Read the next two selections. Then choose the best answer to each question.
Henry Ford
&
Boom, Crash, Bang
Henry Ford
1 Henry Ford was born on a farm in Michigan. He did not like farm work. Henry Ford dreamed of moving to the city. Even at an early age he was good at building things. He knew he would someday find a job.
2 At age 16, he moved to the city of Detroit, Michigan. He found a job as a machinist. A machinist uses tools and machines to make parts out of metal or wood. This was hard and dangerous work. Many workers got hurt while making parts.
3 Henry Ford tinkered with the gasoline engine. He worked on motors for fun. He used his money for his hobby. Henry Ford put a motor on what looked like a wagon. Later, he worked with Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. Thomas Edison liked Henry Ford's idea. In 1898, Henry Ford made his second gas car.
4 Henry Ford started out with groups of two or three workers to put the cars together. He knew he needed the best workers he could find. He paid five dollars a day for the best help. His team used parts from other businesses. This made the cars cost a lot of money.
5 He is most famous for the assembly line. Henry Ford made the assembly line better so he could make more cars. In an assembly line, each worker has a job. The car moves in a line to be put together.
6 It was all uphill after that. Ford's company grew rapidly. Soon his company was not just in Michigan but all over the world.
7 Today, people drive cars made by the Ford Motor Company. The Beach Boys wrote a song about a Ford car. The song was called, "Fun, Fun, and Fun 57 T-Bird." Henry Ford's cars also made it in the movies. The 1967 Ford Mustang was in the movie, Gone in 60 Seconds. Henry Ford's cars are loved by many. Henry Ford died on April 7, 1947. His dream did not die with him but lives on through Ford Motor Company.
Boom, Crash, Bang
1 Boom, crash, bang! That was the sound right before it happened.
2 It started out as a normal morning. I climbed into my baby blue car. I cranked it up and listened to the engine purr as it warmed up. I ran my fingers over the silver, galloping Mustang on the center of my steering wheel. Then, I turned on my radio to my favorite radio station. The smell of leather filled my nose as I got comfortable in my seat.
3 Once I was ready, I backed out of my driveway and took off. The pipes roared as I went faster and faster down the open road.
4 The sun painted the black sky with red and orange colors. The birds were perched on the power lines, singing a good morning song as I drove past them. I could not have asked for a better morning.
5 Then, it happened. I stopped at the red light right in front of my work. As I waited for the light to turn green I saw a truck in my rear view mirror coming closer and closer. Before I knew it, his car hit the back of mine. Boom, crash, bang! As it happened, I braced myself.
6 Once the damage was done I looked around me and realized that I was okay. Then that sinking feeling hit the pit of my stomach. I yelled, "My car! My beautiful, baby blue car!"
7 I got out of my car and raced to the back of it. I saw the man already standing outside in front of his, looking at the damage. I closed my eyes and barely opened one at a time. The whole rear end of my car was dented in. This would have made Henry Ford himself want to cry.
8 The man apologized and we were both relieved that neither one of us was hurt. We exchanged insurance information and waited for the police to arrive.
9 I started looking for the best body shop for my baby blue car. She only deserved the best since she is the prettiest 1967 Mustang Ford ever made.