Five Amazing National Parks in the USA

Reading - ESL

Read the article carefully about five amazing U.S. national parks. Then, complete the exercises below to check your understanding. There are True/False questions, multiple choice, and gap-fill tasks. 

 

Five Amazing National Parks in the USA

 

The United States has many national parks. These are special places that protect nature, animals, and history. Each park has different landscapes, climates, and wildlife. Let’s explore five famous parks: Acadia, Everglades, Yosemite, Glacier, and Badlands.

 

1.🌊 Acadia National Park (Maine)

 

Acadia is in Maine, on the northeast coast of the USA. It has forests, mountains, and beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. The weather is cold in winter and cool in summer. In autumn, the trees turn red and orange. Acadia was created in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. It was the first national park east of the Mississippi River. A man named George B. Dorr, called the “Father of Acadia,” helped protect the land. Wildlife includes deer, foxes, and birds like loons and peregrine falcons. You can also see sea animals in tidal pools. A special place in Acadia is Cadillac Mountain, where you can see the first sunrise in the U.S. during winter.

 

2.🐊 Everglades National Park (Florida)

 

The Everglades is in southern Florida. It is a large wetland with rivers, trees, and grass. The weather is hot and wet in summer, and dry in winter. It is called the “River of Grass” because water moves slowly through the land. The park was created in 1947 to protect the ecosystem. It was the first park made to save nature, not just pretty views. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Animals include alligators, manatees, and the rare Florida panther. There are over 360 kinds of birds. The Everglades has the largest mangrove forest in the Western Hemisphere.

 

3.🏔️ Yosemite National Park (California)

 

Yosemite is in California, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It has waterfalls, cliffs, and giant trees. The weather is snowy in winter and warm in summer. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, making it the first land protected by the U.S. government. In 1890, it became a national park thanks to John Muir, a famous nature writer and explorer. Animals include black bears, deer, and mountain lions. Yosemite is famous for El Capitan and Half Dome, two huge rock formations. It also has giant sequoia trees, some over 2,000 years old.

 

4.❄️ Glacier National Park (Montana)

 

Glacier is in Montana, near the border with Canada. It has glaciers, lakes, and mountains. The weather is cold in winter and mild in summer. The park is called the “Crown of the Continent.”

It became a national park in 1910. The land was first home to Native American tribes like the Blackfeet and Flathead. Today, scientists study how the glaciers are melting because of climate change.

Wildlife includes grizzly bears, moose, and mountain goats. A famous road in the park is Going-to-the-Sun Road, which crosses the mountains and gives amazing views.

 

5.🏜️ Badlands National Park (South Dakota)

 

Badlands is in South Dakota. It has rocky hills, colorful cliffs, and prairies. The weather is very hot in summer and cold in winter. The land looks like another planet!

The area was home to the Lakota Sioux people. In the 1890s, they held Ghost Dances here, a ceremony to bring peace and hope. The park became official in 1978.

Animals include bison, prairie dogs, and hawks. The Badlands are famous for fossils of ancient animals like saber-toothed cats and miniature horses. Scientists still find new fossils today.

Reading Task 2

Reading - ESL

THE OLDEST CHILD

Firstborn children often have to look after their younger brothers and sisters, so they're usually sensible and responsible as adults.

They also tend to be ambitious, and they make good leaders. On the negative side, oldest children can be insecure and anxious. This is because -1-H. when the second child was born, they lost some of their parents' attention, and maybe they felt rejected

THE MIDDLE CHILD

Middle children are more relaxed than the oldest children, probably because -2- C. their parents were more relaxed themselves by the time the second child arrived. They're usually very sociable - the kind

of people who get on with everybody. They are also usually sensitive to what other people need, because -3-A. they grew up between older and younger brothers and sisters. For the same reason, they're often quite good at sorting out arguments, and they're always sympathetic to the ones on the losing side, or in general, to people who are having problems. On the other hand, middle children can sometimes be unambitious, and they can lack direction in life.

THE YOUNGEST CHILD

Youngest children are often very outgoing and charming. This is the way they try to get the attention of both their parents and their older brothers and sisters. They are often more rebellious, and this is probably because

-4-B. it's easier for them to break the rules - by the time they were born, their parents were more relaxed about discipline. They can also be immature and disorganized, and they often depend too much on other people, because -5-E. they have always been the baby of the family.

THE ONLY CHILD

Only children usually do very well at school, because they have a lot of contact with adults. They get a lot of love and attention from their parents, so they're typically self-confident. They're also independent, as they spend so much time by themselves. And because -6-F. they spend a lot of time with adults, they're often very organized. Only children can sometimes be spoilt, because -7-D. they are given everything they ask for by their parents. They can also be quite selfish and get impatient, especially when things go wrong. This is because -8-G. they've never had to sort out problems with other brothers and sisters.

Create and Customize Worksheets for Every Classroom

LiveWorksheets makes it easy for teachers, parents and homeschool educators to design and deliver engaging learning materials. Upload a PDF or start from scratch to create what you need: anything from interactive math worksheets to reading comprehension worksheets, multiplication worksheets, and kindergarten worksheets in just a few clicks. Our drag-and-drop editor works across all grade levels and subjects, so you can tailor content to your lesson plans, homework, or assessments. ESL teachers can also build custom ESL worksheets, add a common sound chart, or integrate ESL activities to make each class more engaging. Easily create differentiated, auto-graded activities that save valuable time and support better student learning.

A Complete Library of Learning Resources for K-12 and ESL

Access thousands of ready-to-use worksheets across K-12 subjects, including kindergarten worksheets, math worksheets, multiplication practice, reading comprehension exercises, and ESL resources. Filter by grade, subject, or skill level to find exactly what you need, whether it’s for an elementary classroom, middle school review, or high school practice. ESL teachers can explore our growing collection of ESL worksheets and English as a Second Language activities designed to support all levels of learners. With new content added regularly, LiveWorksheets is a flexible resource that helps build lasting learning outcomes.