The Big Day: Reading

The sea is a pretty color of blue. The water is so bright that Kim can see to the bottom. She touches the water with her foot. The temperature is warm. There are waves in the distance. The sky is clear. The day is perfect.

It is still early. There are no crowds. Kim is alone in the prettiest place on earth. And she is ready. This is the day that she will perform. She has practiced her entire life for this moment.

Kim grew up on the island. Her family’s house is beside the ocean. When she was a little girl, she would swim in the ocean while her brothers rode the waves. Then one day, Kim got tired of swimming and decided to try using her brother’s surfboard. Her brother helped and encouraged her. At age seven, Kim received a surfboard for her birthday. From then on, she was always surfing.
Now Kim is 16. Other girls her age are coming to the island today. They are coming from all over the country. They are coming to Hawai’i for a surfing competition. Kim is excited to compete against them. She is looking forward to showing the world what she can do. She believes that she will succeed.

Put an X beside your stopping time on the progress chart, then answer the questions on the back of this page.