Identifying Text Structure

Starting a garden requires a plan and following some key steps. Begin by scouting the location of the garden. Pick a spot that gets direct sunlight several hours a day. Then, mark off your chosen area with twine or rope. Build up the sides of the area you'll be gardening by using planks or plastic dividers designed for the purpose. Dig up the soil within the area, and mix it with high quality soil if necessary. Next, plant seeds or plants according to the planting instructions. Finally, water the area with a gentle spray until the ground is moist.

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The machine stood tall against one wall of the kitchen. Its matte stainless steel surface reflected no light. One at a time, the children of the family approached it, tugged on the handle, and stood, engrossed in its contents. One child retrieved a container of yogurt, looked it over, then replaced it. Another child dug around in one of the drawers, emerging triumphantly with an apple in her hand. Another hardly looked inside at all but still opened the door, snatched a bottle of juice, and closed it tight again.

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When people have time off from work or school, they usually have two choices about how to spend that time. Some people go away on vacations, while others stay at home and enjoy what some call a "staycation." Going away on vacation can be exciting. Vacationers have the opportunity to visit new places, enjoy different climates, and have experiences that are new. On the other hand, staycations offer people an opportunity to enjoy elements of their own home that they might not have time for when they are working, such as their swimming pools or back yards. Vacations can be expensive because they can require paying plane fares, hotel room fees, and many restaurant meals. Staycations are generally less expensive because people stay in their own homes and prepare their own meals.

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As most residents know, Pleasantville has an ongoing problem with parking in the downtown area. At peak times, such as weekday evenings and weekend afternoons, potential customers end up circling the business district looking for parking. The city council has introduced two measures to address this problem. First, the site of the old public swimming pool (which has not been used for more than a decade) will be filled and reclaimed as free municipal parking. Second, plans are being undertaken to convert an abandoned warehouse on Bond street to an indoor parking garage. It is the Council's hope that residents and customers will begin to see some relief from the parking problem in as little as six months from now.

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New video games are released every week. Some grow into a national phenomenon and have millions of loyal fans. Other languish on store shelves, snatched up by a few customers but never get wide attention. There are several reasons why some games become popular. First, games within a well-known series or franchise are most likely to become popular. Players know the characters and the game and are eager to continue the adventure. Second, a familiar and easy-to-learn playing platform will make a new game more popular, as will strong graphics and the ability to play online or with other players.

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Male and female wood thrushes build their nests in late spring. The eggs take about thirteen days to hatch. After the babies emerge from the eggs, both parents help to feed them. The parents take care of the young birds for about a month. Then the little fledglings are ready for life on their own.

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Icebergs—giant blocks of ice that float in the sea—come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are deep blue or green. Some look like floating sculptures. Old icebergs that have been worn down by the weather sometimes look like pillars of ice. Usually, only about one-fifth of an iceberg appears above the surface of the water. The other four-fifths of the “berg” is hidden underwater, out of sight. Sometimes, an iceberg has what is called a “foot,” an extension completely underwater. These are especially dangerous for ships. It was an iceberg “foot” that sank the Titanic in 1912, killing 1,503 people.

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To a small child, the ocean and the pond seem very much the same. However, there are important differences to point out. To begin with, a pond is a very small body of water. The ocean covers more than half of the earth’s surface. Ponds are very shallow, but the ocean is several thousand miles deep in most places. Some green pond plants are rooted in mud on the floor of a pond. Because of the ocean’s depth, the sunlight can’t reach the ocean’s floor, hence no green plants grow there. Ponds contain fresh water, which means there is no salt content. The ocean, though, is the largest body of salt water on earth. While they are both bodies of water, there are clearly major differences between the ocean and a pond.

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Have you ever thought about what makes a volcano erupt or what happens afterward? When the temperature rises deep under the Earth’s crust, it becomes hot enough to melt rock and turn it into magma. Sometimes this melted rock blasts through the Earth’s surface, which causes rock, ash, and deadly gases to fly into the air. The lava that flows out of the volcano can knock down trees and destroy houses and even whole towns. Although volcanoes can cause lots of destruction, the volcano’s eruption also creates new land. Many times this new land forms an island in the ocean. You might even live on land created by a volcano!

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Fast food gets bad press these days, especially since it often contains too much fat, sodium and calories, but it brings much needed convenience to our stressful busy world. Fast food is easily found and varied. At any mall, for example, customers have many choices at the food court. To avoid too much fat or salt, they can choose healthier options: salads, turkey sandwiches and so on. On a busy Saturday, with two hungry kids, a mother out shopping is happy to find exactly the right food to eat. Not only that, but the food will be ready quickly, thus reducing the stress on her from demanding children. Fast food is also inexpensive; most menu items offer a full meal for under ten dollars. It is easy to see why fast food is so popular these days—it is convenient and reduces our stress.

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