Text Leveling System

Afternoon on the Amazon

RDQ:	871	Max Word/Sent	21	Total Words	3067		Diff Words	707
Lex	710	Ave Word/.Sent	5	Hi Freq occurs	2236	72.9%	Hi freq	327	46.3%
AR	3.4	Long Sentences	0.8	Low Freq occurs	53	1.7%	Low freq	42	5.9%

Prologue
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania,
a mysterious tree house appeared in the
woods.
Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old
sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house.
They found it was filled with books.
Jack and Annie soon discovered that the
tree house was magic. It could take them to
the places in the books. An they had to do was
to point to a picture and wish to go there.
Jack and Annie visited the times of]]
dinosaurs, knights, pyramids, pirates, and
ninjas. Along the way, they discovered that
the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay.
Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of
King Arthur. She travels through time and
space, gathering books.
In their last adventure, Night of the Ninjas,
Jack and Annie learned that Morgan was
under a spell. To free her, Jack and Annie
have to find four special things.
In old Japan, they found the first thing: a
moonstone.
Now Jack and Annie are about to set out
in search of the second thing ... in Afternoon
on the Amazon.]]
Where's Peanut?
"Hurry, Jack!" shouted Annie.
Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods.
Jack followed her.
"It's still here!" Annie called.
Jack caught up with Annie. She stood
beside a tall oak tree.
Jack looked up. The magic tree house was
shining in the afternoon sunlight.
"We're coming, Peanut!" Annie called.
She grabbed the rope ladder and started
up.]]
Jack followed. They climbed and climbed.
Finally they climbed into the tree house.
"Peanut?" said Annie.
Jack took off his backpack. He looked
around.
Sunlight slanted across a stack of books books
about ninjas, pirates, mummies,
knights, and dinosaurs.
The letter M shimmered on the wooden
floor. M for Morgan le Fay.
"I don't think Peanut's here," said Jack.
"I wonder where she is," said Annie.
"How do you know Peanut's a she?" asked
Jack.
"I just know it," said Annie.
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
Squeak!
Annie laughed. "Look, Jack!"
A small pink sock was moving across the]]
floor. Yesterday Annie had turned her sock
into a bed for Peanut.
Annie picked up the tiny lump.
Squeak.]]
A brown-and-white mouse peeked out of
the sock. She looked from Annie to Jack with
her big eyes.
Jack laughed. "Hi, Peanut," he said.
"Will you help us again today?" asked
Annie.
In old Japan, Peanut had helped them
when they'd gotten lost.
"We have to find three more things for
Morgan," said Annie.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. "First
 we have to find a clue that tells us where to
begin," he said.
"Guess what," said Annie.
What?" said Jack.
"We don't have to look very far." She
pointed at a corner of the tree house.
In the shadows was an open book.]]
Big Bugs
Wow," said Jack, picking up the book. "The
ninja book was open yesterday. Now this one.
Who opened them?"
Jack closed the book and looked at the
cover.
It showed a picture of a green forest. The
trees were very tall and close together.
On the cover were the words The Rain
Forest.
"Oh, wow," said Jack.
"Oh, no," said Annie.]]
What's wrong?" said Jack.
"I learned about the rain forest in school,"
said Annie. "It's filled with big bugs and spiders."
"I know," said Jack. "Half of them have
never even been named."
"It's creepy," said Annie.
"It's neat," said Jack. He wanted to take
lots of notes in the rain forest. Maybe he
could even name some unknown bugs.
Neat? Yuk," said Annie. She shivered.
"I don't get it," said Jack. "You weren't
afraid of dinosaurs.
"So?"
"You weren't afraid of the castle guards or
the mummy's ghost."
"So?"
"You weren't afraid of pirates or ninjas."]]
"So?"
"You're not afraid of really scary things.
But you're afraid of little bugs and spiders.
That doesn't make sense."
"So?"
Jack sighed. "Listen," he said. "We have to
go there. To help Morgan. That's why the
book was left open."
"I know that," said Annie, frowning.
"Plus, the rain forests are being cut
down," said Jack. "Don't you want to see one
before it's too late?"
Annie took a deep breath and slowly nodded.
"Okay, then, let's go," said Jack.
He opened the book again. He pointed to a
picture that showed blue sky, green leaves,
and bright flowers.]]
"I wish we could go there," he said.
The wind began to blow.
Squeak.
"Stay here, Peanut," said Annie as she put
the mouse in her pocket.
The wind picked up. The tree house
started to spin.
Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
The wind was whistling now. The tree
house was spinning faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Wild sounds broke the silence.
Chirp! Chirp!]]
Yikes!
Jack opened his eyes.
The air was hot and steamy.
"It looks like we landed in some bushes,"
said Annie.
She was peeking out of the tree house
window. Peanut was peeking out of Annie's
pocket.
Jack peeked out of the tree house, too.
They had landed in a sea of shiny green
leaves. Outside there were flowers, bright
butterflies, and birds. Just as in the book.
"That's strange," said Jack. "I wonder]]
why we didn't land in a tree. The way we
always do."
"I don't know," said Annie. "But let's
hurry and find the thing for Morgan. So we
can get back home before we meet any big
bugs."
Wait. This seems weird," said Jack. "I
don't understand why we landed in bushes.
I'd better read about this."
"Oh, come on," said Annie. "We don't even
need the ladder. We can just climb out the window.
Annie put Peanut in her pocket. She stuck
one leg out the window.
Wait!" Jack grabbed Annie's other leg. He read:
The rain forest is in three layers.
Thick treetops, often over 150 feet]]
in the air, make up the top layer.
This is called the forest canopy.
Below the canopy is the understory,
then the forest floor.
"Get back in here!" cried Jack. We're
probably more than 150 feet above the
ground! In the forest canopy!"]]
"Yikes!" said Annie. She slipped back into
the tree house.
"We have to use the ladder," said Jack. He
got on his hands and knees. He moved leaves
away from the hole in the floor. He looked
down.
The ladder seemed to fall between the
branches of a giant tree. But Jack couldn't see
beyond that.
"I can't tell what's down there," he said.
"Be careful."
Jack put the rain forest book in his backpack.
Then he stepped onto the rope ladder.
He started down. Annie followed with
Peanut in her pocket.
Jack pushed through the leaves.
He came to the understory below the
canopy.]]
He looked down at the forest floor. It was
very far away.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack.
This world was completely different from
 the one above the treetops.
Now that they were out of the sun, it was
cooler. It was also damp and very quiet.
Jack shivered. It was the spookiest place
he had ever seen.]]
Millions of them!
Jack didn't move. He kept staring down at
the forest floor.
"What's wrong?" Annie called from above.
Jack didn't answer.
"You don't see any giant spiders, do you?"
Annie said.
"Well ... no." Jack took a deep breath.
We have to keep going, he thought. We
have to find the special thing for Morgan.
"No spiders. Nothing scary," Jack called.
And he started down the ladder again.
Jack and Annie climbed down through the]]
understory. Finally they stepped onto the
forest floor.
Only a few rays of light slanted through
the gloom .
The trees were very, very tall and very
wide. Vines and moss were hanging everywhere.
The ground was covered with dead
leaves.
"Before we do anything, I'd better check
the book," said Jack.
He pulled out the rain forest book. He
found a picture of the dark world under the
treetops.
He read:
In the rain forest, many living
creatures blend in with their
surroundings. This is called
camouflage.]]
"Oh, man," said Jack. He closed the book
and looked around. There're tons of creatures
down here. We just can't see them."
"Really?" whispered Annie.
She and Jack peered around at the
quiet forest. Jack felt unseen eyes watching
them.
"Let's hurry and find the special thing,"
whispered Annie.
"How will we know when we find it?" Jack
said.
"I think we'll just know," said Annie. She
headed off through the gloom.
Jack followed. They crept between the
huge trees and past hanging vines.
Annie stopped. "Wait what's that?"
"What's what?"
"Listen that weird sound."
Jack listened. He heard a crackling sound.]]
It sounded like a person walking over leaves.
Jack looked around. He didn't see anyone.
But the sound got louder.
Was it an animal? A giant bug? One that
had never been named?
Just then the silent forest came alive.
Birds took off into the air. Frogs hopped
over the leaves. Lizards ran up the tree
 trunks.
The weird noise grew louder and louder.
"Maybe the book explains it," said Jack.
He opened the book. He found a picture of
different animals running together. He read:
When animals hear a crackling
sound, they flee in panic. The
sound means that 30 million flesh eating
army ants are marching
through the dead leaves.]]
"It's army ants!" cried Jack. "Millions of
them!"
Where?" cried Annie.
Jack and Annie looked around wildly.
"There!" Annie pointed.]]
Army ants-millions and millions of
them-were marching over the leaves!
"Run to the tree house!" cried Annie.
"Where is it?" said Jack, whirling around.
All the trees looked the same. Where was the
rope ladder?
"Just run!" cried Annie.
Jack and Annie took off.
They ran over the dead leaves.
They ran between wide tree trunks.
They ran past the hanging vines and
mosses.
They climbed over thick roots.
Jack saw a clearing ahead. It was filled
with sunlight.
"That way!" he cried.
Jack and Annie hurried toward the light.
They pushed their way through the bushes.]]
They burst onto the bank of a river.
They stared at the slow-moving brown
water.
"Do you think the ants will come this
way?" Annie said, panting.
"I don't know," said Jack. "But if we wade
a few feet into the river, we're safe. The ants
won't go into the water. Come on."
"Look!" said Annie.
She pointed to a big log rocking at the
edge of the river. The inside of the log was
dug out.
"It looks like a canoe," said Jack. He listened to the crackling sound in the distance .
"Let's get in it. Quick!"
Jack shoved the book into his backpack.
Then he and Annie carefully climbed into the
dug-out log.]]
Annie  leaned out of it. She pushed
away from the bank with her hands.
"Wait!" said Jack. "We don't have paddles!"
"Oops," said Annie.
The canoe started moving slowly down the
muddy river.]]
Squeak.
Annie patted the little mouse in her pocket.
"It's okay, Peanut. The ants can't get us in
the river. We're safe," she said.
"Maybe safe from the ants," said Jack.
But where is this canoe going?"
Jack and Annie stared at the river.
Branches spread over the water. Vines and
mosses hung down from them.
 "We'd better look this up," said Jack. He
 pulled the rain forest book out of his backpack]]
 and flipped through it.
Soon he found a picture of a river.. He read;
The Amazon River stretches over
4,000 miles from the mountains of
Peru, across Brazil, to the Atlantic
Ocean. The river basin contains
over half of the rain forests in the
world.
Jack looked at Annie. "We're on the Amazon
River," he said. "It's more than four thousand.
miles long!"
wow," Annie whispered. She looked at
the river. She trailed her hand through the
water.
"I have to make some notes " Jack said.
He pulled his notebook out of his pack. He
wrote:]]
The Amazon rain forest is.
"Jack, look at those pretty fish with the
teeth, said Annie.
What? Jack glanced up from his writing.
Annie was pointing at some blue fish
swimming near the boat. The fish had red bellies and razor-sharp teeth.
"Watch it!" cried Jack. "Those aren't
pretty fish. They're piranhas! They'll eat anything! Even people!"
"Yikes," whispered Annie.
"We better get back on shore, said Jack,
putting the books in his backpack.
How? said Annie. "We can't go in the
water now. And we don't have any paddles.
Jack tried to stay calm. "We need a plan,"
he said.]]
Jack stared at the river. The canoe would 
soon float under some vines.
"I'll grab a vine," said Jack. "And pull us
to shore."
"Good idea," said Annie.
As they glided under the branches, Jack
stood up.
The canoe rocked. He nearly fell out.]]
"Balance the canoe," said Jack.
Annie leaned to one side. Jack reached-he missed.
The canoe floated under more branches.
Jack reached for another thick vine.
He grabbed it!
It was cold and scaly. It wiggled and
jerked!]]
"Ahhhh!' Jack screamed and fell back into
the canoe.
The vine was alive!
It was a long green snake!
The snake fell from the tree. It splashed
into the water and swam away.
"Oh, man," said Jack
He and Annie stared in horror at each
other.
What now?" said Annie, making a face.
Well ... " Jack looked at the river. There
were no vines up ahead. But there was a big
branch floating on the water.
"Grab that branch near you," said Jack.
"Maybe we can use it for a paddle."
The canoe floated closer to the branch.
Annie reached for it.
Suddenly the branch rose into the air!
It was a crocodile!]]
"Help!" .screamed Annie, and she fell back
into the canoe.
The crocodile opened and. closed its huge,
long jaws. Then it moved past the canoe and
swam up the river.
Oh, man,'' whispered Jack.
A screeching sound split the air..
Jack and Annie jumped.
"Help!" said Jack.
He expected to see another terrible creature. 
But all he saw was a small brown monkey,
hanging by its tail from a tree.]]
Monkey Trouble
Squeak! Squeak! Peanut poked her head
out from Annie's pocket. She seemed to be
yelling at the monkey.
"Don't worry, Peanut," said Annie. "He's
just a little monkey. He won't hurt us."
But suddenly the monkey grabbed a big
red fruit hanging from the tree. He hurled it
at the canoe.
"Watch it!" shouted Jack.
The fruit fell into the water with a splash.
The monkey screeched even louder.
He grabbed another fruit.]]
"Don't throw things at us!" shouted
Annie.
But the monkey hurled the red fruit right
at them.
Jack and Annie ducked again. And the
fruit splashed into the water.
"Stop that!" Annie shouted.
But the monkey only waved his arms and
screeched again.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. "I don't believe
this."
The monkey grabbed a third fruit and
hurled it at Jack and Annie. It landed inside
the canoe with a thump.
Annie grabbed the fruit. She stood up and
threw it back at the monkey.
She missed. The canoe rocked. Annie
almost fell out.]]
The monkey screeched even louder.
"Go away!" Annie shouted. "You're the
meanest thing in the world!"
The monkey stopped screeching.
He looked at Annie. Then he swung away.
into the forest.
"I think I hurt his feelings, said Annie.
Who cares?" said Jack. "He shouldn't
throw things."
"Uh-oh," said Annie. "It's raining now."
"What?" Jack looked up. A raindrop hit
him in the eye.
"Oh, no. I don't believe this, Jack said.
What'd you expect?" said Annie. "It is
the rain forest."
A gust of wind blew the canoe.
Thunder rolled in the sky.
"A river's a bad place to be in a storm,"]]
said Jack. '"We have to get back to shore.
Right now."
"But how? said Annie. We can't wade or
swim. The piranhas, the snake, and the crocodile will get us."
Screeching split the air again.
"Oh, no," said Jack. The bratty monkey
was back.
This time, the monkey was pointing a long
stick at the canoe.
Jack crouched down. Was the monkey
going to hurl the stick at them? Like a
spear?
Annie jumped up and faced the monkey.
"Watch it! He's nuts," said Jack.
But the monkey just stared at Annie. And
Annie just stared back at him.
After a long moment, the monkey seemed
to smile.]]
Annie smiled back.
What's going on?" said Jack. 
"He wants to help us," Annie said.
"Help us how?' said Jack.
The monkey held out the long stick .
Annie grabbed the other end.
The monkey pulled on the stick. The canoe
started floating toward him.
The monkey pulled the canoe all the way
to the bank of the river.]]
Freeze
Jack and Annie jumped out of the canoe.
The rain was starting to fall harder.
The monkey took off. He swung from tree
to tree, heading up the riverbank.
He screeched and beckoned to Jack and
Annie.
"He wants us to follow him!" said Annie.
"No! We have to find the special thing.
Then go home!" said Jack.
"He wants to help us!" said Annie. She
took off after the monkey.]]
The two of them vanished into the rain
forest.
"Annie!"
Thunder shook the sky.
Oh, brother," said Jack.
He dashed after Annie and the monkey.
Into the dark forest.
The forest seemed surprisingly dry.
Jack looked up. It was. still raining. But
the treetops acted like a huge umbrella.
"Annie?" called Jack.
"Jack! Jack!" cried Annie.
"Where are you?"
"Here!"
Jack hurried in the direction of Annie's
voice.
Soon he found the monkey. He was
screeching and swinging from a tree.]]
Annie was kneeling on the forest floor. She
was playing with an animal that looked like a
giant kitten.
What's that?" Jack said.
"I don't know, but I love it!" said Annie.
Annie batted the animal's paws. It had
gold fur and black spots.
"I'd better find out what it is," said Jack.
He pulled out the rain forest book and flipped
through it.
Oh, it's so cute," said Annie.
Jack found a picture of an animal with gold
fur and black spots. He read:
The jaguar is the biggest predator
in the western hemisphere.
"Forget cute,' Jack said. "That must be a
baby jaguar. It's going to grow up and be the
biggest predator in]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: No support

Dialog: Two speakers

Dialog: Broken dialogue

Dialog: Unlabeled Speaker

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Many descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Story/Poem

Concept: Fanciful

Table of Contents

Chapters

Headings

Features

Integral Setting

Topic

Searching/Hunting

Danger

Rain Forests

*Habitats/Environments

Low Frequency Words

absolutely	basin	beckoned	camouflage	crouched
gathering	hemisphere	horror	hurl	hurled
jaguar	kneeling	knights	librarian	magical
moonstone	mysterious	panic	peanut's	peered
pennsylvania	piranhas	predator	prologue	pyramids
raindrop	razor	riverbank	scaly	shimmered
shoved	spookiest	surprisingly	surroundings	there're
understory	unknown	unseen	weird	what'd
whirling	whistling