Meadowlands

The adults in Sarah's life seem confused about what?

• New York City

• garbage dumps

• birds and wildlife

• the meadowlands

Sarah takes her dad's canoe to explore the Meadowlands. What motivates Sarah's actions?

• She wants to know if the Meadowlands are an ugly swamp or a beautiful oasis.

• She wants to prove that her dad is wrong about the danger of the Meadowlands.

• She wants to study the Meadowlands to complete a class project.

• She wants to show her dad that she is brave and adventurous by exploring on her

  own.

There are different, contrasting opinions about the Meadowlands. What evidence from the story best supports this statement?

• Sarah doesn't know what the Meadowlands are really like, so she decides to go and see for herself.

• The Meadowlands used to be polluted by garbage dumps, but now the Meadowlands are recovering.

• Some say the Meadowlands are a dangerous swamp; other say they are a precious habitat for birds.

• Sarah's father warns her not to go to the Meadowlands, but Sarah ignores his warnings and visits them anyway.

Based on the story, what can you conclude about the Meadowlands?

• The Meadowlands are dangerous and should be left alone.

• The Meadowlands can be both beautiful and disgusting.

• The Meadowlands are always a beautiful and flowering oasis.

• The Meadowlands are still too polluted for animals to live there.

What is this story mostly about?

• Sarah goes to the Meadowlands, and her father gets mad at her.

• Sarah discovers that the Meadowlands are dangerous and ugly.

• Sarah asks her teacher about the history of the Meadowlands.

• Sarah goes to the Meadowlands to learn more about them.

Read the following sentences: "'Well, the Meadowlands once had a lot of garbage dumps that polluted the water pretty badly. But most of the dumps are closed now. And the habitat for wild birds is recovering.'" As used in this sentence, what does the word "recovering" most nearly mean?

• getting better

• getting smaller

• getting older

• getting sick

Sarah wants to see what the Meadowlands are like, ____ she takes her dad's canoe and paddles into the swamp.