Katherine Stinson: Stunt pilot

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Jordan Scott Gordon
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1 Read the selection. Then choose the best answer to each question. Katherine Stinson: Stunt pilot Katherine Stinson was born in 1891, At the age of 19, she decided to become a piano teacher. She wanted to go to music school in Europe, but the school cost g1,000. "How can I earn $1,000?" she wondered, Then she read about stunt flyers. These pilots did daring tricks in airplanes, These men_ and they were all men-could earn g1,000 in ONE day! "That's it!" thought Katherine. "I'll be a stunt flyer. Then I can earn enough money to go to music school." Being a stunt pilot was dangerous, planes often crashed. But Katherine wanted to try. She looked for a school to teach her to fly. Most schools refused to teach women to become pilots. At the time, many people thought women were not "scientific,'enough to drive a car. So, how could a woman fly a plane? Finally, Stinson found a pilot to teach her. Katherine asked her parents for permission. "Of course, dear," said her mother.

2 "Absolutely not!" said her father, Eventually, however, he agreed to let her take flying lessons. Katherine sold her piano to pay for the lessons. rn t9r2, Katherine became the fourth American woman pilot. She became a stunt flyer. People called her the "Frying Schoolgirl." stinson was the first woman pilot to do a loop. This stunt was very dani]erous. Katherine performed the stunt in a plane she built herself. Later, she invented her own stunt, a twisting loop, she called it the "Dippy Twist Loop." she was the first to make retters in the sky. She used fireworks and smoke. She was the first woman pilot to carry mail Katherine was also the first pilot to fly at night. She often did night stunts at state fairs, Her plane had flares on its wingtips, At the fairs, an announcer spoke: "The great Katherine stinson will take to the sky. She will amaze us in a daring night flight.,, The crowd hushed. Then Katherine appeared, she was tiny. she climbed into her open plane. she strapped on her seat belt. she tucked her curls into her cap. A mechanic spun the wooden propeller, or the piece of equipment that moved the plane. The motor roared. Then Katherine sailed off into the night sky. She flew in figure eights above the crowd, She did loops and rolls.

3 ru, After ten minutes, she cut her motor. This signaled that she wanted to land. Bonfires lit up the edges of the runway. when Katherine stopped her motor, men would throw gasoline on the fires. The fires flared up. The fires helped Katherine see where to land. Katherine was fussy about her planes. She thought there were too many accidents. She thought many peopre did not take good care of their planes, Katherine carefully checked her plane before each flight, Katherine's younger sister, Marjorie, became a pilot too. The family moved to san Antonio, Texas, in 1915, san Antonio is flat. It was a good place to practice stunts, The family opened a flying school, Katherine and Marjorie taught people how to fly. Their brother was a mechanic. Their mother ran the business. The school trained pilots. Many of these pilots flew in World War I. 15 Katherine wanted to be a pilot in the war, too. she tried to join the army. They wouldn't let her fly. She became an ambulance driver instead. 16 After the war, Katherine moved to New Mexico. she gave up flying. Then she married a pilot. Katherine started a new career. She became an architect. She designed apartments. The Pueblo Indians inspired her designs. She won many prizes for her work, 17 ln 7977, Katherine Stinson died at the age of 86. she had never made it to music school. she had never become a piano teacher. She had been too busy blazing new trails in the sky. U j g 8 E i "u

4 ,d t7 What is Katherine's problem in paragraph 4? A She can't find anyone to teach her to fly because she is a woman. B she doesn't have enough money to go to music school in Europe, C Katherine's father doesn't want her to take flying lessons. D Katherine wants to be an army pilot during World War I. 18 Which sentence from the selection suggests that Katherine was a pioneer in the early days of flight? F Katherine was fussy about her planes. G Then Katherine sailed off into the night sky. H Stinson was the first woman pilot to do a loop. I Katherine and Marjorie taught people how to fly. 19 Why did Katherine sell her piano? A To pay for flying lessons B To buy a plane ticket C To pay for an airplane D Because a friend wanted it

5 ffi', 20 Which word from paragraph 12 means the opposite of the word started? F flared G cut H lit J signaled 2L Which of these best describes Katherine Stinson? A Fussy B Rich C Daring D Impatient 22 What is most likely the reason Katherine didn't become a piano teacher? F She never earned the 91,000 for music school. G She did not have enough musical talent. H Her family moved to San Antonio. J She found that she liked being a stunt pilot.

6 23 Which of these is the best summary of the selection? A Katherine Stinson wanted to be a piano teacher. She learned to fly to make enough money to go to school in Europe. Stunt pilots could earn g1,0oo in one day. This was enough to pay for her education. B Katherine Stinson opened a flight school in San Antonio. She and her sister taught people how to fly. Her brother kept the planes running. Her mother ran the business. C Katherine Stinson became a pilot in L9L2. At the time, few women were pilots. She became a stunt pilot, She did many dangerous stunts and often performed at night, She was the first woman pilot to do many things. D Katherine Stinson was a pilot, Then she was an ambulance driver, She was an architect. She designed apartments. She won prizes for her designs. She married a pilot. 24 The photograph on page 69 helps the reader understand - F where Katherine moved to after World War I G what airplanes looked like in the early 1900s H who took flying lessons at the Stinson's school J why people enjoyed night stunts at state fairs

Name. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments- Series II. Reading Grade 4.1 Vocabulary and Comprehension- Nonfiction Item Sampler and Answer Book

Name. Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments- Series II. Reading Grade 4.1 Vocabulary and Comprehension- Nonfiction Item Sampler and Answer Book Name Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments- Series II Reading Grade 4.1 Vocabulary and Comprehension- Nonfiction Item Sampler and Answer Book For 2006 & 2007 Reading Test General Directions to the Student