原版英语RAZ 教案(T) Mexico.pdf
www.readinga-Cause and Effect:How do caves form in the Yucatn?Analyze:Why does the author call Mexico a land of diversity?Discussion QuestionsVisit www.readinga- for thousands of books and materials.LEVELED BOOK TLEVELED BOOK TWritten by Jesse BrettMexicoA Reading AZ Level T Leveled BookWord Count:1,061Mexicowww.readinga-MexicoCountries Around the World Level T Leveled Book Learning AZWritten by Jesse BrettAll rights reserved.www.readinga-Photo Credits:Front cover,back cover:Marcin Mikolajczuk/Alamy;title page:ZealPhotography/Alamy;page 3:Subbotina/D;page 5(top left):Jose Fuste Raga/Corbis;page 5(top right):Yyyahuuu/D;page 5(bottom):David R.Frazier Photolibrary,Inc./Alamy;page 6:Keith Dannemiller/Corbis;page 7:David Hiser,Photographers Aspen/National Geographic Creative;page 10:Paul Nicklen/National Geographic Creative;page 11:Private Collection/The Stapleton Collection/The Bridgeman Art Library;page 12:frans lemmens/Alamy;page 13(top):Danita Delimont/Alamy;page 13(bottom):Gerry Ellis/Minden Pictures/National Geographic Creative;page 14:Aurora Photos/Alamy;page 15(main):Javiercorrea15/D;page 15(inset):asafta/iStock/ThinkstockFront and back cover Tulum is the site of ancient Mayan ruins on the coast of the Yucatn Peninsula in Mexico.Title page:Traditional dancers in Mexico wear colorful,twirling dresses.Page 3:Mexicos Yucatn Peninsula includes underground caves like this one.Written by Jesse BrettMexicoCorrelationLEVEL TP3838Fountas&PinnellReading RecoveryDRA34Table of ContentsWhere Is It?4People 6Land 8History 10Animals 12Conclusion 14Glossary 16Where Is It?In the southern part of North America lies the country of Mexico It is found between the United States and the countries of Belize and Guatemala West of Mexico is the Pacific Ocean On the eastern coast is the Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of California divides the main land area of Mexico from the Baja(BAH-hah)Peninsula Mexico also includes some islands These lie along the east and west coastsMexico CityUnited StatesGuatemalaBelizeHondurasSan SalvadorMexicoNORTH AMERICASOUTH AMERICAGulf of MexicoPACIFIC OCEANMexicoYucatn PeninsulaBaja PeninsulaGulf of CaliforniaMexico Level T56Mexico City,one of the oldest cities in North America,is the capital of Mexico It sits in a basin surrounded by mountains and is home to more than nineteen million peopleMexico City contains many beautiful parks Chapultepec(chah-pool-te-PEK)Park is the largest It contains a zoo,gardens,fountains,museums,lakes,and forestsPeopleThousands of years ago,American Indians lived on the land that is now Mexico and built amazing civilizations Then,Spanish explorers came to Mexico in 1517 By 1521,the Spanish had conquered the region,and Mexico became a colony of Spain As a result,about two thirds of modern Mexicos people are mestizos(mes-TEE-zohz)This means they are the descendants of both American Indian and European ancestors The other third of the population consists of American Indians,Spanish descendants,and other people who have come to the countryToday,Mexico has a population of more than 120 million people Most Mexicans speak Spanish More people speak Spanish in Mexico than any other country in the world Some people speak American Indian languages Most of the population lives in citiesA monument to war heroes greets visitors as they enter Chapultepec Park(bottom).The park includes history museums(top left)as well as lakes(top right).More than three fourths of Mexicos people live in cities.Mexico Level T78Mexico is rich in natural resources such as oil and silver It exports tons of coffee,sugar cane,and cotton throughout the world each year The country is also famous for its art and artists Painting,sculpture,and dance have a long and rich history in Mexico LandMexico has many mountain ranges,and some mountains are also volcanoes The highest mountain is a volcano 5,700 meters(18,701 ft)high named Pico de Orizaba(PEE-koh day OR-ee-SAH-bah)Mountains run along the west,east,and south Mexico also has canyons that reach amazing depths Copper Canyon in northern Mexico is known for being larger than the Grand CanyonThe center of the country is a plateau The raised,flat land makes it ideal for building roads and towns Most people live in this areaDo You Know?Mexico is famous for its large paintings called murals.One of its most famous muralists was Diego Rivera.In this famous mural,he shows the Zapotec and the Mixtec,two American Indian groups of ancient Mexico,at work making jewelry from gold and precious stones such as jade and turquoise.The mural,along with many others,is in the National Palace in Mexico City.Mexico CityMexicoGulf of MexicoGulf of CaliforniaPACIFIC OCEANSierra Madre OrientalMountainsSierra Madre del Sur MountainsMexican PlateauChihuahuan DesertCopper CanyonSonoran DesertYucatn PeninsulaMexicos LandformsPico de OrizabaBaja PeninsulaMexico Level T910Two peninsulas,the Baja and the Yucatn,jut into the ocean The Yucatn Peninsula is made of limestone that has dissolved away over thousands of years in some places The result is spectacular caves,including underground caves filled with water called cenotes(sih-NOH-teez)The Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts stretch across northern Mexico The Sonoran Desert has more types of plants than any desert in North AmericaWarm,wet rainforests cover parts of southeastern Mexico These forests are home to many different types of plants and animals Mexicos coastal lowlands contain lagoons,marshes,and swamps Past the eastern coast lies the Caribbean SeaMexico does not have many lakes and rivers,but one is very well known because it forms the border between Mexico and the United States Mexicans call this river the Rio Bravo del Norte,which means“wild river of the north”People of the United States call it the Rio GrandeHistoryThe earliest people in Mexico were American Indians One of the most well known is the Mayan people The Maya built great cities,temples,and pyramids without the help of the wheel or animals They also created beautiful works of art,studied the stars and planets,and developed a calendar In the early 1300s,the Aztec people arrived in central Mexico They built their capital city on an island in a lake The Aztec were also known as the Mexica,and from that name comes the name Mexico The site of the Aztec capital city,Tenochtitln(tay-nohch-teet-LAHN),would become Mexico City The Aztec built a huge empire In 1519,the Spanish explorer Hernn Corts arrived in the Aztec capital Within two years,he and his followers had taken over the land and conquered the Aztec peopleVisitors to Mexico can see El Castillo(kahs-TEE-yoh),a pyramid built by the Mayan people long ago.Mexico Level T1112In 1521,Mexico became a Spanish colony It remained a colony until 1821,when the people fought and won a war to be free from Spanish rule In the century that followed,many people were poor farmers who struggled to survive Wealthy Europeans owned 95 percent of the land Farmers and workers had few rights and received no education During the Mexican Revolution(19101920),the people rose up and changed the government Mexico became a democracy,which helped to improve daily life for the poor Today,Mexico is still a land of extremes There are two main social classes,the rich and the poor,with a very small middle class AnimalsMany different types of animals live in Mexico The jaguar plays an important role in the stories,songs,and prayers of Mexicos ancient Indian people It lives mainly in the rainforests of Mexico The largest of all the cat species in North America,it can measure about 2 meters(6 ft)in length It has black spots and a roar that sounds like a loud cough Unlike many other cats,the jaguar likes to swim,play,and hunt in water Its main source of food is the peccary,a small,wild member of the pig family Sadly,the jaguar is in danger of extinction;however,many people are trying to save themPancho Villa(left)and Emiliano Zapata(right),were the leaders of the Mexican Revolution.Although the jaguar is active during the day,it hunts mainly at night.Mexico Level T1314The sacred bird of the ancient Maya and the Aztec,the quetzal(keht-SAHL)lives in the rainforests of Mexico Like many types of birds,the male is brightly colored,and the female is plainer in appearance The males head and chest are bright golden green Its back is blue,its belly is red,and its tail feathers can be more than 1 meter(3 ft)long In the mountains of Mexico lives the red-knee tarantula This large,hairy spider is named for the reddish-orange patches on its leg joints The legs of this large spider span 15 cm (6 in)It grows very slowly,and the female spider can live to be thirty years old ConclusionMexico is a country of diversity It has modern cities and ancient ruins Deep canyons lie within high mountains Dry deserts and wet rainforests cover the land Its long history and natural beauty fascinate people around the globe If you were to visit Mexico,what would you want to see first?The bright colors of the male quetzal help it attract a mate.The ends of the red-knee tarantulas legs can detect vibrations,smells,and tastes.Mexicos Copper Canyon is a popular tourist site,although it is difficult to reach.A train takes visitors through the area.Mexico Level T1516Glossarybasin(n.)a depression,or low area,in the surface of the earth(p 5)canyons(n.)deep valleys with steep sides that are usually formed by rivers(p 8)cenotes(n.)deep natural wells created when surface limestone collapses and exposes groundwater underneath (p 9)colony(n.)an area or a country that is ruled by or belongs to another country(p 11)lagoons(n.)shallow,calm bodies of water between a reef and the shoreline or in the center of an atoll(p 9)mestizos(n.)people of Spanish and American Indian ancestry(p 6)peninsula(n.)a long piece of land almost completely surrounded by water(p 4)plateau(n.)a large raised area of flat land(p 8)rainforests(n.)dense forests,usually in tropical areas,that receive a lot of rain and contain diverse animal and plant life(p 9)Population:120,286,655Land:1,964,375 sq km(758,450 sq.mi.)Capital City:Mexico CityPrimary Language:SpanishPrimary Religion:Roman CatholicCurrency:Peso(PAY-soh)Source:Central Intelligence Agency(July 2014),World BankMexicoMexico Level T
