Name: WEEK 17

Author’s Purpose DAY 1

READ THE PASSAGE   Think about why the author would want to write about this subject.

Paris, Here She Comes!

In 1824, Egypt’s ruler, Muhammad Ali, gave a special gift to the king of France.
Muhammad Ali hoped to create a friendship between the two countries. But did the
Egyptian ruler give the French king a treasure chest or an ancient Egyptian mummy? No,
Muhammad Ali sent the king what no one in France had ever seen—a giraffe!
The giraffe was named Zarafa. Her long trip from the African grasslands to Paris,
France, was an odd one. It began with a camel ride! At two months old, Zarafa was six
feet tall, but she willingly sat on a camel’s back. The camel carried her 200 miles to a
small village, where she was cared for until she was old enough to travel down the Nile
River. A big boat then carried her across the Mediterranean Sea to the shores of France.
A large hole was cut into the boat’s deck so Zarafa could stand up straight.
When they reached the shores of France, Paris was still 550 miles away! Zarafa had
to walk for 42 days over dusty roads and rolling hills. Everywhere Zarafa went, she was a
celebrity. By the time Zarafa reached Paris, it had been two years since she left Egypt.
The people of Paris adored Zarafa. Streets were named for her. Women piled their
hair high on their heads to imitate her, and men wore giraffe-spotted hats and ties!

SKILL PRACTICE   Read each question. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

 1.  Which one is not a reason why the author   3.  What is the purpose of the last paragraph?
wrote the passage? A to describe how people in Paris reacted
A to inform you about a special giraffe to Zarafa
B to explain how to care for a giraffe B to persuade you that Paris is nice
C to entertain you with an amazing tale C to teach you how to dress like a giraffe
D to describe an event in history D to entertain you with stories about Paris

2.  Why does the author describe Zarafa’s trip    4.  Which of these could be added to the end  

to Paris as odd?
A because it took a long time
B because she became a celebrity
C because she was cared for by a handler
D because she traveled by camel and by boat
of the passage?
A instructions for raising a camel
B funny stories about Muhammad Ali
C a call to support giraffes in the wild
D a description of Zarafa’s home in France

STRATEGY PRACTICE   Write the question you asked yourself after you read the first paragraph of the 

passage. If you found the answer, write it, too.

© Evan-Moor Corp. • EMC 3454 • Daily Reading Comprehension 107

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