English
Language Arts
Book 1
Grade
Name_____________
Book 1
Reading
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BOOK 1
Page 1
In this part of the test, you are going to do some reading. Then
you will answer questions about what you have read.
Go On
irections
Red Sox fans party hearty when Pedro Martinez pitches in Boston's Fenway Park. The fans dance,
whistle, and sing. They bang drums and yell "Ponchealo!" (That's Spanish for "strike him out!")
The fans also wave Dominican flags.
All the noisy fun makes Pedro feel right at home. Pedro is from the Dominican Republic. Fans in his
home country are wild about baseball and love to show it, just like the fans in Boston, Massachusetts. "It
makes me feel good to play for people who eat, drink, and sleep baseball," says Pedro. "Boston is a special
place."
FIREBALLING ACE
Pedro, age 26, is a special pitcher. By July 22, he had 159 strikeouts in 149.1 innings. He also had a
spiffy 13-3 record and a 2.71 ERA. He is a big reason the Red Sox are contending for a playoff spot.
Pedro won the National League Cy Young Award last season as a Montreal Expo. He had a 17-8
record. He led the majors with a microscopic 1.90 ERA. He also whiffed 305 batters.
Pedro was traded to the Red Sox last winter. At first, he wasn't sure if he would like living in Boston.
Surprise! When Pedro visited the city in December, more than 200 fans greeted him at the airport. They
held up a sign that read WE LOVE YOU PEDRO! "That really shocked me," says Pedro. "I didn't know
anyone would recognize me."
DOMINICAN DREAM
Pedro grew up in the Dominican town of Manoguayabo. His hero was the great Dominican pitcher
Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants. Juan was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Like many Dominican kids, Pedro dreamed of following in Juan's footsteps and playing major league base-
ball in the United States.
Pedro often played baseball with his older brother Ramon