Kentucky

Where is Kentucky?

• In Canada

• In the USA

• In Europe

• In South America

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The Kentucky Derby is a horse race. It happens on the first Saturday in May. It is one of the most famous horse races in the world. It is part of the “Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Races” in the United States. The Triple Crown also includes the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

When does the Kentucky Derby take place?

• On a two mile track

• In Kentucky

• In the Spring

• none of the above

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The Kentucky Derby takes place on a one and a quarter mile (two kilometers) dirt track. The horses must run around the dirt track. The first horse to run around the dirt track is covered in a blanket of roses. For this reason, the Kentucky Derby is also called the “Run for the Roses”.

A Racetrack is:

• plot of ground, usually oval, laid out for horse racing.

• The place where people watch the horse race

• a building for the lodging and feeding of horses

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The Kentucky Derby takes place on a one and a quarter mile (two kilometers) dirt track. The horses must run around the dirt track. The first horse to run around the dirt track is covered in a blanket of roses. For this reason, the Kentucky Derby is also called the “Run for the Roses”.

How long is the track:

• mile

• two kilometres 

• and a half mile

• kilometer 

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The track is not very long, and so the race is very short. The Kentucky Derby is “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” for many people. The record for the fastest horse is held by Secretariat, who ran in one minute, fifty-nine seconds in 1973.

A race is:

• a competition between runners, horses and/or vehicles to see which is the fastest in covering a set course.

• a competition between horses only to see which is the fastest covering a set course

• a planned public or social occasion.

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The track is not very long, and so the race is very short. The Kentucky Derby is “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” for many people. 

Why is the Derby called the  “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” ?

• the race usually lasts about two minutes

• The last two minutes of the race are very exciting.

• the record of the fastest horse was less than two minutes

• every lap is two minutes

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The track is not very long, and so the race is very short. The Kentucky Derby is “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” for many people. The record for the fastest horse is held by Secretariat, who ran in one minute, fifty-nine seconds in 1973.

A Record is:

• Being one that surpasses or is superior to others of its kind.

• To finish a competition

• To run very fast

• All of the above

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Horses and horse breeding have been part of Kentucky culture for over a century. The Kentucky Derby is a celebration of the horse breeding culture, and it is important in the culture of Kentucky and in the American South. Because of the race’s history, many traditions have developed to go with the Derby. People drink special drinks and eat special food at the Kentucky Derby. They eat Derby pie, which is made with walnuts and chocolate.
Why is the Kentucky Derby important in Kentucky?

• Horses are part of Kentucky culture

• The food is delicious

• It is the only time of year that people attend horse races

• Roses are an important part of Kentucky history

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The Kentucky Derby is also important in Kentucky society. It is a time for women to put on their dressiest clothes. They wear very fancy hats. The men wear suits. Many wealthy people and famous celebrities go to the Kentucky Derby. It is a time to “see and be seen” for many people.
About How many people sit in the field to watch the race?

• a hundred thousand

• a hundred and fifty thousand

• fifty thousand

• it is not possible to answer this from the information in this passage

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The racetrack where the Kentucky Derby is held is called “Churchill Downs”. This racetrack seats fewer than 50,000 people. Getting tickets to sit in these seats is very complicated and can take years. About 155,000 people total attend the Kentucky Derby every year. The people who don’t get to sit in the seats sit in the “Infield”, an area inside the track. They can’t really watch the race from there, but they still get to have fun and be part of a great sports event.

DECIDE IF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS TRUE OR FALSE:
Getting tickets for the horse race is not easy.

• TRUE

• FALSE

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