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Achoo! Achoo! We all sneeze sometimes. Sneezing is a reflex that your body does automatically. That means you cannot make yourself sneeze or stop one once it has started. When you sneeze, you body is trying to get rid of bad things in your nose, such as bacteria. You have extra germs when you have a cold, so you sneeze a lot more. You might also sneeze when you smell pepper! Inside your nose, there are hundreds of tiny hairs. These hairs filter the air you breathe. Sometimes dust and pollen find their way through these hairs and bother your nasal passages. The nerves in the lining of your nose tell your brain that something is invading your body. Your brain, lungs, nose, mouth, and the muscles of your upper body work together to blow away the invaders with a sneeze. When you sneeze, germs from your nose get blown into the air. Using a tissue or “sneezing into your sleeve” captures most of these germs. It is very important to wash your hands after you sneeze into them, especially during cold and flu season. Do you ever sneeze when you walk into bright sunlight? Some people say that happens to them often. Scientists believe the UV rays of the sun irritate the nose lining of these people so they sneeze. If someone nearby sneezes, remember to tell them “Gesundheit!” That is a funny-looking word which is pronounced “gezz-oont-hite.” It is the German word that wishes someone good health after sneezing. 1. Which parts of your body work together when you sneeze? 2. What does the German word Gesundheit mean? a. I wish you good health. b. I wish you God's blessings. c. I wish you a good day. d. I wish you would stop sneezing. 3. Why do people sneeze when they walk into bright sunlight? 4. Give 3 reasons why people sneeze Caroline and the Castle Caroline lived deep in the forest. In the forest there were enchanted fairies, ancient trees with arms, and talking woodland animals. Everything was magical in the forest, and Caroline was always happy there. Caroline's family lived in a tree house, high in the air, in this magical forest. The enchanted creatures of the forest all became friends with Caroline. One day Caroline went on a walk with her family, and they came across a huge, stone castle. The castle was surrounded by trees higher than any she had ever seen! Her mother walked to the castle gates and knocked softly. When she did, the gates opened and revealed a beautiful rose garden. On the other side of the rose garden she could see beautiful the painted windows and giant wooden doors to the castle. Her mother and father led the way to the castle doors, carefully avoiding the overgrown rose bushes. When they reached the door, it opened to reveal a royal corridor. A beautiful queen appeared from a nearby room, and greeted them with a bow. After talking about the forest and how they got to the castle, the queen invited them to stay for dinner. A magnificent feast was prepared, and Caroline was most thrilled with the selection of desserts and cakes. She liked the chocolate truffles most. After the royal feast, Caroline and her family bid their farewells and began the journey home. Caroline awoke in her bed the next day, wondering if it was all a dream. 1. What kind of a house did Caroline live in? 2. List three adjectives to describe the queen. 3. The last paragraph says that Caroline and her family “bid their farewells.” What does this mean? 4. Name two things from the story that could not happen in real life. 5. Name two things from the story that could happen in real life.