Text Leveling System

Penguin Pete, Ahoy

RDQ:	469	Max Word/Sent	26	Total Words	657		Diff Words	302
Lex	630	Ave Word/.Sent	8	Hi Freq occurs	395	60.1%	Hi freq	114	37.7%
AR	2.6	Long Sentences	6.1	Low Freq occurs	35	5.3%	Low freq	34	11.3%

Penguin Pete woke up one bright, sunny morning and said to himself, this feels like a good day to go exploring. He plunged straight into the sea and swam quickly past all the friendly fish. Sorry, no time to play today, he said. I've got important things to do.]]
Before long Pete found something really interesting to explore. Around the bend in the next Bay was an old ship with jagged holes in its rotten Timbers and tattered sails flapping in the wind. There seemed to be no one on the ship, so Pete clambered on board.]]
What a mess! Gasped Pete, looking at all the crates, ropes, barrels, and broken planks scattered across the deck. A sudden rustling noise startled him. It seemed to come from under an old sack. Pete waddled quietly over to the sack and pulled it into the air.]]
Cowering underneath was a little Gray mouse. Hello, said Pete. I'm sorry if I frightened you, but I was a bit scared myself. I didn't think there was anyone on this ship. There's only me, said the little creature. And I wasn't really frightened. The mouse stood up straight and saluted smartly. I am Horatio, the ship's mouse, he announced. Welcome aboard. Nice to meet you, Horatio. OK I'm Penguin Pete. Let's be friends. Alright, said Horatio. come on, I'll show you my ship.]]
Pete liked the storeroom best of all. Some of the boxes and packages were broken open and Pete had never seen so many good things to eat. Does all of this really belong to you? Asked Pete, licking his beak. It certainly does, said Horatio with pride. Help yourself. Let's go back on debt, said Pete when he was too full to eat anymore.]]
Pete rushed upstairs and found a fishing net to play with. He switched it through the air, using it to his friend a rod, even dressed up in it. Until suddenly he was tangled in the mesh. The more he struggled to get free, the more entangled he became. Don't worry. Said Horatio. A ship's mouse can handle Nets. I'll get you out of there.]]
Next to ratio suggested a game of hide and seek. Pete tried his best he wasn't good at hiding, and the mouse, who knew every nook and cranny on the ship, quickly found him every time.]]
Let's climb to the top of the mask, the mouse. You can see the whole world from there. He scampered nimbly up the rope ladder. Pete struggled to follow him. The view from here is wonderful, isn't it? Said Horatio. Yes, said Pete. But I don't like being up so high. I'm feeling dizzy. You're just seasick, said Horatio wisely. I think I'd feel better in the C, said Pete. Why don't we go for a swim?]]
Swim? Said the little mouse nervously. I have a better idea. I'll ride in the lifeboat. It still looks seaworthy. You can push me.]]
Pete carefully lowered the boat into the water and began to push, but Horatio squeaked, help. My feet are getting wet . water is running in through a hole in the bottom of the boat. Abandon ship. Called Pete. But I can't swim. Cried the little mouse. I'll save you. Shouted Pete as he raced to pull Horatio out before the boat sank.]]
Climb on my back, said Pete. You'll be alright. He carried his little friend back to the ship and wrapped him in a blanket. The mouse was still trembling with fright. I think I'll stay on my ship from now on, he said but I hope you'll come to visit me again. Of course I will, said Pete as he jumped into the sea.]]
Horatio scurried to the ship's rail to wave good bye. Hi there, Pete. He called. So long, shipmate. Cried Pete as he paddled away. The next time I come to visit I'll teach you how to swim.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Little support

Dialog: Two speakers

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Features

Topic

Exploration/Explorers

Friendship

Ships

*Feelings, Behaviors

Low Frequency Words

abandon	aboard	announced	clambered	cowering
cranny	debt	entangled	exploring	jagged
lowered	mesh	nervously	nimbly	nook
paddled	penguin	planks	plunged	ratio
rustling	saluted	scampered	scurried	seasick
seaworthy	shipmate	smartly	startled	storeroom
tangled	tattered	timbers	waddled