This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Cover Story - Spanish Version

Mini-Lesson

Comprehension Quiz

Teacher's Guide and Worksheets

Reading Scores On The Rise

Hooray for American students! For the first time in seven years, the average reading scores of kids in all three of the grades tested in a national exam improved.

The exam is given to 31,000 students in 4th, 8th and 12th grades. They must answer questions on material they read, ranging from poetry to tax forms. The test measures how well students understand and use different kinds of information.

"These results are encouraging, and show that we are beginning to move in the right direction," said Vice President Al Gore.

In all three grades, girls scored higher than boys. And here's some news that your parents will love: kids who spend less time watching television scored better than their couch-potato classmates.

Next: A Library on Legs