ReadWorks - Important People

Important People
Important People
by Michael Stahl
The janitor is the person who helps keep the school clean. Every morning students come from
all over and walk into the school building. A building can get dirty, especially when a lot of
people go into it. The janitor sweeps and mops the floors so that the dirt brought in gets
cleaned up.
The teacher is the person who runs the classroom. The teacher helps you learn about
different topics and gives you assignments. If you don't understand something, you can ask
the teacher for help.
The principal is the person who is in charge of the whole school. The principal is the leader of
the school. The principal is in charge of all the teachers at the school. The principal is the
ReadWorks.org · © 2013 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.
Important People
person whom parents call when they want to talk to someone about the school. The principal
usually sets high expectations for the students and makes sure that learning is happening in
the school.
American schools are in a city or town. The city or town has a leader, too. The leader is
usually called the mayor. The mayor is in charge of running the government of the city or
town. The mayor works with the people in the city or town and the other people in the
government to fix the problems of the city or town. The mayor has a lot of responsibility.
An American city or town is located within a state. Just like a city or town has a leader, a state
has a leader, too. The leader of a state is called the governor. An American state is a part of
the United States. There are 50 states, and each one has a governor. The person who is the
leader of the United States of America is called the president. There have been over forty
presidents throughout the course of America's history. The first president of the United States
of America was George Washington. Who is the current president?

ReadWorks Vocabulary - leader
leader lead·er
Definition
noun
1. a person who directs or guides others or who has the most power in a group.
The men followed their leader into the woods.
He was a strong and powerful leader of the army.
Advanced Definition
noun
1. one that leads.
2. the head of a political party, group, or organization.
3. the conductor or principal performer in a musical group.
4. a separate length of fishing line to which a lure is attached.
Spanish cognate
líder: The Spanish word líder means leader.
These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:
1. The president has an important job. He is the leader of the armed forces. He helps make our
country's laws. He also works with the leaders of other countries.
2. In his speech, Mandela challenged world leaders not to "look the other way" from the problem
of poverty. In July, leaders of the eight wealthiest countries, including the United States, will
meet in Scotland. They have promised to take action to end poverty. Mandela and other
supporters of "Make Poverty History" hope that world leaders keep their promise.
3. Cleopatra's attractions lured two of Rome's most famous leaders. First, she fell in love with
Julius Caesar. Then, after Caesar's death, she fell in love with Mark Antony. These romances
linked the two empires.
4. World leaders recently met in Russia. There, they discussed who should control the Arctic.
Catherine Loubier is a spokesperson for Canada's government. "We take our responsibility for
the future of the [Arctic] seriously," she says.
5. In 1438, the Inca Empire did not yet exist. There was a man named Pachacuti who was the
leader of a much smaller empire. Pachacuti's name in Quechua, the language of the Incas,
means "he who transforms the Earth." Pachacuti's goal was to build an empire. First, he led
Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved.
ReadWorks Vocabulary - leader
Incas to conquer and claim struggling towns nearby. These people were made part of the Inca
Empire. Then roads were built and trade routes were established between Cuzco and the
other towns. The empire kept growing.
6. Even though North and South Korea are neighbors, the two countries are very different. North
Korea is very poor. Its leader spends most of the country's money on the army, not on food for
the people.
7. Before the first shots of war were fired, Paul Revere left Boston under a cloak of darkness. He
rode his horse to nearby Lexington. Two leaders of the revolution, John Hancock and Samuel
Adams, were hiding there. Adams had organized the Boston Tea Party. Hancock would
eventually become the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. The British felt that they
could squelch the revolution if they could capture these men.
8. One group was led by a man named Mao Zedong. This group was called the Communist Party
of China. Communism is different from democracy, the type of government the United States
has. In a democracy, the people choose their rulers. Under communism, the people generally
do not choose their leaders.
9. Julius Caesar is one of the most famous figures in Roman history. Very few leaders have been
able to accomplish as much as Caesar did during his lifetime. He had many talents. He proved
to be a great speaker, writer, politician, and military leader. Under Caesar, the Roman
Republic expanded across a large part of Europe.

ReadWorks Vocabulary - responsibility
responsibility re·spon·si·bil·i·ty
Definition
noun
1. the condition or fact of being accountable, especially for assigned duties and tasks.
Adults should take responsibility for their actions.
2. something that a person is responsible for; duty.
His responsibilities at work include typing and filing.
Advanced Definition
noun
1. the state or fact of being responsible.
You will need to take responsibility for your actions.
2. a burden, duty, or obligation for which one is responsible.
Becoming a parent means taking on many responsibilities.
3. reliability.
Spanish cognate
responsabilidad: The Spanish word responsabilidad means responsibility.
1. Suing fast-food companies "would make the lawyers' bank accounts fatter," Keller says, but it
"won't make anyone skinnier." It is, Keller says, "a matter of personal responsibility." People
have only themselves to blame if a fast-food diet makes them fat.
2. Sherri really is angry. But if she took the time to look at her feelings, she'd realize that the
person she's angry with is herself. It wasn't Taylor's responsibility to make sure she studied
for the math test; it was hers. When she didn't do well on the test, she blamed her friend
because that was easier than admitting she had messed up.
3. It is our responsibility to take care of our planet. Global warming is a serious problem with
serious consequences. If we want future generations to enjoy their time on Earth, we must act
now!

ReadWorks Vocabulary - responsibility
4. Andi Gladstone has been part of the collective since soon after it started. She says the workers
started the collective because they wanted to share the responsibility for the business and
also share the money it made.
5. The war was not just about taxes. It was about freedom. It was about the relationship of any
government to its people. Finally, the war was about the responsibility of the government to
protect the rights of the people.
6. One of the most important responsibilities Americans have is voting. U.S. citizens elect the
people who run the country, from city officials to the U.S. president. Those elected officials
make and enforce, or put into effect, laws that affect the whole country.
7. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic American to become a Supreme Court justice. She is also the
third woman to sit on the nation's top court. The justice hopes her experience is "an inspiration
for others," she says. "It's a sort of awesome sense of responsibility."
8. We tend to look up to famous people. Famous people have a responsibility to be good role
models. That way, people who look up to them will also be good.
9. Though black men were allowed to be in the army, everything was far from equal. Black men
were paid less than white men. At first they were given less responsibility and smaller tasks.
However, black regiments were very brave. By the end of the war, they had proven their loyalty
and their ability to fight.

ReadWorks Vocabulary - run
run run
Definition
verb
1. to make oneself go forward by moving the legs very fast.
I ran to the bus stop.
2. to try to be elected to a government office.
She is running for mayor in this year's election.
3. to work or operate; function.
This car runs on electricity, not gasoline.
This business has been running for fourteen years.
4. to flow or spread.
The river runs fast.
Paint is running down the wall.
5. to move between places at planned times.
The bus to town runs every two hours.
6. to make something function; operate.
Do you know how to run this machine?
7. to manage or keep in operation.
He ran a shoe business for twenty years.
noun
1. the act of running.
He goes for a long run every morning.
Advanced Definition
intransitive verb
1. to propel oneself forward by moving the legs very quickly so that all feet are briefly off the
ground.
We were late, so we ran to the bus stop.
The greyhounds ran around the track.
2. to move quickly; make a fast trip.
Run over to the barn for some tools.
3. to move away quickly, as in retreat or escape; flee.
You were scared of the cops, so you ran!
4. to seek office in an election.
The governor is running for reelection.
5. to function.
This machine runs well.
6. to flow, spread, spill, or discharge.
The river runs swiftly
Paint is running down the wall.
7. to move between places on a schedule, as trains or buses.
The trains run every hour on the hour.
8. of fish, to migrate.
9. to continue through time or space.
The movie ran for a week.
10. to extend.
There's only one road that runs between these two small towns.
11. to be expressed in a certain way.
The story ran that she stole the dog.
12. to unravel.

Her stocking ran.
transitive verb
1. to move quickly over or along (a distance).
He ran three miles.
2. to cause to run, as in pursuit.
cowboys who run cattle.
3. to perform or compete in by running.
She ran the marathon.
4. to transport, esp. illegal goods.
They ran guns across the border.
5. to operate, as an engine or other machine.
Don't run the air conditioner all night.
6. to manage or keep in operation, as an event, organization, or business.
He ran a shoe business for three decades.
Who is running the festival this year?
7. to cause (an advertisement or the like) to be printed publicly.
8. to go quickly past or through.
The drunk driver ran a red light and two stop signs.
9. to make oneself exposed to.
She ran the risk of failing.
10. to forcefully push against, off, or into something.
They ran me off the road.
noun
1. the act or an instance of running.
He takes a long run every morning.

2. a pace more rapid than a walk.
He circled the building at a run.
3. a competitive instance of running; race.
She accomplished the best run of her life in today's race.
4. a quick trip.
a run to the store.
5. the distance covered in a period of running.
a ten-kilometer run.
6. free access or use.
He has the run of the house.
7. a continuous length or uninterrupted period or series of something.
a run of railroad track
a run of luck
a run of good novels.
8. a continuous period of production, as in printing.
a run of one thousand copies.
9. an enclosed outdoor space for animals.
10. an unraveling in a stocking or other knitted article.
11. in baseball, a score.
12. an effort to win office in an election.
His last run for office met with defeat.
13. an instance or the process of fish swimming upstream to spawn.
1. That rickety thing must have been older than anyone on my street. It was so old, in fact, that
water hadn't run under it for years. Kids would play in the riverbed, kicking soccer balls and
chasing dogs into the brush.
2. The Underground Railroad was a secret network of houses and routes used by black slaves in
the United States to escape north to the free states and Canada. It was run with the help of
abolitionists and allies, who were both black and white.
3. Riding the bus is hard, though, because we do not have personal control over it. The bus
travels on its set route, and it is sometimes late or slow. It doesn't run all the time, especially at
night. Riding the bus makes it hard to change our plans.

Important People - Comprehension Questions
Name: ___________________________________ Date: _______________

1. Who are some of the people described in the passage?
A. lawyers, doctors, and bankers

B. singers, actors, and dancers
C. janitors, teachers, and principals
2. What does the passage list?
A. This passage lists some of the different jobs people have.

B. This passage lists the mayors of America's five largest cities.
C. This passage lists all the Presidents of the United States.
3. A janitor helps keep a school clean. A teacher helps students learn at school. A
principal is in charge of all the teachers at a school.
What can be concluded from this information?
A. Principals often work with janitors but do not often work with teachers.
B. Many janitors want to become teachers, and many teachers want to become
principals.
C. People can work in the same place and do different things.
4. Which job mentioned in the article is not a job that involves leadership?
A. janitor
B. principal
C. mayor
5. What is this passage mainly about?
A. the responsibilities of janitors and governors

B. different people and their jobs
C. how a janitor keeps a school clean

Important People - Comprehension Questions
6. Read the following sentences: "The city or town has a leader, too. The leader is
usually called the mayor. The mayor is in charge of running the government of the city of
town."
What does the word "leader" mean above?
A. someone who helps children learn

B. someone who has power over other people
C. someone who does not get along with other people
7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
The principal makes sure learning is happening in the school, _______, the principal is
in charge of the teachers.
A. but
B. before
C. so
8. What is the leader of a city or town called?
9. What are some of a mayor's responsibilities?
10. The title of this passage is "Important People." Are the people described in it
important? Explain why or why not, using evidence from the passage.

Important People - Comprehension Questions Answer Key
1. Who are some of the people described in the passage?
A. lawyers, doctors, and bankers

B. singers, actors, and dancers
C. janitors, teachers, and principals
2. What does the passage list?
A. This passage lists some of the different jobs people have.

B. This passage lists the mayors of America's five largest cities.
C. This passage lists all the Presidents of the United States.
3. A janitor helps keep a school clean. A teacher helps students learn at school. A
principal is in charge of all the teachers at a school.
What can be concluded from this information?
A. Principals often work with janitors but do not often work with teachers.
B. Many janitors want to become teachers, and many teachers want to become
principals.
C. People can work in the same place and do different things.
4. Which job mentioned in the article is not a job that involves leadership?
A. janitor
B. principal
C. mayor
5. What is this passage mainly about?
A. the responsibilities of janitors and governors

B. different people and their jobs
C. how a janitor keeps a school clean

6. Read the following sentences: "The city or town has a leader, too. The leader is
usually called the mayor. The mayor is in charge of running the government of the city of
town."
What does the word "leader" mean above?
A. someone who helps children learn

B. someone who has power over other people
C. someone who does not get along with other people
7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
The principal makes sure learning is happening in the school, _______, the principal is
in charge of the teachers.
A. but
B. before
C. so
8. What is the leader of a city or town called?
The leader of a city is called a mayor.
9. What are some of a mayor's responsibilities?
Some of a mayor's responsibilities include running the government of the

city or town and fixing a city or town's problems.

10. The title of this passage is "Important People." Are the people described in it
important? Explain why or why not, using evidence from the passage.
Answers may vary, as long as they are supported by the passage. Students
may argue that the people described in the passage are important because
they have big responsibilities, such as running schools and cities. Students
may also respond that not all the people described in the passage are
important-or equally important. For example, the President of the United
States is arguably more important than a school janitor because of his
authority and influence.

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ReadWorks.org · © 2013 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

The men followed their leader into the woods.

He was a strong and powerful leader of the army.

2. the head of a political party, group, or organization.

3. the conductor or principal performer in a musical group.

4. a separate length of fishing line to which a lure is attached.

ReadWorks.org · © 2019 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

Adults should take responsibility for their actions.

2. something that a person is responsible for; duty.

His responsibilities at work include typing and filing.

You will need to take responsibility for your actions.

2. a burden, duty, or obligation for which one is responsible.

Becoming a parent means taking on many responsibilities.

ReadWorks.org · © 2019 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

ReadWorks.org · © 2019 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

I ran to the bus stop.

2. to try to be elected to a government office.

She is running for mayor in this year's election.

3. to work or operate; function.

This car runs on electricity, not gasoline.

This business has been running for fourteen years.

The river runs fast.

Paint is running down the wall.

5. to move between places at planned times.

The bus to town runs every two hours.

6. to make something function; operate.

Do you know how to run this machine?

7. to manage or keep in operation.

He ran a shoe business for twenty years.

He goes for a long run every morning.

We were late, so we ran to the bus stop.

The greyhounds ran around the track.

2. to move quickly; make a fast trip.

Run over to the barn for some tools.

3. to move away quickly, as in retreat or escape; flee.

You were scared of the cops, so you ran!

4. to seek office in an election.

The governor is running for reelection.

This machine runs well.

6. to flow, spread, spill, or discharge.

The river runs swiftly

Paint is running down the wall.

7. to move between places on a schedule, as trains or buses.

The trains run every hour on the hour.

9. to continue through time or space.

The movie ran for a week.

11. to be expressed in a certain way.

The story ran that she stole the dog.

ReadWorks.org · © 2019 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.

Her stocking ran.

He ran three miles.

2. to cause to run, as in pursuit.

cowboys who run cattle.

3. to perform or compete in by running.

She ran the marathon.

4. to transport, esp. illegal goods.

They ran guns across the border.

5. to operate, as an engine or other machine.

Don't run the air conditioner all night.

6. to manage or keep in operation, as an event, organization, or business.

He ran a shoe business for three decades.

Who is running the festival this year?

Name: _____________________ Date: _