Text Leveling System

Federico and the Wolf

RDQ:	604	Max Word/Sent	25	Total Words	534		Diff Words	326
Lex	660	Ave Word/.Sent	7	Hi Freq occurs	271	50.7%	Hi freq	101	31%
AR	3.0	Long Sentences	11.4	Low Freq occurs	64	12%	Low freq	58	17.8%

Once upon a modern time
a boy named Federico
left to buy ingredients
to make the perfect pico.]]
"Cuidado!" called his mama
as he pedaled toward the shops.
"Mind Abuelo's grocery list,
and don't make other stops!"]]
Past the buildings, cars, and cabs
young Federico scurried,
until he reached the marketplace
where people browsed, unhurried .]]
He filled the basket on his bike
with romas, herbs, and limes,
jalapeños, onions,
and a peck of Anaheims.
He added garlic, pickles, bread,
and other market goods,
then pedaled through the city park
and deep into the woods.]]
A fallen branch had blocked the path, so Rico stopped his ride. With steady force he pushed and budged the barrier aside.
Hola called un lobo, catching Rico unaware.
I see you've packed a hefty lunch. Ya got some grub to spare?]]
"Sorry, lobo," Rico said.
"I must be on my way.
I have to be at Grandpa's shop by twelve o'clock today.
Federico grabbed his bike and left the wolf behind. Little did he know the wolf had other plans in mind.]]
La tienda was deserted.
Rico listened ... not a sound.
The sign said CLOSED. And what were those?
Some paw prints on the ground?
Federico peeked inside,
alarmed by what he saw.
A figure waved him over
with a large and furry paw.]]
Abuelo? whispered Federico, pulling off his hood.
Yes, it's me, but I can't see. Come closer, if you would.
Ay. I think you need a shave. Your beard has grown so thick!
You think so said el lobo. Steady grooming does the trick.]]
"Your arms have gotten grande!"
"My new workout's made me strong."
"New dentures, too.? 
"They help me chew
because they're sharp ...
and long!""]]
By now the wolf was drooling.
All this chatter's getting old.
I'm hungry, bub. I need some grub
before I pass out cold."]]
"Okay," said Rico. "Let me see.
I've brought your favorite treats.
Whole grain bread, a cabbage head,
a jar of pickled beets."
El lobo's nose began to twitch.
"Mi niño, here's the deal.
Set those yucky things aside,
and I'll make you my meal!"]]
He bounded from la silla
with a grunting, growling shout,
but Rico tossed some chili powder
straight into his snout.]]
The wolf inhaled. He sniffed. He snuffed.
He itched and twitched and wheezed.
He tried to wipe his drippy nose,
but ah-ah-ah-ah sneezed!]]
El lobo gulped. He gagged and coughed.
His ojos blazed bright red.
Steam was puffing out his ears.
"I need to dunk my head!"]]
He hurtled through la puerta
with a shrieking, gasping scream
and dashed as fast as he could go
toward the distant stream.]]
"Ayuda!" cried Abuelo
from inside a bolted box.
Rico found him safe and snug
in just his shorts and socks.
"Gracias!" He scrambled out
with shouts of pride and joy.
"I thought that wolf would do us in,
but you prevailed, my boy!"]]
They cleaned the mess (and Gramps got dressed),
then shared a bit of lunch.
"How about we make a sauce
that packs a special punch?"]]
They chopped and diced, used lots of spice,
and simmered sauce all night,
then bottled their concoction:
Wolfs Bane Salsa-extra bite!]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Little support

Dialog: Two speakers

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Story/Poem

Features

Retelling of story/fable/legend

Foreign words

Rhyming

Topic

Danger

Wolves

Food

Low Frequency Words

abuelo	abuelo's	anaheims	ayuda	bane
barrier	browsed	budged	chatter's	concoction
cuidado	dentures	diced	drooling	furry
garlic	gasping	grande	grocery	grooming
grunting	gulped	hefty	herbs	hola
hurtled	ingredients	inhaled	itched	jalapeños
limes	lobo	lobo's	marketplace	niño
ojos	pedaled	pickled	pico	prevailed
puerta	romas	salsa	sauce	scrambled
scurried	shared	silla	snuffed	spice
tienda	twitch	twitched	unaware	unhurried
wheezed	wolfs	workout's