and sentences in big fonts in a highly
repetitive manner. Stories relate to subjects young children are familiar with. Each
successive level introduces greater reading challenge.
About K5 Learning
K5 Learning provides thousands of free worksheets and affordable workbooks for

children in kindergarten to grade 5.
We work with award-winning teachers to create materials in support of independent

learning.
Our aim is to help parents help their kids develop their reading, math and study skills.
Visit us at www.k5learning.com.
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Level K Reader
Some tips on using our leveled readers

 Review the vocabulary words on the first page of each story with your student.
Ask your child to read these words and talk about what they mean.
 Ask younger students to read the stories out loud and use their finger to point to
words as they read from left to right. Help them as needed.
 Ask younger students to also read the directions of the exercises out loud.
Remind them to use complete sentences when answering.
 Ask older students to look up words they don’t know in a dictionary.
 Point out punctuation; for example, when there is an exclamation mark ask
them to reread the sentence using more enthusiasm.
 Review your student’s work and guide him or her through any answers that are
not correct.
 Discuss the stories, the characters, the topics, the settings, the pictures –
anything about the text to make it more interesting, relevant or fun.
 Monitor your student’s progress and adjust reading levels as needed.
 Keep the reading fun!
Other books in this series

This book is one of a series of levelled reading workbooks. The levelled reading
approach makes it easy for parents to find appropriate materials for their kids.
The books range from Levels A-C (kindergarten) to Levels X-Z (grade 6).
The books can be purchased and downloaded exclusively from the online bookstore at
K5 Learning store.k5learning.com.
Questions & Feedback

If you have any questions or feedback for us, please contact us at customer-
service@k5learning.com.

Level K Reader
List of Vocabulary Words

The following vocabulary words are introduced in this workbook:
accident alligators animals banana baseball
bounce breathe championship climb communication
coral costume creator desert design
determined disappointed drawing erosion fashion
fielding flavor foul frying ground
handkerchief high higher impressed instant
invent lengthwise lying machine medicine
menu notebook pharmacy pitches porcupines
recipes rolling sand sardines scarves
seaside shadow shells shy skateboard
skates snowman speaking swimming telephone
trampoline tryout underwater wires world

Level K Reader
ground snowman disappointed

lying rolling determined
The Snowman Problem
Kyle and Emma were playing in the snow. It was the

kind of snow that was perfect for making snowballs.
They talked about building a fort or having a
snowball fight.
“How about we make a

snowman?” Kyle asked
Emma. “Let’s make the
biggest snowman ever!”
“Great idea!” Emma

said.
The two children started working on their snowman.

They each started with a small pile of snow that they
rolled into a ball. Next, they rolled their snowballs on
the ground, making them bigger and bigger.

Level K Reader
“Do you think my snowball is big

enough?” Emma asked.
“Not yet!” Kyle replied. “Keep rolling!”
Emma and Kyle kept rolling their

snowballs through the snow. Soon, the
snowballs were so heavy that
they could barely push them.
They decided to start making
a smaller snowball to use for
the snowman’s head.
Once the last snowball was ready, it was time to put

the snowman together.
“Help me lift this big snowball on top of the other

one,” Emma said to Kyle.
The children stood on each side of the huge snowball

and tried as hard as they could to lift it. It was way
too heavy for them to pick up! They could not even
lift it one inch off the ground.

Level K Reader
“Now what?” Emma sighed. “Should we start again

and just make a small snowman?”
Kyle and Emma stared at the three balls of snow on

the ground. They felt disappointed, but Kyle was
determined to build a big
snowman.
“I have an idea,” Kyle

replied. “Help me push
this snowball.”
Emma and Kyle pushed one of the big snowballs so it

was right beside the other one. Next, Kyle rolled the
smallest snowball over and added it to the line of
snowballs.
“What are you doing?” Emma asked. “Why do you

have all the snowballs in a row?”
“I’m making a snowman,” Kyle smiled. “But he’s lying

down!”

Level K Reader
Emma laughed. “I know the perfect things to add to

our snowman!”
She ran into the house. A few minutes later, she

came out with sunglasses, a big, floppy hat, and a
glass of lemonade.
“He’s lying on the beach!” she exclaimed, as she

carefully put the hat and sunglasses in place on the
smallest snowball.
Kyle laughed and asked his sister, “Should we put

some sunscreen on him so he doesn’t get
sunburned?”

Level K Reader
The Snowman Problem (exercises)
1. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 to put the events from the story

in order.
_______ Kyle and Emma couldn’t lift the big

snowball.
_______ Emma put a hat and sunglasses on the

snowman.
_______ Kyle and Emma made a small snowball

to use for the snowman’s head.
_______ Emma ran into the house.
2. Multiple Choice.
Kyle and Emma wanted to make the _____________

snowman ever.
a. smallest
b. smelliest
c. biggest

Level K Reader
Where did Emma pretend the snowman was

lying?
a. in the bathtub
b. on the beach
c. on the couch
Where did Kyle put the three snowballs?
a. in the freezer
b. on top of each other
c. in a row
3. What would happen to a snowman at the beach

in summer? Answer in a full sentence.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Level K Reader
The Snowman Problem (answers)
1. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 to put the e vents from the story

in order.
1 Kyle and Emma couldn’t lift the big
snowball.
4 Emma put a hat and sunglasses on the
snowman.
2 Kyle and Emma made a small snowball
to use for the snowman’s head.
3 Emma ran into the house.
2. Multiple Choice.
Kyle and Emma wanted to make the _____________
snowman ever.
c. biggest
Where did Emma pretend the snowman was
lying?
b. on the beach
Where did Kyle put the three snowballs?
c. in a row
3. What would happen to a snowman at the beach

in summer? Answer in a full sentence.
The snowman would melt.

Level K Reader
world shadow handkerchief

high climb sardines
Games Around the World
Children all over the world have something in

common: they like to play games. Some of these
games are similar to games we know. Some of these
games are very different. All of the games are about
having fun with friends.
Luta de Galo
Let’s start with a game from Brazil called “ Luta de

Galo” (fighting roosters). Each player puts
a handkerchief in his or her back
pocket. Then, the players cross their right
arms over their chests. They must hop on
one foot while using their left hand to
try to snatch the handkerchief from
the other player. If they fall or use
their right arm, they are “out.”

Level K Reader
Catch the Dragon’s Tail
Another great game is “Catch the Dragon’s Tail .” This

is a game played in China. You will need at least
three friends to play. All players form a line and
place their hands on the shoulders of the player in
front of them. The first player in line is the dragon’s
head. The last player in line is the dragon’s tail. The
head tries to catch the tail. The players in the middle
must try to stop the head from catching the tail. The
players twist and turn to try to save the tail.
Shadows
Irish children play a fun game called “Shadows.” This

game is similar to tag. Each player tries to step on
the shadow of another
player. If someone
steps on your shadow
you are “out.” The last
player standing is
the winner.

Level K Reader
Oonch Neech
Pakistani children play a game called “ oonch

neech” (up and down). This game is played in an
area where there are lots of objects to climb on. One
player will call out “oonch” (up) or “neech” (down).
When she cries “neech,” only high places are safe.
The players must climb onto objects like rocks,
benches or fences to get off the ground. When she
cries “oonch,” only low places are safe , and
everyone jumps to the ground as fast as they can.
Sardines
In Germany, children
play a version of hide-
and-seek called
“Sardines.” In this
game, only one player hides at first. If another player
finds where that child is hiding, he hides in the same
place. This goes on until that hiding place is packed
with players, just like a tin of sardines! When the last
player left finds the hiding spot, the game is over.

Level K Reader
Children all over the world play games. Whatever the

game, children just want to have fun with their
friends.

Level K Reader
Games Around the World (exercises)
1. Fill in the blanks.
a. If they fall or use their right arm, they are

_________________.
b. The first in line is the dragon’s head , and the
last is the _________________.
c. If someone steps on your _________________ you
are “out.”
2. Answer the questions according to the passage.

Use complete sentences.
a. Which of the games is most like “tag”?
__________________________
b. Which of the games is most like hide -and-

seek?
__________________________
c. What is a game played in China?
__________________________

Level K Reader
3. Describe a game that you like to play with your

friends.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Level K Reader
Games Around the World (answers)
a. If they fall or use their right arm, they are out.

b. The first in line is the dragon’s head , and the
last is the tail.
c. If someone steps on your shadow , you are
“out.”
2. Answer the questions according to the passage.

Use complete sentences.
a. Which of the games is most like “tag”?

Shadows.
b. Which of the games is most like hide -and-

seek?
Sardines.
c. What is a game played in China?

Catch the Dragon’s Tail .
3. Describe a game that you like to play with your

friends.
Answers will vary.

Level K Reader
fashion scarves notebook

design drawing costume
Lola’s Costumes
Lola loves fashion. She likes hats, scarves, and shoes.

She likes to play dress-up. She always wears
something special or unusual to school.
Sometimes the other kids make fun of how she

dresses. Lola tries not to let it bother her, but it d oes.
At recess, all the kids run

around. They kick
soccer balls, swing on
the monkey bars and go
down the slide. They
are always moving.
Lola is still. She sits and watches the other kids and
makes drawings in her notebook.

Level K Reader
One day, as Lola was drawing, one of her classmates

sat down next to her. She held a leaf in her hands
and twirled it by its stem. She looked at Lola's
notebook and smiled.
“I’m Julia,” she said. “What are you drawing?”
Lola said, “I’m designing a new outfit to wear

tomorrow.”
“You’re really good at drawing,” Julia told her.
Lola was surprised. Not many kids talked to

her because she didn’t really fit in
with them. Her eyes lit up.
“Really?” she asked.
The girl looked down at Lola’s

mismatched socks. One had black
zebra stripes, and the other had orange polka dots.
“I like your socks. I’d love to wear an outfit as unique

as yours,” Julia said, pausing. “You know, you'd be
great as our costume designer for the school play! ”

Level K Reader
Lola looked up from her drawing.
“The play needs someone with your creativity. We

are meeting tomorrow after school. Do you want to
come?” Julia asked hopefully.
Lola nodded. “I’ll be there!”
“Great! Be sure to look for me

when you get there.”
The next day, the bell rang,

and Lola headed to the stage
area. The spotlights were on, and
students were busy painting a set and
practicing their lines.
“Lola, over here!”
She looked up and saw Julia grinning and waving.

“I'm glad you came! Madison, April and I are t rying
to decide on costumes. What do you think? ”

Level K Reader
After they told her about the play, Lola looked at the
fabrics. She began moving them around and
drawing, and, a few minutes later, she had all of the
costumes planned out.
The three girls really liked what Lola had done. April
said, “Those will look amazing! Let's get to work on
making them. The show is only a month away. ”

Level K Reader
Lola’s Costumes (exercises)
1. Choose the correct answer.
What does Lola like to do during recess?
a. draw
b. read
c. swing
d. play with her friends
What does Lola’s classmate ask her to do?
a. draw a picture
b. sit with her at lunch
c. design costumes
d. get in line
What word describes how Lola dresses?
a. boring
b. beautiful
c. unusual
d. sloppy

Level K Reader
a. Lola likes playing _________________.
b. Julia likes Lola’s _________________.
c. At the end of the story, Lola probably feels

_________________.
3. Draw yourself wearing unusual clothes. Write a

sentence describing what you are wearing in the
picture.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Level K Reader
Lola’s Costumes (answers)
What does Lola like to do during recess?

a. draw
What does Lola’s classmate ask her to do?

c. design costumes
What word describes how Lola dresses?

c. unusual
a. Lola likes playing dress-up.
b. Julia likes Lola’s socks.
c. At the end of the story, Lola probably feels

happy.
3. Draw yourself wearing unusual clothes. Write a

sentence describing what you are wearing in the
picture.
Answers will vary.

Level K Reader
machine speaking communication

wires accident telephone
Bell and the Telephone
For many years, it was very hard for people to

communicate with their friends who were far away.
There were no computers or mobile phones.
People wrote messages

on paper and sent
them in the mail, but it
could take weeks to get a reply.
Some people even trained birds

to carry important messages long
distances, but that was very difficult to do.
The telephone changed everything. It was invented

over a hundred years ago by a man named
Alexander Graham Bell. All his life, Bell wondered
what made things work. He would stay up all night
thinking and wondering about things.

Level K Reader
Bell got the idea for a “speaking machine”

when he lived in Boston. He wanted to be
able to send people’s voices over wires.
Nobody had ever been able to do that
before.
Bell spent long days and nights trying

to make his telephone work. It was not
easy. He hired a man named Thomas
Watson to help. They worked together for
a long time on their “speaking machine.”
One night, Bell and Watson were working on the

invention. Bell spilled something and needed help.
He said, “Watson, come here! I need you.” He
accidentally said this into his telephone. Watson
heard him through a different phone. It was the
world’s first telephone call, and it was completely by
accident!

Level K Reader
After they had their invention working properly, Bell

started the Bell Telephone Company to help b ring
telephones to everyone.
The telephone was a great success.

Everyone wanted one. Telephone poles
were put up all over the country.
Telephone wires were hung from the
poles to connect to people’s
houses.
People were excited to call their neighbors on a

telephone. Soon, they could call people across the
country. Then, across the ocean! It was faster than
waiting days, or even weeks, for a letter. It was even
faster than a bird. Telephones really changed
people’s lives.
One person didn’t want a telephone in his office,

though. His name was Alexander Graham Bell! He
said the ringing telephone interrupted his work too
much.

Level K Reader
Bell and the Telephone (exercises)
Before the telephone, most people communicated

long distance by:
a. shouting as loudly as they could

b. sending mail
c. using smoke signals
The telephone was invented by:
a. Thomas Watson
b. Thomas Edison
c. Alexander Graham Bell
d. Crusty the Clown
The first telephone call sounded like:
a. “We’d like to order a pizza.”

b. “Watson, come here! I need you.”
c. “Mom, I’m hungry! I’d like a grilled cheese.”
d. “Sorry, wrong number.”

Level K Reader
a. Bell called his “speaking machine” a

_________________.
b. When using Bell’s telephones, people’s

voices went over _________________.
c. Telephone wires hang from telephone

_________________.
3. Circle the things below that help us

communicate with each other today .

Level K Reader
Bell and the Telephone (answers)

Before the telephone, most people communicated
long distance by:
b. sending mail
The telephone was invented by:
c. Alexander Graham Bell
The first telephone call sounded like:
b. “Watson, come here! I want you.”

a. Bell called his “speaking machine” a
telephone.
b. When using Bell’s telephones, people’s
voices went over wires.
c. Telephone wires hang from telephone
poles.
3. Circle the things below that help us

communicate with each other today .

Level K Reader
tryout fielding championship

foul pitches baseball
The Baseball Team
Markus was nervous about baseball tryouts. He really

wanted to make a team called “The Strikers”. The
Strikers won the championship last year. Markus had
fun playing with his old team, but this year
he was really hoping to become a Striker.
It was the last tryout. Players had to

show their throwing, catching, and
hitting skills one more time. Markus
felt good about his throwing and
catching. He played shortstop last
year, so he was used to fielding ground
balls and throwing runners out at first.
Now it was time to bat.
The pitcher threw a fastball. Markus

swung and missed.

Level K Reader
He hit the next pitch. “Foul ball!” the coach yelled.
Markus took a deep breath. He could do this. The

next pitch was a beauty. He swung hard
and hit the ball down the third baseline.
“Nice hit!” the coach called. “Try a

couple more.”
Markus made contact with the last

two pitches. He was glad, but worried
because neither hit made it past the
infield.
The coach told the players that the team

list would be posted online later that
afternoon.
When Markus got home, he checked to see if the list

was posted. It wasn’t. A minute later, he checked
again.
“Why don’t you do something to take your mind off

baseball?” his mom suggested.

Level K Reader
Mom was right. Maybe the time would pass more

quickly if he read for a while. But pretty soon, he
couldn’t help himself and checked again. The list
was posted!
“Mom,” Markus said sadly, “I didn’t make it.” He felt

so disappointed. He wouldn’t be a Striker.
“That’s okay,” Mom said. “You can still play

baseball for your old team.”
“But, Mom,” Markus said, “I tried so hard. I

really think my throwing and catching were
awesome. My hitting wasn’t the best, but it
wasn’t that bad.”
“It sounds like you just made a plan,”

Mom said with a smile. “You know you
are strong at throwing and catching.
You need to work on your hitting. Let’s make that a
goal. Then next year, you can try out for the Strikers
again. Or, maybe you’ll have so much fun this season
that you won’t want to leave your old team.”

Level K Reader
Markus smiled. Mom was right. He had a goal, a plan,

and a whole year to work on it.

Level K Reader
The Baseball Team (exercises)
1. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer.
Markus played for The

T F
Strikers last year.
Markus was patient as he

waited for the list to be
T F
posted.
Markus tried to read to

make the time pass more
T F
quickly.
2. Write 1, 2, and 3 to put the events from the story

in order.
_______ The team list was posted online .
_______ Markus hit a foul ball .
_______ Mom helped Markus make a plan to

improve his baseball skills.

Level K Reader
3. What were Markus’ two strongest baseball skills?

Which skill did he need to improve? Answer in
sentences.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Level K Reader
The Baseball Team (answers)
1. True (T) or False (F)? Circle the right answer.
2. Write 1, 2, and 3 to put the events from the story

in order.
2 The team list was posted online .
1 Markus hit a foul ball .
3 Mom helped Markus make a plan to

improve his baseball skills.
3. What were Markus’s two strongest baseball skills?

Which skill did he need to improve? An swer in
sentences.
Markus is strong at throwing and catching , but

he needs to improve on hitting the ball.

Level K Reader
coral desert seaside

sand shells erosion
Black Sand
What do you think of when you hear the word

“beach”? I bet you think of building sandcastles,
splashing in the water, and eating ice
cream. Do you ever think about the
color of the sand? Would you think
it strange if the sand was black?
Sand is made from rocks, shells and coral. Imagine

you are licking a sugar cube. The more you lick i t, the
smaller it gets. In a similar way, rocks , shells and coral
shrink when water runs over them. After a very long
time, they become grains of sand. This is called
“erosion.”
Beaches near lakes are usually brown. This sand is

made from rocks which were shades of grey and
brown. When mixed together, this sand looks brown.

Level K Reader
On the seaside, some beaches look almost white.

This sand is made from coral and shells in the ocean.
Coral is very light-colored, so its sand is light too.
In the desert, sand often

has a reddish color. This
sand is made from rocks
which had a lot of iron in
them. The iron makes the
sand red.
Black sand is made from special rocks that come

from volcanos. When a volcano erupts, hot lava
comes out. When the lava cools, it turns black and
hard. Over time, the lava rocks get smaller, just like
your sugar cubes. After a long time , it turns into black
sand.
Beaches with black sand are in places near

volcanos, like Hawaii. In Hawaii, you are not allowed
to take the black sand home w ith you, but you can
still play in it. Imagine showing your friends a picture
of a black sand castle you made!

Level K Reader
People have always found black sand beaches to be

special. There are many old stories and legends
about these beaches. Some people even believe d
black sand could heal people who were sick.
Next time you relax on a beach, look closely at the

sand. You can impress your friends with your
knowledge of where that sand came from.

Level K Reader
Black Sand (exercises)
Black sand is made from:
a. coral
b. shells
c. lava rocks
d. sugar cubes
White sand can be found in (at):
a. deserts
b. the seaside
c. Disneyland
d. parks
When does “erosion” happen?
a. when you erase something with your eraser

b. when rocks shrink over time
c. when lava cools
d. when a volcano explodes

Level K Reader
When a volcano erupts, hot ______________ comes

out.
Rocks shrink when water runs over them. This is

called ______________.
People have always found ______________ sand

beaches to be special.
3. Match each place with the color of the sand.
lakeside white
seaside brown
near volcano red
desert black

Level K Reader
Black Sand (answers)

Black sand is made from:
c. lava rocks
White sand can be found at:

b. the seaside
When does “erosion” happen?

b. when rocks shrink over time

When a volcano erupts, hot lava comes out.
Rocks shrink when water runs over them. This is

called erosion.
People have always found black sand beaches

to be special.
3. Match each place with the color of the sand.

Level K Reader
flavor creator impressed

frying instant recipes
The Cup Noodles Museum
Cup Noodles are dried noodles that come in a cup.

They are the easiest meal in the world to cook. You
just pour very hot water in the cup and wait for two
to three minutes. Then, the noodles are ready to eat.
Sally and her little sister Teresa eat a lot of Cup

Noodles. This is because the girls do not know how to
cook anything else. Sally’s favorite flavor is
shrimp.
Today, Sally is excited because

they are going to visit the
Cup Noodles Museum with
their parents. At the
museum, they are going to
make their own Cup Noodles
and invent their own flavors.

Level K Reader
Their first stop is the theater where they watch a short

movie. They learn about the creator of instant
noodles. His name was Mr. Ando , and he lived in
Japan. Mr. Ando dedicated his life to food. He once
said, “Peace will come when people have enough to
eat.”
At that time, in Japan, there was not enough food for

everyone to eat. Mr. Ando wanted to find a way to
make noodles last longer so they could feed more
people. He tried many different recipes and failed
many times. He kept trying and trying.
After a year, he succeeded

by frying the noodles in
oil. He had invented
instant noodles. Later, he
put them in a cup to make
them even easier to cook.
Thanks to Mr. Ando’s hard work, people around the

world get to enjoy instant noodles. His company even
makes noodles that astronauts can eat in space.

Level K Reader
Sally and Teresa also visit the shed in which Mr. Ando
worked. Mr. Ando’s tools in the shed are just like
things Sally and Teresa have in their kitchen at home.
They learn that with good ideas you can create
great things, even if you only have simple tools.
Later, the girls go to the factory to make their own

noodles. They put the dough into the noodle maker.
Next, they steam the noodles and add seasoning.
Finally, they fry the noodles.
Sally decorates her cup with special stickers and

drawings. She adds fish cakes and curry flavo rs. She
calls it “Sally O’ Noodles.” It looks and smells great.
She thinks even Mr. Ando would be impressed.

Level K Reader
The Cup Noodles Museum (exercises)
Cup noodles are dried ______________ that come in

a cup.
Sally and Teresa visit the _________________________

with their ______________.
Mr. Ando once said, “______________ will come

when people have enough to ______________.”
2. Write your answers.
What country did Mr. Ando live in?
______________________________________________________
What did Mr. Ando fry the noodles in?
______________________________________________________

Level K Reader
What kind of tools did Sally and Teresa see in Mr.

Ando’s work shed?
______________________________________________________
3. Draw your own Cup Noodles. What fl avors did

you use? What do you call it?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Level K Reader
The Cup Noodles Museum (answers)
Cup noodles are dried noodles that come in a

cup.
Sally and Teresa visit the Cup Noodles Museum

with their parents.
Mr. Ando once said, “Peace will come when

people have enough to eat.”
2. Write your answers.
What country did Mr. Ando li ve in?
Mr. Ando lived in Japan.
What did Mr. Ando fry the noodles in?
He fried the noodles in oil.
What kind of tools did Sally and Teresa see in Mr.

Ando’s work shed?
(Answers will vary (frying pan, cups, ..)
3. Draw your own Cup Noodles. What flavors di d

you use? What do you call it?
Answers will vary.

Level K Reader
animals swimming porcupines

breathe alligators underwater
How Animals Swim
We all know that fish are good swimmers, but what

about other animals? Can they swim without fins?
Are some animals too heavy to swim? How do
animals learn to swim? They don’t have “bear
swimming lessons” at the local swimming pool!
Most animals are good swimmers. They know how to

swim when they are born, even without taking
lessons. They swim in rivers and lakes to find food or
escape danger. However, different animals swim in
different ways.

Level K Reader
ALLIGATOR: The alligator is a lean, mean swimming

machine. It pushes its powerful tail side -to-side,
swimming up to 20 miles an hour. The fastest human
swims only about 5 miles per hour. Alligators like to
sink underwater, waiting to catch food. Alligators
can hold their breath for 10 to 15 minutes. Their clear
eyelids let them see underwater even when their
eyes are closed. Sort of like built-in swimming
goggles!
PORCUPINE: Porcupines have lots of sharp spines that

protect them. The spines are mostly hollow and filled
with air. The air in the spines helps the porcupines to
float, like a built-in life jacket. Porcupines float like
spikey balloons, paddling with their short legs.

Level K Reader
HIPPOS: These huge animals weigh more than a car!

They look clumsy on land, but they move better in
water. Hippos prefer shallow rive rs and ponds. They
spend hot African days resting in water to protect
their sensitive skin from the sun. All you can see are
their eyes, ears and nostrils. Sometimes , they sink
underwater and skip along the sandy bottom. It
almost looks as if they are dancing. Hippos can stay
underwater for four or five minutes.
POLAR BEAR: This arctic bear is a great swimmer. Its

head is pointed, and its ears fold back when it swims.
It has some webbing on its feet, like a duck, to help it
paddle through the water. The polar bear's huge
paws pull through water with great strength. Polar
bears can swim miles at a time without stopping.

Level K Reader
HUMAN (That’s you!): To swim through water, humans

kick their legs and move their arms. They breathe in
when their heads are out of the water. They breathe
out when their heads are in the water. When you
breathe out under water, you'll make lots of bubbles.
Some people swim just for fun or to stay cool in the

summer. Others swim for exercise or to compete in
races. Michael Phelps is an Ameri can who won 28
swimming medals at the Olympics. He is still not as
fast as an alligator, though!

Level K Reader
How Animals Swim (exercises)
1. Circle the correct answer.
Alligators swim fast because:
a. They can hold their breath for 10 to 15

minutes.
b. They move their powerful tail side to side.
c. They can see underwater.
The hippopotamus likes:
a. swimming in big oceans

b. walking in the hot African sun
c. floating in cool water
Humans can:
a. swim without breathing

b. make bubbles by breathing out under the
water
c. inhale without exhaling

Level K Reader
2. True or False.
Most animals can swim

True False
when they’re born.
Alligators swim faster than

humans. True False
A polar bear can’t swim

very far. True False
Polar bears have webbed

feet like ducks. True False
A porcupine won a gold

medal in swimming at the
True False
Olympics.
3. Pretend you are teaching someone to swim. Write

down your instructions for them.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

Level K Reader
How Animals Swim (answers)
1. Circle the correct answer.
Alligators swim fast because:

b. they move their powerful tail side to side
The hippopotamus likes:

c. floating in cool water
Humans can:
b. make bubbles by breathing out under the
water
2. True or False.
3. Pretend you are teaching someone to swim. Write

down your instructions for them.
Answers will vary.

Level K Reader
invent medicine lengthwise

menu banana pharmacy
Sweet Medicine
This is how I make my favorite dessert, a

banana split:
First, I cut a banana lengthwise.
Second, I place three scoops of ice

cream in between the two halves of the banana. The
ice cream should be one scoop of vanilla, once
scoop of chocolate, and one scoop of strawberry.
Third, I put whipped cream and chopped peanuts on

top of the ice cream.
Finally, I put a cherry on top. It’s a banana split!
The first banana split was made over one hundred

years ago. A 23-year-old man named David Strickler
invented this treat when he was working in a
pharmacy.

Level K Reader
A pharmacy is where people buy medicine.

Pharmacies are also called “drug stores .” Back then,
people would sometimes take their medicine while
still at the pharmacy. Some of the medicine tasted
pretty bad.
Pharmacies served soda pop to customers after they

took their medicine. The sweet taste of soda pop
covered up the bad taste of the medicine.
Soda pop tasted so good that people came

to the pharmacy to buy it even when they
didn’t have medications to pick up.
Pharmacies became a place to meet up

with friends and have a sweet drink. The
pharmacies added ice cream to the menu
to give customers another sweet option.
Pharmacies that served ice cream and soda pop

were always trying to be bigger and better than
each other. They tried to invent new treats all the
time.

Level K Reader
One day, David invented the banana split by putting

three sundaes and one banana in a bowl. It was the
“bigger and better” dessert that people were looking
for. People loved banana splits so much that they
were willing to pay more. The pharmacy charged ten
cents for each one. That was twice the price of most
other treats. David became rich.
I wish banana splits still cost only ten cents. I would

eat one every day!

Level K Reader
Sweet Medicine (exercises)
1. Short answer.
What do you cut in half to make a banana split?
______________________________________________________
How many scoops of ice cream does a banana

split have?
______________________________________________________
What flavors of ice cream does a banana split

have?
______________________________________________________
2. Fill in the blank.
a. David Strickler ____________________ the

banana split.
b. Pharmacies used soda to cover up the bad

____________________ of the ____________________.
c. The first banana splits cost ___________________.

Level K Reader
3. Invent your own dessert. Draw it and describe it

using full sentences.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Level K Reader
Sweet Medicine (answers)
1. Short answer.
What do you cut in half to make a banana split?

A banana.
How many scoops of ice cream does a banana

split have?
Three.
What flavors of ice cream does a banana split

have?
vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry
2. Fill in the blank.
a. David Strickler invented the banana split.
b. Pharmacies used soda to cover up the bad

taste of the medicine.
c. The first banana splits cost ten cents.
3. Invent your own dessert. Draw it and describe it

using full sentences.
Answers will vary.

Level K Reader
skates bounce trampoline

shy higher skateboard
A Friend is a Bounce Away
“There’s nobody to play with,” Olivia whined. “I miss

my friends! I wish we hadn’t moved away.”
She plopped down on the couch next to her mom.
Mom hugged her. “What about that girl with

the ponytail who lives next door?”
“I don’t know her.” Olivia pouted.

“Anyway, she was riding a
skateboard. I know she’ll think my
roller skates are dumb.”
“Maybe she won’t,” Mom suggested .
“She will,” Olivia whispered. Olivia walked out of the

room and went out to the back yard to jump on her
trampoline. Bouncing on her trampoline was her
favorite thing, so she soon felt a little better.

Level K Reader
The next day, Olivia took out her roller skates and
started to put them on. She wondered if that girl from
next door might be out there with her skateboard.
Olivia felt shy, so she changed her mind.
Feeling a little sad, she walked into her
back yard and looked at the tall fence
between her back yard and the
girl’s house.
Suddenly, Olivia saw a bright orange ponytail pop up

high in the air on the other side of the fence. There it
was again and again. The girl must be bouncing on a
trampoline!
Olivia felt shy again. She thought about going back

into her house. Then she changed her mind. Olivia
climbed onto her trampoline and started to bounce.
She bounced higher and higher. She tried to bounce
at the same time as the girl.
“Hey!” Olivia yelled, when both girls were high in the

air at the same time.

Level K Reader
“Who said that?”
Olivia giggled, and so did the skateboard girl.
“We both have trampolines!” they cheered together

in one voice.
“I’m Grace!” the girl yelled. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Olivia!”
They bounced together for a while, doing spins and

knee drops and seat drops until they were out of
breath. Then Olivia decided to be even brave r.
“Would you like to meet up on the sidewalk?” she

shouted the next time Grace popped up.

Level K Reader
“Okay! I’ll get my skateboard!” Grace jumped off her

trampoline and disappeared before Olivia could say
anything. Olivia’s tummy felt funny as she went inside
and put on her roller skates.
As she started down the sidewalk, Grace zoomed

around the corner on her skateboard.
“Hey, you have roller skates!” Grace yelled. “Can I

try them?”
“Sure,” Olivia laughed. “Can I try your skateboard?”
As they sat down together, Olivia felt good. She had

found a new friend. All she had to do was take that
first step. Or bounce.

Level K Reader
A Friend is a Bounce Away (exercises)
1. True or False.
Olivia had roller skates. True False
Grace asked to try Olivia’s

trampoline. True False
O
Skateboarding was Olivia’s
l favorite thing. True False
i
The girls went skateboarding
von the trampoline. True False
a. Olivia missed her ____________________.
b. Olivia asked Grace if they could meet on the

____________________.
c. Olivia didn’t put on her roller skates at first

because she felt ____________________.

Level K Reader
3. Answer these questions.
How many young girls are in this story?
_______________________
How many trampolines are in this story?
_______________________
How many skateboards are in this story?
_______________________

Level K Reader
A Friend is a Bounce Away (answers)
1. True or False.
a. Olivia missed her friends.

b. Olivia asked Grace if they could meet on the
sidewalk.
c. Olivia didn’t put on her roller skates at first
because she felt shy.
3. Answer these questions.
How many young girls are in this story? Two.

How many trampolines are in this story? Two.
How many skateboards are in this story? One.

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Introduction & Tips ............................................................................................................... 1

List of Vocabulary Words .................................................................................................... 3

Stories & Exercises:

The Snowman Problem............................................................................................................... 4

Games Around the World .......................................................................................................... 11

Lola’s Costumes ....................................................................................................................... 18

Bell and the Telephone ............................................................................................................. 25

The Baseball Team ................................................................................................................... 31

The Cup Noodles Museum........................................................................................................ 44

How Animals Swim ................................................................................................................... 50

A Friend is a Bounce Away ....................................................................................................... 63

More from K5 Learning ....................................................................................................... 67

www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020

Introduction & Tips

K5 Learning provides thousands of free worksheets and affordable workbooks for

We work with award-winning teachers to create materials in support of independent

www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020 1

Some tips on using our leveled readers

 Ask older students to look up words they don’t know in a dictionary.

 Monitor your student’s progress and adjust reading levels as needed.

 Keep the reading fun!

Other books in this series

Questions & Feedback

www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020 2

List of Vocabulary Words

accident alligators animals banana baseball

bounce breathe championship climb communication

coral costume creator desert design

determined disappointed drawing erosion fashion

fielding flavor foul frying ground

handkerchief high higher impressed instant

invent lengthwise lying machine medicine

menu notebook pharmacy pitches porcupines

recipes rolling sand sardines scarves

seaside shadow shells shy skateboard

skates snowman speaking swimming telephone

trampoline tryout underwater wires world

www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020 3

ground snowman disappointed

The Snowman Problem

Kyle and Emma were playing in the snow. It was the

“How about we make a

“Great idea!” Emma

The two children started working on their snowman.

www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020 4

“Do you think my snowball is big

“Not yet!” Kyle replied. “Keep rolling!”

Emma and Kyle kept rolling their

Once the last snowball was ready, it was time to put

“Help me lift this big snowball on top of the other

The children stood on each side of the huge snowball

www.k5learning.com © K5 Learning 2020 5

“Now what?” Emma sighed. “Should we start again

Kyle and Emma stared at the three balls of snow on

“I have an idea,” Kyle

Emma and Kyle pushed one of the big snowballs so it

“What are you doing?” Emma asked. “Why do you